Good vocals, good production, but just doesn't do a whole lot for me.
Sounds too much like a Moody Blues/Beatles rip off, and the vocals just don't do it for me.
Interesting album. Not necessarily one that I'll go back to repeatedly, or that I can spin start to finish and enjoy the whole thing, but there are enough interesting moments -- instrumentation, vocals, genre-bending -- to make it mostly enjoyable. Some parts are a bit too acid-trippy/avant-garde for me though.
Had never heard this album (or Kate Bush) before. On first listen, I didn't really like it (1-2 out of 5). Too all over the place: very 80s (synth etc.), very theatrical, very experimental. But on second listen, I started to get into it more (3/5), and after reading that Bush made the whole album by herself (supported by David Gilmour), I definitely respect it. I can imagine liking it more and more over repeated listens, once I get to know the individual songs more.
I just... don't like U2, I guess. The best songs here have been way overplayed on the radio, to the point that I can't stand them, and the rest just sound like throwaways to me. Doesn't help that I just don't dig Bono's voice.
Decent album to put on while vacuuming.
Great album. Not the best to listen to while lifting weights, but that doesn't detract from it.
Not bad, not great. Good throwback melodic pop, but nothing on the album rises past "There She Goes". Still might give this another spin later though.
Overblown. Pretentious. Sprawling. I wore out my two CDs when this came out. 5/5!
This is the second Kate Bush album in like two weeks (after "Hounds of Love"). I was iffy on HoL, but liked it more after a couple listens. Might be the same with this album, but... I only listened once. Not really my cup of tea. She has a good voice, but it's just a bit too 80s, too theatrical, not enough hooks for me.
That's gonna be a no from me.
Okay, I've never been a hip hop guy apart from some of the oldschool classic stuff, and I'm definitely not a fan of Kanye as a person(a), but I have to admit I went back and listened to this album multiple times. It's catchy. I'll listen again, too. 3.5/5.
Pretty okay, I guess. It's of its time.
Excellent album. Funk, soul, jazz, blues, and even psychedelia, all in one, with remarkable cohesion and skill among the musicians.
Had never heard of this before, but was pleasantly surprised by it. The topics run the gamut from social to racial to economic. Musically, not the most interesting, but not bad either.
One of the best albums of the '90s.
Great live album. Awesome vocals, guitar solos, etc. Some of the songs drag on a it, and I'm not sure I need another 9 minute drum solo (besides Bonzo's in "Moby Dick"). But still an excellent showcase of a talented and influential band and the magic they could create in person together. Would've loved to have attended one of these shows.
Couldn't listen to the whole thing on Spotify, but yeah c'mon, 5/5. Amazing harmonies. Catchy. Classic.
Couldn't finish it. Too repetitive, over-the-top, show-tunesy, musaque-sounding. Kind of an '80s throwback feel, but then I'd rather just listen to classic '80s pop. 2 stars just because it's well produced and mostly inoffensive.
To me, The Smiths are a bit like U2: there's nothing technically wrong with their music; I just don't dig it, apart from a few songs. Maybe both bands just take their music too seriously. Not sure. Either way, it's a perfectly middleground 3/5.
Pure, classic rock & roll and punk music here, mixed with some Randy Newman-style singing. Catchy songs. Witty lyrics. I can spin this any time.
Fun little album. Hadn't heard them apart from "Get Together". Nice music to have on in the background. A mix of rock, blues, jazz. Some of it sounds a bit too elevator music. I ended up also listening to their second album, which features "Get Together", and I think I like that one a bit more than this one.
Fun album that I discovered many years ago, but hadn't listened to in a while. Punk before there was punk.
First time listening to an entire Devo album, and it was much better than I'd expected. This is their debut album, so although it still feels very out-of-this-world wacky geeky, there's still quite a bit of rock (guitars etc.) going on. Pretty good stuff. Certainly a fun album that I'll return to. (I'll be skipping "Jocko Homo" though...very annoying.)
The voice of soul. What more is there to say.
The only thing keeping this from being 1/5 is the incredible backup singer belting out those notes. Otherwise, this ain't for me.
I really liked one song ("Stoned Soul Picnic", and it really is a banger/earworm), but the rest I just couldn't get into. As other reviewers note, her voice is all over the place, and the songs are too jazzy/schmalzy/show-tunes-y.
No longer on Spotify, so I didn't listen yesterday, but I've listened to it countless times over the years. Fantastic record start to finish.
I grew up being weirded out by this guy and by the kids who liked him. Listening to it now, it's just kinda meh. A bit embarrassing actually. Shock rock that takes itself too seriously, and is actually way more polished/commercial-sounding than I remember. Would much rather just listen to Alice Cooper. Or NIN. Or Ozzy. Still, 2 stars because "The Beautiful People" has a good beat, and because this album landed like a grenade back in 1996.
Important album. Powerful voice. But not the kind of thing I'll just throw on for fun.
And I thought Captain Beefheart was weird. Wow. And according to AllMusic, compared to their other albums, this is "probably the least experimental of the bunch". Still, I'm glad I listened to (some of) it. Many of the songs, like "Laughing Song", remind me of Les Claypool quite a bit. Interesting to see that Primus, Mr. Bungle, etc. didn't actually invent the circus-freak-music wheel. 2/5 for novelty, but probably will never listen to this group again.
One of my absolute favorite albums of all time. Just incredible start to finish. David Gilmour's guitar on Shine on You Crazy Diamond are emotional and moving. Not fast or flashy, but he makes that guitar sing.
Fun album! Great stories, catchy tunes, velvety voice. "Big Iron" is my jam.
As someone who generally loves '60s-'70s jam band rock, but had never listened to Quicksilver Messenger Service before, I was pretty excited to listen to this album, and I was all ready to contradict all the other bad reviews. But... they're right. This album is just kinda meh. Kinda boring. It just drags on. Some interesting guitar here and there, but not much else. Maybe I just don't like acid rock? Would much rather the Allman Brothers or Grateful Dead for extended jam tracks.
Try as I might, I just can't *love* the Foo Fighters, despite loving Dave Grohl as a person and as a drummer. Their music has always been just... meh. Predictable chord progressions, time signatures, etc. Too pop, I guess, or stadium rock. Anyway, 3/5 for the fact that Dave recorded this whole thing on his own, and there are a few decent, memorable songs on here.
Can't be less than 5/5, even if there are (even) better Beatles albums.
Some good beats here, chill music, nice mix of jazz/funk/rock, and even the guitar solo on "I Can't Get with That" is solid. Honestly I'd be down for a totally instrumental album like this. But the lyrics/singing/rapping just don't do it for me. Still, a pretty fun album to spin. Might return to it on a hot summer day while outside grilling.
Growing up, I used to always change the station when Fleetwood Mac came on. For some reason, I just wasn't into it. (When I discovered the early blues albums, I was floored. But that's basically a different band.) The older I get, though, the more I start to like and appreciate Rumours. "Songbird" is lovely. "Never Going Back Again" is emotional (look up Lindsey Buckingham's live, solo, acoustic performance of it). But I still skip past "Go Your Own Way" and a few others.
Guitar, guitar, guitar, yeah! Noise, noise, noise. Okay! I love Dinosaur Jr. when they're on: catchy medolies, cool lyrics, crunchy guitar, etc. But not all of the songs on this album hit. They have better albums. Still, a generous 4/5, especially for "Freak Scene".
Fun album. Great mix of genres. Not quite as sustained as their other albums, but definitely a solid 4.5 / 5.
I grew up listening to Aqualung, Cross-eyed Mary, and Locomotive Breath on the radio. When I was in high school, I finally listened to the entire album — my dad's vinyl record of it. I still remember the guitar and drum entrance on "My God". I was hooked. Just a fantastically fun album from start to finish. Rock, prog, blues, folk. It's got it all. I spent years listening to Jethro Tull's discography after that, but nothing really matches Aqualung.
Music from my childhood. Where it all started.
Funky, cool, easy. Great music here.
This was a bit of a strange/interesting album. I either loved it or hated it, but can't decide. Definitely needs another listen. The musicianship, arrangements, etc. all sounded... pretty good? Easy, interesting listening. But the singing, I'm not so sure. Could be one of those things that grows on you after repeated listens. Or not! 2.5 / 5.
Didn't listen because Neil's not on Spotify anymore, but this is one of my favorite albums. 10 / 5.
Fun, influential album. Some of the songs are a bit samey, and the musicianship leaves something to be desired, but this album is the blueprint for generations of punk rockers thereafter.
Such a fun album. Growing up in New Orleans, in an Italian-American famiy, I heard this kind of music a lot. Brings back memories of my grandfather spinning his old records and dancing around the living room. 10 / 5!
I didn't think I'd ever heard (of) this band, but in fact several of the songs are very familiar, probably because they were played nonstop in 2007. Not exactly my kind of music, but surprisingly catchy and inoffensive pop.
I listened to this album so many times in high school and college that, even after not listening to it for at least 10 years, I was able to hum and sing along to every song. Great album. Satirical lyrics aside, Zappa was an excellent musical craftsman. These are really more like musical vignettes, but there's so much here in terms of melody, harmony, and instrumentation, mixing doo-wop with rock and jazz and everything in between. Excellent blast from the past.
Some legendary songs on here: "Tiny Dancer", "Levon", "Razor Face", and the eponymous title track. The end kind of drags down a bit, and is a bit too over the top and/or repetitive for me ("All the Nasties"), but there's not a bad song on here. (By the way, I think Blind Melon took some cues from "Holiday Inn".) Giving this a 4/5 (really 4.4999), since Elton John has (even) better records. For anyone else this would've been an easy 5/5.
I've heard Chicago on the radio all my life, but never listened to an album until this one. Wow. I didn't realize they were so jam-band-y (back then, at least). On the one hand, kinda cool, kinda interesting. On the other hand, this album really meanders, and not always in a good way. The worst is definitely "Free Form Guitar". I'm certaintly not against jams and freakouts, but if this album had been reigned in and made even a little bit leaner, it'd be so much better. Still, it's a good listen. Solid 3/5. Good to spin on a Saturday morning, but next time I'll skip the guitar screeching.
I kind of like the bass beats, but this music is very repetitive. Not sure I like the horn section either.
This classic album has some great songs, and some mediocre songs. It should probably be 4/5, but the Roger's scream at the end of "We Won't Get Fooled Again" is worth a whole star on its own.
Such a classic album. It traces the path from Television to the Pixies, and so much else in between and beyond.
Classic album with a classic story behind it. Exquisite music to put on any time.
Lovely little album. Would've loved to witness the recording in the church. Not appropriate for all occasions, because it really is quite slow, not very dynamic, but with the right mood it's wonderful.
I never realized how much I hate Supertramp. I mean, I always either begrudgingly tolerate their one or two songs on the radio, or switch the station, but this is the first time I've listened to an entire album of Supertramp, and... wow, no thanks. This is not prog-rock. This is repetitive, predictable, boring drivel with saxaphones and terrible backup singing. It's like they were trying to marry The Who, Elton John, and Pink Floyd and ended up with the worst high school band ever. The Who rocks. Elton John has incredible melody (and also rocks). The Floyd are creative and unpredictable. Supertramp is not any of that. And now I have goddamn Bloody Well Right stuck in my head.
I'm impressed! I hadn't heard of this band or album before, but it's great. Nice mix of pop, soul, jazz, rock. Atmospheric. Soothing. In fact, it made me go listen to their follow-up album, "Free the Bees". The only reason I'm giving this 4/5 is that "Free the Bees" is even better. More soul, more rock. Nice find — thanks, 1001 albums!
What else to say? Cecilia, The Boxer, The Only Living Boy in New York. Wonderful songs here. (I'm not even a big fan of the title track, but probably only because we've all heard it a million times.)
Unremarkable early 2000s UK dance-type rock. Repetitive. Very meh. At least it was short.
Somehow this actually started off better than that other horrible Bee Gees album I reviewed ("Odessa"), even despite the horrible singing, but after track 1, it became the same over-the-top, self-absorbed, Beatles-meets-Floyd high school band karaoke.
Wow. Each song even worse than the last. This is not music; it's construction work at 5 in the morning. The first "album" that I wish I could rate with 0 stars.
Every song a banger. The best is "YYZ" (pronounced "why why zed", of course).
Fun album from Pixies singer Frank Black (Black Francis). Not as iconic as his Pixies tunes, but definitely interesting and catchy. Worth a spin.
One of best albums of the '90s, nay of all time.
Listened to the first few songs... this is just not for me. Not much going on here.
Love me some chill old school instrumental music. That first song is iconic. The covers can sound a little samey, but overall this is a pleasant album that'll lift your spirits.
I didn't grow up listening to The Cure, but this is the second album on the list (after "Disintegration"), and I'm here for it. Well produced, moody, sometimes even catchy. Good stuff.
I'd never intentionally listened to Belle & Sebastian before, and always thought/assumed their music was very wispy/folky. I was suprised to hear that, in fact, they use a full range of instruments. Pretty pleasant stuff. Nothing really stands out as being super memorable or catchy, but maybe more listens are required.
Never heard of this band before, but Morricone-meets-mariachi-indie-rock sounds about right. Cool stuff!
I couldn't get past the third song. No thanks.
I didn't discover the Pretenders till later in life. Wish I had sooner. Punkish, new wavey, catchy, hard-rocking. Great stuff.
Every song sounds the same: generic. 2 stars instead of 1 because the production is alright and there are a couple decent guitar solos. Otherwise, quite boring stuff that I'd expect to hear at a cheap, sleezy rock bar.
Some catchy beats and lines. I like the minimalism. Impressive wordplay. But also very juvenile and disturbing. A bit weird to listen to in my late 30s.
Hadn't heard of Ramblin' Jack before, but this is very nice, inoffensive music. He doesn't rise to the same level as Woody Guthrie and others, but he's very talented. Would've loved to see this live.
Wow, I'd never heard of Miriam Makeba, but this is really great stuff. Nice mix of '60s jazz and traditional African music. Some very catchy tunes on here. My favorites are "The Click Song" and "Iya Guduza".
Fun, catchy Britpop music from a mostly female band. I somehow knew "Connection", probably because it's on some Spotify playlists. The rest of the album is good, too. A quick, fun record to spin.
This is... just not my style of music. I can appreciate some of the Brazilian influnces (in drumming, for example) that sneak in here and there, but otherwise this is not an album I'd want to listen to. It's an unfair criticism given the genre, but it's just too screamy for me. And without the melodicism of (e.g.) System of a Down.
Not for me. As a late 30s dude, I can't exactly relate to the "Let me sit this ass on you ... Ooh, my shit's so good" lyrics.
One of my favorites. Melodic, catchy, punkish/glammy/alternative in its lyrical content. Well produced (thanks, Bowie). All around great album.
Till now, the only Beefheart album I'd ever listened to was "Trout Mask Replica", and like most, I always found it intriguing but inaccessible and impenetrable, no matter how many times I subjected myself to it.
This album, though, is solid. Actual tunes, great bluesy vocals with a hefty dose of soul, and some excellent guitar riffs. I'll becoming back to this one.
Some excellent swamp rock here, including a few real classics. Kinda drags a little towards the end (and the cover of Good Golly Miss Molly is just alright), but still solid 4/5.
You had me at electric banjo.
Proto-punk before proto-punk even existed, let alone punk. Throbbing, primal drum beats, jangly electric guitar (and banjo), thick bass lines, political lyrics... but also fun and wacky, with some klezmer(??) / carnival influence, as well as '60s doo wop. Very weird, in a good way. Gives the Mothers of Invention a run for their money.
Rock & roll. Still holds up. One of my favorites. It's difficult, and sad, to imagine what Buddy Holly could've accomplished if his life hadn't been cut short.
Brings me back to my moody teenage years. Some of AiC's best songs are on this album. Dark, moody, angsty. At this stage in my life, though, 57 straight minutes of that is a bit much. 4/5!
This kind of monotonous arena rock is not really my thing. Kinda catchy, but also, every song feels like the background music to a guy in a romcom going back to get the girl.
That being said, listening to this album made me look the band up and even listen to their earliest albums, which groove way harder, like a mix of CCR, Dylan, and the Allman Brothers. Good stuff! Shame they shifted into U2 - Coldplay territory.
2.5/5 ... I'll round up.
One of those albums I just couldn't finish. Raunchy lyrics combined with disco pop-rock and a thick Cockney accent. Certainly wins on novelty, but just doesn't work for me. Feels like a bad karaoke night where you just want to go home to bed but your friends won't let you leave. The rhythm section is pretty tight though, to be fair.
Probably my favorite Velvet Underground album. Classic.
Fun album. Catchy. Blurs the lines between punk and new wave.
When I first read "Tango", I immediately imagined the dance, or the music to the dance, but this is so much more, and so much different. It's really a type of classical music. Super dynamic — at times energetic, at times sweet and delicate. I'll need to listen to this at least a dozen more times to truly absorb the details. Excellent discovery.
Apparently, repetition & sampling is not my preferred genre. Kinda relaxing...I could maybe put this on while working...but not very enjoyable to listen to in any engaged way.
The reviews of this album/Steely Dan are hilarious.
The second Rod Stewart album on this list for me, and another 2/5 (though this one is maybe a half star better than Gasoline Alley). Yeah his raspy voice is great, but this music is just bland blues rock. If you want Stewart's voice backed up with some amazing music, go listen to Truth by Jeff Beck. Hopefully that's on this list at some point.
I probably need to listen to this a few more times. It has interesting parts and all the make-up of a good and different record, but it's weird at times. "Gut of the Quantifier" (love the title) has a good groove (reminiscent of the Doors' "The Changeling") but weird lyrics/vocals. A bit artsy, I guess, or maybe just purposefully inscrutable. Will come back to this.
Fun album. Strong beats. A little adolescent at times, but aren't we all?
I never got into this when it came out and I was a year into high school. I was still absorbed in Tool, RATM, etc., maybe SOAD. Linkin Park always sounded too polished and poppy for me, and Bennington's screaming never appealed to me. Years later, and in the wake of his death by suicide, I can at least appreciate the album more, as a kind of confessional of his (which, despite the plain-as-day, simple lyrics, I never really grasped at 14). Even still, not for me.
Having only ever heard "The Killing Moon" before, this album was... a surprise. First off, nothing on here is as good as "The Killing Moon", which is nearly perfect in terms of mood, catchiness, vocal range, etc. (I say "nearly" because I could do without the vocals at the end of the song, which star to veer into karaoke territory and our beyond the vocalist's range.)
As for the rest of the album, it starts off sounding like Neil Diamond and then goes into weird Jim Morrison territory. Very bizarre.
Not the worst album, but not at all what I was expecting.
Such a fun and dynamic album. I must've listened to this on CD a thousand times. Great mix of funk, rock, rap, etc. I never quite got the hate that Keidis gets. His singing isn't that bad (even if he can't compare to Mike Patton), and he doesn't sound off key to me. Of course, he's strongest when he's doing a funk-rap combo. Then, of course, there's Flea, John, and Chad, a pretty unbeatable rhythm section. Some people also complain that the album is too long, but to me all the songs are sufficiently different and good that it's not a problem.
I'd drop a half star just on the lyrical content, which is as juvenile today as it ever was. But... it's literally in the title, so I can't complain too much.
One of my favorite albums, and one of the best debut albums of all time. Plays like a greatest hits. Always puts me in a good mood.
Favorite songs: all of them except "I'm in Touch with Your World", which isn't that bad and is an okay mid-album filler song.
Actual favorite song: "Moving in Stereo" for those bass lines.
Not my favorite Sabbath album, but still a classic. Heavy, catchy in parts, dynamic. Gotta skip "Changes" though.
Not my favorite REM album, but there's some good stuff here, and it's clear how influential they were on bands to come. "California" sounds like early inspiration for Tool, without the crazy time signature changes.
This album started the Bossa Nova craze in America. Fun record. Light. Soothing.
Please no.
The songs that have some semblance of decency have been so overplayed that I can't help but run for the hills when I hear the first note.
The rest are just bad.
And not all hair metal is bad. Give me Def Leppard over Bon Jovi any day of the week.
1 star for the accent, and 1 star for "That's Not Me" (admittedly catchy). Otherwise, this genre (grime) ain't for me. Sounds repetitive, and the lyrics are bleh.
TIL: The Verve and The Verve Pipe are two different bands. Just kidding.
I prefer Oasis.
Classic Americana. RIP Robbie Robertson.
Wow, this album is all over the place. First impression of the first few seconds: Beach Boys? Wait, saxaphone? Billy Joel?! Then it moved into glam/punk territory à la T. Rex and Television, then straight-up rock & roll, complete with soaring guitar solos. Not the hugest fan of the vocals, but this is great stuff.
If you want to hear mbaqanga, just listen to the real stuff. Miriam Makeba is even on this list.
Pretty boring and irritating beyond the one hit, "Clint Eastwood", which is catchy but also irritating from the number of times I was subjected to it in high school. I had to turn the album off at "Sound Check (Gravity)" because of the dude's weird voice.
First song, "Buffalo Stance", is kind of a banger. The rest, not so much. Interesting time capsule, though.
I'm surprised by the number of 4 and 5 ratings on this album. I just can't get into it, and I don't *not* like '80s music. But even the single here, "Life's What You Make It", is just repetitive and boring.
For some reason, I never got into Slipknot as a kid, even though I listened to a fair bit of nu metal etc. The best part is the drumming. The rest, I could take it or leave it. Reminds me of a not-as-interesting version of Snot, actually, with some SOAD thrown in here and there.
One of my favorite albums of all time. 5 stars just for side (track) 1 alone. Side 2 is good too, and lighter, but I'll often just listen to the first song and call it a day.
I lasted about 27 seconds.
No thanks. If Sex Pistols were sniveling in a good way, this is sniveling in a bad way.
Iconic album, but doesn't really hit the same way that some of his other music, especially the live version of "No Woman No Cry", does. Feels a bit thin at times.
This is okay music. Good voice, good groove. Basically a late '80s amalgam of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson, but not as good or innovative, which is why it's just okay. "Wishing Well" is catchy, though.
Update: Just started listening again, and it's catchier the second time around. Hmm. Maybe this is worth revisiting. 3.5 stars.
I'd never listened to Love before, but I knew "Seven and Seven Is" from Rush's album "Feedback". Pretty cool pre-punk song, and the rest of the album is a nice mix of rock, jazz, soul, and pop. I read they influenced the Doors, and that's quite apparent.
Iconic. Minus a half star for the stupid sped-up ending of "War Pigs" that I've always hated, nearly ruining an otherwise perfect song. But that still rounds up to a 5 star album.
Punk? Pop? Punk/pop? Who cares — that's a lame debate. This is good, fun music. The stuff I grew up with.
This is a fun album. "School's Out" is a classic you've heard a million times, but the rest of the album mixes in jazz, show tunes, and more. Good stuff.
Juvenile (teen love) lyrics aside, this is a fun album. Basically '60s bubblegum teen rock meets punk/new wave, with a splash of Beatles and Clash/Buzzcocks here and there. A very easy and enjoyable listen.
I don't really "understand" jazz. This album isn't catchy. It isn't memorable. I couldn't even hum a bar of it. And yet, it's great. You can listen intently, concentrating on each instrument, or you can put it on as background music. Wonderful stuff either way.
Now this is what I signed up for. I'd only known Herbie Hancock by name but never listened to his stuff. This is excellent. Funky instrumental jazz that just grooves the whole time. Experimental yet accessible. Now I need to listen to his earlier stuff.
Great album! Like an earlier, British Tracy Chapman, but with a bit more groove and funk on certain tracks.
As a kid, I always saw this record on the shelf but always chalked it up to electronic music (not my style) and never bothered to listen to it. 30 years later, and wow, this is some good stuff. Electronic, yes, but also some jazz, cabaret, classical, and more. Singer's got a good voice, too. I'll be coming back to this one.
With the "Moonage Daydream" + "Starman" one-two punch, the rest of the album could be white noise and still 5/5. Yet all the rest of the tracks are great as well. Not a single bad or even mediocre song here. There are probably better concept albums out there, but musically this is unbeatable.
Thrash/speed metal is not exactly my thing, but I can certainly appreciate the musicianship here (even though a lot of the songs all sound the same to me). What I cannot get past, however, are the vocals. Sorry, Dave. If this were an instrumental album, I'd definitely throw it on during a workout. But otherwise I probably won't be returning to this any time soon.
This album broke new ground when it came out, in terms of energy levels (Pete's power chords, John's bass solo, and of course Keith's drumming), but it's still quite derivative of the American blues and R&B they were immersed in. So, imho, not as interesting or exciting a record as, say, Tommy, Who's Next, or Quadrophenia, despite these records occasionally falling flat or being a tad too ambitious.
Meh. Influential, but didn't age well. 1 extra star just for some of the relaxed west coast beats. Would've been better as an instrumental album.
Repetitive. Couldn't finish it. Repetitive.
It's a White Stripes album. Bluesy, folksy, garagesy. Simple and repetitive, but easy on the ears. 3.5.
Not entirely my style, but the classic singles here are classic for a reason. The rest? A good bit of noodling that I could do without. I bet they were a fun band to see live though.
I discovered this album after getting "Third/Sister Lovers" as my album of the day literally one year ago. Back then I wasn't reviewing albums, only leaving ratings, and I gave that one 5 stars. But I remember really enjoying this "new" band that I had never heard of, and I devoured everything they recorded.
As good as "Third/Sister Lovers" was, "#1 Record" became my #1 favorite. I listened to it so much that it was my top listen on Spotify for the entire year. There's not a bad song on here. Imminently memorable, this is pop perfection.
Favorite song: probably "The Ballad of El Goodo". Just a perfect song. "Thirteen" is a close second.
Sinatra is a legend of course, but these songs all sound the same. The whoopee song was kinda funny though.
Leaves a bad taste in your mouth, as it turns out.
I almost want to give this album 5 stars, not because it *is* a 5-star album, but because it's so weird and unique that I don't want to forget it (hard as it is to imagine forgetting such a thing). It's like a wacky version of Television channeling future Mr. Bungle or something. I could've done without the tinnitus at the beginnig, or the glass breaking monotony towards the end, but otherwise this is a fun, challenging record.
The older I get, the more I'm too old for this. Give me Rush or give me death.
Baroque psychedelic chamber pop. Groovy. They certainly had a knack for writing grand and memorable songs.
Great album, cool concept (old Woody Guthrie lyrics put to new music), fun times!
I didn't realize that if I wanted more Big Star, I'd have to wait for an early '90s Scottish band to come around. Awesome find. It's like Gin Blossoms meets the Byrds meets Big Star. Excited to work my way through the rest of their discography.
The saxophone definitely kinda dates this — in a way that it doesn't really date Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon", for example — and yet it's still so smooth and catchy, you can't really fault it. Oh, and the guitar. And vocals. Good stuff.
Too pop, not enough (classic) country, but still decent. Nice voice.
Never should've gone electric (jk [kinda]).
