672
Albums Rated
3.04
Average Rating
62%
Complete
417 albums remaining
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Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
80
5-Star Albums
58
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Octagonecologyst | 5 | 2.69 | +2.31 |
| Done By The Forces Of Nature | 5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
| Central Reservation | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| Your New Favourite Band | 5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
| Emergency On Planet Earth | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Beautiful Freak | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| In The Wee Small Hours | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| British Steel | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| The Specials | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Figure 8 | 5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bad | 1 | 3.8 | -2.8 |
| good kid, m.A.A.d city | 1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
| Arrival | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
| The Band | 1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
| Endtroducing..... | 1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
| Melodrama | 1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
| Homework | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector | 1 | 3.28 | -2.28 |
| Faith | 1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
| Scissor Sisters | 1 | 3.23 | -2.23 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Stevie Wonder | 4 | 5 |
| Beatles | 5 | 4.6 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4.6 |
| The White Stripes | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.67 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 |
| Iron Maiden | 2 | 5 |
| Frank Sinatra | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Red Hot Chili Peppers | 2 | 5 |
| Ray Charles | 2 | 5 |
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 3 | 4.33 |
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Emerson, Lake & Palmer | 2 | 1 |
| The Divine Comedy | 2 | 1 |
| George Michael | 2 | 1.5 |
| Kendrick Lamar | 2 | 1.5 |
| Genesis | 2 | 1.5 |
| ABBA | 2 | 1.5 |
| Leonard Cohen | 4 | 2 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 2 |
| The Smiths | 3 | 2 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 2 |
| Brian Eno | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Michael Jackson | 1, 4 |
5-Star Albums (80)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Old school hip-hop. Not bad, and very important, but it's like listening to Rock Around the Clock for hip-hop. The genre has grown so much since then and my tastes are more toward early 90's alternative hip-hop like Tribe, De La Soul, Digable Planets, etc. but you've gotta start somewhere.
1 likes
The Streets
1/5
This was pretty bad. Spoken word poetry masquerading as rap over a mess of backing beats.
1 likes
Eagles
3/5
Its fine I guess. It's the hotel art of rock music. Inoffensive and broadly appealing as possible and boring. Not something I'm going to listen to on purpose.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (58)
All Ratings
The Zombies
5/5
Having only been acquainted with the Zombie's hits (which I enjoy) before listening, this was a treat. I started "Care of Cell 44" and immediately thought it sounded like an early 2000's indie record, which threw me a bit. The song has some wonderful vocal harmonies, and they are clearly influenced by both The Beatles and Donovan, who I imagine were contemporaries. Butcher's Tale sounds like it was straight off a Donovan record. No bad songs on this one.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I have an ex that mostly ruined this album for me, along with License to Ill, by overplaying the hits from them when we were together. This one I tolerate more than License, but both Hey Ladies and Brass Monkey have some negative emotional attachment for me. I've come to enjoy the B. Boys later albums more than the early ones, so at least she didn't ruin them completely for me, but I'd much rather listen to Ill Communication or To the 5 Boroughs. These albums just sound so much more juvenile than their later work.
Beatles
4/5
Like many others, I prefer the later work of The Beatles. That said, this record is still pretty great. I've listened to "Meet the Beatles" many times (as that record is in my collection), and I did enjoy the expanded song list on the European release that I don't usually hear.
George Michael
1/5
A well produced album that just isn't really my thing. Admittedly this is my first time listening in it's entirety. Faith is a catchy single, easily the strongest song on the album. Father Figure is a boring and forgettable ballad. I Want Your Sex is trying so hard to be a Prince song, and it falls short. One More Try is a solid 80s ballad and does a good job of showcasing George's voice. Kissing a Fool is decent, and shows what could have been if he hadn't gone the pop route. The rest of the album is pretty bad and forgettable.
Air
4/5
I thought this album was going to be completely new to me, but I do remember Sexy Boy from back in the day. I'm much more receptive to atmospheric music than I was then, so I ended up enjoying the album quite a bit.
The Police
3/5
B side of this album is much better than A side. What else to say, it's the Police. I like them OK. It's a decent album but doesn't really get me excited. Mother is objectively terrible.
The Monkees
1/5
Not sure I'd call this essential listening.
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
First time listening to this one! It's a solid album which I enjoyed. Electric Jug is weird and distinctive, which I can get behind. I added "You're Gonna Miss Me" to my classic rock playlist.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I don't know what I can say about this album. It's amazing. I'd say it's peak Zeppelin, but they have so many other near-perfect albums that I'm not sure I can convince myself that is true. Still, not only are there no bad songs on the album, I'm pretty certain each of them could be a hit single in their own right.
Most over-rated song: Stairway to Heaven - Its a brilliant song, but it's success overshadows the rest of this amazing album.
Most under-rated song: Battle of Evermore - It's a Tolkien-esque epic in song. I love it. Reminds me of the Battle of Helms-Deep in LOTR.
Michael Jackson
1/5
First LP I ever owned as a kid. It definitely fell out of favor as I grew older. Not as good as Thriller. IMO, this album begins the decline of Michael as an artist. For a pop album it's alright.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Solid live album. Jerry Lee Lewis has never been a favorite, but I like him well enough and it's clear he's a great live performer.
The Stooges
4/5
A few good songs on this one. Search and Destroy is a classic, and Gimmie Danger is good. The title track, Raw Power, is alright too. I could probably leave the rest of the album.
Pink Floyd
3/5
OK, so I have traditionally hated Pink Floyd. But I'm going to listen to this and list my thoughts - good and bad.
Shine on You Crazy Diamond 1-5:
Four minutes of oscillating tone and the song finally starts. Hooray!
Some good guitar solos and drum fills in this section.
Eight and a half minutes and we have the first verse. Hooray!
Lyrics are solid poetry. They seem cliche, but I think that is me being cynical and viewing them thru the lens of hindsight.
Saxophone was unexpected and I don't remember this on previous listens. I can dig it.
Time signature change is interesting. Why only one at the end of the song.
Welcome to the Machine:
More long sections of long tones to start the song. At least this song gets moving quicker.
"Where have you been? It's alright, we know where you've been" this line is terrible.
What's with the redundant questions in this song. It's a mechanism that I don't think really works well.
Have a Cigar:
A song that doesn't fuck around in the intro and gets straight to it. Refreshing.
A self-referential song about sycophants. Seems self-indulgent (Which one is Pink?).
The drop to sound like it was playing on the radio was clever.
Wish You Were Here:
Nice acoustic solo at the beginning.
This is the first song that I think isn't particularly pretentious and has something to say.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond 6-9:
At least this one starts better than 1-8.
Bad part about bookending an album with a song is that it feels like you already listened to the song. This is amplified when the combined length of the two is 25 minutes and is half the album.
Outro is too long, but at least not as boring as the intro to 1-8.
Overall, I have to say this listen didn't really move the needle much for me. It's an album that relies heavily on it's concept, and it seems like it does so to build a story for the title track which is easily the album's best song. However, the other songs are uneven with the exception of Have a Cigar which suffers from being self-indulgent and lacks subtlety IMO. Shine on You Crazy Diamond is overrated and combines for half the total album runtime, which hurts the album tremendously.
Patti Smith
2/5
I feel bad for not enjoying this, as Patti has been such a huge influence on much of the music I like. Her voice just really turns me off for some reason. She's clearly a good songwriter, and writes interesting lyrics, I just don't like her singing. Free Money was the first song on the album I found tolerable, and I almost turned it off before then.
Stereo MC's
4/5
Had only heard the title track and Step It Up previous to this.
Funky little album. Not quite acid jazz, but some nice hip-hop beats mixed with some jazz and synth loops.
Can
2/5
First half of the album is pretty good: funky psychedelic rock. Back half of the album falls off hard into deeply experimental noise. Peking O is particularly annoying. Not for me.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Solid jazz record. Some of the Bass solos were a but much for me, and I didn't like that there were multiple back-to-back takes of the same songs. But those are pretty minor quibbles.
Beatles
5/5
A top 3 Beatles album for me.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I just don't get it. I've never been much of a Bruce fan, but his music is so pedestrian and boring. Reading the reviews, it seems that "The Rising" is a popular song, but I just don't get it. It's an anthem with zero meaning other than to be an anthem. It says nothing about anything.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Not my favorite Zeppelin album, but still an essential record.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Janis Joplin
4/5
I used to not care for Janis's tone, but I've grown to like it. This is a solid album.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
Judas Priest
5/5
IMO, this is the second best Judas Priest album behind Screaming For Vengeance. But it's still a bloody good album by one of the bands that defines Heavy Metal. Great stuff, love it.
Orbital
3/5
I'm pretty picky when it comes to electronic music. This was fine, but didn't really stand out to me at all. It all plays like soundscapes to me, which I'm sure some people love. I find it sort of long-winded and boring for the most part. It's fine, but doesn't move me.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Elvis is a mixed bag for me. My mom was a big fan, so I grew up hearing a lot of him. As I aged, I discovered I like his early work that was much more blues influenced rather than his later more country and gospel inspired work. This album is interesting, as it has a strong country influence, but the backing by a soul band gives it a sound that is distinctly different than most country albums.
The Prodigy
4/5
One of the best 90s EDM albums. While EDM isn't my particular cup of tea, I don't hate it.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Old school hip-hop. Not bad, and very important, but it's like listening to Rock Around the Clock for hip-hop. The genre has grown so much since then and my tastes are more toward early 90's alternative hip-hop like Tribe, De La Soul, Digable Planets, etc. but you've gotta start somewhere.
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Very interesting. I never listened to Tropicalia before. I can dig it.
3/5
I've never been an Oasis fan. They aren't terrible I guess, but they are kinda derivative and sentimental. It feels like they wrote songs for marketability and broad appeal, which IMO, isn't good art. That coupled with the fact that the Gallagher brothers are insufferable, and even 30 years later I pass for more interesting music.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Not usually a pop fan, but I like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Maps is regularly in my playlists. They do a nice job blending electronic music and loud, fuzzy guitar with a punky dance pop sensibility. It works well for them. Some of the songs on this album are pretty melancholic, but are pretty solid. They disappoint people looking for the entire album to be like Heads Will Roll. Not every song hits for me, but there is plenty of goodness on this record.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Too experimental for my tastes. Some of the songs are nearly unlistenable, while the others were mediocre for me at best.
Yes
4/5
Solid album with some really great standout songs: Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround are fantastic. Enjoyed this one, especially after my last two album listens, which were duds.
GZA
4/5
Solid hip-hop album.
1/5
This was shitty when it came out, and it's still shitty now. Why do you have to put the shame of my generation on display like this?
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey and the Smiths were never my favorite. Generally too self-loathing for my tastes. But if that's what your into...
The Who
5/5
My favorite Who album. Love this one.
The Avalanches
3/5
Haven't listened to too much Avalanches previously. I knew Frontier Psychiatrist off this one, which is a funky and fun song. Title track is pretty good too, but the rest was average IMO.
Personal nitpick - Album as a whole suffers from my big issue with a lot of EDM: short loops repeated. I don't need to hear the same single lyric or short 1-2 second clip repeated 20 times in a row. It's repetitive and boring. Okay, off my soap-box now.
The Icarus Line
2/5
This one was okay, but didn't resonate with me much. Kind of an odd pick for must listen records.
White Denim
3/5
This has many qualities from genres I don't really care for much, namely jam-bands and southern rock. That said, it seems to elevate beyond those, especially with complexity and musicianship. It wasn't bad. Not something I think I'll come back to, but I can respect it.
Pulp
2/5
This really must be a band only the British care about. I remember Common People from William Shatner's cover of it. I found the album kinda boring.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Well produced, but not really my thing.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
I like Fat Boy Slim well enough, but this isn't my favorite album of his. It's okay at best. Favorite Song: Going Out of My Head.
Dolly Parton
4/5
I hate most country music, but Dolly is one of the exceptions. Her songwriting is so good. While I don't think I'd reach for this album often, I did enjoy it quite a bit. Very few can turn a phrase like Dolly does.
Iron Maiden
5/5
Iron Maiden undeniably rocks. This isn't my favorite Maiden album, but it is far from bad. Hell of a debut album that deserves every bit of praise it gets.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Not my thing. Far too euro-pop for my tastes.
Happy Mondays
2/5
First song is extra terrible. After that it becomes more British 80's pop, like the Cure. Not my thing.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
Not one that I would normally listen to, but it is a stellar performance. I usually enjoy piano-bar style jazz, which is very different from this, but his performance here is pretty amazing. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Joy Division
3/5
I know people love this album, and it's okay, but it is still sort of average for me. To 80s euro-pop for my tastes. Much better than The Cure however.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
I wasn't familiar with any of the songs on this album. I think her big US breakout was after this one. That said, this was a stellar pop/jazz fusion album. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Amy had a great voice.
Air
3/5
Decent, although unremarkable, soundtrack.
Eagles
3/5
Its fine I guess. It's the hotel art of rock music. Inoffensive and broadly appealing as possible and boring. Not something I'm going to listen to on purpose.
The Gun Club
4/5
Pretty good. Can see later influence in the west coast punk scene from this. Love the blues influence, much more melodic than many other punk acts.
Jack White
4/5
Jack's second best solo album IMO, behind Lazaretto. I like his solo work because it is a bit off the wall compared to his bands. Can be really interesting even if it doesn't always hit the mark.
B.B. King
5/5
Fantastic blues album.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
It was okay. Back end of the album was better than the early songs, which were much more experimental and odd.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
This was really great. I enjoyed it a lot.
Van Halen
4/5
Hot For Teacher is a great song. From Alex Van Halen's "motorcycle engine" drum opening to the clever snark of the lyrics to the bluesy guitar line, this is easily the best song Van Halen ever made. Just brilliant.
The rest of this album doesn't live up to that song.
Jump is terrible IMO. Eddie's fascination with synth guitars just doesn't do it for me. I hate that song. Can't stand I'll Wait either.
Panama, Top Jimmy and Girl Gone Bad are the other standouts. The rest of the album is okay I guess.
One brilliant song, some okay songs, and a few bad songs representing the shift the band was making. It is really no surprise why Roth left after this album as the band was clearly heading in a new direction.
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
It's not terrible, but it isn't the sort of hip-hop I personally like.
Nirvana
5/5
I listened to this album on repeat for years after it came out. It was so different than everything else that was popular when it released, and my adolescent brain just soaked it up like a sponge. It opened the door from pop hits I was hearing on the radio to seeking hard rock, punk and metal elsewhere. I still love the album, but it isn't in my top albums anymore. I can't deny that it left an indelible mark on my taste however.
That said, every song on this album hits and it is a near-perfect album. I won't call out the singles, because they've been analyzed to death. My favorite underrated songs on this album are Breed, Drain You and Lounge Act.
Booker T. & The MG's
5/5
Radiohead
3/5
I like early Radiohead. This was the point where their sound changed to a much more atmospheric and passive experience, and I don't think that will ever resonate with me as much as other forms of music.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
The guy who made this list loves the Pet Shop Boys. Guy on the album cover gets it. Yawn.
David Ackles
2/5
Like Neil Diamond singing Leonard Cohen songs.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
The Temptations
4/5
A bit more funky than I'm used to from The Temptations as they move into the 70s. I like it a lot.
Gotan Project
4/5
Really enjoyed the first half of this album. The back half drops off, but was still okay.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Not a big country western fan, but Willie is one of those songwriters that is so prolific you have to respect them. So many of these songs have been covered by other artists that familiarity alone makes them enjoyable.
Garbage
5/5
Probably my favorite Garbage album. 2.0 comes pretty close however. Great stuff.
The Birthday Party
1/5
Spotify describes The Birthday Party as one of the darkest and most challenging post-punk groups. Challenging is right. Woof.
The Beta Band
4/5
Beta Band is always a good listen. Three EPs is still my favorite, but this one is pretty good too.
Iggy Pop
2/5
This one is a little too Bowie for my tastes. It's okay, but not really my jam. Much prefer his second solo album Lust for Life.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Decent album, although it seemed to drag in some places. Didn't love it, didn't hate it.
Jamiroquai
5/5
AC/DC
5/5
Solid album, pretty classic. Iron Man really solidified it in the public zeitgeist.
Beach House
3/5
Atmospheric indie-like pop music. It's alright for what it is, but I'd have to be in a mood for it.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I don't really like Leonard Cohen's work. Too melancholy, but in a way that I don't really relate to. Just not for me.
Erykah Badu
3/5
It's okay. A little too modern-day R&B for my tastes (I prefer retro-soul and classic R&B), but I didn't hate it.
DJ Shadow
1/5
Definitely not for me.
Dr. Dre
4/5
There is a lot of nostalgia wrapped up in this record for me. For what it is, its fantastic and I like it more than almost all gangsta rap. That said, it's still gangsta rap, which I don't usually like. Not my kind of hip hop. It gets rated higher for standing out for its genre and the nostalgia factor.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Sounds like Bruce Springsteen.
Nirvana
5/5
Not as good as Nevermind, but a stellar album none the less.
Wilco
3/5
I really want to like Wilco, but have the hardest time getting into them. They aren't bad by any stretch, just don't hook me. The exception to this is "Heavy Metal Drummer", which is a great song.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Creedence is interesting. They are southern rock (which I don't really care for) mixed with strong Mississippi blues. It works for them, and I get why they'd be a strong political voice of the time. Great stuff.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Two Creedence albums in three days. Random is random.
This is a decent album. Not as good as Cosmo's Factory as it is less blues influenced and more southern folk. Still has some classic and essential songs on it.
The Cure
2/5
Not terrible, but I still can't get into The Cure. Just too melancholy for me.
Violent Femmes
5/5
Violent Femmes are great. This album has a ton of their classics and is solid from start to finish. Love it.
The White Stripes
5/5
While Elephant was the album that fostered my obsession with the White Stripes, White Blood Cells introduced me to their genius. It is a really great album.
Linkin Park
4/5
This album was the soundtrack of my sophomore year of college.
Nu-metal, but stands above most other acts of the genre and may be the best of the genre. Still definitely bro-metal.
This is their best work IMO, as their Meteora just didn't resonate the same way for me. RIP Chester.
Burning Spear
4/5
A solid reggae album. Good stuff.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Mama's and the Papa's aren't the most exciting 60s act, but they have their charm. The hits really bring it and Cass Elliot has a great voice.
Boston
5/5
Time to crank it up! I love this album so much, but didn't get into it until I was in my 30s. Now it is one of my favorites. The composition and production on this album are all stellar.
Favorite Song: Foreplay/Longtime
Supertramp
2/5
Sounds like a mix of Pink Floyd and ELO. Okay I guess.
Björk
3/5
I like Bjork, but I do enjoy her first three albums most. Her music gets more abstract as time goes on, and loses me eventually. This one is a difficult listen, but is okay to my tastes.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The Who
3/5
It's a solid album, and interesting in the fact that it pretty well created the rock opera. Pinball Wizard certainly stands above.
Slipknot
1/5
This is the first time I've listened to a Slipknot album in it's entirety. It didn't change my opinion of them.
Musically, they are mix of nu-metal and black metal. Their music isn't great IMO, and could benefit greatly from more dynamism and better song structure. Most songs are just going 100% as loud and fast as they can. The drummer can't resist throwing in fills every chance they get, even when inappropriate.
But it's clear they aren't selling music. They sell their image, a character they play. I find the image silly. It's 100% bullshit posturing designed to make them (and their listeners by proxy) feel less insecure about their struggles in life.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
This is the third Creedence album I've come across on the list so far, and I would rate it worse than Cosmo's Factory and on par with Green River. Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary are the standout songs, with the rest of the album being solid but not exceptional. Pretty short album as well.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Frank is the king of standards singers, and this is his most well known and celebrated album. It's great and deserves every bit of praise.
Hole
2/5
Live Through This is a much better album. But given the state of mainstream rock in 1998, I guess you could have done worse than this album. Still, I didn't like it then and it hasn't grown on me since.
The Byrds
3/5
Van Morrison
3/5
Don't know Van Morrison beyond his hits. He's alright, although I don't think a live album is really the best way to expand my appreciation of him. He's a solid live performer, I just think his album work is likely to resonate with me more. Overall, it was an enjoyable if not ground breaking listen for me.
Big Star
2/5
Meh
Portishead
2/5
I want to like it, but it's just a tad too much experimental noise nonsense for my tastes.
The Vines
4/5
Solid album. Get Free is easily better than the rest of the songs (it's really great), but the others are quite listenable even if they aren't stellar.
The Isley Brothers
5/5
I love some old-school soulful R&B. Great stuff.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Didn't like it that much.
3/5
I knew the Bowie was coming eventually. It's a decent album, although not really my particular taste. I do like Suffragette City however. That song is a banger.
R.E.M.
4/5
I've always liked REM.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Great album. After listening to their debut earlier, its amazing how much this pushed them to the next level.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
Revolutionary for the time it was created, but very much still noise proto-punk. That really isn't my thing. I respect it, but I don't like it.
David Bowie
3/5
It's overly dramatic, but that's glam rock for you and this is pretty much peak glam rock. More musically diverse than Ziggy Stardust, but not as impactful. Still not a huge Bowie fan, but he does what he does well. A solid album that I don't enjoy that much on a personal level.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I love Stevie. Of his two most popular albums, I enjoy Talking Book more, but this one is still a tour-de-force. The one-two punch of Sir Duke and I Wish is the strongest on the album, but the rest is still quite the ride.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
Started as solid blues-inspired psychedelic rock (great!) which devolved into a long winded jam session. Not my thing.
John Lennon
3/5
Moby
3/5
Better than I remember it being. Southside was overplayed when it was released, so I got sort of sick of it.
Nanci Griffith
2/5
Country really isn't my thing.
R.E.M.
4/5
Not my favorite R.E.M. album, but a pretty good one. A nice easy listen.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Quite the trio indeed. Dolly's songwriting comes thru, even if I'm not one for country music.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Not in love with Dylan's voice, but he's a hell of a songwriter.
Nico
3/5
A somewhat odd album musically. Nico has an interesting voice. Didn't resonate with me much, but it was different.
Billy Joel
3/5
I'm not the biggest Billy Joel fan in the world, but this album has some classics and I respect it. There is some really good songwriting on this one, particularly Vienna and She's Always a Woman.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
I don't really like the big hits from this one (Teach Your Children and Our House). The rest of the album is alright. The songs where Neil Young takes the lead are my favorites, which isn't a surprise since I like his solo work.
Spiritualized
3/5
Didn't love it or hate it. It was just sort of there. Atmospheric melodies aren't really my thing, and this has them in spades, but at least it was unoffensive. But it wasn't really remarkable to me either.
The Clash
5/5
I love this album. An essential album in my collection.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha is great. This album doesn't disappoint and has some of the classics.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
Solid production and performance, but I didn't care for the songwriting much.
The Stooges
3/5
Yet another Stooges/Iggy Pop album. Its fine.
Eels
5/5
I've absolutely adored this album since shortly after it's release. E does a fantastic job of contrasting the bleak with the beautiful, producing a record that is melancholy yet strangely optimistic in it's own way. It really is a fantastic listen.
Neil Young
5/5
I like Neil Young, and this is one of his more enjoyable albums.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Book-ended by two solid songs, one of which is one of their best. The rest of the album is pretty mediocre IMO, but I really don't like country or gospel that was influencing this album.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I like Costello a lot, but this isn't my favorite album of his. Would much rather listen to Armed Forces or Last Year's Model. That said, it's still pretty good.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
One of the better RHCP albums.
The Slits
3/5
Decent, melodic 70's punk.
Giant Sand
3/5
After I got thru the introductory track, I ended up enjoying this more than expected. It's experimental, but still has melody.
3/5
Decent album, but I'm not in love with PJ's voice. Overall a pretty good listen.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Basie is a jazz icon, and rightfully so. Not my favorite thing to listen to, but certainly enjoyable.
George Harrison
3/5
It's a decent album. Some good songs, some I don't really care for much.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
It's okay, but it doesn't really do much for me.
Thelonious Monk
4/5
A fantastic jazz album. Monk's music has a quiet cool about it that I love.
Minutemen
3/5
Solid post-punk album. Nice and melodic punk without too much aggression.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Ray Charles
5/5
Joan Armatrading
3/5
It was okay, but didn't really stand out to me.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I'm a big Elliot Smith fan, so I was quite delighted to have an excuse to throw this record back on the turntable.
This is easily his most popular album, coming out shortly after his big break on the Good Will Hunting soundtrack's Miss Misery, which was nominated for an Oscar. This was his final release on the Kill Rock Stars label before signing with Dreamworks. I feel like it's also had a resurgence recently due to Between the Bars being featured on the show Rick and Morty.
It is probably his most consistent album, with every song being pretty spectacular. Rose Parade is probably my favorite song on the album due to sentimental attachment. The fact that this album came up for me on the day of the Grand Floral Parade here in Portland couldn't be more fitting, and is a super odd coincidence.
Ray Charles
5/5
Ray is always a joy to listen to. Great stuff.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Alice Cooper
2/5
Alice Cooper is okay, but I've never been a huge fan. Listenable, but I wouldn't seek it out. This album seems to have his best known hits. Necrophilia song at the end is pretty creepy, but I suppose that is the point.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Not my particular cup of tea when it comes to hip-hop (a little too old school), but I imagine it was pretty groundbreaking at the time. I don't remember much representation for women in that genre then.
Elvis Presley
2/5
I like the more blues Elvis songs. This one has a distinct late 50's rock feel, which isn't my favorite.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
A pretty enjoyable listen. I like jazz singers, so this was a win for me.
Dire Straits
4/5
I've always been a "greatest hits" guy when it came to Dire Straits. I enjoy them, but really wasn't exposed to much more than the hits. This was a fun listen for me which I enjoyed. I'm a sucker for blues-influenced rock, and they have a great blues/soft rock blend.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Bruce just doesn't do it for me.
The White Stripes
5/5
White Stripes are great. White Orchid is one of their best.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Reminds me of 2000's indie pop more than punk. Probably not a bad thing.
Ice Cube
3/5
I can appreciate Cube's skill and talent, but this album was a slog for me.
Chicago
4/5
Surprisingly I enjoyed this record. I was expecting Peter Cetera pop ballads, which isn't really this sound of this one. A shame Chicago didn't stick with this sound.
Prince
2/5
Never really got on the Prince hype train. Prefer his older work which is much more funky.
Duran Duran
3/5
A fine album with some good songs on it. Not my favorite kind of music, but it's pretty decent and I like it well enough.
Solomon Burke
3/5
I like rock music. I like soul music. However, this didn't really raise the bar at all for me. It was fine, but didn't grab my attention.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A little too country-western influenced for my tastes, but its a pretty typical Stones album. It's okay.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Never really dug Johnny Rotten (Lydon) much outside of my teenage Sex Pistols phase. This took that vibe to experimental noise-punk. Not really my vibe.
Oasis
2/5
Ugh. Oasis.
Daft Punk
1/5
Never been a big fan of Daft Punk, particularly their earlier work. I prefer more complex drum rhythms and less repetitive, experimental noise. This listen certainly didn't change my mind.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Didn't recognize the album cover or the names, but certainly knew the hits. Good album with an interesting mix of sounds. Still very 70's.
The La's
4/5
I was already familiar with "There She Goes", but the rest of the album was new to me. Solid listen.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Elvis is always great. This isn't one of my favorites of his, but it's still pretty good.
5/5
Not my favorite Beatles album, but still a masterpiece.
Morrissey
3/5
Morrissey is too mopey for my tastes, which is a shame because the music could be good if it weren't for his voice.
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Not really my thing.
The Byrds
1/5
I usually like The Byrds, but I didn't care for this one at all.
Public Enemy
4/5
Public Enemy is an interesting group. More political than N.W.A. but with plenty of the same themes. I think it hits in a different way for me.
Traffic
3/5
Odd little 60's act. Reminds me of a lot of the other bands of the time.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Television
4/5
An interesting album. Weird for punk songs to be longer than a few minutes :D. The title track is fantastic (although a bit too long IMO), and the rest of the album is good if not remarkable.
The Band
1/5
Blah.
k.d. lang
2/5
Ugh, country. Not my cup of tea.
SZA
2/5
Not the kind of R&B I enjoy.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
One of my favorite Elvis albums.
The Byrds
3/5
The Flying Burrito Brothers
1/5
Didn't enjoy this at all. More country.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Love this album. One of the greatest hip-hop records of all time.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
Growing up I hated this album (outside of "You Oughta Know"), but I've warmed to it a bit more. Meta commentary wasn't really a thing in the 90s, but a song about irony which contains no irony is pretty ironic and pretty clever.
The Byrds
4/5
Lots of The Byrds these past few weeks. This is the best of them IMO, and the album I think defines them.
Beck
5/5
One of my favorite Beck albums. It's a pretty groovy listen.
The Doors
4/5
One of the best Doors albums. I'm not as into them as I was growing up, but they are still a solid listen.
George Jones
1/5
Country sucks.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A decent listen.
The War On Drugs
3/5
A little more atmospheric than I like, but not horribly so and not in an annoying electronic way. It was okay.
Primal Scream
3/5
Was okay, but didn't really do too much for me.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Pretty classic and a solid album for sure. Some timeless songs on this one.
Queen
4/5
Queen is great. Although my favorite songs are not all on this one, it is probably the most essential Queen listen. Bohemian Rhapsody is a force of nature.
The Notorious B.I.G.
2/5
As far as Gangsta Rap, this one is a pretty good one. Not something I listen to often, but I can appreciate it now. Not so much when it came out, but we all grow. I would still rather listen to Tribe, J5 or Diggable Planets.
The Auteurs
4/5
That was a pretty fun listen. Kind of a bridge between late 80's indie like the Pixies to Britpop.
Spacemen 3
2/5
Was a bit wayward and repetitive for my tastes. Didn't really dig it.
Fiona Apple
5/5
Wasn't real tuned into this one when it came out, and I should have been. It's a great album.
Spiritualized
2/5
Very much like Radiohead. Floaty and experimental noise soundscapes. Not really my jam.
Slade
3/5
Interesting record. Was better than I thought it was going to be. Sort of The Who meets Alice Cooper.
Marty Robbins
2/5
Old school country music. Some of the more tolerable country to be honest, but still not my thing.
Rush
4/5
Rush is always a fun listen. This one is good. Not Moving Pictures good, but good.
The Stooges
3/5
Front half of the album is great. Back half wasn’t as engaging for me.
Bee Gees
2/5
At least it wasn’t disco
Metallica
5/5
One of Metallica's good albums. Battery is a banger of an opener.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Zeppelin's first four albums are all stellar and a joy to listen to. Easily 5 stars.
The Specials
5/5
I enjoy Ska and Two-tone quite a bit, so I love this album. It is probably the height of that revival wave. Great debut. Considering the biggest songs of 1979 were mostly disco hits, this would have been a breath of fresh air.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Everyone knows this is a stellar album. Jimi brought guitar distortion to the masses. He's one of the greats.
Pixies
3/5
I like the Pixies a lot. Surfer Rosa and Dolittle are two of my favorite albums. This, as a follow-up, is a little bit of a let down. It is an average album that followed two stellar albums. Clearly there was issues within the band at the time, with Charles and Kim not getting along. But it is still better than Trompe Le Monde, which was the clear sign the band needed to pack it up.
Animal Collective
1/5
Not a bit fan of pop music or experimental sound, so this was a pretty big miss for me.
Tears For Fears
4/5
Tears for Fears is one of the better pop groups from the 80's in my opinion. This is their most notable album, and it's pretty damn good.
Sam Cooke
3/5
One of the most accomplished Soul musicians. Great stuff.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I can appreciate his talent as a songwriter, but I really don't care for his music. Too dreary.
Common
4/5
Decent album and an enjoyable listen. Didn't fall in head-over-heels for it, but I would listen to it again.
William Orbit
3/5
Low-key soundscape electronica.
Nick Drake
4/5
I had heard Pink Moon in passing (movie or something) but was otherwise unfamiliar. The entire album is a nice listen. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
Culture Club
1/5
Not for me. Did not enjoy.
The Smiths
2/5
The Smiths never really resonated with me. It's fine I guess, but I'm not going to listen to it again.
MGMT
4/5
Fun little pop record with some banger hits.
Roxy Music
2/5
Didn't do it for me.
David Crosby
3/5
Better than I expected it to be. Never been a big fan of Crosby, Stills and Nash so I wasn't expecting much from his solo work.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Mostly forgettable British glam rock. It's fine, but it really doesn't do much for me.
Funkadelic
4/5
A solid listen.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
I like Belle & Sebastian. This is not my favorite album, but it is a pretty good one. A nice and comforting listen. An album I'd throw on if I just wanted to chill out for a while.
Supergrass
4/5
Never got into Supergrass when they were out. Listening to it now, it was way better than most of the Britt-pop of the time. Good listen.
Sade
3/5
She has a great voice. Wasn't really turned on by the music. It's a decent listen.
Tina Turner
2/5
Not really my thing.
Scott Walker
2/5
It was okay I guess. Didn't really resonate with me.
Kate Bush
2/5
Didn't enjoy this one much.
Pearl Jam
5/5
Pearl Jam is one of my favorites, so this is an easy 5 for me. Not their best IMO, but still great and likely fits best into the "mandatory listening" spot. The album is full of amazing songs, but Black is probably my standout favorite, followed by Porch and Garden.
Def Leppard
2/5
Not a big Def Leppard guy. Some of the songs are okay, but most of the time I'd rather be listening to something else.
U2
3/5
I like Joshua Tree more, but it's probably U2's second best album.
Massive Attack
3/5
Not bad. A pretty relaxing listen with good melody.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Back half of the album was better than the front. It was tolerable, but just. I don't think I'd listen to it again.
The Style Council
3/5
Pretty eclectic. An interesting variety of styles. Interesting even if I didn't fall in love with it. Would listen again.
Pavement
4/5
I never got into Pavement when this was released. I like Cut Your Hair, just never listened to them much.
Santana
5/5
Santana is great.
Ice T
3/5
Not really my kind of hip-hop/rap, but it was alright.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
An odd album. Wasn't bad for the most, but the theme made it a niche listen. Could have done without the screeching at the end of Stagger Lee.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Johnny Cash's best known live album. It's pretty good, and he's one of the only country acts that I actually like.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Solsbury Hill is a good song. Could do with out the rest of the album.
The Go-Go's
3/5
The Go-Go's are one of the more fun girl-pop post punk bands. This is a fun album.
First time listening to Faces. Much better than Rod Stewart's solo stuff IMO. A reasonably fun listen with some blues and southern rock influences. Reminds me of the Stones southern-rock phases.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Fantastic album. I personally like it more than Songs in the Key of Life, but no shame to disagree with that (it's fantastic as well). Superstition could hold up the album on it's own, but the whole thing is fantastic. Love some Stevie.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
A little less rock-oriented Arctic Monkeys. Not super impressed.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Not really my jam, but it's a pretty iconic 80's pop album (and artist). Time After Time is pretty great however.
The White Stripes
5/5
Love this album. I liked White Blood Cells a lot as well, but I was obsessed with this one for a bit when it came out. Great stuff.
k.d. lang
2/5
Not a huge fan of this album, but Constant Craving is a pretty good song.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
This album got regular play in my car in 2005 during my short commute. A pretty fun album that felt unique when it came out compared the more bluesy and/or Zepplinish rock revival that was going on at the time (Strokes, Jet, White Stripes, Wolfmother).
It IS always better on holiday!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
It's Neil Young, so pretty good.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Probably Herbie's best. It's a funky album that influenced plenty of acts that I listen to now. Pretty good stuff.
Mercury Rev
2/5
Steve Winwood
3/5
It's alright. Very 80's easy listening type stuff.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I have a copy of this one. It ebbs and flows, and some of the songs are great the rest are okay at best. Its pretty uneven to be honest. But it is the second best Pumpkins record and their last listenable one IMO.
Genesis
1/5
I didn't really enjoy this one at all.
Gene Clark
1/5
I don't like country.
Steely Dan
3/5
I don't get the hype for this album. It's not offensive, but it doesn't really do it for me. The best song is easily Peg, and it's a catchy tune. The rest is pretty forgettable IMO.
John Coltrane
4/5
Really good chill saxophone jazz. A nice relaxing listen.
The Triffids
2/5
I didn't really dig it.
Underworld
2/5
I'm pretty picky about the electronic music I like. Back to back 15+ minute songs were not the way to win me over. Works okay as background music, but it's pretty generic techno music.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Decent enough album. I really like "The Only Living Boy in New York".
Tori Amos
2/5
I have plenty of friends that like Tori, but I've never been able to get into her. She's a good poet, but I don't care for her singing style.
Björk
3/5
Not one of my favorite Bjork albums. Much more into Debut and Post. I dismissed it on release, but on re-listen I did find some interest in the a cappella of the album.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Not one I've listened to before. It was alright. Pretty low-key just a touch of a hip-hop influence. I'd listen to it again.
Carole King
5/5
It's a good album with nothing but solid hits. A timeless album.
Alice Cooper
2/5
Alice Cooper is okay. I'm not terribly excited by his music. This was the first time I've listened to an album front to back, and it was interesting that it was a concept album even if I didn't find it particularly inspiring.
Prince
2/5
I prefer Prince's funky stuff rather than the radio pop-friendly songs. Not a huge fan of this or Purple Rain.
ZZ Top
3/5
Solid 70's rock. Reminds me of roadhouses and dive bars.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
A decent blues/psychedelic record that only strays into the weird from time to time. Much easier listen than Trout Mask Replica. It was a reasonably enjoyable listen.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
Not my favorite 60's act, but they are tolerable. Definitely trying to capture the style of other popular acts of the time.
Willie Nelson
2/5
I respect Willie and his songwriting talent, but at the end of the day it's still country music and not my cup of tea.
Beatles
5/5
4th or 5th favorite Beatles album. Still great.
Goldie
1/5
More boring techno. Snore.
The Pogues
3/5
A fun album. I hadn't heard it before.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
2/5
Seems well produced, but I don't connect with it on any level.
Madonna
3/5
It's alright I guess. Not my favorite Madonna album, but it's a chill listen.
Barry Adamson
3/5
A very odd album. Interesting, but odd. I really dig some of the songs. Others were strange. None were really bad, which is out of the ordinary for an album like this.
Talking Heads
4/5
Talking Heads is always a good listen.
Love
3/5
It was okay. Didn't super resonate with me, but I didn't hate it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
Didn't care for it much. Too mopey.
Bob Dylan
3/5
It's Dylan, so you know what you're getting. Definitely a top 3-4 album of his. Songwriting on point, singing is passable. The influence on future generations of musicians is priceless.
Throwing Muses
3/5
Decent for sure.
David Bowie
2/5
It was fine I guess. Didn't really dig it much.
Baaba Maal
3/5
An interesting listen. Definitively not my normal listen, but was pretty good background music to start my day.
Taylor Swift
3/5
It's fine for a modern pop album, a genre which I am not a fan of. Backing music is pretty basic and uninteresting and people clearly are drawn to Taylor's poetry, which doesn't do too much for me personally but I can respect it. Shake It Off is undeniably a banger.
The Streets
1/5
This was pretty bad. Spoken word poetry masquerading as rap over a mess of backing beats.
Beatles
4/5
Not one of my favorite Beatles records, but still pretty great.
The Doors
4/5
I don't remember ever listening to this one end-to-end. The hits have always been staples and are great and the rest of the album has a cool blues feel that I love. Good stuff.
The Sonics
4/5
I liked this more than I expected. I get why it was influential to so many PNW bands later. Honestly, its a pretty good listen.
Elton John
3/5
Elton is alright, although not someone I gravitate to. There are certainly some wonderful songs on this album. However, it is longer than I'd like. I'm sure that is a positive for many, but when you only mildly like the album it starts to drag.
Overall, it's an alright album with only one or maybe two misses, four or five straight up bangers, and a whole lot of meh for those who don't love the style.
John Martyn
3/5
Not really in the headspace for this one right now, but it seemed okay. Might listen to it again later.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
A good album, but has some songs that miss the mark a bit for me. However, I still like it.
2/5
I didn't really care for it. BritPop is a struggle for me to enjoy.
Missy Elliott
3/5
I like Missy well enough, but most of the album doesn't rise above average for me.
Elton John
3/5
Happy this is shorter than Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. First two songs are the ones to listen to, the rest is good if you like Elton, but meh for me.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
I'm not super into psychedelic rock, but it's a decent listen. 17 minutes is a bit much, but since it's a pretty good song it isn't too bad.
The Dictators
3/5
Pretty standard proto-punk album. It's cool to see where the influence came from, but I wouldn't listen to it much outside of this once.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. I HATE Hallelujah, and being the most notable track I thought I was in for a rough ride. It ended up being okay, the rest of the songs were listenable even if I didn't love them.
David Bowie
2/5
Some decent songs, some weird songs. Mixed bag.
Norah Jones
4/5
Norah has a great voice, and this is a nice relaxing mellow jazz record. I enjoyed it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
A synth-heavy progressive snore fest. It just isn't my jam.
OutKast
2/5
Didn't really like it.
The Beau Brummels
3/5
I can see how this would have been influential for it's time. It was alright.
Big Black
3/5
This was a challenging album. It just missed being an enjoyable album for my ears, but I could see many of the parts that would influence a lot of artists I do like and found the mix of industrial and punk curious and original. Just a little too rough for my tastes.
I will always revere Steve Albini for his production work with the Pixies, Nirvana, etc. even if this wasn't my particular cup of tea.
Black Flag
4/5
Rise Above has been a mainstay on my punk playlists for ages now. This album is fantastic. I hear it in all the albums I grew up listening to later.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
This may arguably be the weakest of their first four albums (for me), but hell if it isn't a masterpiece anyhow. Out of the gate with Immigrant Song is one of the strongest openers in all rock.
Scissor Sisters
1/5
Album reminds me of Disco and George Michael. Not really my thing. British bias comes out on this list once again, because few in the US cared about this album when it came out.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Stevie is always a good listen.
Green Day
5/5
I loved Dookie, but then sort looked down on Green Day as "sellouts" (due mostly to the success of "Good Riddance") until this album came out. It really softened my perception of the band. It's a fantastic rock opera, and is enjoyable from end to end.
Talking Heads
4/5
Life During Wartime is a great song. Rest of the album is pretty solid as well.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I had this album growing up. It's pretty good, but the strength is in the few singles that came from the album.
Small Faces
2/5
Wasn't particularly impressed.
Fela Kuti
4/5
I liked this one. Pretty good soul album with a slightly different feel.
Hawkwind
3/5
Too long, but it was alright otherwise. Bass and drums were the highlight.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Sonic Youth is not my favorite, but still a very interesting (but sometimes challenging listen). I prefer Daydream Nation and Goo as far as albums, but this one is welcome as well.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Decent pop-rock album. Maps is a really good song that I've liked for a long time, but I wasn't really familiar with the rest. Pretty solid stuff.
Madonna
2/5
I like Madonna's earlier stuff, but the electro-pop of this album doesn't do it for me. It's well produced and good for the genre, just not my kind of music. I respect her ability to evolve with the time.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Soulful funk music. What's not to like. Great stuff.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Not a huge fan of gangsta rap, but this one is undeniable and a classic.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Probably not something I'd listen to regularly, but decent post-punk.
Screaming Trees
4/5
A seriously under-rated Seattle grunge band. This is their second best album, but still quite good even if they never reached the heights of the big 4.
Shack
3/5
British bias showing through again. It's alright, but nothing special. Sounded very Brit-pop meets jangle-pop.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Oh Wings. Not quite as good as the Beatles, but you have your bright spots.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
This feels like 1984 the album. Jazz Police!
Cohen is a poet, but the music is very lacking on this one.
R.E.M.
4/5
REM is one of those bands that I've liked but never really 'got into' like other bands. Monster was probably the album I listened to the most for some reason, and Out of Time and Automatic for the People were the ones I think of when thinking about REM. Document has gone underappreciated by me with the exception of the singles.
The One I Love is the most jangle-pop song ever. It's great. End of the World is great too and seems appropriate for the times.
I had never really listened to the rest of the album all the way through, but there are some other really great songs on here as well. Disturbance at the Heron House was a standout. Strange took me by surprise as well being a blues song.
Foo Fighters
5/5
Foo is great post-grunge hard rock. Love it.
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Isaac may have been a Scientologist cult weirdo, but the man can sing. Soul music at it's finest.
Bauhaus
3/5
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It wasn't as challenging as I was expecting. Not sure I'd listen to it again, but it was okay.
Gang Starr
3/5
I enjoyed this less than expected. I'm familiar with Guru from Jazzmatazz and was expecting this to show more jazz influenced, but it's a pretty straight hip-hop beats. It was alright, but I was hoping for more. I just wanted a bit more fusion from the album.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
How do I not own this record yet? This was a force when it was released and developed a change in sound along with the band writing songs that were far more personal (Under the Bridge). If you like funky rock, this is a good one. Favorite under-rated song: Breaking the Girl.
Wild Beasts
1/5
More British bias. You have to ask yourself, what makes an album that has sold 55K copies over a decade essential listening before you die. This was not it.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
I don't really like Skynyrd or southern rock. Tuesday's Gone is probably my favorite song on the album, and the solo on Free Bird is very good even if I don't really care for the song itself.
Steely Dan
3/5
A decent listen. Bodhisattva is a pretty good song. The rest is okay.
T. Rex
2/5
Never been the biggest T. Rex fan. I've always found their music pretty pedestrian 70's rock. Bang a Gong is a decent song, but the rest are very meh. Don't hate it, but don't really like it either.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
A good album, but falls off a bit on the b-side.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
A few good songs, but didn't really like most of it.
Kate Bush
3/5
Was alright. Kate has a fine voice even if I don't really resonate with her music.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
I like Neil Young, and this album is no exception. Harvest always gets the love, but this one is pretty good too.
Stan Getz
4/5
I like this one. It's a nice relaxing chill listen. Girl from Ipanema is a good song, but honestly I sort of like the rest of the album more. Its got a vibe.
Calexico
3/5
Was okay. Felt more folk than country (as it was labeled as alternative country), which made me like it more.
The Police
3/5
I'm not a huge Police fan, but this is probably my favorite record of theirs. The ska influence comes out a bit more on this one, which I dig.
Taylor Swift
2/5
I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this. It's okay but lacks a few different things.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Okay post-punk. Like a not-so-depressing Cure.
Adele
4/5
Probably Adele's best. Honestly, I like it. It's soulful (but not Soulful) and the songwriting is pretty relatable. The music itself isn't particularly challenging or edgy, but it isn't trying to be and I think there is space for that.
The Replacements
4/5
I don't like it as much as Tim or Pleased to Meet Me, but it's a fun album.
Various Artists
1/5
Christmas for boomers.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Kinda standard fare euro-pop. Wasn’t super impressed.
Eminem
2/5
It's alright for what it is. He writes clever rhymes, but they are a little too violent for me.
Eagles
2/5
Its fine I guess. Worse than Hotel California. Still the definition of 'meh'.
The Darkness
1/5
Yeah, this isn't it. Way too much falsetto, plus hair metal isn't very good to begin with.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Doesn't do it for me.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
Country sucks.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
While quite good from a technical standpoint, it's not really my thing.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
This wasn't enjoyable at all.
Metallica
4/5
Ignoring all the machismo around Metallica (and metal music in general), this is a pretty good thrash album.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
A decent album that wanders too much. Seriously, two 20 minute songs with massive solo sections.
Yes
3/5
Not a bad listen. Sort of a more-folky ELO in my opinion.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
It's an okay album with some good songwriting. Doesn't really speak to me however.
The Black Keys
5/5
Fantastic album. My favorite from The Black Keys. Nice blues riffs and good songwriting make for a fantastic listen.
Suicide
2/5
Sort of half and half on this album. Songs with melody were pretty good, and very forward-thinking for 1977. However the more experimental noise songs didn't do it for me, which seemed to comprise most of the album.
Wilco
2/5
I already struggle with Wilco and their most popular album "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". This one is an even bigger struggle with a more country influence (not a fan). Also, it is too long. It's clearly not bad on a technical level, but I just can't get into it.
Miles Davis
5/5
It's Miles, so 5 stars even if he isn't my favorite. More of a Chet Baker guy, but Miles is still undeniable.
Blur
3/5
More Britpop. Pretty meh, but better than the last Blur album that I came across on the list. Also, still better than Oasis.
Faith No More
4/5
When I was a kid, I was obsessed with the video for Epic. I didn't have MTV at home, so it was sort of rare to see it. Song is top notch.
Dire Straits
5/5
I like this album a lot. Pretty solid the whole way through. Money for Nothing is a landmark in music.
The Young Gods
2/5
It was okay I guess. Not really a fan even though I like industrial metal.
Anthrax
3/5
Not the biggest thrash guy, but I can appreciate it. It doesn't have their best songs, but its okay.
Richard Hawley
2/5
This takes the Leonard Cohen formula and adds better singing at the cost of worse songwriting. Not particularly my thing, but I get some people probably like it.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Are you experienced gets all the love, but Little Wing is a killer song.
Holger Czukay
2/5
Didn't really enjoy it. Was all over the place.
G. Love & Special Sauce
4/5
It's a fun blues album that doesn't take itself too seriously. I like it.
Nick Drake
4/5
It's a solid album. I really enjoyed my listen.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
A decent garage rock album.
The Zutons
4/5
Another album that made the list solely because it's British, but this one is actually pretty good. I enjoyed the listen quite a bit. Pressure Point was the standout track for me.
Hüsker Dü
4/5
Very melodic with good energy, even though it lacks a ton of variety musically (which is pretty typical of punk bands). Certainly a more approachable sound than their previous albums. I enjoyed my listen. Is jangle-punk a thing?
Soundgarden
5/5
Great album. Years later this may be my favorite of the big 4 Seattle band albums, but its hard to say since I love them all and it changes day to day. RIP Chris.
KISS
2/5
Probably one of KISS's better albums, but still pretty bleh. Detroit Rock City is by far the best song on the album and it's not even close. Full of meh.
The Monks
4/5
A pretty fun garage band. I liked it.
Radiohead
4/5
I'll admit, I only like Radiohead's first three albums but nothing afterwards. This is a good one and bridges the gap between Pablo Honey and OK Computer. It has some really solid songs on it.
Deep Purple
3/5
Deep Purple is pretty much quintessential 70's hard rock. There aren't any standout tracks here IMO, but it is an okay listen. Sort of generic, but not bad.
The Smiths
2/5
Not a Smiths fan. Too British mopey for me. Best thing about this album is that it is the Smith's final one.
Steely Dan
3/5
Steely Dan is one of those bands I don't hate but don't like. They have some decent songs, but for some reason they are missing something for me. As such, this was a good but unremarkable listen for me.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
An icon of 60's rock, this album is a good listen with a few surprises I wasn't expecting (a blues song!). You could certainly do worse.
3/5
An interesting album. I liked it but didn't love it. Mashup of influences in a post-punk package with high energy.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Not really remarkable. Not bad, but didn't seem like anything more than a live classic rock album when I listened. Must need to be a fan to appreciate this one fully.
Michael Jackson
4/5
It's a well produced album from a star at their height before they went off the rails.
Beat It and Thriller were the first two songs I have memory of loving as a small kid, so much that Bad was the first record I bought with my own money. In hindsight, Billy Jean is probably the best song on the album and P.Y.T. is pretty catchy as well. Outside of those four, it is solid for a pop album, even if it isn't particularly my thing.
I'd give it three stars, but it gets an extra for childhood nostalgia.
Sparks
1/5
Not really digging it. I don't really like Glam Rock anyway, and this definitively wasn't doing anything for me.
Wire
4/5
This grew on me. At first I thought it was typical punk, although particularly poignant with Reuters. But while it isn't novel musically, it is pretty good and some songs later in the album should have been led with. Mannequin is particularly good and I liked Champs a lot too.
Overall, a slow starter but I dig it.
Ride
3/5
Not particularly remarkable. Sort of an ethereal indie sound with some rough edges. Decent background music, but not particularly engaging to me.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
It's not Exodus, but it's still Bob so it's good.
Depeche Mode
2/5
It's okay I guess. Never been a big Depeche Mode fan, so it was kind of a bland listen for me.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
This wasn't an enjoyable listen.
Paul Simon
3/5
Three really great songs and a bunch of meh.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
This album is very overrated in my opinion, but it's still okay with some good songs.
PJ Harvey
2/5
It was okay I guess. Seems pretty heavily influenced by Patti Smith, who I don't really care for.
M.I.A.
3/5
I didn't love it, but it was very interesting. Huge Missy Elliot influence here. Certainly wasn't trying to fit a mold.
Adele
4/5
I know it's trendy to shit on Adele these days, but this album is quite good. I think it is one of the few pop records in the past few decades that actually deserves the popularity garnered. IMO it is her best, although her previous two albums were quite good as well.
Bill Callahan
2/5
I didn't love it, but it was listenable. Reminds me of Leonard Cohen.
The Residents
1/5
This must be what madness sounds like.
Beck
3/5
Honestly, it's pretty mediocre for a Beck album. He has much better. Lost Cause is a good song, the rest is pretty meh.
Bob Dylan
3/5
More blues than folk. Songwriting is still pretty good, singing is still pretty bad. More gravelly than most typical Dylan. It's okay.
D'Angelo
2/5
Couldn't get into it. I like soul and R&B, but this is that 90's R&B and I just can't do it. He's a talented singer, but the songwriting is as deep as a puddle and the the cool bass groove in most of the songs is the only redeeming quality to the music.
Britney Spears
1/5
This album is really weak with the exception of the title track. Just as bad as I remember it.
2/5
I generally like Yes (although not a huge fan), but this listen wasn't up to par to me. Not sure what it was, but they have better.
Röyksopp
3/5
I wasn't expecting much from this, as I don't generally like electronica albums, but this was pretty good. Atmospheric, but with melodies. Pleasant surprise.
Blue Cheer
2/5
Didn't do it for me. It was okay at best.
The Fall
3/5
Didn't know what to expect with this one, but was pleasantly surprised. Was pretty good.
The Temptations
4/5
Motown at it's finest. What's not to love.
Gorillaz
4/5
I think Gorillaz is Damon's best project. That said, the Del song's are by far the best and I'd rather listen to Deltron 3030 for my Del/Automator/Kid Koala kick. However, this does in a pinch.
OutKast
3/5
Lets get the first part out of the way. This is and should be two albums, and I spread the listening over a few days. It's too long to listen to in one sitting.
That said, it was more enjoyable than I expected. I'm not a fan of Outkast for the most, but the Big Boi songs that leaned heavily into R&B were good, and I enjoyed the Andre 3000 songs more than I expected. Particularly the Jazz-heavier songs and the ones that were not heavily misogynist (which were too many).
The Hives
5/5
Quite a fun album. Pop punk with out the juvenile humor and immaturity. Great stuff.
Brian Eno
3/5
Slipped in between alright and too weird for my tastes. I would probably give it another listen still. Didn't hate it.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Not a huge fan, but it was okay. Some songs I disliked PJ's voice and others she reminded me of Bjork and I dug it.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
Lost too soon. I enjoy 50's rock in limited doses and this is one of the better albums.
Weather Report
4/5
Fun little funky jazz group.
The Thrills
3/5
Alright, but I could have done without the country influenced songs.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Has some fun karaoke songs, but that is the only good part of the album. Pretty cheesy otherwise.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
An excellent soul album. Great stuff.
Slint
3/5
It was okay.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
A fun yet sort of strange album. It was okay.
Silver Jews
1/5
Indie-rock infused with country. Basically Wilco but worse. Way to country for my tastes.
Public Enemy
5/5
A classic and one of the best hip-hop albums ever.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Not my favorite Rolling Stones record.
Crowded House
2/5
Didn't really dig it.
Deep Purple
2/5
Deep Purple is alright, but I don't really like them enough to be excited about a live album.
Bert Jansch
3/5
Was okay. Didn't really grab me but I didn't hate it.
The Clash
4/5
Not as good of an album as London Calling or Combat Rock, but still pretty great.
The Lemonheads
4/5
Honestly, it's a decent album that captures the sound of the early 90s well. Mix one part Soul Asylum with one part R.E.M. and this is what you get. I like it, but I'm a fan of the sound.
The Verve
3/5
Pretty good for Brittpop, but still not quite my jam. Beats the hell out of Oasis and Blur however.
FKA twigs
2/5
Lo-Fi meets pop. It was okay I guess, just not really my thing.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Meh. Never cared for Emerson Lake and Palmer.
Neil Young
4/5
Neil rarely disappoints for me.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Prime Frank.
Killing Joke
4/5
Interesting listen. Post-punk mixed with some 70's hard rock and metal mixed with some disco influence. Weird in a good way.
Randy Newman
3/5
I want to like Randy. His lyrics are pretty clever and funny. However, it just doesn't do it for me. The music style and his voice just don't resonate with me.
Aerosmith
3/5
Easily the best post 70's Aerosmith album. One more decent album before they jump into their CryingCrazyAmazing era where they rewrite the same sappy love song over and over.
Good Aerosmith will always be their 70's stuff, but this one has some memorable hits.
Anita Baker
2/5
She has a wonderful voice. Adult contemporary doesn't really do it for me personally, and this has the 80's over-production that feels a little lifeless for me, but that isn't Anita's fault.
Sweet Love is a pretty good song and feels less 80's and more timeless than the rest of the album which isn't as engaging.
Missy Elliott
2/5
I think Under Construction justifies its place on this album more than this one. Its fine, but doesn't really stand out compared to her other work.
Billy Bragg
2/5
Didn't really dig it.
Paul Simon
4/5
A fun listen. Me and Julio is a classic and the rest of the album is great as well. Peak Paul Simon IMO.
David Bowie
3/5
This has been my favorite of the Bowie records on this list so far. Not a huge fan, but this one was a bit better to me.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Grunge precursor in many ways. I don't enjoy it as much as the music that it inspired later, but it isn't bad.
Cat Stevens
2/5
He's alright I guess. Wild World is a good song, but I'm not crazy about the rest of the album.
The Smiths
2/5
Morrissey is super mopey. The Smiths are slightly less mopey. It's an noticeable improvement. Title track is pretty shitty.
The Jam
4/5
Dug this one. Some pretty good post-punk.
Le Tigre
4/5
Deceptacon is a banger. I was always lukewarm on Bikini Kill, but I really enjoyed this listen. Somehow this slipped past me when it was released and it really shouldn't have.
The The
2/5
Dude sounds like Bowie. Music sounds like a less depressing cure. Didn't love it, but didn't hate it.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Good album, arguably Simon and Garfunkel's second best.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
British "hip-hop" is so bad. So many other hip-hop records deserve a space on this list over this.
That said, it was better than The Streets, so it has that going for it.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
So this is what it would sound like if David Bowie was a sexual predator and released a lounge album. This album was super cheesy and I didn't really enjoy it.
2/5
Fourth of seven Dylan albums on this list. This is one of the two that probably shouldn't be on this list.
It's here because of the legend and myth surrounding the performance, but I feel like there is an over representation of Dylan and the mystique of this album shouldn't be the major qualifier for it's inclusion.
3/5
Some of this was really bad. The singer isn't great. But it is an interesting early punk album that had a few moments. Almost gave it a 2.
The Roots
4/5
A really good album with a few down moments, usually outside of the formal songs. Not my favorite Roots album, but it's still really good.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
It was alright. It's like the Cure but not mopey and depressing.
Meat Loaf
2/5
Not really my thing. Meat Loaf is like Elton John putting on a hard rock/metal persona. I'm sure it has some charm, but doesn't resonate with me. Also, the name "Meat Loaf" for an act is terrible.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
One of my favorite Stevie albums. It's great.
Miles Davis
5/5
This is a legendary album, and is a pretty chill listen. Not my favorite Jazz record, but it's undeniably pretty great.
Rahul Dev Burman
2/5
Hard to rate this one. Wasn't really my thing and is pretty foreign to what I normally listen to. Didn't resonate with me, but seemed to be well made.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
Not the best album in the world, and probably shouldn't be included in this list, but it's a good listen. I personally like their debut more than their subsequent albums.
The Only Ones
2/5
Another album that benefits from the British bias of the author. Wasn't that good and didn't seem special in unique in any way. Not sure why it needed to be included on this list.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
I like certain Everly Brothers songs (they have some utter classics), but they don't have much range. It's an okay listen if you like 50's pop bands.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Not a big fan of EDM or House music, but Basement Jaxx does it better than most. I would have put Rooty on the list instead, as it is a better and more notable album. This one is listenable, but doesn't break through in the way that one does.
Beyoncé
1/5
It's a pop album, in the Michael Jackson model. If you like this kind of music, I'm sure you love this. Not really my thing however.
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
My angst-ridden teenage years were well served by this album. The aggression mixed with nihilism appealed to me. 30 years later, this album holds up even if my appreciation of it is at a different level. There is a well-crafted and layered complexity that I appreciate under those aggressive anthems. It is truly a piece of art, even if it is repulsive in some ways.
Eminem
3/5
Eminem is clearly talented and rhymes like no other. Not the biggest fan because I can't get past the homophobia, misogyny and violence.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Not my kind of music, but Christina has a great voice and the song lyrics are uplifting so I get why this album is seen as an anthem for many women.
Genesis
2/5
It comes close in many respects, but just misses. The guitars are too old-world sounding. The subject matter is too fanciful. Drums were too subtle.
The musicianship is clearly good, it just doesn't resonate with me which causes the songs to drag. It just misses three stars for me, but it was close.
The Kinks
3/5
It's okay. I don't love it, but its not bad.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
I'd clean the crap out of your stable.
Honestly, better than Casanova, but still really bad. At least it was shorter. I really hope this is the last Divine Comedy record on this list.
Beastie Boys
5/5
One of my favorite Beastie Boys albums. Of course my introduction was Sabotage, the video being so engaging and the song rocked, it really did resonate with me as a teenager. This album has the strongest rock influence of all their albums IMO.
As I aged, I came to appreciate the more hip-hop driven songs as well. Root Down and particularly Get It Together are now my favorites along with the killer instrumental acid jazz of Flute Loop and Ricky's Theme.
It's not a perfect album, but it is pretty great. My biggest complaint is the over-use of heavy reverb on the vocals on many of the songs. It would have been fine for one or two songs, but it's on a lot of them and it doesn't sound great.
Coldcut
2/5
Pretty standard EDM album. Gets an extra star for being a bit off the wall and fun.
Stan Getz
5/5
A nice relaxing listen.
King Crimson
3/5
21st Century Schizoid Man and In the Court of the Crimson King were alright. Other three songs I didn't love.
Tom Waits
3/5
Tom has a unique voice. Some of these songs are a bit strange. Overall a decent listen, even if I'd probably not reach for this album again.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
It's a pretty good listen, although I prefer them with Neil Young.
Miles Davis
4/5
Not my favorite Miles album, but good none the less.
Talking Heads
3/5
Talking Heads are always a decent listen. Not my favorite of their albums, but still pretty interesting.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Not really my jam. Back to Life is the only song I had heard before this listen. The rest was pretty generic to me.
Happy Mondays
3/5
Nothing stand-out, but it is a solid representation of that pre-grunge early 90's sound.
The Strokes
5/5
I own a copy of this on vinyl. It's a good listen.
Death In Vegas
2/5
Beginning of the album seemed to build without a climax/resolution. End seemed to drag. Overall, it wasn't offensive, but wasn't inspiring to me either.
Neil Young
3/5
Not my favorite Neil Young album, but still pretty good.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
I like Ella (who doesn't), but am not a huge fan of the Gershwin's. It's okay if you like 50's standards, but she has much more interesting work. Admittedly, I only listened to the first album of this collection.
TV On The Radio
3/5
I was familiar with the song Wolf Like Me, which is a banger, as well as Happy Idiot. Back end of the album was a bit uneven, but overall I enjoyed it.
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Layla is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. The rest of the album falls greatly short of that achievement, but is still pretty damn good.
Eric Clapton is a piece of shit person with undeniable talent. The world isn't fair sometimes.
Lou Reed
2/5
Lou Reed is folk music for punks I suppose. This has pretty bleak subject material which didn't really resonate with me. It was tolerable, except for The Kids, which I really didn't enjoy.
Radiohead
5/5
I'm not the biggest Radiohead fan, but their first three albums are pretty good before they started to get too esoteric for me. I really enjoy Paranoid Android and Karma Police off this one, but the rest is also pretty good.
PJ Harvey
4/5
I think this is my favorite of the three PJ Harvey albums on this list. Albini did a good job with the production and its a good listen.
Deee-Lite
3/5
I remember when the video for Groove is in the Heart hit MTV back in the day. 10 year old me HATED it. Now I love that song. It's a fucking banger. Rest of the album is meh. Tolerable but not great.
Beth Orton
5/5
I am admittedly biased on this album, as I've been one of her (probably few) US fans since hearing the video for Stolen Car back when it was released. I feel lucky to have seen her perform twice on the Daybreaker tour back in 2002.
Her voice has a calming melancholy tone and with some interesting songwriting it works for me. Ben Harper playing guitar on two tracks doesn't hurt either.
It is a welcome surprise to see this album come up on this list. I don't feel bad about throwing this one on the turntable for another listen. I think it's outstanding and is one of my favorites.
Peter Frampton
2/5
Not a huge Frampton fan. He's tolerable, but not really my cup of tea.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
Some of the songs were a touch odd, but overall it was okay to me.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Not usually a big fan of EDM, but this album is pretty great.
Jeff Beck
4/5
Jeff Beck is a fantastic guitarist. I wasn't surprised that I liked this one.
Kacey Musgraves
1/5
I don't really like pop and I absolutely hate country. This was never going to work.
The Fall
3/5
Was alright but didn't strike a chord with me. Probably won't listen to this again.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
A stacked collaboration album with polished production value. That said, it loses something along the way and doesn't have the soul that most Hooker albums do.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Pretty low-key. Wasn't too impressed, but it was fine.
Grateful Dead
1/5
The Dead don't do it for me. I've never liked them. I get they are trying to be the rock answer for experimental jazz, but it's really not engaging.
Imagine being at a show and they play Feedback... almost 8 minutes of noise. Horrible.
AC/DC
4/5
Album #500!!! Halfway complete!
AC/DC has a signature sound that is hard not to love. The album is a bit uneven, with the hits being great but the rest of the album being a bit of a slog. But while it ebbs a bit, it's still a pretty good listen.
Night Prowler is pretty creepy and is the low point of the album IMO.
Fav song: If You Want Blood (You've Got It)
Kings of Leon
3/5
I remember liking Kings of Leon more than I do now. Sex On Fire is a catchy song, even with it's sort of creepy lyrics. I've always been luke-warm on Use Somebody, and that hasn't changed. The rest of the album is mid at best. Its a listenable album, but doesn't really resonate with me much.
The United States Of America
3/5
I wasn't expecting much as soon as this album began, but for experimental psychedelic music it could have been much worse. Listenable.
Coldplay
3/5
Their debut is easily Coldplay's best and there are some very strong moments on this album. My personal favorite is Don't Panic.
However most of the album is sentimental and mediocre, which would be the hallmark of their work to come.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Oof. Ute's voice was fine, she's clearly talented. But chamber pop and the Divine Comedy are both not my thing, so this gets dragged down by their involvement. Some of the songs are really bad.
Parliament
5/5
Arguably the greatest funk album ever. This album is pure fun and is groovy as hell. The influence of this album can be heard for decades to come.
I've undoubtedly been funked in my ear-hole.
The Dandy Warhols
4/5
I like them. When they hit, it is really good. When they miss, it is still okay.
The Fall
3/5
It's alright I guess. Not super fond of it. Why do we need two albums by The Fall on this list again?
Otis Redding
5/5
Not my favorite blues songs, but this album is pretty undeniable. It's great.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Found through this project that I am not really a big fan of Shoegaze. This album is okay.
The moody, ethereal-sounding stuff doesn't really do it for me, but the post-punkish songs midway through the album are decent. Feed Me With Your Kiss is probably my favorite on the album, which I think in isolation would give you the wrong idea about MBV's overall sound. Much of the back-end of the album sounds like a less sonically experimental and more production-polished Sonic Youth record. Clearly contemporaries in sound if not heading in the same direction.
Overall, it is a decent album that I'm probably not going to go out of my way to hear again. Having recently listened to m b v for the project, I can safely say I like this album more. I'm assuming Loveless will be coming at some point as well, since it seems to be the most well-regarded of their albums.
Ramones
5/5
Iconic New York punk. This and Rocket to Russia are really great. Banger after banger, even if they are short songs.
The Undertones
4/5
Decent punk album. I see influences of The Clash and Dead Kennedy's. You could certainly do worse.
Björk
3/5
When this came out, I didn't really care for it. Giving it another listen, it is a decent album.
What probably bothers me the most about this album is that it eschews the use of percussion. I still prefer Bjork's other work, but this is a decent listen if you are attentive to the interesting way the melodies are being layered.
The Byrds
3/5
Why do we need five Byrds albums on this list again? Their first two albums, sure, but everything after doesn't really bring anything new to the sound except the country album which straight sucks. What's Happening? seems to capture my thoughts about this one being on the list. At least this is my final one.
It is fine. Sounds like The Byrds always do, with a bit of psychedelic song writing. There is a terrible version of Hey Joe on this album.
Pavement
3/5
Not sure this list needs two Pavement albums. This one isn't quite as good as Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain for me, but is still quite listenable.
The Beach Boys
3/5
RIP Brian Wilson I guess. The Beach Boys have never really done it for me. They are okay I suppose, just never resonated with me.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
The tragic story behind this album is far more interesting than the album itself. Sold so poorly that it was pulled from the Columbia catalog in less than a year.
The music itself ping-pongs between a mild psychedelic rock and country-folk. It didn't resonate me at all.
Justice
4/5
I don't usually dig house music, but this is an exception. Pretty good album.
Radiohead
3/5
Four Radiohead albums and counting. I am not surprised.
Not bad for a post-OK Computer album, but still doesn't touch the greatness of the early stuff in my opinion. Some songs try, however.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Started like The Replacements meets The Cure, but got a bit softer and brighter later in the album. Was okay.
Hot Chip
2/5
Not really my thing, but not awful.
Lou Reed
3/5
It's a decent album.
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
This was okay. It was at it's strongest when it fused electronic pop and Indian sounds.
Iron Maiden
5/5
For some reason Maiden didn't resonate with me when I was in my "Metal Phase", but it does now. They are the quintessential Heavy Metal band, with only Judas Priest even in consideration for the title.
This album kicks off probably the greatest 3 album run of all time in Metal. Not that the other albums are bad, just Number of the Beast, Piece of Mind and Powerslave are just so damn good.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
I didn't absolutely hate it. I just mostly hated it.
Heaven 17
2/5
Synth-pop with a post-punk attitude. It was tolerable even if I didn't love it.
The Louvin Brothers
1/5
Traditional country music in the purist sense. Not really my thing, even if it is interesting to hear how the style influenced others to come.
Meat Puppets
4/5
The Meat Puppets are a good listen. Some good song on this album.
The Band
3/5
The Weight is a good song. Rest of the album doesn't really live up to it, but is alright.
JAY Z
1/5
Jay Z is the best. He told me so himself.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
I saw alternative country and rolled my eyes. However, this ended up being more enjoyable than I anticipated. It leans into country, but not too far. Well done Lucinda.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Never quite got the mass appeal of Bruce. I'd rather be listening to Melloncamp, who I think is similar but better.
Soft Machine
2/5
I feel like this album can't get out of it's own way. Large portions of it are unbearably obtuse. Then for brief periods it seems to start pulling something together. Something that might actually be good. But then it loses the thread and meanders into obscure noise again. Most of the songs would be better if broken into individual songs for each idea and focused.
Skepta
2/5
Not great, but better than the other British rappers given so far. It's listenable.
2/5
A little too disco Duran Duran for my tastes.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
Pretty standard 80's fare.
Pentangle
2/5
60's folk, but slightly different. Lots of sitar on some of the songs. It was okay.
Lorde
1/5
Modern pop schlock. Not even her breakout album.
The Kinks
3/5
Kinks aren't bad.
Fred Neil
2/5
I guess this is what you'd call classic folk. Not really my thing, but listenable.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
A bridge between classic folk and country. Not my thing.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Sort of a middle of the road Neil Young album for me.
Incubus
4/5
Calling this album nu-metal is disingenuous, as it clearly moves away from the sound of their previous record. Alternative metal at best, but I would shy away from calling it metal at all and would just land on alternative rock.
Overall, it is a pretty good album and one that I own. One of my wife's favorites.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
Too hipster for my tastes.
Gang Of Four
4/5
I like it. Pretty clean sounding and fun. Good album.
Django Django
3/5
I didn't love it, but it was enjoyable enough and pretty mellow. Not bad.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
A classic and one of the only gansta rap albums worth listening to. Snoop's flow is so smooth. That said, the back half of the album isn't nearly as strong as the front. Not something I listen to all the time, but I'm down with some Gin and Juice or Who Am I? every so often.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
A decent listen. A heavily psychedelic influence permeates a brit-pop sound that has quite found it's legs yet and is reflecting the sound of other indie acts of the time. Overall, it's a pretty good sound. Would listen again.
Supergrass
4/5
Fun album. Sort of an British rather than Ausie Fratellis. Seems like an influence to them.
Sepultura
2/5
13 year old me liked this sort of thing. Was a big fan of Chaos A.D. I've since grown out of it. Could be worse, but too much screaming for me anymore.
Hole
4/5
The good Hole album. Courtney is a terrible singer, but the music is punk enough that it doesn't matter. The songwriting is good and has a soul unlike Celebrity Skin. Overall, an essential album from the time.
ABBA
1/5
It's ABBA, so not really a fan. The hits are the hits, catchy disco tunes, and the rest had more of a folk feel but was not really too good. Big miss for me.
The Yardbirds
3/5
I like the Yardbirds, but wasn't really feeling the psychedelic stuff on this one. They are a much better band when they are playing blues. Jeff Beck cooks on a few of these songs, which is certainly the highlight.
The Associates
1/5
It's like The Cure smashed together with David Bowie. Really not my thing.
Frank Black
3/5
Never quite as good as the Pixies were at their height, but closer to what they were towards the end of the group. There are a few bright spots here and there, but overall it's only slightly above average at best.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Better than I was expecting.
Black Sabbath
4/5
RIP Ozzy. Not my favorite Sabbath album, but it still rocks!
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
It was alright. The songwriting reminds me of Leonard Cohen, although his voice is very different. A melancholy ride that would probably hit the spot at times.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Didn't really enjoy this much. Complex melodies, sometimes with jazz fusions. He's really not a very good singer, but I don't think that is focus. After the first few songs, the album gets pretty atmospheric, which some people might like. Still didn't do it for me.
The Cars
3/5
A solid album if not my favorite. First three songs are classics.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Not my favorite Sonic Youth Album, but pretty good still.
Pantera
3/5
Grew out of metal, but this album is a classic for the genre. The Walk is a good song even if I have to be in the mood for it. Overall, it is what it is: great for the genre.
The Blue Nile
1/5
Someone in another review called this Temu David Byrne. That is pretty accurate. Experimental 80's synth pop with a atmospheric quality. Not really my thing.
The Cure
2/5
The second of three Cure albums on this list. Two too many if you ask me.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Pretty good jazz album. Laid back for the most part with some lively solos.
Bob Dylan
4/5
To me this is peak Bob Dylan. He's still sort of a crummy singer and guitarist, but there is some really good song writing in this album that makes it a classic.
De La Soul
5/5
Pretty classic, although the skits are kind of blah and De La Orgee is downright cringe-worthy. Not perfect but the highs make up for the lows.
Sabu
4/5
I liked it. Fun conga album with laid-back latin sound.
Little Simz
3/5
Best British hip-hop album so far on this list by a wide margin of the 4-5 I've been tortured with so far. It's not bad.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Not a huge Peter Gabriel fan, but this album is pretty undeniable. Five of the nine songs are solid hits (and deservedly so). Really great album.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
Wasn't super impressed. Too electronic for me, and some of the songs were super annoying.
Jane Weaver
2/5
Floaty electronic music. Not my thing.
John Martyn
2/5
Hit and Miss, with many more misses than hits. Didn't really care too much for the straight folk stuff, but the Jazz and Blues influenced songs weren't bad.
Radiohead
2/5
This album is where Radiohead lost me completely. It's just too experimental and cerebral for my tastes. A collection of complexly arranged noise. That said, Bodysnatcher is alright.
Sleater-Kinney
4/5
Good album. Vocals are certainly an acquired taste, but the songwriting and energy of this record is top notch.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
An interesting soul-fusion album. It has a good solid groove to it. Pretty fun listen.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Sort of a mixed bag. The more soul influenced pieces are really quite good, and will be added to my regular rotation. Some of the other songs are less inspired, but nothing is too bad that I would skip it.
Elbow
2/5
Ground for Divorce was a nice bluesy surprise, but the rest didn't resonate with me.
Haircut 100
2/5
Pretty average 80's synth pop.
Metallica
3/5
I loved this album when I was discovering metal. Listened to it like crazy. Now I recognize this is when Metallica started to decline. Their first four albums are so much better, and everything after this album is straight un-listenable. This album is listenable, but it feels cheesy to me now.
George Michael
2/5
I listened without prejudice, and your still only getting 2 stars.
Kendrick Lamar
1/5
I enjoyed To Pimp a Butterfly more, even though I didn't really like that record either. It just doesn't do it for me.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
It's a good album even if Axl is a turd. Sweet Child O' Mine is easily the best song, but there are some other really good ones. Fantastic guitar on this one.
Fugazi
4/5
Fugazi is great. Prefer '13 Songs' to this album, as it has the classics I love from them. This one is a bit more mellow (for punk), and is still pretty awesome.
Marianne Faithfull
1/5
Didn't dig it. Sort of a crummy pop album.
Gram Parsons
1/5
Ugh, country sucks. List has a hard-on for this guy. Must be a huge Birds fan given that there are a large number of Birds albums plus Flying Burrito Brothers plus this shitty solo album on this list. It says something that the most popular version of Love Hurts is a cover by Nazareth.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Hip-hop fusion album with some interesting instrumentation and passable rap. Songs where they lean into rock are probably the weakest, although there are some good guitar solos in those. Other genre mashups (of which there are many to choose from) are pretty solid.
Best song: The Grave and the Constant
Also worth mentioning: The Fun Lovin' Criminals, I Can't Get with That, King of New York.
Grizzly Bear
3/5
Two Weeks is a great song. The rest of the album was sort of ethereal indie rock. Not really my thing, but it was okay I guess.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
Decent proto-grunge record. Sounds like a precursor to Helmet. Not great, but listenable.
Buzzcocks
3/5
The Buzzcocks are fun, poppy punk. This album was a fun listen.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Post-Punk fusions with garage, psychedelic, blues and other genres. Not a bad listen, and I can see how this would be a bridge to later 80's indie/alternative.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
1/5
I'll be up front with my bias. I hate country and bluegrass music. With that out of the way, there was no way this album wasn't going to be my own personal hell for two hours.
Also, this albums cover art is yet another reason to hate it.
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
As far as "challenging" albums go, this one has been my favorite. Not something I'd listen to casually, but I didn't hate it. It isn't comprised of chaotic melody like a lot of "experimental" music. In fact, most songs don't have melody at all.
The Young Rascals
3/5
Groovin' is a good song, the rest was standard 60's rock fare. It was okay.
Fairport Convention
2/5
It was okay. Ren Faire style folk music from the 60's.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Sly is great. Love it.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
It's a pleasant enough album. At it's best when it reaches into soul music. Carries a bit too much 90's R&B vibes for my tastes in spots, but could be worse for sure.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Kashmir is great, but beyond that it is an average album and not nearly as good end to end as I - IV.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
I got into Jane's Addiction in the first half of the 90's with Ritual, but this album has IMO their best song (Mountain Song) on it. It's a good album.
Jungle Brothers
5/5
The less discussed cousin to De La Soul and Tribe Called Quest. Great stuff.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Better than I was expecting. Decent alternative album with a few good songs.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
Not a bad listen. Didn't care for the more twangy Elvis covers (I don't like country), but the rest was pretty good. Bluesy song at the end was very nice.
Dr. Octagon
5/5
Fan of Dan the Automator, although this isn't my favorite project of his. However, this is still a great hip-hop record. Love it!
Hookworms
2/5
Generic indie pop. It was fine I suppose.
The Cardigans
3/5
A decent album, although I preferred Gran Turismo to this one.
Destiny's Child
1/5
Not a pop fan, so this was always going to be a low one for me. The singles hold up for being 20 years old at this point and I can imagine them being on the radio today. Rest of the album is not as timeless and sounds a bit late 90s.
Sex Pistols
3/5
It's overrated, simplistic and repetitive, but you can't deny that it had a huge hand in making punk rock mainstream. It has huge energy and is intentionally antagonistic, which seemed less juvenile when I was one.
Steve Earle
1/5
Country sucks, populism sucks. But I guess these days it doesn't pay to be a Good Ol' Boy. Cry more.
Nirvana
4/5
A good performance. I don't like it as much as I did when it came out, but it is still one of the better unplugged records.
Guided By Voices
2/5
Wasn't really my thing. Not terrible per say, but didn't strike a chord with me and some of it was kinda annoying experiments.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Big swing and a miss. Too off the wall and experimental.
Brian Eno
2/5
Nothing offensive about ambient music, but not much interesting about it either.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
As I grow older, I gain a greater appreciation for Tom Petty's music. Great stuff.
The Doors
3/5
I want you to steal a car, get in it, and drive west. Play the tape full blast. When the tape ends, get out, get into a fight. Then get back into the car, come to town and meet me at the Cargas club. I will let you into the most prestigious hotel of all time. The Morrison Hotel.
Doors fans aren't made. They are born.
Raekwon
2/5
Good beats, didn't really resonate with the rap.
Laura Nyro
3/5
It was alright. Not really my thing, but an interesting mashup of genres (jazz, soul, pop, folk) that occasionally seemed ahead of it's time.
Soft Cell
2/5
Tainted Love is in the zeitgeist, so there is not really much to say about that. The rest of the album is much the same, just not as good. It's okay I guess, but not really great to me.
Simple Minds
3/5
At the end of the day it's 80's synth pop. You either like it or you don't. Not a huge fan, but it's okay.
ABBA
2/5
ABBA really isn't my thing. It's not off-putting, just boring to me. This sounds like every other ABBA song I've ever heard.
Doves
3/5
Indie rock with a britpop influence. It was okay.
The Who
3/5
The best Who live album.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Classic. Aretha is the queen.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Pretty unremarkable, but not offensive. It was fine I suppose.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Cohen is dreadfully dreary. Bob Dylan for the depressed.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Taken as a film score for a non-existent crime film (it's intended concept), it is mediocre at best. Probably would be better if it's place on this list was non-existent, since including it instead of a legendary film score (there are plenty to choose from) is an actual crime.
The Offspring
4/5
Ah, the only good Offspring album.
When this came out it, the energy really resonated with me. After a few years I moved on to more politically driven punk rock, which I still feel is better music, especially since they really dropped the ball with their follow-ups (Ixnay and Americana).
Still, I fondly remember this album. There were better choices for this list from the era however.
Pink Floyd
1/5
Not a Pink Floyd fan, and this album didn't change my mind. In fact, I think I liked it less than the usual popular albums. That said, kudos for not making every song 10 minutes long on this one.
Deerhunter
2/5
Middle of the road indie rock that is all over this list.
Ray Price
1/5
Title track was okay, but the rest is garbage 60's country.
Donald Fagen
2/5
It's okay, but not really my thing. 80's smooth jazz.
Suede
2/5
Way too glammy for my tastes.
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
Yeah, this sucks. Re-imagined southern rock still sucks.
Os Mutantes
3/5
Alright little 60's garage rock band with a South American flair.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Not their best IMO. It was okay.
Digital Underground
2/5
Honestly, I didn't enjoy this which was unexpected. Outside of Humpty Dance (which is fantastic), it's a pretty mediocre 80's rap album.
The B-52's
3/5
It's a kitschy blend of 60's surf rock blended with punk. It's alright for what it is.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
A good enough album. Joni is a good songwriter. Has a distinctly 70's vibe to the music, but not in a bad way.
Rush
5/5
It's a masterpiece of prog rock. Solid from front to back.
The Pogues
3/5
A decent album that mixes trad Irish music with punk. Clearly an influence for bands like Dropkick Murphys and The Real MacKenzies
New Order
2/5
It's not offensive, but it is just another British 80's synth-pop act that sounds like every other one. Not really my jam.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I like Molly Chambers quite a bit, but the rest of the album doesn't rise to that level. I still like the album more than Only By The Night overall.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Another Joni album. Still not bad, but I'm not in love with it either.
Baaba Maal
2/5
It's always hard to rate these world albums. It is not bad stuff necessarily, but it isn't really my cup of tea.
Pixies
4/5
Gigantic and Where Is My Mind? are the standout tracks on this one, but the rest of the album is pretty good. My second favorite Pixies album.
Doves
3/5
Low key and chill indie album. Not a bad listen.
Solange
2/5
Liked this more than expected, more than Beyonce's albums. R&B with a bit of pop sensibility. It was okay.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
An interesting album. Not really my jam, but wasn't bad.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
I think it's a decent hip-hop album. Nice jazzy beats with a bit of funk, good socially-conscious raps.
MC Solaar
4/5
A fun hip-hop album. Only song I didn't really like was Ragga Jam.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Another good Fela album. This guy is great for funky and soulful jazz.
Eurythmics
2/5
Sweet Dreams is timeless. The rest of the album is pretty much 80's synth pop to me, which I don't really care much for.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Front half of the album is pretty good, lots of soul and showcases Dusty's voice well. The back half has a lot more 50's era pop songs, which aren't as good. Overall a decent listen.
Kate Bush
1/5
While the previous two Kate Bush albums were tolerable to alright, this album is unlistenable.
Julian Cope
2/5
Not unlistenable, but not really my style.
Travis
3/5
I enjoyed it. I hear some Beatles, some early Radiohead. All with lesser song-writing than those, but it's a good sound.
Tom Waits
3/5
Odd album, but kinda funny. Not bad.
Brian Eno
1/5
Not my thing.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Strong opening four track run, uneven after that.
Kanye West
1/5
Fuck Kanye's stupid Nazi ass. Not giving him the Spotify revenue by listening to this.
Joe Ely
1/5
Country sucks.
Frank Zappa
2/5
A bit weird, but better than I was expecting it to be.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Beach Boys are pretty boring.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Just Like Honey is a good song. Rest is not bad.
Ash
3/5
Wasn't familiar, but it's a decent listen. In a post-grunge 1996 you certainly could have done worse.
Manu Chao
3/5
Pretty good Spanish language album. Pretty laid back. I enjoyed my listen.
The Specials
3/5
I like The Specials, and this is a decent album. That said, their debut album is quite a bit better.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
A solid outing in the indie-folk renaissance of the late 2000's/early 2010's. I prefer Of Monsters and Men and Mumford and Sons, but Fleet Foxes was a pioneer and is still pretty good stuff.
Motörhead
2/5
Not the biggest Motorhead fan, but they are okay. Pulled down a star for being live and being so long.
David Gray
2/5
Pretty milquetoast. Good lyricism, but pretty cliche choice of topics and didn’t really express anything new. Musically it was pretty bland.
Fairport Convention
2/5
Pretty unremarkable.
Red Snapper
2/5
Started as very generic English electronica, but got more interesting as the album went on. Not stellar, but it saved it from a 1 star rating.
Green Day
4/5
Dookie is a great album and is largely responsible for the pop-punk revival of the mid to late 90's, bringing good existing punk bands to the forefront (Bad Religion, Pennywise, NOFX, plus too many others to name) while also inspiring some real shit (Good Charlotte, Blink 182, Sum 41, etc).
Green Day themselves have had their ups and downs IMO, but this one is a gem.
4/5
It's a pretty good album with solid hits. Not quite perfect, but one that I'm happy to put on whenever.