I used to think Earth, Wind, and Fire were a joke. I was ignorant, influenced unfairly by my parent’s prejudice of funk and soul music. My dad in particular was in high school when they were at their peak in popularity, and he was very much in his own musical world, one that he’s never really left honestly - the hard rock of the day, blues, and some jazz (but not much). So EWF wasn’t playing in my house as a kid, and whenever they or bands like them came up, they were scoffed at as being just kind of kitschy and a joke. On my own I have since learned how wrong this was. For one, I’ve learned that all music (and art in general) has merit even if I don’t love it or even like it. But regarding EWF and other soul bands like them, I’ve learned that not only does their music have merit but that it’s also, like, good. In a way that surprises and impresses me continually. This album is no different. Such feel. A soft touch when necessary but man can they crank it up when they need to. Such a talented band of musicians. I have to wonder how big the band actually is given all the instruments here. The vocals? Pristine. Not a note or vocal line out of place. The falsetto on “Reasons” is absolutely incredible and makes for legit love-making music. I really can’t say enough here. Excellent album. There’s a couple of songs I could’ve done without so it doesn’t quite hit 5 stars, but it easily, solidly earns 4. Standout tracks: Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, Reasons, Africano,

I had every reason to not like this album. Rap and hip-hop, while I've enjoyed most of what I've heard (and even gave Biggie's debut 5 stars), a lot of it hasn't resonated with me or left me floored. This, combined with the fact that Kanye West has proven himself to be a colossal idiot in almost everything but making music, has put on full display his mental instability, and has spouted hateful, Anti-semitic language and aligned himself with a now former president who has spewed some equally condemnable rhetoric and you have an artist who, despite the quality of his art, is incredibly easy to dislike. This review will assess the art, not the artist, and I have tried to put my personal feelings about Kanye aside here for the sake of the integrity of this project. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album completely blew me away. I mean my god. The sheer amount of creative energy that just bursts at this album's seams. The lyrics alone require an immense amount of dissection. West moves through this album at the height of his powers, delivering his messages with a personal urgency, at times, that adds to the power of this album. "Power" in particular stands out as a masterpiece in production and writing, and if I had to guess serves as the album's thesis. Bringing together sample after sample and combining them to make something both incredibly personal and yet wide-reaching and relatable. The collaborators he brings in for this project were also excellently chosen and utilized. Jay-Z, Niki Minaj, Pusha T, and apparently Bon Iver, to name just a few. They all bring something more this album that it needed to be great. Now for some things to criticize here. For one, I don't understand the tone of the outro to "Blame Game." It really seems like the Chris Rock cameo is supposed to be funny. But the tone of the rest of the song is sad, depressing at times, and the juxtaposition doesn't work for me. I don't know what it was supposed to do but it falls flat completely. Like it was included because they knew they could get Chris Rock and needed something for him to do. I also do find some of the lyrics to be misogynistic in nature, which while I know that can be par for the course in hip hop and always has been, I just can't really get behind or relate to. Lastly, his ego just cannot help but take its place at the forefront of this album. It's in your face and obnoxious and becomes tiresome at times. And that's annoying and a little sad. He's great and knows it, he just can't be humble about it ever, at all. This album is undeniable. It's a masterpiece. It's a creative force. It's an achievement. I don't know what else to say. Five stars. Somewhat regrettably. But you can't deny the art. Standout tracks: Dark Fantasy, Power, All of the Lights, Monster, Runaway, Lost in the World

“Which one’s George Clinton??” Not quite as good as the other Funkadelic album I had earlier on. But still quite good. The concepts behind the songs are at the very least interesting and creative. I appreciate that they don’t just write songs about partying or being in love or whatever. The songs are about enemas or taking a dump or whatever the hell some of them were about. It makes it interesting and keeps you on your toes. And besides, who can deny the grooves, man? 4 stars. For some reason this wasn’t on either major music streaming service so I found it on YouTube. Weird. Standout tracks: One Nation Under a Groove, Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?, Cholly

The synth pop albums I’ve been dealt this far have been, in my opinion, largely duds. So I really wasn’t looking forward to more of the whiny British Brit-pop voice and meandering songs. This was not that and was I pleasantly surprised. It’s snappy, it’s fun, and it’s energetic. The singer’s voice is so smooth and easy to listen to. 3.5 stars (rounding down to 3 because I didn’t like it THAT much). Standout tracks: I’ve Been Waitin’ for Tomorrow (All of My Life), This is the Day, Uncertain Smile

What, no “Red, Res Wine”? But actually, and as I’ve said a lot during this project, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I have never enjoyed reggae. I’ve always thought it was boring and that all the songs sounded the same and that it was only for stoners. While this album didn’t completely sell me on the genre as a whole, it did show me that there is, of course, more to it than my past prejudices would have led me to believe. UB40 does a fine job, especially in their debut effort. It runs a tad long at times but I’m guessing that’s not uncommon for reggae. I don’t think I’ll be seeking them or more reggae out on my own, but I’ll be less prejudiced when another reggae album pops up again. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Burden of Shame, I Think It’s Going to Rain Today, Food for Thought, Reefer Madness

Ironic that I start this project (one where I will discover new music) with an album I already have heard many times from a band I love. I do feel this is one of their weaker albums in terms of entertainment value. While it’s definitely progressive and shows the band at or near their peak of creativity and originality, that doesn’t mean it’s entertaining or capable of eliciting an emotional response, personal connection, or overt reaction other than “huh, that was cool.”

Not at all what I expected! Very moody, atmospheric sound with poetic lyrics and themes, driven by understated sound. Very enjoyable and would listen to again with more intent.

I’ve always been metal-curious but never enthusiastic enough about that curiosity to give it a try. And I don’t think listening to this has helped, really. I appreciated the lyrical themes presented throughout, especially the anti-war sentiments in “Disposable Heroes.” But musically, I honestly don’t get it. It isn’t for me.

Interesting at times, probably more here than I could find in one casual listen. Some catchy tunes but mostly going for artsy vibes from what I could tell. Felt like a hipster indie album before those were necessarily a thing. Would listen to a few songs again but nothing is pulling me back.

You’ve heard the song “Green Onions.” It’s probably all you’ve heard from Booker T. And the MG’s. But the rest of the album is just as good as that. Masterful skill on all instruments, impeccable style and attitude exudes through every song. It’s laid back and it’s intense, it’s atmospheric and it’s in your face. Everything I could have wanted out of an instrumental album and more. This is my kind of stuff.

What an album. Not all hits (some songs haven’t aged well and some were just boring or unoriginal) but man when this album hits it HITS. As someone somewhat familiar with John’s work (the biggest hits, mainly), this was a treat. I’d heard it before years ago but remembered nothing and so essentially got to listen to it again for the first time. I knew “Benny and the Jets,” of course, as well as “Candle in the Wind,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” and “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting.” The rest were new and were amazing.

Pleasantly surprised by this. I’ve always kind of rolled my eyes at Linkin Park. There have been enough memes and things to make me feel that way. But their music was coming out during my formative years and I’m glad this popped up. It sort of fills the hole in my understanding of that era of rock/alternative music. That being said…it wasn’t really my thing. Like with Metallica before them (a few albums ago), Linkin Park’s music has a very specific, aggressive sound that, to the naive, untrained ear, can make all the songs sound the same. So I did feel that some of the songs sounded very similar to each other. That isn’t a knock on the album, just a comment on my own unfamiliarity with the genre and the band themselves. It’s an intense sound, and you really need to meet it at its level in order to fully appreciate it. That could probably be done with further listens. Standout tracks: One Step Closer, Crawling, Runaway, A Place for My Head, A Cure for the Itch

I gotta be honest, I was skeptical of this one. I really didn’t think it was going to be something I would enjoy. Appreciate, yes. Enjoy, no. But man once you get past its somewhat rough opening track, the rest falls into place as a trance-inducing, melodic, well produced album that was clearly ahead of its time. So much of that 80’s sound is present here, the sound that would become the hallmark of the era’s music. The synths. The reverb. The airiness. I don’t know if this one album had a whole lot of influence. But it sure seemed to know which way the wind was going to blow at the beginning of the decade.

It’s weird. It’s creative. It’s Beck. I loved it. Will listen again.

W.O.W. I’d never heard of this album or this band. To my knowledge, I’d never heard any of their music (then “Lovefool” came on). I’m blown away. It definitely starts hot, cools off to some tracks I’m not as into but still like, then picks back up with immaculate feel and groove. What a tight band with such a well-defined sound. Plenty of bands attempt a 60’s-style sound and either go too far and sound like stereotypical music from that era, and some don’t go far enough and it doesn’t have enough of that feel. They nailed it with this album. There’s funk, jazz, rock, blues, and soul influences all over this and I could not get enough. I didn’t know who they were but I do now and I almost want to put this whole project on pause to listen to their entire discography. I just might.

Without knowing the finer points of salsa music, I can only say so much. Having an appreciation for big band music from having played in a jazz band, I can say that this is a very tight band. There is technical skill, but also a passion for the music that comes through even 45+ years after its recording. I really enjoyed this album and would listen to more. Standout tracks: Plastico, Buscando Guayaba, Pedro Navaja, Ojos

Huh. I had no idea Brazil had psychedelic bands in the 1960’s that were contemporaries of The Beatles and Pink Floyd. I heard a lot of the former’s “Sgt. Pepper” and the latter’s “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” here. There’s crowd noise at the beginning of the last track. There’s a trumpet part that reminded me a lot of “Penny Lane” (not on “Sgt. Pepper,” I know, but same era). It’s definitely a trip. Some real fun grooves here. Some of it lands, some of it doesn’t. It’s playful, it’s experimental, it pushes boundaries. It’s psychedelic, after all. I liked it, not sure I’d seek it out again. Maybe. I dunno. But it was good and I’m glad I listened. And I didn’t understand hardly a word of it. Standout tracks: A Minha Menina, Adeus Maria Fulô, Bat Macumba, Trem Fantasma, Ave Gengis Khan

I mean, look. It’s U2. They’re four very talented musicians. Two of them have silly names. They were cool at their peak and now are a Vegas legacy act. I tried to listen to this while forgetting that and taking this at face value. I think I did ok with that. There’s a lot to like here. Some real creativity and artistry. A little bit of weirdness. Really well defined sound, something they’ve always been known for. Overall I enjoyed this. It’s a reminder that U2 actually did produce some great music at one point, and it makes me want to listen to “The Joshua Tree” again for the first time in a long, long time. Fun fact: I managed to squeeze it in on the same day Green Day’s “Saviors” released so that’s an accomplishment. Standout tracks: Sunday Bloody Sunday, New Year’s Day, Drowning Man, The Refugee

I finally got a rap album. Without knowing too much about rap, I don’t feel like I can comment on this too much without coming off ignorant. So I’ll suffice it to say that this was a fun listen, if a bit dated. Rap and hip hop have always seemed rooted in their present. This album is no exception. The styles, some of the production choices, and lyrical themes feel old. Especially some of the lyrics. That’s to be expected with something more than 20 years old, of course.

As someone who didn’t grow up listening to Michael Jackson through their parents like many of my millennial peers did (my boomer parents generally shunned contemporary pop music in favor of older stuff from their childhoods in the 60’s and 70’s), I had never heard this album front to back before. Of course I’d heard most of it. In fact I think the only tracks I hadn’t heard before were “Baby Be Mine” and “The Lady in My Life.” I think I can be forgiven for that. But it’s for that reason, that I’ve heard most of it before, that it’s hard for me to be blown away by this album. The hits are HITS, but I know them. This album is a milestone, yes. Of course. To pack this much quality into one album is an absolute feat and creativity and captures all those involved at their peek (namely Jackson and Quincy Jones). I guess what I’m saying is I take this album for granted a little. And maybe that’s the best praise I could give it. Its songs have become so culturally ubiquitous that when I hear them all together for the first time, I just kind of look at it and go “yeah, that’s Thriller alright.” All of that said, you can’t deny the quality here, or the impact. But I can and will deny “The Girl is Mine.” McCartney is capable of way better than that. It’s not great.

I’m left wondering if this album is included because of “Take on Me.” Maybe that’s at least part of the reason. Who doesn’t love “Take on Me”? The rest is fine. I’ve never been a huge fan of the overly 80’s sound that is present here. Like it’s almost painfully 80’s. Which makes sense. But I like the energy on this album. I know nothing else of their discography so it’s hard to judge this against much else. But I liked it enough but don’t think I’ll be rushing back any time soon. Standout tracks: Take on Me, Train of Thought, Love is Reason

A pleasant surprise. I really wasn’t sure what to make of this based on its description. But I really enjoyed it. Definitely top heavy, with the livelier, more up-tempo numbers coming in the first half. But still a good listen throughout. Very defined sound. You can tell they’d been at it for a while as a band (despite the ever changing lineup). Overall, a good time if you want a folk album reminiscent of Dylan in his prime.

The best albums I’ve heard so far in this project have been from artists I’ve never heard of before. I’d never heard of Killing Joke before but I sure have now. I don’t know exactly what the post-punk movement was in response to (other than, well, punk), but I can tell that it drove this band to a very specific sound. It’s dire. It feels industrial in places. Its stakes are high. It’s enthralling to listen to. As with many of the albums so far, I will need to check them out further. Standout tracks: Requiem, Bloodsport, The Wait, Primitive

Who doesn’t love Parliament? I was pumped when I saw this was my selection for today. I’d heard the hits but listening to an entire album was something I hadn’t done. This album is just one hell of a fun time. It’s a party. It’s a concept album. It’s afrofuturism. I just don’t know what more I could’ve wanted out of a fun album. Such a clear vision for an album, such a defined sound and groove. The attitude, the confidence. No one does it better than Parliament.

Honestly, largely forgettable. Sounds like Coldplay if they were less interesting. I don’t really understand why this made it into the book. It has almost no edge. No intrigue. The arrangements are nice and it’s pleasant enough to listen to I guess but it’s just…there. Can’t win them all. Standout tracks: Firesuite, Lost Souls, Catch the Sun,

Wonderfully atmospheric, pleasantly calming, and a great first foray into world music for the first time in this project. Needs repeated listens to really be appreciated. “The Prophet in the Mountain” stands out as a favorite track.

I always assumed The Police made music that was too smart for the sake of being too smart. I’ve heard the hits and they aren’t really like that. But Sting has always given off that vibe to me; a certain arrogance. But this was great. Uneven, yes. But the highs are great. Lots of moments that really rock hard. I would love to see what they do live. Do they just jam out in the middle of songs? I hope so. Because there’s some awesome grooves that get cut short here which is such a bummer. And that’s one of the knocks on this album - the good stuff is cut short at the expense of some of the tracks that bring the album down. There’s a lot to like here, I just wish there was more of those things. Standout tracks: Message in a Bottle, Regatta de Blanc, It’s Alright For You, Deathwish, No Time This Time

I mean what is there to say? He’s THE 20th century American blues recording artist. Such an easy listen. A great showman on this live recording. It’s nice to hear him pre-British invasion, too. A lot of the invading bands (particularly The Rolling Stones) idolized him and while I don’t think that changed his sound, he probably had some feelings about it. Anyway. This is a treasure and I’m glad it came up. Standout tracks: I Got My Brand On You, I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man, Tiger in Your Tank, I’ve Got My Mojo Working, pts. 1 and 2

Man have I been lucky this week. The Police's "Reggatta De Blanc," Muddy Waters's "At Newport 1960," and now this. What is there to say about Herbie Hancock that hasn't already been said? This feels like an album that absolutely belongs on this list not simply because it's popular, but because of its influence. This album *needed* to be on this list. If you have any interest in funk, soul, jazz, or hip-hop (especially old school hip-hop), you will like this album not just because it's an absolute joy to listen to, but because it went on to influence all of those genres. It's only 4 tracks, but man is there so much funky soul, so much attitude, so much precision and confidence packed into them. The synth work in this is exceptional. He uses it as an instrument and not as a gimmick or something just to add layers. And rhythm section is absolutely in lockstep. He really assembled such an excellent group of musicians for this one. This is one I would want to own a physical copy of. This is one I'll have on repeat for a while. Standout tracks (even though there's only 4): Chameleon, Watermelon Man, Sly (though the fading heartbeat-like bass drum at the end of Vein Melter almost makes it a standout)

"So this is one of those bands where the singer can't really sing. Got it." This was my first thought when the vocals first came in on the first song. But hey, it's punk. No one ever said a punk singer needed to actually be good. There is some great stuff here. But the instrumentals are often overshadowed by the brutal and sometimes grating vocals. I hear a lot of other bands here though, which speaks to its importance and influence. I hear Talking Heads. I heard Dead Kennedys. I hear Black Flag. I hear Roxy Music. I hear also hear more recent bands like The White Stripes and Black Keys. It's clearly an influential album. But that doesn't make listening to it enjoyable enough to give it more than 2 starts. I don't think I'll seek this one back out. Standout tracks: Non-Alignment Pact, Laughing, Life Stinks, Over My Head As an aside, I've assigned different meanings to each star in the rating system: 1. I HAD to hear THIS before I died? 2. I had to hear THIS before I died? 3. I had to hear this before I died? 4. I had to hear this before I died. 5. I HAD to hear this before I died.

I have always rolled my eyes at Bon Jovi and other 80’s hair metal bands. The glitz and glam of it all always struck me as inauthentic and dumb and way over the top. Maybe that’s the point and it just wasn’t for me. I don’t know. This was a fun listen. Is it the most intelligent album ever? Not by a long shot. But there’s catchy licks and great guitar solos. And unexpected (and very welcomed) horns at a few points. I still am not crazy about “You Give Love a Bad Name.” But who can deny “Livin’ on a Prayer”? I enjoyed this album and can see why it’s necessary to listen to. But I cannot defend “Wanted Dead or Alive.” They’re from New Jersey. They aren’t cowboys. I know it’s an analogy (“steel horse” and such), but still. Get out.

I mean Clapton is amazing and I already knew this. When I read about this album I was surprised by both its release year (1970) and its initial reception. Clapton was a known commodity at this point and I was surprised this was so poorly received and sold so poorly. Was the name recognition not there? If you love a good jam band, this is for you. Guitar solos and improvisation are abound and undertaken by legends like Clapton and Duane Allman on slide guitar. But as good as each song is, I just found myself getting lost between tracks. They all kind of blended together at a certain point and I just didn’t know one from another. It’s good and I’m glad I listened but given its length (1 hour and 16 minutes) and the nature of the songs (longer jam style songs), I just think it runs a little long. Standout tracks: Bell Bottom Blues, Key to the Highway, Tell the Truth, Little Wing, Layla

The Britpop voice. Ugh. It’s so whiny to the point that it’s grating. The music itself is great. The band is talented and writes good riffs and melodies. But I cannot get past the Britpop voice. The entire thing also seems to have a sense of self-importance about it. This isn’t for me. I didn’t get it and I wanted the singer to stop singing the entire time.

Always thrilled to have a jazz album thrown my way. So much so that I’m definitely biased toward liking them and rating them highly. But man this album is such a vibe. I can see why it became so popular and helped spread the bossa nova across the world. Expert, precise playing from all involved. Wonderful soloing, great rhythm section, and the vocals really do well to match the style and vibe of everything else. My one complaint? The vibes between songs are so similar that a casual listen makes it difficult to tell one song from the next. That’s not as bad on an album I enjoyed though. Standout tracks: The Girl from Ipanema, Desafinado, So Danco Samba, Vivo Sonhando

Given my reaction to other British bands from this era, I was braced for something utterly intolerable. I was pleasantly surprised and happily proven wrong. Poppier and bouncier than I expected. Sure there’s the appropriate amount of melancholy and angst. And I’m sure there are sad, thoughtful lyrics hidden in some of the brighter sounding songs. But this was a good listen and I’m pleased it came up. I’d never heard an album by the Smiths before, nor much of Morrissey’s solo material. So I didn’t have a clear vision of what to expect. This album rocks pretty hard in some places. Those moments are fast, punchy and punctuated with layered guitar sounds and steady bass that kept me intrigued and grooving. Really pleased this came up and will very happily give it 4 stars. Standout tracks: The Queen is Dead , Frankly, Mr. Shankly, Cemetry Gates, Bigmouth Strikes Again, Vicar in a Tutu

Really solid debut from a band I only know from two songs. Definitely has a well defined sonic identity, namely heavy distortion. It’s fun. Some songs sound a little samey at times. But there’s potential here and the ones that stick out really do. As a side note - I wouldn’t mind moving away from 90’s British bands for a while… (cue a Blur album in ten seconds when I click “vote”). Standout tracks: Rock n Roll Star, Shakermaker, Up in the Sky, Supersonic, Bring it On Down, Cigarettes & Alcohol, …Married with Children

Sort of felt like a tale of two albums, really. The first half is loud, gritty, and at times more accessible than I expected any Radiohead to be. Then it sort of starts to dial back the energy near the end and it just didn’t work quite as well for me. Was going to give it 5 stars but it just ended so counter to how it started and it kind of threw me. I lost a little bit of interest. Overall it’s quite an artistic statement, especially knowing that this isn’t even their peak. Standout tracks: The Bends, High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees, Bones, Just

Honestly didn’t know their first album was from 1978. Thought they were an 80’s phenomenon. Anyway. A common theme among a lot of the albums I’ve rated highly so far has been that I’ve been surprised by how much I liked them. They’ve either been by artists I didn’t know much of but assumed I wouldn’t like, in a genre I didn’t have much experience with, or else by artists I had a prejudice against. This album falls into the category of artists I had prejudice against and thus assumed I wouldn’t like. But this was awesome. They honestly must’ve looked at what else was out there and thought “let’s just turn that shit up to the max.” And man did they ever. Eddie Van Halen absolutely owns this album. They knew what they had and he was let loose here to just do his thing. And it’s an absolute spectacle. I feel like the album’s thesis is revealed in the form of “Eruption.” It’s just Eddie tearing it the fuck up and it’s incredible. I can imagine being a teenager at the time of release, being into rock n roll, and hearing that and being absolutely blown away and captivated. Parts of “Atomic Punk” sound like it probably came across as alien in nature in 1978. Even on more the more generic blues rock track like “Ice Cream Man,” Eddie finds a way to leave his signature on it. And all of this isn’t even talking about David Lee Roth. Clearly from the Plant and Gillan school of rock vocals, he finds a way to somehow match Eddie in leaving his unique mark on each song. Some of those screams are straight out of the Ian Gillan playbook. Listen to Deep Purple’s “Made in Japan” and you’ll know what I mean. I can’t say enough about this. There are a few duds, sure. Every album, especially a debut album, is going to have those. But I really enjoyed this and am curious to see where they went from here (and how Roth’s departure affected them). Easy 5 stars. Standout tracks: Runnin’ with the Devil, Eruption, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love, I’m the One, Atomic Punk, On Fire

Knowing almost absolutely nothing about electronic or techno music, I can say I really enjoyed this. The first half is better than the second. Really fun grooves, good use of sound samples. Could easily lock in while listening and get some work done. Almost trance like at times. Can’t really say much else not being a techno person. Standout tracks: Leave Home, In Dust We Trust, Three Little Birdies Downbeat, Fuck Up Beats, Life is Sweet

Fun stuff. Costello usually is. Witty lyrics, engaging melodies, and a tight band behind him. I found the album to be consistent sonically. While each song sounded different (something I haven’t been able to say of other albums lately), they also had a certain Costello weirdness and quirkiness about them that just makes them feel like his stuff. Standout tracks: Uncomplicated, I Hope You’re Happy Now, Tokyo Storm Warning, I Want You, Blue Chair

Ok so, I have to admit I wasn’t expecting much from this. I’ve always viewed Lynyrd Skynyrd as a lesser version of the Allman Brothers Band. This mostly comes from my ignorance of the depth and history of both bands. That said (and while doing my best to overlook their use of the Confederate flag for many, many years), this was a good listen. I was tempted to think that this was included in the book because of “Free Bird.” And maybe it is. But that doesn’t mean the rest is bad. It’s not. There’s excellent guitar work and a very well-defined country sound for a debut album. They might have unintentionally peaked early though. I haven’t heard any other album of their’s so I say that with hesitation. But “Free Bird” is one of their two ultra famous songs (“Sweet Home Alabama” of course being the other). Where do they go from there in terms of energy, emotion, and impact? I don’t know. And I probably won’t ever listen to more to find out. Three stars. Standout tracks: I Ain’t the One, Gimme Three Steps, Things Goin’ On, Poison Whiskey, Free Bird

Honestly…? Kinda felt like a generic 70’s rock album. Again questioning why it’s in the book, and assuming the answer is because of the song “Bad Company” (which I wouldn’t even hold among as the album’s best songs). Is it bad? No. There’s stuff to like here. It just doesn’t feel all that original. Reading that this was an early release on Zeppelin’s Swan Song label really added up. There are small flashes of Zeppelin here, whether it’s brief parts of vocal lines or the tone of the guitar. But it just doesn’t strike me as vital listening, honestly. Would be curious to see where they went after this. This honestly should’ve been something I would normally eat up and ask for seconds. But it just didn’t do it for me. 2 stars. Standout tracks: Rock Steady, Don’t Let Me Down, Movin’ On, Seagull

I’ve been surprised by the number of debut albums that have made it into this book. It makes me wonder a few things. Did the authors think that these artists peaked immediately? Are they so good that their debut AND at least one other album made it? Why pick debuts when there’s probably an album that better encapsulates the artist in their more mature, refined stage of their career? I just find it strange. That being said, this was a great listen. High energy on every track. Frantic, manic, bursting at the seams. It felt like a Raconteurs album crossed with the Fratellis’ debut album “Costello Music.” But man, a lot of the songs sound the same. Yes, the riffs are different. Yes, the melodies are different. But the frantic vocals, the lyrics about stories of being out late with friends and getting into shenanigans and getting drunk, the guitar distortion. It’s all consistent throughout most of the album. And that’s why I wish that a different album from Arctic Monkeys made it here. Because I have to believe that they took this raw energy and talent and refined it further into something great. Maybe I’ll find that out for myself at some point. For now, this was good but I can see them being better. Three stars. Standout tracks: The View from the Afternoon, I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor, Dancing Shoes, Perhaps Vampire is a Bit Strong But…, A Certain Romance

Not 100% what to make of this. A cross between early-to-mid-period Beatles (Beatles for Sale/Help/Revolver/Sgt. Pepper) and early Pink Floyd but with an overall sunny outlook. It’s intriguing, really, I just don’t know what to do with it. The songs are short (mostly shorter than 2 minutes) but it’s a very well produced sound and it almost doesn’t matter that the album itself isn’t even half an hour long. The highlights for me are “My Back Pages” (a Dylan cover), and “It Happens Each Day.” But honestly, it all went by so quickly it’s hard to tell you if there’re more gems here. I felt like I didn’t get to know any of these songs. A couple of side notes: “Why” sounds like “Heatwave” in its chord progression; CTA - 102 is creepy and I did not like it bad touch Overall this is a great demonstration of the songwriting and musical talent the group had, but I definitely need to hear more of this to know for sure. 3.5 stars (rounding up to 4). Standout tracks: So You Want to be a Rock n Roll Star, Time Between, My Back Pages, It Happens Each Day

Took a while but I finally got another album I'd heard before. I think it's only been 2 now, which is honestly amazing. Anyway, this was better than I remembered it being, and I remembered it being very good. It really feels like a White Stripes album if their sound was bigger. Maybe that's what he was going for, maybe that's a product of it being released just a year after the band officially broke. Regardless, it's really cool to hear what he could do with a bigger production. The sound of this album is unmistakably Jack White. Gritty, flashy, clever riffs, his signature snarl and sarcasm with a little bit of tongue in cheek humor. He's great at what he does and always has been. I do think his stuff with collaborators is ultimately better (White Stripes and The Raconteurs, namely), but he still produces quality stuff by himself. I do think it goes on a little long, though. There are some songs that could've either been saved for another album, or else cut entirely and released as B-sides. It's definitely top heavy too, with the first half being better than the second. Maybe this was a George Harrison "All Things Must Pass" situation where he dumped a lot of the stuff he'd been working on that wasn't fit for the White Stripes onto here once he had the freedom. I dunno. Anyway, 4 stars. Standout tracks: Missing Pieces, Sixteen Saltines, Freedom at 21, Love Interruption, Hypocritical Kiss, Weep Themselves to Sleep, I'm Shakin', Trash Tongue Talker

Wow. Knowing very little, in the grand scheme of things, about rap and hip-hop, I don’t think I could tell you what makes this a standout example of its genres. But do know art when I see it, know an artist when presented with one. The concept of this album (loose though it may be at times), is well considered. Starting with Biggie’s birth and childhood, and ending with his suicide, it explores all aspects of his life, past and present. He tackles his criminal past, love, sex, fame and wealth (which I was confused about since this is his debut album and he presumably hadn’t achieved widespread fame yet; think I’m missing something there), poverty, stress, and much more. It’s a mosaic of his life, and each track feels like it was intricately written and produced to tell a specific part of it. It’s quite engaging. His delivery feels buttery-smooth while still conveying the emotion of each track. He’s not rushing or trying to impress the listener with how fast he can rap. He wants to be heard and understood. Where some rap can turn an uninitiated listener off with its references to other parts of the culture, fast deliveries, or just otherwise unfamiliar musical concepts, this album and Biggie himself stay rooted firmly in the moment of each song. The samples are brilliantly used to the point where I couldn’t always tell what was and wasn’t a sample. I cannot say enough about this album. It’s long but never overstays its welcome. It’s funny, it’s serious, it’s entertaining, it’s tragic. Absolutely no doubt 5 stars. I need more. Standout tracks: Intro (reminded me of Dark Side of the Moon’s “Speak to Me”), Things Done Changed, Machine Gun Funk, Ready to Die, One More Chance, Juicy, Everyday Struggle, Unbelievable, Suicidal Thoughts

*Sigh* I wanted to like this album. I really did. And while I can acknowledge its immense creativity and interesting musical choices, I honestly didn’t really enjoy it. I get its experimental. But I feel like sometimes “experimental” is code for “hipster experimental music the artists think is really clever and makes them look smart.” The song titles don’t help with that. (“Cannibal Resource”? “Useful Chamber”? “Fluorescent Half Dome”? What do these mean?) And that’s what this felt like to me. I hate to reduce an album to that. But I just couldn’t really jive with this album. There’s things to like, but I just didn’t get it overall. I don’t really know what else more I can say. It felt like Vampire Weekend’s first album if that album took like, a step further and discarded some of the common conventions of song structure and rhythm. I will not be relistening and I will not seek more of them out unless presented with more through this project. Not bad by any means, but not worth writing home about. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Cannibal Resource, Stillness is the Move, Useful Chamber

I had really low expectations after reading the Wikipedia article about this album. An Icelandic "post-rock" album (whatever the hell that means) sung almost entirely in Icelandic, that is over an hour, and whose tracks lean on the longer side (10+ minutes in some cases). Yeah, I really wasn't sold. And to be honest, it didn't really do a whole lot for me. The tracks are beautiful. The melodies are easy to listen to and at times they soar higher than other tracks of heard in the same/similar genres. My trouble with it is that this is art and, I think, meant to be consumed as such. I know that sounds strange. "Isn't all music art?" Well, yes. But you know what I mean. There's art and then there's *art.* The stuff that wasn't just written to be commercially successful and sell records. It's the stuff that was put together because the people involved had a personal vision. That's what this feels like to me. Maybe that's because of the solemn nature of the sound of this album. Maybe it's because I'm right. I don't know. But my issue with this is that it simply isn't an easy listen. It's tempting to listen to this as background music but then you lose all meaning of the music. This is *art* and in order to be properly understood probably needs very intentional listeners. I just wasn't ready to do that today and so it just didn't hit the way I'm it could've/would've if I was ready to sit down for an hour, close my eyes, and just listen. I guess what I'm saying is, there's nothing wrong this album. There's something wrong with me and the way I consumed it today. Or maybe it just wasn't for me. But I did like it. I don't know. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Svefn-g-englar, Flugufrelsarinn, Ny batterí, Olsen Olsen

This was awesome. Felt like a combination of The Doors, 60’s garage rock, and a sea shanty band, with a dash of psychedelia. Some of the vocal harmonies are amazing. Each song is distinct and doesn’t feel like it retreads the same ground. I read that the lead singing has been compared to Jim Morrison. I see that, but the comparisons end pretty quickly. He is fantastic though. Good range, both vocally and emotionally. The band is tight, the riffs are hot, the organ is enchanting, and the general attitude and confidence of this debut album is engaging. I really enjoyed this and would love to see how they grow from this. I do wonder if they could top this though. The one thing I’ll say to detract from this album is that it tapers off at the end and I stopped caring a little. 4 stars. Standout tracks: I Remember When, Dreaming of You, Goodbye, Waiting for the Heartaches, Skeleton Key

I honestly didn’t really get this album. The Wikipedia article says it got “universal acclaim.” I don’t really understand why. This is another of those albums, like “Bitte Orca” before it in this project, that at times feels too smart for its own good to where it comes off as pretentious. Just take the name and album cover. “Halcyon Digest”? What? And a black and white photo of a praying bust wearing a wig. Please. The whole thing felt like a setup for something critics would love to devour. The music is fine. Sometimes it’s good, but never great. Sometimes it’s downright boring (“Desire Lines” repeats the same chord progression adding almost nothing interesting for the final two minutes of the track). It’s almost always understated. Maybe there’s brilliance here but I can’t see it. I do not get it. Someone please explain it to me. I didn’t dislike this album, I just think “universal acclaim” doesn’t really make sense and I’m either missing something or am smarter than everyone else. And I’m too modest to believe it’s the latter. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Memory Boy, Coronado

Why I love jazz. I have for a long time. I was in my high school jazz band (drums). I have listened to and appreciated jazz for the better part of two decades. I do not know what the hell this is or what it’s supposed to be. My biases are obvious to me. “Free jazz” has always been the butt of a joke, not just to me but to others. I’ve also, ignorantly, rolled my eyes at “thrashcore” and other overly-intense-sounding genres. So I admit I came into this as skeptical as can be. But I also know that I have been pleasantly surprised and happily proven wrong multiple times in this project and was ready to have that happen again. It did not. At all. This is straight up noise. I’m sorry. The first track was just noise. The second track sounded a lot like the first, which also was just noise. Whenever a track DID have some semblance of structure, it quickly went out the window and more chaos ensued. The only track that MAYBE avoided this entirely was “Broadway Blues.” One of the most astonishing things to me is that this was an album of an artist covering SOMEONE ELSE’S MUSIC. Which means someone created music that sounds like this and someone else thought “let’s cover that, that sounds great.” I’m sure there’s context I’m missing. I’m sure this genre and this album have homers (apologists?). I am not one of them. I could never be. The most telling thing about this album is that I had to find it on YouTube. It’s not on Spotify OR Apple Music. That’s because those platforms have music… 2 stars. Generously. Standout track: Broadway Blues

I mean, how much do I need to write? It’s Ella. It’s the Gershwin songbook. What more could you ask for out of a vocal jazz album? This was wonderful. And especially refreshing after listening to John Zorn yesterday. She truly is one of the greats. It’s so easy to just feel immersed in her work. The emotion conveyed through her voice, the control she has over it. It’s wonderful and impressive. Just a lovely time. Really cannot recommend it enough. Five stars. Standout tracks: I Got Rhythm, The Man I Love, Love is Here to Stay, A Foggy Day, Someone to Watch Over Me, Fascinating Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me Side note: in reading other reviews before posting mine, I see that there’s a version of this that is 3+ hours. Yeah, will not be seeking that out, thanks. The link led me to “The Very Best of,” that’s the album cover on the website, so that’s what I listened to.

If only it were longer. Don’t tell me his set was actually 22 minutes. I guess when you put as much of yourself into a performance as he did into this, you burn out pretty quick. Damn this was a fun listen though. Absolutely classic rock n roll and rockabilly songs performed by a legendary performer. The guitar solos sounded so ahead of their time, both in style and in tone. It’s easy to see how much of an innovator he was at his peak. Nothing beats the energy he put into these performances. 4 stars.

This would’ve been better if I’d been high. Art rock is generally just not my thing. This was definitely not my thing. I can handle dark. I can handle weird. I can even handle weird for the sake of weird. But throw those things together and I just don’t find it very compelling or interesting. Which is a shame because it’s clear that the people involved are talented. I just didn’t really get this in the slightest. And I didn’t find a whole lot to take from it. 2 stars. Standout tracks: Weight-Lifting Lulu

Just a lovely collection of classic songs performed by a legend. Yeah, some are a little corny. The arrangements on some are a little much. But he sings with such emotion that it almost always works. Such a treasure of a performer. It’s a little boring in places. But it more than makes up for that with its charm and feeling. An easy 4 stars. Also I think this is the first time I’ve had the same song performed by a different artist in the project. Both Ella Fitzgerald a few albums ago and Nelson on this record performed “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Standout tracks: Georgia on My Mind, Blue Skies, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Someone to Watch Over Me

The synth pop albums I’ve been dealt this far have been, in my opinion, largely duds. So I really wasn’t looking forward to more of the whiny British Brit-pop voice and meandering songs. This was not that and was I pleasantly surprised. It’s snappy, it’s fun, and it’s energetic. The singer’s voice is so smooth and easy to listen to. 3.5 stars (rounding down to 3 because I didn’t like it THAT much). Standout tracks: I’ve Been Waitin’ for Tomorrow (All of My Life), This is the Day, Uncertain Smile

This reminded me a lot of Cat Stevens, maybe with a smidge of Bob Dylan. It was honestly a very calm, beautifully played set of songs that really drew me in at the start and didn’t let me go. Unless you’re listening intently (which I was not doing the entire time) the songs can definitely blend together. But they’re so well played and written that it doesn’t matter. The melancholy of it all comes through and, while sad and dark at times, is enthralling. I would love to hear the rest of his discography. What a treat. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Pink Moon, Place to Be, Horn, Things Behind the Sun, Know, Parasite, From the Morning

The 80’s used to do me dirty. I used to really dislike 80’s music for a handful of superficial reasons. But this project has helped to rectify that. I’m not completely sold, but I’ve found an in and sometimes that’s all I need. This is the best of the 80’s albums I’ve heard thus far, and I had low expectations. I expected commercial rock, some superficial and overdone. But this was the work of an artist. The creativity of sound here. The use of different sounds, engineered and otherwise, is phenomenal. Sometimes it hits and sometimes it doesn’t, but he’s trying to be creative, to be different, to be interesting. And overall it works and I’m really pleased to have heard this. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Intruder, No Self Control, Start, I Don’t Remember, Not One of Us

I’ve had a Metallica album before, really early on in this project. Like the first week. Might’ve been the third one. And one of my criticisms of it was that, at least to the non-metalhead, a lot of the songs sounded the same. I kind of have the same criticism here but in a different way. The orchestration here does add a new sonic element to the entire venture. And I do appreciate the immense amount of work that must’ve gone into composing all of the orchestral parts for all of these songs and all the rehearsing that went into it. And I do overall like this better than the first one I listened to. But I still think it suffers from all the songs sounding a little too similar to each other. Everything is high stakes, almost always. There are exceptions of course, but I dunno. After two albums I just don’t think Metallica is for me. And that’s ok. Also this was obscenely long at 2 hours and 16 minutes. I couldn’t fit it into my normal day and now I’m behind the 8-ball trying to listen to today’s album. Standout tracks: Fuel, Devil’s Dance, For Whom the Bell Tolls, One, Enter Sandman

While the title may be confusing, I actually found this to be pretty cool. Callahan’s singing voice almost feels like narration at times. It’s so smooth and deep, really invites you and at least for me was really intriguing. The lyrics are introspective and thoughtful, feel very honest. The album also has a very specific feel to it, kind of a zen. Even in the more intense or darker tracks like “Eid Ma Clack Shaw” his voice still keeps the tracks grounded. Two songs could sound completely different and be about completely different subjects but his voice keeps you focused and invested. I really loved this album. It has a lot of what I look for in a “good” album and I’d listen again and again. 4 stars.

There’s definitely a lot to like here, some really great songs. They’re just dripping with that 80’s vibe that kind of turns me off. I’d love to hear these reworked with arrangements from either a prior or future era, something a little cleaner. As is, it’s very listenable and fun. The covers are exceptional. “Let’s Stay Together” is almost as good as the original. The gospel-inspired cover of “Help!” feels like an incredible inspired and original take a classic song. The originals are good, too. Obviously “What’s Love Got to Do With It” is the headliner here despite not being the title track. That belongs to “Private Dancer,” which, while long, earns its length for its excellent instrumentals and guitar solo. This was probably a transition album for her, moving away from Ike and changing her sound to match the times. I can respect that and know that transition often means some stumbles. But I don’t think there are many stumbles here. And for once I don’t think this is an instance where this album was included because of one hit song. This earned its spot. 3 stars. Standout tracks: What’s Love Got to Do With It, I Can’t Stand the Rain, Private Dancer, Let’s Stay Together, Steel Claw

Well I’ve had an album by Parliament already, might as well have a Funkadelic album, too. This was such a different vibe. Really felt like a rock band doing funk at times, and then a funk band doing rock. Great instrumentation throughout, and some of the lower vocals were just so nice to listen to. Also, “Wars of Armageddon” is a political and social statement and I am 100% here for it. Wondering now if at some point I’ll get a Parliament-Funkadelic album. Really hoping I do. Standout tracks: Can You Get to That, Hit It and Quit It, Super Stupid, Wars of Armageddon

Felt like a pretty typical 90’s rock album. Heard a few 60’s influences here. Kinda reminded me of Oasis in that, or like that band from “Almost Famous” maybe? But just because it was typical doesn’t mean it was bad. It was very good for being typical. My main issue is that I don’t know how memorable it is long term. I can tell you my standout tracks because I just listened to it, but I don’t get the sense that I’ll be humming these or have them stuck in my head tomorrow. And I listened to it twice. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Halo of Ashes, All I Know, Witness, Duke Western

What, no “Red, Res Wine”? But actually, and as I’ve said a lot during this project, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I have never enjoyed reggae. I’ve always thought it was boring and that all the songs sounded the same and that it was only for stoners. While this album didn’t completely sell me on the genre as a whole, it did show me that there is, of course, more to it than my past prejudices would have led me to believe. UB40 does a fine job, especially in their debut effort. It runs a tad long at times but I’m guessing that’s not uncommon for reggae. I don’t think I’ll be seeking them or more reggae out on my own, but I’ll be less prejudiced when another reggae album pops up again. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Burden of Shame, I Think It’s Going to Rain Today, Food for Thought, Reefer Madness

I said it with the Biggie album - I don’t necessarily know what makes for good hip-hop or rap, but I do know what makes good art. This is art. A great album. I’d heard Tribe’s “Midnight Marauders” album before (checked it out because of “Award Tour”), so I knew at least somewhat what I was getting into - Great sampling (with some but not all being recognizable), clever and sometimes intricate rhymes, and just the smoothest of deliveries. Tribe made a statement with this first album, both sonically and lyrically. It’s easy to see how they evolved from this to a more refined version of this sound on “Midnight Marauders.” Unfortunately that’s really all I can say, not really knowing how to more deeply analyze this for its genre. But I really did enjoy it and was thrilled when I saw I had Tribe today. 4 stars. Standout tracks: After Hours, Can I Kick It?, Mr. Muhammad, Ham ‘N’ Eggs, Description of a Fool

I mean, look. I think Coldplay gets a lot of unwarranted flack. I actually find them to be one of the more creative, interesting bands of the last twenty years. Chris Martin is a good songwriter, and the band has talent at each instrument. That being said... Having actually already listened to their entire discography before, I was surprised at how little of this album I remembered. In fact I think I really only remembered "Shiver" and "Yellow," the two bigger songs from this album. It's fine. A little boring, a little samey song to song. It's a debut, so I can cut them some slack, especially knowing how much better, how much more intricate they get and how they expand their sound. But as is, this is a fine if not bland debut that is just alright. Three stars. Standout tracks: "Shiver,"Spies," " Everything is Not Lost"

I like music from this era. I like music like this music from this era (Dylan, Mamas and the Papas, Simon and Garfunkel, etc.). This was boring. Beautiful, but boring. Definitely see the merit of it as a folk album. But it really wasn’t at all my jam. Too bad too because I had high hopes. 2.5 stars (rounded down to 2). Standout tracks: Hunting Song, Sally Go around the Roses

I was really surprised a KISS album made it on here. I have always though of KISS as a joke. I didn't grow up during their peak popularity, and I have never heard a positive thing about Gene Simmons. I was inclined to not like this album. And I didn't, really. It's a very bland 70's rock album that has some moments that really shine but for the most part is corny and not very intelligent. "Great Expectations" had better be a tongue-in-cheek type song because if not it's one of the most ego-driven songs I have ever heard. And look, I know KISS was never trying to write songs that blew their audience away with high-minded or insightful lyrics, they just wanted to blow you away their volume and theatrics. But I am not their audience, so there. The albums peaks with its first track. That is never a good thing. But it is a good track. The entire band comes together and produces something special, at least by their standards. 2 stars. Standout track: Detroit Rock City

As I’ve said about hip-hop and rap, I don’t yet know what makes a good album in either genre, but I know art when I see it and I know what I like when I hear it. This just felt…ok??? I mean it was a rap album and that’s about all I can tell you. I liked the Q-Tip feature on “One Love,” even if the song itself was kinda boring. I think a lot of the time the hook in these songs is repeated a lot when the hooks themselves weren’t even that good. This was fine but I won’t be relistening. Giving the benefit of the doubt here at 3 stars but I think, really, it’s 2. Standout tracks: N.Y. State of Mind, Memory Lane

An early punk album. Clearly very influential. Really enjoyed parts of this. Not everything really hit with me but there’s some great tracks here. Raw energy. Loud angst and attitude. Truly a pure punk album. Good stuff. 4 stars. Standout tracks: One Chord Wonders, Newboys, Gary Gilmore’s Eyes, Drowning Men, Great British Mistake

I used to think Earth, Wind, and Fire were a joke. I was ignorant, influenced unfairly by my parent’s prejudice of funk and soul music. My dad in particular was in high school when they were at their peak in popularity, and he was very much in his own musical world, one that he’s never really left honestly - the hard rock of the day, blues, and some jazz (but not much). So EWF wasn’t playing in my house as a kid, and whenever they or bands like them came up, they were scoffed at as being just kind of kitschy and a joke. On my own I have since learned how wrong this was. For one, I’ve learned that all music (and art in general) has merit even if I don’t love it or even like it. But regarding EWF and other soul bands like them, I’ve learned that not only does their music have merit but that it’s also, like, good. In a way that surprises and impresses me continually. This album is no different. Such feel. A soft touch when necessary but man can they crank it up when they need to. Such a talented band of musicians. I have to wonder how big the band actually is given all the instruments here. The vocals? Pristine. Not a note or vocal line out of place. The falsetto on “Reasons” is absolutely incredible and makes for legit love-making music. I really can’t say enough here. Excellent album. There’s a couple of songs I could’ve done without so it doesn’t quite hit 5 stars, but it easily, solidly earns 4. Standout tracks: Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, Reasons, Africano,

I could’ve listened closer. But it’s hard because of the language barrier. Cool 60’s psychedelic album, the second one from Brazil that I’ve had so far. Nice mix of genres - some rock, some jazz. Cool stuff but I don’t know if I’m drawn to it again. 3 stars. Standout track: Tropicália

Spectacular live jazz album. Ellington and his band at their best. Makes me miss playing in my high school jazz band. I thought it was an odd choice to include the ramblings of the emcee. It really didn’t add much of anything to the show past his introductions at the beginning. But none of that could really hamper the fact that this is a lively, inspired performance of some absolute classic jazz songs. I didn’t listen past the actual live album, as the studio concert wasn’t part of the original live show and feels like cheating on the part of Duke and the band. Excellent stuff. 5 stars, with the caveat that it’s a little confusing unless you read the Wiki article and know what the deal was with this one. Standout tracks: Black and Tan Fantasy, Tea for Two, Take the A Train, Pt. III-Newport Up, Sophisticated Lady, Diminuendo in Blue, Jeep’s Blues, Skin Deep

Incredible album. I thought at first it would only be on here for “Tom Sawyer,” as so many other albums seem to have made this list for just one hit song (looking at you, Ah-ha’s “Hunting High and Low” album). But this is genuinely a work of art produced by three immensely talented musicians. Yes, “Tom Sawyer” is amazing and deserves all the praise it gets. And you might worry that the album peaks with its first track. I’d argue it doesn’t. “YYZ,” “Limelight,” “The Camera Eye,” “Vital Signs” all shine on their own. Rush is an incredible band. I’ve always known this. But to witness such refined talent put on display in one album was an absolute treat and I’m thrilled this popped up for me. 5 stars. Standout tracks: Tom Sawyer, YYZ, Limelight, Vital Signs

Had no idea what to expect from this album. I knew of Pulp by name only, not by sound. I knew “Common People” because William Shatner covered it once. But that’s about where it ended. I thought this was great. A few words come to mind - horny, eclectic, dirty, mischievous. It twists and turns into a ton of different directions. At times I thought I heard a Bowie influence in there. It’s 90’s Brit Pop without the whiny voice and more hard rock/60’s and 70’s influence. And it’s fun. I had a great time with this album. Easy 4 stars. Could be five if I listen to it again and really take to it. Standout tracks: Mis-Shapes, Pencil Skirt, Common People, Disco 2000, Underwear, Bar Italia

Whoa. I knew Queen had a different sound before “A Night at the Opera” and “Jazz,” but I didn’t know how hard they rocked. There’s a ton of different influences to be heard here. The Who jumps to mind immediately. But also some Zeppelin and Bowie, maybe a bit of the Stones. Anyway this was a thrill. Some real artistry on display, even on their second album. I liked the separation of songs May and Taylor wrote on side 1 from songs Mercury wrote on side 2. It really gives the album two distinct feels, which was intentional. Freddie’s vocals shine because Freddie’s vocals always shine. Brian May is unleashed in a few of the songs and it’s just a joy to listen to. You even get what I consider a precursor to “Bohemian Rhapsody” in “The March of the Black Queen.” Overall it’s a great album, though side two did start to lose me a bit as it went on. Still, 4 stars. Standout tracks: Father to Son, Some Day One Day, The Loser in the End, Ogre Battle, The March of the Black Queen

I hate to sound like a broken record, but hip hop is something I don’t know much about and so it’s hard for me to judge these albums still. I do know good art when I see it though. And this is that - good art. Knowing what year this came out, combined with hearing the sounds and sampling going on, it’s clear how this would’ve been influential and why it made this list. The flow is good, and none of the songs really overstay their welcome at all. It’s not as repetitive with its hooks as some other hip hop and rap albums have been. Overall this was good and I’m happy it came up. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Execution of a Chump, Beyond Comprehension, Check the Technique, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow, As I Read My S-A, Precisely the Right Rhymes

“ANOTHER TRIBE ALBUM?!?!” This is what I said, with excitement, when I saw this pop up last night. I’ve listened to their third and first albums (in that order) and was thrilled to be handed their second. Tribe is just…incredible. The whole package. Masters of flow and vibes. Clear messages, often with social issues in mind. Smart lyrics with clever rhymes. Their demeanor or attitude just creates this feeling like you know them, like their songs feel familiar even if you’ve never heard them before. I adore Tribe. And I adored this album. I didn’t like it quite as much as their first, and so I’ll give it 4 stars. But that’s not to say it isn’t incredible in its own right because it really is. Standout tracks: Excursions, Buggin’ Out, Butter, Show Business, Vibes and Stuff, Check the Rhime, Jazz (We’ve Got), What?

A rare repeat artist. Only had a few of those so far (Metallica, A Tribe Called Quest). This is my favorite Talking Heads studio album. Has been for a while now. The use of syncopation, the influence of African rhythms and styles, the at times enigmatic, at times incredibly insightful lyrics, and the intangible mood and attitude of this album just grab me in a way no other Talking Heads album has. I’m a little biased, I think. “Speaking in Tongues” has what I consider inferior versions of songs that were in “Stop Making Sense,” so I just find it hard to listen to. “Fear of Music” (the first album I reviewed in this project), falls flat for me for most of the album and comes off as overly pretentious (not that “Remain in Light” isn’t, at times, pretentious). “Talking Heads 77” is my second favorite but it just comes with so much naivety and has a very specific sound of a band early in its lifespan that it can’t be my favorite. Anything after “Little Creatures” is just a band in decline. No, this is the best one if you ask me. This was a thrill to listen to again with a purpose. I was reminded of why I loved songs like “Born Under Punches,” “Houses in Motion,” and “The Great Curve.” Deeper cuts like “Listening Wind” earned a little more favor this time around. Overall I love this album and it’s almost cheating to hand it to me because it was an automatic five stars before I even started the first track. My one complaint about my listening experience is that the Dolby Atmos mix on Apple Music was…bad. Certain elements I felt were key to certain songs we mixed far too low and some songs almost sounded new, and not in a good way. But that’s not the album’s fault. Five stars. Standout tracks: Born Under Punches, The Great Curve, Once in a Lifetime, Houses in Motion

This is difficult to review. It’s completely improvised, which means the creative process involved here is not calculated and planned out with the same kind of thought and care a rehearsed album might have. There is still thought and care, clearly. But it’s so different because of its improvisational nature that to review it, as someone who does not play the piano, is difficult. So suffice it to say that it’s a remarkable work. There are moments where it’s easy to forget it’s improvised. When Jarrett stumbles onto a hook or a melody and quickly develops it into something more full, with more moving parts on the fly, it’s nothing short of genius. But it can be hard to follow. You really have to bear with him as he finds the ideas worth developing. I cannot hum you a melody he played here. Not because they’re forgettable, but because they’re buried under so much else. This was a great experience and I am happy to have been along for the ride. But in terms of relistenability? It’s tough because of its length and the intimidating nature of the concept of the album as a whole. However, it’s impossible to deny the genius present here, and so 4 stars must be its score. Standout tracks (tough to tell them apart but…): Pt. 2 - A, Pt. 2 - C

I definitely didn’t have version of “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” and “Light My Fire” with sitars on my bingo card for this project, but here we are. This was good. Entirely my thing? Not really. But good. It’s hard to argue with the musicianship. It goes a little off track at times (Sagar, namely), and while it’s always atmospheric, it also sometimes just lingers a little too long on a specific theme. But hey, for all I know that’s a hallmark of this genre of music. This gets three stars because, for the most part, I don’t necessarily love it but I have to admire the musicianship, effort, and creativity that went into it. Standout tracks: Jumpin’ Jack Flash, Snow Flower, Light my Fire, Metamorphosis

I think this album represents a couple of firsts or rarities for this project so far. For one, it’s the first Beatles or Beatles-adjacent album I’ve been dealt so far. But it also is just the third album I’ve been dealt that I know well and the first one I know well not by the Talking Heads. Now, how do I feel about the album? Well before listening to it today, I really liked it. A few songs (namely “Mrs. Vandebilt” and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five”) have at one point been in heavy rotation for me. The hits like the title track, “Jet” and “Let Me Roll It” were all mainstays in my brain. So what I was really looking forward to was listening to those tracks within the scope of this project, and listening to the ones that never struck a chord with me before. How do I feel about this album after listening to it today? I love it. McCartney is obviously one of the kings of catchy hooks, and there are plenty of those here. Knowing that he played multiple instruments on this album, and knowing the trouble production history of it makes the final product all the more impressive. The added instrumentals on multiple songs, specifically “Jet,” “Bluebird,” and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five” elevate each of those tracks beyond their existing excellence. But it’s McCartney’s creative force of will that brought this whole thing together. He needed a hit after a middling start to his solo career and this really elevated him and Wings. Now, it should be said that McCartney wasn’t always the best lyricist. John Lennon often had the punchier, more insightful lyrics when he and McCartney wrote together, while Paul brought the musicality and melodic hooks to the table, most of the time. And it much of McCartney’s post-Beatles work, it’s clear that he’s missing his other half. His lyrics are sometimes non-sensical, or else just are confusing. What is “Jet” about? I don’t know, do you? But you have to know not to come to McCartney for insightful or sobering lyrics, like you might for Lennon’s music. You come for a good time and great vibes. And that’s what this album produces in spades. Even at its most intense moments it still finds a way to pull you in and see you buy in entirely. The tension is there in the title track and “Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-five,” but it’s broken up by either a complete change in tone (the former) or an actual pause to a vocal harmony section that slows things down and breaks the tension (the latter). I love this album, more than I did this morning. It’s an adventure. It’s quirky without being cringey. It’s fun and exciting and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It’s paced well. The production is excellent. There isn’t much else to say. Five stars. Easily. McCartney’s best post-Beatles work. I don’t care what “Ram” fans say. Standout tracks: Band on the Run, Jet, Bluebird, Mrs. Vandebilt, Mamunia, Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five

I was surprised to learn that this album, having been released in 1974, was Stevie Wonder's 17th studio album release. I was clearly unaware of the fact that he had a career since the early 60's. That fact blew my mind even further when I put it together with the fact that he is still very much alive and making music. Just how old was he when he broke into the industry? How old is he now? Anyway. This was a good time. Without having heard most of his discography, I can't say I'm sure it's his best. But I assume it isn't (this wasn't the album with "Superstition," after all). What is here, though, is a collection of great grooves, deep lyrics (in some cases), and meaningful, soulful songs from a generational talent. He even touches on religious themes in the gospel-inspired "Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away." The quieter, more reflective pieces ("Too Shy to Say," "They Won't Go When I Go") are great breaks in the action and help pace the album. This is a great album but it just didn't hit that hard for me. There are some great grooves, yes, but you can feel that he hasn't quite hit his full potential here. There are some flashes of his eventual brilliance (I swear I heard a lick that sounded a lot like "Superstition" at one point), but he just doesn't hit it yet. But hey, it's Stevie. I'm not complaining. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Boogie On Reggae Woman, Creepin', You Haven't Done Nothin', It Ain't No Use, Bird of Beauty, Please Don't Go

The 80’s sound even found Paul Simon. Like most people my age who have heard anything from Paul Simon, I’ve most heard his stuff he did with Art Garfunkel. I’ve heard a few solo tracks of Simon’s but that’s about it. This was good. Occasionally compelling but mostly lacking, at least to me. He certainly takes some chances here, both musically and lyrically. After knowing him mostly for the acoustic or lower-fi stuff he did in the 60’s, it’s surprising to hear such a full sound behind his voice. And I don’t know if I feel like it suits him. Maybe I just wanted this to be a Simon and Garfunkel album… The lyrics feel pretty literal, like he’s talking directly to the listener. Which does make feel more personal. That said, I don’t think some of these songs are as clever as he thinks they are. “Cars Are Cars” felt like he was trying to be David Byrne in terms of writing about everyday things in a way that makes them sound interesting or new. But it doesn’t work. This was fine. I do not need to listen again, and I honestly don’t really see why this is here. I have to assume he’s done better. 2.5 stars, rounded to 3 for benefit of the doubt. Standout tracks: Allergies, Think Too Much (b), The Late Great Johnny Ace

Having never heard of this band before, I had zero expectations going into this album. What a treat that turned out to be. This is a great 90’s punk album. Well, I thought it was punk but Wikipedia says otherwise. Anyway. I had a good time with this. It’s 15 songs but somehow they fit into just 38 minutes. Even the shorter ones were great. Catchy hooks and a really tight band. Digging a little deeper into the band themselves, I found that two of the founding members and mainstays in the band were also in the band Suede. Now, I very much disliked the one Suede album I was dealt already. Good thing I didn’t know who the band members of Elastics were going in because I would’ve been biased against this album. The one negative thing I’ll say about this album is that the mix just wasn’t very good. I could barely hear the vocals on most tracks, that was both on my car stereo and in my headphones. I don’t know if that mix choice was intentional or not but it was distracting at times having to strain to hear the lyrics. Oftentimes I didn’t hear them. But take that away and you have a good album, especially as a debut. Three solid stars. Standout tracks: Line Up, Smile, Hold Me Now, Blue, Waking Up, Never Have, Stutter

If the blues we know in the western world is an adaptation of and growth from traditional African blues, then this, at times, is influenced by the western blues. It’s like if you translate a phrase from English to a foreign phrase with Google translate, then take that translated phrase and run it back through into English. It might have some of the same words, but the meaning could be totally changed. So that said, it’s tough to review this when much of the cultural context is lost. It was really pleasant to listen to. The melodies, both instrumental and vocal, were lovely. The guitar playing is repetitive to the point of being comforting and hypnotic at times. The rhythms were almost always complex without being overwhelming. I enjoyed this but I don’t know what else to say. Three stars. Standout tracks: Erdi, Beto, Savane, Hanana, Gambari Didi, Banga, N’jarou

Oh man a ZZ Top album. I knew they were good, I just didn’t think they were consistently good. I’ve really only ever heard “Sharped Dressed Man,” “La Grange,” and “Cheap Sunglasses.” So as far as I knew they were a band that put out enough hits per album to stay afloat but nothing more than that. And I’ve always thought them to be kind of corny. And I still think that. But man this album moves. This is just some uncut blues rock through and through. Are there some duds? Yeah, a couple. But they keep in line with the rest of the album, musically speaking. Better than that though, it’s just a fun listen. There isn’t anything deep to get into here other than that. Sometimes that all an album needs to be - fun. Helps that it’s well crafted. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Waitin’ for the Bus, Jesus Just Left Chicago, Move Me on Down the Line, La Grange, Have You Heard

I understand that Robert Wyatt was really going through a difficult time in his life when he recorded this. He had just had a horrible accident that left him partially paralyzed. The album is titled “Rock Bottom” for a reason. It plays like an early Pink Floyd album (with Nick Mason producing, even) but with none of the humor or charm. This is a sad album. I can appreciate this as a piece of art that conveys one man’s personal and complex emotional state. But as an album? It’s a tough listen. Not just because of the sounds themselves, but the meaning behind them. It’s chaotic at times, repetitive at times, and always keeping you on edge. But not in the fun and exciting way. Did I enjoy my time with this album? I don’t know if someone can “enjoy” someone else’s pain in the way you “enjoy” a great album. I appreciate this for what it is but I’m not going to sit here and say I enjoyed it. 3 stars. Standout tracks (if there has to be one): A Last Straw

This was…ok. Not at all what I expected, but I didn’t really know what to expect I guess…? Angry. Loud. Some nuance for sure but I think it’s easily lost at times given the general emotional state of the piece, the volume, and the vocals (which are, fitting with the genre, rough and lacking). Beeds another listen to be appreciated fully. 3 stars because I don’t know what else to give it. Standout tracks: I against I, Secret 77, She’s Calling You, Hired Gun

About a year and a half ago, I did a complete Beatles solo catalog listen. I started with the first post-Beatles release by a former Beatle (Ringo’s “Sentimental Journey,” an album I’m certain I won’t come across in this project) and then the next (Paul’s “McCartney”,) then the next and so on. It was a great way to explore their solo material and see how they each developed as artists throughout their careers. This album was the first real standout to me. I know people faun over “Plastic Ono Band” and I get why. It’s a really creative, honest album that really removes John from the Beatles image and was necessary for him to move forward. But I find some of it to be inaccessible (“Well, Well, Well,” “Mother” et al). This was his first great album if you ask me. Did I like it more maybe because it was more commercial? That’s entirely possible. But I do think there is some great material here that manages to be what John wanted while also being more accessible. “Imagine” (the song) is obviously one of his most clear statements of what he truly envisioned for the world, what he most wanted the world to be like. It’s funny because he makes this statement in a poignant song then doesn’t really ever get back to this level of seriousness. I think it should’ve been the closer, honestly. The rest is mostly great. “Crippled Inside” would’ve been a great opener. People like “Jealous Guy” but I dunno. It’s fine. “How Do You Sleep?” may be the industry’s first blatant diss track and is honestly great, made even better knowing that George Harrison played on it. Really adds to the intrigue of that entire era where the ex-Beatles were on mixed terms, at best. This listen gave me a better appreciation for the songs I didn’t know as well like “Oh My Love” and “Oh Yoko!” They’re both really sweet songs that, while maybe a little corny, showcase his sensitive and sincere side in ways he didn’t always show. Overall this is a great album. I could do without a couple tracks (namely “Jealous Guy,” “I Don’t Wanna be a Soldier Mama” and “How?”, the last of which gives me “Long and Winding Road” vibes), but it still hits and holds up today. 4 stars. Standout tracks: “Imagine,” “Crippled Inside,” “It’s So Hard,” “Oh My Love,” “How Do You Sleep?”

I don’t get this album or the hype around it. I could barely hear the singers at times. Like mumble singing. The stripped down, quieter sound was interesting, but I mostly was just kind of…bored. I wish I liked it better but it just wasn’t for me. 2.5 stars, rounded up to 3 for benefit of the doubt. Standout tracks: Intro, VCR, Basic Space, Stars

It’s tempting to give the Stones a pass here. It’s my first album of their’s for this project (I’ve heard many others before), it’s got songs on it I happen to really like, and it’s the Stones. But “Brown Sugar” is abysmally racist and sexist and cannot and should not be excused or given a pass. So that’s a star off my final rating for that alone. Everything I say hereafter will be said with the understanding that “Brown Sugar” needs to not exist and what is written next ignores this song entirely. Moving on. This is, unsurprisingly, a really fun album. This is just before one of my favorite Stones albums “Exile on Main Street” and you can hear the origins of that sound here. If that album is a party, this one is the pregame. It’s got everything. Wonderful, meaningful ballads like “Wild Horses” (which if you know its origin/context is even more heartbreaking), romps like “Bitch,” and straight up blues like “You Gotta Move.” There’s something for everyone here. And it’s awesome. The introduction of horns on this album is something to be celebrated, especially by someone who can never, ever turn down a horn solo in a rock song. Jagger and Richards are on point as songwriters here, and the band came to play. This is just a fun, grooving album that I’d listen to again and again. Except that first track…3 stars (could’ve been 4 but, well, like I said above…)

Everything about this album made it seem like it would be just right for me. A 90’s rock band with a 60’s-inspired sound. I’ve been here before with this project. But this ain’t it. The album has a unified sound to it, but it’s almost too unified. Many of the songs sound the same. I literally inserted a melody of the first song into the second in my head, and it worked. I wanted to like this album, but between its repetition, its uninspired lyrics, and its length (including songs that felt like instrumental filler…?), I just can’t get behind this one. It’s getting 3 stars because I can’t give 2.5. I almost always lean toward giving a well produced album that just wasn’t for me 3 stars because I give it the benefit of the doubt that it’s good, just wasn’t my taste. But this really gets 2.5 stars. Standout tracks: Be-In, Orange, Not If You Were the Last Junkie On Earth

I was dreading this. Coming off of another hour long album from the day before, and already behind my pace of actually doing an album a day, I really did not want to listen to this. But I actually ended up liking it. I think there’s a longer version of this album that puts it over the two hour mark…yeah I wasn’t seeking that out. I went with what Spotify gave me. Drum and bass has always seemed like such a niche genre. Like I couldn’t have named you any drum and bass artists or told you the tenets of the genre outside of…well the drums and the bass. But I was surprised by how much someone could do with some tape loops, some vocals, and a synthesizer on hand. Really unique stuff. Great to have on while trying to focus. I’ll definitely add this to my study/focus mix. Good stuff. 4 stars. Too long to justify 4.5 or 5, plus I didn’t like it THAT much. But it was good. Standout tracks: Railing, Matter of Fact, Mad Cat, Beatbox, Morse Code, Destination

Whoa. Ok hold up. The passion with which this man sings is absolutely unmatched. What it must’ve been like to see him in person my goodness. You can hear his energy and passion in just the music. You can feel it. This man believes with every fiber of his being what he’s singing on this album. The audience at this show must’ve gotten a hell of a show holy shit. Regardless of your opinion of the music we can at least acknowledge what must’ve been this man’s incredible showman. Ok. Just needed to get that out of the way. This was such an interesting listen. I had no idea what he was saying for about 99% of the songs. But it didn’t matter. The music itself conveyed the tone and emotion of each song just fine. Also let’s acknowledge that this man was up there singing these songs by himself. No backup singers. Just a band (an immaculate band, mind you) and him. I got the feeling that this music was very French. Like this is what the people of France were listening to obsessively during its time. Like these songs, at times, sound stereotypically French. But I don’t care. This was a fun listen and I can’t say enough about the performance. Standout tracks: Amsterdam, Tango Funebre, Les Jardins du Casino, Les Toros Avec Final

“Which one’s George Clinton??” Not quite as good as the other Funkadelic album I had earlier on. But still quite good. The concepts behind the songs are at the very least interesting and creative. I appreciate that they don’t just write songs about partying or being in love or whatever. The songs are about enemas or taking a dump or whatever the hell some of them were about. It makes it interesting and keeps you on your toes. And besides, who can deny the grooves, man? 4 stars. For some reason this wasn’t on either major music streaming service so I found it on YouTube. Weird. Standout tracks: One Nation Under a Groove, Who Says a Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?, Cholly

This felt like some sleepy, corny 70’s pop that was for a very specific audience that definitely wouldn’t have included me upon its release. This felt like some guy who thought he could rock and also be emotionally vulnerable made an album but wasn’t sure who he was making it for. This was booooorrrrrrring. And far too clean sounding to have any kind of real soul or heart in it. I know that’s probably a consequence of Phil Spector’s involvement, but still. I just really didn’t vibe with this. It was whiny at times, had jarring tone shifts song to song, and lacked any real heart or soul. Anyway, whatever. 2 stars. Standout track: Good Lovin’ Man

What an interesting folk album. I feel like I’ve never seen (outside of a few Dylan songs) a folk album with such long tracks. It’s a well-crafted piece though, as a whole, and I’m better off having heard it. It definitely wasn’t my favorite album I’ve ever heard but the general chill vibes and hippy sentiments make it a pleasant time capsule of an album. My only complaint was the length of some of the tracks, but that’s not too big a deal when the whole thing is only 45 minutes. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Strange Feelin’, Buzzin’ Fly, Gypsy Woman

File this one under “victory lap albums.” I’ve listened to this record a few times, and many of the songs on it individually many times. I know it, I love it, it’s Zeppelin. I love them. How can you not? But there were still some ones I gained a new appreciation for through this listen. “Thank You” is a real standout for me. “If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving you/When mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be you and me.” Hit me hard. There isn’t much that can be said about an album like this that hasn’t already been said, so I don’t feel compelled to say much here. The four members, when brought together, simply created magic. Almost every song on this is a standout track. I’ll leave it at that. 5 stars. Standout tracks: Whole Lotta Love, What is and What Should Never Be, Thank You, Heartbreaker, Ramble On, Bring it On Home

This was…an album. I really didn’t get it. Not sorry. The echo on these vocals, good lord. I honestly wasn’t sure if it was in English because I could hardly understand what they were saying. The songs were repetitive and overly long. They rarely went anywhere. This was probably really forward thinking for its time, and in some ways is probably still ahead of its time. But I did not enjoy this very much, honestly. I was bored, and I hate that any music can make me feel bored so I do actually feel a little bad. But this has to be 2 stars. I have zero desire to listen to this again. Standout track: Lorelei

I’m horribly biased against 80’s albums. I just haven’t had an overly positive experience with the decade before my birth decade. Sure there are the exceptions - Michael Jackson and Talking Heads spring to mind. But on the whole, the 80’s sound, the vibe, the musical hallmarks of the decade come across to me as cringy, bordering on boring and insincere Muzak. While this album does, admittedly, very much sound like an 80’s album to my ears, it’s one I can actually get behind. This is a fun album, with varied melodies and arrangements, and not so many synths that I wanted to plug my ears and cry. I even heard guitars! And real drums! Wow Actually though, I did enjoy this. I’m very happy to give it 3.5 stars, rounding up to 4 because of how much it surprised me. Standout tracks: Faron Young, Appetite, When Love Breaks Down, Goodbye Lucille #1, When the Angels

I had no idea what this was going to be going in. I like it that way sometimes. I was blown away by this album. It was as if Rage Against the Machine had a lesser known but just as good and captivating cousin. And the vocals - the VOCALS. Skin is absolutely incredible and has great range. Soft and angelic one moment, gritty and angry the next. Her voice alone is worth the price of admission. The band is tight and the lyrics are always interesting. I loved this album. A rare, hard to come by 5 stars for a band and album I’d never heard of. I need more of this. Standout tracks: Charlie Big Potato, On My Hotel TV, We Don’t Need Who You Think You Are, The Skank Heads, Lately

Never heard a Snoop album before. Definitely had heard a few songs because, let’s face it, who hasn’t at least heard “Gin and Juice”? There’s a lot to like here. I do think it’s front loaded with the better tracks, but a debut album is often uneven. That’s not to say anything here is bad, just that the quality starts to dip as it goes on. I wasn’t crazy about the misogynistic lyrics of “Ain’t No Fun (If the Homies Can’t Have None),” though. Some things age well, some don’t I guess. That aside, I enjoyed this album, but not as much as I enjoyed Biggie’s debut “Ready to Die.” That still holds the top spot for rap albums I’ve heard so far in this project. You can tell he and Snoop were contemporaries just based on the backing tracks, the subject matters, and the sampling styles and features. The features were great though. Overall this was good. But I have a gold standard for rap albums now and if I’m comparing Snoop’s debut to Biggie’s (with Biggie’s being 5 stars), Snoop comes in at 3. Curious to see if this was his peak or if he continued to grow. It’s tough when your biggest hit is on your first album… Standout tracks: G Funk Intro, Gin and Juice, The Shiznit, Serial Killa, Who Am I (What’s My Name?), Pump Pump

Thus far, metal has just not really done anything for me. This was no different. I found it a little more accessible than the Metallica stuff I’ve heard. This was clearly a classic album given its age compared to the metal genre, and Iron Maiden is obviously a pillar of a band when it comes to metal. But as most metal has done, this fell on largely deaf ears. There was absolutely no dynamic range throughout the entire album. It was all high stakes, all max volume, all up tempo, all the time. And that’s metal for the most part. But to the untrained ears it’s difficult to discern any significant differences between songs outside of their lyrics. So I sit here, writing this, unable to tell you much else about this record. I did like some of the tracks, but the only motivation I have to do any relistening is to see if I can better tell each song apart. 3 stars simply because it was very well made, clearly inspired, and stands today as a classic album and, I assume, a timeless example of its genre. Standout tracks: Invaders, The Prisoner, The Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills

Ok, how many of these 90’s Britpop/Post-Britpop albums are gonna be on here? How many Oasis contemporaries/bands that sound a lot like Oasis? I get that the book this project is based on is edited by a Brit, but come on. The book is already skewed toward western, English-speaking music, at least make it so these 90’s British bands aren’t overrepresented. But hey, for all I know this’ll be the last one of this genre I get for the remaining 899 albums. Probably not, but possibly. I’m just saying that thus far, one specific genre has gotten more play than most others. Moving on. This was fine, if not a little generic feeling. Reminded me of Coldplay in some parts; makes sense since they were contemporaries. But I really wasn’t exactly inspired listening to this and don’t see much of a reason to return. 2.5 stars rounded down to 2 because I’m getting a little tired of this genre. Standout tracks: There Goes the Fear, N.Y., Pounding

Been waiting for a Joni Mitchell album. I knew very little if anything about her music but I know how beloved she is. I can see why. The songwriting here is absolutely top notch. I could quote multiple lines here but I’m writing this as I leave for work and don’t have the time. The music…is alright. Sometimes it borders on schmaltzy but it usually doesn’t cross the line. I loved the incorporation of jazz and orchestral elements on multiple songs, especially on “Down to You.” And some of the vocal harmonies are just excellent Overall this was great. 4 stars because of the songwriting and in spite of the sometimes corny musical arrangements. Standout tracks: Court and Spark, Free Man in Paris, Car on a Hill, Down to You, Raised on Robbery

I don’t often get albums from 60’s artists I’ve never heard of. So I was excited to hear this, especially with such an eccentric name and clearly psychedelic sound (just read the album cover). This was alright. Standard psychedelic and garage rock fare for the time. Better than most anyone who tried to reproduce the sound later on. Loved the inclusion of unexpected instrumented like the harmonica. The vocalist also definitely gave me Jagger vibes at times. Overall though, I dunno. I wasn’t taken with this one like I expected. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some great tracks (see below), but this didn’t standout against other stuff from this era for me. 3 stars for being a solid representation of the genre/period, but nothing more since I wasn’t crazy about it. Standout tracks: You’re Gonna Miss Me, Roller Coaster, Splash 1, Fire Engine

Holy shit I just do not care. For one I can barely hear anything anyone is saying on this album. For another it plays more like a sound collage or some kind of techno/dance album at times more than a rap album, which is what Wikipedia calls it. Personally I don’t know what this is and I really don’t care. It is, for the most part, boring as well. I don’t care how good the lyrics are (they actually didn’t seem bad from what I read on Spotify for some songs), but the delivery is too Lofi for its own good. I know Tricky was part of Massive Attack, and I know people fucking LOVE Massive Attack. But I just did not get this at all. Not for me. Top heavy album that fades toward the end. Another instance where I think an album made it on here because of its popularity in the UK, where the author is from, not because it’s an exceptional example of its genre. 2 stars. Boring. Oh and it’s weirdly sexual at times that really made me cringe. Please no more. You’re not as smart and edgy as you think you are. Standout tracks: Overcome, Black Steel, Hell is Round the Corner

The vocals on the first few tracks…whoever’s voice that was needed to stop. Absolutely obnoxious. Whoever’s voice that was on most of the remaining tracks was awesome. This band seemed to be one of those bands that wanted to be too clever, just so we could all see how clever they were. Some of the grooves here are great, but they falter because they tried to get too cute musically, or else the lyrics were too cute. I can see why this is on here, I guess. The author’s bias toward English bands keeps rearing its head and it’s starting to piss me off a little. Here again was some niche English band that most out of England probably haven’t heard of and it makes a list of what is, in reality, the 1,001 best albums of all time? I mean ok I guess but who was this guy’s editor? Anyway this was fine and it gets 2 stars. Half the album was good. The other half was fine. Standout tracks: All the King’s Men, Two Dancers (ii), This is Our Lot, Empty Nest

I mean come on. I have always loved Bob Dylan, but I’ve known him for individual songs and not full albums. “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” and “Boots of Spanish Leather” are two of my absolute favorite songs. And that’s not to mention his actual hits. Dylan’s music is poetry set to musical arrangement. His lyrics are insightful, accessible, and can be interpreted and easily made personal by the listener. The themes he covers both here and in his other works are often universal - love, loss, and existing as a human being struggling to get by. He also sings of higher concept ideas, drawing from biblical and mythological sources for inspiration. And he does it with such a specific tone in each song, cutting and spiteful in one moment and then soft and reflective in the next. All of this creates music that has produced songs that, at least for me, fit into different, specific moments of my life. I honestly cannot say enough about Bob Dylan and his music to you, the stranger reading this review. As for this album in particular, I loved it. I know that this album represents a controversial transition for Dylan, adding an eclectic sound to his music for the first time. Nearly 60 years later, I really have no attachment to that controversy, as I discovered both styles of tracks simultaneously and had no idea people cared that much. This is during the peak Dylan years. “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Maggie’s Farm,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” “It’s Alright Ma,” and “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” represent some of his absolute best lyrics. I cannot say enough about this album. It will get more play in the future and the songs above will find a home on my Dylan playlist (the ones that weren’t already there, that is). Five stars. Standout tracks: See above

I definitely underestimated this album. I made the mistake of looking at some of the reviews on here before listening, and found that, in general, folks didn’t like it much. I get why, but I really don’t think it was that bad. Was it the most amazing album I’ve ever heard in my life? No. Was it even one of the best club music albums I’ve ever heard in my life? Not that I’ve heard many, but no. But there’s some great grooves on here and the flute work is great on “African Dance.” The lyrics do leave something to be desired in a lot of places and some tracks do sound like Muzak for sure. But there’s enough to like here that I’m happy to have listened. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Holdin’ On, Feeling Free, African Dance, Feel Free

I’d never heard a Neil Young album before. I’ve always known who he is and that he’s significant. But I’d never listened to a full album. This was great. Definitely warrants another listen to focus more on the lyrics. But right after a Dylan album, I can see how this would scratch the same itch. I loved the vibe throughout. Some songs hit better than others (did not get “Vampire Blues,” though I assume it’s a metaphor for something…oil?), but overall I liked most of what I heard. Good job, Neil. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Walk On, See the Sky About to Rain, Revolution Blues, For the Turnstiles, On the Beach, Ambulance Blues

I have a looooooooooooong history with this album. My Who phase pretty much directly followed my Beatles phase (still waiting on a Beatles album…). I consumed everything of theirs I could find - the good, the bad, the great. This album is one of my favorites of theirs and of all time. Period. I have a big, mostly nostalgic connection to Baba O’Riley. I maintain that it’s one of the best album openers of all time. I’ve listened to that song in many different periods of my life and it’s meant something different each time. I’ve been known to call it my favorite song. It’s made me smile, it’s made me laugh, it’s made me feel elated about life and it’s made me cry. Bargain is probably the hardest rocking song on this album and it hits every time. “Love Ain’t for Keeping” is a nice palate cleanser from the intensity of the first two songs, and has always come across as a really sweet song. “My Wife” maybe hasn’t aged that well and even despite that is a low point on the album for me. Entwhistle’s songs were rarely highlights though (with apologies to “Boris the Spider” fans). “The Song is Over” is too long and little too schmaltzy but when it hits at its peak it’s amazing. “Getting in Tune” is another quieter song but it’s really well produced. We’ve hit the final stretch of the album. “Going Mobile” is a little weird but is a great example of what the band could do as a power trio without Daltrey. Not as good but the energy from the rest of them, especially Entwhistle and Moon, carries the song. “Behind Blue Eyes.” I mean come on. The song is in two distinct halves and they’re both equally masterpieces. When it turns to the second half, it’s like the bass dropping. My god. And the backing vocals in the first half??? What?!?!? But we need to talk about “Won’t Get Fooled Again.” I don’t always love a song that runs eight and half minutes. But if you’re gonna have that song, it had better big, loud, and epic and you better close your album with it. The Who knew what to do. Is there a better closer than this? I cannot say enough about this song. It’s Keith Moon’s masterpiece, it’s Pete Townshend’s masterpiece, it’s Roger Daltrey’s masterpiece, and it’s one of Entwhistle’s many masterpieces. This album makes me feel so many things. It’s a part of me and I love it. It’s unfair to give it to me in this project because I didn’t even need to listen to it. I just know it. This was the first automatic five star album of this project. It’s a masterpiece. I defy anyone to call this a bad album. I don’t see how you can do it. It’s objectively four amazingly talented musicians at the top of their game absolutely fucking killing it. Five stars. I’d give it 10 if I could. Standout tracks: Baba O’Riley, Bargain, Getting in Tune, Going Mobile, Behind Blue Eyes, Won’t Get Fooled Again

Oh look, another 80’s British band. Great. I had low expectations for this album. I’m becoming jaded to the fact that there are so many albums from the same era, and so many from British bands, that I just really didn’t care about this one going in. It did surprise me; it wasn’t really bad at all. But I still wasn’t crazy about it. The use of synths and drum machines was honestly over the top. And I get it - it’s the 80’s. But still. It felt like what someone might create today if they were asked to replicate that “80’s sound” in a new song. Like a stereotype. This was fine if not a little overdone. 2.5 stars rounded to 2 because I’m bored of this genre. Standout tracks: All the Way, Round and Round, Mr. Disco

Like a lot of psychedelic albums of the time, at least for me, it’s mostly really creative and sometimes boundary-pushing stuff. It’s just that some of it falls flat because, like all experiments, some failed. I can appreciate this album for what it was trying to do in its time, and also for the fact that they did it with an ever changing lineup. But on the whole, I found this to be just ok. There’s some good bluesy stuff on here, and even some fun experimental stuff, but it mostly was just fine. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Lost Women, Over, Under, Sideways, Down, The Nazz Are Blue, Jeff’s Boogie

Like a lot of bands on this list, I’ve had a prejudice against Aerosmith. But like this project has done many times before, my prejudices and prior dispositions have been challenged and often proven unfair or incorrect. I was ready to hate this album. I’ve always seen Steven Tyler as a parody of himself (not to mention the allegations against him), I’ve never much liked what the 80’s did to great 70’s bands, and I’ve never quite liked most 80’s music in general. But this was fun. Nothing earth shattering lyrics-wise, but no one ever called Aerosmith poetic. The music though? It’s a party and we’re all invited. Hard rocking guitars, not too many layers and great vocals from Tyler. I look at this as a great representation of Aerosmith as a band, of peak 80’s hard rock, and as an example of just how wrong I can be with my prejudices sometimes. Was this smart rock? No. Was this fun rock? Yes. And fun is fun. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Young Lust, Going Down/Love in an Elevator, Monkey on My Back, Water Song/Janie’s Got a Gun, My Girl

Here we are again. I love the Talking Heads. Go back and look at my reviews for “Fear of Music” (the very first album I got handed in this project) and “Remain in Light” (my favorite Heads album) if you want more on that. As for this album, for me it falls between the prior two I’ve listened to so far. While still indulgent and at times feeling different for the sake of it, the band (or perhaps just David Byrne) had yet to become fully convinced of his own excellence and was still just a fun, quirky band. There are flashes of their signature weirdness (the whole thing is littered with it, but I’m talking about previews of “Fear of Music” weirdness) in “Warning Sign,” “Found a Job,” and “I’m Not in Love.” Mostly, it works. What it adds up to is a pretty great midway point in terms of evolution and style between their debut “Talking Heads 77” and the aforementioned “Fear of Music.” People love to focus on David Byrne when it comes to the Talking Heads, which is obviously understandable. The rest of the band, as it was at this time (before they expanded their sound with additional musicians both in studio and on stage), is incredibly solid. Chris Frantz, while not performing any crazy complicated drum parts, presents as the band’s equivalent to Ringo Starr in that his drumming is rarely anything that presents as technically complicated but always fits the song perfectly. Meg White is another comp for him in this way. Jerry Harrison is a quiet but ever present genius on these songs, providing the guitar sound that defines the album. But most of all, the true star of the rhythm section of this band is and always has been Tina Weymouth on bass. Her bass lines are simply genius. They’re melodic while also holding down the groove and keeping the feeling alive. There was at least one song where it really felt like the bass line was written first and the rest of the song followed. I’m sure it happened more than once. History doesn’t always remember bass players, but it should absolutely remember her. I wrote a lot about this. It isn’t even my favorite Heads album. It isn’t even my second favorite Heads album (“Little Creatures,” probably). But it’s damn good and it gets 4 stars. Standout tracks: Thank You For Sending Me an Angel, Found a Job, Artists Only, I’m Not in Love, Take Me to the River

As someone born in the early 90’s, it came as quite a surprise when I realized that Randy Newman had produced a lot of music before he ever wrote the score and original songs for Toy Story and the theme song to Monk. As far as I knew, that’s just what he did and was known for. But I’ve known for a long time now that he did have a career long before doing either of those projects. I just had never heard anything he had done besides them. Until now. I had no expectations going into this, except that it would be piano-heavy and it would sound like Randy Newman, with his very particular sounding voice. I wasn’t disappointed. This was actually quite good. He’s such a clever lyricist, and his composing and arranging skills are excellent. His lyrics are witty, insightful, and can be quite cutting. The latter of those qualities I didn’t expect from a man I’ve always associated with a song that celebrates everlasting friendship from a kids movie about talking toys. That said, some of these songs do have some schmaltz attached, but he still somehow makes them work and I don’t cringe. Some songs do carry that warm tone I expected but some can also dabble in satire (see: “God’s Song,” “Political Science”). And “Old Man”? Holy shit what a touching and horribly sad song. Beautiful and tragic. This was a great surprise of a listen, and a very welcome one. We all need some Randy Newman in our lives. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Sail Away, Lonely at the Top, Old Man, Political Science, Burn On, God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)

I always wondered who created that quirky, almost whimsical-sounding 60’s Latin-inspired jazz-type music. Now I know at least one of them. It’s such a specific sound, feeling very constructed, almost like a Spector-esque wall of sound type of construction. It feels very much of its own era. Nelson Riddle’s score of the 1966 “Batman” movie feels very similar in vibe. There’s some great stuff here, but there’s some stuff that feels more experimental and…doesn’t work as well. “Parade (A Banda)” is either a novelty song or is written genuinely by someone who fucking loves parades. Either way it doesn’t work. But the good stuff is good. Really chill vibes and worth a listen. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Stay, Beach Samba, Nao Bate O Corocao

Really pleasantly surprised to see such a recent album here. This may be the most event album I’ve had so far. Like most people, I know Lorde mostly for “Royals.” That song is not on this album, so I was really going in blind. I thought this was a really well written, expertly produced album. Very dramatic, seemingly very personal. It had all the expected elements of pop today without going over the top or feeling like a blatant cash grab (except maybe “Homemade Dynamite”…). Overall I enjoyed this, even if I found some of it hard to relate to. Lorde is clearly an artist with a vision and a distinct sound, but it just isn’t my thing. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Green Light, Sober, The Louvre, Hard Feelings/Loveless, Perfect Places

Never heard of the band, don’t think I’ve heard any of their songs. No expectations going in. This was cool. Each track really seems to build on itself as it progresses. There’s layer upon layer until it peaks. And that’s cool because a lot of bands get right to the hook. Not this band. They take their time. To the point where some of the longer tracks are almost too long. They teeter on the edge of overstaying their welcome, but they don’t. The sound is also cool, combining elements of 60’s and 70’s rock with modern sensibilities and production. Space rock feels, and some psychedelia thrown in. This was a vibe for sure. Overall I liked it but didn’t love it. Would give it a second listen and could easily see it growing on me. But for now, 3 stars. Standout tracks: Negative Space, Static Resistance, Ullswater, Shortcomings

All I knew about Roxy Music I learned from my mom. And all I learned from my mom about Roxy Music was “Mother of Pearl.” “Mother of Pearl” is not on this, Roxy Music’s debut album. I was disappointed. That disappointment wasn’t entirely relieved after hearing this album. This was alright. I’m a sucker for quirky 70’s rock. But this is their debut album and definitely not them at their best. It brings back an idea I’ve had throughout this project which is this - if most artists only get one album on this list, does placing an artist’s debut album on the list mean that it’s their best, that they peaked immediately? Did Roxy Music peak with their first album? Or do they have another on here? Because if they don’t have another then I do not see the hype after their debut album. This was good but lacking direction, cohesion. There’s a lot of ideas but it suffers from the familiar rawness of a debut album. You can hear the potential here but most of it just doesn’t do it for me. There’s variety only because they didn’t know their sound or identity yet. and that’s alright; it’s their debut. But I want to hear them at their best, not at their first. 3 stars for trying but they can do better. Standout tracks: Re-Make/Re-Model, Ladytron, If There is Something, Would You Believe?

I respect the fact that this is a genre, like with hip-hop and rap, that I just have no connection with or deeper understanding of. R&B has never been at the top of my list in terms of genres, and while I know of its impact on the people that care about it, it has never been my thing. That said, I can understand why this album is here. Kelela is an artist with a vision and that sound and vision are portrayed on this album well. And the production is absolutely top notch. But I’ll admit that, after a while, the songs kind of started to overlap in my head. I couldn’t tell one from the next, and that isn’t because they sometimes transition seamlessly from one to the next. It’s because the mood and tone are so consistent, perhaps too consistent. I’m not out here reviewing this as an expert music critic or a purveyor of R&B. Far from either. But I just didn’t connect with this hardly at all. Doesn’t mean it’s bad, just means it wasn’t made for me. And that’s fine. I give this 2 stars to represent my feeling of disconnectedness, not as a comment on the music itself. Standout tracks: Frontline, Take Me Apart, Jupiter, Better, Altadena

“Heroes” has been a favorite song of mine for some years now. I’ve connected with it on a personal and emotional level a few different times. I find it to be a powerful song that sometimes goes forgotten when Bowie’s greatest songs are discussed. So I was excited to hear the album it originated from. The rest of this album is…ok. The first one songs are kind of a hot mess, especially when considering the drastic tonal change from those to “Heroes.” “Sons of the Silent Age” and “Blackout” are more tonally consistent with “Heroes,” but still don’t quite match the emotional highs of the title track. What follows is an instrumental suite that takes up the entirety of the album’s second side (save for the final track). These are good, and even reminded me of Pink Floyd instrumentals in some places, reminiscent of tracks from “Wish You Were Here” or “Animals” (albums I would love to be assigned…). These are beautifully done (namely “Sense of Doubt” and “Moss Garden”), but they aren’t what I come to a Bowie album for. I come for him, his voice, his poetry. Perhaps that’s just my misconception of him as being a singer-songwriter but not someone who plays instruments on his own records. (The joke was on me when I checked the personnel listings for this album; Bowie plays 5 instruments in addition to singing) Still, it wasn’t what I was looking for, so I wasn’t as invested. That doesn’t detract from the overall quality of these pieces, though. The way I look at this, there’s three great songs on this album (see below), two really ok ones, one bad one (the final track), and some lovely instrumentals. That adds up to 3 stars for me, which sucks because after the fifth song I was ready to give it 4. Standout tracks: “Heroes,” “Sons of the Silent Age,” “Blackout”

It took 121 albums, but I’ve finally been handed a Beatles album. I’m actually ok with this. The point of this project, at least for me, was to discover great music I’d never heard before. So if I’d been getting albums I know front to back (like this one), I’d be disappointed. I think I’ve only had 4, maybe 5 albums like that to this point, which is amazing. This was never quite the formative album for me like other Beatles albums were (I.e., “Abbey Road,” “Sgt. Pepper’s,”), but it was still an album that I consumed and consumed and consumed again. It also has 7 of my favorite Beatles tracks (see below). So I know this one pretty well. Where to begin? “Taxman” is a hell of an opener, and a unique in that it’s a George song. A rare and generous move by Lennon and McCartney. The guitar solo by McCartney is exquisite. “Eleanor Rigby” helped redefine what pop music could be and tells a story at the same time, one not about love but about darker themes. “I’m Only Sleeping” is Lennon’s first song on the album and it continues the darker themes, still disregarding love. “I’m Only Sleeping” as opposed to being dead. “Here, There, and Everywhere” is probably the best love song the band produced short of “Something,” and it has endeared itself to me over many years. “She Said She Said” is such a fun and upbeat song for something that isn’t necessarily upbeat (‘she said I know what it’s like to be dead’), but it just grooves so well. “For No One” in so melancholic in its description of the end of a relationship and is so damn relatable that it, too, has spoken to me in different times of my life. “I Want to Tell You” has those minor chords that come out of nowhere that really change the tone and mood of the song and make it special. “Got to Get You Into My Life” just bops. The Beatles with a big band - who’d have thought? “Tomorrow Never Knows” may be the single greatest production the band ever produced. The effects. The backwards recordings. The effects on Lennon’s voice. The drum loop. Combine all of these things with the themes of the lyrics and you have a masterpiece and maybe the best closer they ever had (besides “The End” and maybe “A Day in the Life”). This album contains the gamut of the major themes of life. Death. Love. Loss. The unknown. The highest highs and lowest lows. Innocence. Optimism. It has it all in such a tight, well produced 35 minute package. This is such a transition album for the band, too. “Sgt. Pepper’s” would follow, and it really would pick up where “Revolver” leaves off. I can’t say enough about this album. I think it goes overlooked by casual fans who know the bigger, later albums better. But it deserves to be in that conversation for best Beatles album. 5 stars. Standout tracks: Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, I’m Only Sleeping, Here, There, and Everywhere, She Said She Said, For No One, Got to Get You Into My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows

Was Timbaland involved in this album? I don’t think Missy mentioned him enough… I didn’t really get this album. The vibes were cool, but as a debut I think it’s kinda weak. There are so many features that it was hard to tell if this was her album or Timbaland’s. It didn’t feel like a statement of arrival. Also continuing the trend of debut albums with this project. I’m going out on a limb and assuming that this is Missy Elliott’s only entry here. If so, this cannot be her best. Because this was just ok. Some of it was that self-aggrandizing that is so pervasive in both hip hop and pop nowadays. Some of it was cultural stuff I don’t connect with. Some of it was just stuff I didn’t care about. This lacked something. Some oomph. Some fire. I dunno. I hate it give it two stars but I really just didn’t care about this album. Standout tracks: Sock it 2 Me, The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)

The intro on “The Food” really didn’t age well, did it? I had a Common album a couple months ago. It was long and pretty forgettable from what I recall. I also questioned some of the lyrics that seemed homophobic in nature. This is better. I didn’t hear anything that was controversial but I might’ve missed something. I did enjoy the part where he questioned how he would treat God if God was a woman. I thought that was a step up from the stuff I’d heard on the last album in terms of self awareness and open mindedness. Some of the instrumentals here are really fantastic. Whether they were samples or original, I don’t know. But I really could groove to some of them and that’s always a plus. I do think he gets a little self important and vain at times (he compares himself to Jesus at one point…? Or at least someone does; surprised it wasn’t Kanye honestly…). Overall this was a good listen. He’s got a lot to say, and evidence of growth is always welcomed. Three stars. Standout tracks: Testify, Chi-City, Real People

I have thought for a while and will still maintain that Travis Scott is an idiot. That isn’t really relevant here, but this is my soapbox and he’s on this album, so here we are. On to the album. This wasn’t written or recorded for me. I made little if any connection to the themes or lyrics of this album. I instead tried to focus on the production, which was very good. SZA has an excellent voice, and it sounds great on this album, I just wish she’d use it for music that showed it off better. Overall this album just comes off as immature to me. An entire song (“Doves in the Wind”) uses the word “pussy” 23 times by my count. That same song also talks about how Forrest Gump could’ve gotten laid but was a good guy so he didn’t. I haven’t seen that movie in a long time so maybe I’m forgetting parts of it but I don’t remember him turning down Jenny for sex. Like seriously, what? Parts of this are just really ham fisted. I really liked the voice clips of SZA’s mom at the end of some songs, and how we don’t know it’s her mom until the end of the album. That rewards listeners who sit and listen to the whole thing, which is cool and unexpected these days where the art of the album is generally lost in popular music. I didn’t need to hear this before I died. This felt like a pick made to just make the book more relevant, like the editors were grasping for more modern content and grabbed this to make them seem edgy. I’d be surprised if it’s in the next edition. This wasn’t for me. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it wasn’t for me. Two stars. Sorry, SZA. Standout tracks: Drew Barrymore, 20 Something

What in the 2003? This was unlistenable at times. The aggressiveness of this man’s accent comes through so frighteningly strong. I couldn’t understand what he was so angry about for 90% of what was said. Combined with the…interesting choices in the backing tracks and I just really didn’t connect with this album. I wanted it to end multiple times. But it was an hour long. So it felt like it was never going to. This might be a masterpiece and I’m a fool. But I really don’t think so. I just didn’t enjoy it. 2 stars.

A couple of years ago, I did a complete listen of the entire Beatles solo material. I started with Ringo’s first album, “The Sentimental Journey,” and worked my way through the entire solo catalogue in chronological release order, alternating between different Beatles as they released their albums. This album was the second one I listened to. Below is what I wrote at the time: “It's good. Some of the songs are too short/feel unfinished. For an album Paul was desperate to release on time, it really feels like he could've put a little more time into it. "Maybe I'm Amazed" is clearly the standout track and I don't think anybody would say otherwise. The fact that he and Linda recorded this album themselves is very impressive, but overall it just mostly falls kinda flat. It mostly doesn't carry that McCartney "Granny music" feel here much, which is nice as that's what I expected. It isn't too cutesy, or obnoxious or anything. It's just ok. It feels like a lot of songs that wouldn't have made it on a Beatles album as they were and also "Maybe I'm Amazed." Looking forward to hearing what "Ram" is like, and hoping it sounds more complete and interesting. This whole thing feels more like a thought experiment - "Can I make a good album all on my own?" The answer was "almost."” I rather like what I wrote and I’ll stand by it here. I’ve heard Beatles and McCartney fans fawn over “Junk” but I do not get it. Sure the chord progression and melody are interesting but that’s where it ends for me. This is one of Paul’s worst good albums and I am surprised it’s on here. But the author of the book clearly had an affinity for debut albums of English musicians. Overall this is fine and I liked it a little more than before but not much. Two and a half stars, rounded to 3 because Paul. Standout tracks: That Would be Something, Oo You, Mamma Miss America, Maybe I’m Amazed

While some may dislike parts of this album for including mistakes and Vaughan forgetting lyrics, I actually rather liked those inclusions. It humanized her, and made the performance feel less sterile and more authentic. Live music is never perfect, and to have represented it as such would’ve been a mistake in itself. That said, while Vaughan had a wonderful voice and was clearly very talented, and while the songs are brilliant, I didn’t find her or her performance to be strikingly or significantly different from other female jazz singers of that time. She even admits that, when she forgets the lyrics to “How High the Moon,” that she’s going to try to sing like Ella Fitzgerald. So I guess k just didn’t see that much that differentiates her from her contemporaries. Which I suppose is a pretty high compliment, comparing her to Fitzgerald and Holiday. But if she doesn’t stand out from them, why is she here? If you’d played any of these songs for me and told me it was Fitzgerald, I probably would’ve believed you. Four stars for outstanding talent. Could’ve been five stars if she’d brought something unique to the table besides her mistakes. Standout tracks: September in the Rain, Just One of Those Things, Be Anything But Darling Be Mine, Honeysuckle Rose

Ah, The Doors. I visited Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris last month. I was surprised at how they had to put a barrier in front of it because too many people wanted to see it. Either it’s tourists, of the impact of the Doors was much bigger than I expected. Anyway, the album. I really liked this. Funky in places, funny in others, and really hard rock and driving in others still. Morrison’s voice is undeniable. The organ really makes them standout from other acts that have persisted from this era. There’s a lot to like here. A couple of duds but that’s expected with any album. I’m trying to find more to say about this but honestly, it’s just good and deserves to be here. Four stars. Oh but “The End” is cool but too long. Standout tracks: Break on Through, Soul Kitchen, Twentieth Century Fox, Light My Fire, Back Door Man, Take it as it Comes

80’s music has always been a blind spot for me, which means I’ve based my opinion of it on a very small sample size and decided based on that limited exposure that 80’s music was generally bad and that I didn’t like it. This project has helped challenge and change that perception. This album has done the most work that any one album has to do so. This is peak 80’s music. I don’t necessarily mean that it’s the best the decade had to offer. Rather, that this is the peak 80’s sound. The synths. The echo. The singer’s voice. The subject matter. All of it is what I imagine when I think of 80’s music. But what did I think of it? It was good. Not just for what it was or who it was for, but in general. This is really well-constructed music, layered and even nuanced at times. Really catchy hooks that maybe wouldn’t have been as catchy or played as well if not coming from a synth. This isn’t going to get 5 stars; it wasn’t mind blowing or a masterpiece. But I do think it was good that it’s included here and I do feel like this was a good representation of its genre and era. That, and it was just well written and constructed. I’m surprised to be saying this, but 4 stars. Standout tracks: The Things that Dreams Are Made Of, The Sound of the Crowd, Darkness, Seconds, Love Action (I Believe in Love), Don’t You Want Me

All I knew going in was “Teach Your Children,” that Neil Young eventually joined the group, and that when I saw the acronym with his name included I always read it as standing for “CSI: New York.” This was cool. Amazing, Simon and Garfunkel-esque harmonies. Great songwriting. Amazing backing band and instrumentation. My one issue with it is that all the songs have generally the same tone, same vibe, same feeling that they start to blend together at a certain point. Which is unfortunate because they’re very much worth listening to. I did not know they were considered a super group, but I’m not surprised. This was fun but nothing I’m going to be yearning to come back to. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Pre-Road Downs, Wooden Ships, Everybody’s Talkin’, Teach Your Children

I don’t really know where to begin…? This was a unique experience for sure. The songs are sometimes about something and sometimes about…nothing (Picasso wasn’t ever called an asshole, apparently). The singer sounded like a precursor to mumble rap. The instrumentals were generally great. I really liked a few of the songs but on the whole this was just ok. Probably pretty great if you’re into mid-70’s proto-punk or new wave. There’s definitely some Talking Heads in here (though they wouldn’t debut fully until the following year), and even some Doors (mainly the keyboard playing/riffs). The lead singer was probably also the inspiration for the Hold Steady’s lead singer, if I had to guess. Also the song about how a woman was probably “magical as a little girl” or whatever was weird and I didn’t want it. I get that they’re the “Modern” “Lovers” but this and a couple other songs just didn’t age well. Oh and the misspelling of “girlfriend” in the lyrics was probably supposed to be funny but it…wasn’t…? Or it was the first time? Overall this was good. Another three star album to throw onto the pile. Standout tracks: Roadrunner, Astral Plane, She Cackled, Someone I Care About

I had to do some research to know how to feel about these guys. Their music is good, if not a little antiquated feeling (even for their era) in places. But “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” reeked of Confederate sympathy. I know they’re a southern rock band, and that sometimes, especially back then, that sort of came with the territory (see: Lynyrd Skynyrd). Nothing I read told me that this was the case with these guys, but still. I tread with caution. The album is good. A great example of its genre, and crafted by a group of musicians that are all excellent at what they do. Everything feels in its proper place, like a plan was drawn up and then executed. It doesn’t feel overproduced or over engineered at all. It just is. The songs feel like they were always as they are here, that they didn’t come from nothingness and then slowly crafted into existence. It’s that ease that gives the album its charm, and gives the listener an invitation to just enjoy what’s presented here. I enjoyed a handful of songs here (see below), but I can’t say I was blown away by anything. I even listened twice to be sure. The Band are clearly very talented (you’d better be if your name is “The Band”), but I doubt this is their best work. Three stars. Standout tracks: Across the Great Divide, Up On Cripple Creek, Whispering Pines, Lookout Cleveland

This is the guy Pete Townshend wrote about when he wrote “God Speaks, of Marty Robbin’s”? Huh ok. Gotta look into that more…kinda looks like him, too… I can appreciate this as a piece of history, a time capsule when the USA was obsessed with western this and cowboy that. TV shows like “Gunsmoke,” “Wagon Train,” and “Bonanza” were massive, practically dominating American television. This album, I assume, did incredibly well, as it fit into that trend of American popular culture. So if this is on this list purely for its impact, and to give Marty Robbins a place in history, I am more than ok with that. This album is pure Americana, as we see it today. Romanticized stories of the old west, tales of adventure, love and loss, and gunfights. This is what you’d expect from an album with this cover and name. The music? Well that’s also what you’d expect, except that it’s actually…good. For what it is, anyway. I’m not claiming this to be the best ever, but as a country western album, it’s a sterling example. Well produced, with interesting stories and a good backing band. But what shines the most is Robbins’s voice. He plays the part of lonesome cowboy so, so well. He fits into the archetype perfectly and with little effort. It feels like he’s always been this guy and will keep on being this guy, even if he didn’t live in the old west. It’s easy to admire the tone and style established here. Everything about the production backs up that tone and style. It’s a marvel to listen to. As a whole, I liked this a surprising amount, especially given what I’d see other people rate this album when browsing other people’s pages. I assumed I’d be giving it two stars but I honestly have to give it three for its place in history, its production, Robbins’s performance (both musically and as a character), and because it’s an excellent example of its genre. And stuff like this probably inspired “Rocky Raccoon,” so that’s cool. Standout tracks: Big Iron, El Paso, The Master’s Call, Running Gun

I expected so much better. “On the Beach” gave me hope that this would be engaging and interesting. That album was fantastic both musically and lyrically. This album…well it was alright. The first half was boring. I’m just gonna get that out of the way. Musically, the songs all existed in the same space and sounded too much alike. I’d have to listen again for lyrics because honestly, I spaced out. The second half, especially near the end, really kicks up the energy and grit. It gave it the lift it needed to be a three star album as opposed to a two star album. It saved it. On the whole, this was fine but I do think it would’ve been better served if the energetic songs were mixed in with the more chill songs. Three stars. Standout tracks: Powderfinger, Sedan Delivery, Hey, Hey, My, My (Into the Black)

Whoooooooa I’ve always heard of the Stone Roses, even had them recommended to me once or twice. But I always confused them with Stone Temple Pilots (in name only) and never sought them out. But this was amazing. Really chill but upbeat psychedelic vibes. Great riffs and energy. Maybe slightly repetitive but not to the point of being annoying or excessive. Gives off big 70’s feelings but updated for the late 80’s. This sounds so totally different to anything else I’ve heard from the late 80’s, actually, that I had to check the release year multiple times. Rock was going a few different places around this time. Grunge was developing and would soon explode. Punk was doing its own thing and would develop into pop punk soon enough. Britpop was very much a thing and thriving in the UK. But this defies those trends and seems staunchly rooted in what must’ve been their influences from the prior decades. But it doesn’t feel derivative, as easy as it could’ve been to do that. It’s a fresh take on a genre that wasn’t, to my knowledge, in high demand at the time. I could gush about the different riffs and grooves I loved here, but just listen to “I Am the Resurrection” for everything you need to know. 5 stars. Happily. Just such great songs that don’t feel repetitive, have a consistent sound, and don’t get old. You’d think that’s easy enough to do, but it honestly seems like a high bar sometimes with this list… Standout tracks: I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall, Don’t Stop, (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister, Shoot You Down, I Am the Resurrection

I had every reason to not like this album. Rap and hip-hop, while I've enjoyed most of what I've heard (and even gave Biggie's debut 5 stars), a lot of it hasn't resonated with me or left me floored. This, combined with the fact that Kanye West has proven himself to be a colossal idiot in almost everything but making music, has put on full display his mental instability, and has spouted hateful, Anti-semitic language and aligned himself with a now former president who has spewed some equally condemnable rhetoric and you have an artist who, despite the quality of his art, is incredibly easy to dislike. This review will assess the art, not the artist, and I have tried to put my personal feelings about Kanye aside here for the sake of the integrity of this project. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This album completely blew me away. I mean my god. The sheer amount of creative energy that just bursts at this album's seams. The lyrics alone require an immense amount of dissection. West moves through this album at the height of his powers, delivering his messages with a personal urgency, at times, that adds to the power of this album. "Power" in particular stands out as a masterpiece in production and writing, and if I had to guess serves as the album's thesis. Bringing together sample after sample and combining them to make something both incredibly personal and yet wide-reaching and relatable. The collaborators he brings in for this project were also excellently chosen and utilized. Jay-Z, Niki Minaj, Pusha T, and apparently Bon Iver, to name just a few. They all bring something more this album that it needed to be great. Now for some things to criticize here. For one, I don't understand the tone of the outro to "Blame Game." It really seems like the Chris Rock cameo is supposed to be funny. But the tone of the rest of the song is sad, depressing at times, and the juxtaposition doesn't work for me. I don't know what it was supposed to do but it falls flat completely. Like it was included because they knew they could get Chris Rock and needed something for him to do. I also do find some of the lyrics to be misogynistic in nature, which while I know that can be par for the course in hip hop and always has been, I just can't really get behind or relate to. Lastly, his ego just cannot help but take its place at the forefront of this album. It's in your face and obnoxious and becomes tiresome at times. And that's annoying and a little sad. He's great and knows it, he just can't be humble about it ever, at all. This album is undeniable. It's a masterpiece. It's a creative force. It's an achievement. I don't know what else to say. Five stars. Somewhat regrettably. But you can't deny the art. Standout tracks: Dark Fantasy, Power, All of the Lights, Monster, Runaway, Lost in the World

When the first track started, I was 100% in. Hard guitars with some bluesy influence. Vocals with attitude and confidence with a raspy tone. Music made to be played loud. What more could I want? Five stars, easy. No need to debate. This would keep the hype train rolling after last week’s amazing run. But then, as it went on, I realized that this was too perfect. That this sound wasn’t something new. That it was a rehash, a repackaging of sounds and styles heard in the 60’s and 70’s from bands like The Rolling Stones. Then the dreaded D word came to mind. The one that can make you sound like a snobby, party pooper, Debbie downer of a music fan - derivative. Yes, at a certain point (maybe about halfway through), I went from absolutely loving this album to realizing that these guys were wearing their influences on their sleeves a little too much. There’s a fine line between being derivative and simply being influenced. The band Jet comes to mind when I think of bands with derivative sounds. I think these guys are kind of in that same vein. They’re amazing if you haven’t heard much of 70’s blues and rock. But if you have, even just a little, this isn’t anything new. The Stone Roses did do something new and creative and interesting and that’s why they got five stars. These guys didn’t. And that’s a bummer because this was going to be an easy five stars. Instead, it gets 4. It might be derivative, but it’s a blast to listen to and I’ll look forward to the tracks listed below popping up on my playlist. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Twice As Hard, Could I’ve Been So Blind, Seeing Things, Hard to Handle, Struttin’ Blues

Solid folk album. The more up tempo numbers were more my speed. The more ren faire-type ballads were, well, beautiful but boring. This felt very much like a product of its time. The folk scene was probably no bigger in the US than it was around this time. I enjoyed this album for what it was, and it was very good at being what it wanted to be. But I just wasn’t all that taken with most of it. And some tracks just kind of went on and on. I dunno. I started writing this thinking I’d give it three stars but I think I’m gonna give it two. It wasn’t bad at all, just mostly not my thing. Two stars. Standout tracks: Come All Ye, Medley: The Lark in the Morning, Tam Lin

I just didn't really care. Are the musicians talented? Undoubtedly, just listen to a track or two and you'll understand that. But man I just did not care about this album at all. Long, overly indulgent psychedelic jam band music that is probably a boomer's wet dream. And don't get me wrong - boomer music is my wheelhouse. But this...this was just difficult to listen to with any sense of attention or intention. It just meanders on and on. The bass line is the thing that stuck out the most, and it was excellent but often felt repetitive. The entire thing is an exercise in excess and lack of formal structure. I can get down with a live album. I can get down with a live album that has extended versions of songs with solos and breakdowns and other added material. I can get down with a long live album. But I could not get down with this. Meandering, obtuse, overly indulgent, and often times just strange. It's a shame, too, because I thought I'd enjoy it more than I did. Two and a half stars, rounded down to 2 because I didn't enjoy it. Standout track: Lord of Light

I had zero expectations going into this, which I honestly think is the best way to do it. And I’m glad because this was super interesting. Elements of jazz, rock, world music, a capella, and more. A variety of instruments, moods and arrangements make this an eclectic album full of surprises. Dark sounding, moody slow songs, faster but still dark songs. The overall mood of this album is pensive and dark. A lot to sink your teeth into. This really requires another dive. It clearly was an inspired project with a lot to understand and explore. I really enjoyed my listen. I need to do it again. Four stars, could see it becoming five. Standout Tracks: The Wrong Way, Dreams, Ambulance, Don’t Love You

We have arrived, once again, at another band I know very, very well. We’ve had The Beatles, The Who, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Talking Heads. Now we finally can add The White Stripes to this canon. This album is definitely front loaded. I love it, but there’s two distinct levels of quality on what I assume are the two sides of this album. The first half is phenomenal. Signature songs like “Fell In Love with a Girl” and “We’re Going to be Friends” stand out amongst other amazing tracks (see below). There’s variety, from straight up punk-inspired rock (“Fell in Love with a Girl,” “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”), to almost rockabilly type stuff with “Hotel Yorba” and quiet, gentle stuff like “We’re Going to be Friends.” You even get something irreverent like “Little Room.” But that first half ends and what we get is a collection of what feel like unfinished or underdeveloped tracks and ideas. Nothing is bad by any means, but it doesn’t inspire like the first half. Regardless, the quality is 1,000% here and that first half is nothing short of genius. They were a force to be reckoned with and I hope they play together again one day. 4 stars. Standout Tracks: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Hotel Yorba, I’m Finding it Harder to be a Gentleman, Fell in Love with a Girl, Little Room, The Union Forever, We’re Going to be Friends

Definitely kept thinking of this one as “Club Penguin Orchestra” and not its actual name… The longer pieces really standout from the shorter ones here. The compositions are best when they have time to build and layer, to really create a feeling or mood. The shorter ones are fine, but honestly feel like filler at times, like a vehicle to release the longer tracks on a full length album. They aren’t bad, just not nearly as interesting. What’s good here is beautiful. Really thoughtfully and genuinely put together pieces of music performed by a group of obvious talent. My only reservation is, as it has been before with debut albums, I wonder if this is the best it gets for them. I wish this book didn’t have so many debut albums because I refuse to believe so many artists peaked right away. But we’ll see. Three stars. Standout tracks: Penguin Cafe Single, Zopf: Giles Farnaby’s Dream, The Sound of Someone You Love Going Away And It Doesn’t Matter, Chartered Flight

All I knew was “White Rabbit.” Or so I thought. “Somebody to Love” was a song I’d heard before, but I assumed this version was a cover. Turns out I was right, but Jefferson Airplane really made it famous. Anyway. This was cool. Miiiiiight be another album that made it here because of a famous track or two, but it’s hard to deny the talent here. They’re a tight group with a well defined sound (even if it deviates a time or two). This sort of gave me what I expected and not much more. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Somebody to Love, D.C.B.A-25, How Do You Feel, White Rabbit

If the album had continued in the same vein as the first three tracks, it could’ve easily been a five star venture. As it was, it did not continue that way. It meandered into odd instrumental tracks and middling filler that became repetitive and boring after a while. At nearly an hour long, they could’ve easily cut this album down to maybe 45 minutes. Disappointing, as it had such potential early on. The good stuff isn’t enough to elevate it to 3 stars. 2 stars. Standout tracks: Sleep on the Left Side, Brim Full of Asha, Butter the Soul, Good Shit

Damn. And here I’ve always know Ice Cube for “Are We There Yet?” and for being maybe the most famous Raiders fan. Joking aside… In many ways this is still unrelentingly relevant today. In some ways it hasn’t aged well, too. But for the most part this album’s overall message of anti-racism and the misunderstanding of black culture by white people rings as true today as it did then. But, having been only 9 days old on the day this album was released, I can only guess that its message is better and more widely received today than it ever was back in 1992. The music itself is a great listen. Great backing tracks that don’t get old, song lengths that don’t overstay their welcome, and a delivery from Cube that just flows. His delivery is aggressive and angry, though it does come across a little softer at times. Given the message here though, his anger is justified and makes everything here more believable. Anybody back then that didn’t understand why black artists, specifically rappers, were so angry simply didn’t understand the plight of African Americans in this country that persists to this day. I think this should be a required listen for everybody and it’s a shame I didn’t hear it until now. For an artist I always knew as a personality and celebrity but never for his music, I was very happily surprised here. 4 stars. Standout Tracks: When Will They Shoot?, Now I Gotta Wet ‘Cha, It Was a Good Day, Check Yo Self, Who Got the Camera?, Say Hi to the Bad Guys

Happy to see The Who here again. As I wrote in my notes on “Who’s Next,” I went through different musical phases in high school. I was that kid who thought all popular music was garbage and that stuff from 25 years back and before was the only good music that ever existed. I now have a wider view of the musical world, thank goodness, but I went through phases with bands. The Who came right after my Beatles phase. And I was obsessed. But what’s funny is, this isn’t the first version of Tommy I ever heard. My dad introduced me to the extended version of “Live at Leeds,” which includes a full live performance of Tommy, save a few tracks. This live version is absolutely spectacular and in my opinion, is the definitive version. It takes out the filler (of which there is a lot) and lets the bands unleash their incredible live energy into this album. I’m not here to review Live at Leeds (though I think it’s on this list and I’ll review it eventually), but I just needed to give some context. “Tommy” is an achievement. It’s complex, it tells a story, and it’s a very well produced double album. Its highs (see below) are very high. And I love it. There’s just too much damn filler. It doesn’t need to be an hour and 15 minutes. You can tell Tommy’s story by omitting a decent amount of the tracks. I think the band, specifically Townshend, had too much for a single album but not enough for a double and stretched it to make it a double. It’s interesting to hear about Sally Simpson, but we didn’t REALLY need to. Do we really need both “Cousin Kevin” and a song about Uncle Ernie? Does “Sensation” need to be here? Did we actually need an “Underture”? I love the band. I love this album. I love the music. I love what the album tries to say about cult followings and blindly following someone who says they can fix all your problems. But it’s overly long and has too much filler. And this is coming from someone who listened this for probably the hundredth time today. They really perfected the rock opera genre with “Quadrophenia,” which really should be on this list if it isn’t. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Overture, Amazing Journey, Sparks, Eyesight to the Blind (The Hawker), Pinball Wizard, Go to the Mirror!

Wow I had zero expectations for what this would sound or feel like and man did this blow me away. What a funky jazz album. Such energy. Such passion. A very tight band, and the addition of Ginger Baker does elevate the entire experience. I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Fela Ransom-Kuti before, but I gotta hear more. The sound coming out of this band was just so tight and so fun to listen to that I need more. I’m curious to see if the band’s energy can translate to a studio setting or if you really just have to hear them live. We’ll see. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Let’s Start, Ye Ye De Small, Egbe Mi O (Carry Me)

This was a much softer sound than I expected from a band called My Bloody Valentine. All these years I’ve heard their name but never their music, I assumed that they were some kind of hard rock/pseudo-metal band that played on the same bills as bands like Slipknot and Korn. But here we are, and the sound is much more airy and less aggressive than I ever would’ve imagined. All that said, this was mostly pretty boring. A lot of the songs sounded the same and I was surprised this wasn’t their debut. I’d forgive them more if it was. But this is three albums into their discography and this is clearly their sound. I don’t get the hype at all with these guys. There were some solid tracks (see below), but mostly I just didn’t care. Sorry guys. Two stars. Standout tracks: who sees you, new you, in another way

Peter Frampton is a very talented guitarist. I just wish he made music that was more interesting and less cliche. The arrangements, the lyrics, even his voice. It all felt so corny and cliche. He’s an incredibly talented guitarist, that can’t be ignored. But couldn’t he use his powers for good? Anyway. I just was underwhelmed and I didn’t really care. Three stars for his talent alone. Standout tracks: Something’s Happening, All I Want to be Is (By Your Side), I Wanna Go to the Sun

Like a lot of metal bands that seem to take themselves very seriously and whose image seemed to be based on acting like tough guys and writing songs about scary things and being intimidating, and who like to make Christianity seem scary (which, I mean, it can be), I never quite took Judas Priest seriously. So all of that being said, I was ready to not take this album seriously. But that’s the thing I’ve learned about metal - you aren’t really supposed to take it super seriously. Sure if there’s a message, hear it. Understand it. But sometimes things can just be fun or expressive and not be so self important. There was some good stuff here. It all kind of hits the same note with very little variety (that’s my main criticism of metal in general), but for that it is, it’s a good time. The album cover is badass, too. I was a little suspicious of this album’s selection for this project because it contains one of their most recognizable hits in “Breaking the Law.” Whenever this happens, I just kind of assume an album made the list/book because of that one song. I can safely say that I don’t think that was the case here. Obviously some very talented musicians who just love to play some hard, loud metal and have a good time doing it. Not at all my favorite album but solid nonetheless. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Rapid Fire, Metal Gods, Breaking the Law, Steeler

I am not the target demo for this album or this genre of music. 90’s R&B is one genre that is almost entirely foreign to me. TLC, Boyz II Men and their contemporaries were undoubtedly insanely popular during their era, but I was under 10 years old at any point during the 90’s, growing up with white parents and friends, none of whom listened to this genre. When an episode of Parks and Recreation referenced Ginuwine, I thought his name was so ridiculous there was no way he could be real. So you see the angle from which I approached this album. I recognize the cultural importance of TLC. I recognize the talent the group had and how well made this album is. It just really isn’t for me. There are some excellent grooves here, and I really could see myself vibing to this in the right context, with the right people, in the right mood. But in a vacuum (or as much of one as I can ever exist in), this just didn’t hit like I think it was meant to. Enjoyable enough, fun, but nothing I connected to or will remember. Not yet at least. The more I listen to albums in this project, the more I can feel my tastes expanding. Maybe I’ll come back to this one later and see if it hits different. For now, three stars because I think I’m just missing something. Also the guitar on “Red Light Special” kicks ass even if the song itself is just ok. Oh and I could’ve done without all the interludes. The names were kinda cringy and it felt like they were only there to pad the runtime. Standout tracks: Kick Your Game, Case of the Fake People, Waterfalls, Switch

Blonde has always been on my periphery. They fall in this weird spot where they always felt like a pop band, but a 70’s pop band that I might actually like with people playing real instruments and lead singer who can really sing. But they’re so close to being 80’s that I just never encountered them. I’m really glad I finally have. This was such a fun and creative album. It’s goofy, it’s silly, and never takes itself seriously. The lyrics are funny, the riffs are at worst well thought out and well intended and at best are damn catchy and amazing, and the band just has this charm about them. It’s a very easy and inviting album, one that I’m tempted to spin again right now. I know this makes it sound like I’m giving it five stars. But I’m not. It can be all those things I just said but not be what I think is their best. I’m convinced they can do better than this. I want them to. I want more. So this gets four stars. I’m hoping I get another chance through this project to see what became of them. Standout Tracks: Fade Away and Radiate, 11:59, Heart of Glass, I’m Gonna Love You Too

I really don’t even know what I listened to. Ms. Jackson appeared in there somewhere but the rest is largely a blur. I know OutKast has a history of making profound social statements and commentary in their music, and I know they’re widely regarded as one of the better hip hop groups of the last 25 or so years. But I really just didn’t get this. Whatever the messages were that were being sent through this album were completely and utterly lost on me through its confusing and at times bizarre arrangements, it’s sometimes seemingly non-sensical lyrics, and its constant interludes. Without a doubt I missed the point of this album. And when I know I’ve missed the point I will defer to the what I assume the general opinion on it is and give it three stars. But I can’t do that here. I really didn’t have a good enough time with this to give it the benefit of the doubt. I’m sure the messages are there, but the package in which they are delivered clouds them and makes it easy to lose interest, quickly. It hurts me to say, but two stars. Standout Tracks: Ms. Jackson, B.O.B - Bombs Over Baghdad, Xplosion

Sometimes I think the album selections aren’t so random. Go back and look at my history you’ll see that just yesterday I was handed OutKast’s previous album “Stankonia.” You’ll also see that I didn’t exactly give it a favorable review. You’ll forgive me if I think this project gets a mind of its own sometimes. The good news is, I liked this a lot more, even if it had an absolutely excessive runtime. Wikipedia describes this as two solo albums released as a double album. Which is a little annoying because one of them is so much better than the other. Andre 3000 is a creative genius and I won’t be told otherwise. The fact that he was beholden to a, by comparison (don’t come after me, I’m not saying he’s bad) average artist in the form of Big Boi is kind of a drag. Speakerboxxx is a really creative concept. It’s like its own radio station or something. The problem is that it only plays one genre and a lot of the songs are similar to each other. The good stuff is actually pretty great, but it’s lost in a bunch of average tracks. The Love Below…damn. What a confluence of ideas and genre. So many different combinations of sound and mood. It flows so easily from one to the next and it all exists on the same sonic level. Jazz, funk, hip hop, rap, rock, soul, R&B - it’s all here and it’s all amazing. The exploration and combining of genres is downright experimental at times and those experiments are largely successes. That’s not something I would’ve said about “Stankonia.” At all. The remix/interpolation of “My Favorite Things”?!?! What!?! Too good. I respect the hell out of this half of the album and of Andre for creating it. Only thing I’d change is drop the interludes and make better use of Norah Jones. Other than that it’s a masterpiece. Now the tricky part - a rating. I’m gonna do this individually and the average them out. If this was just Speakerboxxx, it would get three stars. If it was just The Love Below, it would get five. Average that out and you get four. Four stars. I wish I could give them individual scores. Hell I wish these were released separately. But here we are. Four stars. Standout Tracks: GhettoMusick, Bowtie, the Rooster, Bust, Church | The Love Below (Intro), Love Hater, Happy Valentine’s Day, Hey Ya!, Roses, My Favorite Things, Take Off Your Cool

Ok so I have four questions, each starting with a different word - who, why, what, and whose. Who was this made for? Actually though. Who sits down to listen to this and thinks “Oh man that was amazing! I gotta listen to this over and over again, it’s the best!” Or even just having a warm opinion about it? I’m sorry but who is this for? What’s the appeal? It feels like sloppily-made, semi-improvised, overly loud, angry nonsense. There’s a place for that, but not like this, and not in my own headspace. What were they on when they made this? A simpler question, but worth answering. Unfortunately I don’t have the answer to this one, but I can only imagine it was a mix of things that probably had them so whacked out of their brains they couldn’t fully remember what to play. Why was this the final product? Why did they listen back to this and think, “Yup, this sounds perfect. Cut, print, and release boys, we’re done here.” Whose birthday party was this? Because I’m sure as hell glad it wasn’t mine. I know it’s a tongue in cheek thing, but the joke works so roll with it. Can you tell I didn’t like this? Can you tell I didn’t enjoy most of this album’s 40 minute runtime? Can you tell I’m 1,000% over this entire thing. I can’t bring myself to give this one star because I’ve yet to do that (though I may inquire about retroactively changing some ratings…), and because it at least took some talent and effort to concoct this abomination, limited in supply both of those things may have been. So two stars. Generously. Standout Track: The Dim Locator

Ok, so the title track played at my wedding as my wife walked down the aisle. So you’ll understand if I carry just a slight sentimental bias toward this album. The short of it is, this albums starts so, so strong, drags a little in the middle, contains one song that feels pretty out of place to the rest, and finishes really strong. In more detail, this album is generally wonderful. It stays consistent with its sonic setting, where every song feels like it belongs with the others. They exist in the same space and feel like they just stitch together nicely. Except “High Horse.” That’s the one that doesn’t feel like it fits very well, if you ask me. It’s a great song, but it doesn’t feel the same as the rest. That and the robot voice on “Oh What a World.” Other than that this album is so consistently good. It’s sweet, sad, sentimental, cute, fun, and thoughtful. Sometimes it borders on corny, sometimes it actually is. But it rarely fails to entertain and I’d only skip a few tracks. It carries this laidback sound that just makes it so easy to listen to, at times deceptively so. It’s easy to forget how deep the album can be from both a musical and production standpoint, which makes it easy to think it’s a simple album. That laidback vibe can lull you into a false sense of security. I had to listen twice because that’s exactly what happened. The production really shines in that way. Also, I know Kacey is considered a country artist, but I really do think she’s shedded that genre for the most part. This album is a transition album for her, like Red was for Taylor Swift. The country elements here are present but subtle for the most part. Lyrically they’re present more than musically, I’d argue. Songs like “Space Cowboy,” “Velvet Elvis,” and “High Horse” all invoke cowboy/country imagery, but musically I wouldn’t necessarily call them country. The rest of the album could be considered pop or pop rock. Considering what she’s done since this album (the ambitious, poppy and ultimately trying-too-hard follow up “Starcrossed” and her most recent “Deeper Well” which fell a little flat in trying to return to the “Golden Hour” vibe), I think we can say she couldn’t be confined by the country label anymore. I think this album set off the transition. Overall this is a lovely album that, if not for a few skips and if it were more my genre, would’ve been five stars. As it is, four stars. Standout Tracks: Slow Burn, Butterflies, Velvet Elvis, High Horse, Golden Hour, Rainbow

I didn’t understand 99% of what was said. But it didn’t matter. The grooves, man, the grooves. This was such a fun album. I’ve had a decent amount of music out of Brazil during this project and it’s all been so creative and interesting. It hasn’t all been amazing, but it’s been different and interesting, and I can’t help but appreciate that. This album is alive with funky bass lines, locked in drums, and enthusiastic vocals that all come together to make this a fun, punchy, and funky 40 minutes. I’d gladly listen again. It’s always fun to hear genres that we think of as American or western taken on by a culture that itself is so closely associated with its own genres. The result is often a fresh take on a genre we think we own and know inside and out. We’re often proven wrong. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Ponta De Lanca Africano, Hermes Trismegisto Escreveu, Xica Da Silva, Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado, Africa Brasil (Zumbi)

Another Neil Young, huh? This one started slow but really picked up at “Southern Man.” The anger he feels about the state of the south then (and honestly, probably still now) is so apparent. That alone makes it worth listening to. He slows it down after that, but still keeps the emotional honestly coming. That’s how I’d describe this album - vulnerable and honest. I’d liked what I’d heard from Neil Young to this point. “On the Beach” is a great album, and “Rust Never Sleeps” was alright. This falls somewhere in the middle of those two for me. It has its moments, but it isn’t what I assume to be his masterpiece. I know he has a number of albums that made the list, so I’ll wait until I get his best. Three stars. Southern Man, Oh, Lonesome Me, Don’t Let it Bring You Down, Birds

Country and I…rarely agree. Johnny Cash and some Willie Nelson are just about the only two things we do agree on. I’d never heard of K.D. Lang, I think. I did some reading to understand exactly who she is and why she’s important. I thought it was a happy coincidence that I got a queer artist on San Francisco Pride Day. Nice touch, RNG. This was surprising in a few ways. For one, I expected it to be more…country. Like heavier on twang and with less reverb, more of a raw sound. Instead we had this airy sound, with vocals that are often sung a little more straight and arrangements that almost sounded like pop vocal jazz. I also didn’t expect it to be so corny. My god there are some corny songs and lyrics here. I get that that’s part of the country vibe, especially when you do songs in this particular style. But man I just couldn’t get past some of them. I listened to them, but I didn’t necessarily enjoy them. Overall this was a surprise, in a good way. I liked the arrangements for some of the songs, and I think this tried to be more than the constraints of its genre, which is always appreciated. Did I love it? No. But I liked it, enough so to give it three stars. I honestly thought it was gonna be two stars but she brought it around in the middle. Standout Tracks: Sugar Moon, Black Coffee, Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes, Busy Being Blue

Another Doors album. They honestly had a bigger output than I expected, given how young Jim Morrison died. This met the expectation of a Doors album. It was bluesy, a little psychedelic, and had some elements of harder rock here and there. The organ was back but not quite as prominent as I would’ve liked. But it was just ok. Like I said, it met expectations for a Doors album. Didn’t exceed them, didn’t fall short. It just was. And that’s all I kind of have to say. Three stars. I am whelmed. Also I’ve heard “Roadhouse Blues” waaaaaaaay too many times in stadiums that I just cannot list it as a Standout Track. Sorry not sorry. Standout Tracks: You Make Me Real, Peace Frog, Ship of Fools, Queen of the Highway, Maggie M’Gill

Sigh I really want to like metal. I really want to like Metallica. But man I just do not care. I’ve said this with previous metal albums (Metallica, Iron Maiden), but the stakes are always high with metal. Musically it’s as loud and as intense as it can be. Lyrically it’s all about the end of the world, monsters, dying, descriptions of demons or monsters and why we should be afraid of them, or some combination or derivation thereof. Of course this is an over generalization coming from someone who has now only listened to four complete metal albums in his life. But this is what I’ve heard so far. And I just cannot bring myself to give a damn about it. This album is no different. Even when they do slow it down, lower the stakes musically, and make it less intense on “Nothing Else Matters,” it’s still high stakes because, well, it’s called “Nothing Else Matters.” “Enter Sandman” is the clear winner here. Everyone knows it, it’s transcended metal as a genre and is in the popular culture. It also happens to be the best song on this album, if you ask me. I won’t be seeking out any metal on my own at this point. Which is a bummer because the genre clearly has many talented musicians. If this project hits me with a metal album/band I can get into, great. But at this point I’m starting to get the gist and it just isn’t for me. Two stars. Not even “Enter Sandman” could save this.

Nope…. …yeah, nope. I mean I can say a little more but my opinion is kinda summed up there. This sucked. Obtuse for the sake of it. The singer sounded like he was across the room and if that’s an artistic choice, I mean ok fine, but it makes for a poor listening experience. He also sounded like a Muppet at times. This just was a lot I didn’t like about British 80’s rock. Sad, dreary, sounding like everybody wanted to die, echoey, songs that overstayed their welcome, and trying a little too hard to be interesting. And boring. I’ve long heard about Joy Division. But I’d never heard them. What little hype there was wasn’t met here. They only have two studio albums. Please don’t let the other one be on this list. Please. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Heart and Soul, Twenty Four Hours

I’ve been waiting for Blur. Of course “Song 2” is a sports stadium mainstay. But I also knew “Parklife” going into this album and so was expecting a similar sort of very British quirkiness that that song just oozes. Didn’t really get that here. But the band really covers a wide range of sounds here. There’s lighter, poppier stuff that’s just chill to listen to, harder rock that makes you see that Blur was definitely an influence on later British bands like Arctic Monkeys, and a weird experimental sound collage type song reminiscent of The Beatles “Revolution 9.” Their creativity was apparent from the start and it was interesting to discover that they’ve been this way since the beginning. Not many bands are. Overall, a fun listen that warrants a lot of standout tracks and relistens. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Beetlebum, Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, On Your Own, Theme From Retro, Chinese Bombs, Movin’ On

Sometimes you go into an album with a certain prejudice or predisposition, knowing little about the artist or the genre or their music. When you do this, one of two things is going to happen: your prejudices will be confirmed, or they won’t be. You’ll be surprised by how wrong you were, or not surprised at all because it was exactly what you expected. I’ve often found with this project that I am wrong about a band or artist after listening to an album of there’s. And that’s been an awesome experience. I was not wrong here. I figured Arcade Fire was a hipster band, whose sound was “different,” possibly intentionally so, was adored by those who thought their tastes were better than yours, and who took themselves and their music overly seriously and whose songs invoke weird imagery and strange stories. And I came away feeling that way. It’s an interesting sound, to be sure. And I didn’t dislike it. But I just feel like it isn’t for me. It’s well made, well intentioned, and the people involved are talented. I just didn’t care. And that’s my prejudice prevented me from really enjoying this. I think it needs more consideration. Maybe I’ll give it that one day. For now, three stars. Benefit of the doubt. Standout Tracks: Keep the Car Running, The Well and the Lighthouse, (Antichrist Television Blues), No Cars Go

Every time I hear an album that feels made for the club or at least uses heavy sampling and repetition as its main vibe, I’m continually surprised by how much I enjoy it. It’s a very specific vibe, a very specific mood, but it hits. For me, there isn’t much else to say except that this is just fun to listen to. It works as background music, it works as music you want to dance or groove to, and it works as music you can actually pick apart and think about to see how it works. I never thought I’d do this, but this gets five stars. And I’m pretty ok with that. Oh but I hate the cover. And “Kalifornia” and its robot voice. Robot voice is something I would remove from music entirely if I could. It sucks. Standout Tracks: The Rockefeller Skank, Fucking in Heaven, Gangster Trippin, Build it Up, Tear it Down, Soul Surfing, Praise You

Where do I begin… This is the second Tim Buckley album I’ve had. The first one left me a little underwhelmed. This one largely left me whelmed. I knew it was gonna be weird by the album cover alone. What an uncomfortable image to look at. I’d be interested to know what it’s trying to convey or make the listener feel because for me it just makes me uncomfortable. I don’t think the music is trying to do that. So why is the cover? As for the music itself, it’s pretty standard mid-60’s folk/psychedelic stuff. Sometimes it feels like renn faire folk, sometimes it just tries to tell a story, sometimes it’s completely obtuse. I wasn’t a huge fan. I liked the first track “No Man Can Find the War.” Felt like a protest song about Vietnam, and war in general. No man can find it, he can only create it. Other than this the only song that stood out was “Pleasant Street,” but I can’t remember why honestly. Overall this was fine but nothing I’m really excited about. The arrangements were great and clearly took some talent to create. For that alone it deserves three stars. But it’s downgraded to 2.5 because I didn’t like it much, and then rounded to 2 from there because, well, I didn’t like it. Two starts. Standout Tracks: No Man Can Find the War, Pleasant Street

This is, of course, just one of Michael Jackson’s seminal pop albums of his career. I’ve had “Thriller” already and it was, of course, a banger. This was also a banger but to a lesser degree. This is just off-peak for MJ. It’s a very strong album but I know he can and has done better than this. There’s just so much pop fun and flair here. “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” is an absolute classic opener. Sets the tone and the bar for the entire album. It’s what an opener should do and I feel like track order is sometimes overlooked these days. I’d already heard this song, as I had for a few others. But it was the ones I didn’t already know that I liked the most. “Workin’ Day and Night” and “Get on the Floor” both stood out to be as both great pop tracks and great dance tracks. The slower, more introspective stuff? Eh. I’ve never been a fan of the pop/R&B ballad and that holds true here. They’re good tracks but not for me. It takes a lot for a pop album to impress me. There’s so much crap that for a pop album to make an impression on me is saying something. Another hit for MJ, another four stars. Standout Tracks: Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Working Day and Night, Get on the Floor, Off the Wall, It’s the Falling In Love

I’d only heard of Bobby Womack in passing. I couldn’t have told you his genre or what era he was most popular during. I’d just heard the name. This was alright. In general, this style of music isn’t really my thing. There are a few Al Green songs that just get me though, and there’s some of that influence and energy here. Loved that. But overall I just wasn’t super enamored. There’s some great grooves, and it’s something to be appreciated. But the genre just isn’t mine and that’s alright. Mr. Womack gets three stars because what I liked was great, what I didn’t was still good, and man it just sounded like he was having so much fun. Standout Tracks: So Many Sides of You, Stand Up

Who knew the blues had any kind of presence in the late 80’s? This was great. It definitely carried the feel of “boomer music,” reminding me of more commercial blues my parents probably ate up at the time and for years after. But in that way it was a little nostalgic and honestly kind of fun. There are some excellent guests on here, too, and they do add something to the production. They’re not just there for album sales. They felt like legit collaborations. Overall I had a fun time with this, but I don’t see it sticking in my head as anything other than that. Four stars. Standout Tracks: The Healer, I’m In the Mood, Think Twice Before You Go, That’s Alright, Rocking Chair, My Dream

Pink Floyd’s disciples. Was Syd Barrett involved? But really, this did remind me an awful lot of late 60’s/early 70’s Floyd. “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” both come to mind. Long, experimental, often chaotic instrumentals that sometimes build but sometimes meander until they find their purpose and sound. Floyd had more structure to these pieces than Can seemed to. The way I always imagined pieces like this being recorded was that the band had a destination in mind with certain points to hit but would take a different path each time. That’s kind of how I felt here. The longer pieces feel too long and too varied in their sections to be fully transcribed, written out, and performed and recorded. The result is interesting, experimental, and should be applauded for the sounds it created. But ultimately it’s hard to talk about an album like this. The tracks are so long that it makes for a dense listening experience, one that buries all its quirks and great moments among the rest of the sometimes meandering noise. I liked this album. But it’s one that is likely experienced once, maybe a few times but never fully grasped and understood. It gets three stars from me. I’d love to see what these guys could do with a little more structure. For what it is, it’s remarkable. But as for something I enjoy, three stars. Standout Tracks: Future Days, Moonshake

Nick Drake is such an interesting case. I had never even once heard of him prior to being handed “Pink Moon” earlier in this project. I really liked that album (gave it 4 stars). Looking back my review, I see a contrast. Whereas that album seemed melancholic and sad at times, this one feels more full of life and even a little whimsy. That probably has to do with the life injected into by the back band (orchestra?), but Drake may also have been in a very different place in life for “Pink Moon.” Regardless, I like this one a little less than “Pink Moon.” I found the orchestral arrangements to be a little schmaltzy at times, which I wasn’t crazy about. But the essence of what I perceive to be his work is here and I really liked the front half on this album. It just started to fade a little for me as it went on; stuff sounded a little samey. Good stuff though. A solid three stars. Standout Tracks: Introduction, Hazey Jane II, At the Chime of a City Clock, One of These Things First, Poor Boy

My only real knowledge of Pearl Jam was that “Even Flow” was in Guitar Hero 3, and it was super fun to play. I imagine a lot of people my age had a similar experience being introduced to Pearl Jam. So that was a nice throwback. I really enjoyed this album, honestly. Some tracks are a bit long but they don’t overstay their welcome. Eddie’s voice is amazing, and it seems like he can do a whole lot with it. The screams are undeniable. Each song comes at you hard and fast, and stays there. The stakes are high, the songs are serious and meaningful, but not in a way that tired me out. It’s easy to see how this album was influential. I hear a lot of later 90’s and 2000’s rock here, both in bands I like and bands I don’t. That alone gets respect from me. This was cool. Some of the songs do start to sound a little samey here and there, but it’s their debut album so I’ll forgive them a little for that. I don’t know of any other Pearl Jam albums or if they’d be part of this list. I kinda hope they are, but I do get the sense that this is who they are. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Once, Even Flow, Alive, Jeremy, Deep

From the instant I hit play, I knew we were in for a good time. This was such a fun album. So many fun Irish jaunts and jigs, so much whimsy, and with a little bit of punk. God this was fun. I could listen to shit like this all day. My only gripe, and why it will get four stars instead of five, is that I kind of got lost in it at a certain point. They all started sounding the same and I kind of just think of it as one big jig. But hey it was a hell of a jig. Four stars. Really wanted to give it five but it just ran too long and got too samey. Standout Tracks: If I Should Fall from Grace with God, Turkish Song of the Damned, Bottle of Smoke, Metropolis, Thousands are Sailing, Fiesta, Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six, The Irish Rover, South Australia

I was left pretty disappointed by this. It had all the makings of an album I expected to enjoy - a 60’s rock album that might be defined as hard rock or even alt rock. I really thought I’d dig this. But I just didn’t. It didn’t hit. There were songs that were cool and fun, but nothing I loved. The tone was all over the place. “Little Girl in the Fourth Row” - are you kidding? I know that, for some reason, pedophilia was considered at least somewhat acceptable in popular music at the time (“She was just seventeen/you what I mean”; “You’re sixteen, you’re beautiful, you’re mine”; “sweet little sixteen” - you get the idea), or maybe just referring to women as “little girls” was supposed to be a term of endearment. But goddam that song was creepy as hell by today’s standards. No thank you, bad touch. Beyond that one song, there’s some stuff to like here but I didn’t need to hear this before leaving this earth. Two stars. Standout Tracks: I’m Not Your Stepping Stone, Get It On, Shake It Up

I both loved and hated this album. There are so many great ideas here, but they’re held back by what feels like sloppy execution. Some songs feel great and polished, and some feel like they were just being lazy. None of the “skits” or the intro really add anything to the album. They’re just…there. It’s all over the place. I didn’t get the suite at the end, what was that? What was cool were the samples, some of the hooks, and the great flow the best songs had. It was a little hard to listen to (as it is with the Beastie Boys), because they sound kind of whiny and cartoonish at times. But it’s the Beastie Boys. I actually really like them. I don’t know, man. This is a weird one. I love “Sabotage” and “Sure Shot” but those aren’t here and nothing that is reminds me of those song’s energy. I know that they were blurring the lines between rock and rap/hip-hop, like any experiment that’s going to create some odd results until perfected. I’m surprised that this is the Beastie Boy’s album that gets included. I hope there’s another here because this cannot be the best they have to offer. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Egg Man, 3-Minute Rule, Hey Ladies, What Comes Around, Sadrach, Stop That Train

As far as country albums go for me, this was alright. I have one main gripe, but let’s talk about more general things first. Harris’s voice is incredible. The amount of control she has to his these intricate melodies and vocals flourishes (though they’re few) is masterful, and the amount of emotion she can convey in her voice enhances everything. There is no doubting her talent, or that she surrounded held with an excellent group of talented musicians to create an album that shines in its production and technical quality of music. To my main gripe - it was mostly boring. Beautiful. But boring. My gripe isn’t that, so much as that it starts with the best track on the album in “Bluebird Wine.” That’s an absolute banger and I could listen to it ten times in a row. Her voice really shines here, and it’s just a fun upbeat country tune that really got me excited. My head perked up when it started. And it made me feel like I was in for a party of a country album. And that’s the problem - that’s not what this is. It is not a party. It’s mostly a ballad fest. Rarely does the energy pick back up after the first track, and never does it match it. I would kill for an album by her that had peaks and valleys in terms of mood and energy and not just an immediate peak followed by a huge valley. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some ballads. But an album full of them, after an opener that isn’t a ballad? Come on. I feel like an opener is supposed to set the tone and mood for an album, to establish a vibe. So when an opener is drastically different from the rest of the album, I feel like I’ve been falsely advertised to. Anyway. I actually did enjoy the album, despite what I’ve said. I just wanted more variety in the energy of the songs. I know country is known for its ballads but clearly she had it in her to crank it up if she wanted to. But I try to appraise an album based on what it is, not what it isn’t. So what’s here gets four stars. Her voice alone gets three. Everything else is enough to earn four stars. She’s definitely someone I’ll checkout outside of this project. Oh and I appreciated her cover of the Beatles “For No One,” I just wish it wasn’t so schmaltzy. A lot of the ballads are schmaltzy and I just didn’t need that. Standout Tracks: Bluebird Wine, Before Believing, Bottle Let Me Down, Queen of the Silver Dollar, California Cotton Fields

This album exceeded every expectation I had for it. Like most, I assume, the only song I knew by Dexys Midnight Runners was "Come on Eileen." I was pleasantly surprised by that song's absence from this album. I love that song, but one complaint I've had with this list is that it seems like if an album contains a massive hit, it makes it on this list even if the rest of the album doesn't compare (see: "Hunting High and Low" by a-ha). So when I saw that their biggest hit wasn't part of this album, I was excited and relieved. And they didn't disappoint. I had no idea that the band used horns and other wind instruments so extensively in their arrangements. And I loved it. I'm a huge sucker for use of wind instruments in rock and pop music, and when I heard them on the very first track, I was in. And I stayed in through 95% of this album. Track after track was just banger after banger. The only duds I'd make note of were "I Couldn't Help it if I Tried" and "Keep It." The Brit-Pop voice really come out in those tracks, and I just cannot stand the whiny, annoying texture to it. Oh and "I'm Just Looking" because the whispering at the start made me uncomfortable. The instrumentals were great throughout though, including the songs I didn't like as much because of the vocals. Overall I really enjoyed this album and am really happy to be giving it five stars. Standout Tracks: Burn It Down, Tell Me When My Light Turns Green, The Teams That Meet In Caffs, Geno, Seven Days Too Long, Thankfully Not Living in Yorkshire It Doesn't Apply, There There My Dear

Second country album in the last three days. I really enjoyed Emmylou Harris the other day, and I think I enjoyed this one just as much. Dolly Parton is one of those artists where I know I’ve heard a few of her songs, but because of my age I know her more as a media personality and philanthropist than as a musician. So it’s actually a treat to hear her music. She’s revered as a human being (rightfully so), and as a musician. So it was time to hear what made her famous in the first place. This was cool. Dolly has such an easiness to her voice. She was born to do this and it shows. The title track, which she apparently holds as one of her favorites, is a sweet and sentimental song about her modest upbringing and how she learned to value what she had, not what she didn’t. It’s a beautiful message and reveals what she’s been through in life. The rest of the album mostly hangs with this sentimentality, though it does venture into more typical country themes of love, love lost, and loneliness. It’s a very well produced album. The more upbeat tracks have the kind of energy they need to succeed, and the slower ballads are given the weight they deserve. My biggest gripe with it is that, at times, it’s kinda schmaltzy, corny. That may just be a symptom of the era and genre, but it doesn’t stick well with me. This falls at a true 3.5 stars, but I’m going to round up for queen Dolly. Standout Tracks: Traveling Man, My Blue Tears, She Never Met a Man (She Didn’t Like), Early Morning Breeze, Here I Am

I was honestly shocked that two ZZ Top albums made it onto this list. Not because they aren’t a good band, but because…I mean, come on - you’ve heard one ZZ Top album, you’ve pretty much heard them all. And that’s kind of how I felt about this one. Sure I picked out more Standout Tracks than I might for some albums I regard better than this one, but that doesn’t mean it’s great. It’s good. It serves its purpose of being a ZZ Top album. Nothing mind blowing, nothing groundbreaking, just some cool, motorcycle rock and roll that kicks some ass. It’s fun, it’s energetic, it’s made to kick back and be listened to. Or to drive to. The band is talented, even if the vocals leave a little to be desired at times. Anyway, I would’ve picked this ZZ Top album over the other one, but hey I guess I got them both. I’m whelmed. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Gimme All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed Man, I Need You Tonight,

It can be difficult reviewing an album as iconic as this one. What is there to say that hasn’t already been said about this or any Beatles album? What can you honestly contribute that hasn’t already been written and talked about for the last nearly 60 years? I guess it’s the personal stuff, what this album means to you and how you enjoy it. So here’s that. I adore this album, though I do find that I’ve ingested it so much over the last 20 years that I just cannot find anything new about it. My listening today absolutely flew by. I know every inch of every track. There’s nothing new for me here, and it’s impossible for me to pretend to be someone listening to it for the first time and finding something new. It just can’t be done, short of a case of amnesia. This album means a lot to me in that it’s a place of comfort, nostalgia, and familiarity. It makes me think of my parents (who grew up adoring the Beatles), about how they got me a copy of this album on vinyl for my 20th birthday because of the album’s opening lyrics. It makes me think of high school and my Beatles phase, of listening to this album while doing homework or on the bus to and from school. It makes me think of the day the Beatles landed on iTunes and how weird that felt at the time. It makes me think of all the times I felt like my taste in music was superior to everyone else’s my age because this was “real” music. And it makes me embarrassed for my younger self because of how my taste has grown, and how much more tolerant and accepting I am of music I once thought was beneath me. You can get lost in the music itself, but when it all becomes so worn in and comfortable like old leather, what’s left is the memories and emotions you attach to it. And that is what art can do, some say should do. Inspire emotions within the person experiencing it. That’s how I experienced this album today - by remembering it at different times in my life and reminding myself of how long it’s been with me. That’s priceless. I will talk a little about the album itself. “With a Little Help From My Friends” was always a song I wanted to skip to get to “the good stuff.” Today it hit very different, and I love it. How can you dislike the charm in Ringo’s voice? Everything else hit the same as it always has (see my favorites below). Not every track is a complete and total winner in my mind (looking at you, George), but man this truly is a masterpiece. The concept, the art, the songwriting, the arrangements, the production - it all comes together and makes something nearly unbeatable. One of the all timers. Five stars and don’t look back. I hate to play into the narrative and the hype around the band and the album, but it’s hard to deny this album. Standout Tracks: Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help from My Friends, Getting Better, When I’m Sixty-Four, Lovely Rita, Good Morning Good Morning, A Day in the Life

If this doesn’t scream “debut album of a 60’s rock band,” I don’t know what does. This reminds me a lot of The Who’s debut album. That one had some covers, but also mixed in some decent originals. Same thing with the Beatles debut. But this? This is all covers save for ONE Stones original. Why is this on the list? Don’t tell me the Stones did these songs better than the originals. I won’t believe it. They’re serviceable covers but come on. I don’t know how many albums the Stones have here (I can think of at least four that probably belong), but this taking up a spot is criminal. At least when the Who did an album with covers they had like, two iconic songs to go with it (“The Kids are Alright” and “My Generation”). At least the Beatles had “I Saw Her Standing There.” But this is just bad. The music itself is fine. Like I said, the covers are serviceable. The one original is so clearly, painfully and original song made by a young band that would learn and grow so much more moving forward. They would do so much better than this. Why is this here? Seriously - why? Regrettably this gets two stars, because this pales in comparison to everything else they would go on to do. Standout Tracks: I Just Want to Make Love to You, Mona (I Need You Baby), Now I’ve Got a Witness

For an artist the I revere such as Bowie, I’ve actually heard remarkably little of his discography. I’ve heard “Ziggy Stardust” and “Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)” in full, and now because of this project I’ve heard “Heroes.” I loved “Ziggy,” but was underwhelmed by the other two. But I love Bowie. Weird, right? I was starting to wonder if he was one of those artists who best work is best ingested by greatest hits and being in the know about deep cuts, with a couple good albums mixed in. I don’t have the answer after listening to this album, but I can say that he in fact does have more than one great album. This was such an interesting listen. It felt very Bowie, but more once I was reminded of Talking Heads. I assumed at first that this was because of Brian Eno, but he had nothing to do with this album as far as I can tell. I’ve heard Bowie do so many different genres and sub genres, and I couldn’t tell you what this is but it was intriguing. The title track is a sprawling suite that introduces the Thin White Duke character. It had highs and lows, and serves as a great opener for the album. What follows is a small collection of songs mostly longer than four minutes. They vary in style and in substance. Often shrouded in a little bit of that Bowie mysticism and obtuseness when it comes to lyrics, they leave a lot of room for relistening and interpretation. Musically they keep you along for the ride every step of the way. It’s hard to be more specific than what I’ve written above. This really requires multiple listens to fully grasp. And I don’t have the time for that at this point. But it’s a great album that deserved placement on this list. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Station to Station, Golden Years, Word on a Wing, TVC15

From the moment I saw the cover, I got a feeling about this band. I felt like they’d be not to dissimilar to Talking Heads, given they were contemporaries and the cover could’ve been a Talking Heads cover. And I was right - Television does a have late 70’s New Wave kind of sound. This was an interesting one. It could be quite hard at times, but still contemplative and progressive at others. It could have longer tracks that take their time, or shorter ones that just hit you in the face. Overall, I liked the music enough, but I don’t know if I loved it. But I can appreciate it for its creativity and its originality. This gets three stars. Standout Tracks: See No Evil, Venus, Torn Curtain

It feels appropriate that I get a Talking Heads-adjacent album after I’ve called out the Talking Heads in my reviews of the last two albums. I want to say this was great. I want to say that the other Heads can do something just as good as the stuff they did with David Byrne, that they can stand alone without him. I really want to say these things. But I can’t. This was…not amazing. I’m all for experimental stuff. I’m all for weird and quirky stuff. I love shit like that when it’s listenable. This was hard to listen to at times. I found it aimless, corny, quirky to a fault, and just plain boring at times. I love the people involved. I just wish they made better music. Two stars. Also why the hell would you end the whole thing on “Booming and Zooming”? Seriously? Why? Standout Tracks: Genius of Love, L’Elephant

I have heard so much about this album leading up to this. I’ve heard so much praise and so much love that it was hard to know if I could believe that the hype was real and I could buy into it. I’ve seen it ranked as the greatest album of all time, or one of them. I’ve heard fanboys and music critics alike absolutely gush about this album. People cannot get enough of it. So what did I think? It was great. What else am I supposed to say? What can I say? This feels a little like Sgt. Pepper where everyone has said everything that can be said about it. It’s difficult to come up with something original to say without sounding cliche. The difference between this and Sgt. Pepper, at least for me, is that I’ve heard this album once and Pepper multiple hundreds of times. I had no attachment to this album outside of the few tracks I already knew and so came at this a little more objectively. Here are my general thoughts. One listen isn’t enough. For multiple reasons. For one, I can’t hardly understand most of what Thom Yorke is fucking saying. All the long, drawn out words sometimes blend into each other and become one long sound instead of individual words. It’s actually kind of annoying. So another listen is required purely to pick up on the lyrics, preferably while reading along. But then another listen is necessary because, from what I’ve read, this is an album with very meaningful lyrics that reflect themes of isolation and loneliness, none of which I picked up on. So it needs another listen there. But what about the music? Shit, man. It was great. One word I’d use to describe the feel of this album is dread. Another is confusion. Regardless of what the lyrics say, the music itself really drives home its own themes that are present throughout most of the record. That alone earns praise from me because oftentimes a band has either good lyrics and mediocre music or good music and mediocre lyrics. Even great bands suffer from this. But this album, like a lot of Radiohead’s work, has both. So major props there. I want to give this five stars, but without really understanding the album and meeting it in the middle, I don’t think I can. One day I’m sure I will. But four stars for now. Standout Tracks: (Literally all of them but three, so I’ll list those because that’s easier: Subterranean Homesick Alien, Let Down, Fitter Happier)

This album was beautiful. So many well thought out melodies and grooves, very lovingly created and meticulously layered and considered. It expresses the sadness and despair (and sometimes love and happiness) of Cave’s life. Yes this album was beautiful. It was also boring as hell. I mean my god. Every fucking song is at the same damn tempo. There is so little variety in terms of tone and tempo and mood that I literally could not tell you one song from another unless you gave me the lyrics. What the hell man? The wiki article says this is one of his most acclaimed works. REALLY???? He did nothing more exciting or interesting than this?!?! Come on. Again this was beautiful but I was just so, so bored. It was like going to an art exhibit of an artist and seeing that he painted the same painting twelve times and made only small changes each time. At the first you’re interested in finding the changes and comparing them, but after a while they’re all so similar to each other that you don’t fucking care anymore and just want to go to a different exhibit. That was this about half way through. Also, there’s a band attached to this? They have no identity here, and it all comes across way more as a singer-songwriter album than a band. Two stars. Not sorry. Standout Tracks: (not that I can tell the difference between most of them but ok fine) Into My Arms, West Country Girl (because it was slightly different than the rest)

I saw the name of the band, the name of the album, and the cover and was immediately filled with dread. Then I saw the incredibly short lengths of each song and thought, “Oh that’s not so bad. If I don’t like a song, it won’t last very long and maybe I’ll like the next one.” Yeah, no. That was a nice thought but it doesn’t apply here. I won’t say a whole lot here. How anyone can begin to understand what the fuck the lyrics are is beyond me. They clearly have a message but it gets completely lost because he sounds like he’s mumbling while constipated. At one point one of them sounds like Animal from the muppets. All the songs blend together because of their similar sound and short lengths. I can appreciate the musicianship but that’s about it. There’s a track called “You Suffer.” Yes, yes I did. First ever one star (though I would change a couple retroactively). Oof. Standout Tracks: Siege of Power

This is so 70’s it hurts. Like most, the only thing Genesis-related I knew going in was “In the Air Tonight,” and that obviously isn’t here. I heard so many different here. Yes, The Who, Rush, even a little Pink Floyd. It was such an eclectic sound, one that dares to expand on itself and reach new heights. And it does occasionally reach them. It’s ambitious and I can always appreciate that. Ambition can sometimes earn your three stars on its own. But I just really wasn’t taken with it. It came across as corny and some ideas were either not as original as I think they thought they were, or were otherwise just not too clever. The suites were cool and mostly well done, but I just didn’t really care. But this is a good album and I’m happy to have heard it. It’s very typical 70’s and I could’ve done with a little more oomph behind the otherwise well defined sound. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, More Fool Me

Prince is a force. Prince is an attitude. Prince is self-defined. Prince is confidence. Prince is an artist. Prince is a genius. I knew all of these things coming in. But I somehow could count the number of his songs I knew on one hand (Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Let’s Go Crazy, Kiss, 1999). So I was eager to be educated in the ways of the legend. And educated I was. What a mix of genre here. Funk, soul, rock, R&B, some world music in there. He was truly a master. For me this came on strong, sort of slowed down the momentum in the middle, and finished strong. I don’t think the length of this was any help to it. I always dread the longer ones because they’re hard to find the time for. And so when I do, it’s often in spurts that makes it difficult to really fully understand and appreciate an album to its fullest. So a full relistening is in order. But who has the time for that? All of this said, it gets four stars. It’s Prince. What else am I supposed to give it? Standout Tracks: Sign O’ the Times, Play in the Sunshine, Strange Relationship, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, The Cross, Adore

This is the second album by The Band that I’ve been handed here, and I have to say I liked it much better than the other one. The first one was fine, but I didn’t feel like it could be their best work and bordered on corny at times. This one felt more authentic and fresh. They’ve always had a specific sound that sits somewhere between folk, country, blues, and even a little rock. It’s a sound that I feel doesn’t commit to anything too definitely, which allows the music to come across somewhat unassumingly. It’s a bunch of dude playing music about characters they’ve created, stories they’ve written or things they’ve seen. The name of the band could be seen as pretentious (“we’re THE band”), but I don’t think that’s meant to be it. I think it’s meant to just convey that they’re simply a band. The music is simple in arrangement but so very effective in conveying the emotions of the songs. My one gripe is probably the vocals. From what I can tell there’s two singers. One is the guy who sings the opening line of “The Weight” (all time great song), the other is the guy who sings the verse about Chester. Chester guy…he doesn’t need to sing. Not in love with his voice at all. But that doesn’t define this album, nor does it detract enough from it to make it an average piece. No, this gets four stars. Great stuff. Standout Tracks: To Kingdom Come, Caledonia Mission, The Weight, This Wheel’s on Fire

The Kinks are a band that I’ve always known existed, but never heard anything from them besides the hits. This album has, I think, a couple hits for them but not ones I knew already. So this was a treat. The album is good. Nothing blew me away here. It carries their very Kinks sound with some witty lyrics, catchy riffs, and sometimes bombastic arrangements. But nothing blew me away here. This is a solid three stars. Standout Tracks: David Watts, Situation Vacant, Waterloo Sunset

I’ve been wanting more jazz! Glad I finally got it. From what I understand, this list generally avoids compilation albums. This makes sense; a compilation album is designed to be incredible. It wouldn’t be fair, and then the list would be boring if it was full of compilation albums. So why this is here is interesting to me. But hey, I’m not complaining. Give me Miles Davis in any form and you know I’m here for it. This is no exception. The man exudes a swagger, a confidence, a powerfulness in his music. Every single track is a masterclass in mood and tone in jazz. Beyond his technical proficiency lies a this emotional being that takes over his sound and produces music that just hits the spot. There really isn’t much more to be said. He’s one of the giants in jazz and music in general, and this is something to marvel at. The only reason it’s getting four stars is because it’s a compilation album and it wouldn’t be fair to give it five. Standout Tracks: Move, Venus de Milo, Budo, Godchild, Rocker, Rogue

My only frames of reference for Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention were: A: Frank Zappa seems like he was a pretty woke dude for his time, and was an incredibly creative guy who probably did a shit ton of drugs. B: They’re name checked in Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water.” I knew I was in for a weird time, mostly by reputation and the track names. And yeah man, it was fuckin weird. At times It felt like a parody album, like it was taking on different genres (rock, acid rock, doo wop, and more), which is funny because psychedelia is often known for being parodied in itself. If all tracks are taken as a sincere effort to innovate and make significant serious attempts at bold statements through artistic expression, you probably aren’t going to like it much. But if you accept that it’s a wonky parody of both itself and other genres, it becomes pretty listenable…mostly. You’ll still have a weird album to listen to that may make you slightly uncomfortable. But that’s what challenging music will do to you. Also I do just need to give them the credit for having the balls of steel required to include the following line in 1966: “Hey you know something people/I’m not black/But there’s a whole lot of times/I wish I could say I’m not white” (from “Trouble Every Day) I gained a lot of respect for this album with that line. Anyway, I liked but didn’t love this. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Go Cry on Somebody Else’s Shoulder, Trouble Every Day

Wow! No expectations going in and this was amazing! Really cool instrumental (mostly) rock from a band I’d never heard of. Every song was moody and conveyed an emotion or feeling pretty well. There were some cool grooves. What lyrics there were, I didn’t understand, and I honestly couldn’t tell you if they added or subtracted from the experience. But overall though, this was a great record and I’d love to hear more of them. Really progressive and modern sound, especially for 1975z Four stars. Standout Tracks: Isi, Hero, E-Musik

My first car was. 1997 Volvo. It didn’t have a working tape deck, and it sure as hell didn’t have a CD player or Aux input. So I was essentially limited to the radio. Being an anti-modern music, anti-pop music snob at the time (I’m in recovery now, I promise), three of my radio presets were the three major classic rock stations in my area. I discovered some bands and songs I didn’t know before, and enjoyed classics I already loved. The Cars were one of those bands that came on frequently. When they did I…I’d often switch to another station. I really didn’t like “Good Times Roll,” and was sick of “Just What I Needed” from those Best Buy commercials it was featured in. Those were pretty much the only two songs of theirs that would get any airtime. So based on that, I wasn’t a fan. Fast forward fifteen or so years, and we’re here. My tastes have grown and changed (I’m in recovery, remember?), and through the years and my half a year with this project my perspective and attitude toward a lot of music has changed as well. So I really did feel like I was coming at this with fresh ears, especially given that I haven’t thought about The Cars in probably a decade. I actually liked this album. Not enough to be overwhelmed or anything. But enough to give The Cars a second look. They’re much more New Wave than I expected. I heard some Talking Heads sounds in here. I heard some really interesting and at times bizarre stuff. I expected a pop rock album and what I got was a creative, sometimes odd New Wave album that definitely stands on its own. I’m pleasantly surprised to be giving it three stars. Good job, The Cars. Standout Tracks: My Best Friend’s Girl, Just What I Needed

What a cool album. I thought I’d only ever heard one of their songs, the one we’ve all heard - “California Dreamin’,” but I’d actually heard more and just never knew it was them. Made me wonder how many of their songs fit that description. Anyway I really enjoyed this one. Fun folk rock with some classics. They didn’t all hit but the ones that did we fantastic. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Monday, Monday, Straight Shooter, I Call Your Name, California Dreamin’

I feel like I’ve said this for every metal album. I’ve had so far, but metal really just has not been my thing. I’ve always kind of felt this way about metal, but my hope is that this project would show me the best of the best and help me understand why it’s so beloved by people who love it. That hasn’t really happened, which is a bummer because I see how passionate metalheads are about the genre. This album may have moved the needle a little bit. It still would not say that I’m a fan of metal, but this kind of metal album from such an iconic band does check a few boxes for me. For one, it’s still moving into metal from hard rock, so there’s a lot of elements here that are more hard rock than metal. Van Halen-type solos, high energy, but not always high stakes in these songs, and just an overall attitude that is less “I’m gonna kick your ass, beware of the evil that lurks in the darkness” kind of energy and …more literally anything else. One of my main issues with metal to this point has been that it is so high stakes all the time, and it’s exhausting. But this one is not so in your face all the time. And that’s something. I really appreciate about it. Overall, I liked this. I appreciated that it was shorter than other metal albums I’ve had so far as well. If the other Iron Maiden album I’ve had was a 3, this is 3.5. But I still round that down to 3 because I didn’t like it THAT much to give it 4. Also “Charlotte the Harlot” is a great song name and you can’t convince me otherwise. Standout Tracks: Prowler, Transylvania, Charlotte the Harlot, Iron Maiden

I’ve noticed a trend in baby names in the last 10 or so years. Parents seem to be just choosing random nouns to be their kids name. And I honestly thought it was a pretty stupid trend. I also noticed this trend with band names. Hole, Cake, Pavement, Tool, Garbage. All bands that, if it’s petty, I have a hard time taking seriously because I think their name is dumb. I don’t think that about anymore. I do think their name is kind of stupid, but the music was pretty alright. I knew that this was Courtney loves band and perhaps Kurt Cobain had some influence here that seems to be disputed. It was fine. A few standout tracks, others just faded. Like most albums. Three stars. I am whelmed. Standout Tracks: Violet, Plump, Doll Parts, Credit in the Straight World

I have to admit that I had never heard of this band before. Are they a band? I think they’re a band. Hard to tell sometimes with an artist name whether it’s an individual or a band. But I’m pretty sure. I have to admit that I had never heard of this band before. Are they a band? I think they’re a band. Hard to tell sometimes with a artist name whether it’s an individual or a band. But I’m pretty sure. No, I never heard of them before, so of course I had no idea what to expect. What I got was this really amazing mixture of genres. At least it felt that way. Jazz, Latin Jazz, Spanish Guitar, Funk, rock. Was a really interesting lesson that always kept me on my toes. And I love what an album does that. One thing I think that works against this album is that it’s so easy to put on the background and Not really actively listen to it the instrumental tracks, especially contribute to this, as they’re just so chill most of the time that it almost feels like Lofi before Lofi was a thing. I know that this can happen because it happened to me. While listening to this album, I was doing some work and I admit that I probably didn’t listen as close to this as I should’ve. And despite that, it’s gonna get four stars. But it also demands another listen. Throw this on the pile of albums that fits that category. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Quattro - Worlds Drift In, Pepita, Not Even Stevie Nicks…, Close Behind, Attack El Robot! Attack!, Dub Latina, Crumble

What did I just listen to? I mean that in the best possible way. Trying to define this by an established genre feels impossible. Classical? Not entirely? Jazz? For some parts, sure. Rock? Definitely in there. Gospel? You could argue. Folk? I think that’s mostly the underlying theme here. I loved this. I loved it for its complexity, its variety, and its soul. I loved it for the tightness of the band and for their clear love of music, for its energy, and for the sheer force of will that is David Clayton-Thomas’s voice. I don’t even know what to say. This is an easy five stars. Just absolutely fantastic. A masterclass in feel and variety, in band tightness and togetherness. I even listened to the live tracks at the end because I had to hear how they were live and they didn’t disappoint. They’re the real deal. I must heard more. Standout Tracks: Smiling Phases, More and More, And When I Die, Spinning Wheel, Blues, pt. 2

Well that was the most aggressively British thing I’ve ever heard. What is this? Why is it on this list? Seriously? THIS? Is this the author’s cousin or something? Was this just the first album the maker of this list ever bought and included here for sentimental reasons? I mean some of the grooves were good but the lyrics were atrocious and the guy’s voice was blander than white bread. I have mentioned before how I think this list has a bias toward some British artists that were only popular in their home market, leading to the inclusion of some British albums that many outside of British culture haven’t heard of, or the inclusion of lesser offerings from otherwise well known artists. This is the epitome of the former. The most painful thing about this is that it got worse as it went on. My god this was bad. I sincerely hope this man has no other albums here. Everything from the name of the album to most of the lyrics was cringe. Have I said enough? I don’t know if I’ve said enough /s. One star, and it’s rare something gets one star. This just felt like the aimless musings of a British man who thought he was much more clever and interesting (and sexy) than he probably was. Sorry guy. Standout Track: Clever Trevor

Never heard of the band. Never heard any of their songs. No idea what to expect going in. This was honestly pretty good. It started out really strong and, at least for me, faded near the end. Which was a bummer because I was ready to give this five stars after the first half. But sustaining such a strong start throughout an album’s entirety isn’t easy and I don’t fault them too hard for it. This was a cool, new wave type sound that fits into its own niche pretty well. I’m learning through this project just how much I like new wave, and learning just how many cool bands exist in that genre besides the Talking Heads. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Sometimes, Goodbye Toulouse, London Lady, (Get a) Grip [On Yourself]

Ok so right off the bat, “Moon Safari” is an excellent name for an album and I love. “Air” isn’t a great name for a band or group, but I’ll allow it. This was cool. I’ve come to realize through this project that I do actually like electronic instrumental music. It’s all about the vibes and when it hits right, it’s amazing. There were a couple tracks I’d consider duds, but not many. A few really stood out. And that one last one kind of sounded like the melody from “Ain’t No Sunshine,” so that was weird. Maybe they were going for that? I dunno. This was cool. Four stars. Standout Tracks: La femme d’argent, Kelly Watch the Stars, Talisman

The ole white boy blues, I know it well. I did find it pretty funny (in a grim way) that the white bands of the 50’s and 60’s appropriated the blues from black culture. I get why they appropriated Rock and Roll - it’s just a fun time. But the blues is such a sad genre, filled with songs of despair and loss. It comes from a place of pain. The black blues artists used that pain and created poignant and memorable art. So for the white artists, the ones causing that pain, to swoop in and appropriate it, is grimly ironic. Cultural appropriation aside, this was a solid blues rock album. Clapton is undeniable. I do wonder how many of these were covers and how many were originals (I happen to know at least a few were covers), but I’m too lazy to look this up. Clapton comes at each song with his usual confidence and showmanship, blowing everyone away with his skill. The vocals are good for what this is, and the rest of the band is good. Can’t think of much else to say, really. It scratches the itch of a 60’s white blues rock album. Three stars, feeling pretty whelmed. The drum solo on “What’d I Say,” though? That gets that gets five stars. Standout Tracks: All Your Love, Hideaway, Double Crossin’ Time, What’d I Say, Steppin’ Out, It Ain’t Right, Bernard Jenkins

Pre-listening thoughts: “I love Parton and Harris, so please don’t let this fall victim to 80’s over the top production and sound.” Ok thankfully it didn’t fall victim to that, but after listening I kinda wish that it had. There is no doubting the talent of these three women. Having heard a Dolly Parton album and an Emmylou Harris album as part of this project already, I had high hopes for this. My main complaint about those two albums, however, unfortunately applies to this one as well: the songs all sound the same. Slow, plodding country ballads. Beautiful, yes. But slow. And long. The harmonies these three women create are undoubtedly devine. The songwriting prowess is on full display as well. But also on full display is that classic Dolly air of sentimentality that is almost smothering at times. She hits this niche where the whole thing feels genuine but she goes just a little too far and makes it feel a little schmaltzy. But that’s Dolly, and that’s her thing. Who am I to criticize one of the most successful and popular artists not just in her genre, but of all genres. The woman has her own theme park for fuck’s sake. Only Walt Disney can say that besides her. In all, file this one under beautiful but boring. It’s sad, really, that the massive amount of talent that had been waiting for years to collaborate couldn’t produce something more entertaining. Give me some country romps next time, ladies. A little more “9 to 5” and “Bluebird Wine,” a little less “Coat of Many Colors,” got it? Standout Track: Those Memories of You

First venture into Depeche Mode For some reason this is a band that I feel gets made fun of. I don’t really have any real examples to site, but that’s the vibe I’ve always gotten. I can kind of see why, as their sound does feel very stereotypically 80’s. But know that they’re an 80’s group, and understanding what to expect based on that, this was pretty good. Lots of depth in their sound, with well developed spaces for it to exist in. It felt very intentional, created to evoke feeling and meaning. I’ve definitely learned to appreciate that 80’s sound a little more through this project (thanks to a-ha and the Human League for that, among others). Overall this was cool. Four stars. Standout Tracks: World in My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Waiting for the Night

Be careful what I say, I guess. (See previous review: Depeche Mode’s “Violator”) I don’t know what I expected. I guess I thought I’d be getting a lot of stuff like “Friday I’m in Love,” stuff on the poppier side of rock. But no. I got this dark, tormented-poet, moody new wave album. I would’ve preferred the poppier stuff. I’ve never really dug the whole “look at how emotionally tormented I am” kind of sound and vibe. Like, sorry you’re going through that but it makes your music boring as hell to listen to. The first indicator of what I was in for came right away - the first track. Who the hell opens an album with that? Seriously? You can’t go anywhere from there and have it make sense or gel. From there it was moody track after moody track. If you’d added ambient rain sounds underneath each track it would’ve fit the vibe perfectly. Sometimes it is, sometimes it ties the whole sound together. Not here, not now. Very curious to see how many Cure albums are here. I assume at least one more. Hopefully they found some light in their lives. Two stars. Standout Tracks: A Forest, M

Let’s fucking go Give me 45 minutes of Elvis any day of the week for this challenge and I’ll be a happy man. This started off hot and stayed there until near the end. The energy and enthusiasm Elvis still had for performing this late in his career is honestly really amazing. He carries each song as a true performer. Even in just audio, his energy carries over. Not a whole lot else to say. It’s Elvis. It’s the king. He’s the best. Only reason it doesn’t get five stars is because of the few clunkers present. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Westin’ That Loved On Look, I’ll Hold You in My Heart, Long Black Limousine, Power of My Love, Suspicious Minds

Huh. I had no expectations and that was probably for the best. It was fine. I loved the use of synthesizers and electronic sounds. Some of it sounded like it belonged on a Super Nintendo game. It was honestly really cool. The music itself? Eh it was ok. I liked the individual parts more than the whole. Some of the lyrics were incredibly generic and nothing really shook me. Solid three stars. Not bad. Not great. I am whelmed. Standout Tracks: Second-Hand Woman, Spanish Dancer

Oh my god Paul Simon what the hell was this. On one hand, I have to give this album some props for how damn joyful it feels. If this is his most popular solo album (which I think it is), I can see why. It has some catchy stuff and it just feels like a really happy album. But I gotta be honest… I never really believed this version of Paul Simon. It’s really difficult to detach myself from his folky origins with Art Garfunkel and that beautiful sound. I know he’s done way more work outside of that pairing than he has as part of it, but I just don’t buy it. I can’t picture him as some pop artist like this. I had the same problem on the other album of his I listened to, “Hearts and Bones.” He just isn’t that guy to me, so anything other than his folk work feels like a farce to me. Throw in the fact that this sounds so dated and I just can’t buy in. I know people love it and they espouse its greatness but I just can’t get there. Thematically it’s unfocused. The inclusion of African musical elements and musicians, while probably a huge part of why it feels so joyful, feels out of left field and a little forced. After some reading, I see that he was criticized for breaking a cultural boycott with apartheid South Africa by working with these artists. He claims it was a political statement and he was following his instincts…yeah ok I guess. But the accusations of cultural appropriation do kind of ring true, but I do feel like the inclusion of genuine African artists on this record does take some of the wind out of the sails of that accusation. But I don’t really have a strong opinion on this. Someone explain to me the greatness I’m missing here because I don’t see it. Three stars. I do feel like this could've been an influence on Vampire Weekend though. And it definitely has some Talking Heads/New Wave influence in there, too. Standout Tracks: Gumboots, Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes, Homeless, That Was Your Mother, All Around the World or the Myth of

It’s hard not to admire Woody Guthrie. A prolific songwriter of American folk music, and an icon in American culture. To me, he almost feels like a mythical figure. Songs that he wrote have become so ingrained in American society that everybody learns at least one of his songs as a child, and never forgets it. So it’s truly a treat, then, that this album was put together. Spearheaded by his daughter, this is an album of songs whose lyrics Guthrie wrote but never published or put to music. That’s where Bragg and Wilco came in. They took these previously unheard lyrics and wrote music for them. The result is mostly great. There’s a couple arrangements that didn’t quite do it for me, but on the whole is positively pleasant to listen to. I do feel like they captured the spirit of Guthrie’s own style, and gave these lyrics a proper and respectful treatment. There are moments where Jeff Tweedy’s voice becomes a little grating, but those are few and far between enough that I don’t knock the album for it. This is a solid four stars. It made me feel good. Standout Tracks: Walt Whitman’s Niece, California Stars, Way over Yonder in the Minor Key, Hoodoo Voodoo, At My Window Sad and Lonely, I Guess I Planted, Hesitating Beauty, Another Man’s Done Gone

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” - me when I saw this was my album for today. I have had two other Tim Buckley albums thus far, and I’m honestly shocked to see that he has at least three on here. Lord tell me he doesn’t have more. I could name ten albums not on this list more deserving of his spots than he is. I sincerely hope my listen makes me feel better about this album because I do not feel good about it right now. We’ll see. ~~~~~~~~~~ Where has this version of Tim Buckley been this whole time???? Goddamn. He was energetic, he was alive, he had soul and a full band, he sang his heart out and then some. Sure the lyrical content was questionable at times but whatever. This was such a departure from the prior two albums that I damn near want to give this five stars. But I won’t overreact. I’ll give it four. That’s what it probably deserves. This reminded me of early CCR. Big “Susie Q.” vibes, if you see what I’m getting at. High energy folk rock with some soul and some kick. A fun time, made even more fun if you had to suffer through two of his lesser albums. Four stars. Thank goodness. Standout Tracks: Move with Me, Get On Top, Nighthawkin’, Devil Eyes

Blur is at the very least an interesting band. At the most, they’re geniuses. This falls somewhere in the middle. They lean into their Britishness HARD. The title track (the meaning of which escapes me) is perhaps the most the most British song of the 90’s, if not the 20th century. This is an eclectic album, which runs a little long. I probably feel this way partially because of the fact that it stars hot, with multiple tracks that grab you and keep you there. Then it starts to run a little long. Tracks that, while they all have clear direction and intent, don’t keep me all the way there. This could’ve been 10-15 minutes shorter and I don’t think I would’ve thought less of it. That’s a bummer, because I really like Blur and do find them to be one of the more creative bands, one that doesn’t just settle for making fun songs, but ones that try to push boundaries and move music in new directions. That alone deserves three stars. So that, combined with quality, earns it four. Standout Tracks: Girls and Boys, Parklife, Bank Holiday, London Loves, Clover Over Dover, Magic America, Jubilee

Wow LCD Soundsystem is definitely one of those groups that I’ve heard about for a long, long time. I’d see them on the bill for music festivals and always think to myself that I should see what they’re about. But that’s the beauty of this project - I get assigned anything from old favorites, to bands I’ve never heard of or never would’ve found, to bands I’ve always meant to check out like this. I adored this album. I don’t think I’ve heard anything like this. It felt like a fever dream where Talking Heads went completely electronic and joined up with MGMT. I had no idea how great a combination that would be but here we are. I honestly wish I’d gotten to this review sooner (I’ve been backlogged this week), because I feel like I would’ve had more profound things to say about this album I’m going to give five stars. But suffice it to say that I was blown away by this and would absolutely love to hear more. Great stuff. Five stars. Also, “other voices” is probably one of the best tracks I’ve heard in this project so far. Standout Tracks: oh baby, other voices, change yr mind, how do you sleep?, emotional haircut

I’m not usually one to write a short review. Take a look at my history for one minute and you’ll see that’s true. I try to find something interesting to say about each album. This was an exception. This was an electronic/club music album. It was exactly what you’d expect from such a record, except that it was too long and honestly boring at times. There were standout tracks, yes. But that doesn’t mean I loved the album. There were good grooves, and that’s what made them standouts to me. I’ve grown to have an appreciation of this genre of music through this project. While I don’t yet have the vocabulary and understanding necessary to articulate what makes for outstanding examples of this genre, I do know the good stuff when I hear. This wasn’t it for me. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Black Flute, Space Shanty, Inspection (Check One), Storm 3000

The Teardrop Explodes is a terrible name for a band. It’s so bad that I first thought the name of the band must be Kilimanjaro and that the album was called “The Teardrop Explodes.” No. I was wrong. What a bad band name. Thankfully the quality of the name didn’t reflect the quality of the music. I accidentally caught a glimpse of the average score for this album, and I honestly don’t understand it. I mean it wasn’t great by any means, but to be rated under 3 stars felt crazy to me. This felt like a New Wavey, post-punk romp, complete with horns. Horns!! I’m a sucker for horns, always have been. I liked this enough that I actually listened to the entire remastered version, bonus tracks and all. I never do that. But this was so listenable and fun that I was here for it. I don’t get the hate, I really don’t. I definitely am becoming a little jaded by all the Britpop on this list. It’s a clear sign that the author is British and includes a lot of bands from Britain because that’s what was popular there. Which is unfortunate. Do I think that this album belongs on the list? Maybe. I haven’t heard the entire list. It probably wouldn’t make the cut today. But is it good? Yes. And I give it four stars. Almost defiantly. Standout Tracks: Ha Ha I’m Drowning, Sleeping Gas, Second Head, Poppies, Went Crazy (Reward, bonus track; doesn’t really count)

I can safely say without any doubt that I had never heard of this band before. At least, I thought I hadn’t. From the moment it kicked in after that count off on the first track, I was sold. I knew that if this album was going to be anything like the first track, this was gonna be a good time. And oh man was it. Track after track is filled with really fun grooves, upbeat and energetic sounds, and just a real great party vibe. I could’ve been convinced this album came out in the last ten years pretty easily. I honestly thought “Alright” was a song by like, fun. or something (a band I despise). It sounds so new still. One of favorite bands (who didn’t make the list, unfortunately) is The Fratellis. I honestly think this album and group must’ve been an influence on them. For the group themselves, I hear some Talking Heads (because when don’t I, apparently) and some Elvis Costello. Combine that with 90’s alt-rock and you have a hell of a time. Oh that’s one other thing - I generally have found the alt-rock albums on this list to be pretentious and obnoxious (The xx, Arcade Fire, etc.), so I was very pleasantly surprised when I felt like I could give this album five stars. I label nine of the 13 tracks as standouts. I think that says it all. Five stars. Standout Tracks: I’d Like to Know, Caught by the Fuzz, Mansize Rooster, Alright, Lenny, Strange Ones, Sitting Up Straight, Time, Sofa of My Lethargy

I think I expected more from this album. I love Queen, I love Freddie Mercury. I love “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and I knew a couple other tracks from this one. But I dunno. I obviously didn’t expect every song to be “Bohemian Rhapsody” in terms of iconicness and quality. But most of the tracks feel kinda like what John Lennon might refer to as “granny music.” The album starts off hot with “Death on Two Legs” but then we get “Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, which I liked, but it definitely fits the “granny music” label. They kind of come back with “I’m In Love with My Car,” but that song is stupid and bad and doesn’t work. This pattern kind of continues until we get some more meandering stuff near the end, redeemed only by “Bohemian Rhapsody.” I know the point of this album is to be a little more elevated in terms of artistic intent and taste. I think it partially accomplishes this. But on the whole it wasn’t nearly as compelling as I expected it to be, which is a shame. A very surprising three stars. Standout Tracks: Death on Two Legs, Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon, You’re My Best Friend, Sweet Lady, Bohemian Rhapsody

What is there to say about Stevie Wonder that hasn’t already been said? I said a lot in my previous Stevie review (“Fulfillingness' First Finale”), so I’ll keep it a little more brief here. This reminded me a lot of that album. Very similar vibes, and a similar time in his career. I think I’d rank this one above the first, purely for the grooves. The first one had more ballads which, while beautiful and incredibly well written and produced, weren’t really my thing. This keeps the energy (and the tempo) up and provides some really fun moments. “Livin’ for the City” probably stands out to me as my favorite track, despite its length. Stevie Wonder’s way of so effortlessly making these profound statements out of what otherwise feel like obvious statements and observations is intriguing, and does make you wonder (no pun intended) how he does it. That knack for simple poetry is on full display this track and in “Higher Ground,” the album’s two best tracks. Overall it’s an easy four stars. What’s not to like about Stevie? Standout Tracks: Too High, Living for the City, Higher Ground, Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing

Never heard of her, not even a little bit. With such a unique name I think I would’ve remembered her, especially with this sound. This was incredible. From a quiet, soulful folk sound to a more hard, bluesy sound, it’s all here. Her voice is perfect for the music she produces, and she’s got a hell of a band behind her (future Keith Moon replacement Kenney Jones on drums!). This all makes me wonder where she was before this, and where she went after. I know enough about music of the decade that I feel like I would’ve heard of her. But she was really a bolt from the blue here and that enchanted the entire experience for me. I’m much more excited when I discover a “new” artist like this through this project. I enjoy hearing classics from heavy hitters, and hearing albums I know by heart already. But this album is an example of why I’m doing this in the first place. Five stars. (This was probably a four and a half star album but “Tall in the Saddle” pushed it over the edge for me.) Standout Tracks: Down to Zero, Love and Affection, Join the Boys, People, Like Fire, Tall in the Saddle

“All you gotta do is dig a little deeper” The irony The inclusion of this album really felt like British homerism. Tell me how this is a better album from a musical standpoint than the bigger names in hip hop and rap were producing at the time. Please, seriously, tell me. Because this came off as incredibly generic and bland. Nothing about this was deep, nothing was overtly original or new, and nothing struck me as profound or interesting. The production was great. Very clean sound for a debut album from 2002. Oh yeah, it’s a debut album again. So this was her best work, right? Because there’s no way she gets another entry here. Seriously please don’t. Also, how do you say her name? It felt like she was telling me that it’s Dyna-mighty, but it’s spelled like dynamite…if you’re gonna do that at least go all the way with the gimmick and spell it “Dynamighty” or just throw a Y at the end of dynamite. Nothing about this, from the way she pronounces her name, to the lyrics, is nearly as clever as anyone involved thought it was. It’s so clearly, painfully a debut album and it didn’t deserve to be here. It isn’t profound to say over and over again that you’re thankful for your brother. It isn’t profound to talk about heartbreak in the most generic way possible. It isn’t profound to complain about a man who isn’t around for his kid. It feels like she looked at what had been done before and just did that without putting any unique stamp on it. Two very definite stars here. Please do better. Please dig deeper. Standout Tracks: Put Him Out, It Takes More

Like I said before, give me Elvis and I’ll have a good time. What’s not to like? This is just fun. Sure it’s an album of covers, and sure the allegations of cultural appropriation are real, but if you can put that aside and realize that Elvis wasn’t the only one doing that, it’s fun. The energy, the charisma, the pure showmanship of it all is amazing. He had a great band behind him and they help him shine. Is it the best he’s ever done? No. But it’s a great start and representation of his talent. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Blue Suede Shoes, I Got a Woman, Tutti Frutti, Money Honey

I didn’t get this. Like really at all. I really liked some of the instrumental arrangements. There’s some really cool stuff here. Jazz, funk, soul, maybe even a little reggae all combine to create this interesting soundscape that just grooves. If this was an instrumental album, I’d give it an easy five stars. Lyrically? It didn’t do it for me. It’s repetitive, and the lyrics seem to lack depth. Maybe you don’t go to an album like this for lyrical depth but instead come for the grooves. But there’s an emphasis on the lyrics and vocals for sure and it just didn’t do it for me. That brings me to the vocals. Sometimes her voice is angelic and flows like a fine wine out of a bottle. Sometimes it takes on a tone that feels grating and is downright annoying. It’s a shame it couldn’t better compliment the great instrumentals here. Overall I hate to give it two stars but that’s where I’m at. It overstays its welcome and just doesn’t get me excited. A second listen might change that but who has time for that when it’s over an hour long?? Standout Tracks: Penitentiary Philosophy, Bag Lady

Please let this be the last Metallica album. I really hate to say this because I hate when people oversimplify art and especially music. There is always nuance if you just look hard enough, always subtlety you’re patient enough to find it. To say that all a band’s songs sound the same is usually the oversimplification I disdain when I hear it and try to avoid thinking myself. But come on, Metallica. I can’t even begin to try and discern the content of one album to the next. You could take any track from any of their albums and rearrange them into a new album and I honestly couldn’t tell you it was wrong. I’m sure there’s more nuance than that here, but I just cannot find it. I do not care. I’ve tried with each of these albums but each time they prove to be the same old story - high stakes that never lower, creepy or uncanny names for song titles and for lyrics, songs that go on for too long, lots of double bass drum, and just the hardest fucking guitar sounds you’ve ever heard. That’s the formula. Count on it. Even when a song starts softer, like “One” for example, it inevitably turns into another stereotypical Metallica song. Same thing with “To Live is to Die.” They can’t do anything else but stick to a formula and it’s boring. I know that a lot of metal is this way, and I also know that Metallica is not representative of every metal band. But come on. Maybe stop trying to be a one trick pony and explore a little more. Two stars. I’m bored. Standout Track: One

Very soulful, very genuine stuff. Scott-Heron’s voice is so smooth and easy listen to. I thought the arrangements were lovely as well; funky, jazzy and full of great grooves. Such a tight band. The first three tracks, while slow, are still interesting enough to hold the attention of the listener, but when it picks up with “Back Home,” that’s when I really started to vibe. This was great. My only gripe is that for some reason, this is hard to find. No Spotify, no Apple Music. Found it on YouTube like others must have. Bummer it can’t be included in my running playlist. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Back Home, The Bottle, H2O Blues

Definitely less grating to listen to than “Paul’s Boutique,” which I didn’t love. I know the first track is called “Rhymin’ & Stealin’” and that it’s probably meant to foreshadow the intense use of samples (from pretty famous songs, too) on this record. But I honestly don’t care if you tell me how much sampling you’re going to do before you do it, when it’s too much it’s too much. And this was too much. I dunno man. I came into this with a pretty positive, albeit largely uninformed, opinion of the Beastie Boys. It’s really only gone down since. I expected to give their stuff four to five stars, but this gets three. It was fine. Standout Tracks: Rhymin’ & Stealin’, Girls, Brass Monkey

I like Prince. He’s clearly an immensely talented artist that really had a vision for his work. And so I have no issue praising him for that vision and confidence that so clearly come through in his work. But I didn’t get this. It was too damn long. I mean my god - it was only 11 songs but somehow 70 minutes. So many of these tracks were just too damn long. Stuff that repeated and repeated until it became tiresome. The grooves were great, but even the best grooves can’t save a song that overstays its welcome. Prince is a genius, no doubt. And a lot of this was cool. It just overstayed its welcome and got a little too weird at times. Like I’m sure it all made sense in his head, but it just didn’t land for me. Three stars still because Prince, but beyond that I wasn’t sold. Also “Little Red Corvette” is one song I hear about a lot and I finally heard it and do not understand the hype. Please explain. Standout Tracks: Delirious, Lady Cab Driver

Whoa And here I assumed a guy named Meat Loaf would be an absolute joke. I mean I knew his appearance in Rocky Horror was great, but I had no idea just how talented he was. This album felt grand, big, sprawling and exciting. It did what I love when albums do - started off hot and told us what he’s about, changed gears throughout, and finished strong. This was almost theatrical. Very cool stuff and hard to dislike much. He’s a joke no longer. He’s a legit and talented musician in my book. This checked every box for me and I’m absolutely here for it. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Bat Out of Hell, You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, All Revved Up with No Place to Go, Paradise by the Dashboard Light, For Crying Out Loud

I didn't expect much other than other electronic/club album, and for me that’s pretty much what I got. I still don’t know, even after the handful of albums in this genre I’ve been handed, what makes a good one versus what makes an excellent one. Maybe I just need to hear some bad ones? Another electronic album, another good time. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Water From a Vine Leaf, A Touch of the Night, A Hazy Shade of Random, Best Friend, Paranoia

As tired as I am of the seemingly endless list of stream of Britpop and British post-punk bands on this list, these guys were actually alright. While I couldn’t really discern for you the differences between this singer’s voice and the voices of all the other bands in the aforementioned genres, this guy’s was among the least annoying. As with other bands of this era and genre, they weren’t nearly as clever as they thought they were. It was entertaining at times but sometimes it just felt obvious and ego-driven, self-indulgent. I honestly couldn’t tell you the difference between a lot of these bands and I’m at the point now where I feel like I have a firm enough grasp of the genre that I really wouldn’t mind never hearing it again. But it’s a long list… Two stars. Standout Tracks: My White Devil, Heads Will Roll, Ripeness

Like so many of the bands on this list, I’d heard of (The?) Pretenders but didn’t realize I’d heard some of their music. I realized that I’d heard “Precious,” “Stop Your Sobbing,” and “Brass in Pocket.” The first and third of those were great and were highlights for me here. This was a lot of fun. Really creative and fun spins of rock tropes, and a really tight group on the whole. Chrissie Hynde’s vocals are intoxicating, and come out with this effortless ease that just draws you in and keeps you there. She’s got such dynamic range. I’ve been dying for another new wave band that I actually like besides Talking Heads (who were already a long time favorite). After just this album, I have hope that Pretenders can fill that void. This was awesome. Five stars. Even with a couple duds. Also the bass lines are just incredible. See “The Wait” and “Mystery Achievement” for examples. Standout Tracks: Precious, The Phone Call, Space Invader, The Wait, Private Life, Brass in Pocket, Mystery Achievement Bass line on “The Wait” and “Mystery Achievement”

Go back and read my reviews of “Revolver” and “Sgt. Pepper’s” to know how I feel about the Beatles (spoiler: I love them and know a stupid amount of trivia about them). So instead of gushing about them here, I instead will just write about my experience with this album through the years, and then what I think about it now. I’ve gone back and forth on “The White Album” for a long time. I used to think it was an album with some of their best tracks, diluted by a bunch of filler crap they never would’ve released otherwise. I then evolved and came to believe that it was something different - an incredible creative endeavor that pushed them to their limits as artists. I now think the truth lies in the middle. The band was contracted for a double album and so HAD to produce 30 songs to make that work. So while there were some great songs here that wouldn’t have ever been released on a mainline Beatles album, there is also some real crap here. But that crap is so vastly outweighed by some of each of these writer’s best songs (well, maybe not Ringo) that this is actually one of their best works. I don’t think it’s their absolute best. But damn if it isn’t really up there. The range displayed here is incredible. Paul’s classic granny music, John’s dark side, John’s soft side, John’s classic cynicism. George’s absolute masterpiece, George’s song about truffles. Huge, soaring orchestral arrangements, loud builds of swelling guitars and drums, contrasted by quiet acoustic songs and songs about a cowboy named Rocky Raccoon. There’s something for everyone here. People complain about its length. They argue (as I have in the past) that it should’ve been a single album, that it would’ve been better. But I think Paul said it best when he said, “It’s great, it sold, it’s the bloody Beatles White Album. Shut up!” Five stars. Standout Tracks: Back in the USSR, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Happiness is a Warm Gun, I’m So Tired, Blackbird, Rocky Raccoon, Don’t Pass Me By, Why Don’t We Do It In the Road, I Will, Yer Blues, Mother Nature’s Son, Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey, Sexy Sadie, Helter Skelter, Revolution 1, Savoy Truffle, Cry Baby Cry, Goodnight

Miles Davis was such a badass that he could release a record that was two tracks long. And have it be fantastic. This is a typical Davis album in terms of its moodiness and introspective feel. But it’s great and stands out a little because of the statement it makes. Two tracks, one on each side of the record. Done. He didn’t need any more than that. I don’t know what else to say, really. It’s Miles Davis. One of the best to ever do it. Four stars. Standout Tracks: both of them

This felt like a few artists put together at times. Some Coldplay, some Black Keys, some U2, some Dirty Projectors. Lots of influences converging in this one energetic and at times frantic album. This surprised me, really. Never having heard of them I was skeptical of what I might be in for. But the energy, the dedication to precision and arrangements, and the general mood of the whole thing was fun and uplifting and just a great time. I always appreciate an album that keeps the energy up but still manages not to tire me out. I have often, in these reviews, hounded on artists for lacking variety in tempo, energy, and mood in their albums as that usually makes all the songs sound the same and the whole thing feels monotone. But this was high energy almost the whole way and never felt tiresome. I don’t know how they did it but I love it and I’m here for it. Maybe it was its short length, maybe it was its variety of influences and the distinct nature of each track. I don’t know. But more albums should be this way. Five stars. Loved it. Standout Tracks: …It’s Him!, Burnished, Back at the Farm, River to Consider, Bess St., Is and Is and Is

Someone explain the hype. This is what people put forward as The Beach Boys masterpiece? Look, it’s great. Probably their best work. But a masterpiece? Someone explain please. Don’t get me wrong - it’s an extremely well put together record. Their harmonies are, as always, unmatched. They know how to build them and they certainly know their style and niche. They perfected it. But a masterpiece? I’m sorry I don’t see it. People compare this to “Sgt. Pepper’s,” or at least mention it in the same sentence. The story goes that they released “Pet Sounds” thinking they’d bested the Beatles, only to then hear “Sgt. Pepper’s” and realize they’d been foiled again. No idea if that’s true but it’s a good story. If this is their best, why did it feel like a lot of other Beach Boys stuff I’ve heard? The best song “God Only Knows” feels pretty unassuming and shorter than expected. I think it also suffers from needing to sound like The Beach Boys. Another band could probably do this in a way that was more interesting. The arrangements are great but I guess I just can’t get the “Pepper” comparison out of my head and to me, it pales. Bummer. I really wanted to be blown away and I just wasn’t. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Wouldn’t It Be Nice, I’m Waiting for the Day, God Only Knows, Here Today, Caroline, No

I was really surprised to see Kings of Leon on here. Not because they don’t deserve it (which after listening, I’d say they do), but because they’re recent enough and were kind of a flash in the pan (at least in the popular music scene) that I didn’t think they’d garnered enough notoriety to be here. But here, they are. I actually really enjoyed this. Felt like a great mix of pop rock, U2, a teeny-tiny bit of Vampire Weekend (it’s hard to explain…), and lots of hard guitar. Caleb Followill’s voice is the obvious star here. It has such a unique tone. Strong, expressive, but with this affectation to it that really grabs and holds your attention. The rest of the band kills it. Such a tight group. Wasn’t surprised when I read they’re all brothers. Not much to dislike here. Very listenable, very fun, keeps your attention. Didn’t blow me away though. 3 stars. Also, “17” felt like a creepy song. I have done no digging into the lyrics or their meaning but on the surface it felt like a creep show and I wanted no part of it. Standout Tracks: Closer, Crawl, Sex on Fire, Use Somebody, Revelry

Going in, this felt like another album where the reason it made the list was because of its title track - a massive hit of its era that has persisted in the cultural consciousness to this day. But after listening I don’t think that’s true or fair to say. The group themselves is described as an R&B group on Wikipedia, but this album feels all disco. Makes sense given the era. I admit that I have always had a weird soft spot for disco, despite not knowing much about the genre as a whole. The orchestral element of it is what really gets me though. It’s just such a fun and bouncy sound, one that gets its depth from its funk-inspired grooves and those orchestral arrangements that just fill out the sound. Sister Sledge does all of this here in these songs. The grooves are fun, and the vocals are pristine. All in all, this is one of the better collection of disco tunes I’ve heard and I was pleasantly surprised by it all. Four stars. Standout Tracks: He’s the Greatest Dancer, Somebody Loves Me, We Are Family, Easier to Love, You’re a Friend to Me

This was largely inoffensive. I really didn’t feel too strongly about this one either way. It was ok. I don’t think I really needed to hear this before dying. It suffers from that incessant 80’s reverb, and just from being generally kind of bland. I really wanted to like it for a few reasons but it just wasn’t there. The band themselves seem talented and there were parts that did stand out (the vocals and guitar, namely). But not enough to write about and not enough to move this higher than three stars. Standout Tracks: Love Goes On!, Love is a Sign, I’m Alright

I’ve heard the name of this album for years and only once I actually listened to it did I understand the pun in the title. Go me. This is the third Bowie album I’ve had, and I think I like it the best. It starts off hot, cools a little with the title track, but man does it stay hot after that. It never really lets up. “Watch That Man” is such a stellar opener. It’s what I want in an opener. Couldn’t get better. The emphasis on heavy guitar throughout is wonderful and really brings in a hard rock sound I’d been wanting from Bowie in both “Heroes” and “Station to Station.” This felt more like “Ziggy,” which I appreciated. I’ve always loved hard rock Bowie and it was great to have him back. Please give me more Bowie like this. This felt like exactly what I’d expect one of his albums to sound like and I loved it. A surprising five stars from me. Excellent stuff. Standout Tracks: Watch That Man, Drive-In-Saturday, Panic in Detroit, Cracked Actor, Time, The Prettiest Star

I mean, come on. This might be Stevie’s best. It certainly helps that “Superstition” is here. I consider that to be one of the best songs ever recorded. This is Stevie at his finest. The soul, the funk, the grooves, and the gospel all converge for an album by a seasoned artist who knows how to channel all his best energies and in which directions to create a masterpiece. Did I love every song? No. But even the slower ones (which are usually snoozers for me with Stevie) were undeniably wonderful. There’s just something about his music. The reassuring quality in his voice, the sincerity of the lyrics, and the soul of it all really makes you feel warm and cozy. I could never dislike a Stevie album. I don’t think that’s possible. And this one is fantastic. Four stars. Standout Tracks: You Are the Sunshine of My Life, Tuesday Heartbreak, Superstition, Big Brother, Blame it on the Sun

Where has Beck been all my life? I had “Odelay” a while back for this project, and simply loved it. He’s such a creative force in every way. Taking established norms and turning them on their heads, innovating and experimenting and being unapologetic about the results be they good or bad. He is truly himself as an artist and it’s fun to listen to. Scrubbing back through this album and tracking all the different genres and influences I hear is kinda mind blowing. There’s rock, some rap/hip hop, blues, funk, and prog rock all here. It’s a great mishmash that never really lets up. There’s a range of moods and sounds here, from the radio hits like E-Pro to the sadder more reflective stuff like Broken Drum. Something for everyone. Excellent stuff. Four stars. Standout Tracks: E-Pro, Que’Onda Guero, Girl, Missing, Broken Drum, Scarecrow, Go it Alonr

I’ve been a Muse fan from a distance for a long time. And by that I mean, I heard “Knights of Cydonia” in Guitar Hero 3 for the first time and then heard a few other Muse songs. But I have always thought they were pretty cool, and there’s a live version of “Knights of Cydonia” at Wembley that absolutely blew me away in high school, and honestly still does. So I was excited coming into this album, and they didn’t disappoint. Banger after banger. The songs have simple premises but are executed with a precision and complexity that makes them intriguing to listen to. “Knights of Cydonia” is a great example. The song is based around triplets. The drums play triples throughout, the guitar has a triplet riff late in the song, and there’s a synthesizer triplet riff as well. Sounds simple, but the entire song being based around that one concept is pretty genius, especially when it’s executed with the complexity that it is. And it’s all to reinforce the idea of knights galloping in on horses (hence the horse sounds at the start). Anyway, I loved this album. Five stars. Standout Tracks: Take a Bow, Starlight, Map of the Problematique, Soldier’s Poem, Invincible, Assassin, City of Delusion, Knights of Cydonia

The number of times I’ve heard someone (usually either someone my dad’s age or a stoner friend) dump heaps of praise on Steely Dan is a number high enough that I can’t count it. Same with the number of times I’ve heard “Reelin’ in the Years” on classic rock radio. So I was relieved to know that song wasn’t here. I would say, however, that they did live up to the hype. Just such a tight band. Amazing blues rock here, funk-influenced stuff there, and the ability to switch between those genres and more mid song. Truly brilliant stuff. Throw the vocal harmonies on top of all that and you have a great time. They do at times inch a little too close to being corny or sounding dated. But it never quite gets there and honestly, even if they did I wouldn’t care. The horns, the grooves, and the vibes are more than enough. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Night by Night, Parker’s Band, Pretzel Logic, With a Gun

I honestly wasn’t quite sure what to make of this at the start. But about halfway through I started to view this a precursor to the indie rock and pop rock sound we’d hear later in the decade from bands like Phoenix or Edward Sharpe. At least that’s what I heard. There’s some really charming stuff here. Some wonderful arrangements involving instruments I didn’t expect to hear. Sometimes the vibe felt akin to walking in the woods on a warm spring day. My one issue with it is that it was just too damn long. It didn’t need to be an hour. There were at least a few tracks that could’ve been cut here to make this a 40-45 minute album. It gets four stars from me, but it’s really more a 3.5. Standout Tracks: The Shining, Stone on the Water, Body Rap, Once Around the Block, Bewilderbeast, Magic in the Air, Disillusion

I don’t know if this is the last Stevie Wonder album on the list that I haven’t heard yet, but if it is, the RNG save the best for last. This album is the epitome of everything that made the other Stevie Wonder albums so good. This is an artist at the absolute peak of his songwriting and musical talents. The catchiness of every melody is infectious. The feeling that he not only plays with, but also conveys through his music is as clear and as present as it has ever been. That to me has always been the essence of Stevie Wonder‘s music - the feel. He’s nothing if not consistent in that this album, like the others, features an eclectic and wonderful, even masterful blending of genres from funk to soul to gospel to jazz. It all comes together in this melting pot of an album that just works. I don’t really know how much more detail I can say about this, it just works. I found the structure to be interesting. As a double album, it obviously has four sides. The first two sides seem to have songs that you might hear on the radio. Their lengths are radio appropriate, and if they’re not, they could easily be trimmed down for a radio edit. These are the ones that pay the bills, these are the ones that Stevie knew to front load the album with. But the second two sides, those seem to have songs that perhaps take on a deeper, bigger meaning for Stevie. Not only are they longer in length (which makes them not as radio friendly as the first two sides’s songs), but they seem more personal. One song, “Black Man,” seems to be pushing the message that all people have equal value and equal things to offer the world (though the language it uses is rather dated). Another is clearly about his daughter and his feelings right after her birth. This second half of this album seems to be of a much more personal nature, and I think that’s why the tracks are longer. He viewed the second half of this album as his blank canvas on which to paint his personal message. This album could have been a single album with just two sides. But he had something to say, and he needed to say it. So this album became a double album. There isn’t much more to say. This album is a masterpiece. Like I said this is Stevie‘s best. Five stars. Standout Tracks: Have a Talk with God, Contusion, Sir Duke, I Wish, Summer Soft, Isn’t She Lovely

The number of times I’ve heard about Supertramp is probably about as many times as I’d heard about a band like Bad Company before hearing their first album. I didn’t like Bad Company’s album. I found it generic and derivative and mostly just bland. This was not Bad Company’s album. This was leagues better. Eight songs and 44 minutes means you’re gonna have some longer songs here. I can deal with that. Hell I don’t mind that, if the songs are good. I’m happy to say that they pretty much pull that off here. It would be easy for an album with songs that are mostly five minutes or longer in length to have one or any of those songs over. It’s welcome. It has to be musically interesting enough it has to go places it has to take me from one place to another to another and then bring me back home. It can’t just be a six minute song that doesn’t go anywhere or repeats verse-chorus-verse and then ends with a resounding chorus. They don’t do that here, and I’m very grateful for it. Instead, these songs go places. Some have long drawn out intros that then move into something more striking or complex. Others come at you hard right away but they find a way to go somewhere else while they’re there. Spotify attributes the genre symphonic rock to this album. That’s not a genre I’ve heard of too much, but I think if I had to assign that label to one band, it might be Supertramp. There are elements of other genres here. They use of horns and I think strings a couple of times, maybe. I always appreciate it and seeking to fill out their sound with horns or pianos. I am myself a sucker for rock ‘n’ roll saxophone, and if it ever appears in a song that song gets the thumbs up for me. So that was very much appreciated here. I am left with a little bit lingering feeling of forgetfulness about this album. I don’t mean to say that the album itself is entirely forgettable, just that half an hour after listening to it to sit down to write this, I don’t know that I could tell you how any of the songs go. Maybe that’s just the nature of their songs, because they do weave from place to place and end somewhere different than they started. That can make them hard to recall on demand unless you know them very well. Or maybe it’s just that the overall product, while it presents as impressive and grand, isn’t quite what you thought it was. I don’t know where the answer lies there, that would require more than just one listen. For now, I leave it at 3.5 stars. When I’m faced with a half star rating I have to decide which way to round for the purposes of this project. If I liked it enough, I round it up, giving it the benefit of the doubt. But if I wasn’t thrilled with I round down. I’m very tempted to round up for this, because I do think this album has a lot of potential upon relistens. But I just don’t think I can do that at this point. And so for me, I round down, giving it three stars. Standout Tracks: Bloody Well Right, Hide in Your Shell

I need someone to explain this to me. It’s satire, right? Like “Rock Against Ass” and “Rendezvous with Anus” are jokes, right? I just am confused so some explanation would be nice. This is a good time if you don’t listen too closely. It’s glam-inspired punk, a combination I don’t know that I’ve ever thought of before. For what it is and what it’s trying to be, they pull that combination off well. But this self-aware, “we’re gonna say outrageous things because that’s might shock some people” kind of attitude has always struck me as a pretty childish form of surface level, superficial shock rock that doesn’t shock nearly as much as they’d expect. Or maybe they weren’t trying to shock anybody, but just thought it was funny. Well I thought it was just kind of dumb. Or maybe they’re completely serious, in which case I’m totally lost. Regardless, this album has its moments, just not enough to push it past two stars. Standout Tracks: Selfdestructo Bust, Prince of the Rodeo

Is it bad or blasphemous or weird that I liked this better than “Pet Sounds”? Maybe it was the lack of hype around this, but I just overall liked the vibes better. They weren’t trying to do too much like they might’ve been on “Pet Sounds” and it just works better. Also, I need to admit something. The Wikipedia article for this album notes that this is the first album to not include songs about surfing or cars, ditching the surf motif in all but their name. I didn’t hear a distinct difference in style or arrangement between this and previous albums. Which made me realize - I’ve so closely associated The Beach Boys sound with surfer rock that I just assumed they were one and the same. So I expected a different sound from this album but didn’t get it. Their sound isn’t necessarily tied to the content of their songs, and vice versa. They exist independently from each other. I was just out here assuming that surf music sounded like Beach Boys music and so if they did something other than surf music, it would sound different. But no. Anyway, I like this enough to give it four stars. Better than “Pet Sounds.” Fight me. Standout Tracks: Do You Wanna Dance?, Help Me, Rhonda, In the Back of My Mind

I’ve been on a journey with this album. At first, I knew I’d heard covers of “Train in Vain” as a kid. But more significantly than that, I really discovered this album in college. I loved the first two sides to death. The only “weaker” tracks (read as: the ones I skipped to get to my favorites) were “Spanish Bombs” and “The Guns of Brixton.” I feel like both of those speak to the particular era this album was recorded in, one in which I wasn’t alive (and wouldn’t be for 13 more years). So they’re harder to connect to, and honestly “Guns of Brixton” is just kind of a downer, especially for a side closer. The second two sides of this album were always a mixed bag for me. “Wrong ‘Em Boyo” is an undeniable banger if you ask me, but the rest? I always felt I could do without most of them, and you could’ve made this a single album. And that was my opinion of this album for over ten years, a period in which I rarely if ever gave the full thing a listen. But that’s changed. Now I actually quite like both halves. The first still reigns supreme if you ask me. But side two has some amazing gems. Songs like “Koka Kola,” “The Card Cheat” and “Revolution Rock” all grew on me during this listen. I think I also have a greater appreciation for the themes here. Disillusionment with society and capitalism/consumerism, sex, life in 70’s London, self reflection, and more. Not all of these went over my head in college, but some definitely did. Now I see them, and appreciate them. They demonstrate the range, writing skill, and intellect of those writing them. On the whole, I really don’t know what else to say. It’s a brilliant album that brings together a host of influences and ideas and weaves them almost seamlessly in a package that has aged very well and whose themes still find relevance in today’s modern world. Five stars. Standout Tracks: London Call, Brand New Cadillac, Jimmy Jazz, Hateful, Rudie Can’t Fail, The Right Profile, Lost in the Supermarket, Wrong ‘Em Boyo, Koka Kola, The Card Cheat, Revolution Rock, Train in Vain (Stand by Me)

Look at the band name. Look at the album name. Did I have high expectations? Did you? No, not at all. This screamed novelty to me as I judged this album by its cover. Or shock rock. Or something I wanted no part of. I was worried this was another Napalm Death situation. I wasn’t ready. Then I saw it was literally 15 minutes long. The length of my commute home. No matter the content, it would be over before I got home. That alone was going to earn it at least two stars - it couldn’t overstay its welcome. Thankfully, I actually quite liked the content. I was surprised. It’s by no means deep or virtuosic. But man those riffs are catchy and just fun to listen to. Felt like a true punk album. Only a punk band would not give enough of a fuck to record something longer than 15 minutes. They’d expand the songs with solos and bridges and breakdowns. But nope, not these guys. They said fuck all that and made a 15 minute record. Good for them. Had it been twice the length it might’ve gotten two stars from me. But it wasn’t; it was 15 minutes. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Deny Everything, I Just Want Some Skank, Beverly Hills, Back Against the Wall, Paid Vacation, Don’t Care, What’s Your Problem

T-Rex has always been this odd combination of genres for me. On one hand, they’re this no frills rock band with songs like “Bang a Gong,” a song based on old, reliable blues progressions that’s doesn’t break any new ground. On the other, they’re this in your face glam rock band that, I imagine, put on a hell of a show. That’s kind of where I think this album falls for me - right in the middle. It’s got both elements here, and they work pretty well together. I’ve always loved Marc Bolan’s vocals. I think he had the perfect voice for the sound of the band. But while this album does do its shtick well, I think it does it a little too well. It doesn’t reinvent anything, doesn’t push any boundaries or break any new ground. That’s alright, but I’m not convinced it needed to be here. I liked, and so it’ll get four stars (rounded from 3.5). But did it need to be? No. Did T-Rex have better material that could’ve been here? I assume so. Four stars (rounded from three and a half). Standout Tracks: Metal Guru, The Slider, Buick Mackane, Telegram Sam, Baby Strange, Ballrooms of Mars, Chariot Choogle

I get that it’s supposed to be funny, maybe even high brow in its own way. I get that it’s a character (I mean it’s titled “Casanova,” after all). I get it. It’s just a bummer that that shtick was pretty off putting. The music was actually pretty great. But the conceited and schmoozey tone of it all, even if it’s supposed be funny, just didn’t land with me. The music, as I said, is cool. Felt like it was trying to push boundaries in terms of pop music. Good chamber pop, as Wikipedia calls it. But on the whole? Kinda cringe, not for me. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Becoming More Like Alfie, Charge, The Frog Princess, The Dogs & The Horses

Why do people hate The Doors? I mean I guess if you don’t like 60’s rock, I know right guitar-centric music they wouldn’t really be for you. But other than that, I don’t get the hate. Maybe folks haven’t heard more than “Light My Fire,” “Break on Through,” and “This is the End.” I know I hadn’t heard much more before today and I still liked them. This was a great album. Great elements of blues rock, hard rock, with some psychedelia thrown in. Starts off hot and stays there for about half the album. I really thought we were destined for five stars here but everything after “L.A. Woman” and “Riders on the Storm” didn’t hit quite the same. Still though, I found very little to dislike here. I really think this is every member at their peak as musicians and creators. If someone only had one album to listen to for The Doors, it might be this one. Such energy, such cohesiveness. Really just a great time of an album. Four stars. Standout Tracks: The Changeling, Love Her Madly, Been Down So Long, Car Hiss by My Window, L.A. Woman, Riders on the Storm

Did CCR ever have a bad album? Seriously though. I’ve heard three now, and none of them are even mediocre. They only had seven total, so I’m guessing they’re just that good. The band knows their sound and, by the time they hit this album, had absolutely mastered it. They, to me, are the epitome of their sound and genre, at least in the popular and mainstream sphere. Fogerty’s voice really just lends itself to the grit and raw energy in each song. Even when the songs are a bit less intense in tone (think “Bad Moon Rising” or “Lodi,” he’s able to retain what’s great about his voice while also removing the grit at the same time. He maybe only sung a certain genre, but he had range within it that was overlooked. It’s a shame that most (including myself) don’t know the names of the other band members of CCR, because they’re damn good. If I had more than one day with this album, I definitely would figure that out. But I don’t and so on we go. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Green River, Commotion, Tombstone Shadow, Bad Moon Rising, Sinister Purpose, The Night Time is the Right Time

I don’t really know what to take from this. It was…fine. Mostly not my thing. The recording quality was bad. Might’ve been intentional I suppose but it didn’t help either way. I really wanted to like it but it was just a little too quirky British in places for my liking. Some fun grooves but nothing good enough to push it past two stars. Though the James Bond references on “Sock It to ‘Em J.B.” were fun. Standout Tracks: Hey Little Rich Girl, Sock it to ‘Em J.B., Holiday Fortnight

As I've been on this journey, I have come to gain not just an appreciation for hip-hop, but also a more discerning ear for quality within the genre as well. I've been handed albums that I would elevate above others (Biggie's debut, all Tribe albums, Kanye's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy). The music snob in me tells me that these albums aren't just art in the common sense of the word, but *art* with that added emphasis, almost like you're adding a syllable to that one syllable word. These are some of the best the genre has to offer. I've been handed some stuff in this genre that I didn't care for (Dizzre Rascal, Ms. Dynamite, Outkast's "Stankonia," and more). I know by now what I do like and don't like in hip-hop and rap. That is something I could not really have told you 257 albums ago, but here we are. I'm pretty proud of that. So where does Cypress Hill fit in here? Well, let me start by saying that I knew them almost only by name. I couldn't have named you one Cypress Hill song...except for "Insane in the Membrane" which isn't on this album. So I at least knew that their peak of popularity and probably artistry came in the 1990's. The stuff I've liked the most from hip-hop and rap came from the 90's, so we're off to a good start. I honestly really liked this album. It wasn't my favorite of the albums I've had from these genres. But it still carried that raw energy, excellent sampling, and great lyrical flow. As with a lot of music from the 90's and earlier, some of the lyrics haven't aged super well. But all you can really do there is try to understand that it's a product of its time and try to appreciate it as a work of art. I think it does work as art, but I can also tell that this is a debut. I don't get the sense that this is 100% put together thematically, or that this is the peak of their songwriting and production abilities. I have a feeling they'll have at least one more album on the list, and that they'll blow me away on that one. For now, I have to settle and give it three stars. That feels harsh, but seeing as how my average score thus far is a 3.45, I don't feel too bad. Besides - I think they can do better. Standout tracks: Pigs, How Could I Just Kill a Man, Hole in the Head, The Phuncky Feel One, Real Estate, The Funky Cypress Hill Shit

Buddy Holly is an absolutely essential musician and musical act. He, along with Elvis and other early rock n roll and rockabilly stars, are directly responsible for the emergence of rock n roll as a legit genre, and helped explode the popular music culture and market. So his importance in music and popular music history cannot be ignored, understated, or forgotten. Ok with that out of the way, this album just hasn't aged well. Not that the lyrical content is bad; it's not. That stands up just for with other music from its era. No, I just mean that what was exciting to the teens of the 1950's, what was considered high energy and swoon-worthy back then just doesn't hit the same now. And it never could. It feels incredibly safe, even for the standards back in 1957. Maybe I'm underestimating what was socially acceptable to put into a song back then, and if I am then I think my argument here is busted. But it just doesn't have any edge to it whatsoever. Sure, he's got some energy, and he shows it sometimes. But knowing that this came out after Elvis had made his debut the year before, I can't help but wonder how anyone could get excited by this after they'd heard Elvis the year before. Again, my knowledge of social standards and availability of popular music from/in 1957 is limited, given that that was 35 years before I was born. Still, for me, I hate to do this but I'm gonna give Buddy and his Crickets two stars. Sometimes the originator of a genre or of a movement is unable to be matched by what comes after. But in this case, what came after Buddy Holly did what was doing and did it better and in more exciting ways. Bummer, too, because I really wanted to like this more. Standout Tracks: Not Fade Away, Tell Me How, That'll Be the Day, I'm Lookin' for Someone to Love, An Empty Cup (And A Broken Date), Send Me Some Lovin'

Yes, Yes. Man what a great album. The longer tracks are obviously the better ones. The shorter ones felt like afterthoughts, or ones that they couldn't quite figure out in time for the album and so used them as filler instead. I don't know if there's a group that is as technically sound as Yes is, especially on this album. "Roundabout" is an absolute masterpiece. The range shown on that track is amazing. The precision, the time changes, the harmonies, the organ solo(!!). All of it is incredible and for encapsulates what the band is capable of. My one gripe - Roundabout should've been the closer. It's the best track and you can't put your best track first. I don't care how good the rest of the album is. And the rest of this album doesn't match what "Roundabout" does. That's not to say it's bad. Not by any stretch. "South Side of the Sky" almost matches the energy and virtuosity of "Roundabout" in a way that really pleasantly surprised me. Even one of the shorter tracks, "Mood for a Day" grabbed my attention. On the whole, I enjoyed this one. It did leave me wondering where the band went from here. I knew "Roundabout" coming in and expected (and got) an album that mostly sounded similar. I know they did "Owner of a Lonely Heart," which was a huge radio hit. I...don't like that song. Maybe I'll find out through this project. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Roundabout, South Side of the Sky, Long Distance Runaround, Mood for a Day, America

I thought I would hate this. I thought it would be sloppy, basic, and boring. Holy shit was I wrong. I loved this. Yeah, a lot of (if not most of) the songs have a very similar vibe to each other. And yeah, the energy level doesn’t have many if any peaks or valleys. But I don’t care. It’s such fun listen. It’s also glaringly obvious how influential this album was. Punk, hard rock, hell even some new wave bands were probably influenced by this. I recognized a lot of pop punk elements in here too, that would go on to inspire some of my favorite bands. I loved this not just for its influence but for its vibe. It’s a feat time, and honestly the songs were way better than I expected. I love music from this era, I love bands from this era. But I never once really tried to listen to the Sex Pistols before. I always rolled my eyes at them. But all expectations were defied and I loved this. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Holidays in the Sun, No Feelings, God Save the Queen, Problems, Seventeen, Anarchy in the UK, Pretty Vacant, EMI

Simply iconic. Johnny Cash may not have written some of history’s more complex lyrics. He may not have been responsible for some of the most complex or captivating melodies. Hell, from what I’ve seen he wasn’t exactly a thrilling showman. But his personality and his attention-demanding baritone voice, his style and his gravitas all make him a compelling performer. This might’ve been his best live performance. Even the songs that feel like duds to me, either because of their silly, dated humor or for simply being less exciting, stand out as great performances. Cash has always been an artist I wanted to know more about. I’d actually only heard “Folsom Prison Blues” from this album but never the rest of it. I definitely wasn’t disappointed, but I wanted more from it. It’s iconic, it’s great, it’s fun. But I don’t know. There’s some oomph missing here. Not enough to put it below four stars, but enough it isn’t worthy of five. Don’t get me wrong, I loved it. But I just feel like there was something a little lacking here in terms of energy. Standout Tracks: Folsom Prison Blues, Cocaine Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Jackson, I Got Stripes

I liked the other Joni Mitchell I had earlier more than this (“Court and Spark”). Much more energy on that record. This was perfectly fine folk. Her songwriting skill, again, are excellent. Her voice is beautiful when it isn’t sometimes grating (and it can be grating, at least to me, on those high notes). She’s an icon for a reason. But I dunno. Felt like a perfectly good 70’s folk album to me. I probably missed something here. Three stars. Standout Tracks: My Old Man, Little Green, California, This Flight Tonight

I’ve apparently been sleeping on Dexys this whole time. Another banger of an album. The attitude, the charm, the HORNS, all of it. Elements of new wave, soul, funk, maybe even some Motown influence. I don’t know man, they might be the most underrated artist on this list for me coming in. I’ve enjoyed both albums from them. For once I’m not complaining about the potential for a UK bias by the authors/editors of the books. This is just great. I didn’t love it like I loved the first one if there’s I got (“Searching for the Young Soul Rebels”), so they won’t get five from me this time. But a very happy four stars for this one. Gotta stop sleeping on them and wake up. Standout Tracks: The Occasional Flicker, Knowledge of Beauty, One of Those Things, Listen to This

Ok but actually what was this? In doing some reading, I found that it was a studio album performed in front of a small live audience to emulate a jazz club. So it’s a live album…? I could meander on about the intricacies of this thing, but I think my take comes down to this - this album had a decent concept at conception, but never fully develops or goes anywhere. Instead it becomes this weird album full of clever wordplay and weird, somewhat unintelligible stories that don’t seem to have much of a point. I wanted to like this. I really did. I like Tom Waits. I like jazz. I like the feel of this album. But it’s too damn long, never goes anywhere, and is overall just plain boring. Two stars, regrettably. Not for lack of trying on his part, I just got bored. Standout Tracks: Opening Intro, Emotional Weather Report, Better Off Without a Wife, Spare Parts I (A Nocturnal Emission)

If this isn’t the most sugarcoated, made for the charts, junk food music crap I’ve ever heard, I don’t know what is. They wanted so badly to be Michael Jackson. I hate to break it to them - no one is. Was there substance here? Maybe. But I was so turned off from the music that I didn’t really listen to the lyrics. It just felt like they took what was on the American charts and decided to copy it. And that the author of this list (a Brit) heard that in his younger days, loved it, is nostalgic for it, and threw it on this list. It didn’t need to be here. I didn’t need to hear this. Please god let there not be any more of them on this list. Two stars. Standout Track: Perfect Way

What a strange album. I went in completely blind and was largely underwhelmed. Some really great lyrical and musical moments in this one, but overall nothing I’m going to remember. The singer’s voice reminds me of a couple other deep voice talky kind of guys I’ve had so far, many of whom have reminded me of the lead singer of The Hold Steady (niche reference, perhaps). I dunno what to make of this. It was fine. Three stars, I guess. Standout Tracks: Time Will Break the World, Transylvania Blues, Let’s Not and Say We Did, Friday Night Fever, Death of an Heir of Sorrows

Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Nothing else to say. I love this. I want more of this. More jazz. There isn’t enough jazz on the list. Give me more jazz. This was great. Technically, musically, feel-wise, just excellent. Yes. Five stars. Standout Tracks: all of them

I'm horribly behind on reviews at this point, so I'm gonna have to keep the next seven of them short just so I can catch up. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I love Simon and Garfunkel, and it's a little surprising that it took this long to get one of their albums. I've had a couple of Paul Simon albums, but those, in my opinion, do not even come close to the genius of him and Art together. I cherish the music they made together. It's such a unique and refined sound, one that really hits hard. It can be light, fun, dreamy, dark, serious, and even a little frightening. You get all those elements on this album. I need to talk about "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night" though. The first time I heard this track, I was in the fifth grade. My then music teacher played it for us during a unit talking about folk music. It blew my mind. It was the first time I'd heard a song that used significant audio that wasn't music, and combined it to create something that contrasted the messages of both to make something totally new. I thought it was brilliant then, and it opened me up to the idea that music could be more than just fun songs, but could send a message as well. I love it. This is an easy five stars for me. I don't love every track, but what I do love is undeniable. Standout Tracks: Scarborough Fair/Canticle, Homeward Bound, The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine, Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall, A Simple Desultory Philippic, 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night

Someone help me understand: A: The hype here because I just don't get it, and B: What the hell these twins are saying Seriously, I had the same problem on the last album. With all the reverb, I couldn't understand any of the words. Some of the grooves were cool, sure, but I honestly don't know what they were saying half the time. I don't know. Dream Pop or whatever this was is fine, I guess. But part of me gets the sense that you just had to be there. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Cherry-coloured Funk, Pitch the Baby, Heaven or Las Vegas

I really didn't know what this was, even after listening. Are they really a band? Are they playing instruments or is a lot of this done digitally? Does it really matter? No, it doesn't. This was great. Very moody. From the first vocal line, I knew I was in for something a little more unique. What a great opener. Seriously, it really set the tone for the whole thing and let me know what to expect moving forward. Really felt like it lived in its own sonic space, like it existed in its own world and you'd be hard pressed to ever hear this on the radio or on TV. You'd only hear this when listening to the album and nowhere else, not because its somewhat obscure, but because where else would it fit? I really enjoyed this. Not enough to give it five starts, but definitely enough to give it four. One of the more innovative albums I've heard from this century. Standout Tracks: Squares, Human Being, Broke, Quiet

Ok. Ok ok ok. This was great BUT, and I hate to say this, but it suffers a little from it length. Their sound is so well-defined here, and it's clear that the band knew their strengths, played to them, and turned that shit up to 11. But that's also part of where my issue lies - nearly every track feels like it's so high energy and so high stakes that it does become a little repetitive and boring after a while. Like, "Oh man another heavy guitar riff and another searing vocal from Chris Cornell..." Again, I thought this was great. But I just think that the high energy of each song, combined with the lengths that some of these tracks go to, just makes for an exhausting album. The lyrics, artistry, and technical skill are undeniable. But I just could've used a little less length and little more variety in mood. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Let Me Down, My Wave, Superunknown, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, Kickstand, Like Suicide

Man this was so brief, I hardly had time to really take it in. What a fun country rock romp this was. I mean, when you had Gram Parsons into any country mix, you're going to have a good time. But this was just a good, simple, not overdoing it at all kind of album that was pleasant to listen to. This is what I wish more country was like today. Meaningful lyrics not focused on trucks, beer, and horses and more about the life, highs, lows and intrigue of being a person living in the country. Totally my thing? No, and for that reason it'll get three stars. But great for what it is? Absolutely yes. Standout Tracks: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, You Don't Miss Your Water, Pretty Boy Floyd, One Hundred Years from Now, Life in Prison

Come on, man. Seriously? Look, not much about this album is bad, per se, but man does it feel dated. The grooves are still there, it's still danceable, but the production just feels so old. I generally have a pretty mixed opinion about house albums like this, and I have a pretty tenuous one regarding their inclusion on this list. But for the love of god if you simply MUST include one on this list at least make it, you know, still culturally relevant? I don't know, I hate to rag on this thing so hard because it's simply a product of its time and you can't fault it for that. But did I NEED to hear this before my death? No, not really. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Introduction, Bandelero Desperado, Sanctuary, Rough Out Here, Slum King

I've been waiting for this one. Not because I know it front to back and want to gush about it (because I don't). No, I've been waiting because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So many times I've heard this album gushed about by critics, seen it on list after list of the best albums ever, and heard from my own mother just how important an album this is. So that's a lot of hype, right? How often does any piece of media actually live up to any amount of insane hype? How often are you left disappointed by an album that everyone else seems to love, but you just can't get into? Well, I'm here to say that not only did this album meet the high expectations set onto by everything I've ever heard about it, it exceeded it. This is a fantastic collection of songs by a wonderful singer songwriter. Truly a masterpiece of originality, storytelling, and emotional songwriting. Carole King does here what so many others strive to do, which is to produce an emotionally authentic piece of art that so many have found, absorbed, and loved long after its release. I can't say enough, honestly. Easy five stars. I loved it. Standout Tracks: I Feel the Earth Move, So Far Away, Way Over Yonder, Where You Lead, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman

I wanted so badly to love this. I like the idea of Springsteen. I love "Born to Run." I love the fact that he has Max Weinberg as his drummer and for the longest time had Clarence Clemons as his saxophonist. I love the fact that there's a sax in his band at all. I love so much about the idea of Springsteen. But this was boring, and that sucks because it didn't need to be. There are bright spots, to be sure. But one cardinal sin for me has always been that if you're going to put out a song longer than four minutes, it had better not be a slow ballad. Because that gets so boring and feels so much longer than it actually is. And Bruce does this multiple times on this album and I just can't get there with him. I might've been able to had he been a little more intelligible. People complain about mumble rap today. they complain about singers who are impossible to understand. I've never heard anyone level that accusation at Springsteen before, but they should. There are so many songs on this album that I just can't understand a word he's saying. They're pretty, they're interesting in their own way, but I just cannot understand him for the life of me. It was funny at first, but after a while I just found it annoying. It's a shame this didn't hit harder for me. The Boss is such an icon, and his musicianship and showmanship are unquestionable. But I just didn't really find myself caring about this album. Bummer. I loved the more upbeat, rock stuff (see below), but on the whole, this was a snooze. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Adam Raised a Cain, Candy's Room, The Promised Land, Prove it All Night

My mom is a huge Roxy Music fan. I think I mentioned this before. I love that for her. I don't quite get it. This album definitely grew on me as it went on, though. I felt the song ("Do the Strand") was a little lackluster, though might've hit better if it didn't start in such a disorienting way. That was probably intentional - grabs your attention, gets you in the mood for an album that will sound and feel different, etc. But still, didn't love it. Bryan Ferry's voice will either charm or deter you; it may even do both at different times. I ultimately think he has a great instrument, he just chooses to do weird things with it at times. I can appreciate the artistic choices, though. Way more horns on this album than expected, I will say. I never, ever hate horns on any album (see my reviews of the Dexy's Midnight Runners albums I've had, for example). They definitely earn points for that. I don't know, the more I write about this, the more I think about this and listen back, the better my opinion gets. You're literally reading my opinion evolve in real time. This was going to get two starts at the start of this review, but I think it definitely earns a solid three. There are some really cool bright spots here, but some stuff just doesn't work for me enough to give it four. Ok, ok, upon more relistening, it gets four stars. I get it now. You're welcome, mom. Oh and making "The Bogus Man" nine-plus minutes was a bad choice and I do not understand the need for some artists to make slow songs that long. Oh oh and the buildup, fade out and fade in on "In Every Dream Home a Heartache" is simply spectacular and I completely expected to hate that song for the first half of it. Standout Tracks: Beauty Queen, Editions of You, In Every Dream Home a Heartache. Grey Lagoons.

I've been struggling recently to keep up with all the albums. Life has fully taken over dominating my free time and I haven't been able to give these albums the proper listen they deserve. I've definitely struggled to be a good active listener recently, and it shows with this one. I didn't remember a lot about this album when I sat down to write this review. I was ready to assume that was because it was forgettable and I was going to say some snarky things about that and call it a day. But when I literally saw my opinion of Roxy Music's "For Your Pleasure" evolve from the start of my review of it to its end, I figured I had to give this another shot. I didn't relisten to the entire thing (I have two more reviews to catch up on after this one), but I gave enough of it a second chance to form a refreshed opinion. This is great. Great energy, awesome bass lines, horns(!), and just a fun punky/new wave sound that really grabs your attention and keeps it. I don't know how I could've had a middling opinion of this one with even a passive listen. I must've been really focused on work or something. There's an air of mystery or just weirdness around the whole thing at times, which really adds to the intrigue of the experience. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Some of the songs overstay their welcome a little, but on the whole it feels timed out pretty well. I dunno. I have a weird opinion here where I really like some of this and would just skip some of the tracks outright. I think what holds it back for me is the fact that the singer's voice is, at times, so aggressively British that I just cannot deal. Three stars, I guess. Standout Tracks: Definitive Gaze, My Tulpa, Shot by Both Sides, Recoil, Motorcade, The Light Pours Out of Me

Ok I've had three Radiohead albums at this point, including the one most consider their best - "OK Computer." If I didn't like that one much (which I didn't), I didn't think I'd like much else of theirs. And I was right. Thom Yorke's voice is grating and unintelligible. I cannot understand 99% of what this man sings. The music itself is obtuse, which I can handle, but this one was so obtuse that I just can't even begin to get where they were going with this one. I assume a lot of the themes that emerge here are presented lyrically, but, again, I can't understand them and am not motivated enough (nor do I have enough free time) to sit down and read the lyrics along with the album. Somebody please enlighten me as to the amazingness, the power, the appeal of Radiohead. Because outside of a few songs, I haven't found it over three albums. I want to. I'm not a hater. I’m a listener desperate to understand them because I can see that they're genuine artists. Two stars. Standout Tracks: I Might be Wrong, Dollars and Cents, Hunting Bears, Life in a Glasshouse

I find it interesting that a lot of people that have listened to and reviewed this album for this project are acting all holier than thou about the awful things this guy has done and giving the album poor reviews, while at the same time handing out great reviews to equally shitty artists just because they know who they are or are more famous (Michael Jackson, Kanye, etc.). I'm not saying this guy gets a pass, and I'm not saying the other shitty people with albums on this list should either. I'm just saying that if we're going to condemn this guy's work because of the person he is, let's also condemn the work of artists like Jackson and Kanye for the same reasons. I stated in my review of "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" that I wanted to review the art, not the artist, to separate the two from each other. Some people find that impossible to do, and I don't blame them for it. But the point of this project is to listen to and review albums, so that's what I’m going to do. So, with that in mind, let's review this album. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Maybe it's just that I don't understand the style of music enough to understand why this is so repetitive. Melodies, guitar tones, arpeggios, and even specific phrases appear and reappear throughout this album enough that I'm left assuming that it must be a feature, not a bug. That the culture around this music is such that you just cannot have this style of music without certain elements. Like how a lot of rock music uses heavy distortion on guitars, metal uses double bass drums, reggaeton uses that same reggaeton beat in most of its songs, and how Radiohead wouldn't be Radiohead if you could actually understand Thom Yorke (still not over that...). So I'm willing to assume that I just don't know enough about the genre here, and that the repetitiveness is intentional and celebrated by those who have intimate knowledge of it. But it didn't work for me, honestly. I loved what I heard in the first couple tracks, but the more certain themes or motifs kept returning, the more I realized just how one-note the whole thing seemed. Bummer, because a lot of it is a fun, happy time with music you could easily dance to either in your seat or on a dance floor. On the whole, this had potential but just didn't get any more interesting or better after the first couple of tracks. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Papa bonheur, Désespoir, Qui cherche trouve, Porte-monnaie

It's about time Frank showed up. I was in high school in the late 2000's/early 2010's. I had no business enjoying anything Frank Sinatra had ever put out. But I've always found, like many others have, something outright charming about Sinatra. His smooth voice, his style, his attitude and showmanship. It's just all tied up neatly in a nice package. You know what to expect from a Sinatra album. It's reliable, it's comforting. Sure, you could say that makes it boring. But I say it makes it great. Is this his best output? Hard to say. He always seemed like one of those artists that didn't put out conventional albums but just kinda recorded songs and they were released on themed compilations. I'm probably speaking from ignorance there, but I don't know that I've actually ever listened to a straight up Sinatra release. Maybe I just alway assumed that because he mostly recorded jazz standards. I dunno. Anyway, seems like this is his ninth studio album. As an album of covers, the focus is on the interpretation - the arrangements, the vocal choices, and the song choices (taken mostly from jazz standards). So let's break it down. The arrangements: Nelson Riddle is, of course, a master and a frequent Sinatra collaborator. I do think he borders on overdoing it here a little, and there's a little too much schmaltz for me in certain places. Kinda feels like this was in an effort to make it a little more hip-sounding. I don't hate it, I just could've done with a slightly scaled back version of these arrangements. The arrangement for "Pennies from Heaven" just left me wanting the Louis Prima version. I know they probably slowed it down to differentiate it from that version, but if you're living it is shadow why even try it at all and create an inferior version? I also give Nelson Riddle a pass because he scored the 1960's Batman show and movie, and that score is ingrained in my very being (another anachronism on my part). The vocals: what is there to say? It's Sinatra. His phrasing is largely impeccable. Say what you will about his actual vocal talent or range, the man knew how to use what he had to its fullest. He delivers the lyrics in a stylistic and smooth way that just makes them insanely listenable. I'd listen to him sing the phonebook and it would be interesting. The song choices: This is a great mix of songs a lot of people with a passing familiarity of jazz standards know ("Pennies from Heaven," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Anything Goes," etc.) and ones that I've never heard before. I love this. It makes it so it isn't just a hit fest of songs we all know. It kept my attention because I had to really listen instead of just make this background music. I appreciate that. This is a great time. Not his best, but it's hard for me to give it less than four stars. So that's what it gets. Standout Tracks: You Make Me Feel So Young, Too Marvelous for Words, I've Got You Under My Skin, I Thought About You, Anything Goes, How About You?

Sade’s confidence to name her band after herself AND to be an artist that goes by one name is woefully misplaced. That isn’t to say she’s untalented, or that this album was bad. On the contrary - I’ll tell you now that I’ll be giving it a pretty fitting rating of two stars. But I can’t help thinking that maybe, just maybe it would’ve been cool if the band had a different name. Carlos Santana named his band “Santana” because he was the generational talent at the center of it. Can you name any other members of that band? I’ll wait. Because I can’t. Beyoncé goes by one name because she’s Beyoncé - there’s only one and we all know it. So does she. Madonna did the same. As did Prince. So you can’t just decide to go by an eponym AND name your band after yourself unless you either A: really are a generational talent and know it or B: are marketed that way by your record label because they think they can best sell you that way. I think the latter must have happened here. This album is…boring. Sure it’s got fun moments here and there. Some cool grooves. But Sade herself isn’t, in my opinion, the main attraction. Her voice is good, but is it THAT good? If it is, she doesn’t find space to show it off here. And sure, fine, you can tell me that the genre doesn’t fit a vocal style where she could show off, and you’d be right. But still. Snoozefest. She’s the focus of the band, its main attraction. But I don’t really understand why. Maybe because this is the closest thing to elevator Muzak I’ve had thus far, and the record label knew that and needed to make it about her to sell it better. This is “jazz” for people who don’t really know jazz. Those people hear this and can feel cultured by listening to it. I listen to it and feel disappointed and bored. Standout Tracks: Hang Onto Your Love, Cherry Pie

If Devo and the Talking Heads had a baby and raised it on The Human League. I honestly didn't (and still don't) know what to make of this. Innovative, for sure, especially for its time. Frenetic at times, lacking direction, and yet in its own way feeling pretty cohesive in style and form. It's all over the place in a way that's almost charming and sometimes slightly frightening. If these sound like contradictory or vague lines of a review, it's because they are. This is definitely a difficult album to nail down in one listen, and I regret that that's all I gave it. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Penthhouse and Pavement, Soul Warfare, Let's All Make a Bomb, We're Going to Live for a Very Long Time

Holy shit what a ride. I think the thing that blows my mind the most about this is not the sound, the fact that this is one of the earlier punk records, or that Iggy Pop's career started in the 60's. No the thing that blows my mind the most is that they got one of the guys from The Kingsmen (of "Louie, Louie" fame) to produce this. Excuse me? One of the guys responsible for one of the most straight laced examples of rock n roll in its infancy produced this??? Wow. Anyway. I enjoyed most of this, so it'll be getting four stars, I'll tell you that now. The pure, raw energy that oozes out of every inch of this album's sound is almost unbearable at times. Not because it's hard to listen to, but because trying to meet this record where it's at (which is all you can hope to do with any given album; it can't meet you where you are, after all) is challenging when you need to keep up with its raw power and rapid pace. The record does suffer somewhat, at least for me, in a similar way that metal records do - when every song is turned up to 11 in terms of volume, energy, stakes, intensity, and attitude, nothing feels urgent or important and the songs tend to blend together at times. I will say though, I don't think this one suffers from that fate nearly as much as others do, and I actually appreciate the rhythmic differences that present themselves from song to song (unlike metal...). Also, special shoutout to the use of saxophone on this record. Really unexpected and honestly did elevate some of the tracks for me. Seriously cool stuff. Yeah this is an easy four star for me. Pleasantly surprised upon skimming back over this for the review. "LA Blues" can, of course, burn in hell. That's what it sounds like it's trying to depict, right? Burning in hell? Standout Tracks: Down on the Street, Loose, 1970, Fun House

Now THIS is the Paul Simon I've been waiting for. Much more of the singer-songwriter vibe I was hoping for in the other two of his albums I've had thus far (#81 "Hearts and Bones" and #211 "Graceland"). I think really what I want from him (and what a lot of people probably want from him) is just more Simon and Garfunkel. And that probably frustrates the hell out of Paul Simon. But that's his problem. The elements of funk, world music, and folk that he weaves in here are, while a departure from what he'd done prior, welcomed because they're intertwined so seamlessly. They feel like they fit and they should be there as part of his sound. It's like the natural evolution from what he'd done with Garfunkel. This is an easy four stars. Close to five, really it was. Hell I'll even say it's really four and a half stars, but. I have to round that down here. It's like I said above - all I really want from him is more Simon and Garfunkel and this is the closest I'm assuming he ever got to making a record like that by himself. So I can't give it five because it isn't what I wanted it to be. Bummer. Standout Tracks: Mother and Child Reunion, Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Armistice Day, Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, Peace like a River, Hobo's Blues, Paranoia Blues

The first time I heard MGMT song was at a party my older sister dragged me to. We were still in high school at the time (she a senior, I a freshman), and she wanted me to be cool and hangout with seniors and drink. Well, I was awkward as hell and really didn't know how to talk to strangers, let alone strangers I was trying to look cool in front of. So while I then (and now in hindsight for different reasons) appreciate my sister for volunteering to bring me along, I really was a fish out of water at the time. The one thing I have a vivid memory from that 2007 night though was hearing the strange, unique, intriguing, and in some ways haunting melody of "Kids" come on over the speaker one of the guys had brought with him. I was immediately drawn to its eerie synth melody, its simplicity, and how it made me feel. I didn't know what that feeling was in the that moment; I couldn't have been older than 15 at the time, and so had the emotional intelligence of a teenage boy that age. Looking back, I couldn't know what that feeling was because I hadn't lived long enough to experience it in a meaningful way - nostalgia. More specifically, a longing for the simplicity of childhood and a simpler life. So coming into this album, I was expecting a slate of songs similar in feeling and depth to "Kids." I got exactly that. I really enjoyed this album front to back. There were honest to god moments where it reminded me of The Beatles. Some of the arrangements and some of the sounds in general just sounded like Beatles-esque. They even had a song that sounded Indian-inspired. I really loved this album. It varied it energy, sound, attitude, and tone throughout. Some songs were heavier on the electronic sound, which is itself really unique. Maybe it's my limited knowledge of this genre, but I haven't heard anything else like this before or since. I liked that there were songs that were lighter on the electronic sounds and had some guitars and bass in there. A very happy five stars for this one. Very impressed. Would love to have another of theirs on this list. From what I remember, though, their peak was short lived, so we'll see. Standout Tracks: Time to Pretend, Weekend Wars, Electric Feel, Kids, Of Moons, Birds & Monsters, The Handshake, Future Reflections

I can see why this is here. For its time, this was groundbreaking. An entire album composed exclusively of electronic sounds in 1974 was, I assume, unheard of. That must’ve been absolutely mind blowing to folks at the time. That, or they had my reaction. I didn’t really care for this. Maybe it’s because it’s hard to listen to this and remember its place in history. Maybe it’s because it just doesn’t hit like it would’ve in 1974. Maybe it’s because it just wasn’t that interesting to me. I appreciate what it tried to do. I actually thought the track that tried to mimic bird noises was super cool. But the novelty of it all wears off quickly these days and you’re left with an album that, for everything that it is, is ultimately an experiment. And that’s cool, but as an album it falls a little short because it’s held back by the fact that it’s an experiment. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Kometenmelodie 2

I always thought “Jump” was such a departure in sound for Van Halen. I’m not exactly a fan of them or anything (though I did LOVE their debut album when it was handed to me for this project months ago), but what I know of their sound is so different from “Jump” that I honestly always assumed, when hearing it on the radio or in a show or movie, that it was some other 80’s band. So, seeing that it was essentially the lead track on this album, I was really curious to see if it set the tone for the whole thing or if it was a blatant single composition. Well, the answer is no it doesn’t really set the tone for the rest of the record. “Jump” is not, in my mind, entirely indicative of the rest of the album’s sound. And even after relistening, it isn’t even THAT poppy. It still has a killer guitar solo. But it definitely feels like a song arranged in such a way and put as the first real track on the album so that it pleases the record company as a lead single. And yet it’s still pretty good. The rest of the album feels really similar to their first one, though they seem to have reigned Eddie in just a little. That doesn't mean he isn't shredding throughout, because he definitely is. But they didn't give him his own track like they did with "Eruption" on the first album. Part of me feels like I shouldn't give this five stars solely because it does feel really similar to the first album is a lot of ways, and that lack of growth is a little disheartening. But in the end, I loved the first one and there is enough of a change in sound, albeit somewhat subtle, that I can still give it five. If you'd told me when this whole thing started that I'd be giving two Van Halen albums five stars, I would've thought you were crazy. But here we are. Standout Tracks: Jump, Panama, Top Jimmy, Drop Dead Legs, Hot for Teacher, House of Pain

This was produced, in part, by David Bowie, and it shows. It’s such an interesting mix of two genres that would really take off after this album - glam rock and punk. Of course not all tracks fall into either or both of those genres, but there’s enough here to call it a forerunner to both. I’d honestly always thought of Lou Reed as being far less interesting than this. I think I always confused him with other artists from this era from completely different genres. I’m glad my prior expectations were completely blown away. This is an easy four stars. I’d be curious to see what he did after this and if he ever was this good again. Oh and I kept waiting for “Can I Kick It?” to hit during “Walk on the Wild Side,” despite the fact that I’ve heard both songs before. Funny how that works. Standout Tracks: Vicious, Hangin’ Round, Walk on the Wild Side, Satellite of Love, Wagon Wheel, Goodnight Ladies

Man, what a fun album. Seriously, this album oozes enthusiasm, fun, energy, and complete buy-in from the members. Everyone knows "We Got the Beat," "Our Lips Are Sealed," and the absent-from-this-album "Vacation." And you'd be forgiven if you thought that that's all there was to this band. But I am so happy to say that that isn't the case, and in fact there is more to like than just a few hits. Yes, it's fun and yes it's an easy listen. But the creativity on display here, the layering of sounds and the riffs are just awesome. They had a unique sound, kind of a combination of New Wave, Riot Grrrl, and some punk vibes. Really cool stuff. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Our Lips Are Sealed, How Much More, Automatic, You Can't Walk In Your Sleep (If You Can't Sleep)

Wow, second Kraftwerk album in a week. I wasn't really excited for this one after the first one a few days ago. But, I saw that this was a later record of theirs, and assumed that there would have been some evolution in sound. And...well there was. To an extent. I think the musical ideas shared here are more interesting, and their skill with electronic instruments has clearly grown album-to-album. I appreciated that there were more vocal parts, as well. Even if they were, at times, comically German-accented and sometimes overly simple in terms of lyrics. I dunno. I wanted to like this so much more, but it's dated, still somewhat experimental, and overall not really my vibe. I appreciate it for what it is, applaud those involved for making something so innovative for its time, and am happy to have been exposed. But if I never heard this or any other Kraftwerk music again, I'd be alright. Three stars. Standout Tracks: The Hall of Mirrors, Trans-Europe Express, Franz Schubert

"But if I never heard this or any other Kraftwerk music again, I'd be alright." Me. Yesterday. In my review of yesterday's album "Trans Europe Express" by, you guessed it, Kraftwerk. Sigh This one is better I guess. As I said yesterday, Kraftwerk definitely grew in terms of the depth, cohesiveness, and complexity of their sound. Songs take on more definite forms with each album. The direction is clearer. The different elements of their sound come together better. The evolution of sound is clear from album-to-album. That makes this the most listenable of their records I've had. That isn't to say the other two weren't listenable - they were. But this one comes together in a way that really makes it feel like they're at the top of their game as a group. And I can appreciate that. Does that move the needle enough for me to give them more than three stars? No. This still ultimately isn't my thing, and that's alright. Happy to have listened, ready for something new. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Spacelab, Metropolis, Neon Lights

Yes please. Fiona Apple is one of those artists that I've been aware of for a very long time, but has never made her way into my music listening in any significant way. I've heard a lot of hype some some specific music content creators and certain people I've met who just rave about her. I can see why. This was a really creative, pointed album. It has such a unique sound, one that feels mysterious, dark, sad, serious, and at times melancholy. It draws you in because you want to know more about what's happening, about what you're hearing. Any album that's capable of this is a winner in my book. And that's not even mentioning the lyricism here, which is top notch. Seriously, it's poetry. This is an easy four stars. Loved it. Standout Tracks: Sleep to Dream, Criminal, Slow Like Honey, Never is a Promise, The Child is Gone, Carrion

Another Elvis Costello album, another set of quirky, sometimes (seemingly) nonsensical, hipster New Wave songs. Don't get me wrong - I actually really like Elvis Costello. I think he's a genius and that he has the ability to write really introspective and interesting lyrics, set to music that really feels like its own genre sometimes. Buuuuuut..... But his sound is so very much him that, without listening to his other albums on this list more than once to discern differences (not to mention the gaps between the albums), it's hard to say that this was much different than what I remember the other albums sounding like. I guess this one was a little more on the experimental side? I guess? I dunno. It was fine. Very Elvis. Much Costello. Three stars. Standout Tracks: Beyond Belief, Almost Blue, The Loved Ones

I don't know what to make of this thing. I guess what I hear is a band that knows they have a set of eclectic and unique influences that tried to harness those influences and mesh them with their own talent and ideas in a debut album. In the end, for me, this does feel very much like a debut in the way that it's sort of...a mess. It's all over the place. Which is fine for some albums, bands, and genres. But this felt directionless. I wasn't sure what I was listening to or what the point was(?). I'd be really, really curious to hear what came after this for the group. I'd love to hear a more refined version of this sound, one that has a little more cohesion and oophm behind it. This felt like they were trying to imitate their influences, rather than show us who they are. Fine for a debut, but not their full potential. Two stars. Standout Tracks: Punchbag, A Minha Menina

I'm always pleased when I’m handed a jazz album, even more so when it's from a master like Coltrane. I don't know what else to say except that this is a master class in mood and feel. Coltrane exudes emotion through his instrument here, pulling us along through a piece in four movements, as though it were a classical composition. It takes us to upbeat, fun places, dark, intense places, and everywhere in between. All this in just a short 32 minute runtime. This is one I'd love to listen to on vinyl, in a dimly lit room late at night, with a warm cup of tea in hand. Just sink into a couch and listen to a master perform his art. Excellent stuff Five stars. Standout Tracks: Acknowledgement, Psalm

The extreme length of “Walk on By” and “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” are both a benefit and a hindrance to this album. On one hand, the two tracks are allowed time to breathe and build, to tell a story and really convey the emotions in those stories. They’re really master classes in how to do these things in music and the instrumentation on them is superb. On the other hand, their lengths really dominate on this album to a degree that really overshadows the other two tracks. It also makes those tracks seem a little tame and less special by comparison. I think opening and closing with the two longer tracks was a great choice, but really no matter how you ordered them it was going to be tough to make those other two feel special. I’m honestly surprised this wasn’t a two track album, with one long track on each side. In the end, I really enjoyed this and would love to hear more Isaac Hayes. I’m assuming the “Shaft” soundtrack is on the list, so I’ll wait for that. Four stars. Also, the single edit of “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” is a travesty. Standout Tracks: Walk On By, One Woman

I absolutely cannot deny the infectious energy of this album. Femi Kuti, like his father before him, demonstrates his unique ability to inject excitement and levity into songs that may carry heavier, more important messages. How he does this, I don’t know, but it’s incredibly effective. People like listening to happy, fun music. If that’s the genre that gets your message out, you go with it. Was this his intention? No idea. Maybe. But that’s my interpretation. I would give this five stars if only each track wasn’t so damn long. It’s an absolute joy to listen to, but some songs overstay their welcome a bit. On the whole, though, I loved it. Four solid stars. Standout Tracks: Wonder Wonder, Survival, Plenty Nonsense, No Shame, Changes

I guess you just had to be there. Or maybe I just don’t get it. What is so special about this band? I’ve had two of their albums now and haven’t felt moved. I’ve just felt underwhelmed. I haven’t ever been a reggae fan, and there’s obviously a lot of reggae influence here. They’re labeled a ska band, and I see that. I like ska. Well, 90’s ska anyway. Upbeat songs with horns. This isn’t that. I heard the Clash a lot in here. Sometimes I could’ve sworn it was Joe Strummer singing. Hell, there was even a riff that sounded like “The Right Profile.” I dunno. I just feel like they really wanted to be The Clash with their own twist and I just don’t get it. The music doesn’t blow you away and the lyrics don’t say much of anything original. Somebody enlighten me because I don’t see it. Two stars. Standout Tracks: A Message to You Rudy, Nite Klub, You’re Wondering Now

What a moody, breathy album. Not usually a fan of this kind of music. It always strikes me as understated to a fault, where an otherwise profound or powerful message is lost in how subdued its delivery is. So for that reason, I really need to listen to this again with the lyrics in front of me. Each song is generally pretty short, and the way they’re sung isn’t easy to follow. I’ve always had a knack for just not understanding singing that isn’t crystal clear (looking at you, Thom Yorke…), so I couldn’t really understand a lot of what he was saying. The music was cool though. Lots of really moody arrangements, great instrumentation, tight sound. Reminded me of early White Stripes in some moments, Radiohead in others, and Bob Dylan in still some more moments. Overall, this was cool. Four stars, while allowing for the possibility of it rising to five upon relistens. Standout Tracks: Alameda, Ballad of Big Nothing, Angeles, Cupid’s Trick, Say Yes

I've always encountered Jimi Hendrix in almost every context except his studio albums. Individual tracks, live performances (Monterey, Woodstock, namely) and even a posthumous release ("Valleys of Neptune"). Hell, I first heard "Spanish Castle Magic" in the original "Guitar Hero" as an instrumental and didn't know it had lyrics until later. But I've always loved Hendrix, and loved what I've heard. Some of my favorites of his are on this album, so I was excited. And he didn't disappoint. There isn't much new to say about Hendrix. He's one of those virtuosos that, especially since he died so young, has been talked about and dissected and analyzed and idolized in the 50-plus years since his death that, not unlike the Beatles, there's hardly anything original left to say. He's iconic, he's one of the best to ever pick up a guitar, and he's unforgettable. I would like to note here, though, that his stylistic range here both as a vocalist and a guitarist is amazing to witness. He can shred through something as wild and fun as "Fire," playing fast and with such incredible energy and conveying excitement with his voice in a way that is simply infectious. Then, on the same record and with just as much ease, he can play something as tender and soulful as "The Wind Cries Mary" with just as much passion and expertise. More still, he can absolutely demolish an audience with something as hard and unforgiving as "Purple Haze." The thread tying all these songs together, regardless of genre, feel, style, or tone, is precision. He plays everything with such precise intent to the point where you could tell me he could make a guitar quack like a duck and I'd believe you. Truly one of a kind. It's also more than worth calling out his band. In Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell, Hendrix had a band that was almost on his level. I say almost because, well, Hendrix is talked about as a legend and, while the other two are certainly masters of their instruments, are not remembered quite the same way. Nevertheless, the energy they bring does match that of Hendrix and is vital to the success of the their sound. You need only listen to "Fire" for proof of this. The bass line on that song really drives everything underneath the guitar. The drums are absolutely manic and provide the kind of agile energy needed for a song titled "Fire" and with as quick a riff as it has. It's perfection. I couldn't have been happier with my 300th album for this project. I don't know what else to say. Five stars. Standout Tracks: Manic Depression, Hey Joe, Love or Confusion, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, Are You Experienced?

The sheer number of electronic/house music that has made its way onto this list, as well as the sheer number of obscure British artists, as well as the sheer number of debut albums has continued to astound me. This album checks all those boxes. So going, I honestly thought this was going to be severely mediocre. You see, I’ve had really mixed experiences with each of those categories listed above to this point. The obscure British artist that lacks appeal or significance outside their home market can be really grating at times. The electronic or house music can be good but really repetitive and any given album might not offer much by way of something new to the genre. And I’ve written before about my feelings on debut albums. So, again, I was skeptical. I loved this. Defied my expectations on all three counts. This felt original, fresh and lovingly crafted. The samples from other media enchanted the tracks instead of distracted from them as is often the case. Hell, the fact that they used a ringing phone as part of a beat is incredible. I really am impressed by this and am definitely happy to have heard it. Four stars. Too bad it was hard to find. Standout Tracks: People Hold On, Fat (Party & Bullshit), My Telephone, Stop This Crazy Thing, Not Paid Enough

You don't have to do much other than throw a Bob Dylan album at me to make me happy. I absolutely love this man's music. I'm really looking forward to more of him throughout this project. This isn't his best, by far. I honestly thought he didn't do anything worth listening to outside of the 60's, so this was a nice surprise. But the typical Dylan sound (save for a few tracks that veered in directions I didn't care for) is here, his voice hasn't deteriorated yet (though if you ask some, it was never good to begin with), and the classic bite in his lyrics is as present as ever. I don't have a lot else to say. It's Dylan. I love him. Four stars. Standout Tracks: Tangled Up in Blue, Simple Twist of Fate, You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go, Meet Me in the Morning, Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts, Shelter from the Storm, Buckets of Rain