775
Albums Rated
3.2
Average Rating
71%
Complete
314 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
82
5-Star Albums
28
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I Am a Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Sail Away
Randy Newman
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
4 | 2.02 | +1.98 |
|
Smile
Brian Wilson
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Armed Forces
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
NEU! 75
Neu!
|
5 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
|
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
|
5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Doors
The Doors
|
1 | 3.95 | -2.95 |
|
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
|
1 | 3.59 | -2.59 |
|
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
|
1 | 3.17 | -2.17 |
|
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
|
1 | 3.16 | -2.16 |
|
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
Spiderland
Slint
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
|
1 | 2.95 | -1.95 |
|
Greetings From L.A.
Tim Buckley
|
1 | 2.85 | -1.85 |
|
Electric Music For The Mind And Body
Country Joe & The Fish
|
1 | 2.85 | -1.85 |
|
Vincebus Eruptum
Blue Cheer
|
1 | 2.8 | -1.8 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 6 | 4.5 |
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.67 |
| Michael Jackson | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pixies | 2 | 5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 5 | 4.2 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 4 | 4.25 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.33 |
| Marvin Gaye | 3 | 4.33 |
| Peter Gabriel | 3 | 4.33 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Beach Boys | 3 | 4.33 |
| Tom Waits | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Buckley | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Doors | 2 | 1 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Rod Stewart | 1, 4 |
| Steely Dan | 2, 5, 3, 4 |
5-Star Albums (82)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Metallica · 14 likes
2/5
Power Rangers music
Janelle Monáe · 10 likes
5/5
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!
Fiona Apple · 7 likes
5/5
Where has this album been all my life? This is exactly the type of thing I love!!! The songwriting, the vibes, the VOICE. I can’t even decide what my favorite song is, I love and am deeply moved by them all. I listened to this twice yesterday and will keep it downloaded and listen to it many more times.
So influential to SO much music I love. Sad girl Rosetta Stone.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five · 4 likes
3/5
3.5
Just absolutely classic DJing and samples.
A couple awful songs in the middle (wth is Dreamin?) but worth a listen for sure.
Everything But The Girl · 3 likes
4/5
I was vaguely aware of EBTG. I think I listened to one of their earlier albums, when they were more straight forward singer/songwriters, before they had the electronic influence. It didn’t leave much of an impression then.
But this? I loved! Clearly influenced by Portishead, the whole “sad girl singing over EDM beats,” but Portishead is one of my favorite discoveries of this project! I’ll take “slightly not as good as Portishead,” sure! This was still quite good, and I listened to it multiple times yesterday!
4-Star Albums (219)
1-Star Albums (28)
All Ratings
DJ Shadow
4/5
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.
Nick Drake
5/5
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.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
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.
Jethro Tull
2/5
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.
Wilco
3/5
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!
Radiohead
4/5
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!
Meat Loaf
4/5
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.
Ride
2/5
Liked the noise, the vocals and lyrics were eh.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Classic, solid disco pop. Didn’t hate it, don’t have much enthusiasm for it. Pleasant to listen to.
Charles Mingus
3/5
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.
Tim Buckley
2/5
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!
Prince
5/5
It’s Purple Fucking Rain
Manic Street Preachers
5/5
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!
Pulp
5/5
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.
David Crosby
4/5
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!
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
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.
Ash
2/5
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.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Funky! Not my favorite Curtis.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
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.
Metallica
2/5
Power Rangers music
The Byrds
2/5
Excuse me, there are HOW MANY Byrds albums on this list?
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
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!
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
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.
Pixies
5/5
It’s Surfer Fucking Rosa!
CHVRCHES
5/5
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!
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
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.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
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.”
Cornershop
3/5
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.
Fats Domino
3/5
Fats is the Cat! Great voice, great vibes, a reason they’re classics!
Talking Heads
4/5
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.
Korn
1/5
No!
Lou Reed
3/5
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!
King Crimson
4/5
Cosmic horror music! Really all about the first and last tracks, but damn, ain’t they something!?
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
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!
Steely Dan
2/5
Boring Dadcore
The Rolling Stones
3/5
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.
The Clash
3/5
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.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Love Peter Gabriel, love this album!
Sonic Youth
4/5
Took a couple listens to get it, but I did.
Def Leppard
3/5
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.
Sex Pistols
2/5
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.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Absolutely beautiful voice, didn’t get much else out of it
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
A masterpiece. An album I return to at least once a year. Always gives me something new to hear.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
“Sir, the ‘It Slaps’ meter is off the charts!”
Public Enemy
3/5
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.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Robot Rock
Missy Elliott
4/5
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!
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
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!
1/5
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.
Fugees
4/5
The coolest
Bob Dylan
5/5
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.
Nirvana
3/5
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!
Eminem
4/5
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!
Soul II Soul
2/5
Not devoid of charms, but mostly bland. Really shows its age. Could only be from 92-95.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
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.
Dr. John
4/5
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!!
Genesis
4/5
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!
Stevie Wonder
4/5
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.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
Almost good, but never fully got there
The Yardbirds
3/5
Fun! I listened to this a few times through and there’s some catchy tunes!
Linkin Park
3/5
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!
Otis Redding
4/5
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!
CHIC
3/5
Morrissey
4/5
Four stars (sorry)
Taylor Swift
4/5
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.
The Replacements
5/5
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.
David Bowie
4/5
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.
Elliott Smith
3/5
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.
David Bowie
3/5
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!
The Doors
1/5
I fucking hate The Doors.
The Dandy Warhols
2/5
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.
Björk
4/5
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.”
Joni Mitchell
4/5
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!
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
One or two good songs, I do not feel like I needed to hear this before I die. Why was this on the list?
Led Zeppelin
3/5
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.
Fleet Foxes
2/5
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.
The Doors
1/5
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.
1/5
God saw that I was thankful that I had gotten listening to The Doors albums out of the way and said “hold my beer.”
The Black Crowes
3/5
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.
Jack White
4/5
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.
The Who
3/5
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.
Pretenders
2/5
I’m sorry; I hate Chrissie Hyndes’s voice so much.
Cream
2/5
Boring old person music
The Go-Go's
5/5
About as perfect as pop gets! I listened to this album on vinyl so much during the pandemic!
Stephen Stills
3/5
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!!
Parliament
3/5
A ton of fun! I could do without the five minute fart song, tho!
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
Well…at least it was short…
Love
2/5
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!
Van Morrison
3/5
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!
The Who
4/5
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!
The Velvet Underground
3/5
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
Eagles
2/5
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
The War On Drugs
3/5
A pleasant mix of Simon and Springsteen. Too long.
Deee-Lite
3/5
What a fun time! This band should have had a cartoon!
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
A pleasant listen!
Neil Young
2/5
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
The Rolling Stones
3/5
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
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
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!
Beatles
3/5
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.
Janelle Monáe
5/5
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!
The Associates
1/5
Please stop the music!
Living Colour
4/5
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.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
3.5
Ultimate “chilling with the boys on the deck” vibes
Ramones
4/5
Music at its rawest, purest form. Love it.
The Cure
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time! So pleased that I got to listen to it yesterday!
Chicago
2/5
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!
Portishead
5/5
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!
The Beta Band
4/5
Another surprise I really enjoyed! The ratings are kinda low on this but it clicked with me! Early Beck mixed with Ram-era McCartney!
The Verve
3/5
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
The Stranglers
4/5
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!
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Selling drugs has never sounded so cool
The Sugarcubes
4/5
Stronger first half than second, but I’m learning I love Bjork and that makes up for it
The Kinks
4/5
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!
The Temptations
3/5
Fun to hear the Temptations get weird with it, but not exactly my thing.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
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.
The Roots
3/5
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
Iron Maiden
3/5
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!
Beatles
5/5
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!!!
Public Enemy
3/5
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!
The Go-Betweens
4/5
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!!
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
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
OutKast
4/5
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!!!
Slint
1/5
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.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
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.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
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!
The Police
3/5
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!!
Blur
3/5
Nirvana
5/5
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.”
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Interesting! Not really for me!
Underworld
3/5
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.
Dire Straits
2/5
Diarrhea Streaks
The Stone Roses
4/5
Get in, release one of the best albums of the 90s, get out (ignoring their second album as almost everyone else does)
Madonna
4/5
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.
Donald Fagen
3/5
3.5
Cheesy but I dig it. Definition of “easy listening.”
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
3.5
Ideal American rock and the perfect length for an album!
The Killers
5/5
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.
Neneh Cherry
4/5
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!
Pentangle
2/5
Voices are nice, not really my thing
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
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.
The Stooges
3/5
Nas
3/5
Supergrass
3/5
3.5
Fine early 90s alt-rock. A couple fun songs.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
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!!
Doves
3/5
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.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
3.5
Just absolutely classic DJing and samples.
A couple awful songs in the middle (wth is Dreamin?) but worth a listen for sure.
The Verve
3/5
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?!?
Beatles
5/5
I like these guys
The Cars
4/5
One of my favorite classic rock albums. Just the ideal of this era of rock. The basics hit so good!
Joy Division
4/5
Crazy how modern this still sounds
The Cure
3/5
3.5
The Young Gods
2/5
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.
Motörhead
3/5
Yeah, it’s one song - but to be fair, it’s a pretty good song
Van Morrison
4/5
This dumbass makes some pretty good music
Scott Walker
4/5
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!
Happy Mondays
3/5
I liked about half of this album!!
The Band
2/5
I think there’s a reason a lot of bands from this era’s best albums are their “best ofs”
The Specials
2/5
(Don’t) Play that funky music, white boy
The Jam
4/5
I enjoyed this! Light, easy, clever, good lyrics, good instrumentation! Short! I listened to it like three times!! Solid stuff.
Beck
3/5
I wish I liked Beck more, but I mostly respect him.
Norah Jones
3/5
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.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
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.
Violent Femmes
5/5
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.
Finley Quaye
2/5
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.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Arcade Fire is a band I don’t actively listen to, but always quite enjoy their music when I do!
Lorde
4/5
In my hyper pop-girlie era, what can I say?
Ryan Adams
4/5
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.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
3.5
My appreciation for Neil continues to grow!
Shivkumar Sharma
2/5
Not my thing
Songhoy Blues
2/5
Felt like I lost a ton of context because of the language difference unfortunately. Left me with okay, not great, blues music
Elastica
3/5
Strong 3
Some great songs, but ultimately a little too derivative for me to rate it higher
Nick Drake
5/5
No one was sonically perfect as Nick Drake.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
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.
Lightning Bolt
3/5
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.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
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!
The Saints
2/5
2.5
It’s okay. Idk why “punk” songs are 3-4 minutes long tho
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Like if U2 were goth
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
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!
Radiohead
3/5
3.5
I liked it, didn’t love it. Would listen to it again though
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
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!!!
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
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.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
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.
Small Faces
2/5
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!
Sonic Youth
3/5
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.
The White Stripes
3/5
3.5
Not the best of my favorite White Stripes album, but there’s four or five great songs
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Vietnam War movie: The Album
Beth Orton
3/5
Pleasant! I liked it all the way though, if it’s not particularly memorable.
The Waterboys
2/5
2.5.
Started off well enough, I was bored by the end. But nothing offensively awful.
Dr. Dre
3/5
3.5
Immaculate vibes. Loved the features, although it featured very little Dr. Dre for a Dr. Dre album!
Shack
4/5
I enjoyed this quite a bit! Like a British Fountaina of Wayne.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
3.5
Grungy, sounds great, classic songs
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
The last Echo album sounded like goth U2, this one sounded like goth The Doors. I don’t like The Doors.
Adele
4/5
Great pop music! When I saw it, I thought “oh, shame, this is a lesser Adele album” and then somehow I knew like half the songs! She’s just inevitable! She permeates the culture! Long live Adele!
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Technically fine, very much not my thing
Queen
4/5
It's not perfect (if it were me, I wouldn't have any songs where one of the best singers who ever lived is not on main vocals), BUT, am I really going to give the album that "Bohemian Rhapsody" comes from less than 4 stars?
Beastie Boys
5/5
As loved and respected as the Beastie Boys are, they still maybe feel underrated. This album is incredible!!!! At 20 tracks, even I was thinking “hmm that’s a lot of Beastie Boys at once,” but honestly, there’s probably only seven or eight “traditional” Beastie Boys tracks. The rest is made up of experimental, instrumental tracks, which sound amazing and are an early indicator of where they’d end up in their career. They also throw some classic punk rock in there as well, and have a couple delightful features (Q Tip and BB goes down SO smooth). No complaints! This was a treat to listen to!
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
3.5
From what I understand, this isn’t really original work? More a white dude taking world music songs he likes and just kinda throwing them in a sequence, with little substantial changes to them? So I can’t rate it higher because of that, but honestly, he picked great songs. This was really fun to listen to. Just great energy all the way through.
Bad Brains
4/5
Kinda surprised at the lowish score here - I thought this was great. Immaculate vibes, incredible mix of different genres. Each song its own thing, the album moves quickly. I’ve heard of Bad Brains before but had never actually listened to them before! Glad I got to!
Foo Fighters
3/5
3.5
Starts really strongly but loses some steam in the latter half. Still, this is just big, loud, fun rock music. Been a great week for this project thus far!
Duke Ellington
3/5
Annoying that Spotify will not serve you the original album, sometimes doesn’t even feature the original album, as is the case here! The original is only like 40 minutes! The one on Spotify is over two hours of music! Good music, sure! But that’s a lot more of a time dedication! Thankfully some kind souls had reassembled the original album with playlists. I don’t mind expanded albums, or deluxe albums, or extras - but that shouldn’t be the default. The original album should be presented in its original form.
This was fine. I like jazz, some of the those high notes go absolutely wild.
Black Sabbath
5/5
I was big into the first four or so Sabbath records a few years back. Forgot how good this one is. Maaaaaaybe the greatest hard rock album ever??
Sepultura
4/5
This kinda eats Metallica’s awful music for breakfast. Not my type of thing at all but it’s just really well made and hard and makes me wanna smash stuff and mosh, which are not my usual vibes. It’s just a big “hell yeah” from me. Great week of albums, can’t wait to get an awful album immediately after I rate this.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
A perfectly cromulent record, like most CCR records, although the white boy patois can start to grate. Thankfully it’s also very short.
Skepta
1/5
1.5
British rap is so unserious lol
“I’m so rude, he’s the ting/
The guvment is rude, ring-a-ling-ding”
It just comes off so insincere.
And how is this Grime-y? I get that that’s what they call the genre, but it doesn’t particularly sound dirty or gross or intense. It sounds like mediocre pop rap, because that’s what it is!!!
Sorry, I’m getting mad thinking about how many classic rap albums are NOT on this list! And this is!
Pavement
4/5
Solid 4.
Just a very good album. Also it extra nice because yesterday was my and my gf’s anniversary and our fourth date was a Pavement concert :)
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
3.5
Okay here’s the recipe for a Nick Cave song:
Make it 5-6 minutes long
Long verses with biblical and religious allusions
Choruses with choirs in the background
Towards the end the choir takes over and chants the chorus over and over
Rinse, repeat
Here’s the thing. It’s not a bad formula per se, but it’s definitely a formula. And it gets repetitive when it’s 90 minutes long. Again, not sure the need for a double album here, 45 mins would have sufficed and improved the rating.
It’s not bad though! I can see why some people go wild for this dude. I would relisten to this and enjoy myself, but personally it’s not my fave thing. There’s a few bangers tho.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Nice, cool.
Bob Dylan
2/5
2.5
Sorry Bob, loved the last one I got from you but this was a a snooze. Nothing I hate more when good musicians age and get really into traditional Americana. What a bore!
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Me at 16: Rage Against The Machine is the best band ever
Me at 22: While influential in their time, there’s a certain political naiveté to RATM’s lyrics that makes it hard to take their music seriously
Me at 33: Rage Against the Machine is the best band ever
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A lovely mix of pop, rock and psychedelia, this Jimi kid is onto something!
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Sweet, pleasant, harmless
R.E.M.
3/5
3.5
REM is a band I always have wished I was more into. Unfortunately, I just really like them, don’t love them. There’s some songs of their’s I adore, and mean a ton to me, but overall, I respect what they do; it’s just not my favorite.
Liz Phair
4/5
Bummer Liz Phair kinda ended up being a poser because this is so good. I fucked with this hard back in 2021 so it was nice to revisit it with new ears.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Bummer I didn’t like this more. I think the problem is the songs are so long, and there’s only four of them, so if I didn’t like one, well, it’s going to be ten more minutes until I can hear another.
All time great name for an album, though.
The Cure
3/5
3.5
Another good, not great album from The Cure. Some standout tracks, but because the album is so short, it never feels like it gets into second gear to me. But very listenable, and great vibes.
Miles Davis
5/5
It’s labeled as a Miles Davis album, but honestly it’s like The Avengers of Jazz on this thing. John Coltrane, Bill Evans…it’s like the dream team up, guys who are/would become established legends themselves. I personally love Bill Evans, I listen to him all the time to calm me down and soothe me, so I was super excited to hear him so heavily featured here. I noticed him interpolating “Peace Pipe” in the final track on this album, it almost took my breath away.
This album is beautiful and soothing and fun and just a group of guys who are essentially perfect at what they did showing off. Extremely listenable, I will keep this in my downloaded records and probably listen to it 500 more times.
Radiohead
4/5
A little chiller, a little more fun, a little rockier than the past couple Radiohead albums I’ve listened to for this list. Kind of a return to basics. I enjoyed it!
Incubus
3/5
This is more of a 2.5 album, maybe even a two, and definitely should not be on this list; but I’m letting my nostalgia speak here. It reminds me of driving in my dad’s car when I was growing up. You could escape Incubus on alt rock radio from 99-09, they had a stranglehold on it. Honestly, I really enjoy the singer’s voice. It’s like if Anthony Kiedas could actually sing. I don’t know if they’d admit to it, but a lot of his tone and inflection seems to have influenced vocal styles of emo singers.
Big Star
3/5
3.5
It’s nice! Sometimes it sounds like Wings, sometimes it sounds like Paul Williams, it’s got the theme song for That 70s Show and a song about going through puberty! Short and sweet and easy to listen to, doesn’t move me in any major way!
Beach House
3/5
Very vibes, very nice. Reminds me of early college days where a bunch of bands hit really big but none made it to that “next” level. Too early before the bands really knew how to take control of Internet power but too late to make it on traditional radio.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
One of the first “adult” albums I listened to; it still holds up. Production is incredible, every member of the band is vital and playing at the top of their abilities. Rose, who loses it later on, sounds fantastic here. One of the all-time great voices. I hadn’t listened to this in full for a really long time and it was a delight. Each song is catchy and has its own “thing” going on. In fact, and I remember thinking this as a little theater kid back in the day, there’s a certain theatricality to this album. Sometimes the songs sound like showtunes! This is a compliment! They’re just very dramatic and the lyrics do such a good job of setting a scene of grime and sin and bad behavior. Somebody should turn this into a jukebox musical, it’d rule. Don’t think you’re too good for GnR!!!
Japan
3/5
While I don’t love every song, I do think “All Tomorrow’s Parties” may be one of the single best “new to me” songs I’ve heard on this journey so far. So I’m going 3.5 for this.
The Magnetic Fields
3/5
Exhausting but can’t say it wasn’t rewarding in some aspects. Some of these songs aren’t great, but honestly, a lot are. And they’re truly spread throughout the album. You’ll get a length of okay songs and then one will just give you a punch to the gut with its lyrics and illusions and hook and chorus. I love a bass voice in pop music. Liked the songs where he sang the most. It’s hard to say this is “worth it,” but I’m glad I finally listened to all of it. I could probably make a twenty song playlist of absolutely beautiful songs from this and it’d be five stars. But as it is, a strong three. What an oddity!
Metallica
2/5
Slightly better than the last Metallica album I got, but they’re really not for me. Endlessly long songs with just soulless metal. Their songs are joyless. Technically fine but uninteresting. This album is especially bad because they’re trying to be “political” but they’re dummies.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
I can get into ambient music but honestly this is way too unsubstantial for its length. There’s only a few highlights, and unfortunately the Portishead collab here is a big dud.
The Undertones
3/5
3.5
I like the Undertones! Fun pop punk/power pop with an undercurrent of bratty humor! I’ve only heard random tracks from them before so I enjoyed sitting down and listening to a whole (short) album of theirs.
Talking Heads
3/5
Not my fave Talking Heads album but still alright!
The Smiths
4/5
Sorry for the four stars
At least I’m not at a point in my life where I’m so obsessed with The Smiths and Morrissey anymore that I pretend this is a perfect album. Unfortunately there’s no perfect The Smiths albums, they’d always junk them up with at least one stinker. And while this has some of their greatest work ever, it also has at least three songs that are in, like, the bottom third of their discography. Can’t in good conscience rate it higher because of that. But, “I Know It’s Over” might be the best song they ever made. The lyrics are perfect and gut-wrenching, the music delicate and dreamlike. It’s a marvel and helps this album earn its stars.
Bee Gees
1/5
Sorry guys. But what I definitely didn’t need to hear was a four disc long pre-disco Bee Gees album. Almost nothing good to talk about here.
ZZ Top
3/5
Perfectly acceptable southern rock
Stan Getz
3/5
Immaculate vibes
Why did that one popular review on here feel the need to tell us he fucked his girlfriend in the car while listening to this album?
Django Django
3/5
This is actually exactly what 2012 sounded like.
Paul Weller
3/5
3.5
Like an average Richard Thompson or Elvis Costello album. I liked it!
Common
2/5
Musical guest on Chapelle’s Show-ass album
You just KNOW he was wearing a little newsboy cap while recording this
Dusty Springfield
4/5
One of the best voices of all time singing classic songs - does it get better than this?
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Good vibes
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I enjoy MBV
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I’m not even really a Led head but this album is pretty undeniable. 8 of the most famous classic rock tracks, all on one album. All incredibly produced, with spectacular orchestration and singing and hooks galore. Does it get better? A well deserved album on this list.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Takes four mediocre British dudes to make one Bowie pastiche, and it’s not even that good! Sounds about right
Badly Drawn Boy
2/5
Extremely mediocre. Listened to the whole thing and immediately forgot I did.
Heaven 17
1/5
Worthless! One of, if not the, worst things I’ve listened to for this project. It’s not popular, it wasn’t critically successful, it’s not influential. It’s just some album the guy who made this list listened to and kinda liked and he needed to fill 1001 spots so thought “sure.”
Little Richard
4/5
Yeah, it’s all kinda one song, but it’s a fun and very important song that basically invented rock n roll as me know it! So stars for history!
Crowded House
3/5
Mediocre Squeeze. Sqooze?
Orange Juice
2/5
Well the title song is pretty good. The rest of the album sounds like someone doing a bit about an 80s new wave singer. It’s real bad.
John Lennon
3/5
McCartney supremacy!
Okay. It’s fine. The title track is, of course, one of the worst songs of all time, but the second half of the album isn’t bad. But it’s all just missing “something.” That spark! That magic! That McCartney touch!
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
Cool album cover
Depeche Mode
4/5
Good stuff, lotta hits
Scott Walker
3/5
3.5
Another solid album from Scott, who I didn’t know before this project at all!! I love his interpretation of songs, his theatrical voice, his vibrato!
This one maybe isn’t as good as the last one. It’s mostly covers, not his own work. But he still makes each song his own, and there’s some incredible tracks on here! Scott rules!
Talking Heads
5/5
I had an awful morning yesterday, just got news that made me want to scream and cry and give up. And then I got this album. I’ve actually been listening to Talking Heads a lot in my personal time, just throwing on greatest hits playlists and what not for relaxation or when I’m walking around. Idk if other fans consider this the best TH album or whatever, but it was exactly what I needed to hear yesterday. A comfort in the dark.
Beatles
5/5
It’s Rubber Soul!
The Hives
3/5
From 2000-2005 every moldy old rock critic was, like, holding a gun to everybody’s head and going “Say this is the best music you’ve ever heard” (it’s not, it’s fine, it’s value brand The Stooges) while completely writing off and ignoring ACTUAL popular rock music (like pop punk and emo), mostly because it was championed by teenage girls.
And what’s had the actual cultural staying power? :)
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
There’s a formula here, but it’s a good formula. Super iconic and easy to listen to; a little wild how, other than the two longer “jam” pieces, every song here is a classic. Can’t say that about many albums!
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
I was worried at first because I hated the last British rap/grime record I got. And the first track didn’t leave me much hope, but honestly, this grew on me. It was more creative and weird than the last one, and you could tell this had the energy of a young kid just throwing shit at the wall and seeing what worked. It didn’t all work, but I respected him going big. He has an interesting oddball rap voice. It’s not something I’d probably return to too much, but it’s definitely something I would have never listened to on my own, which is the purpose of this list!
Culture Club
2/5
Unfortunately didn’t really dig this other than the hits!
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
Fine, pleasant enough. Not sure what more I got from this than the first Alex Turner album on this list. Did there really need to be two of his albums on this list? Is he that special of an artist?
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
The whole “endless Southern rock noodling” thing doesn’t really do it for me. Isn’t this just prog rock at a certain point?
Astor Piazzolla
4/5
I really enjoyed this. It was rainy and grey and drippy and cold yesterday and this was such a nice complement to that. I’ll probably put this in my “listen to at work” rotation
Blondie
4/5
I mean. It’s a classic. One of the greatest pop punk albums ever! I don’t love every song, but I love most. And the ones I don’t love have great production. It’s an easy record to listen to.
R.E.M.
3/5
Another R.E.M. album, another album I enjoyed but aren’t enthused about! Some songs I really like, but it just doesn’t get “pushed over the edge” for me. They’re just a band I respect, not love.
3.5
Moby
3/5
Yeah it sounds like a commercial break from 1999-2001, and I’m not immune from that as a lover of nostalgia.
Sebadoh
3/5
This early 90s indie college rock never did much for me (other than Superchunk) tho there’s some nice songs here
Sparks
3/5
3.5
The best Sparks album, right? Even though I don’t always vibe with this, this is good.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Led Zeppelin in their most boring iteration to me - white boy blues
Jerry Lee Lewis
4/5
Albums used to be twenty minutes long!
Kate Bush
4/5
It’s Kate Bush!
Carole King
5/5
It’s Carole King! She’s one of the greatest song writers of all time!!! Ultimate cozy listening!
The Fall
2/5
Very much not for me
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Oh so this is where that Muppet song comes from!!
Morrissey
4/5
Sorry, giving another Morrissey project high marks, but I kinda love this album. This is good Morrissey, the stuff you’d want! Mostly bangers, little to no stinky self-indulgent garbage!
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
You know, I’ve not traditionally been a Jimi guy - nothing against him, he just wasn’t regularly in my rotation - but I’ve really enjoyed both the albums I’ve got from him so far! Obviously he’s an innovator and virtuoso on the guitar, but I think I’ve learned that people also aren’t talking enough about how his music is FUN. These songs are just fun and catchy! It’s good pop music! I loved this album, I listened to it twice yesterday.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
1/5
What’s worse than white guy blues?
BRITISH white guy blues.
Just, couldn’t be worse. They technically know how to play their instruments well, but there’s no soul in it. It’s merely a means to brag about how technically good they are.
Covering “What I Said” by Ray Charles as badly as they did should be illegal. I wanted to turn off the album right there.
Also, fuck Eric Clapton. Appropriately black culture and music the entirety of this album while being a vile, racist POS….screw this shit!!!
The Beta Band
2/5
Alright Beta Band. I put up with your first album on this list - heck, I even enjoyed it for how different it was! I defended you!!! But there is absolutely ZERO reason for a second Beta Band record, one that sounds EXACTLY LIKE THE FIRST ONE, to be on this list!!! What new aspect of The Beta Band was not covered in their first album on the list?? Absolutely no to this!!!
David Bowie
4/5
"Life on Mars" is one of the greatest songs of all time.
Janet Jackson
4/5
Quite enjoyed the one. The production is incredible and the vibes are funky.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
3.5
Not as good as Talking Heads but still pretty great!!!
Fiona Apple
5/5
Where has this album been all my life? This is exactly the type of thing I love!!! The songwriting, the vibes, the VOICE. I can’t even decide what my favorite song is, I love and am deeply moved by them all. I listened to this twice yesterday and will keep it downloaded and listen to it many more times.
So influential to SO much music I love. Sad girl Rosetta Stone.
Queen
4/5
Pretty damn good!
Yes
4/5
Is that a fucking JoJo reference?!?
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
I fully understand why an album like this is on this list, and honestly, I respect it more than some other albums I’ve heard for being its own thing.
That being said, I don’t have to like it at all!
It’s a German dude screaming over sounds of power tools for an hour. That’s it.
Blur
3/5
Brit Pop…my average nemesis…
Daft Punk
4/5
Good noise :)
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Frank Sadnatra
Slayer
3/5
Fast Power Rangers Music
Miles Davis
3/5
3.5
Not as cool as Kinds of Blue
The Zombies
4/5
Sounds wildly influential. Could have been released in the 90s. Every song is so good.
2Pac
4/5
2Pac was so interesting, and different than the other “gangster” rappers. He’ll talk about all the “thug life” stuff but simultaneously talk about what a toll it’s taking on him mentally. He’s emotionally vulnerable, talking about how much he cries and worries. It’s deeper than a lot of other, blander music in this genre, that is a lot about bravado and bragging and not much else. I get why this is a step above the rest.
Louis Prima
4/5
One of the most “sounds like a party” albums I’ve heard yet. And it’s a party you’d want to be at!
Ozomatli
2/5
Extremely not my shit. Over-produced, early 2000s, very cheesy, genre mash-up Los Angeles jam band sounds like my worst fucking nightmare. The fellas making the music seem talented enough so I’m giving it two stars. Best part is maybe their rapper? He’s…..fine?
Thundercat
2/5
2.5
Dang I wanted to like this more. I was vaguely aware of this artist for years and it seemed like it would be up my alley but I just didn’t entirely vibe with this! There’s moments of greatness, where he’ll just catch upon something that’s wonderful and transcendent, but he doesn’t stay on it! He just moves on, leaving it not fleshed out or utilized, and there’s like a 50/50 chance the the next song is a stinker. He doesn’t seem to be aware of which ideas of his are worth diving into. Some really bad and embarrassing lyrics. Wish this were better.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Kinda undeniable! Pure-strain, vintage Dylan. I don’t love every song but I like most of them!
AC/DC
3/5
Starts super strong, one of the best rock songs of all time honestly, and the first couple tracks after that are good too. But eventually there’s just too little variety, it all starts to sound the same and mush together.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
3.5
Not my fave Leonard but a good one
Dexys Midnight Runners
1/5
I came to this with open ears! I love Come On Eileen, one of my favorite OHWs of all time! So catchy and fun, so I was fully prepared to listen to other songs from Dexys! Unfortunately I just got nothing good. None of the cheeky fun of Eileen. Just…talking. Lots of talking. And halfhearted genre experimentation. Genuinely disappointed!
Garbage
4/5
Garbage shoulda had a better career. I mean, I know they were a solid little band in the 90s but this is good!!! Real good!!
Missy Elliott
4/5
Even better than the last Missy album I got, which I also quite enjoyed!
Thank you MissDemeanor for some great tunes on what ended up being a very difficult Election Day!
Thin Lizzy
5/5
Absolutely needed this yesterday. It felt so fucking good after the horrors of Election Night to blast “Jail Break,” one of the greatest songs ever, as loud as possible in my ears. Thin Lizzy were the coolest, the best. Long may the reign. Imagine sounding this perfect live.
Soft Machine
2/5
Saved by that second track which is pretty okay jazz. Everything else is overlong garbage I must say.
Gorillaz
3/5
I wish I liked the Gorillaz more like cool people do but mostly I’m like “Yeah this is fine!”
The Lemonheads
4/5
4.5
Wow what a surprising delight! I saw this come up yesterday and kinda rolled my eyes and was like “great another 90s alt rock bore that has nothing to say” but I LOVED THIS. Listened to it three times through yesterday! It is so much deeper than it appears! Delicate, beautiful songs, catchy hooks, so many things I like (airy girl voice on counterpoint), interesting covers (there’s a random song from HAIR on here?!?). I adored adored it!! Can’t wait to keep this downloaded and listen many more times.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Da world is a vampire
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
3.5
Enjoyed it
Frank Sinatra
2/5
2.5
Mediocre Frank. In one air and immediately out the other.
Most interesting thing here is a bonus track where the laid back Frank has an increasingly difficult time keeping up with the driving Bossa Nova instrumentals. Made me laugh.
Os Mutantes
2/5
I’m glad some people enjoy it. It wasn’t bad to me just completely forgettable and not my thing.
The Prodigy
2/5
Idk some songs I jammed out to but some was just pointless noise and it was generally overlong
Bob Dylan
4/5
Learning I’m finally old enough to really appreciate Bob Dylan
The Cardigans
3/5
“Lovefool” is on here, plus a pretty neat cover of “Iron Man!”
Radiohead
4/5
This is a good one
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
A bop
Goldfrapp
3/5
Perfectly pleasant Kate Bush/Beatles riffs. Nothing more substantial than that. I imagine driving around with this CD in my car in 2008 as background music. That kind of thing
Johnny Cash
4/5
Tbh less of an album and more an incredible capture of a very specific moment in time - there’s probably as much talking on this album as there is music - but it’s fascinating seeing the Johnny Cash “character” (because it was a bit of a character) do his thing at the height of his powers.
For those confused as to why he plays the same song twice in a row - did you actually listen to the album? It’s not like he did it for fun. It’s because it’s a song about how much the prison HE’S PERFORMING IN sucks ass, and the prisoners basically scream that he has to play it again immediately after he finishes the first time. That’s kinda amazing and really shows the power of music.
Roni Size
2/5
1.5, rounded up to two
I don’t think it’s worthless, I really don’t. There’s aspects of it I like. The energy is there, there’s moments where the drums get very jazz-like. It’s just it’s SO long. The standard version of the album is TWO AND A HALF HOURS, of extremely similar-sounding music. And every song is like 6-11 minutes long! It’s a struggle. Eventually just had to put it on in the background while I did other stuff, which worked well.
Extremely niche reference but I think the people that know will absolutely agree, it sounds like music that would be in the background of, like, a Toonami promo for DBZ from 1999.
Frank Zappa
3/5
3.5
After the laborious, 2.5 hour, drums and bass exercise of yesterday, I just wanted something palatable and easy.
Then I got Frank Zappa. My heart dropped. I don’t like Zappa. But I fought on anyways, bc that’s the project!
Turns out - this is actually pretty good! It’s just jazz Zappa, not troll Zappa. Is this what they call “acid jazz?” I liked it! There’s a couple moments where he gets silly and annoying but for the most part this is straight forward instrumentals that I honestly quite enjoyed!!!
Dirty Projectors
3/5
It’s fine, totally listenable. I can see how in older times it resonated more for people.
Idk the thing with Dirty Projectors is I can’t forget when the main dude made this other wildly pathetic and vaguely misogynistic album after his bandmate/girlfriend left him (they had also cheated on their previous partners to get together). Just very embarrassing and an album that should have stayed in the old brain buddy! Made me think less of everything he does tbh
Motörhead
3/5
2.75 rounded up to 3
Okay as a genuine Motörhead enjoyer, there’s no actual reason they need TWO albums on this list, BOTH of which feature “Ace of Spades.”
Alice In Chains
3/5
3.25
This album is very well loved and influential and important, and I like the hits from it! I will listen, and have listened to them, lots and lots. The rest of it doesn’t do a ton for me, gets a bit same-y, but all love to those who connect with this.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Dadcore
PJ Harvey
2/5
2.5
In one ear and out the other. I understand putting PJ Harvey on this list, but this feels like a random one to include.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
4/5
These dudes used to be on Sesame Street all the time when I was a kid. Loved them then, love them now. Simply beautiful music, absolutely washes over you with an overpowering sense of serenity
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
Hey this was pleasant! Had not heard of this artist ever before but it was pretty nice, modern easy listening. Kind voice and good, if not revolutionary instrumentation.
The Thrills
3/5
2.5 rounded to 3
It sounds fine, but it doesn’t sound like a band with its own identity. Every choice sounds like the choice of a better band, done worse. Feels extremely untrue
Leftfield
2/5
Anytime I have a busy day I’m like “okay please give me one of those classic 30-35 minute banger albums” and this project is also like “no, you’ll get two hours of British electronica.” How many can there be?!?
3/5
It’s okay, it’s fine. There’s some good songs on here but something about Muse always struck me as “baby’s first rebellion.” Their politics and viewpoints are so shallow and based simply on being a devil’s advocate no matter what the person in power is trying to do, whether that’s genuinely something harmful or, ya know, a vaccine mandate during a fucking pandemic. Basically these dudes are really stupid and their continued slide towards right-wing reactionary politics irl shows this!
Gram Parsons
3/5
2.5 rounded to a 3
It’s fine, some great songs, but I’m just totally removed from any context about what makes it worthy of being on this list.
Travis
2/5
2.5
Lite FM Radiohead
Brian Eno
2/5
2.5
Respect Eno plenty but it mostly wasn’t for me
Nick Drake
3/5
3.5
My lowest Nick yet - felt weird for him to have songs that were over 5 minutes
808 State
2/5
2.5
Truly learning how endless the well of 90s British electronica was with this project….every couple days it’s a new one for me to experience!! 1001 British Electronica Albums you just listen to before you die, apparently
Frank Ocean
5/5
Bisexual paradise
Frank Ocean’s music lives in nostalgia - that unattainable feeling of what used to be. His first mixtape is literally called “Nostalgia Ultra” and this album’s cover starts with the sound of a PS2 booting up, and its title and cover reference Nickelodeon.
The songs here sound like reminisces of summers past, where you’re old enough to be left alone, but not old enough to be responsible for your own life. So what else is there to do but lay around and fall in love?
Michael Jackson
4/5
Alright, I’m going to be separating art from artist for this project. I’ve already done it! I’ve liked music by some pretty awful people! And Michael simply released some of the most popular music of all time during this era! It should be listened to and appreciated on its own!
And of course it’s great! Probably not as good as Thriller. You could point out some points where it’s probably over-produced, and like any star who gets to indulge himself, the numbers start to get long and indulgent. And there’s some songs that simply aren’t as strong in the middle…..but then you get to “Dirty Diana,” and yeah, I could be convinced that’s the greatest song of all time.
Mercury Rev
2/5
1.5
He truly just picks British versions of better North American bands to fill out this list, I swear (in this case, it’s a watered-down version of The Flaming Lips). Also, why is there a track of, like, Mario 64 sounds at the end?
Nico
4/5
Nico is such a fucking vibe
4/5
It’s Sgt. Pepper’s
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Not the best Zep. Overlong, plodding, with lots of eight minute songs that don’t particularly sound different from each other.
Robbie Williams
3/5
3.5!
Quite enjoyed this! Solid British pop! Might go see that movie where it’s a biopic of Robbie Williams but he’s played by a CGI monkey for some reason!!
k.d. lang
4/5
God I love sad lesbian music
The Who
3/5
3.5
There’s better Who albums but this is a good start
The Stooges
3/5
3.5
I’ve found no device capable of playing Search and Destroy as loud as it deserves to be played. One of the greatest rock songs of all time. I like the rest of the album less, but it’s not bad.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
Okay first of all Marilyn Manson is a piece of shit rapist.
But
I rocked out to more of this than I was expecting. Still, too long and starts to run together at a certain point
2.5
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Pleasant enough driving around music, which is how I experienced it yesterday
Coldplay
3/5
3.5
So I fully participate in the Coldplay teasing; it’s pretty well deserved. It’s a band that takes themselves far too seriously.
That being said, I kinda have a soft spot for their actual music. I like the hits, and the album as a whole basically sounds entirely the same but it’s not unpleasant. If I had this in my CD player in 2003 it woulda been played constantly.
The Byrds
2/5
What are we doing here
Kings of Leon
4/5
Ah, Kings of Leon, the last gasp of American stadium rock. Big hits, and then disparaged for the things we used to celebrate our rockers for being - hard drinking, hard living. A classic band caught in the wave of a changing time.
I know they’re not for everyone but I like this album. In all its overblown cheesiness. I love the whiny voice, I love the U2 guitar hooks, I love how seriously it takes itself. A couple suspect songs here (again, in classic rock fashion there’s a song about loving a girl who’s only 17), but most of this I really enjoy.
Television
3/5
3.5
I like it, I see why it’s extremely influential, some songs are bops, I don’t love it.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
An incredibly fun listen, even in its juvenile, puerile, and yes, oftentimes sexist way. Immaculate production. A reminder of what Snoop Dogg brought to the game before he became a brand
Various Artists
5/5
Best album ever named after a murderer? Merry Christmas!
Peter Gabriel
5/5
There’s like, at least three songs on this thing that are transformative and make me feel like I’m seeing God. It’s the best.
Beck
4/5
I liked this more than Odelay. Fun variety of songs. I’ve heard a lot of them before it turns out. A lot of them were in commercials or movies. Most I’ve enjoyed a Beck album thus far.
American Music Club
1/5
Both hard to listen to (in that it’s not on Spotify) and hard to listen to (in that it’s awful). Just wholly unnecessary, sincerely maybe the worst thing I’ve listened to for this project thus far. At least the experimental noise music is trying to do something new. This is nothing. Weightless, devoid of worth. A stupidly named band with no identity and nothing to offer. Absolutely should not be on this list.
Deep Purple
3/5
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It’s overlong and indulgent, but it comes back around to being entertaining and fun. Like, yeah, there’s an eight minute DRUM SOLO on this album. It’s just absurd, and you kinda have to give it to them. They’re great on their instruments. And the lead singer has a fantastic heavy metal screech. Dumb fun.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One of the greatest albums of all time. I will get married to “I Believe When I Fall in Love” someday.
Kelela
2/5
2.5
Nice enough, didn’t hate myself while listening to this. A couple good songs and she has a pleasant voice. Just not sure what was special enough about this album to necessitate inclusion on this list.
Fugazi
3/5
3.5
I am not a huge Fugazi follower but always really enjoy them when I hear their songs. This is no exception. I had a compressed time to listen to this album, so I couldn't deeply sit with it; it could likely go up with further listens but rn it's a solid 3.5, trending towards 4. I love those chunky drums.
Grateful Dead
2/5
I have grown into liking and respecting the Grateful Dead more as time goes on. But it doesn’t mean I can dig a whole album from them, turns out.
Green Day
5/5
There’s no way for me to be objective about this album - I’ve listened to it one million times in my life and will listen to it roughly one million more times before I’m gone. Just yesterday I listened to it three times through.
Half the songs are huge hits, and the other ones could be, with amazing hooks and/or transcendent musical moments.
Despite the sophomoric sense of humor, there’s a real sense of youthful energy/enthusiasm. A celebration of youth. The songs feel like being young, and the possibility of the future. I love that about it. It almost makes me cry. Even if the album is named after poop.
Simply Red
2/5
A good singer in search of an identity. Not surprised the singer is the only consistent member of this group because there’s nothing here other than his (admittedly good) voice. Every song sounds like it comes from a different group - pop, new wave, blues, R&B, with no consistency from track to track. It becomes, in that way, a vanity project. Just a way for the singer to show off, and we’re not really invited into that club. It feels self-indulgent.
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
Great bass and drums. A lot otherwise doesn’t hold up
4/5
A light four. I enjoyed listening to it - I actually listened to it all the way through twice yesterday. Of course I appreciated the hits and found the deeper cuts also pleasant. So I must have liked it enough!
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
The Bore
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One of the most (the only?) essential double albums. Every song a masterpiece in itself.
Talk Talk
2/5
2.5
I like the guy’s weird voice but a year in the endless parade of British pop does less and less for me
De La Soul
3/5
3.5
Good stuff, don’t love all of it.
Pere Ubu
3/5
This is a great example of this project - I don’t consider myself a total idiot about music but this was a band I had truly never heard of before! I wasn’t expecting much but then the first half of this album ended up being some really fun punk/new wave/Talking Heads style songs with just a sprinkle of Zappa and acid jazz here and there. Definitely one of a kind. The back half of the album lost the melodic nature of the first and got weirder and more experimental, and I didn’t find that as interesting, so only three stars, but I’m glad I got a chance to listen to this!
Beck
4/5
High 4
Idk this just hit perfectly for me yesterday. Listened to it on a cold and calm evening. Beck’s soft, sad lyrics just washed over me. I liked that he was quiet and serious here, letting his deep bass voice shine.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Not really my usual thing. But an easy listen and it’s very historically important.
4/5
Honestly, one of the great discoveries of this project so far! I had never heard of this band, never heard of this album, and for the first couple seconds I thought I knew what this was gonna be - ponderous 70s rock, easy 2-star album, but I was quickly proven wrong. This album is FUN! Adventurous, experimental, without ever losing sight of catchy choruses and melodies. I never knew what was coming next, but enjoyed what did. I listened to this twice, and looked up Discog prices for a vinyl copy (not too expensive at all). Loved this!
Eminem
3/5
3.5
Ya know, if anything, this project has made me respect Eminem more, at least the earlier stuff. I like horrorcore a lot and his early work fits pretty comfortably in that genre. I say I’m impressed, while simultaneously maybe agreeing it’s WILD that this dude was so popular, especially with kids in the 90s. Kids should not have been hearing this!!! I found the content difficult to get through at some points, and I’m an adult who LIKES horrorcore! “Kim” is one of the most harrowing songs I’ve listened to in this journey. I was physically uncomfortable while it played.
Aphex Twin
2/5
2.5
Not the worst ambient music I’ve heard for this project (lol), but I definitely prefer my Aphex Twin spooky
AC/DC
3/5
Classic Rock 101
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Expected to hate this, ended up appreciating its earnest goofiness. Could only exist in the 90s when there were less artists afraid of appearing corny. Honestly, these dudes can write a fun hook. I enjoyed myself while listening to this, and even went back to a couple tracks after it was done. A fun entry.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
2.5
The music seems very well made and the guy has a good voice and there were moments where I was rocking out, but overall this isn’t my type of thing.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Was already one of my favorite albums! Life-changing!
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
Love Dwight’s voice, and the production here is super influential on 90s pop country, but the songs just didn’t hit for me.
Rod Stewart
1/5
This sucked! Sorry, Rod! Not a single enjoyable song.
Portishead
3/5
Three for Third. The original Portishead album was one of my favorite discoveries thus far doing this project, but this one was just…okay. Not sure what it was, but it was missing that special “spark” the first one had. I didn’t hate listening to it, but it kinda felt like a more average retread of the first one. Thus, three stars.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
Funky
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Beautiful voice, I was somehow totally unfamiliar with her before this. My loss. Loved that this was more of a moment in time than a polished record, with multiple flubs and mistakes kept in the final recordings. Adds some humanity to this otherworldly voice we’re hearing.
Wilco
4/5
A light four
I enjoyed it more than my last Wilco album. I was originally grumpy at it being over an hour and a double album but I put it on while I was cleaning and ended up genuinely enjoying most of it. Like most double albums, the second half of the second album starts to feel not wholly necessary but, again, most of it was really fun.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
It’s the Mamas and the Papas. It’s nice, it’s what you’d expect.
The Blue Nile
4/5
High high four
Had never heard of this band or album before and I absolutely LOVED this. Sounds quite a bit like Peter Gabriel, tbf, but I love Peter Gabriel too so that didn’t bother me. Atmosphere, romantic, yearning, I listened to this one again and again. Great discovery from this project.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Last time I got a Tim Buckley album it was within the first week or two of this project, and I remember giving it a low 2 and saying it was definitely my worst album yet but I was trying to be open. Well I finally got another album by him and can confirm he’s really not for me. I don’t get it at all. Meandering, boring. Voice isn’t memorable. There’s an eleven minute track where he (a white man) basically just scream sings a slur over and over and over again.
It’s music, sure, but it’s not music I like. At all. One star.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I was vaguely aware of EBTG. I think I listened to one of their earlier albums, when they were more straight forward singer/songwriters, before they had the electronic influence. It didn’t leave much of an impression then.
But this? I loved! Clearly influenced by Portishead, the whole “sad girl singing over EDM beats,” but Portishead is one of my favorite discoveries of this project! I’ll take “slightly not as good as Portishead,” sure! This was still quite good, and I listened to it multiple times yesterday!
Iggy Pop
3/5
It’s fine. It’s Iggy Pop. Couple hits. Last track sounds like The Killers. Famous rock stars, I challenge you to NOT write a song about having sex with underage girls (might be impossible, it seems)
The Band
2/5
2.5
It’s fine. I like the voices, I like the history, I just don’t like most of the songs. Also why are a bunch of Canadians writing a song praising the Confederacy? lol
Radiohead
3/5
I think it's fine. It's just this is my 4th or 5th Radiohead album basically within a year and at a certain point, it's diminishing returns. They ALL had to be on the list? Really?
T. Rex
2/5
2.5
It’s whatever. I’m missing context obviously as to why it was important. The singer’s voice is annoying and I only like 3 songs
The Cramps
4/5
3.5, rounded up to a light 4
It’s just completely its own thing, which is very refreshing. Just unapologetically weird, spooky, horny. Like music intentionally made to be in the background of a bad B-horror movie, and I adore that for them.
3/5
Spanish trip hop. I can dig it.
Fiona Apple
4/5
One of the great discoveries of this project is that I really like Fiona Apple! This isn’t as good as Tidal to me, and it took a second listen for me to vibe with it more. But hey, I liked it enough from the onset to give it a second listen. And also, Tidal is maybe my favorite album I’ve been introduced to while doing this project thus far.
Also of interest - I think it’s the most recent album I’ve had? This is from 2020!
Elvis Costello
5/5
When I got this album yesterday I laughed out loud. I know that Elvis Costello is kind of the villain of this project for many people; he’s got like eight albums on this list. I’ve been doing this for over a year and still hadn’t gotten a single one of his albums and was starting to wonder when I’d see him. And here he was, AND, it was his very first album.
Here’s the thing - I LOVE Elvis Costello!!!
Now, I don’t love every single album he’s made. But I love A LOT of them. So I was absolutely tickled to get this one yesterday. Perfect songs, perfectly short (I blasted through this album like three times yesterday). I love Costello’s voice, the lyrics are cheeky and smart. Hooks are there. This is truly a perfect album!
Here’s to 7 more Costello albums!
Method Man
3/5
Method Man is not my favorite solo Wu-Tang MC (I’m more a RZA/Gravediggaz/ODB kinda guy) but this is solid stuff.
Slipknot
2/5
I was sick on Sunday and y'all really wanted me to listen to a 72 minute Slipknot album from 2008? THE AUDACITY.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Fine. Depeche Mode improves through albums and while the first couple songs on this first record are strong, the latter half loses me
3/5
3.5
I rock with it
Spacemen 3
1/5
Absolutely not, brother. Are these songs? Or, like, LaCroix water-style impressions of songs?
Bill Evans Trio
5/5
Bill Evans is probably my most listened-to artist for three or four years now, no matter what the algorithm says. He’s the ultimate relaxing music to me. I put him on at home on vinyl, I put him on when I’m off-desk at work (sometimes when I’m on-desk and patrons aren’t around); he’s just my immediate go-to “background music.” He instantly calms me down, and his music helped a lot when I was dealing with untreated anxiety. This dude’s music literally helped me with health issues I was having! You know I love him!
Van Halen
4/5
Ya know, honestly I didn’t have a problem with this! It’s one of those albums where most of the tracks are hits. The production and (obviously) the guitar playing is fantastic. It’s a tight 35 minutes! It’s fun! I was surprised at how much Beach Boys I was hearing in some of those tight harmonies!!! This is a really great classic rock album, and I think you should listen to it!
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Solid. I can see why and how this would mean a ton to certain people. Just didn’t do it for me on a deeper level. But there’s nothing wrong with it!
Koffi Olomide
2/5
2.5
It was fine! Very white of me but I imagined Paul Simon singing over a lot of the tracks lol
David Bowie
3/5
3.5
It’s not my favorite Bowie, and it’s kind of a one song album, but that song is fucking “Heroes” so that gets you pretty far.
Also I enjoyed the ambient stuff on side 2! Also also I say side 2 because I actually got to listen to this one on vinyl! Always nice when I can do that!
Sonic Youth
2/5
2.5
Ok we’re officially hitting diminishing returns with Sonic Youth. This is also overlong and I cannot fucking stand whatever weird awful voice Kim Gordon is using in all her songs here.
The Fall
2/5
The Fail
T. Rex
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot more than the last T. Rex album I had, which was only a couple weeks ago! I thought the songs were a lot catchier here.
John Grant
5/5
I was so surprised to see this album pop up yesterday. I remember I was recommended this album back in 2016 by Spotify, back when the algorithm was good and would actually recommend you obscure music. I listened to this album nonstop in 2016 when I was going through some rough shit in my life. But while it meant a lot to me, it’s not like John Grant has ever really broken through. His listens are pretty low, and he seems to have a small, if dedicated, fan base. So, an interesting pick. But a pick I love all the same.
I love love love this album. Every song is like honey to me. Grant’s beautiful deep voice. The Nilsson-esque instrumentations. I love how smart and sad the lyrics can be one minute, and then wildly stupid and funny the next.
This is an album with the lyrics “Baby, you’re where dreams go to die/I regret the day your lovely carcass caught my eye” and then the next song goes “I feel just like Sigourney Weaver/when she had to fight those aliens.” It’s just so silly and dumb and fun.
I’m biased. This album got me through some rough personal times so I’m gonna rate it highly. I feel like lots of people ain’t gonna like this one, but I’m one of those few who’s really on the level with Grant.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Beautiful voices and harmonies but ultimately disappointing. The song-writing and music is kinda the worst of treacly 80s country production, and feels pretty lightweight. This music is not up to the talent of these three women.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
Corny but fun. I forgot how good "Kick, Push" is. Truly laughing at the 12-minute outro of Lupe individually thanking everyone here's maybe ever seen in his life for helping him make this album over a backing track. Endearingly goofy and sincere.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
I like it sonically, it’s just missing that extra “something” for me.
The United States Of America
2/5
A couple good songs, and I like the lead vocalist’s voice. Very original. But the style of music is just mostly not for me.
Goldfrapp
2/5
1.5
Really didn’t enjoy this one. Far worse than the first Goldfrapp album on this list, and I was already uncertain the list needed any Goldfrapp representation at all.
This is just enamored with itself, even though it’s not really doing anything. A lot of navel gazing and production tricks and not much else. Blends together into one boring soundscape.
Blue Cheer
1/5
1.5
Just did nothing for me. Extremely mediocre rock. Sorry Blue Chew.
The Smiths
4/5
Four stars (sorry)
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
3.5
This is an album you see in the discount bin at every record store, so I wasn’t expecting much. And I definitely thought I’ve never heard anything from this band, but then I was pleasantly surprised! I recognized a few songs, and I loved the singer’s raspy voice and the jazz influence. These dudes I guess turned out to be posers but the music is alright!! I enjoyed listening to this album.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
3.5
Like I’ve said before, Led weren’t a formative band for me, never got into them as a teenage boy so I just don’t have the deep set affection for them many do.
I think it’s good, alright, and this one was better than a couple other Led albums I’ve heard. I do think this is the FIFTH one I’ve listened to for this project? Really? Did ALL of them have to be on this list?
The Only Ones
4/5
This was weird and I really liked it. I ended up listening to it a couple times. Nasally punk vocals with some more intricate, full-band instrumentals. Catchy, fun. The type of interesting album I’m looking for while doing this project!
Suede
3/5
Starts and ends kinda boring, but there’s four or so songs in the middle that really rock. Liked it alright, probably won’t listen to the full album again
Haircut 100
4/5
I really love this album and was pretty delighted to see it on the list and get to listen to it yesterday. Bright, happy British white boy funk that just works for me.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Took a couple songs to get on the wavelength here but I ended up enjoying it alright. He never really gets to Morrissey like he’s compared to. I just heard a really dramatic Neil Diamond.
Paul McCartney
3/5
3.5
Ok McCartney is my guy, my favorite Beatle, the best songwriter maybe of all time, but this is mostly him getting stuff out of his system after the breakup of his band. A lot of these songs feel more like ideas than fleshed out productions. He’s working through some stuff! The highlight is of course “Maybe I’m Amazed” which is such a powerhouse of a song, coming right at the end of the album.
Moby Grape
2/5
Moldy Grape
Beastie Boys
4/5
Production is unbelievably crisp. This is so listenable, could have been made yesterday. The Beastie Boys go kinda hard on this?? Like, they’re still the Beastie Boys but the rhymes are a little more intense? I dug it!!
Soft Cell
4/5
I think “Tainted Love” is one of the best one-hit wonders ever (I know they had more hits elsewhere), so I was looking forward to finally listening to this album, and honestly I wasn’t disappointed.
This delivered exactly what I wanted from the guys who did Tainted Love - grimy, sleezy, horny music. Unapologetically queer, which is kinda wild for it being the 80s. Loved the dramatic voice, loved the 80s production. This album is really good and certainly sets a mood!
Fairport Convention
3/5
I didn’t enjoy the first Fairpoint Convention album I got but this one was much better. Good songs, good vibes. Never gonna be my favorite band or anything but it was a solid listen.
UB40
2/5
While they seem very sincere about it, white boy reggae is just not for me.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I love Bruce, but weirdly this is the one I usually skip in his “classic” era. Maybe my unfamiliarity with it actually helped, because this felt like a first listen and MAN I was FEELING it. The starkness of the instrumentation, the melancholy of The Boss’s voice, the dark and morose stories he was telling…whew, it all just hit me like a ton of bricks.
Guided By Voices
3/5
3.5
I did really enjoy this! I listened to it twice all the way through. My only thing is I SO enjoyed some of the melodies and songs that I wish we could have stayed with them a minute or so longer! I get that isn’t their style, but it’s also what made me less on board with it!
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Dang this white lady can sing!
Keith Jarrett
3/5
This dude is moaning and groaning like he’s getting sloppy toppy while playing the piano but it’s nice enough music for a 60 degree day (which it was yesterday)
The Who
4/5
Classic classic rock. One of the best imo
Caetano Veloso
2/5
2.5
Fine but unexciting
Red Snapper
2/5
Amount of Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Tool, They Might Be Giants, Weezer, Mountain Goats, MCR, Blink-182 albums on this list: 0
Amount of British EDM albums on this list: 10+ (so far)
Like, alright dude, we all have our favorite genres and I get that you like this one, but at a certain point you kinda have to sit back and be like “am I being objective about this?” What did this album offer that other, better EDM albums had not? Just include Aphex Twin and the Chemical Brothers and be done with it.
Ute Lemper
3/5
Great voice and the arrangement of the songs is fun. Very theatrical, very musical theater, not surprised to find that this artist has indeed starred in many stage musicals. You can hear it. I do have to say that this is KINDA a stealthy way to just get another Elvis Costello album on the list since half of the tracks are covers of his songs.
2/5
Okay so I had to find this on YouTube bc it’s not streaming which is fine, but reading the title of the album and a quick glance at what its background is, I’m obviously expecting pretty standard jazz. So I sit down, press play, and immediately hear the most aggressive, loud, explosion of sound I’ve heard in some time. It’s like an audio slap in the face. I think I literally sat back in my seat in disbelief. Then, a little over a minute later (because these songs are played as quickly as possible), the second song starts. It sounds exactly the same as the first. A minute or so later, the third song starts. It happens again. By the fourth or fifth track, I’m literally laughing because I know each track is going to start exactly the same and sound essentially the same. It’s like they knew they had to play a full concert but also had a movie to catch in like an hour, so we’re just plowing through as fast as they could.
But at a certain point I got what they were doing. I can’t say I liked it, but I got into their wavelength enough to sit through the whole album and crack up of the audacity of recording this. So it certainly made me feel something! And for that, I will bestow it 2 stars.
The Strokes
3/5
3.5
Perfectly fine, decent, well made. Love that it’s 30 minutes long, I listened to the whole thing twice.
You’ll just never get me to understand why white male rock critics from the early 2000s thought (and will STILL insist) that this is one of the greatest and most important albums of the century. It’s wild.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
Lenny Kravitz gotta be one of the biggest examples of “pretty privilege” of all time. This man has been allowed to make the most boring, milquetoast “classic” rock, mostly because he’s stunningly beautiful. I can’t really blame the record executives! They probably saw him, fell in love, and never even heard what he was playing! But I gotta tell ya, when you can’t look at him, the music is bad! The worst “socially conscious” lyrics I’ve heard in some time, just stupidly on the nose, and also, he can’t sing? He’s straining to hit all the notes!!! He wrote these songs!!! Lower the damn key! Rough going, this thing is also an hour long!
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Suuuuuper light 3, more like 2.75 but I enjoyed myself more as it went along.
Femi Kuti
2/5
2.5
It’s good, and I know it’s very well liked and respected, but it’s just not a style of music I’ve ever going to get into. I respect it, though.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Light 4
Enjoyed how it stayed very melodic even in the longer, more experimental, psychedelic songs. Sometimes those can feel indulgent or boring but here, I still enjoyed listening to them!
Also, NWO 4 LIFE
Muddy Waters
5/5
Man, I’m not even a blues guy, but I guess when it’s literally Muddy Waters, that doesn’t matter. This just hit me good yesterday. It’s perfect! A true master of his craft. Sounded like a party I wanted to be at!
Eurythmics
3/5
3.5
I always feel like I should like this album more, but I really only think it’s okay.
Fun fact: Annie Lennox used to scare me as a kid. There was a commercial for a CD that would play a clip from the music video for this song, and Lennox looked so intense, so unlike anyone I had ever seen before, it genuinely freaked me out. I would leave the room or change the channel when I’d see the commercial come on.
Deep Purple
3/5
3.5
Ya know weirdly this project has given me a greater appreciation of Deep Purple. Before I just thought they were one of those “classic” classic rock bands with one big hit and everything kinda sounding the same.
And, like, I’m not totally off but I LIKE the way they sound! That singer can wail! I like that it’s all a bit dramatic and indulgent, and the songs are often fun! And it’s under an hour!
Arrested Development
3/5
Preachy, self-congratulatory, embarrassingly “deep” lyrics that haven’t aged particularly well. But at least it sounds good. Production and soundscape rules. Easy to listen to.
Bob Dylan
4/5
4.5
Damn if this project hasn’t got me finally really appreciating Bob Dylan.
This album is so sweet, so romantic, so funny, so wistful.
The Kinks
3/5
Not the best Kinks. I liked other albums way more. This one, other than a few fun songs, kinda went in one ear and out the other.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Nice voices, but ultimately just music for your cool grandpa to listen to.
Lambchop
1/5
Not good at all
Paul Simon
3/5
3.5
Just the other day, as I neared the halfway point of this project, I realized I hadn’t gotten any Paul Simon or Simon & Garfunkel yet, which I thought was odd, since I know they’re definitely represented on this list. And lo and behold, a few days later, the algorithm gifted me with this!
It’s actually a Simon album I hadn’t heard before. I really like him, but I’m no means a completist. The man has released garbage before. This isn’t garbage by any means, but I don’t know if I think it’s an exemplary piece of work either. I enjoyed listening to it, and there’s a couple truly standout tracks (my favorite was actually an unreleased track from the expanded edition so I can’t count that one in my rating) and a couple stinkers. But overall, a better than average Simon and it was nice to finally hear him represented on this list.
Alice Cooper
3/5
More melodic and fun than I was expecting! Basically showtunes, very Meatloaf.
Steve Earle
4/5
Light 4, Steve Earle rules. Is he the only Wire cast member to appear on this list?
Magazine
2/5
Please algorithm, I beg of you, give me some good music.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
TWO Super Furry Animals albums??be so for real right now
Lou Reed
4/5
4.5
A minor masterpiece?
Took a second to get on its wavelength but about halfway through I realized it was a concept album and locked in! Ended up listening to it twice!
Extremely complex in its themes and instrumentation. Harrowing lyrics, somehow beautiful.
Sad Song might be one of the best songs I’ve heard during this project so far.
Loved this!
Mariah Carey
2/5
2.5
Beautiful voice of course, and I liked a few of the tracks, especially the one that sampled Mobb Deep, that was an unexpected delight. Just overall not my preferred genre of music. Miss Carey has never been my favorite diva.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Flaming Lips never really did it for me. Nothing technically wrong with this album, I didn’t hate myself while listening to it. Just doesn’t inspire me in any major way.
Cat Stevens
4/5
Light four
I enjoy Mr. Steven’s classic works but prefer Teaser and the Firecat a bit more
Anthrax
2/5
2.5
Listenable, didn’t hate it, just not really my type of music.
Bon Jovi
3/5
3.5
I know, it’s goofy. But it’s my dad’s favorite album and so I relate it to him, and we listened to it so much in his car growing up. So I have good memories of it :)
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Idk I know people complain about Costello on this list but I guess I just enjoyed the lyrics and the choruses and the melody lines and the voice and the grooves. Call me simple I guess. But that’s just me
Mudhoney
4/5
For some reason I thought Mudhoney was, like, a jam band, like Phish or something, so I was NOT excited for this. But when I saw they're from Seattle, my eyebrows raised, and indeed - This is protogrunge! A lot hardcore, a bit of grime, a little early emo...Really right up my alley. I listened to the expanded edition of this album even because I wanted more. I will definitely keep this in my rotation because I really loved what I heard!
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
Classic, iconic stuff. No one else was like Biggie. But, to be fair, I'm not a big gangster rap guy, and if I was, I'm more a Tupac guy - Despite B.I.G. reppin' BK. Sorry, folks! But I am giving it three stars for its undeniable quality, star power, and influence.
System Of A Down
4/5
Was waffling between 3.5 and 4 stars for this, but honestly, while it’s not the type of music I consider my fave, I really enjoyed this! And was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! I grew up during the heyday of SOAD and always thought they were kinda over dramatic and goofy, and their fans took them really seriously. And I think that’s all still true, it’s just now maybe I’m more on their wavelength. I like weirdness and theatricality. Serg’s voice is all over the place and doing five different things in a single song. The drums are chunky, the riffs are heavy, the compositions are interesting and catchy, and I enjoy the political and religious allusions that permeate their lyrics. A real kick-butt listen that had my head banging.
Jeff Beck
2/5
White British guy blues is one of my least favorite genres heavily represented on this list. Never does anything for me.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
3.5
It’s crazy how modern “After Hours” sounds. Like, the tone and the instrumentation and the voice and the lyrics; it could be an indie pop hit from 2010. A song totally out of time
White Denim
3/5
Never heard of this band, never heard of this album, so I wasn’t expecting much, but I ended up feeling this was perfectly pleasant. Nothing I didn’t enjoy, but - again, why is this on the list? It’s not particularly popular or influential. They shouldn’t be adding albums from the 2010s until like, ten or fifteen years later to see what ends up actually mattering.
Stan Getz
4/5
Sometimes it’s just nice to listen to two greats doing their thing
Basement Jaxx
2/5
2.5
Is it a Wednesday? Then there’s an 8/10 chance I’m getting a British electronica album from 1995-2001 that clocks in at at least an hour long. The dude who made this list simply cannot help himself. Every fucking band who made one made it on this list. The well is endless. I make the joke everytime, but it really is true. You think “surely there can’t be more British electronica albums on this list,” and next week there’s another.
Ya know - this was even one of the better ones if I’m being honest. I thought it started a lot stronger than over ones, was groovier, less ambient, more rocking. But it just loses steam towards the end and I’m just annoyed that I’ve already listened to 20 albums like this before.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Alright, it’s not even like this is awful, but this is the second day in a row where the album I got has been heavily featured as background music in VH1 clip shows from the 2000s. And, like, I love those clip shows. They are intrinsic to who I am as a person - but - the music on the background was not the selling point. I think we can aspire to more for our 1001 albums we gotta hear before we die. Third day in a row with mostly instrumental music which is cool I guess.
Def Leppard
2/5
Ok so 80s hair metal is another genre that might be overrepresented on this list. I’ve gotten a lot of them fairly recently and it’s not an era that, looking back, is particularly known for its quality. Case in point, Def Leppard is a fun band but probably didn’t need two of their albums on this list. This is essentially just a worse retread of their first one, with less hits on it.
TV On The Radio
3/5
This is a band I’ve always liked but wanted to like more, but honestly, I can’t get there. Idk what it is - I feel like some of their choices are weird, or all their music is a joke that I’m not totally getting. Like, why is there a six minute song that is sung in French? They’re very much hipsters. And maybe I’m not cool enough to connect to it.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Cohen with 80s production is WILD
The Incredible String Band
1/5
1001 Albums for that annoying hippie couple from art school that’s always doing acid
Horrid! At one point I was sick of a song, looked down to see how close it was to being done, only to find it had over TEN MORE MINUTES TO GO, and I audibly said “Oh my GAWD” bc I simply could not believe the gall they had to do that.
10cc
3/5
Like, a light 3? More of a 2.75 but I found this unexpected and interesting for the most part, even if I didn’t vibe with all of it. I always thought 10cc was a classic rock group but this is weirder and more experimental and often intentionally funny?? Like, full on comedy songs! Plus it was blessedly short! It’s an interesting little curio!
The Temptations
2/5
2.5
Idk it’s the Temptations. It’s fine, but kinda in one ear and out the other. Didn’t hit me deeply at all.
The Pharcyde
5/5
This absolutely kicks ass. I’ve been meaning to get around to this one for years, I’ve been told it’s great and I’d dig it, and the people were RIGHT. It’s just a really fun, catchy rap album, with super funny and creative lyrics and chilled-out jazz vibes for the beats! Definitely going to keep this one downloaded and on my listening rotation. Refreshing to hear something this good about what feels like a pretty weak month for this project. Even the skits are okay here!!
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Sometimes it’s enough to just listen to the greatest singer ever sing a bunch of amazing songs.
Dire Straits
2/5
Idk 2.5 whatever. I don’t know if I think this band has been influential at all. I know they were big in the 80s but really, who listens to Dire Straits today? Who is like “we need to sound like them!” What have they contributed, long term, to the music world. It’s not awful. I’ve hated albums way more. But it’s just kinda, like, bread. Also their most famous sound drops a few had “f” bombs (the derogatory kind) and just has the instrumental of “Life During Wartime.” Eh!
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Upscale elevator music
Billie Holiday
4/5
Possibly the best storyteller through song there ever was. Nobody made heartbreak sound more real, more heavy, more beautiful than her. And she had a range of like four notes! It’s incredible.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
While I question the algorithm at times (after 450 days of no Aretha, I get two Aretha albums in one week, and a Lady Day album between them), I will not complain too much about listening to Aretha again. Perfect voice, perfect songs. Natural Woman very well could be the greatest recording of all time tbh.
Simple Minds
2/5
In one ear and out the other. The instrumental track was alright.
The Mars Volta
5/5
Well this was awesome! I was aware of the band, obviously, and I’ve enjoyed At The Drive-In albums before, but for some stupid reason, never did a deep dive on The Mars Volta. Loved every second of this. Just a perfect mix of indie rock, emo, and prog. Love the production, such layered soundscapes. What a voice! I had it on repeat yesterday and will keep it downloaded to listen over and over.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
3.5
“Two Weeks” is an all time nostalgic banger. Weirdly enough, not a ton of the rest of the album sounds like that? There’s a couple other songs that are sonically akin to it, but most of the time they’re kinda doing a CSNY riff, which was out of no where to me, who only knew the band bc of “Two Weeks.” Eventually I got on its wavelength but I’m still not sure how the “Two Weeks” band and the CSNY riffers are the same band.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
It’s not bad, I like jangly dreamy Brit Pop of the 80s, just no idea why it’s on this list when there’s far better examples of this type of music to be included (many of which actually are)!
It’s not popular, doesn’t seem influential. Another album the author seemed to like as a kid so he included it, importance be damned
Laibach
2/5
Anytime I work out I just want this project to give me a nice, melodic, rock or pop album. Instead they always give me the weirdest, most difficult shit lol.
Always foreign ambient music or 60+ minutes of experimental electronica. This album is kind of both of those things! Idk what to rate it. It’s not the worst thing I’ve heard, but I also didn’t really enjoy it at all. It sounded like an ogre grunting over instrumentals from Mario 64.
1.5 I guess
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
GAHHHHH ANOTHER BRITISH ELECTRONICA ALBUUUUUMMM
Supergrass
3/5
Light 3.
I like Supergrass just fine I guess. I need something other than music that came from Britain in the 90s tho that’s like all I’ve had for the past week
Tangerine Dream
2/5
2.5
I know this is really influential and important but honestly I didn’t get a lot out of it. Oh well!
Björk
4/5
A light four. I like it less than the last Bjork album I got but I find the middle chunk of songs seriously impressive. Thought it was no where near as inaccessible and weird as a lot of people say about her music. It’s still very melodic.
5/5
Undeniable.
Honestly, probably one of the three best albums I’ve listened to for this project thus far. I know that’s saying nothing new, but it’s really that good.
So perfect it makes me rethink all the other “5”s I’ve given.
It’s an album where each song is arguably better than the last, and it starts with “Five Years,” imo, one of the best songs of all time.
Just a beautiful, delight of an album. Perfect in every way. I gleefully listened to it three, four times through yesterday. One of the surest 5 stars I’ve given.
Joe Ely
3/5
A surprisingly pleasant little country album. All I could think is that, even tho this was released in the 70s, it sounded like late 80/early 90s country, so I have to imagine the production here was really influential for the genre.
Hole
4/5
Light four, but great 90s rock album. Listened to it like three times yesterday, goes down real easy.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
A solid little new listen. The first and last tracks are easily the worst. The first especially had me worried. Super bad mixing, kinda tuneless playing, but then the middle chunk is really really fun. Rockabilly, a little punk - I had a good time! Helped that it’s really short too! I know people are saying it sounds like Rolling Stones but I also heard Cake in some of these songs!!
Gene Clark
2/5
2.5
The first half of this was actually really pleasant singer-songwriter stuff. The second half gets really self-indulgent and navel-gazy and I just wasn’t on board with that.
John Lennon
3/5
3.5
I think, being honest, this project has made me enjoy John Lennon’s solo (duo with Yoko) work more than I have before. It still doesn’t hit with me the way Paul’s solo stuff does, but ultimately, he’s still a Beatle, still part of Lennon/McCartney, one of the greatest song writing duos of all time. What’s missing for me in Lennon’s solo discography, that’s still abundant in Paul’s, is the fun. Beatles songs are fun. Paul’s music is fun. John’s is not. It’s deadly serious. You can feel how serious he’s taking it all. Even when he does what should be a fun blues-y song, it’s super intense. Paul does that kinda pastiche too but he’s aware it’s kinda silly for a white British guy to be doing that so he also goes a goofy little voice. John’s music is great, I guess I’m just begging him to do a silly one every once in a while
Kid Rock
3/5
Alright alright yes Kid Rock is a piece of shit culture vulture who makes bad music nowadays, and I’m not going to begrudge you for giving this album one star because of that, but I’m sorry - looking at this album objectively - it’s fun! It’s big, stupid, bravado fun! The beats are catchy, the production is crisp, the hooks are there, and while his “flow” isn’t good, it’s musically pleasing and easy to listen to. I absolutely see why this was a hit. There’s probably, at least 50 albums, maybe 100, I’ve had a harder time getting through for this project than this one. It gets a little too long in the tooth like a lot of late-90s CD albums did, but hell, I more than enjoyed myself listening to this. I’m as surprised as you are. Giving this a mild “okay.”
The Beach Boys
5/5
This is the algorithm’s way of making me feel bad for giving that Kid Rock album 3 stars. Giving me one of the best albums of all time the next day, with like, 6 of the greatest songs of all time on it.
The Triffids
2/5
2.5
A truly average album. It’s far from the worst thing I’ve heard, but there’s nothing really extraordinary about it. The first song stinks, but then the song after that is pretty good, and it kinda goes back and forth like that for the whole album. The good isn’t consistent, and the bad is just around the corner. The singer is also like that. One of the most average voices I’ve heard ever. Nothing special about it at all. For these songs to connect, he needs to be a way worse singer, like Leonard Cohen, so we could focus on the lyrics, or way better, like Bono so we can focus on the melody. As it is now, it’s just “okay.”
The Prodigy
3/5
3.5
Another British house album, but at least this is one of the really good ones. Again, not much to add. It’s what the late 90s felt like. Matrix. Blade. Toonami bumpers. Somehow it was always music like this scoring those.
Throwing Muses
4/5
This is a difficult one because the actual album is very hard to find. The picture included on this site is NOT of an album called Throwing Muses. You can kinda find the right album on YouTube, but only like six songs, but in super awful audio quality, and a couple of the videos are live performances. So that wasn’t a very good representation. There’s a link here to supposedly the right album on Spotify, and indeed it IS an album called “Throwing Muses,” but it’s a completely different track listing than what is listed on Wikipedia. So idk! All their other albums seem easily available. No idea what’s up with this first one in particular. So instead of reviewing this album that I’m not sure I actually listened to, I’m going to review the general vibe of the band - which I really like!!! Female led post-punk is a sweet spot for me and I enjoyed what I heard a lot!
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
3.5
Not the best Bob but it was a lovely sunny morning to listen to classic reggae so I can’t complain too much!
Brian Eno
3/5
3.5
I enjoyed it, especially the later, more instrumental tracks. But if I’m being honest, it sounded very similar to the other Eno album I got back in December. This is still Eno in pop rock mode, before he gets ambient and weird, so I’m not really sure what new aspect of his contributions to music (which there are admittedly many) I got listening to this. Merely pleasant.
CHIC
3/5
It’s like one 5 star song with a bunch of 2-3 star songs after it, so let’s say that evens out into a 3.
Weather Report
4/5
At first I was kinda like - what the heck is this? - but then I settled in and really enjoyed it. Funk, jazz, I hear city pop, at points I even hear 90s video game music. Not surprised this is a group of super solid professionals. Just a fun, easy listen. I’d listen to more of this group! 500 albums down!!
Gillian Welch
4/5
4.5
I’ve heard Gillian Welch’s name before I’m pretty sure but had certainly never heard any of her music before. This, though, is especially lovely. Call me basic, but I really vibe with this vibes-based folk/bluegrass music. There’s been a couple albums like this on this list so far and they always surprisingly hit me in the gut. I just find it so hauntingly effective. Her voice is layered, wistful, atmospheric. Makes me think about the Blue Ridge Mountains. I know this album must have hit so hard on public radio in the early 2000s. lol.
Ending the album with a 15 minute song shouldn’t work, but it’s so sweet and lovely and the phrase “I Dream a Highway Back To You” is so beautiful I wanna cry.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Kind of the platonic ideal of an okay first listen. Wasn’t familiar with this band at all, dude has an interesting voice, I like about half the songs, it’s 30 minutes long. Bing bang bong. Easy peasy. If I see the album for a couple bucks at a record store, I’d pick it up.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I really do like this album. It’s another path forward for The Beach Boys, a more “adult” album that’s not influenced by Pet Sounds. Of course, they pretty quickly just decide to become a silly nostalgia act and ignore both this and Pet Sounds and any evolution as a band. Some of the political songs are a bit goofy and naive but at least they were trying something!
Pink Floyd
3/5
3.5
I’m not a Pink Floyd guy, never have been, not one of my classic bands. This is the first album of theirs I’ve listened to all the way through. Also crazy it took over halfway through this project to get my first album of theirs. I know they show up multiple times on this list.
I really liked the middle three songs. I found Crazy Diamond a bit indulgent, and that’s over half the album, so! But production is amazing and practically perfect. I definitely see why this is people’s favorite band of all time.
Neil Young
4/5
Early Neil always hits so good. I’m kinda unfamiliar with it, tbh, but whenever I listen to one I realize how influential it is on music I really love.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I really like music like this!
OutKast
4/5
4.5
I mean, any double album is a bit overstuffed, but this is a bit easier to get through since there's the clean delineation and it's basically just two solo albums back to back. Man, OutKast was just the coolest. The biggest band in the world at this moment in time. This album contains probably 3 of my most listened to songs of all time.
Overall, Big Boi's album is probably more consistent. Just a super fun, catchy. funky Southern rap album with awesome features.
And Andre's half is more experimental and navel-gazey, but has really high highs. Like, there's inexplicably an electronic jazz cover of "My Favorite Things" with no vocals, and it absolutely slaps. One of my favorite songs from his half!
It's OutKast! This album has Hey Ya! on it!
Van Morrison
2/5
2.5
Okay cool grandpa music, Van Morrison sounds like he’s got Cotton balls in his mouth even more than he usually does on this album
Neil Young
4/5
Light four
Love the algorithm for this thing! Don’t get but one Neil Young album for the first 500 days of this thing, but now I get two in one week!
It’s harder to really appreciate them when I get them so close together like that, but I still listened to this twice through and tried to appreciate it on its own. Tbh, it’s more of the stuff I liked last time! It’s not too different! It feels super influential to music and bands I like nowadays, so I’m gonna rate it p highly.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
1.5
It’s not without moments of enjoyment. There are tuneful, fun bits. There really are. But it’s also between all the aggressive, intentionally bad soundscapes and annoying structures and it’s all almost 90 minutes.
It’s one of those things where I can respect that someone had to do it to push the genre further. But I don’t have to enjoy it as a listening experience.
4/5
It’s Devo! It’s a great album!
The Pretty Things
4/5
My best surprise in a while! Never heard of this album, never heard of this band, but this album is GREAT!!
Suuuuper tuneful and catchy. Very unified soundscapes while track to track being experimental, but never letting go of the melodies and hooks. Some of these songs could fit perfectly on Sgt. Pepper.
I know it’s a “rock opera” but honestly, other than some names being repeated, I didn’t really get a story at all. That’s fine, but the songs are good enough on their own.
In addition to the Beatles, I hear The Who, early Pink Floyd…so many bands musta been stealing from this album!
Honestly really impressed.
Brian Wilson
5/5
To me, a Brian Wilson Beach Boys song always sounded like a mathematical proof. Something perfect and eternal, that just hadn’t been expressed musically before. Somehow, he saw the shape of these sounds that had always been around and had the ability to translate them to music. There’s a satisfying completeness to a Brian Wilson Beach Boys song. Everything is being covered. Does any of this make sense?
Alas, I’d like to think this album is self-evident even with the loss of the legendary Brian Wilson. This is a beautiful soundscape. Not a note misplaced, from second one. Pure joy, pure honey. Brian was just showing us something that had always been there. He was the one who could access it. May he rest in peace.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A totally fine introduction to The Rolling Stones. Mostly covers, well produced, short. Not that exciting. If you were listen to this alone I’m not sure you’d think “this will be one of the biggest bands of all time.”
The Modern Lovers
4/5
I enjoyed this a lot. I associate Jonathan Richman with much simpler, sillier songs so it was interesting for me to hear him get dark. A couple songs had too much organ and tiptoed into Doors territory but they thankfully didn’t cross the line.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Fine harmless fun
George Jones
3/5
I love George Jones’s voice
Billy Bragg
2/5
2.5
Didn’t enjoy the Billy Bragg half, liked the Wilco half okay. I didn’t find that these two halves worked together, so it was jarring for the songs to go back and forth. Although both artists are guitar based folk, the comparisons stop there. The way their music sounds is fundamentally different. I didn’t like that.
And beyond all that, as someone who enjoys Wilco, 3 albums of theirs on this list is a bit much, wouldn’t you say?
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
BRUUUUUUUCE
Aerosmith
3/5
3.5
I’ma be real, I enjoyed this more than I expected. Aerosmith for the most part annoys the shit out of me, falling too far on the “white guy blues” scale, which is one of my least favorite genres of music. And while there’s definitely a couple tracks here like that, it’s mostly tuneful, hook driven rock! Tyler’s voice is solid, and the production is really polished and draws you in. Also short!
Kanye West
3/5
3.5
So I finally got a Kanye.
It’s hard, because I don’t want to be hypocritical - there are many artists on this list who are racists, rapists, pedophiles, murderers, etc. Bowie, one of my favorite artists of all time, certainly had sex with underage women and at points was known to wear a Nazi uniform on stage! So I’m going to try to rate this fairly; it’s just harder when it’s all currently happening. And harder after that when you’re seeing how far a once great artists has fallen.
I was a huge Kanye fan till like 2016. I think this is probably his last “great” album. But it’s showing signs of decline. His politics here are kinda “correct”, but there’s seams showing in his fabric. He’s trending towards losing it just a bit. I never fucked with this album like I did MBDTF, but I appreciate it now as sort of the antithesis of that album. This is way shorter and stripped back, with hardly any guests or features. While MBDTF is fun, this is intense. Still, great beats and production, which is where Ye always fared best. I cannot like that this was immediately a fun listen. And indeed, it made me miss the old Kanye.
Terence Trent D'Arby
2/5
2.5
Voice not as good as Michael
Songwriting and production not as good as Prince
Not as sexy or as cool as Lenny
Not to be reductive and only compare him to other black male artists of the 80s but that’s who he was being marketed as. The “next big thing.” And idk, I don’t get it. It felt like manifestation by music critics that never fully took off. A couple minor hits, which is still better than 99% of musicians ever, so fair shakes to him, but there’s a reason he so quickly plummeted, and has almost zero cultural relevance nowadays. Like, he’s not really remembered or talked about AT ALL. You’d think The Weeknd would bring him up or something but even he doesn’t seem to care. He’s just not good enough in really any aspect to deserve mention. Sorry!
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Perfectly pleasant to listen to, not gonna ever be my favorite.
Buzzcocks
3/5
I really really dug the instrumentals here - very ahead of its time pop punk - but man, the vocals were hard to take
The Zutons
4/5
Alright, light 4. I’ve had “Pressure Point” stuck in my head after I heard it once on Fuse in 2004 and have basically never listened to the song again until today. And it turns out the rest of the album is pretty solid too! I enjoyed myself thoroughly; it’s not the best thing in the world but I listened to this like three times yesterday.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
1.5
I’m all for experimentation but this all seemed like extremely shallow experimentation. Stuff that was done better by Zappa or Beefheart 30 years before. It’s intentionally unlistenable, and I ask - Why?
The few moments they choose to make actual music, it’s honestly pretty good!
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
It’s fine.
Definitely reaching a point in this project where it’s getting a bit repetitive. I just haven’t had consistently awesome albums in some times. It’s mostly been 2 and 3 star albums. The kind of stuff the maker of this list was just using to fill in numbers. And, like, again, I think to all the amazing albums that AREN’T on this list, and I look at this one and wonder, “Why?” (And then I go to Wikipedia to see that it was popular in the UK, so it’s yet another album that the author of this list liked growing up).
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Immediately A+ vibes as soon as this thing starts, absolutely impeccable vibes. Technically proficient example of music I really dig. I’ll keep this downloaded and listen to it later. The type of music that calms me down and helps me relax
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
3.5
2000s adult contemporary Bruce…whew….it’s still Bruce so it’s better than average, but wowza. Not needed on this list!
Björk
4/5
Alright I enjoyed this, even more than the last Bjork album I got, but also am aware that maybe we don’t need 4 different Bjork albums on this list!!! Variety fucking please!!
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
2.5
I was dreading this, just because I generally think giving white people drugs was a mistake for music, but this was fine. The worst stuff was the Grace Slick songs, the singles, the ones everyone knows. The other tracks were sweeter, lighter, kinder. Gentle hippie music. Harmless overall, and very short.
The Darkness
4/5
Man idk I know it’s goofy and kitschy and silly but I thought this was a banger. I remember loving these guys back in 2004 and I can’t believe that was over 20 years ago and I’m an adult now JEESUS but I always thought they should have been bigger. I know they have a very dedicated fan base that keeps them going but they’re such a fun band. Justin Hawkins’s voice is incredible, and the hooks are THERE. I had such a good time listening to this yesterday. Maybe not high art, but quality art nonetheless.
3/5
Yeah it’s fine. Lots of Brian Wilson and McCartney influence obviously, but overall pretty pleasant. Idk why it was an XTC album from 1999 tho and not when they were relevant.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Yeah people are right, this one rules.
I know it might sound crazy, but yesterday was literally the first time I’ve listened to this album ever, lol!
It actually wasn’t what I was expecting? I thought it was much more traditional rock - but this was very vibey and instrumental and experimental. I dug it bigtime. Listened to it three times, it was that good. Can you believe it? This album that everyone considers one of the best ever WAS amazing??
Iron Butterfly
2/5
Truly does nothing for me. Just sludgy, boring noise. Also, I was very certain I’d gotten this album before! So much in fact, I already had a song from this album in my playlist dedicated to tracking this project!!! Wtf?
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
3.5
One of the beasts of this challenge - an album of standards over 3 hours long. I’ve weirdly been expecting this for the past couple weeks, I just “knew” I’d be getting it soon. Thankfully I got it on a day off with a workout and housecleaning to do, so I had ample time to listen to this.
Here’s the thing - it’s one of the best singers of all time singing a collection of the greatest songs of all time. Yes it’s long, but it’s absolutely never bad. Shorter albums have been less fun to listen to, an assault on the ears. At worst, this occasionally settles into pleasant background noise. But there’s a lot of the best tracks on Disc 5 tbh, so I locked back in.
If this were a curated, 60 minute version, it’d probably be five stars.
Tom Waits
5/5
Alright I gotta be real this album just blew me away! I know Tom Waits as an actor and a generally cool person, and obviously I knew he was “mainly” a musician, but I just never got around to listening to any of his stuff. Definitely a massive blind spot for me.
This is amazing! I know a lot of people won’t vibe with the voice (or lack thereof), but I thought it added so much character and texture to these songs! It’s so dramatic! Many times I thought “this could be a showtune!” It’s big and theatrical and beautifully produced and written.
Waits is out Springsteening Springsteen at various points here. Add me to the list of people who didn’t realize (until today) that “Jersey Girl” is a Waits song, not Springsteen.
“Ruby’s Arms” might be a top 5 “first heard for this project” song. Utterly heartbreaking. Achingly sad.
Enjoyed every second of this album!
Sigur Rós
5/5
Two new-to-me five star albums in a row? LOVE it when that happens! This is the type of discovery that makes trudging through all the mediocre albums worth it.
I’ve heard of Sigur Ros before but didn’t know what type of music they made, so this was a beautiful shock to me. It felt like a transmission from another world, chillwave, ambient music made by elves or something. I found this album so soothing, so calming, with staggeringly breathtaking moments of intensity and release. This album immediately touched me. I had a lot of travel yesterday to and from school, and honestly, I get stressed by long travel. I had this album on the whole time and it brought me serenity. Music is really incredible! One of my favorite new albums I’ve heard for this project!!! Top 3 probably!
John Cale
4/5
I’ve heard the name John Cale before but wasn’t sure I actually knew who he was (he’s a Velvet Underground guy turns out), but this is a delightful album. Just super good singer-songwriter stuff with amazing production and lyrics. Every song has at least one amazing moment in it, plus it never wears out its welcome. Strong showing!
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Less than 3…more than 2.5? Idk 2.75b? It’s not my favorite type of music but it’s done well and honestly I really like 3 or 4 songs here. Also one of the greatest band names of all time, without question.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
After weeks of mercifully getting no British electronica….sigh
Oh cool it’s a Fatboy Slim album with none of his hits on it, and it’s 70 minutes long!
Peter Tosh
3/5
It’s nice to hear some reggae that’s not Bob on this list, and it was also funny to hear what Lonely Island was parodying in their song “Legalize It” from the Pop Star soundtrack. I didn’t realize it was joshing on a specific song!
I think I liked the later half of the album a little more tbh - when he does the ballads and actually sings, it was surprisingly and genuinely nice. This is one of those albums that while I was listening to it, I wasn’t sure about, but I’ve thought about it since I listened to it yesterday.
Donovan
3/5
One five star song (Season of the Witch) and a bunch of two star songs (everything else) means I’ve giving Donovan a VERY charitable three stars.
Tim Buckley
1/5
I hate this dude! And I hate him more before I’ve had to listen to three albums of his shit so far for this project! His songs stink, and he either sounds like he’s doing a bad Jim Morrison impression, or he sounds like a chihuahua getting pinched.
This was slightly better than the last album of his I got, in that it was shorter and less self-indulgent, but it’s the difference between a 1 and a 1.5. Stop making me listen to his guy!!
Queen
4/5
A delightful fantasy-tinged Queen album that conjures up images of castles and fairy tales. “Nevermore” might be one of the most beautiful sub-2 minute songs I’ve ever heard. I never wanted it to end. One star off because Freddie is always too nice letting other people in this band sing lead on songs! Stop! You’re Freddie Mercury!
The Who
3/5
The original track listing for this is so confusing - like, it’s barely any actual Who songs? It’s mostly covers? But the original performance, they did a ton of Who songs! But you didn’t get those until the remastered version in 2011???
Anyways, not great. I feel like I say I love The Who, but have been mostly disappointed somehow with their albums included on this list. Are they not as good as I remember? Weird!
N.E.R.D
3/5
3.5
It’s not perfect for sure - the lyrics kinda stink and the album is overstuffed with a few not great songs, like almost all albums of the CD era were. But I also can’t deny that this is really fun, and the production style is especially nostalgic for me. Just feels like watching MTV and VH1 in 2004 to me, when I was 13-14.
Black Flag
4/5
Now this is punk. I feel like I’ve gotten weak ass, corporate, major record company released punk all before this. Sorry, The Sex Pistols always were and always will be industry plants. THIS is punk.
The Libertines
2/5
Extremely shallow throwback British pop rock that never gets out of first gear. Most of the songs sound the same and never offer a second idea once they start. Too long.
Feels like a British version of The Strokes, culturally, where a certain generation of snooty music journalists REALLY want you to believe this is the greatest music of all time.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Riot Grrl perfection!
Rod Stewart
4/5
3.75, rounded to a 4. Surprised how much I liked this, especially as I rated the other Stewart album I got a 1 (because it sucked), but this was fun and tuneful and well produced! I listened to it a couple times yesterday!
Dion
2/5
2.5
Voice totally fine but the album did mostly nothing for me
Stereo MC's
2/5
Another British electronica/house album with one or two good songs, but that album goes on for an hour.
Desperately wanted this to finish so I could listen to the new Tyler The Creator album (in fact, I could listen to that album twice in the time it took me to listen to this shit ONCE).
Black Sabbath
4/5
RIP Ozzy
Not my favorite Sabbath, but unbelievably strong right out of the gate. Defined (arguably created) a new genre from note one of track one. So self assured, so confident in what they were. It’s incredible.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
3.5
A great album for sure, wondering why it isn’t one of his 90s albums which are usually considered his best, but whatever. GK has one of the greatest rap voices of all time, it just sounds right. Overlong as most rap albums of this era are, thankfully pretty light on skits. Amazing samples, pristine production. A great listen.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Oh I know this album had the Starbucks ROCKIN in 2004
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
3.5
Lana Del Rey really is maybe the most influential artist of her generation. There’s a version of her for every genre basically, and this is her+country+a touch of disco.
I’ve heard good things about this album since it came out so I was very excited to finally have an excuse to listen to it, and…it’s fine! At no point did it get tiresome or bad, but it’s also kinda one note and just, well, fine. I remember High Horse was on a playlist for work back in 2019, and tbh, that’s kinda appropriate to me. It’s the type of music that’d you hear on a playlist at work, but the good kind that stands out among the rest of the dreck. But still, ultimately, it’s music that plays at work.
The Residents
4/5
So I’ve heard of the Residents for a really long time, obviously their iconography is pretty classic, and I’ve certainly read their Wikipedia before, because their whole “thing” is just so fascinating! But this was absolutely my first time pressing “play” on any of their music. And you wanna know what? I thought this was by far the most accessible “avant- garde” music encountered for this project thus far. A lot of the songs are weird, but still pretty tuneful and melodic. There’s hooks and choruses and sometimes it can be a little challenging, but still sounds like music. It reminded me of proto-Primus or TMBG. It’s not my favorite thing in the world, but I could genuinely see myself returning to some songs from this album, plus the band is just so influential and important. I’m scoring this high!! (Also they’re smart enough to keep it short! Their experimentations rarely go over 4 minutes in length!)
The Shamen
2/5
2.5
Time for my weekly British techno album! Thank you sir! Please, I’ll take 50 more! I love slop!
Air
3/5
I wanted to like this more, because I’m vaguely aware of its reputation as a “good” electronic album, and yeah, it’s one of the better ones I’ve heard. But when I’ve been inundated by just the shittiest electronic albums on end for the past 2 years because of this list (I literally got one the day before this album), it just kinda drags this (okay) one down. It’s nice. Pleasant enough. I actually listened to it a couple times to see if it would grow on me - and, not really!
The B-52's
4/5
Pretty undeniable! The B-52s are so important in music, and I think they get looked over sometimes! The campiness, the retro feel, the irony, the QUEERNESS - all SO important for the next 25+ years of pop music. Kate Pierson’s vocals are super influential to pop punk and especially riot grrl. Who doesn’t love the fucking B-52’s? I don’t wanna know em!
Lauryn Hill
4/5
4.5
Wow you guys were right, this really is that good! With a couple more listens (which I’ll give it, I’m keeping this one downloaded), I could definitely see it being 5 stars for me.
A totally beautiful, cool, chill soundscape. Every song is so well produced; the layering of her voice and the harmonies is so neat.
This reminded me of a classic Stevie Wonder album, in the best way. I feel like they share similar production styles, and certain singing inflections.
Really fantastic stuff. Glad I could stop being a neophyte and finally listen to this album.
Boards of Canada
2/5
2.5
Man idk this is my third electronica album in one week and they were all over an hour long and ponderous and maybe I’d like them more if I had more space in between but the algorithm is a fickle beast.
In theory I think this is one of the better ones I’ve listened to but I also found it kind of frustratingly twee? How do you make electronica music twee? These guys did it.
After it ended Spotify autoplayed other electronica/ambient/noise songs and I thought all of them were better than this.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Yeah, four stars. I don’t have a lot to add. It’s an extremely important album, and it’s extremely good!
The Beach Boys
4/5
Fun classic Beach Boys songs. Not much to complain about here, clocks in at less than a half hour. Wilson’s compositions are classics. I prefer the single version of Help Me Rhonda more than this album take, though. It’s more refined.
The Damned
4/5
Like, 3.75? I’m rounding up to four! I liked this! Melodic punk!
Sabu
3/5
3.5
Great vibing music!
Roxy Music
3/5
Roxy Music is a band I’ve been told is very important for most of my life, but idk, this just sounds like fine Brit-rock of the 70s? This isn’t even one of the albums Eno is on! It’s listenable! Didn’t have a problem for it. Very famous cover, yes, but this isn’t 1001 Album Covers You Must See Before You Die.
M.I.A.
2/5
2.5-2.75???
It starts strong, very idiosyncratic, but it doesn’t really offer anything meaningfully different as it goes on. What you get at the beginning is cool and different, but the songs all kinda sound like that. It’s short and listenable for sure, I’m just not sure how essential it is! Shame MIA became a maniac because she IS certainly talented.
Prefab Sprout
4/5
I’ve listened to other albums that kinda sound like this that were really mediocre or downright bad - but idk, this is just BETTER than those. One of the best examples of jangly 80s Brit pop? I loved the songwriting, I loved the construction, I loved the voice. Reminded me a bit of Aztec Camera whom I also really enjoy. Lovely discovery!
Mekons
2/5
1.5
Really bad. Didn’t enjoy this at all. A half hour of tuneless screeching.
Bill Callahan
2/5
Yeah in 2009 all music critics were telling us this was like the best music of all time - it all sounded exactly like this. Downbeat pop with dudes with low voices. This guy could be 50 other musicians.
I mean, that being said, it’s not awful. Callahan’s deep timbre is pleasant, and the songwriting is fine (although it gets samey real quick). It’s okay enough to listen to for 45 minutes, but after it’s done it feels completely inessential.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Perfectly pleasant, like a lullaby album sung by Nelson and his soft, lovely voice.
Idk why there’s so many cover albums on this list tho! While the art of the cover is to be lauded, I’m not sure there’s a place for them on this list, especially when I think about the albums and artists not represented on it!
Radiohead
5/5
Does every Radiohead album need to be on here?
I mean, I’m fine with this one being on here, because it’s my favorite, but seriously - every single one?
Is it a hot take that this is the best Radiohead album? I think it might be. I know it’s less experimental, less electronic, but what it IS is pure 90s alt rock quality. Every song here is so good, so catchy. The sequence of “The Bends” - “High and Dry” - “Fake Plastic Trees” is one of the best three song sequences in ANY album encountered so far.
Arcade Fire
5/5
Sounds of being young. Of endless hope and optimism and our whole lives ahead of us. That’s at least what I remember feeling when I first heard this album my freshman year of college (probably the ideal time to hear this album).
Years since have proven me wrong - life has been difficult, ups and downs and trauma and hardship (even this band has proven to not be what they appeared to be - they were the same rock and roll exploitators they felt antithetical to at the time), but when I listen to this album, I can reconnect with that younger version of me. And I hope for him.
Adele
4/5
In 2011, right after my sophomore year of college, I broke up with my longterm, long distance girlfriend. It definitely blindsided her, even tho it was something I had been contemplating for a while. When I got home, I remember my sister shared this CD with me. I listened to it on my laptop and wept, feeling that each lyric was written specifically to stab me in the heart for what I had just done.
I guess I’m speaking to the universality of Adele. It’s pop music, but it’s damn good pop music.
Buck Owens
2/5
2.5
Fine! Not my fave type of music but I get why it’s important. Short, and not hard to listen to.
Deerhunter
2/5
Generally did not enjoy this! One of those 2010 albums that I was told by music critics and friends was gonna be one of the next big things, and while I even had a couple songs from this album on my college, I was always suspect about the quality here! And I think time has justified me! Other than being on this list, has this album had an outsized influence on anything? What even is it? How would you describe it? It’s very half-hearted and unsuccessful ambient experimental pop? Maybe? Idk it just leaves no lasting impression to me! Sorry!
The Human League
2/5
“Don’t You Want Me” is one of the best one-hit wonders of the 80s, so I was hoping that this would be an amazing surprise and the rest of the album would be awesome. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case. Really bland, pretty boring 80s synth pop. “Don’t You Want Me” is the last track and obvious stand out. I was just waiting to get to that the whole time.
Manu Chao
3/5
Light 3.
Not my usual fare, but this guy keeps it light enough and fun and changes it up and keeps it creative that it never gets boring!
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
4.5
I was familiar with Will Oldham’s work as a child actor (go watch Matewan! One of the best films ever), and I knew he had retired from acting to make music, but this absolutely blew me away!
This just hit me exactly where I want to be hit - deep in the soul, dark, gothic, folksy. Loved loved loved this. I listened to it like three times yesterday. With another couple listens it could easily be 5 stars for me. Bummer this isn’t on streaming (tho respect to him for that of course), because I’d be listening to it as naseum if it was. Fantastic find for this project.
Jamiroquai
3/5
3.75
These white boys don't do a half-bad funk impression!
Honestly, impressed with how much I enjoyed this Jamiroquai album. Was ready to roll my eyes at the whole thing, but I had a great time listening to this. Singer’s voice is fantastic, and the soundscapes are well-produced and bouncing. Listened to it twice through!
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Like Human League a couple days ago, Dexys Midnight Runners is responsible for one of the greatest singles of the 80s - “Come On Eileen,” and while I was interested in listening to the whole album that that song came from, I was also extremely aware I’ve ALREADY had a DMR album this project and it was one of the worst things I’ve listened to so far! So, let’s say my expectations were…tempered.
Thankfully, this album is totally okay! While “Eileen” is still the clear standout, the rest of it is fine! Fun songs, the singer’s voice is really weird and good (he reminded me of Justin Hawkins from The Darkness at many points), and while, it’s never going to be my favorite album, it is way better than their previous representation on this list, and better than the Human League album I got earlier this week.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
1.5
Like a 45 minute joke you don’t get to be a part of.
The type of music that “too cool for school” white guys told you to listen to in the 90s.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I love Peter Gabriel so much!
Here he’s, like, midway transforming from art pop to regular pop and it’s cool and interesting and all the songs are bops. One of the greats!
4/5
Can’t believe it took me so long to get a U2 album!!!
Here’s the thing, U2 are corny as hell, we all know that, but the early albums especially are ungodly good.
The first three songs on this album is arguably the best sequence of three songs of all time. Massive, huge, life-affirming mega hits back to back into back. Unreal.
The rest is less good, but still pretty solid!
The Black Keys
3/5
3.5
It’s not bad at all, but I think lower of it now because of how many beer and truck commercials these songs have been in the past 15 years, and what a dillweed Patrick Carney is irl.
I had fun, but it gets a bit long in the tooth. Why is a Black Keys album an hour long?
Pink Floyd
2/5
I gotta be honest y’all this one sucked like donkey ass. We can’t be putting every Pink Floyd album on this list just because they’re Pink Floyd. And here’s the thing, this isn’t me hating on PF. This project got me to finally listen to them and I REALLY liked their other albums. I got the hype! But this? This is plodding, tuneless nonsense. The worst type of psychedelic rock. Nursery rhyme lyrics and irritating noise. I’m glad they moved beyond this. Honestly it deserves one but I’m grading them on a curve because they’re Pink Floyd.
Silver Jews
2/5
2.5
Absolutely fine, but felt zero inclination to return to it after it was through.
Antony and the Johnsons
5/5
This is one of the albums that makes trudging through all the garbage on this list worth it. A truly new to me album, from an artist I have SOMEHOW never heard of, ever; and it is spectacular.
From moment one, as soon as that voice kicked in - it was like getting hit by wrecking ball. Just one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard in my life. So singular, so haunting. And it stayed that way the whole album. Harrowing, lovely, delicate, yearning. I couldn’t even do anything else while I listened to this. I just sat, stared off into the distance, and FELT.
Also, how amazing that this album was made in 2005. Imagine putting out not just an explicitly queer album in 2005, but an explicitly TRANS album in 2005. That’s still barely done these days. But to do it in the middle of the Bush era? I’m staggered by their bravery.
Literally one of the best things I’ve heard for this project. Glad it’s now in my life. It’s staying downloaded and I’ll listen to it over and over.
Roxy Music
3/5
I don’t think I get Roxy Music. Perfectly serviceable rock of its time. No desire on my part to return to it.
The Birthday Party
2/5
1.5
Extremely not for me. Overlong, every song sounded exactly the same and it was a song I didn’t like from the beginning.
Again, the album rocked, one of the best, but this isn’t 1001 Album Covers you must see before you die.
New Order
4/5
Classic, fantastic stuff. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Usually I can’t stand Clapton but honestly, this was perfectly pleasant and well made, with some good songs.
ABBA
3/5
Sometimes you just need some ABBA for your day! And yesterday was a great day for that!
It’s no surprise these guys ended up writing multiple musicals; these songs are so showtune coded.
Hookworms
2/5
2.5
What is this? The guy who made this list’s buddy’s band or something?
Completely inoffensive tbh, but completely disposable.
Holger Czukay
2/5
1.5
Sigh…no
Steely Dan
5/5
Fuck it, five stars. I don’t love a lot of Steely Dan but I love this album. It’s been a solid week of stinker albums for me. So this beautiful, perfect dad rock felt like an oasis.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
2.5
A couple songs I thought were okay, but I really didn’t need to listen to two Captain Beefheart albums in my life.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Delightful. A really lovely, fun, easy listen. Just weirdo and experimental enough without going up its whole butt.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Beautiful singing and melodies, no matter what the language. Easy to listen to. Long, but the songs are usually short and quick so there’s variation. Folksy, gave me slight Paul Simon vibes.
Joan Baez
3/5
A beautiful sweet voice and a mostly boring album.
Goldie
1/5
I’m sorry, Goldie, I don’t even technically think you’re the worst British electronica album I’ve gotten - but, I just can’t TAKE any more! It’s the most overrepresented genre on this list, it’s truly insane. They’re all well over an hour long (this one is TWO HOURS), mostly forgettable, and have had minimal to no influence on music that came afterwards. This genre was hot for a minute, a flash in the pan, and then the mainstream moved on. Like, I’m sure the guy who made this list had a great time tripping to this music at raves in the late 90s, but that is no excuse for the absolute PROLIFERATION of these albums on this list. Have some fucking objectivity, dude.
Primal Scream
3/5
I was so grumpy - one day after a British electronica album and I get a Scottish album with “elements of electronica and trance.” I almost screamed! But actually this was fine. Not special or exemplary but I dug about half the songs.
The Byrds
3/5
Liiiiight 3. It sounded fine, and I enjoyed about half the songs. I know this is more a case of the pop songs at the time, and not specifically the Byrds, but sometimes the songs feel like they never get into second gear. They have some great lyrics and lovely harmonies and instrumentation, but they’re so SHORT they almost feel unfinished. Give me a bit MORE!
David Bowie
4/5
4.5
Man Bowie was really just the best. Just popping out two of his best albums right before passing is so GOATED. This album is so good and so fun and so accessible!!! A pleasure to listen to it.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Light 3. Love Joni’s voice, love the story she tells in her songs. Hmm she sure does bring up black people and the black experience a lot in her songs, I hope she’s never done anything weird re: black people before!!!
Beatles
5/5
It’s Revolver
Alice Cooper
4/5
3.75
I need half stars here!!! This is a lot better than other 3 star albums but I just don’t like it enough for it to be a real 4 star album, but whatever. It’s fun. This is not real rock, it’s showtunes! There’s literally multiple tracks here that use music and lyrics from West Side Story! It’s sooooo theatrical.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
2.5
Look I appreciate and recognize Sly’s talent and artistry, but damn, there’s barely a hummable tune, a catchy hook here. I don’t really like any of the songs on this album!
More than any other album on this list, this album sounds depressed. Sly seems like he’s going through something here. It’s emo funk. The last song is literally just a downtempo version of one of their biggest hits from another album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
I think this is my favorite Costello. Every song is perfectly catchy, with an amazing hook. “Two Little Hitlers” has possibly the best chorus switch up of all time. The drums are so good. It’s such a fucking groove.
Richard Hawley
2/5
It was fine while I was listening to it, and then after it ended I immediately had no desire to listen to it again.
There’s a real over abundance of albums like this on the list. Male singer-songwriters from 95-2010 that all kinda sound like this. Baritone, Baroque, Romantic. Kinda Morrissey. Kinda Wainwright. Shit that really set off indie music websites reviewers. Best of 2005 on Pitchfork type album. And, like, it’s all so self-important. And not that memorable.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
2.5
A bit disappointed by this tbh. It’s something that should be right up my alley - 90s NYC rap with thoughtful lyrics - and I’ve heard of this MC before, as someone who was influential but I hadn’t ever really heard much of him. I was ready to like this! But even tho it’s certainly not BAD (it’s well produced, Jeru has a solid flow) it just never got GREAT to me. Lacking in hooks, it all kinda sucked a together at a certain point.
Ice Cube
4/5
Gangsta rap isn’t my preferred sub-genre, but when it’s this good, this important, I get it! The back half of this album is especially solid - catchy, funny, creative, painting incredible stories. Enjoyed myself immensely listening to this.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
2/5
I didn’t hate it, but it was wholly unnecessary and overlong.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Pleasant but not really my thing. Light 3.
Raekwon
3/5
I respect it more than I like it. I know this is the cool Wu-Tang project to say is your favorite but honestly it’s just never fully connected with me.
Also this algorithm for the project is so weird. I go half a year with no 90s hip hop and then get three 90s hip hop albums within a week.
Death In Vegas
3/5
Wow a British electronica album I didn’t hate! Miracles still happen! Yeah this was kinda groovy. A little more trip hop, a little more rock, with shorter songs and more variation so everything didn’t just blend together. A couple songs here I really dug.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I remember the first time I REALLY listened to Bob Marley. I obviously always knew who he was, the iconography was inescapable growing up, and some of the songs as well.
But in the summer between 8th and 9th grade I went to summer camp for a week, and my cabin counselor loved Marley, and all week just played Marley’s greatest hits CD. By the end of that week the entire cabin knew every word of that album and was singing along. Kind of life changing in a way. There’s maybe no better way to fall in love with Bob Marley than laying on a bunk after two hours of swimming and stuffing your face with mess hall food. Just drying off, relaxing, maybe reading a book or playing WAR with your bunkmates, and Marley just playing in the background. It’s so visceral to me still. Perfect days, and the perfect soundtrack to them.
Brian Eno
2/5
David Byrne is one of my faves, and I certainly respect Eno’s contributions to music. I can see how this would be influential at the time but in our modern age it feels frustratingly simple, repetitive and overlong.
50 Cent
4/5
4.5
Iconic for a reason. It really is that good, and I don’t even like 50 Cent usually.
Happy Mondays
2/5
I’ve just heard too many albums that sound like this, and sound better than this, that are already on the list. I gave it a fair shot, going through it twice. It’s fine. It’s just not that good.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Great mid-2000s pop rock. Hits still hit, takes me back to high school.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
3.75 rounded up to a 4
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this, since the last Divine Comedy album on this list I could take our leave. I think this helped being a little more fully realized, the orchestrations were lusher, his voice was better, and also, maybe most importantly, the album was a lot shorter!!! But also, let’s be real, no need for two Divine Comedy albums on this list ever. Just make it this one, the better one, and take that other one out!
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
I actually just listened to this album last week after getting Armed Forces, one of my other favorite Costello albums. Loved this album for years!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
3.5
One of the more recent albums on this list, 2019, and my second Nick Cave album. Glad I had a long road trip today to listen to this one because it’s solidly over an hour long and kind of necessitates you focus on it a bit.
Drenched in grief, every song heartbreaking. Every note sad. Covers a lot of the normal Cave bases, lots of poetry and religious references, but here they were waaaay more personal because of the circumstances. Multiple tracks well over 10 minutes long, little operettas in themselves. Cave is still never gonna be my favorite artist but I’ve always respected him and this is clearly a solid work, especially from someone grieving.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
3.5. The songs are better than her last album, with a couple classics obviously.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Got this album (which I already love) on the morning of a long drive back from Crystal Lake, IL to O’Hare Airport. An absolutely beautiful, relaxing drive made even better with the perfect soundtrack. The type of moments you live for!
Iggy Pop
2/5
2.5
Fine but not for me
Carpenters
4/5
Idk I know it’s easy to clown on the Carpenters for being cheesy but man, these are well-produced love songs sung by one of the most beautiful voices of all time. Relaxing, like a cool wind flowing over you for a half hour.
Country Joe & The Fish
1/5
It was a mistake giving white people drugs
4/5
A good Britpop album? It DOES exist!!! I mean, maybe expected - it’s Blur, one of, if not the best Britpop groups, and this is the album I’ve enjoyed the most from them on this list so far (I think there's been two previous to this). The songwriting is great, the compositions are fun, the harmonies kill. Great stuff.
Kings of Leon
4/5
4.5
One of the great things about music is you never know what’s gonna hit for you. You can make informed guesses, sure, but sometimes the first Kings of Leon album just VIBES with you.
I love this?!? Am I crazy for hearing Diamond Dogs/Ziggy Stardust era-Bowie in the construction of the songs, in the singer’s voice? Just add a little more Southern rock to it!
I listened to this like 4 times yesterday. I truly loved it.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I’ll be honest I’m a bit disappointed in this. Obviously “Hurt” is a masterpiece, genuinely one of the greatest covers ever, but the rest of this (long) album is kind of trying to do “Hurt” over and over, with varying degrees of success. The songs feel less like songs suited to Cash, and more songs chosen for the sort of meta story they’re building relating to his life. Some songs (especially story songs) he still excels at and seems to be having a great time.
“Personal Jesus” and “My Life” sound like someone stuck the lyrics in front of him approximately two minutes before hitting “record.”
Also, I know he was very old and his voice was never great, but man, the autotune done on him here is bad. And 2002 autotune so it’s especially noticeable. High notes are suuuuper robotic.
Also that Don Henley duet is awful. Clearly they were never in the room together, their voices don’t mesh. Rubin has mixed them so terribly it just sounds like fuzzy noise. Embarrassing job for a professional! Also lol the guy who made this list managed to sneak another appearance from Nick Cave onto the list with his duet with Cash here! Sneaky sneaky!
Kanye West
4/5
Sigh. I know it’s a jokey thing to say, but DAMN, I miss the old Kanye. THIS Kanye! This music is so instrumental (no pun intended) to me as a person. Those first five albums are soundtracks to teenage Brad becoming a young man. As an extremely white kid, Kanye was one of the first rappers that actually made me sit up and pay attention. He was just different at the time. Weird and nerdy and his choruses were so catchy and sing-y and I just felt seen by him in some way.
This album is so big and bright and silly and musical.
I really wish he had never become what he has become. It’s genuinely depressing.
Still too many skits on this thing, tho.
David Bowie
4/5
I always weirdly think of this as a “lesser” Classic Bowie album, but bad or anything but not the best. And. Like, maybe that’s true? But also, being a lesser classic Bowie album still makes you an absolutely stellar album and better than 90% of other albums ever made lol
Minutemen
2/5
2.5
It’s a bummer because I love the instrumentals here. This feels like something I should dig. But I just can’t get on board with the vocals, and there’s just no variety in the style of song here, and it’s really almost 90 minutes long.
Nina Simone
5/5
Sung by her, every song becomes a stirring epic. One of the best to ever do it. What more is there to say?
Dead Kennedys
4/5
Nazi Punks Fuck Off
Steely Dan
3/5
3.5
Some great songs here, nothing as good as anything on Can’t Buy A Thrill. The definition of easy listening.
Mudhoney
3/5
I like Mudhoney but there’s really no reason for two Mudhoney albums on this list. One covers Mudhoney plenty.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
I’ve heard the name Marianne Faithfully a lot but don’t think I’ve ever heard any music from her before yesterday.
This is okay! I think it could grow on me if I listened to it more. She certainly has a one of a kind voice.
More like 2.75 but I’m rounding up.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
3.5
I like Dinosaur Jr just fine, but again, not sure what two of their albums on this list does. They’re great, but once you hear one album from them you’re prettt much covered.
The Crusaders
3/5
I, too, love “Jackie Brown.”
But yeah, it’s one five star song that’s over a fourth of the length of the album, and then a couple instrumental tracks that sound like something my kindergarten teacher would play to help us calm down during nap time. Which, no hate. They’re chill songs. But not as good as “Street Life.”
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
It’s getting 4.5 instead of 5 because I like when there’s more interplay between Q-Tip and Phife, and that really only happens on a few tracks here. But man, still, the vibes are IMMACULATE. The samples SO GOOD. The second Q-Tip came in on the first song I just had a big grin on my face because it’s just always so smooth. “Can I Kick It?” is one of the greatest songs of all time!
fIREHOSE
4/5
3.75
When I saw this was basically a Minutemen extension project, I wasn’t looking forward to it, since I had the Minutemen album just last week and ended up pretty disappointed with it. But I liked this a lot more! The song writing was more complex, there was more variety in the type of music they played. Reminded me of great 80s college radio rock.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Forgot this thing starts off with references to the Charlie’s Angels movie lol
It’s good, but overlong. Some absolute mega-hits on here, but also a lot of songs that just kind of drag.
An interesting moment in production too. So much of this sounds so influential, and will be for pop music for the next 10 years, and then there’s some tracks that sound extremely stuck in the 90s.
Funkadelic
3/5
Now, if we’re doing best album COVERS of all time, this is maybe top 5. Classic.
I think I’m realizing I just don’t super love funk. There is nothing wrong with this, I can see why it’s many people’s favorite thing. It’s just not my tempo!
Ray Charles
4/5
4.5
I’m a simple man it turns out. I get one of these albums that just features one of the greatest voices of all time singing the heck outta some songs, and I’m happy.
The Police
4/5
A good rock album.
Elbow
4/5
This was a great album by a band I had truly never heard of before! Loved this! Atmospheric, vibey, a little Peter Gabriel with the singer’s voice. There were a couple songs I just straight up didn’t like - one sounds like a car commercial and the other features a guest vocalist whose album is also on this list and I didn’t like that either - so I can’t give it full accolades, but this was a lovely discovery.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
3
Solid goth pop. Vibey, atmospheric, a hint of shoegaze to come. Very listenable.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
3.75
Finally an LCD Soundsystem album! And it’s…this one? Really? This isn’t the only one on the list, right? No hate - the worst LCD album is better than a lot of band’s best albums, but I’d certainly never think this one is a must listen.
This is one of the few albums on this list that I listened to when it came out. I remember the excitement, the hype for the comeback. I played this the morning it came out, liked it, and then basically forgot about it. I tried to approach it this time with open ears, and honestly, it’s very good!
Starts super strong, gets a bit meh, then gets really good again about halfway through, and then the end putters out with half an hour of indulgence. But when this is hitting, oh man, it hits like only LCD can. Transcendent stuff! But inconsistent and overlong, unfortunately.
Eels
5/5
Hey ya know what I wasn’t expecting too much from this. I figured it wouldn’t be awful, but basically just another average mid90s alt rock album.
But this is kinda lovely and wonderful and actually made me feel things! Quiet, thoughtful, funny and odd and introspective lyrics. The music zigs and zags in interesting ways without sacrificing melody and catchy hooks and listenability. I listened to it three times through almost trying to like it less, but I can’t. I have no issues with this. And when I don’t have any issues with an album, I think it’s gotta be five stars.
George Michael
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot more than I was expecting. Very singer-songwriter, less happy pop than I was expecting (although of course Freedom 91 slaps). There’s a depth of lyrics and themes here that’s very interesting. Very sad, very introspective. The Stevie Wonder knocked me off my feet. Let me say - this white boy can fucking SING. In general I felt like this was an effective mix of the styles of McCartney and Wonder. Two of my favorites, so no surprise this hit for me.
John Coltrane
4/5
4.5
Classic for a reason!
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
It’s wild, I’ve had this song from Inside Llewyn Davis stuck in my head for like the past week, the one that goes “Fare thee well, my honey, fare thee well” and I’ve been singing it so much it was annoying my GF and then that same fucking song was on this album - I couldn’t believe it! What a coincidence!
Too bad this version sucked. I hate folk like this. It all feels so performative, so fake in a way, even though they’re trying to be so sincere. It’s a character they’ve concocted. A rich kid cosplaying as a grassroots American. Even Dylan was that to a certain degree, but Dylan moved the medium forward by writing his own material and maturing the music. This guy is squarely stuck in the “interpretation of traditionals” version of folk. Lol I’m basically describing the plot of Inside Llewyn Davis but HEY, IF THE SHOE FITS!!
Judas Priest
4/5
Not a big metal guy, but it’s been a minute since this project has served me some actual, no frills attached, for real for real, METAL. And this was fucking JUDAS PRIEST, man! This hit right yesterday, I was vibing. These songs are tight, great production, great lyrics, legendary singing. I don’t care for a couple tracks overall so can’t give it five, but if you’re looking for metal, doesn’t get much realer than this.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
4.5
I know just a couple days ago I was talking about not liking folk but actuallllllly I’m suuuuper basic and LOVE Simon & Garfunkel! What can I say? This isn’t my favorite album of theirs but it’s great!! A couple songs I’m not super fond of but also some stone cold classics, plus the whole thing is less than 30 minutes long! A beautiful whisper of an album!
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
1.5
Getting the beautiful Simon & Garfunkel album back to back with this album is the kind of hilarious vibe changes you can only get with this project, and I love it for providing me that.
Here’s the thing. I feel like I respect stuff like this waaaaay more than, just like, bad music from a regular genre. This is still bad, but it’s interesting, and it’s bad in a new and different way each track. And actually, it’s not all bad! I really like the instrumental track AB/7A!! It’s very melodic and vibey and lovely to listen to! So I can’t give it only a one.
The Dictators
3/5
3.5
Just super solid mid-70s power rock! It’s not my favorite, but honestly nothing super wrong with it. Short and fun to listen to!
Miles Davis
3/5
Respect the artistry, unfortunately this is not really my tempo. “Spanish Keys” is good.
James Taylor
5/5
I’m from North Carolina, this album is in my blood. I was raised on it. And I really do love it. Gentle, sweet, clever, beautiful little songs that bring me serenity and calm. Sometimes you need that.
Love
2/5
I always feel like I should like Love more. I know that sounds hacky, but it’s true. They’ve got all the components of bands I dig, but, at least for their albums represented on this list, I’m just not really connecting.
Aerosmith
2/5
2.5
Nothing wrong with it, I found it a fairly easy listen, it’s just not particularly special in my opinion.
Special shout out out to Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man though, which sounds like proto-grunge. That’s a good track, my favorite off the album.
R.E.M.
4/5
Took a couple listens but I think this is my favorite REM album on this list yet (man there’s a lot of REM albums on this list, this has gotta be it, right?)
The Jam
4/5
I like The Jam! Solid pop punk, much better than some other entries on this list! Enjoyed my listens!
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Now this I liked! Didn’t much care for the last Cocteau Twins album I got, but this was more like I was expecting. Atmospheric dream pop with beautiful vocals and nice choruses. Like funkier The Sundays. Listened to this many times yesterday, great stuff.
Killing Joke
2/5
Totally whatever, didn’t seem like I needed to hear this before I died.
Wire
2/5
2.5
Fine, first half stronger than the second. I feel like I’ve heard a lot of these songs in, like, cell phone commercials nowadays lol. The ultimate journey of punk.
Anita Baker
2/5
2.5
Obviously amazing voice, but production of the songs is so outdated and cheesy.
The The
3/5
One of the more average albums I’ve heard for this project, I think. Totally listenable, not remarkable in any way. Cannot imagine a good reason for it to be on this list!
Elliott Smith
3/5
3.5
I wasn’t an Elliott Smith kid growing up so while these albums are nice and I certainly see the talent, they don’t hit me as hard as I’m sure they do for many others. I enjoy listening to them, though!
Steely Dan
4/5
On the scale of bad to great Steely Dan albums (all of which are represented on this list), I’d say this one is pretty dang good! I love the jazz influences!
Sam Cooke
5/5
I love a live album that sounds like the greatest party ever. Don’t you just want to be there? It seems like the best time. Cooke sounds perfect, absolutely controlling the audience and making his way through his hits effortlessly and with the most charisma of anyone ever.
Ministry
3/5
Fun, dark stuff! I dug it!
Pixies
5/5
I never think of this as one of my favorite albums, but then I listen to it, and it’s just song I love after song I love. It’s an amazing album. Pretty much perfect.
Neu!
5/5
Have never heard of this band before but man, this music just, like, spoke to my soul? It sounds so goofy, so absurd, so hacky, but listening to it was just what I needed? It almost made me cry! This vibey, atmospheric, almost ambient soundscapes, just long enough to get lost in. Soothing. Reminded me of Sigur Ros, a band I finally listened to because of this project and whom I similarly loved.
Eric Clapton
2/5
2.5
Why does Clapton always sound in pain when he sings
Calexico
2/5
2.5
Idk, another case where I have no idea what this band actually is? It’s not enough to be two great musicians, which obviously these two guys are - but there’s no identity as a band here. Every song sounds wildly different. Jazz, pop, indie rock, Latin-infused funk. Being really good at music imo is not enough to make your album indispensable.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I’m a Costello defender on this list, but even I am like - This one? It’s fine, I like it, but it feels like if you gotta cut one, it’s likely this one. 3.5
Jazmine Sullivan
4/5
Really taken by this! Completely unaware of it before today, even tho it’s one of the newer albums on the list. An intense, funny, sad, introspective, cutting, tuneful, soulful look at black women’s sexual lives. Just, like, six solid tracks with interludes. I liked all of it!
Patti Smith
5/5
I of course knew who Patti Smith was, and have heard plenty of her songs and know of her importance in music history. But yeah, honestly never sat down and listened to one of her albums. This is a masterpiece. I get it.
Air
2/5
Maybe it’s better in context of the movie?
Pulp
3/5
Loved the last Pulp album I got, and while there’s a lot of great stuff here, it falls into the trap I find a lot of later 90s Brit pop falling into, i.e., it’s overlong and getting self important, with lots of not great songs crowding what could be a better, refined listening experience.
3.5
The Undertones
3/5
Solid early pop punk per usual from the Undertones. 16 tracks in a little over 30 minutes is also admirable.
D'Angelo
3/5
3.5
I was excited to listen to this for the first time, since I know it’s supposed to be legendary.
First listen - it’s alright. Maybe it’d grow on me with more listens. It’s not bad at all. But only a few songs really connected with me.
Spiritualized
2/5
There’s a couple good tracks here but mostly it sounds like a dude who couldn’t be bothered to make his own album. Whispered lyrics, overlong simplistic instrumentals. I hated this dude’s other band represented on here, and he certainly didn’t need more than one spot on this list.
Primal Scream
1/5
Yeah this just sounded exactly like the album I got yesterday but in a major key instead of a minor key.
It’s so embarrassing that British club kid music sounded like stuff you’d hear in the sweater section of H&M.
U2
4/5
I was just thinking it had been a long time since I had U2. And lo and behold! This is my preferred style of U2. The early stuff is primo. The drums are crispy, Edge’s guitar is unreal. Bono still sounds like an insufferable dork but it’s more palatable because he’s young and passionate. Production unrivaled. Love this album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
This is the Nick Cave album I’ve liked the most so far. The songs just connected more for me (it’s also significantly shorter than the other ones). Still, this is the third or fourth Nick Cave album on this list. I like the guy, but did he deserve that much representation here?
R.E.M.
4/5
Good album imo
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
Someone’s gotta stop these white boys.
Okay, actually, I had fun with this album in spite of how cheesy it is. White boy soul/rap? I should have detested this, but they’re so sincere, I kinda laughed along with it after a while? Harmless! Wild that this album is over 60 minutes when each song is essentially the same, no need for that. But overall, fun!
LL Cool J
3/5
It’s fine, I’m not a huge LL Fan, I find him a bit corny overall. But production is crisp and the bravado is fun at points.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
I’m a little surprised this is the album chosen to represent Christina on this list. Like, I definitely think there’s an argument for her being included, but the debut or Dirrrty feel like better representations of her as a star. Like, I gotta be honest, I was NOT excited to listen to a Christina Aguilera DOUBLE ALBUM yesterday. And yeah, there’s a lot of bum tracks on here, especially the first half. I think generally the second half of the second album is the strongest actually (which doesn’t always happen)! The great Linda Perry contributes some song writing there which I think helps elevate it.
I powered through. Glad I won’t have to listen to this one again.
Kanye West
5/5
A five-star album, one of probably the three most influential albums personal to me in my life, and an album I will never listen to again. Cherish the memories.
Cypress Hill
4/5
Just incredible vibes and production. Feels like rap on the edge of insanity (they should make a song about that). I aspire to hate cops as much as these guys hate cops.
Gary Numan
4/5
Great album! Good boops! Awesome intersection of rock and electronica, and an early one at that!
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
It’s not bad, but from second one it hits a vibe, a level, and it stays there for the next hour. What you hear immediately from this band is all you’re getting, so if you don’t like it, you’re SOL.
Beautiful voice for sure, but I’m not sure how necessary this is.
This feels like a hyper specific reference but this is music your cool crunch professor would put on in the background while the class worked on group projects or something.
Aerosmith
2/5
Another mediocre Aerosmith album. Three entries on this list! Really? This was completely in one ear and out the other.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I kinda wanted to be a curmudgeon about this one, but no, it’s a fantastic album. I listened to it twice!
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
This was an interesting little album! Honestly one of the better British electronica albums I’ve been forced to listen to for this project (and there’s been like 20 of them). A nice variety here, from trip hop to rap to instrumentals (Tides is an absolutely beautiful composition), to more experimental ambient pieces. Not my favorite thing I’ve ever heard, but I dug a lot of it! Cool!
Michael Jackson
5/5
Ah! A 5-star album by a completely unproblematic artist! Now, time to take a BIG sip of water and look at the newly released photos from the Epstein files -
Coldcut
1/5
1.5
Yeah man I can’t do it. I can’t do another hour long British electronica album when I’ve already listened to 20 for this project! He has no justification for including so many on the list. Easily the most overrepresented genre on this list given their actual influence and popularity. I’m so over it! This one is not even the worst, but it’s one of the stupidest! “Telephone” is one of the more inane songs I’ve suffered through for this project. It sounds like a children’s song. Thank you for telling me the telephone is bad in TYOOL 1989. Come on dude.
Nice album cover though.
Gene Clark
2/5
Sigh. We’re in basically the final stretch of this project, less than one third to go, and I’m definitely in another kind of low point where it’s been a minute since any of the albums “hit” in a real way. Maybe a month or so. Happened once or twice before. Usually it passes but it’s been fallow recently. Like, what is this? A boring folk pop album from one of The Byrds? What made this necessary at all?
Tears For Fears
4/5
Three or four of the best songs of the 80s on one album, yeah.
Khaled
3/5
This was a nice change of pace after bad, plain albums and some stuff that I knew was good already. Off the beaten path, but well produced and had a nice amount of variety. Still too long. I didn’t even mind the “Imagine” cover! It was arranged well and the voices sounded lovely.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
A 20 minute cover of a song I already don’t like, sub-tier impressions of The Doors, a band I already hate, and endless noodling when it, and excuse my possible foolishness here, when it sounds like you’re already not particularly proficient at your instruments!! There is a part in one of these songs that builds up to all the instruments dropping out, and you expect an epic drum fill, and the drummer just does the most basic fill I’ve ever heard. I could do it, and I don’t know how to play drums. I almost laughed out loud. It’s all just navel gaze-y and, honestly, pathetic! Not good at all, shouldn’t be on this list, shouldn’t even sniff this list. One of the worst things I’ve listened to for this project. I literally got engaged yesterday and the endorphins from that should have had me loving ANYTHING I listened to and this WAS SO BAD, I was like “nope, one star.”
Machito
3/5
Pleasant jazz album that’s a decent length. I enjoyed listening to it
SZA
2/5
2.5
I like SZA actually but I think she’s grown as an artist exponentially since this album. Definitely shows sparks of what’s to come here, but she’s not there yet.
Traffic
4/5
This album is literally in every record store in the cheap bin, that’s literally where I knew it from. I assumed that meant it was trash, but you know what - this is good????
It’s British white boy jazz/soul, which is one of my least favorite genres ever, but sometimes, it works! And this is one of those times! These songs are fun and enjoyable, and the album is a quick in and out! I liked this! Listened to it more than once!
Napalm Death
2/5
1.5
I mean, I respect the genre but it’s extremely not for me. It’s all the same, screamed, 60 second song.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
Like, a light three? Some tracks I really enjoyed, some I didn’t care for. But the whole presentation is really pleasing and fun!
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Amazing album, shame it’s so hard to listen to right now. I certainly don’t begrudge any musicians for taking their work off streaming in this day and age, but this is SO good and SO important I do wish there was an easier way to access it for everyone. I even went to a record store yesterday to see if I could find it on vinyl!!! It’s worth having in physical form.
Skunk Anansie
4/5
4.5
I gotta be real with yall, I was NOT excited to listen to an album called “Post Orgasmic Chill” by a band I’ve never heard of called “Skunk Anansie” yesterday, and genuinely put it off until the very end of my day. I figured it’d be some British electronica rock and for the first minute of the album, I felt justified and bitter!
Then the album opened up and become something I’ve absolutely gaga over, maybe one of the best “totally new to me” bands/albums I’ve encountered so far! A little SOAD, a little Alanis, a little AFI, but all sung but a cool black British woman with a KILLER voice. And this band fucking tears it up. Keeps it theatrical too, which I don’t mind, with lots of strong melody lines and tight harmonies. I prefer the rocking bits to the pop/rock bits, but those tracks aren’t bad per se (and very much elevated by the singer’s performance), just less my tempo. This is really fucking awesome, and I’m looking forward to listening to it again.
Tom Waits
3/5
A light three, more because I respect Waits’s artistry than enjoyment of this album, which can be a tough nut to crack. The album starts pretty aggressively and obtusely, and it doesn’t settle until about halfway through, which I think features some lovely songs. But you have to power through some hard to listen to music before getting there.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Jarvis Cocker and/or Nick Cave could fart near an album and Robert Dimery would put it on this list
Venom
4/5
Basically Motörhead (literally one of these songs sounds exactly like “Ace of Spades” with the lyrics changed), but more explicitly about Satan/spooky stuff. I actually really dug it.
a-ha
3/5
One amazing song and then the rest of an album of ho-hum stuff. Not bad, but not exciting.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Horrible flow, chunky production, not influential or popular at all. No idea why this is on the list other than the guy who made this list consistently exhibits an awful taste when it comes to hip hop. There’s a couple tracks I don’t mind here, mostly the instrumentals (lol), so I’m not giving it the full 1. But come on, man.
Youssou N'Dour
2/5
2.5
Fine, very much not my thing.
Adam & The Ants
2/5
Never really into Adam & The Ants. They always felt like more of a (admittedly cool) look than actual good music, and my listen to this album didn’t dissuade me of that notion. Mediocre new wave pop sung by pirates. Yup.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
Using my one pass (something I’m giving myself). It’s British electronica from the 90s, literally probably the 20th one of those on this list thus far. It’s not easy to listen to, it’s well over 90 minutes long. I found it on YouTube and gave it two minutes and it’s exactly what I expected it to be. I can’t do it. The list won. I
Germs
3/5
I’ve always had a real soft spot for the Germs and Darby Crash. I remember first learning about them in college and just being taken by their story, their sad, tragic story. Darby, this messed up, probably queer, kid who had a rough life and who couldn’t sing a note, but had this whole inner world of turmoil and was so literate and complex and angry and philosophical. The lyrics of Germs songs, despite barely being comprehensible are so rich - not a lot of other contemporary punk bands could say that, imo. He was always hurting so much, and he extinguished his own flame far, far too young. 22. A baby.
Pat Smear also incredible here. A virtuoso on the guitar. His sound is so solid and fun, and you can see how he went on to influence bands like Nirvana.
Germs really hit me hard, man.
Erykah Badu
4/5
Erykah doing “Songs in the Key of Life” style Stevie. Obviously pretty good. Long, but most of the tracks work. I dug it.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
I missed out on the Joanna Newsom trend for like 20 years and just knew the name and that she made weird folksy music but I finally listened to this yesterday and I actually really enjoyed it! Like a medieval Bjork! Good vibe music.
Marty Robbins
4/5
Yes, Fallout, we all love Fallout, but this is also a fantastic album. Sure, some of the songs start to sound the same, but Robbins’ voice is so straight and pure, beautifully telling us the various stories of good guys and bad guys featured here. The production is crisp, and it does feel like gathering around the campfire to hear a tale. Very enjoyable listen.
Elvis Presley
4/5
The other day when I had the Marty Robbins album I literally thought “I wonder when I’ll get an Elvis album.” They’re not particularly similar, a couple superficial similarities I guess, but then lo and behold literally the next day, finally, the King entered the building.
Elvis is a garbage dude but I do like his music! Sue me! This had great energy and the songs are classic and he’s in the fucking groove here for sure. A solid concert.
Merle Haggard
3/5
Solid classic country. It’s been a week of good old stuff so far, let’s see if that continues!
Supertramp
3/5
Classic alright album! Like, obviously these guys are good and know what they’re doing and I know for some people this shit works for them. And I never hated this album, I just wasn’t super invested in it. It’s fine!
Todd Rundgren
2/5
2.5
Sorry Todd, I respect ya but not really for me. Dont like psychedelic rock much at all and over half of this album is that. When he gets more into his singer/songwriter vibe towards the end of the album, I really liked that! Like five great songs in a row to finish strong! Just wish that was more of the album.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
3.5
What can I say? I love this band a lot! I know they’re not everyone’s taste but they hit for me. I love the singer’s voice and the imagery of their lyrics. I find it all beautiful and delicate and lovely. I might like them more when they get a bit Portisheady in later albums but these songs are lovely too.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Ah yes, another non-problematic five star album from the king of pop himself! Listen to it with a clear mind and enjoy it with no guilt!
Bad Company
3/5
3.5
Wasn’t looking forward to this but this ended up being pretty solid dad rock.
Especially liked the sequence of songs in the middle; they’re rocking. Listened to this twice! At barely over 30 minutes long, it goes down realllll easy.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Two Todds in one week, just a couple days from each other!
This is better than the last album, but this dude looooooves to be self-indulgent. Like most double albums, this could probably be cut down to 10-11 tracks and legitimately be a 4 or 5 star album. Instead, it drags on for 90 minutes with a buncha scraggly, uninteresting diversions. Dude can’t help himself!
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
2.5
Look, I’ve said almost all I can say about the endless parade of 90s European electronica that I can. This is actually one of the better ones if I’m being honest. More fun, more melodic, shorter than most.
I did have the thought - would love to see how many solo black artists there are on this list and then compare that to how many forgotten electronica albums are on this list, especially because sooooo many of the samples from these albums are lifted wholesale from the work of black musicians. Just grab their hook, throw loud bass and drums behind it, loop it for five minutes, presto. I think it’s an interesting question!
Nanci Griffith
4/5
Really lovely little album here. Totally unaware of Griffith before this, but she has a nice voice and the songs are catchy and literate and deep. A rewarding re-listen as you really hone in on the lyrics! Quite enjoyed this one.
Brian Eno
4/5
I’ve been pretty mid on Eno thus far here but this one is great! Goes down reeeeeallll easy, mostly gentle, nice instrumental music and a couple catchy songs. Very listenable.
Don McLean
3/5
3.5
I was not excited to listen to this!! Because, it’s fucking American Pie. The most overplayed song of all time! But I tried to be objective, to remove my biases and listen to the song devoid of context and with fresh airs, and you know what? “American Pie” is a great song! There’s kind of a reason it’s been so prevalent over the past 50 years.
And then after that I wasn’t looking forward to the rest of the album, but guess what? To my HUGE surprise, I kinda liked it! I always think of American Pie as one of the classic rock songs, so I was expecting more sort of Americana rock, but I guess Don McLean is actually a folk singer? This is waaaaay more akin to Paul Simon or John Denver than traditional guitar rock. And the songs, for the most part, are pretty darn good? The last few tracks kind of putter out, but the first 6 or so songs are really strong. I almost think American Pie is such a totemic song that it’s overshadowed the rest of this nice album! I almost wanna say we should critically reevaluate this album beyond its title track! It’s good!
The White Stripes
3/5
3.5
I like Jack White/The White Stripes just fine but I can’t help but think they’re a little overrepresented on this list. I think this is a solid album, but Jack White is usually operating in a similar space. Solid Americans/roots guitar rock. Smacking the drums, that sort of thing. I like it! If you like it, you’re gonna love this! There’s absolute bangers on this album, but I don’t need to hear it (at least) three times. Make some room for some more diverse artists please!
2.5
Wavering between 2.5-3. This is one of my least favorite genres, British white guys do the blues, but I like Faces more than some of those other bands, but I think ultimately I’m going 2.5 bc I don’t really have a desire to return to this in a significant way.
Also, I like Rod Stewart (great voice!) but this is like the fourth Rod Stewart album on this list. Rod Stewart is not THAT important to the history of music. One entry is plenty!
Fatboy Slim
3/5
One of the better (and most influential and popular!) 90s electronica albums, but it’s also about the 50th 90s electronica album on this list that I’ve gotten, and actually the second Fatboy Slim album I’ve gotten! Diminished returns! This is a good album! Reminds me of the 90s and driving with my dad to work. I wish I hadn’t gotten all that other garbage before getting this one! A justified inclusion on this list!
1/5
1.5
Like wet bread. Can’t think of any justifiable reason for this to be on the list. I guess it’s music? But it’s unexciting, not important or influential, barely remembered, bland. What a waste of an entry!
SAULT
3/5
Alright, so like, I know this a newer addition to the list and, like, obviously the dude put this in there because he felt he needed an album that spoke to the 2020 Black Lives Matter moment, and while this isn’t BAD, I think, with 5 years time, it’s not particularly actually representative or remembered music of that time period.
Like, I enjoyed quite a few songs, but it’s truly a band (collective?) I have never heard of before nor seems to have a big cultural impact (although, in the dude who made this list fashion, features some artists who have solo entries on this list lol he can’t help himself but like the same 10 musicians over and over)
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Probably one of my favorite albums of all time tbh!
The cosmic sounding cacophony at the ending of The Boxer leading up to the beautiful final harmony. Garfunkel’s unearthly voice echoing in the background of The Only Living Boy in New York as Simon whines about him not being there, the jangles of Cecilia. I could go on and on and on. Absolutely love every second of this album.
The Bees
3/5
Took a second for me to vibe with this but I ended up enjoying it! Chill, lofi, Ram-era McCartney style. Thankfully short so rewarded relistening as I got on its level.
Still not really sure if it’s special enough to make it on this list but it was pleasant.
Queen Latifah
3/5
Cool, fun, great production.
Pavement
3/5
Light 3! I enjoy Pavement but one entry on this list was probably enough. BUT, I cannot deny their sound and style is/was extremely influential to a slew of later musicians.
New Order
3/5
3.5
A lovely little New Order album that’s real easy to listen to - but not sure this album is necessary for this list!!
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
3.5
I wasn’t excited to listen to a 90 minute double album by Drive-By Truckers that’s for sure, but ultimately, I enjoyed this. Now don’t get me wrong, it is seriously a 90 minute concept album about Lynyrd Skynyrd - like, every song is about them in some way - but I was surprised at the variety and musicianship.
It’s one of those albums where I’m not sure I’m going to listen to it again, and, as a double album it still has a lot of the problems those usually do, but I enjoyed listening to it and see what they’re going for.
Björk
4/5
Another banger Bjork album. I listened to this twice through. Glad this project finally forced me to listen to her!
New York Dolls
4/5
Great rock album! Fast, fun, perfect length. I hear a lot in it - Rolling Stones, KISS (they really stole the Dolls’s whole schtick), proto-punk. Truly ahead of their times. Great production by Mr. Rundgren.
Sonic Youth
2/5
2.5
This is my fourth or fifth Sonic Youth album and I definitely got them in “descending importance” order. This one is fine, I guess? A little more indie/post-punk, I think it’s their earliest album represented? Is this their debut? Idk I don’t care enough to check.
I liked the Kim-sung songs the most.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
3.5
Spotify leading with the English version of this album is doing it a huuuuge disservice. I’m glad I stuck around to listen to the French version. The singer is clearly so much more comfortable singing in French, the song flow betters the melodies are smoother. It’s a French album. Like, it’s cool that that they recorded a version with English lyrics but forget that one, listen to the French version. It’s the true version. Added a full star for me, easily.
Le Tigre
4/5
2 French queer pop albums back to back? Who’d believe it? (Okay I know this isn’t actually French, it just has a French name. But still a fun coincidence.)
What if I liked this more than the Sleater-Kinney album on this list? A little more melodic. A little more fun, a little more energy. Great riot grrrl sounds!
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
While maybe not my personal favorite rap album, it is hard to deny the totemic influence this has on music, and yeah, it genuinely rocks. Just a fun album with hit after hit after hit and amazing lyricism. One of the best!
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Blandly fine folk pop. Nothing to really hold onto, totally forgettable.
Gang Of Four
4/5
I’m giving it a light four. I definitely like it more than a 3, even more than a 3.5. Every track has something I really like in it.
Klaxons
3/5
3.5
Ah a self-professed “throwback to the UK rave scene of the late 80s/early 90s,” wonder why the author included this album on his list!
Okay, snark aside, I actually thought this was pretty good. Tuneful, catchy, if ultimately inessential. Not sure I hear the rave sound, though. They mostly sound like other, of the time, contemporary bands: Arctic Monkeys, Silverchair, think I hear some Broken Social Scene in some songs. But again, not bad. And short!
Tom Waits
5/5
Yeah this is some good shit. Has Tom Waits ever done Broadway? Obviously I know he’s got a celebrated acting career as well but the fact at he sings (at least at this point in his career) is so presentational, theatrical. Like, he woulda been a great Emcee in Cabaret or Lead Player in Pippin; I’m serious! And here he can still sing. I admit to it being harder to get into his later stuff once his voice is really shot (he sounds like a singing corpse), but here it’s still just a pleasing rasp with mostly just a ton of character to it. Many of his vocal stylings and choices had me going “Yes, white boy - Sing!”
But yeah, this was a delight to listen to. Perfect for a rainy, snowy, cold day.
I was already listening to jazz, so essentially enjoying a one-man Tom Waits jazz evening was perfect. Sounds like a joy to be at; the type of album I need to get in my personal collection ASAP. Easy 5 stars for me!
Randy Newman
5/5
As a frequenter of the subreddit for this project, about a week ago someone posted about getting two Randy Newman albums back to back. My response was “wow I’m 70 percent through this project and have gotten ZERO Randy, guess my final stretch will be Randy heavy!” And lo and behold, about a week later….
I’m a Randy Newman fan. I think important to understanding him is that “Randy Newman” is kind of a character. He writes through a thick layer of irony and satire, and while these aren’t particularly “comedy” songs, he very often is trying to convey a double meaning in his work. He often comments on “traditional” American life, ie, the hypocrisy of White Christians, by writing songs that sound like they’re celebrating him, but he’ll just have one or two little turns of phrase that give way to his real feelings.
I think his voice is great, idiosyncratic and unmatched, and the musicianship is second to none. If I had one nitpick for an album I really love, it’d be that I wish some of the songs were longer, but that’s simply not his style. He gets in, hits his point, and gets out. They’re brief impressions.
Newman is one of the greatest American songwriters of our age, and it was a delight to listen to this.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Spite album
Lana Del Rey
5/5
I’m a huge Lana fan, I’m a lover of sad girl music, but honestly I never listen to this one, I’m a big NFR guy and mainly stick with that one, so it was SO awesome to get to hear what felt like a NEW album from an artist I love during this project.
Exactly what I wanted to hear from her. Sounds like a Xan’d out housewife getting a little into conspiracy theories.
Strong week for this project so far (I say as I’m sure the monkey paw curls…)
David Gray
4/5
So funny story a couple days ago me and my beautiful fiancée were having a lovely Valentine’s Day dinner and giggling at one of the songs playing on the playlist - because it was one of those 90s songs that everyone kinda knew - kind of a hit? But not really? A deeper cut for sure. But not even me, a guy who prides himself on knowing every fucking song, knew the name of the artist or song. We just knew it as the song where the chorus goes like “sinnamaHA, sinnamaHEH.”
Turns out a couple days later I’d learn the song is called “Babylon,” and it’s by David Gray.
Ended up really liking this. Super solid singer/songwriter stuff, it could definitely grow on me even more over time.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Like a 3.75 for me. I like the back half more but I wanna keep the good vibes of this week going. Another solid album.
4/5
Another great entry in what may end up being the best single week of this project ever? Nothing less than a 3.75 for me!! And this one is great fun! The middle sequence of Brainwashed-Australia-Shangrila is so strong it really makes this album for me! But the rest is really fun! The Kinks are great!
The Sonics
3/5
3.5
Mostly just some white boys playing some dirtied up covers of RnB tunes, but it’s not bar. Guy’s voice is wild and intense and they’re banging the shit out of their instruments. And it’s like 29 minutes long.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
2.5
Liked about half these songs so I give it an average rating. The psychedelic stuff is actually the worst parts of the albums, it’s much better when they branch out and get a little varied. Onie is a nice little Bacharach/Sedaka-like tune. Are You Lovin Me More sounds like post-punk hardcore like Husker Du or something. Highest Bidder is some weird Simon/Alice Cooper mishmash. Some interesting stuff here, unfortunately there’s some boring stuff too. Thankfully 30 minutes long tho.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
A light four? But tbf, I listened to this twice yesterday. Rufus Wainwright IS pompous, navel-gave-y, and self-important, clearly convinced of his own intelligence, but hey, I liked the songs, and that’s what this project is about. Gets a little long in the tooth towards the end of this very long album as a lot of albums of the CD era do. But hey, whatever, I was down with this vibe yesterday. Starbucks hipster music, take me back to the early 2000s.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
2.5
Some good songs here, but ultimately overlong like every album from this era and basically just music for your crunchy gramma.
Stereolab
3/5
Imagine the most annoying music guy you know spending all of 1996 telling you that this is actually the best music ever.
It’s fine.
Bauhaus
4/5
Light 4. Like a more goth Bowie. Not something I’m going to listen to every day. But perfect music for a certain vibe.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
4.5
New, old Cohen is practically perfect for me. I will actively be looking to add this one to my vinyl collection. Very much a companion piece to “Songs of Leonard Cohen” which is one of my favorite albums ever. There’s maybe a little less hooks on this one, but I can really see it growing on me over time and the lyrics are just beautiful.
David Ackles
4/5
Lots of B-tier singer-songwriters of the 60s and 70s didn’t know they could just write musicals! This is so theatrical! Every song sounds like it’s a showtime from a different Broadway show. Which is fine! I like theatrical; I am a theatrical guy. But genuinely I listened and thought “damn this would be a good audition song” during many a song here.