Tank Battles
Dagmar KrauseMy interest in Weimar-era agitprop has not increased with age.
My interest in Weimar-era agitprop has not increased with age.
Incredibly talented musician. Not sure I'd choose to listen to this again.
This is a great concert that shows how versatile Jarrett was at his peak.
Just not my thing. I respect the "break stuff" reaction in music from the time, but I just prefer more versatility in an album than this one offers.
Pretty interesting album that I did not know. As it's Queen, it can get a little exhausting to hear anthem after anthem, but these guys were fun in their prime.
There were more instrumental sections than I associate with the Beach Boys (I always think about harmony). But ultimately, I think this music is a creature of its time and hasn't aged as well as other '60s-era bands.
I had never heard of these guys. I enjoyed a few of their songs, but I found myself looking forward to someone plugging in a guitar and breaking a string.
Fantastic energy. I’m fascinated by the “no guitar solos” approach with such a driving beat.
I didn't know this album but enjoyed it to a point.
Loved this. Sinatra at his best.
Enjoyed this. There's a surprising amount of diversity on this album given the "Ziggy Stardust" persona.
Just not my style . But I can't imagine these songs can be played the same way twice, which is sort of cool.
I liked this album a lot until "Frankie Teardrop." But man, I hated that song. It dropped my review two stars.
Ms. Lauryn Hill at her best.
This is some crazy stuff to listen to when at work. I'm hard-pressed to think, "What am I in the mood for? 'Maggot Brain'!"
Such a fantastic album, and deeper than I remembered. Maybe the songs are a little formulaic, but her voice more than makes up for any criticism.
One of my favorite albums of all time.
Several great songs that awesome artists -- U2, Tom Petty, etc. -- later covered. (Of course, Dylan wrote many of these.) I love the guitar. 30 minutes seems just about right.
Extremely solid album -- just a lot of rage expressed in those weird post-9/11 years. I obviously knew the singles, but hadn't listened to it straight through. I really like the combination of "Holiday" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." If I could go 4.5 stars, I would.
Very solid.
Testosterone much? The lyrics for several songs might not have survived the millennium, but you can't debate the EVH power and the DLR charisma.
Interesting. If I didn't know this was Motorhead, I couldn't have placed it between 1978 or so and today.
Maybe the best opening song on any album, and the run from Mr. Brownstone through Sweet Child is epic.
Certainly I knew some of the songs, but this (long) album was a treat.
No expectations for this, but very enjoyable.
Yikes. Not a fan. That vocal performance may have been my least favorite song on any album so far.
Was this one long song?
I enjoyed this album a lot more than I thought I would -- six very different, enjoyable tracks.
I felt like my keys should be placed in a bowl for this one -- and then that I couldn't get out of the club because there was one long track.
Enjoyable, although a little "preachy"/didactic for me ("Mother Earth"??). But Neil Young knows how to sequence power chords.
Definitely takes me back to the late 1990s, although I can't claim any experience with the British DJ club scene. FS really had a moment, though, and the beats (particularly "Praise You") have held up for 25 years.
Hard to beat. I probably listened to this album 500 times in high school, so I'm biased. It's been a while, so I had forgotten about things that couldn't/shouldn't be said in 2024 (how do you get away with "She's Just a Woman" and "The Lemon Song" on the same album?), but these guys really were at their best here.
Hard for me to distinguish between the songs. Not unenjoyable, just felt like I was walking through a supermarket.
Solid Al Green submission from his early days. I could listen to the title track once a week.
Really didn't enjoy it, and I find harmonization like this distracting. But I loved this story from Wikipedia: "Ira Louvin was notorious for his drinking, womanizing, and volcanic temper. He was married four times; his third wife Faye shot him four times in the chest and twice in the hand after he allegedly tried to strangle her with a telephone cord. Although seriously injured, he survived. When performing and drinking, Ira would sometimes become angry enough on stage to smash his mandolin when he was unable to tune it, and - when sober - glue it back together." I would give a smashed-mandolin performance more than one star.
I'm late to the party but a fan of The Smiths. I enjoyed this album a lot, but really love the song "How Soon Is Now?", which apparently was on the initial US cut of this album.
I'm not a huge fan of Beck songs when they come on individually, but somehow the album concept works better for me. (Maybe this is why we should listen to more albums.) Really enjoyed the first half.
Pretty enjoyable album by an artist I didn't know well.
Not remarkable musically, and also not significant to me in terms of a particular time of protest, etc., that would give this album staying power.
I should appreciate Trent Reznor more than I do. On every album, there are a couple of good songs, but listening to the full thing sort of beats me up.
Very solid album throughout.
I remember there were so many hits off this album that it got a little tiresome (but the songs were great). The "filler" songs aren't as enjoyable, though, so I'll hold off on the last star.
I love this album. Can't believe it was just his second release.
Pretty repetitive (kind of like "Bright Eyes"), but not unenjoyable. Very much British alternative rock of a certain moment.
Avant garde, to be sure, but I'm trying to imagine any scenario where I'd play this again. Dinner party? On the treadmill? Driving around?
Jimmy Smith is just cool, full stop. I love the way he gives plenty of space to the quartet. And Stanley Turrentine and Kenny Burrell are awesome on this album.
Expectations were low, but marginally exceeded.
Agree with others -- the excellent back half of the album can't quite make up for the craziness of the first half. But it comes close.
Another new album for me (and I thought I knew the history of rock!). I greatly respect the lineage but was glad this was 32 minutes in total. Would be a classic 2.5 rating if possible, but I'll round up on a Friday.
Did I hear "cleanup in aisle four," or was I reliving a recent HEB experience? Not my favorite.
Unlike some recent suggestions, I absolutely could play this album again. Tons of energy. It must have been unbelievable in 1963, and the sound quality for a live concert that old is fabulous.
A little repetitive for me.
I like this a little less than the other "Talking Heads" submission. I think they got better as they got out of the disco era, which influenced the percussion a lot.
I'm not a huge fan of the psychedelic period, but these guys could harmonize well. Enjoyed a couple of songs; the rest sort of merged together.
This hits me in a sweet spot, as it's one of my favorites. Some of the newer Metallica songs are better with strings, and it's great to see Jason Newsted on the very-non-HD video.
Pretty darn enjoyable, and an excellent recording of a live concert from a long time ago.
Some great anthems and a pretty deep second side.
Lots of versatility, and more range on Bowie's voice than I usually expect (especially on "Wild Is the Wind").
Terrific lyrics. Maybe a little repetitive on the delivery. But solid musicianship behind that.
I found this really hard to finish.
Obviously a terrific voice, but I didn't think these songs were nearly as deep as others with her sort of range (Adele or even Lady Gaga). And I'm not a fan of the songs she released here, especially "Rehab," which just makes me sad given her tragic life.
There are two great songs on this album, "Hearts and Bones" and "Train in the Distance." The rest are forgettable or borderline obnoxious ("Cars Are Cars").
This is a great album. I'm glad I listened to it all the way through. Amazing consistency but still a very nice arc.
Seems pretty time-specific to the '80s. Not a lot of these songs appeal to me forty years later.
I love this album, especially the anthems.
Pretty unremarkable.
My interest in Weimar-era agitprop has not increased with age.
Enjoyable if unremarkable.
I'm disappointed that I didn't know about this album before. Really enjoyed it.
Besides the hits, which don't seem to have aged particularly well, I don't think there's a ton of depth here (besides "Nightswimming," which I had forgotten).
I'm not sure there's a standout song, and many seemed a bit repetitive.
Fabulous live album. I knew his work much later in his life, but he had a ton of gusto in 1960.
Enjoyed it and love the Houston connections.
I know this band is considered pivotal, but can't say I enjoyed the album.
Far too precious and self-satisfied to be enjoyable.
I know I should appreciate the Beatles more, but besides the canonical songs, I just don't enjoy these albums, and not all of the canonical songs are my thing, either. The organ is a lot to handle on this release.
This album, besides "Our House," was basically impossible to finish.
Solid album with a lot of energy (if not remarkable).
"Nobody's Perfect," indeed. This felt formulaic and tired.
You certainly can hear where 80s-era metal went after this album.
Like many double albums, I wish this were a single, 12- or 13-track playlist without all the repetition. But you can't debate its impact on the 90s. I wish the lyrics were a little stronger to keep up with the music.
The best of the White Stripes/Jack White albums, top to bottom, so far.
Definitely exceeded expectations. I would say it reminds me of my clubbing days, but I don't remember being let in to any clubs.
Good God, that was terrible.
The backstory about this guy is really sad. It would have been interesting to hear his music had he lived longer. This particular album exhibits all the melancholy that apparently held a tight grip on him.
Not my favorite genre, but definitely consistent throughout, and some solid hits among the tracks.
Strange that "Grapevine" is one of my least favorite tracks on this album. Better than expectations overall.
I thought this was great. Van Morrison's voice obviously changed with age, but this was him at his best, and "Moondance" was particularly memorable.
Lots of energy, but it's hard to remember distinguishing songs besides the obvious.
I was really surprised by this. Does that mean I hate Drake?
I liked this album when it came out, and it's held up really well.
Nice to hear two Eminem hooks. Otherwise, this was a bit of a slog.
I've read so much about what a pivotal figure Kim Gordon was, but can't seem to enjoy her music.
There's more depth to this album than I would have expected. The songs are really tight for a first release.
Certainly not every lyric survives almost forty years, but this remains an impressive album -- one I've appreciated more over the years.
I'm not a huge Talking Heads fan, but there's a nice arc to this album, which isn't super-pretentious.
Decent album; hard to imagine finding a reason to listen to this again.
Was ready to go three stars, but just really can't get over some of the lyrics. Nice Snoop Job cameo at the end, though.
The slide guitar is cool, but this is one bloated album of generally very similar-sounding songs.
I was ready to be done after 26 minutes.
Such an unbelievable voice. Not every song is special, but there are just enough to push this into four-star territory for me. And "Fast Car" is one of the 20th century's great ballads, period.
Enjoyable and well-layered. I'd never heard of this album before but am glad to know it.
It's a solid movie soundtrack, if a product of its age.
It all kind of runs together for me. His voice is terrific, but I enjoy the CSNY stuff more.
The Eagles are just a quintessential "greatest hits" group, and they can fill two albums. But they miss a lot, and I'm pretty sure I can live without "Chug All Day" and its kind.
This is by far my favorite Radiohead album, and it's held up well.
Nothing remarkable here.
Man, I like this album. Somehow more than I did 30 years ago.
Solid album -- not sure I'd run through it again.
Deez Nutz!
Very solid album, and tighter than "The Wall."
Unremarkable.
Man, I was ready to go with four stars for the first 38 minutes. Then "Augmn" happened. Can I have those twenty minutes back?
Don't love this.
Lots of stuff to like here, including the synthesizer arc from "Baba O'Riley" to "Won't Get Fooled Again." And Keith Moon was unbelievable. A little bit of a letdown mid-album blocked the fifth star.
Incredibly talented musician. Not sure I'd choose to listen to this again.
Lots of great hits here, and the album really holds up after 30 years.
"The Click Song." Something about a flea. A dead husband. Many things distracted from a great voice.
Surprisingly enjoyable from beginning to end.
I loved this album thirty years ago, and love it still today.
Really just not enjoyable. I like The Kinks' edgier stuff. This ain't it.
Just enough in here to give it a third star, but otherwise very derivative of Pink Floyd. Glad to be introduced to it.
Great voice. Not my favorite Cohen stuff, but enjoyable.
For me, it's "Paint It, Black" and "Goin' Home" but not much else here. Still, it's The Stones.
Really liked this. Wavered between "3" and "4" for a while (again, would love the .5 addition), but I'm feeling generous.
Bleak and depressing. Felt like I should put on a turtleneck and drink coffee in a dark room all day.
Seemed like one long song. I like her (sadder) songs about addiction more than these songs about dangerous men.
Dangerously close to one-star territory, but the end of "Hollywood Sympathy" was enjoyable. Back from the brink.
A quintessential three-star pick. Some notable songs, but not a classic.
Solid, but not remarkable.
Enjoyable, but not sure I'd listen to it again. These guys were at the top of their games for this set, though.
Can't see much of a reason to revisit this one.
Not a fan, especially of the live tracks.
I think "Stand" only is a middling song on this album. Songs like "Orange Crush" and "World Leader Pretend" hold up. This would be 3.5 stars, but I'm feeling generous.
I should have appreciated The Smiths more at the time. Enjoyable album.
Very close to two stars, but "California Dreamin'" pushed it over. It's an interesting story that this band had such a short window as music changed around them.
Great musicianship. Not such a compelling album.
Surprisingly versatile; enjoyable.
Enjoyed "Safesurfer" despite the terrible title, "If You Loved Me at All," and "Beautiful Love." Otherwise, seemed artificial and pretentious.
I felt a bit bludgeoned by this one.
Not the Iron Maiden sound I know, but I actually liked this lead singer a lot.
Consistent and enjoyable.
Really liked it, especially keeping it tight (less than 40 minutes). Good energy.
Man, that was pretentious. Perilously close to one-star territory. Why do I care about this protagonist?
This is a close call -- almost five-star worthy, in part because it contains the saddest, most harrowing final song I've ever heard in a concert, especially given what happened six months later. But too many songs in the middle run together for me.
I enjoyed this -- love the mid-70s saxophone. I like the "cleaner" songs with more piano, which provided the vocals a little more room.
Very up and down. The best songs are great. The filler songs, not so much. They might need some more chooglin.
Interesting sound and more diversity between songs than I would have expected.
Excellent album; consistent throughout.
Relatively interesting, but I think I like the biography better than the music. Still, a nice find.
"Trouble Every Day" saved this from receiving a single star.
One and a half great songs, and no clunkers, but generally not something I'd put on repeatedly.
I'm all over the place with this album. Impressive musicianship; questionable lyrics. Not sure I care to listen to it again.
One of the best opening riffs on any album of all time, and so much power throughout. Nothing peripheral -- just three dudes jamming -- in such contrast to the decade of music before.
Really enjoyed this. Maybe no huge hits, but consistent throughout.
Didn't love it. Do we also rate the album cover?
Um, no. One saving grace was that I was at the gym for this. Hard to imagine listening to it from a sedentary position.
I know this is considered a pivotal moment in Beatles history, and therefore rock history, but I just can't get into anything but their hits. A reluctant but honest three stars.
Groundbreaking and inventive, but maybe four songs too long for me.
"Without You" is well-known. "Coconut," apparently, is as well. I don't know why.
One of my favorite surprises of this experience. Maybe it just caught me on a good day, but I listened to it twice and really enjoyed it.
I don't think I enjoyed a single song on this album.
Quite a transition from Japan to Slipknot, a band I am pleasantly surprised to see on this list.
Solid but not spectacular. I thought the whole story behind "Snowblind" was interesting. Would not have wanted to party with Black Sabbath in the early 70s.
Like most Radiohead albums, I must be missing something. I find it very hard to connect to this music.
Great voice. Can't say I need to hear this album again.
I'm a little confused as to why this is on the list. Enjoyed it enough.
Great songwriter. Less of a compelling performer.