1001 Albums Summary

I’ve heard this one! Listen to this sooo much in the 93-94, when I was in the Army. Remembered my favorite song would change daily Cherub Rock - still an amazing song, their best, nothing comes close. Maybe Drown, maybe. Quiet - a bit filler, good to listen to Today - better than I remember, aged well. Hummer - Rocket - Disarm - this song still sucks. Yet, it’s very entertaining for the horrific chorus. Soma - Geek USA - this aged better than I thought. Enjoyable. Mayonnaise - this was everyone’s favorite. Not quiet the great song I remember. A bit overwrought. Spaceboy - overly earnest. A bit goofy. Silverfuck - great riff. Oh man this is still great. Never figured it out for a revenge song. Wonder who Billy was angry with. Sweet sweet - definitely filler at the time. Something the grunge could get away with that metal couldn’t - the earnest ballad. Luna - my wife put this on a CD when we first met. I just put my head on her head and listen to this. This is a much better song then I first gave it credit for. I don’t remember being an album about a relationship (maybe a failed one? Is Billy Corgan even a sexual being?) but it’s obvious as an adult. Some items are very teenager-ish, trying to break away from something. I guess BC really was a business man.

CSNY’s Deja Vu - well this will be a trip. New one for me. I’m sure I’ve heard Woodstock, otherwise this one’s outside my zone this one. Not a huge fan of country rock. Let’s see what this has got: Carry On - oh yeah, I know this one. This is a great song. 5/5 Teach Your Children - another famous one. Tend to be the sound I think of when I think of CSNY. Pretty good, very memorable. 3/5 Almost Cut My Hair - I love how era specific this is. Great guitar solo. I’ll be coming back to this one. 4/5 Helpless - a nice melancholy, sad song. Doesn’t stand strong by itself but a good transition song, not necessarily strict filler. 3/5 Woodstock - nice chorus, trippy chorus. Concert-going as cosmological existence. I half recognize / half don’t recognize this song. This is definitely a hippie record. I see this one is written by Joni Mitchell. A cover? 4/5 First half, has a good flow, the sound is very iconic, most songs the big hits. Pretty solid. Déjà Vu - I now realize these guys are the hippie Beach Boys. Cowboy Beach Boys. Meandering but beautiful. 3/5 Our House - and now a terrible Beatles song. Feels completely out of place. Seems the solid first half is going falling apart now. 1/5 4+20 - nice chill song. Not very memorable. 2/5 Country Girl - starts off awful, brings itself back a bit by the end. Can definitely feel the Neil Youngish bit about it. 2/5 Everybody I Love You - strong finish, for a very uneven 2nd half. 3/5 So, I was a bit hesistant to listen to this one. I thought it would be goopy 60s hippie love fest but it’s a solid rock and roll record, with some missteps. It has a melancholy vibe to it that feels like the end of an era. A solid first half means in the age of the LP that the 2nd half of the record got very little play, I’m sure. Although I anticipate it played better at the time of release. I give it 3/5.

Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka This seems too recent to be on an important list like this. No idea what to expect. Or even what genre this is. It’s gotta be good to be from 2019 and on this list. You Ain’t The Problem - strong out the gate with a classic neo-soul sound. Instantly melts any fears I have about this album. Super high production values. Love the line delivery. 4/5 Rolling - rolling forward into the next song. Song is alright, gets a big push from its predecessor. 2/5 I’ve Been Dazed - that move from one song to the next without telling me! So sneaky. This trio of songs are obviously meant to be listen to as a set. That energy! 4/5 Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) [Intro] - well it does say intro. It’s carrying me through though 1/5 Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) - sad song makes me sad. Ok. This song feels more complete than the others 2/5 Another Human Being - outro. Not as cool as the intro. Totally a skit. 1/5 Living in Denial - I can’t tell what year I’m in! I definitely like the layered weirdness of this song. It’s got a memorable hook to. This song has a bridge! Why don’t the others have bridges? 3/5 Hero (Intro) - that was total filler 0/5 Hero - ok I get it now, this album is going for a wide array of guitar textures. Guitar solo! 2/5 Hard To Say Goodbye - this song feels like a journey on an expansive steppe, probably in a Jeep Wrangler. This probably has the best vocals in the album. It pulls me and pushes me away at the same time. 3/5 Final Days - an apocalypse song. I’ll always listen to an apocalypse song. Interlude - I actually enjoy this interlude. Call me crazy 2/5 Solid Ground - while this sure feels like the single it’s a bit of a slog for me. 1/5 Light - nice conclusion 2/5 Well, that was a journey. Transporting to a kind of neo-soul nostalgic cool kids club in heaven. Definitely an album experience. Delivers in spades there. I jumped right back to the beginning after it was through. Songs though seem a tad undercooked. Many seem to miss just slightly. A lot of repetition. I don’t see myself breaking out the songs individually. It’s hard. It’s simultaneously awesome and underwhelming album. Placing it right in the center. 3/5

Oh boy! Queen Bitch is one of my favorite Bowie songs! Let’s go. Changes - a good way for me to hate a pop song is to name it Changes. I’ve never liked this song. Fuck this song 0/5. Oh! You Pretty Things! - what the fuck David Bowie I thought you were a genius. Jesus 0/5 Eight Line Poem - album should have started here. It could have saved me 50 years of Changes and whatever the fuck was before this. Still only half a song. 1/5 Life On Mars - true classic. I got so much pent up aggression because of the first two songs I can’t actually appreciate this one. This album sure seems disjointed. 4/5 but it would be 2/5 if I listen to it in context of this album. Just weird placement. Kooks - punching other people’s dads! That’s worth a point. I get it now. This is show tunes Bowie. Sorry show tunes are a hard sell for me. There’s something here I like though. 2/5 Quicksand - this is a fine song. It’s much more the Bowie I’m looking for. He’s peeking out here. Give him a 2/5 Fill Your Heart - show tunes Bowie. this gives me nothing 1/5 Andy Warhol - this is a good one. Oddly doesn’t feel like a song about Andy Warhol. It’s feels a bit westerny. Alt country? Of course Bowie’s trying his hardest to be weird but he can’t help making it a jangly pop song. 2/5 Song for Bob Dylan - boy does this sound like a Bruce Springsteen song. If he just sings it with a husky voice it would be a dead ringer for 70s Bruce. Kind of proves Bowie’s genius. One of his throw-away songs is a whole man’s career. Not bad song. 2/5 Queen Bitch - here it is! This sits better in the album than Life on Mars. One of the best songs ever. Even on this terrible album. 5/5 The Bewlay Brothers - I had no idea that this song didn’t end with Queen Bitch. This one I’ve heard before, I just didn’t know it was here. Has an epic chorus. It’s a strong conclusion, to a lackluster album. I enjoy him the weirder he gets. 4/5 And that’s a wrap. How depressing this listen was. I had such high hopes. But guess what, the good songs are good and are also the ones you’ve heard bazillion times. The bad songs are soooo bad. You can feel this terrible Bowie transform into the awesome Bowie as you progress through the album. That’s a feat. But it’s really just those three songs and a lot of terribleness. I mean I would rate this album higher if it was just those three songs. 2/5 Plus what’s with all the Nazi references?

Oh well, this isn’t on any US streaming services. I had to cobble this together from her first 2 US releases. Hope there wasn’t any changes on the tracks. I was gonna go through each song like I did my other review, but I’m not really fucking qualified to review this shit. It’s a fine album I guess, but I’m perplexed why I should care. Dusty Springfield sings some Motown hits. Ok. Whatever. Why is this on the list? 2/5

Oh man, I hate this guy. The very definition of pretentious critic darling. Ok, let’s get through the slog. Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois: Oh man, starts with piano and flute. Earnest singing. Ugh. Still, 1 point for UFOs. 1/5 The Black Hawk War, or the incredibly long song name: Not a song but pretty cool, originally thought it was the end of the first song. 1/5 Come On! Feel The Illinoise! : Has a Charlie Brown beginning and then becomes a mariachi tune. Ok, whatever. Completely zoned out listening but the ending brought me back. 1/5 John Wayne Gacy Day: My wife likes true crime. Me not so much. Honestly, it’s like filth you can’t scrub off. We did watch the JWG documentary. Not the typical serial killer. Like he was a successful business guy. 1/5 Jacksonville: This is a legitimately good song. Well written. Civil rights. I’m with it. 3/5 maybe 4/5. A Short Reprise for Mary Todd, Who Went Insane, But For Very Good Reasons: the filler must be stopped. I keep thinking it’s the end of a song. 0/5 Decatur, or Round of Applause for Your Stepmother! : at first I hated this song, but then read the lyrics which are very inspired. My stepmom is awesome too but I didn’t realize that until I was an adult. 2/5 Something something about Pullman: really 6 second filler? This is meant to fuck with my shuffle. 0/5 Chicago: this is a good, maybe great song. I guess songs that name check a city are worth listening to. If Jacksonville song is a 3/5 this is a 4/5. Casimir Pulaski Day: I hope this isn’t about another serial killer. After listening I have no idea. Dull. 1/5 To The Workers of the Rock … : I think I’m done with these long titles. I’m doing this all on a phone, have pity on me. And it’s filler! Fuuuuuuuck. 0/5 The Man of Metropolis …. : Boring boring Rock Part! Back to boring Rock Part!! Slowly peters out. Is this the end? Thank god. 1/5 Prairie Fire That Wanders … : kinda cool filler. Some of the filler is actually better than the songs. 2/5 A Conjunction of Drones … : oh man missed this one. It came and went. 0/5 The Predatory Wasp … : were I grew up we had a massive wasp we were scared to death of, but it was ultimately harmless. Apparently not like this one, and I bet this wasp is only half its length. This song is scarier then the John Wayne Gacy song. 2/5 They Are Night Zombies! … : title’s more interesting than the song. Boring. 1/5 Let’s Hear The String Part …: fill…, fuck it I’m so done with these. 0/5 In This Temple …. : back to back filler!! What fresh hell. 0/5 The Seer’s Tower: OMG a normal song title. I miss Sears. The occult take is interesting, but the song sounds like something to play at someone’s death bed. If you did that please kill me before the song ends. 1/5 The Tallest Man …. : Eh, kinda tuned out. I’m sure it’s a song somebody will enjoy somewhere. Guy does have a knack for good endings. 1/5 Riffs And Variations …: trumpet filler. 0/5 Out of Egypt …: um, what? 0/5 oh now I see that the last 3 songs are tacked on, this is the ending that’s why, instead of insufferable filler. 0/5 John Galaxy’s ….: is this an actual remix? It’s not some I’m trying to be funny title? Skip 0/5 The Avala…: heavy sigh. 0/5 The T…: heavier sigh. Rough sledding these last two. 0/5 S…: I can’t do it anymore. I can’t. 0/5 Ok, I kinda get why this is on the list, but quality really drops on the 2nd half of the album. The indie singer-songwriter is definitely a thing, but was this really the one? I can think of half-a-dozen pretentious critic darling that I would much rather suffer through. Who am I kidding? I’m sure they are on the 1001 list somewhere. Overall insufferable, but Jacksonville, Chicago and maybe the stepmom song have replay value. 1/5

Bob Dylan! I went through a Bob Dylan phase. It consisted of listening to … this album. So I know this album well. But it’s been a while. Like A Rolling Stone - truly one of the greatest songs of all time. I mean you can’t even debate it. Whatever the top of the scale it’s gotta be one higher than that. Definitely a time travel device to the 60s. 5/5 Tombstone Blues - this album isn’t as morose as you would think, considering the song titles. It’s a collection of a bunch of up-tempo blues-folk songs with a sly sense of humor. This definitely has one of my favorite Dylan lines: “the sun is not yellow, it’s chicken!” Who knew Bob was a dada-ist. 4/5 It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry - hobo song maybe? I can imagine Bob being a hobo. 3/5 From A Buick 6 - great title. People talk about Bob the Poet, but I can listen to this without hearing a word and still feels like a travelogue of mid-century America. First and foremost, Bob’s a song-writer who puts everything into the whole experience. 4/5 Ballad of a Thin Man - FOMO for all the old peoples. I wonder if the Boomers (and let’s be honest Gen X’s) of the world don’t realize they are Mr Jones. I mean I feel like Mr. Jones now. It’s depressing but what can you do? You get older. 4/5 Queen Jane Approximately - this is another great Dylan song. Is it a love song? I dunno maybe. 5/5 Highway 61 Revisited - When I first heard this song, it pretty much subverted my expectations. You think you’re getting another serious examination and you get what - is that a kazoo? - it’s like a clown song. 4/5 Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues - good song. I know it’s famous, but I don’t have much to say other than tight song-writing. 3/5 Desolation Row - the big conclusion. This is definitely a poem set to music, with its length and its consistent cadence. I go back and forth with how good this song is. Could be 3/5, but probably 4/5. Truly one of the greatest American records of all time. It feels sacrilegious to give it any less than a 5/5. Yet, it’s definitely dated, and I rarely get the incentive to listen to it. I can’t remember the last time I listen to any of these songs other than “Like A Rolling Stone”. The songs definitely hold up though. If I come back to Bob it’s not because of the Bob Dylan hagiography - the Poet, the self-serious folk rebel - but for the bluesy riffs, the more absurd lyrics, and sometimes the juxtaposition of Big! Important! Bob! against more modern Tacky! Hedonist! Commercial! songs. I mean you haven’t lived if you’ve never preceded Cardi B’s WAP with a Dylan song on a playlist. I love that kind of whiplash. So the question is, do you rate on history, importance, and overall impact of a record, or do you rate on your desire to re-listen? Is this an artifact of an older time, or does it still speak to me or people in general? I honestly don’t know. I’ll probably regret this but that tension forces me to give this a 4/5.

Just heard a song by these guys that was amazing, literally, I dunno, two weeks ago? Not off this album though. Excited this might be a hidden gem. Let’s find out! Genesis Hall - Hmm. Celtic folk. Ok. Not my jam but pleasant. Solid 3/5 Si Tu Doris Partir - go French! This is fine. I’m not particularly enamored. I bet this a traditional folk song. How would I know, I obviously don’t speak French! 2/5 Autopsy - please be a death metal song. Please be a death metal song. Ok, not a death metal song. Got a bit of rock in its folk though. Weird time changes. Seems like they are going somewhere with this interesting. 2/5 A Sailor’s Life - holy smokes this song is 11 minutes. Psychedelic intro that lasts over 2 minutes. Ok, rolling drum build up. I’m in. I’m all in on this one. This one is giving me goosebumps now. It just keeps building and building. This jam is my jam. It’s in the groove we’re full psych rock territory, everyone is in the pocket here, guitar drums everyone is bringing it. What a stellar find. Absolutely love this. Effortless lands it. 4/5 Cajun Woman - straight forward rocker. Solid 3/5. Who Knows Where The Time Goes? - another pleasant folk song. Great singer. I do really enjoy the mood this brings. Probably my favorite flavor of folk. See Nick Drake in this. 3/5 Percy’s Song - Hmm. S’ok. I enjoy the build up they give each song. 2/5 Million Dollar Bash - I can definitely see the hippies dancing to this one. 2/5 Dear Landlord - The only misstep of this whole album. Not awful though. Just meh. 1/5 The Ballad of Easy Rider - I was sure this was going to be a traditional folk song. Nope. The singer really elevates this one though. 2/5 This is a solid album. I don’t know if it’s because of the rock elements, the truly great understated singing or the song craft, but it’s definitely a vibe, and definitely one of the more enjoyable folk albums I’ve heard. Definitely worth a repeat listen, and some songs will go into my heavy rotation. This is 3/5, which, coming from non-folk guy is high praise.

Ah man, Teenage Me is calling me from the grave. Christ. Is this the one with Love in an Elevator? Yes. Yes it is. Well, here we go. I’m kinda dreading this. Young Lust - pretty much how every Aerosmith record ever starts out. Eh. As always, it’s a toe-tapper. Not bad. 2/5 F.I.N.E. - oh this is fun. It’s like I’m hearing this song for the first time, but I know that’s not true. It’s everything Aerosmith does well in a nice little package. Bridge is completely out of place though. 3/5 Going Down / Love In An Elevator - Mr Tyler going down? Boy is the production on this slick. The overproduction just kinda kills it. It might be because I heard it bazillion times. Can’t tell. Don’t seem to enjoy it that much. Nice Joe Perry-esque guitar solo. The “whoas” are too much. Like way too much. I really don’t want to hear this again. 1/5 Monkey On My Back - it’s like asking an AI to make an Aerosmith song. The riff is a bit tired. Isn’t it Given The Dog A Bone? Did they rip off AC/DC? This song is literally the space between one single and the next single. 1/5 Water Song / Janie’s Got A Gun - I think what makes this ok, is that it’s not Aerosmith’s usually shtick. It’s a break from the rock’n’roll sleaze circus. Still, is there an orchestra in the background? I know they had to move units but imagine if they had let this song breathe. You’d still be listening to it. 2/5 Dulcimer Stomp / The Other Side - Horns freaking horns. Did they have trumpets and saxophones tour with them? Boy did this start out promising. I like the chorus. 1/5 My Girl - straight rock’n’roll. In this sea of madness I kinda really think this is what they should have been aiming for. 2/5 Don’t Get Mad, Get Even - this one is not good. Usually songs with titles like this aren’t good, so no surprise. 0/5 Hoodoo / Voodoo Medicine Man - oh is this not about sex? Why is it on this album then? Am I on a mushroom trip? Oh it’s a rant. Everything is not ok people. Ok. Song’s fine, but boy does it feel outta place. 2/5 What It Takes - oh it’s the pre-Amazing Amazing song. Now I get why they double-downed on this for the next album. Must have been a huge hit. Holy Jesus that was worse than I expected. I should give this a 1/5 for the soul-sucking production alone. Like how did they reproduce this for their show? None of this feels like a band but instead a bunch of floating elements congealing into some horrific gelatinous clouded mass of music. Still the songs. Somewhere there’s a striped down version of this album that’s a great Aerosmith album. Maybe there’s some demo version I can luxiriate in. I did own this album when it came out. I listened to the shit out of it. I remember it being a big improvement over Permanent Vacation. It’s definitely what was in the zeitgeist. I mean Hysteria sold 10 million copies, there were tons of Bon Jovi clones, Tawny Kitaen on a corvette. It was the heyday of hairspray and MTV. But, well, here we are. Embarrassed by my teenage self. Hmmm. 2/5

Ookay Queen! I’ve never heard this album. Wondering how it’s gonna stack up to her later roles as a cop and Ursula the octopus witch. Dance For Me - it’s that old school rap sound. Was this New Jack Swing? I don’t quite remember. Fun, but suuuuper dated. 2/5 Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children - Hello Queen Latifah nice to meet you. I wonder where this fits in the history of rap. Did this album break new ground? No idea. Bizarre kid Alvin & the Chipmunks voice, which should be annoying. It’s not though. 2/5 Come Into My House - Definitely booty-shaking music. This is nothing short of consistent so far. 2/5 Latifah’s Law - this song turns me into car dash bobble head. Let see 80s rap card bingo: hyped, mack, check yo. This is definitely my favorite one so far, but is it really significantly better than the others? 2/5 Wrath of My Madness - I’m buggin’! That’s going on rap card bingo. Even though this is one is probably not my favorite, it’s once again not really better or worse. 2/5 The Pros - this album is testing the limits of the 5 star rating system. How many gradations of 2 can you do? I think I might give this a 1/5 cause it’s slightly worse than the last one. But it’s not actively awful. Love the bra strap line. 2/5 Ladies First - slightly higher production value. This might be the single. “holler & scream” - rap card bingo. Have I heard this before? The replay value is slightly higher than the rest. Oooh scratching. Finally 3/5. A King and Queen Creation - I don’t really have anything pithy to say here. It’s starting to wear thin now, but is it bad? No. 2/5 Queen of Royal Badness - rap card bingo - “grab the mic!” “The knowledge!” Step up from the last one. That makes it, wait for it, 2/5 Evil That Men Do - honestly this is starting to get in the filler category. A bit dull. Repetitive. Weren’t most of these albums like that then? Is it 1/5? I dunno 2/5 Princess of the Possee - this is definitely a point for the title. Jamaican rapping? A bit better than the last one. 2/5. Inside Out - Rap card bingo! “Get ill!” Ends on an up note. I like Jamaican patois better on this one than the last one. Is this one a 3/5? Hmm. Close but, no. 2/5 I don’t normally review the remixes but they have a chance to bump these up. Dance with Me remix - I mean this is a solid 3/5 now. Wrath of my Madness remix - is it really a question of production? Maybe. I would definitely play this over the original mix. 3/5 Princess of the Possee - Definitely better but not a whole point. Still a 2/5. I’m a rock guy, so I don’t really have the context for this album. I mean, I definitely see the throughline from this to Salt’n’Pepa to Missy Elliot to Megan Thee Stallion. I just don’t know if there’s a something more going on. Maybe the first one to introduce the Jamaican rapping? Wasn’t that more a mid-to-late 90s thing? It’s remarkable consistent, pretty fun album. It just doesn’t really rise above its era. 2/5

I owned this album. I love this album! I can’t believe it’s been 30 years. I don’t know if this was the Bjork album that needed to be on the 1001 list. If they have more than 1 Bjork album I think they might be doing this list wrong. Anyhoo - Human Behavior - let’s be honest. This sound is super ahead of its time. It could come out today without a blink of the eye. In fact it does sound like today. Wild. I think the big difference is that at the time it was a huge production and now this would be done in someone’s bedroom. 4/5 Crying - good song. Nice melody. Not much more than that really. 2/5 Venus as a Boy - and here I thought Homogenic was this wildly new sound for her. But lookie here, this could have easily fit on that album. It’s not All Is Full Of Love but it’s definitely lovingly robotic. 3/5 There’s More To Life Than This - wow, I don’t remember this song being so disco, but I do remember being obsessed with it. Not bad, but didn’t age as well as some of the other songs. And then it just kind fades as half (three-quarters?) of a song. 2/5 Like Someone In Love - Funny how the songs I never paid attention to were the seeds for her future sound. Song is still skippable, though. 1/5 Big Time Sensuality - while I definitely hear the 90s here, it’s still a good song. Very poppy. Maybe Dua Lipa will do a cover. 3/5 One Day - pre-Homogenic sound again. A bit mixed with pop sound of this record. 2/5 Aeroplane - I love these ethereal songs on this album. I’m not a fan of the horns, or the chorus really, but then would it still be Bjork? 2/5 Come To Me - I just can’t be objective about this song. I love it. I always have. It’s one of my most favorite songs ever. I can’t tell if it’s a throwback to the 60s, straight genreless, or just way ahead of its time. It just is. 5/5 Violently Happy - another space age club song. I know I listen to this a lot in the 90s. 3/5 The Anchor Song - I guess horns are the weirdo signal for this album. This song is fine. Not as good as Crying but not totally skippable as Like Someone In Love. 2/5 While this is a pretty uneven album (but which Bjork album isn’t?), boy does it have vision. Was anyone making this album in 1993? Did she jump into a Time Machine to 2023, come back, and then fight a losing battle with her record company not to add some disco beats? I think it took her a couple of these releases to become the Queen of the Weirdos, but this was still wildly left field at the time. I definitely had the “what the hell is this?” reaction upon first listen. Overtime, I was won over, but always thought of it as her half-baked intro. Now? Now I finally realize why everyone was calling her a genius. I mean with the songs it’s fluctuating between 3/5 to 4/5. Really, we’ll round up for how far ahead of its time it was. 4/5

I don’t think I’ve ever heard this album all the way through. That’s probably true of most Eagles’ albums, honestly. All Eagles albums? Well let’s do this! Hotel California - great song! Jesus I’ve heard this a bazillion times. I don’t even have to hear it and pops into my head. I don’t even have to listen to it and I can review it. Honestly, if I never hear this song again I’d be happy. Maybe take a 10 year break or something. I have to comment on the supernatural, almost Satanic panic quality of this song. Trapped in some kind of ghostly ethereal hell. If you told me that the Eagles has sold their souls to the devil I’s believe you. Every one knows easy rock is the devil’s music. The Occult was Real, son. It was definitely a different era back then. “Haven’t had that spirit since 1969.” That line gets creepier with each passing year. Maybe 20 years ago this was 5/5, but now really overplayed. I mean it’s a punchline in a Marvel movie. 4/5 New Kid In Town - yacht rock! 2/5 Life In The Fast Lane - this whole album has to be about drugs? Right? This song’s a barn-burner, and the lyrics are just fantastic. 3/5 Wasted Time - I’ve never heard this song. For an Eagles song that’s crazy. Is it going to suck? I’ll admit I’ve got trepidations. Eh, no Desperado, but it isn’t actively terrible. Kind of amazed actually. Could have been a hit if it hadn’t been surrounded by other, better hits. 2/5 Wasted Time (Reprise) - maybe they thought this was the hit. Terrible idea to add this thing in. Actively detracts from the previous track. 0/5 Victim of Love - I mean I don’t have much to say other than 2/5. It’s fine. Just fine. For some reason I thought it was better. Pretty Maids All In A Row - Joe Walsh singing! Was Don Henley on a cocaine bender? Who knows. This is a snooze-fest. And kinda dumb. 1/5 Try and Love Again - Henley’s still on a bender but this one has a bit of the Eagles magic. 2/5 The Last Resort - oh boy, this pretty much sucks. Holy Christ it makes me wanna jam forks in my ears. Henley should have just hung out with his dealer. 0/5 2nd half really nose-dives. I mean it’s Hotel California and then everything else. That’s pretty expected. HC really is the Eagles’ best song by a country mile. Some of them get close but HC is just one of the greatest songs of the 70s. How do you compete with that? I’m giving this one a 2/5.

Uggggh. I’m not looking forward to this. I feel like I tried listening to this before and just couldn’t. Isn’t it a 50 minute song? Let’s see the track listing …. 1. Tubular Bells, Pt I 2. Tubular Bells, Pt II Oh for fuck’s sake. Ok, let’s do it. Pt 1 - The Exorcist. Does this album become as popular without The Exorcist? I dunno. 1/5 Pt 2 - seems to be a distinct lack of flipping bells. They had enough time. 1/5 Well that was exciting. 1/5

This is one of those names like the Replacements or Elvis Costello or Tom Waits that are perennial critics darlings that I tend to avoid. So … this could be something awesome or something annoying. Let’s dive in! Greetings To The New Brunette - hokey fuck-stix this has got a lot of reverb. This song blows, the sound is not really my sound. This bodes ill for this album. Sorry Billy Bragg fans! 1/5 Train Train - well that was a sudden change in direction. Love this more blues sound. 3/5 The Marriage - ok, not my favorite but this guy’s got some serious songwriting range. I feel like I’ve stepped into three different albums so far. Lyrics are inspired, pro-parent sentiment. Not a teenager’s album. 2/5 Ideology - Seems to be a bit of the British Bob Dylan. English political song, like the very definition of a topic I would give 2 poops about. 2/5 Levi Stubbs’ Tears - well I hate this song too. I’m not a huge fan of hometown narrative song you might get from Springsteen etc. 1/5 Honey, I’m a Big Boy Now - what time period is this album happening? 1910s? 1/5 There Is Power In A Union - Lefty protest song. Sure, whatever. Not my thing. 1/5 Help Save The Youth Of America - ok, there was a chance this wasn’t this guys shtick but it very much is. I’m sure this is great for someone. Just not me. 1/5 Wishing The Days Away - got a country vibe other than the British accent. 1/5 The Passion - ok working class living working class life. 1/5 The Warmest Room - 1/5 The Home Front - 1/5 Usually, when I hear an album I heavily dislike, I can still see why it’s on the list. This is no different. British working class folk anthems from the 80s don’t really jive with me. I’m sure this is the premo example of the type of music, but I so just hate it. Also, there’s a type of music critic darling that is really backward looking. I’m sure this guys songwriting craft is 2nd to none. I wouldn’t know Because I can barely listen to it. It definitely feels like he’s 20-30 years too late, and that was in the 80s. 1/5

Bring on the beeps and boops! I’m all in for 70s Kraftwerk! Sprecken zie Sprockets! Europe Endless - huh not as primitive as I thought it was going to sound. The sound that launched 10000 New Wave bands. Song goes on forever. 3/5 The Hall of Mirrors - ooh trippy pac-man sounds! This was before pac-man! What am I talking about. What’s so great about this guy’s voice is that he’s so serious that he’s gone through the mirror and is now completely ridiculous. See what I did there. I believe this song deserves a comedy routine. Or maybe a runway fashion show. Bizarro. Should be a 1/5, but it’s so terrible it’s very entertaining. 2/5 Showroom Dummies - I wonder how much computer power this required back then. What’s crazy is I hear like a dozen different bands being influenced by this song. I can see the start of their sound here. But this is song is also very terrible. Can you imagine hearing this in 1977 and saying, “That’s nice, but I can do this better, Kraftwerk” ? And yet again, terribly entertaining. 2/5 Trans-Europe Express - I’ve heard like six famous samples in the first two minutes. That kinda cements its importance. This song has a nice rhythm and beat. I love how they try to mimic the sounds of a train whooshing past. Once again, one of the better songs that goes on too long, although I think that might be the point. 3/5 Metal on Metal - oh this is just a continuation of the previous song. Is the train stopping? 2/5 Abzug - and continues. I wonder if I would have liked this better as a 10 minute song? These kind of things cause real havoc in a playlist or shuffle. 2/5 Franz Schubert - I wonder who Franz Schubert is? I know, I should just Google, but I’m trying to listen to these albums uninterrupted. This one is very relaxing. And not in a yoga ethereal massage spa sounds sort of way. I actually enjoy this one. 3/5 Endless Endless - not what I was expecting. That title made me think this would go on forever. I mean everything else does. Not a song, but that was quite the twist there, Kraftwerk. 2/5 So, there’s no doubt this is a hugely influential record. These sounds are all over pop music for the last 40ish years. There’s a lot to unpack in this crazy record. What amazed me is what a fun record it is. And let’s be honest, it’s fun because it’s almost immediately a parody of itself. But you get this sense that Kraftwerk is a bit in on the joke themselves. I bet their interviews were a gas. I also am always amazed when an artist celebrates modern life and tech, instead of despairing about it. It definitely gives it a human touch to the inhuman. Still, what is it like listening to 1977 electronica in 2023? Some things still work, especially since it’s forced retro-minimalism, especially in songs like “Franz Schubert,” could effortless glide into a modern playlist. But there’s a lot here that’s of its time, deep repetition, corny vocals, and of course the mid to late 20th century industrial vibe, and in general, the Schprockets black leotard Euro-weirdness. I mean I did the Robot at least five times listening to the record. Honestly should be a 2/5, but really its influence and in generally corny fun-ness bump it to a 3/5.

Ah soothing Sunday hangover music. I know because I have a hangover. Unfortunately, I don’t have hangovers everyday, so 2/5

ZZ Top! A har-har-har! Let’s go dusty Texas blues rock band. What do I have ahead? Well, I can say that the song titles are pretty stellar. Don’t disappoint me, ZZ! Waitin’ for the Bus - holy smokes! This have mercy song is a ZZ Top song? Shut the front door. Like it. 3/5 Jesus Just Left Chicago - OMG I know this song too! I’m getting goose bumps. I’m such sucker for these types of blues rock vibes. 4/5 Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers - this is a good little ditty. Something is telling me I should be drinking. You better like some kickass guitar solos, cause the song is like 50% kickass guitar solos. 3/5 Master of Sparks - ooh groovy like Ash from Evil Dead groovy. This album is pretty solid so far. 3/5 Hot, Blue and Righteous - ballad time. Eh, whatever. It’s fine. 2/5 Move Me On Down The Line - Everybody sings on this album I guess. This is a fine rocker. Nice thing is you get the song 100% by the time you get to the 30 sec mark. There’s some efficiency there. 2/5 Precious and Grace - Love that funk groove, it derails a bit at the guitar solo, but pulls back. 2/5 La Grange - songs at this level of fame are in a sweet spot. They play it enough that everyone knows it, but they never over play it. It’s got such a good riff that drives the whole thing, and the guitar solos have so much character. I mean it’s pretty much flawless blues rock song. 5/5 Sheik - Another eh. Fun but nothing special. Kinda tuned out by the end. 2/5 Have You Heard? - this sounds like a blues gospel song. They’re bringing it at the end. Not quite a 3/5 though. 2/5 Alright! A pretty solid blues rock album. It’s got good concise songwriting, awesome guitar solos, and a rasp dusty west Texas biker bar feel. I saw someone was averaging their song scores for an album’s overall score. That’s 28 / 10 = 2.8, which rounds up to 3/5.

When I grew up in the 80s, the Smiths (and adjacent bands like the Cure) were cool girl bands. In fact - quick anecdote - in 9th grade, this cool girl got all the other girls to join together and vote for this album for the high school’s best albums of all time poll. This album made it to #2 on the list. My choice didn’t even rate. If I had a brain cell in the 9th grade I would have listened to this back then. But no, I have to listen to them now, when it does me no good and Morrissey’s reputation is in tatters now. Let’s jump into this thing. The Queen Is Dead - nice intro. Like Johnny Marr’s guitar work. 4/5 Frankly, Mr Shankly - Wild, circus music. I see Morrissey in clown shoes and a vaudeville outfit. Cool guitar sound. Was Mr. Shankly a record ex? 3/5 I Know It’s Over - this song wormed its way into my heart. 3/5 Never Had No One Ever - this song completely left my brain pan 2/5 Cemetry Gates - My wife said I’m being too dramatic. I told her I was listening to the Smiths. 2/5 Bigmouth Strikes Again - Joan of Arc strikes again! Walkman melt! Oh this is a hoot. I’m sure I’ve heard this before. 4/5 The Boy with the Thorn in His Side - I do love how these songs really depend on Morrissey’s voice, like he’s a crucial instrument in the song. I just can’t imagine them without them. 3/5 Vicar in a Tutu - another vaudeville number. Really I would have loved a Beach-boing-bingo movie with Morissey in clown shoes. 2/5 There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - this song has been on my pre-teen daughter’s playlist for months now. Another amusing, overly dramatic death song for teenagers. 4/5 Some Girls are Bigger Than Others - I had a Morrissey album with a song about an entertainingly rotund female. I wonder what the obsession was. Never mind I know what the obsession was. 2/5 This album holds together really well. It’s probably the best version of Morrissey I’ve heard (I really like Your Arsenal though) I think if I was the target audience I would have given this a 4/5 or even 5/5, but instead I’m mildly amused with a 3/5.

Whoo-boy. Here’s the biggest selling album of all time. The juggernaut. I can’t deny that this comes with some conflicted feelings. Michael Jackson, the man, was very problematic. Yet, his shadow on the music industry is biggest, the largest, the most felt even today. I can’t imagine the number of pop albums that exist today because of this album. You can’t just erase that. The last time I listen to this album, I remember it feeling like a Michael Jackson greatest hits album, it was so chock full of signature songs. Let’s revisit. Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ - For some reason I always thought this album started with Beat It. Wow this thing is pretty dated. Still, Jackson’s voice just floats above everything, it’s so iconic. The vegetable line is bizarre. Oh man, mama say mama saw - this album is gonna be like watching the Wizard of Oz, a pop-culture reference every 30 seconds or so? 4/5 Baby Be Mine - peak late 70s early 80s funk sounds on this one. Horns wakka wakka sounds. I honestly don’t recognize this. This album isn’t really starting off as strong as I remember. Still, this is effortlessly good. Solid deep cut(?) 3/5 The Girl Is Mine - I know Beat It has Eddie Van Halen on it - I forgot how many guest appearances are on this album. MJ must have been the center of pop culture at this time. This sounds like every Billy Ocean song ever made. Saccharine pop perfection. The banter is pretty uncomfortable. Isn’t Paul McCartney like 50 by this time? Maybe 40s? They’re both chasing after the same chick? 4/5 Thriller - I have listened to this every Halloween since 1982. You probably have to. I should hate it, I should be sick of it, but it’s the greatest song Michael Jackson ever made. 5/5 Beat It - Thriller really kicks this album into high gear, because from here on out it’s just flat-out amazeballs pop songs. From the Tangerine Dream sample to ine of the greatest guitar riffs ever, to the elevated chorus to the heavy-breathing and guitar solo, any part of this song is instantly recognizable and iconic. 5/5 Billie Jean - I don’t know if I heard this or Beat It first, but it’s definitely my music video introduction to Michael Jackson. The videos are definitely part of the experience of this album. I immediately see the light up tiles under MJ’s feet. This is nostalgia-bait for me, as it takes me back to 9 or 10, staying up to midnight in my PJs to watch music videos on Saturday night. Nostalgia wins, although I think that bass-line, synths, the singing, might have pulled me through to appreciate the masterpiece that this is. Although I wonder if Michael Jackson has a child we don’t know about. 5/5 Human Nature - This has an ethereal nature to it. Very 80s but step up from the ballads on the first side. 4/5 PYT (Pretty Young Thing) - The last masterpiece on this album. Not quite at the level of the other ones. but still a legitimately great song. It feels trapped between the past and the future a bit. I hear a bit that reminds me of the 90s or even 00s Usher, but then a choice drags me back to the 70s. Still those choices are all inspired. 5/5 The Lady In My Life - This feels like a holdover from something. Strong 70s ballad vibe. My wife said “every song is great, except maybe the last one.” Seems about right. It’s fine. Just not at the level of the rest of the album. 2/5 Is there a greater pop album? Maybe Purple Rain? Saturday Night Fever soundtrack? Dangerously in Love? I guess I’ll find out when those albums come up on this list (they are on this list, right?) It is hard not to deny though, that this is the pinnacle of pop perfection. While dated, the re-listenability of this album is high. Of course a pop album is going to be of it’s time, that’s kind of the definition of a pop album. Michael Jackson’s vocals are absolutely timeless though. It some ways it causes a jarring juxtaposition. But the music is always in service to his voice. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated how great a singer he was. And of course, we’re finally left with Michael Jackson himself. Ultimately, he was just a man. In his lifetime, he was Howard Hugh’s level eccentric, and would be consistently surrounded by sycophants his entire life. It was definitely a unique life. In some ways, it’s the first Truman Show, all lived in the open to be examined by everyone. He was a drug addict, which killed him, and possibly (shudder) a pedophile. This, of course, sent me down an internet rabbit hole. The truth is obscured by a train of scam artists, a brutal media circus, and Jackson being an absolute weirdo. Maybe? Maybe not? It’s hard to say. Did his abuse as a child begat more abuse? If so, it’s story as old as time. I wanna believe that Thriller predates all of that, because of the monument it is. In the end though, and this is happening to me over and over again, true genius sometimes creates true monstrousness. Like I said, major conflicted feelings about this one. Thriller is my first 5/5 on this journey.

Bob Marley. Not really a huge Bob Marley fan. I find that I can’t listen to too much reggae at a time. Let’s jump into this. The cover is bizarre. Is that a garbage can top? What is that? Concrete Jungle - yep it sounds like reggae. It’s fine. 2/5 Slave Driver - I don’t know why, but this one is good. 3/5 400 Years - Maybe it’s the power to people lyrics? I like this one better 3/5 Stop That Train - kinda what I think of when I think of Bob Marley. 2/5 Baby We’ve Got A Date (Rock It Baby)- I think I like the political songs better. There’s not a huge vibe difference between them though. 2/5 Stir It Up - ok I know this one. Was wondering when I’d hit one of his hits. 3/5 Kinky Reggae - this is a good one, maybe my favorite one so far. I can’t tell if I’ve heard this one before or not. That’s my problem with reggae. Still 3/5, might go for 4/5. We’ll see. No More Trouble - there’s definitely some sounds on this album that are cool but I don’t know what are the instruments. I’m liking the 2nd half better than the first. It seems more varied. 3/5 Midnight Ravers - Songs are blending into other songs. The album has its own groove that only emerges upon listening to the whole thing in one sitting. Fun stuff. 3/5 High Tide Or Low Tide - eh. It’s fine. Suddenly I’m at the point where this is too much. 2/5 All Day All Night - Duet! The Wailers say hey can we sing. Finishes off pretty good. 3/5 I don’t have a big thing to say other than reggae live is pretty awesome when you’re inebriated. Also, the album format works better than the song format for reggae. It seems to enhance the vibe the longer it goes on. You just can’t do that with a single song. This is a pretty good vibe. 3/5

I owned this album! I listen to it quite a bit. This really an album I have to hear before I die? My memory says it’s barely average. I mean wasn’t Franz Ferdinand the millennial equivalent of Foreigner? Styx? Foghat? Are those albums on this list? If not, why is this? And if they are on the list, why? (Note: Reading the reviews I guess this is no longer on the list. It’s an extra) Before I re-listen to it let’s rate and see how close I am afterwards. My pre-rate is 2/5. Ok let’s go - Jacqueline - always thought this was a weird way to start this album, the spoken word thing. Good song. 3/5 Tell Her Tonight - yeah. It’s fine. Not bad 2/5 Take Me Out - THE SONG! The one I still remember cause they still play it on the radio. Pretty stellar song, and nice that it has that change-up at the beginning. That made it stand out. 4/5 The Dark of the Matinee - Eh. Once again fine. A big step down from THE SONG. 2/5 Aug Achse - utterly forgettable. 1/5 Cheating on You - man, this is the douchebag song. I remember liking this song. Once again fine. 2/5 This Fire - I remember this song at the same level as Take Me Out. But it’s not. Good though. 3/5 Darts of Pleasure - I mean it’s suppose to be a party rock album right? Pretty lightweight. That’s the problem. I mean that was always the problem with this band. 1/5 Michael - This song jumps out. I don’t remember it that way back then. 4/5 Come on Home - uh. 1/5 40’ - eh. 2/5 So, competently made. It’s not a bad listen. Enjoyable. It’s just not memorable. It’s one ear and out the other. I can mix this with other similar party rock songs and it would fit. It has to be surrounded by more solid songs. I imagine it plays well in a cocktail setting. I think FF was a critical darling because of the frustration over the dominance of nu-metal and pop punk, a kind of wasteland of commercial rock that needed to be swept aside. In the end hip hop just pretty much just took over around this time. It was the last ebb of rock music. Going out with a whimper. 2/5

Never heard of this. The album cover is wild because I can’t place the year by looking at it. Could have been last year, could have been the 70s, but instead 1968. I’m expecting Americana singer-songwriter. Let’s see what we got. Luckie - Well, hello soul. Burt Bacharach style noodlings. Didn’t see that coming. That hits it outta the park. 4/5 Lu - this song is kinda a mess. It just kinda flies apart. 1/5 Sweet Blindness - some real strange time signatures here. It’s very intriguing. It’s like a twisted version of bubble gum for weird hippies. 4/5 Poverty Train - oh I thought this was gonna be a blues song. The lyrics are kinda dark, aren’t they? This album is like Mr Bungle’s lost soul album, the songs flip through so many time signatures. Talk about experimental. 3/5 Lonely Women - it’s like she wants to be a blues singer. I wonder how much of this album is just some serious stoned noodling caught on tape. And suddenly it’s a completely different song. 3/5 Eli’s Comin’ - fuck please keep Eli away from me. Just kidding. This song is some serious soul power. 4/5 Timer - it’s about here where the schizophrenia is wearing thin. 2/5 Stoned Soul Picnic - is this pulling together as a normal song? Yes … yes … nope. Man is this a great song though. Is this a 5/5? Umm, yes, I’m committing to 5/5. Emmie - there’s a thin line between a genius song and something that seems to just chase its own tail. I guess you can’t make an omelette without some cracked eggs. 1/5 Woman’s Blues - another soul banger 3/5 Once It Was Alright Now - well this was going somewhere and then the ol’ switcheroo. It goes back and forth. It’s like 2 songs stitched together. 3/5 December’s Boulder - another song that just keeps spinning and goes no where. 1/5 The Confession - is that a Donna Summer lyric? This is a good ending to the album. I thought it was gonna just peter out, but instead she nails it here at the end. 4/5 Boy this was an exciting listen. I’m never getting that experience back again. I’ve literally never heard anything quite like this. It’s exhilarating to hear something so fearlessly creative. Can I even rate this accurately? It cries out for several re-listens before I can even evaluate it well. Honestly I wanna give it a 4/5 just because of how wild it is. It could honestly become a 5/5, or it could wear thin and go as low as a 2/5. 4/5 it is!

My friend and I were just talking about this album. He was amazed that I could pinpoint “the armadillo tank album”. Ironically, if you played any music from this I wouldn’t recognize it. And I know I’ve listen to this album. Let’s see if the 2nd time sticks. Tarkus i. Eruption - ah all the great 70s sounds. Organ / synth? Wonder why this was such a huge instrument then. Incredibly dating. Good intro 4/5 ii. Stones of Years - I assume when he sings we’re here now. Very 70s lyrics. I mean ok. Like the organ solo. 2/5 iii. Iconoclast - drastic shift. Must be here now. Go drummer. 3/5 iv. Mass - more singing. Here? Unsure. This is entertaining. 4/5 v. Manticore - new part, really likes the noodling. 2/5 vi. Battlefield - we are definitely here. Finally name checks a section of the song. I have to admit, these guys are definitely prog masters 4/5 vii. Aquatarkus - and now the ending. Kind of a military march. It’s wild how the synth is doing so much of the heavy lifting. 3/5 I have admit, when it comes to prog, it can be either disjointed or overly long. This does a great job of stringing interesting bits together, and the singular sound of ELP lifts this into one of the better epic songs I’ve heard. Never boring. 4/5 Jeremy Bender - seems very early Pink Floyd. 2/5 Bitches Crystal - you will love these guys if love noodling. You’ll hate them if you don’t. I’m a bit ambivalent, but they are great at what they do. 3/5 The Only Way (Hymn) - ooh. Major misstep. Cringe-worthy. This an album about WWII? I think this might be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. 0/5 Infinite Space (Conclusion) - And then it just moves into this. I think a very coherent first half devolves in the 2nd half. 1/5 A Time And a Space - oh man, somebody should have told these guys to stop. 1/5 Are You Ready Eddy? - And here comes flying in a song from a completely different universe where the 50s never ends. Whatever. Stay in your lane people. 1/5 I don’t know if I’ve heard an album fall off a cliff like that. I can’t imagine the people who showed up for the first half of this album, showed up for the 2nd half. So, how to rate. Considering I have one half this album a 4/5 you would think a 4/5. The song Tarkus is a prog masterwork. But the second half averages at a 1.2, with only Bitches Crystal worthy of the 1st half. Evening out it’s like a 2 or 3. Seems like a crime to give this thing a 3 when the 2nd half is so phoned in and disjointed. So, 2/5.

Another rapper. Mid 90s. Should be like half skits. This guy was Wu-Tang right? This stuff tends to date really rapidly (kinda like that album cover) but let’s see what we got. Striving For Perfection - word. Son son. Our first predictable skit. 1/5 Knuckleheadz - First song ending in z. They might have already hit their cussing quotient within 20 seconds. Oh yeah, this is rap from a different era. Feels very languid. Ok. 1/5 Knowledge God - this is a step up. Like the beat, the flow. Dope, guns and money. Always a good combination. Rap is background music isn’t it? 2/5 Criminology - oh man, is Ghostface Killer killing it or what? 3/5 Incarcerated Scarfaces - distinct lack of skits so far. Good. This album is getting in its groove. Who’s the Black Trump? Funny, but fuck Trump. 3/5 Rainy Dayz - z song #2. This is fine. One of a billion soul/rap crossovers. 2/5 Guillotine (Swordz) - z to the third power. Shadow boxing! Awesome! Song’s ok though. 2/5 Can It All Be So Simple - gunshots! It’s gangsta rap bingo in this bitch. Don’t trust little kids with guns. Eh whatever. Album is hitting that over saturation point, I’m not even halfway done. 1/5 Shark N****s (Biters) - I love how every song is an Explicit tag. Skit though. Keeping it real by forcing me to listen to a skit. 1/5 Ice Water - Yawn. I think even in the 90s, these albums were never really meant to be listened in one sit-through, but instead be shuffled with other CDs or skipped the songs you liked. 1/5 Glaciers of Ice - I’m tuning out a bit here. It has an interesting beat, but I’ll never listen to this again. Not willingly though. Boring. 1/5 Verbal Intercourse - just keeps boring me. I think rap is so focused on business that they do it like business - flood the zone with shit until something sticks. Bucket load of homophobia. That’s definitely 90s rap. 1/5 Wisdom Body - can’t really tell what is going to work on this album. 2/5 Spot Rusherz - zzzz. I guess there were only 4 z’s on this album. The rapping in the background of this intro was 10x better than the last 6 songs. Proves my theory that this is suppose to be background music. Like this one, and the black Lex Luthor. 3/5. Ice Cream - spuds Mackenzie! That’s a deep cut. Not at the time. This is finally a fun song. Is that Method Man? He knew when to show up. Easily the best song. 4/5 Wu-Gambinos - I literally see a half dozen guys just walking around a stage with the mic in their face. I mean, are rap shows interesting? 2/5 Heaven & Hell - this has got a groove. I can see this playing in my background. 3/5 North Star (Jewels) - it’s fine. 2/5 Definitely a 90s Wu-Tang album. About 1/5 of it, good maybe even genius, 3/5 to 4/5 boring and repetitive and 1/5 skits. This album has some real skit-restraint. I can appreciate that. I’m sure this was hugely influential, but I just don’t know enough about hip hop to give it props for that. Honestly, I don’t ever wanna have to sit through the whole album again, but there are individual tracks that I’d put in rotation. In fact, I suspect in a mixed genre playlist all these tracks would play well. All together it’s just too much. Or maybe I just need to tune it out into the background. I dunno. 2/5

I owned this album! This was a great album. Let see if it holds up. Everlasting Light - The song I remember the best is this one. I know this wasn’t a major hit, but my head can instantly conjure the riff and the first few lines. It is still good, but memory seems better. 3/5 Next Girl - this is still great. It keeps its edge. Even if it was in a commercial. I mean rock gods gotta eat. 4/5 Tighten Up - this on the other hand is overplayed. And a little overlong. I remember really liking this song. What happened? 2/5 Howlin’ For You - a straight forward rock’n’roll heatseeker. 4/5 She’s Long Gone - oh man where have you been all my life? Hidden away on an album I’ve only heard a 1000 times. Love this now. Go fuzz blues rock. 4/5 Black Mud - it seems like the stuff that didn’t hit me younger is absolutely killing me now. It’s an interlude though. Wish they had done more with this. 3/5 The Only One - yeah alright. I mean it’s pretty good. Goes on a bit too long. Can’t in good conscience give it lower than a 3/5, though. Too Afraid To Love You - umm, what is this? It seems criminal I can’t remember some of these songs. But not this one. This one kinda sucks. 1/5 Ten Cent Pistol - boy this one and the one before it are like death in a row. I mean they are both competent songs. So why do they suck? 1/5 Sinister Kid - I feel like I must never have gotten through this whole thing when I listen to it before. I mean let’s be honest, this is peak iTunes era prior to streaming. I probably put just the songs I liked the most on a mixed CD. So not this one, even though it’s fine. 2/5 The Go Getter - this has got a good smokey bar vibe. Like it. 3/5 I’m Not The One - it’s fine 2/5. Unknown Brother - finally a song I remember. Weird I thought this was the end of the album. It steps up from the prior songs, but not enough to escape 3/5. Never Gonna Give You Up - never gonna let you down. Never gonna say goodbye or hurt you. 2/5 These Days - this is a better ending then I remember. 3/5 Overall, more of a melancholy trip than the scorcher I remember. Still a good album, especially since it was mining timeless sounds already, so it’s hard to nail it to it’s actually time. This is one of those bands, probably a trend started with the Black Crowes, that perennially go back to the well of The Rolling Stones to mine more gold. I don’t mind. I listen to the next band that does it. Those bands come and go, and this one is already gone. I think this is hard not to compare to its follow up, the minivan album. That one was a great album. Or at least that’s how I remember it. This one though is 3/5.

Oh hell fuck yeah. Little Child Running Wild - this sets the tone that this is not just soundtracking but an epic crime saga. For a song I’ve never heard, this comes out the gate building to a goose-bump-laying-down crescendo. 4/5 Pusherman - so classic - this song is one of the best songs ever. Should be a 5+. 5/5 Freddie’s Dead (Theme from Superfly) - Another iconic song. It’s hard to give this 5/5 when compared to Pusherman, but it’s so so close. 4/5 Junkie Chase (instrumental) - theme song to every 70s cop show. I see the car chase, I see the foot chase. 3/5 Give Me Your Love (Love Song) - expecting more of a slow jam but I dig the jam this is. This teases 4/5 territory, but pretty solid 3/5. Eddie You Should Know Better - the little vignettes Curtis Mayfield sings more real then the actual movie this accompanied. 3/5 No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song) - is this a Barry White song? Nope, Barry White doesn’t really hit until 1974. Smooth jazz saxophone. 3/5 Think (Instrumental) - nice relaxing instrumental. Nothing super special but nice placement on the album. 2/5 Superfly - A soul masterpiece. 5/5 What is this album? Cinematic that’s what it is. The sound is truly remarkable. Not a single bad song, and so many great ones. Almost a 5/5, but not quite there. 4/5