View Album
Sun Jan 07 2024
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
Great start. I love instrumental music and have been trying to listen to more hip-hop this year. Took a couple tracks to get into what was being laid down, but I especially love the chill cosmic hang-out vibes of the second half. Can definitely see myself relistening to this album.
4
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Mon Jan 08 2024
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
It’s Nick Drake, come on. Delicate, beautiful, lovely. I’ve heard most of these songs before - in other playlists or in movies or commercials - but it was wonderful to listen to them all together. In fact, I listened to it twice all the way through. The exact type of music you want to listen to on a rainy Sunday morning.
5
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Tue Jan 09 2024
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
The first album I’ve gotten that I’m already very familiar with. This was one of the first records I got when I was gifted a record player back in 2020. I listened to this a lot!
Pure pop goodness. It maybe peaks about halfway through, but the vibes are great from start to end. I love Cyndi’s voice so much. A true original. Time After Time will forever be an absolutely stunning song.
4
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Wed Jan 10 2024
Aqualung
Jethro Tull
Not my cup of tea. I like prog rock, I like folk, I don’t even mind a flute in my music, but this all just kinda sounded like brown noise. When Aqualung, a six minute song about a nonce, is your best tune, it’s not very promising.
2
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Thu Jan 11 2024
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
I wish I liked Wilco more, but ultimately this type of early 2000s dad alt-rock doesn’t do much for me.
Wilco is one of the better bands from this era, so it wasn’t like this was painful of anything, it just is kind of “there.”
I genuinely enjoyed a couple tunes, so it wasn’t a waste of time. This will just always be a genre that is confusingly popular to me!
3
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Fri Jan 12 2024
OK Computer
Radiohead
Fantastic stuff, I get it.
I’m a casual Radiohead fan. I usually like what I hear, I had a “greatest hits” CD in high school that I used to play, because even back then I knew Radiohead was an “important” band.
This was the first time I listened to this album in full though. Absolutely wonderful experience. Very much my thing. I hear so much of stuff I like in this - Bowie, Eno, Nomi, REM, McCartney, Wings, Broken Social Scene - all made into something different and new. “Lucky” is my favorite track, sounds like a Bond theme for a Bond movie that never was. Can’t wait to relisten to this album some more!
4
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Sat Jan 13 2024
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
Another album I was already very familiar with. I got big into this album over the pandemic, in all its goofy, overdramatic glory. Every track is a banger. Big, silly, stupid fun.
4
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Sun Jan 14 2024
Nowhere
Ride
Liked the noise, the vocals and lyrics were eh.
2
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Mon Jan 15 2024
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
Classic, solid disco pop. Didn’t hate it, don’t have much enthusiasm for it. Pleasant to listen to.
3
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Tue Jan 16 2024
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
I love instrumental jazz, and Charles Mingus was cool as hell, but I like my jazz a little more melodic. This was fun, and there’s great moments in it, but sometimes it just wasn’t my groove. Respect the talent and musicianship, though.
3
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Wed Jan 17 2024
Goodbye And Hello
Tim Buckley
Really trying to keep that one star for stuff I think is truly dreck, but boy oh boy did I get close to voting this one star. I found the lyrics bad, the voice cloying, just the worst kind of 60s singer-songwriter “this is deep” music. Sorry, Tim!
2
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Thu Jan 18 2024
Purple Rain
Prince
It’s Purple Fucking Rain
5
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Fri Jan 19 2024
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
I’ve heard the name of this band before but didn’t know what they would sound like - I think I expected cheesier Brit-pop, since I know there’s a lot of that on this list. What I got instead was dark, angry, hardcore punk with great melodies and vocals. Exactly my type of thing. In my head I was debating between giving this a 4 or a 5 but hell, this project is about celebrating new music and expanding your horizons, and I KNOW I’m going to listen to this album again. So five stars it is!
5
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Sat Jan 20 2024
Different Class
Pulp
I’m so glad I finally listened to this whole album! Anytime I’ve heard a Pulp song in the past I’ve dug it big time, and it turns out I dug the whole record! There’s a timeless quality to this - I had to keep reminding myself it’s from the 90s, not the 60s or 70s. It’s just this wonderful wall of sound with amazing production and cheeky lyrics. I listened to it like four times yesterday. Common People is truly an all-timer of a bop.
5
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Sun Jan 21 2024
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
There was a part of me that was thinking “Wow, I’ve been served such great albums this week - three 5 star albums in a row, I really need a stinker so I don’t seem like I just rate everything highly!!”
So when I got this I rolled my eyes and was like “yup, easy 2 or 1.”
Then I listened to it and within minutes I was like “Oh no, this kinda slaps!!!”
Reading up on the backstory and events surrounding this album, and it really makes sense. There’s this feeling of a group of friends helping their buddy through a rough time in his life. The longer songs kinda feel like jam sessions - a little aimless, investigative, angry. And then the solo tracks by Crosby are very delicate and sad. Forced to confront his emotions by himself.
Love a short album too, I listened to this three or four times yesterday because it’s only around a half hour long!
4
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Mon Jan 22 2024
(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3
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Tue Jan 23 2024
Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
Fantastic album! I knew a lot of the songs already, but the whole thing really works! I Know Billy Corgan is an asshole who actively has made the sport of pro wrestling worse, but he’s got a cool rock voice.
4
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Wed Jan 24 2024
1977
Ash
Fine. Completely inoffensive, really. Hard to get on board with the idea that this is one of the 1001 most important albums of all time. It’s like blander early Weezer. Thinking of some of the artists and albums I already know aren’t on this list, compared to…This? I listened to it once, I didn’t hate myself, I’ll probably never listen to it again.
2
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Thu Jan 25 2024
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
Funky! Not my favorite Curtis.
3
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Tarkus
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
I’ve got a soft spot for prog rock/ELP. It’s good background noise for studying and reading. Honestly the only standout track here is the first one, but it’s almost half the the length of the album, so that’s a solid two stars, another star for the best/worst album cover of all time. Legendary.
3
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
Power Rangers music
2
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Sun Jan 28 2024
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
Excuse me, there are HOW MANY Byrds albums on this list?
2
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Mon Jan 29 2024
Behaviour
Pet Shop Boys
I liked the vibes more than I was expecting to. Chill, quiet, reminded me of the XX in some parts. Incredibly modern production I thought. Sounds like it could have come out in the past five years, not in 1990. I will likely relisten to this one!
4
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
When this popped up as my next album I just sighed. Then I saw it was 73 minutes and I got angry.
I started listening and soon was like “Oh, am I going to like this album?” It was fun, funky, catchy, had some hits - Rubin’s production is extraordinary here! I was thinking this might be the IDEAL RHCP album to listen to.
Then the second half of the album came and it’s like Rubin just walked away and let them noodle around for 40 minutes. It’s their worst excesses, FOR HALF AN ALBUM. Ugh. Stop this thing at “Under the Bridge,” it’s honestly a fun, 4 star rock pop album. For subjecting me to another album of garbage after that, I’m dropping it a whole star.
3
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
It’s Surfer Fucking Rosa!
5
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Thu Feb 01 2024
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
What a delight! I’ve always liked the singles I’ve heard from this band, but truthfully, I would have never got around to listening to this album if not for this project! This was just my type of thing! I can’t even figure out what my favorite track off the album is, I loved them all! Perfect electro-pop, I wish I could be slightly drunk in 2014 dancing to these tracks at the club!
5
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
The Lord is testing me
Ok so actually I’ve been dreading getting any Frank Zappa since I know there is quite a bit on this list, and this ended up being not as bad as I expected. At least the first half. Sure, it was trolling and not as funny as Zappa thought it was, but the musicianship and melodies still worked to make actual MUSIC. Then, like most double albums, the last 20 minutes are garbage.
2
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Sat Feb 03 2024
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Best first 10 seconds of an album ever?
Here’s the thing - the album never gets as good as the opening track, but when you start with a stone-cold classic, that makes sense. And the rest isn’t bad at all, it just isn’t “Let’s Get It On.”
4
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Sun Feb 04 2024
When I Was Born For The 7th Time
Cornershop
Honestly a little surprise! There’s too much 90s Brit-pop on this list, but this had its own style. A lot of it is just funky instrumentals! Brimful of Asha is a classic. I think I remember the Fatboy Slim remix from the 90s, but it’s been like 30 years. I could definitely see myself playing this one again, or at least a few songs.
3
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Mon Feb 05 2024
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Fats is the Cat! Great voice, great vibes, a reason they’re classics!
3
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
Like many Talking Heads albums, the first listen feels a bit cold, a bit impersonal, but it’s on the subsequent listens the music reveals its raw, beautiful humanity. Once in a Lifetime is one of the great songs of my life. I transcended when I got to see Byrne himself perform it on a Broadway stage, I’ll never forget it.
4
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Follow The Leader
Korn
No!
1
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Transformer
Lou Reed
I wish I liked Lou Reed more!!
Some stone cold classics here, I love the production by Bowie!
I just, at the end of the day, plain don’t like about half the songs on this album! I find Lou Reed’s songwriting sometimes excessively cutesy with his rhymes and stuff! And his voice is nothing! Same, uninspired mumble on everything! Sometimes it works, but there’s a whole album of it! It gets boring!
At least it’s not Korn!
3
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Fri Feb 09 2024
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Cosmic horror music! Really all about the first and last tracks, but damn, ain’t they something!?
4
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Sat Feb 10 2024
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
Loved this! Obviously was somewhat aware of TCQ before this, listened to a bit of their stuff over the summer (inspired by the hip hop soundtrack to the new TMNT movie lol), but this was my first deep dive into one of their albums. This was just totally my wave length. Another review I read puts it very well - this album works in two ways: you can zone out and chill and it’s great vibe music, or you can listen intently and the depth of the lyrics and construction of the songs will reveal themselves. A new favorite for sure! And it ends with a wild Busta verse!
5
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
Boring Dadcore
2
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Exile On Main Street
The Rolling Stones
I like the Rolling Stones. This is fine. Some okay songs, none of their great stuff. Overlong. Not really my thing. If it were played for me again I wouldn't fight it, but I will likely not seek this out on my own again.
3
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Tue Feb 13 2024
London Calling
The Clash
Idk actually like 3.5. I liked it more than The Rolling Stones album from yesterday. It’s still just TOO DAMN LONG. Why is a punk album over an hour and has 20 tracks? I can cut this down to nine or ten great tracks and this is an easy 4.
You can hear ska coming from this sound, and I liked that.
3
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
Love Peter Gabriel, love this album!
4
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Thu Feb 15 2024
Goo
Sonic Youth
Took a couple listens to get it, but I did.
4
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Hysteria
Def Leppard
3.5. It’s cheesy and big and loud and stupid, but it’s kind of the platonic ideal of pop metal. The production is so crisp, the lyrics are fun and easy to sing along to, the hooks are unreal. I have a lot of great memories of listening to Def Leppard with my dad when I was younger. Sometimes you just gotta turn your brain off and enjoy the tunes.
3
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
2.5. Idk, fake punk that’s super samey and shallow and now the lead singer is a conservative twat. How lame. Important at the time and I’m not gonna pretend there’s not a couple fun songs, but not really into it.
2
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
Absolutely beautiful voice, didn’t get much else out of it
3
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Mon Feb 19 2024
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
A masterpiece. An album I return to at least once a year. Always gives me something new to hear.
5
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Tue Feb 20 2024
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
“Sir, the ‘It Slaps’ meter is off the charts!”
4
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Fear Of A Black Planet
Public Enemy
3.5
I enjoy the content, but I really don’t like Chuck D’s tone/rappint style, I’m sorry. Flava Flav of course is perfect.
3
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Thu Feb 22 2024
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
Robot Rock
4
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
Like an audio party! Which feels like what she’s going for! I like that she also acknowledges that hip hop has gone through some major losses prior to the release of this album and wants to respect that, but also wants everyone to have a good time. All the features keep the variety up. This was a very fun listen!
4
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Sat Feb 24 2024
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
Two Kendrick albums in one week! And they’re both masterpieces! This is so fucking good. Every song while it’s playing, I’m thinking “this is my fave,” and then the next one comes on. Incredible!
5
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Sun Feb 25 2024
They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Liars
Garbage. Not even a famous or influential album or band? What the heck is this? Is someone in the band friends with the people who made the list? I like noise, this isn’t even good noise! The best part of the album is the song titles.
1
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Mon Feb 26 2024
The Score
Fugees
The coolest
4
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
I thought I was going to be such a little contrarian and not like the Bob Dylan albums but lol no this is incredible. Can’t wait to listen to it again and again.
5
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Wed Feb 28 2024
In Utero
Nirvana
3.5! Not my favorite Nirvana, but there’s great stuff here. Reminds me of riding in my dad’s car to school in the 90s!
3
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Thu Feb 29 2024
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
The people were right! Kids shouldn’t be allowed to listen to this!
That being said, and with the caveat that YES it’s sexist and homophobic and crude and vile - this rocks. I have never been an Eminem fan, never actually sat down with his music other than the hits, and while I think his albums eventually move away from this style - this is horrorcore! And I love horrorcore rap!
4
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Club Classics Vol. One
Soul II Soul
Not devoid of charms, but mostly bland. Really shows its age. Could only be from 92-95.
2
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Sat Mar 02 2024
Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3.5! I like the sonic sound of CSNY, might have hit a bit harder if I hadn’t gotten the Crosby solo album already.
3
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Sun Mar 03 2024
Gris Gris
Dr. John
I REALLY enjoyed this! Wasn’t sure what to think at first, but I ended up listening to it like 3 times through. Maybe more of a “mood piece” than a traditional album; it’s like listening to a haunted house. Which I love. Going in the “spooky music” canon. Should revisit this album in the Halloween season!
Also this guy is so neat he inspired a Muppet!!
4
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Mon Mar 04 2024
Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
I love Gabriel-era Genesis, but actually hadn’t listened to this entry yet! Glad I got to! Super sonically pleasing to me. Production is perfect, sounds so good. Instrumentation is stunning, his voice is enviable. Had a great time with these British weirdos!
4
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Heads up - Stevie is one of my guys and I’m likely to rate all his albums on this list VERY highly. Honestly, this should be more of a 4.5, but I do admit this is probably the “weakest” album of his classic period. Still better than 90% of other music, but judging it against his other work. I still love it and listen to it all the time.
4
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Wed Mar 06 2024
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
Almost good, but never fully got there
2
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
Fun! I listened to this a few times through and there’s some catchy tunes!
3
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Fri Mar 08 2024
Hybrid Theory
Linkin Park
I think there’s way too many 1-star reviews of this album on here! This thing isn’t high art, but it’s a great example of the merging of nu-metal and pop. There’s great production and a TON of hits on here. It’s very easy to listen to. It’s not exactly my thing, but it does feel important to me, and I understand why it’s on this list!
3
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Sat Mar 09 2024
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
Otis was probably one of the top five singers of all time. Just put on this album and let his voice wash over you. Sublime!
4
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Sun Mar 10 2024
C'est Chic
CHIC
3
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Your Arsenal
Morrissey
Four stars (sorry)
4
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Tue Mar 12 2024
1989
Taylor Swift
Y’all don’t wanna know how close I was to rating this 5 stars 😈
I’m Swifty neutral, but I think this is the moment in time where I realized she was going to be around forever. This album felt like a seismic shift, a statement, a cultural moment. Over half of the songs on this album were major hits - when does that happen anymore?!? They were inescapable, and I was blasting them on the radio just like everyone else.
I’m not invested in Swift like other people are, but I truly believe this is a pop masterpiece. It was a delight to listen to, and I listened to it like three times yesterday.
4
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Wed Mar 13 2024
Let It Be
The Replacements
I’ve listened to this album before and enjoyed it, but listening to it in this time in this context, it really hit me like a sack of bricks. In a good way. The Replacements really had all the ingredients, didn’t they? Too bad.
5
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Blackstar
David Bowie
Man I remember when this came out. Bowie and I share a birthday, and it was so exciting for one of my favorites to release his new album on our birthday! And then it was so good! Everyone was playing it through that weekend, and going l
“Wow, amazing work….hmm seems to kinda be about him dying though.” And then he was gone two days later. Two days. He gave us just enough time to realize what the album was about. And then he left. I can’t imagine what it is like to record an album about your death. But that was just Bowie. And it’s one of his best. Literally releasing vital, amazing work until hours before his passing. That was Bowie.
4
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Either Or
Elliott Smith
3.5 - sonically pleasant and pleasingly sad, woulda meant more to me if I had listened to it in my youth. Some absolutely stunning songs, sometimes gets a bit same-y.
3
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
3.5! Funky Bowie is not my favorite version of Bowie, but it’s still better than most music! Also, two Bowie albums in one week! Wow!
3
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Sun Mar 17 2024
The Doors
The Doors
I fucking hate The Doors.
1
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Mon Mar 18 2024
...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
2.5. Inoffensive, bland, okay, overlong, likely won’t listen to this again. It’s fine. I’m surprised to learn it’s from 1996 since to me it has a very early 2000s rock sound. Probably influential. Probably why it’s on this list. Good for them.
2
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Debut
Björk
4.5
This is my first time actually listening to Bjork and what an experience. Complex, but fun to listen to. I finally understand what the kids mean when they say “mother is mothering.”
4
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Blue
Joni Mitchell
Astounded by this. I’ve never really listened to Joni Mitchell before, and the instant this started I was so taken by her voice and the melodies and the words. What a wonderful surprise this was!
4
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
One or two good songs, I do not feel like I needed to hear this before I die. Why was this on the list?
2
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Not a hater on the Zepp, but they were not my thing as a teen, which feels like it makes a difference. I like a lot of their hits, and tbh, “Immigrant Song” might be one of the best album openers ever. Just goes so incredibly hard. They lose me some when they indulge in their bluesy Americana thing, which this album has a lot of. Don’t begrudge anyone who love this stuff, it’s just not my cuppa tea.
3
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Sat Mar 23 2024
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
Pleasant but hollow. It hits one note well, but that one note is the only note for the whole album. Halfway through I wanted to turn it out and listen to the more popular Mumford and Sons album or the catchier Local Natives first album with more interesting harmonies. That being said, it sure sounds like 2009 to me, which brings with it a certain amount of nostalgia. I surely listened to “White Winter Hymnal” approximately 1,000 times my first year of college.
2
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Slightly more listenable than the other doors album I got this week. Maybe it’s actually a blessing to get their shit out of way this early in the project.
1
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
God saw that I was thankful that I had gotten listening to The Doors albums out of the way and said “hold my beer.”
1
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve had some AWFUL albums this week, but I found this perfectly acceptable. Pleasant, even. Not the sort of thing that’s gonna set my world on fire, but fun, well-made and well-produced Americana rock. I like the guy’s voice, and it doesn’t overstay its welcome. I remember some of these songs being in heavy rotation on my dad’s radio growing up.
3
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Wed Mar 27 2024
Blunderbuss
Jack White
Wasn’t sure what to think of it at first but after a couple listens (god bless short albums), it really started to click with. Like the bastard child of Zep and McCartney.
4
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Thu Mar 28 2024
The Who Sell Out
The Who
I love The Who, but I respect this one more than I love it. I get the criticism of vapid commercialism p quickly, and then it’s kinda the only note it hits (other than the fantastic songs). “I Can See For Miles” is one of my fave tunes of all time.
3
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Pretenders
Pretenders
I’m sorry; I hate Chrissie Hyndes’s voice so much.
2
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Disraeli Gears
Cream
Boring old person music
2
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
About as perfect as pop gets! I listened to this album on vinyl so much during the pandemic!
5
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
I like it! Not my fave or anything, but I’ve discovered through this project that this is the type of old people rock I enjoy!!
3
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Tue Apr 02 2024
Mothership Connection
Parliament
A ton of fun! I could do without the five minute fart song, tho!
3
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
Well…at least it was short…
2
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Forever Changes
Love
2.5
Glad to see some Love representation on this list. An underrated band of this era for sure, and they wrote one of my fave songs ever (not on this album tho). I’ve heard Alone Again Or covered by other bands, I didn’t know it was by them! This album starts really strongly but I get bored in the later half. I don’t think this is their strongest showing, but also, a lot of bands simply weren’t thinking about making cohesive albums at this point. I like Love, though!
2
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Fri Apr 05 2024
It's Too Late to Stop Now
Van Morrison
Oh it’s fine. Van Morrison is an idiot but there’s worse music to have to listen to. If your grandparents put this on, you’ll live. His voice is nice and the songs are pleasant. The recording is really well done and sounds great for a live album. I don’t think they should let live albums be on this list though! I’ll say the final two tracks both being ten minutes long started to test my patience!
3
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Tommy
The Who
Love this album! One of the first albums I can remember being obsessed with! I was in a production of Tommy back in 11th grade and I basically ate, drank, and slept The Who for like 3 months straight. I have so many great memories of relistening to this album over and over and over. Fundamental to me!
4
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Sun Apr 07 2024
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
3.5
Idk I thought this was fun! The Gift is a hoot and I didn’t mind the 20-minute song about a blowjob
3
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Hotel California
Eagles
2.5
Okay I know we all hate the Eagles but this is generally fine. I woulda rated it 3 but the last song is overlong and sounds like something you’d sing at church camp
2
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
A pleasant mix of Simon and Springsteen. Too long.
3
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Wed Apr 10 2024
World Clique
Deee-Lite
What a fun time! This band should have had a cartoon!
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
A pleasant listen!
3
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
2.5
I like Neil, but this isn’t my favorite. At least his stuff is back on Spotify which makes it easy to listen to him
2
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
3.5
Better than the last Stones album I listened to for this project, more solid classics.
Wild Horses always gets me in the feels.
I like the Stones just fine, probably more than many, I just don’t think they’re ever gonna touch me super deeply
3
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
I’ve had a few weeks of really mediocre albums and I was not super excited when I got this yesterday morning but it ended up being really fun. It might not actually be 4 stars but it’s definitely 4 stars in my current journey through this list!
4
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Mon Apr 15 2024
With The Beatles
Beatles
3.5
I was just thinking a few days ago that I was almost 100 days into this project and had yet to have a Beatles album and somehow, lo and behold, the next day I got one! One of the least essential Beatles albums, tbf, but a Beatles album nonetheless. Listen - I love the Beatles, probably most of their other albums are going to get 5 stars, and even this isn’t bad per se. It can’t be, with the lovely lads from Liverpool singing and playing. It’s just, other than the iconic cover, what does this really have going for it? A couple classic songs up front, then most of the rest of the album is (good) covers! It’s not the most exciting or necessary work from them. But it’s the Beatles, and there’s some classic tunes on it, so it’s still getting above 3 stars from me.
3
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Tue Apr 16 2024
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
I was starting to get tired of this challenge, thinking I was getting burnt out, because for two weeks almost all my scores were 2s or 3s….and then this came up, and within a couple seconds I realized, no, all that was really mediocre music. Because this was INCREDIBLE.
Always enjoyed Monae as an iconic figure, the look, the music videos, the acting. Shamefully never listened to this in whole, even though I’ve had 15 years to do so (Jesus Christ where does the time go). WOW. Every song is a lovely delight, I never knew exactly where it was going, and they’re all so singular. I cannot wait to listen to this over and over again!
5
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Sulk
The Associates
Please stop the music!
1
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Vivid
Living Colour
Cult of Personality is a bop, and they’re probably doing just fine off that huge hit, but it’s hard not to think Living Colour deserves more. They go so hard, they’re so funky, they could have been, should have been, the biggest band in the world.
4
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
3.5
Ultimate “chilling with the boys on the deck” vibes
3
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Ramones
Ramones
Music at its rawest, purest form. Love it.
4
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Sun Apr 21 2024
Disintegration
The Cure
One of my favorite albums of all time! So pleased that I got to listen to it yesterday!
5
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
What is this band even about? Like yeah, they can play their instruments and sing technically well, but these songs lack any…depth or sincerity? Are they jazz? Are they rock? Are they soul? Because they lack any soul or funk to make that work. And then they have a 7 minute experimental fuzz song right in the middle of the album? This is a band in search of a reason to be a band….also every song is TOO LONG holy shit!
2
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Tue Apr 23 2024
Dummy
Portishead
Wow. I was not expecting this. For some reason I thought Portishead was, like….industrial metal? But it’s just this incredible vibey electric trip-hop with angelic vocals and atmospheric lyrics?!? Absolutely one of my favorite discoveries so far!
5
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Wed Apr 24 2024
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
Another surprise I really enjoyed! The ratings are kinda low on this but it clicked with me! Early Beck mixed with Ram-era McCartney!
4
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Thu Apr 25 2024
A Northern Soul
The Verve
Fine. Like a lot of records in the CD era, indulgently long for no reason, so it starts and ends strong, but there’s a lot of nonsense in the middle
3
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
A fun surprise! Punky, mean, cheeky. Had never heard of this band (except maybe I’ve heard “Peaches” before) and really enjoyed listening to them!
4
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Sat Apr 27 2024
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Selling drugs has never sounded so cool
4
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Sun Apr 28 2024
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
Stronger first half than second, but I’m learning I love Bjork and that makes up for it
4
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Mon Apr 29 2024
Something Else By The Kinks
The Kinks
A really fun listen! Beatles-esque but not a heartless rip-off of them. Each song had its own unique feeling, super catchy and hooky! Smiles to this album!
4
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Tue Apr 30 2024
All Directions
The Temptations
Fun to hear the Temptations get weird with it, but not exactly my thing.
3
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Wed May 01 2024
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
Worthless. I will never listen to this again, and there’s no reason for this to be on this list. Unnecessary to a serious degree. I’m only rating it two because it is music.
2
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Thu May 02 2024
Phrenology
The Roots
3.5
A very well-made album that I just didn’t connect with deeply, it doesn’t feel cohesive as an album to me too, they’re just doing a lot of stuff on every track, even though they’re all well-made. A certain amount of corniness because they’re The Roots, but I’ll accept it
3
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Fri May 03 2024
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
3.5
I had no idea there was an Iron Maiden before Bruce Dickinson, so imagine my surprise when I turned this on and heard a voice that was definitely not his!! I kinda dig this version of IM! Grimier, punkier! I especially really love the first three songs on this album! But overall I really enjoyed listening to this!
3
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Sat May 04 2024
The White Album
Beatles
Sorry, I’m a Beatles boy. This is probably one of the albums I’ve listened to most in my life. I had it on CD in high school and would play it all the time! I didn’t even need to download this one on Spotify yesterday, it was already downloaded!!! Has been for years!!! I love the Beatles!!!
5
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Sun May 05 2024
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
I really do respect Public Enemy as historically significant, and it’s not like their music is BAD…it’s just really not for me. I do not like Chuck D’s flow and voice. This is a me problem I know!
3
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Mon May 06 2024
16 Lovers Lane
The Go-Betweens
What a delightful surprise to see this album pop up on the list! I discovered this band a year and some change ago through Spotify playlists - they’re not the most famous band ever- and really vibed with their first few albums! Sort of like a positive version of The Smiths!!
4
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Tue May 07 2024
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
ELO is definitely one of my favorite “classic rock” bands. This is still way too long and has some fat that could be trimmed! Still, I love their arrangements and sonic quality. I’m on their weird wavelength!
3.5
3
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Wed May 08 2024
Stankonia
OutKast
There were 4-5 years there where OutKast were truly the biggest band in the world. What a great time to be alive. There’s way too many skits on this album but it’s also got some of my favorite songs of all time, so, four stars!!!
4
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Thu May 09 2024
Spiderland
Slint
One night in 2016 shortly after a bad breakup, I got really drunk, taught myself a couple chords on my guitar, and recorded what I called “automusic,” where I just made up the lyrics as I strummed over a couple notes. I didn’t care about tone, or wrong notes, or the song composition. Just raw emotion on the tracks. That is what this album sounds like, but this was professionally recorded.
1
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Fri May 10 2024
Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals
2.5
Already sick of these obscure Brit-pop bands that all sound like worse versions of better bands (in this case, Pulp). At least this one had some nice choruses and harmonies.
2
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Sat May 11 2024
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
There was like a month in 2021 where I only listened to this album. And there was like a week of that month where I only listened to “Jet” on repeat. I love this album! I love Paul McCartney!
5
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Sun May 12 2024
Synchronicity
The Police
3.5
Honestly not that bad. Has a lot of nice pop hits, but “Mother” is literally one of the worst songs I’ve heard in my life so taking off a lot for that!!
3
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Mon May 13 2024
Parklife
Blur
3
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Tue May 14 2024
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
It feels wild to give a live album five stars but there’s just…something about this one. They sound perfect. Kurt’s voice is flawless, Dave and Krist and the guest musicians just float. Not a single note is wrong or placed incorrectly. Kurt keeps saying he’s going to lose his voice or he’s going to have to change keys between songs, and then he just nails it exactly like he’s supposed to. It’s hearing greatness. An amazing band at their absolute peak, in full control of their abilities. It honestly takes my breath away at points, And they don’t even play “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
5
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Wed May 15 2024
Dig Your Own Hole
The Chemical Brothers
Interesting! Not really for me!
3
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Thu May 16 2024
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
Another techno album! Again nice, not actively my thing but I didn’t hate it. Honestly could put this on in the background while I work or workout and enjoy it enough.
3
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Fri May 17 2024
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
Diarrhea Streaks
2
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Sat May 18 2024
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
Get in, release one of the best albums of the 90s, get out (ignoring their second album as almost everyone else does)
4
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Sun May 19 2024
Like A Prayer
Madonna
4.5
Two of the greatest pop songs ever to start it off, then a fucking PRINCE duet?!? And then MORE songs that sound like PRINCE?? Incredible album.
4
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Mon May 20 2024
The Nightfly
Donald Fagen
3.5
Cheesy but I dig it. Definition of “easy listening.”
3
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Tue May 21 2024
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3.5
Ideal American rock and the perfect length for an album!
3
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Wed May 22 2024
Hot Fuss
The Killers
Like I’m gonna give less than five stars to the album with Mr. Brightside on it?
But seriously, love this one, sounds like being 13 again.
5
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Thu May 23 2024
Raw Like Sushi
Neneh Cherry
This was a wonderful surprise! Fully had never heard of this, but was a great, high-energy way to start my morning. The songs are catchy, the lyrics full of humor and fun wordplay, the music funky and the samples fun! Not to sound reductive but kinda like if Madonna were black. Points off for some…weird politics in a couple songs! But I’ll just skip those on a relisten! Most of the time just good fun! And the sister of the “Save The Night” guy, apparently!
4
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Fri May 24 2024
Basket of Light
Pentangle
Voices are nice, not really my thing
2
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Sat May 25 2024
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Buddy Holly rules so much. Just, like, 10+ perfect rock songs, none over 2:30. All so catchy and fun and deceivingly complex. Album is under 30 mins long? I listened to it twice through yesterday morning.
4
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Sun May 26 2024
Fun House
The Stooges
3
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Mon May 27 2024
Illmatic
Nas
3
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Tue May 28 2024
I Should Coco
Supergrass
3.5
Fine early 90s alt-rock. A couple fun songs.
3
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Wed May 29 2024
Shalimar
Rahul Dev Burman
3.5
Yeah this was cool! The type of album this list was made for! I would have never listened to the soundtrack for this old Bollywood film, but I did, and it was kinda neat! Bollywood mixed with 70s funk and also spaghetti westerns, kind of a little bit of everything!!
3
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Thu May 30 2024
Lost Souls
Doves
3.5
Better than some other similar albums I’ve heard recently. Weird mix. First half is more ambient experimental stuff and then the latter half is more traditional indie rock.
3
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Fri May 31 2024
The Message
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3.5
Just absolutely classic DJing and samples.
A couple awful songs in the middle (wth is Dreamin?) but worth a listen for sure.
3
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Sat Jun 01 2024
Urban Hymns
The Verve
It’s fine. Fine. Overlong, some stinkers, but it just sounds the same as the last Verve album I got, which was only like a week ago, and it’s just the same Brit pop that proliferates throughout this list. It’s fine! Why did the Verve need TWO albums on this list, when there’s amazing bands and performers I know not represented at all?!?
3
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Sun Jun 02 2024
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
I like these guys
5
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Mon Jun 03 2024
The Cars
The Cars
One of my favorite classic rock albums. Just the ideal of this era of rock. The basics hit so good!
4
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Tue Jun 04 2024
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Crazy how modern this still sounds
4
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Wed Jun 05 2024
Pornography
The Cure
3.5
3
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Thu Jun 06 2024
L'Eau Rouge
The Young Gods
That first song is such a high bar for entry lol. Absolutely one of the worst things I’ve heard while doing this project. I was close to tapping out.
Thankfully after that, it kinda grew on me. But, like, the way a toe fungi grows on you.
2
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Fri Jun 07 2024
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
Yeah, it’s one song - but to be fair, it’s a pretty good song
3
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Sat Jun 08 2024
Moondance
Van Morrison
This dumbass makes some pretty good music
4
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Sun Jun 09 2024
Scott 4
Scott Walker
This is the type of album this list is about! I have truly never ever heard of this artist before, but I ended up really liking this! Weird. But listenable. Not overlong, he has an interesting way of composing songs. A very singular voice. Operatic, dramatic, etc. I really enjoyed this! I listened to it twice!
4
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Mon Jun 10 2024
Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
Happy Mondays
I liked about half of this album!!
3
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Tue Jun 11 2024
Music From Big Pink
The Band
I think there’s a reason a lot of bands from this era’s best albums are their “best ofs”
2
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Wed Jun 12 2024
The Specials
The Specials
(Don’t) Play that funky music, white boy
2
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Thu Jun 13 2024
Sound Affects
The Jam
I enjoyed this! Light, easy, clever, good lyrics, good instrumentation! Short! I listened to it like three times!! Solid stuff.
4
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Fri Jun 14 2024
Odelay
Beck
I wish I liked Beck more, but I mostly respect him.
3
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Tue Jun 25 2024
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
3.5
Honestly a lovely way to start my Monday. I listened to it two times through. Not my favorite type of thing, but when it hits, it hits good. Warm, nostalgic, simple. Quietly massively influential. Everyone’s mom had this CD magically appear in their mini-van in 2004.
3
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Wed Jun 26 2024
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Michael Franti doing a Public Enemy impression for 45 minutes. Exhausting.
Franti seems like a smart guy and I guess I agree with most of his politics, but he’s just so….unimaginative. All his music sounds like someone else’s music - his big hit is just a soundalike of Jack Johnson/DMB, and there’s no cleverness or subtlety to his lyrics. It’s just “here’s what I think” shouted over the same beat, over 10 songs.
An intelligent guy, I’m not sure if he’s a particularly creative or innovative guy.
2
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Thu Jun 27 2024
Violent Femmes
Violent Femmes
An album that’s been there in different ways my whole life
“Blister in the Sun” was one of my favorite songs as a kid, it reminds me of driving to school with my dad in the mornings, always delighted when it happened to be played.
In middle school, talking to my best friend about how good of a song “Blister in the Sun” was.
In college, downloading tracks from this album to my first iPhone
And finally in my 30s, regularly enjoying full album listens.
It’s perfect. It’s short, folksy, punky. The hooks are incredible and the lyrics are so fun. Every song demands to be screamed along to. Cannot imagine wanting more from a rock album.
5
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Fri Jun 28 2024
Maverick A Strike
Finley Quaye
2.5
Was expecting worse from all the reviews here! Sure this dude I guess is a culture vulture but the music is fine. Way better first half than the second but I didn’t hate myself listening to this, probably won’t seek it out again though.
2
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Sat Jun 29 2024
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is a band I don’t actively listen to, but always quite enjoy their music when I do!
4
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Sun Jun 30 2024
Melodrama
Lorde
In my hyper pop-girlie era, what can I say?
4
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Mon Jul 01 2024
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
Don't get me wrong, Ryan Adams is a vile, vile piece of shit.
Unfortunately, and to my surprise, this album is right up my alley?
I actually think I've heard a lot of this album before. I think in college friends would play it in their car, because a lot of these songs are sounding vaguely familiar to me.
4
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Tue Jul 02 2024
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3.5
My appreciation for Neil continues to grow!
3
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Wed Jul 03 2024
Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
Not my thing
2
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Thu Jul 04 2024
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
Felt like I lost a ton of context because of the language difference unfortunately. Left me with okay, not great, blues music
2
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Fri Jul 05 2024
Elastica
Elastica
Strong 3
Some great songs, but ultimately a little too derivative for me to rate it higher
3
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Sat Jul 06 2024
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
No one was sonically perfect as Nick Drake.
5
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Sun Jul 07 2024
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
3.5
Taking a look at the comments on this album and it’s interesting to learn how many of y’all are prudes!
Horror rap rocks and this is one of the best ones, “Blue Flowers” is one of the best songs ever maybe.
3
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Mon Jul 08 2024
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
Not really my thing but I thought this was done well! I enjoyed what this was doing for the most part. Fun noise. Party noise.
3
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Tue Jul 09 2024
Frank
Amy Winehouse
2.5
Yeah, there’s a reason we mainly remember her for Back to Black.
Her voice is technically good here, but she’s still aping other people’s styles, she hasn’t come into her own.
The album is too long, and the songs are bad and/or extremely forgettable. That first song is one of the worst I’ve heard doing this project thus far!
2
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Wed Jul 10 2024
Eternally Yours
The Saints
2.5
It’s okay. Idk why “punk” songs are 3-4 minutes long tho
2
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Thu Jul 11 2024
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
Like if U2 were goth
3
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Fri Jul 12 2024
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
Took almost 200 days but I finally got a Bruce album! Sorry everyone, Bruce is one of my guys and I’ll probably rate every album of his on this list 5 stars. But ya know what? He deserves it! This stretch of albums is legendary for a reason! They’re all spectacular!
5
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Sat Jul 13 2024
Amnesiac
Radiohead
3.5
I liked it, didn’t love it. Would listen to it again though
3
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Sun Jul 14 2024
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
I was kinda busy yesterday and was worried I wasn’t going to have time to listen to an album, so I was desperately hoping it was going to be an album I was already familiar with.
And I got probably my favorite album of all time lol. An album I’m likely listened more to than any other!
Two Boss albums in three days!!! I’m loving it!!!
5
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Mon Jul 15 2024
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
Liked some songs. Really influential on 90s pop country, which is a soft spot for me, since that’s what I listened to while growing up.
2
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Tue Jul 16 2024
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Is there a better “socially conscious” pop album? It’s perfect - everything sounds sonically wonderful, I love the way that’s it’s almost just one long song that flows and changes and transforms.
5
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Wed Jul 17 2024
Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Small Faces
Barely skating by to a 2 rating on the strength of its first couple songs. Never have I seen an album absolutely crater so quickly. This dude can sing too! Shame he doesn’t do it after track 2!
2
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Thu Jul 18 2024
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
I liked the last Sonic Youth album more. I get this, it’s an interesting mix of noise and traditional alternative rock. It’s an important stepping stone and extremely influential. Fully understand putting it on this list, it’s just not really for me.
3
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Fri Jul 19 2024
Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
3.5
Not the best of my favorite White Stripes album, but there’s four or five great songs
3
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Sat Jul 20 2024
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Vietnam War movie: The Album
3
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Sun Jul 21 2024
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Pleasant! I liked it all the way though, if it’s not particularly memorable.
3
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Mon Jul 22 2024
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
2.5.
Started off well enough, I was bored by the end. But nothing offensively awful.
2
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Tue Jul 23 2024
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
3.5
Immaculate vibes. Loved the features, although it featured very little Dr. Dre for a Dr. Dre album!
3
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Wed Jul 24 2024
Hms Fable
Shack
I enjoyed this quite a bit! Like a British Fountaina of Wayne.
4
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Thu Jul 25 2024
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
3.5
Grungy, sounds great, classic songs
3
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Fri Jul 26 2024
Crocodiles
Echo And The Bunnymen
The last Echo album sounded like goth U2, this one sounded like goth The Doors. I don’t like The Doors.
2