Half the album was really good, some was fine, and some I really wanted to skip. I enjoyed the band throughout but found the vocals to be weak on quite a few songs. "Take It Back" was my favorite. 3/5
Found it to be boring as hell. Not cohesive, although some songs sounded the same, so I'm not sure how one manages to pull that off. "Indian Sunset" was probably my favorite, but I can't say I truly liked it. 1/5
I liked the tone overall but found some lyrics problematic. I was excited to listen to it as I like what I know of Amy Winehouse's music, but found this album underwhelming. "Amy Amy Amy" as my favorite. 2/5
So very far out of my usual wheelhouse, but so captivating. Hauntingly beautiful. I didn't look up the English translations to the lyrics but still found it completely enjoyable. I'm not sure how often I'd revisit it as this isn't the type of music you listen to passively, rather it is an active experience. 4/5
I could only find the deluxe album, which I'm sure detracted from the experience, as it already felt very repetitive with just the original tracks. I like Little Richard and would likely not skip any of these songs if they came up on a playlist individually, but I can't say I really enjoyed the album as a whole. "Can't Believe You Wanna Leave" was by far my favorite, and easily the most unique song on an album that felt like one run-on sentence. 2/5
Found it enjoyable, but underwhelming. Definitely meant for a certain mood and to be listened to with quiet activities. That said, I didn't hate it and intend to revisit it when I can give it the mood it requires.
Middle ground rating for a seemingly middle ground album. 3/5
I listened while driving and found the album wholly underwhelming. In my short time of doing this, I've been able to find a hidden gem (song I enjoy more than the released singles), but this album had no standouts to me. 2/5
From the opening of the first song, I lamented that the album (version that I found) was only 5 songs. But they made up for it by being long. I found this album incredibly enjoyable, although I didn't love the lead vocals. It felt cutting edge. What can I say?? It rocks!
Didn't find it particularly ground-breaking, but it was enjoyable overall
Grating. Annoying. Insufferable. I keep turning it down and down and down in the hopes that it will stop grating on my nerves SO DAMN MUCH. I am flabbergasted at the praise this album receives. Some songs sucked less than others, but goddamn. I watched the seconds tick down in the final song so I could be sure to turn it off before spotify subjected me to even more of this drivel. Music was fine, but the vocals. My god, THE VOCALS.
This is the first album that had me rethinking my desire to complete this project. 1/5
Found the "pet sounds" to be distracting and unnecessary. Whole album was a bit too low tempo for my tastes.
Weird, but good at times. 3/5
I really enjoyed the music, no matter how eclectic. Maybe that added to the appeal. The vocals were so far off base it was almost a zero star album, however.
Relatively enjoyable overall. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it feels like the only criteria for this list is being musically ambitious with lyrics and vocals falling by the wayside. This album accomplished that better than some.
I enjoyed the multiple features on the album and cross between rock and rap.
Couldn't make it through "Don't Give Up". Scratch that. I couldn't make it through MOST of the songs. Found the album to be incredibly boring. Even the "hits".
Enjoyed the music more than the vocals, as per usual. 2/5
4/5
I always thought I liked R.E.M., but now I am questioning that. Maybe only in small doses. I struggled immensely with the singer's voice in this album. 2/5
Music: 5/5. Funky, fun, cohesive, phenomenal
Lyrics/vocals: 1/5. Yet another album where the vocals fall way, way, WAY behind. Anthony Keidis's voice doesn't bother me, per se, but at times the rapping felt amateur and the actual lyrics leave a lot to be desired.
Nostalgia: 4/5
4/5. Easy to listen to. Some songs had a really great blues vibe.
1/5. Painfully hard to listen to
Not completely awful, but not good. It wasn't cohesive, and, as per usual, I found the vocals and lyrics very lacking.
A little too electronic at times for my taste. Otherwise, relatively enjoyable
Seemingly incongruously with the positive reviews I read, the opening track "Holes" left me believing this would either be a one star album, or more likely, one I did not finish. I'm glad I gave it a chance as it grew on me and, in my opinion, mostly improved from the first track. The vocals were the weakest part to me (which is my primary complaint throughout this experiment), but much more palatable than many of the artists on this list thus far.
2/5
I hated the first VU album this experience sent my way and nearly didn't listen to this one because of it. But overall I found this to be much more tolerable.
1/5
2/5
3/5
2/5
Bored outta my mind 1/5
Enjoyed it overall, but it felt a bit monotonous/repetitive at times. I think I would have preferred it to be about 4-6 songs shorter.
I'm having a hard time rating this one. Objectively, it is good, but absolutely not my cup of tea. I will never be listening to it again
3/5. 'Twas fine
This album is weird and feels inconsistent at times, but it absolutely slaps. 5/5
Really enjoyed this album for about ~40 minutes. It's moody, it's goth, it draws you in, it's entirely too long and self-indulgent. Woulda been 5 stars if it were about 2/3 of the length.
4/5
it's fine. Nothing good to note, nothing bad to note.
I can't get past my mental block with U2. I believe if I was older, or first exposed to their older music, I might feel differently. But I grew up with the U2 of the late 80s/90s/00s when they were making incredibly uninspired and boring ass music for boring ass folks. I delayed listening to this album for a weekend (saw it was my Friday album, immediately said "absofuckinglutely not" and spent the weekend trying to hype myself up for it). I made it halfway through (skipping the singles I already knew) before I gave up completely. Ain't my cup of tea and never will be.
A great jazz album. The last song was incongruous with the album, which I didn't care for, but otherwise I really enjoyed it.
Fine for a certain mood
Meh
It was fine, I guess. Nothing revolutionary IMO
Really enjoyed "Squares" and "Life". Not sure I'd listen to this album or band again, but found it enjoyable for the right mood.
Really enjoyed it at times; really didn't at other times.
Sometimes okay, mostly boring and weird.
Painfully awful. The music was okayish but the vocals and lyrics were just so so SO damn bad.
It was fine
Not good
It was fine
I can't listen to Sting for 11 songs. I tried. I made it halfway through the 9th song before I gave up. "On Any Other Day" might possibly be one of the worst songs I've ever heard, so that's... something.
I liked it more than the last Neil Young album you made me listen to (a mere four days ago), but let's not make this a habit, mmkay?
As soon as I saw Coldplay, I audibly groaned. I read some positive reviews to hype me up, but alas, I cannot stomach it. One reviewer said if you're going to hate on Coldplay, you have to extend that hate to other similar bands, like U2, and lemme tell ya buddy, I SURE DO. They are on the same level of abso-fucking-lutely not in my house.
"Music" is a stretch. 1/5
Found it on youtube. It was fine, I guess, but not my type of music
'tis a banger full of bangers. 4/5
Loved the first disc, not so much the second.
Blessedly short. It wasn't bad, but nothing about it excited me. 2/5
I was like that kombucha meme girl. "No. ..weellllll, maybe? ... No. No." I feel like maybe there was potential here, but too many things were not working. Felt a bit like depressing gospel music.
At times good, at times less good.
It had highs and lows
Not my type of music, but I didn't hate it. It reminded me of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, like the type of music they'd play at The Bronze. So I enjoyed the nostalgia. I don't think I'd seek out Portishead in the future though.
I wish we could give half stars. I've had a string of 3 star albums that I feel have all been "fine". Parts of this album were better than fine, but the lows were quite boring. 4 stars almost seems too high, but my dad loves Mark Knopfler, so this star's for you, dad.
I am not a huge fan of the band, and the whole album has a very similar sound (less "cohesion" and more "repetitive"), but for a debut album RECORDED AT HOME to be so full of bangers, that's good enough for me. 5/5
It's hard to hate on an album hailed as someone's magnum opus. Started off very strong but carried on a bit too long. Some of it could have easily been cut (I'm looking at you, "Jamaica Jerk-off").
Leaves you wanting more, in the worst possible way. It has most of the makings of something good, but never takes it to the next level. The album started with a lot of promise with the first two tracks, but it never reaches its peak.
This is what I was hoping to find with this experiment. Music I would never actively seek out, and surprisingly fun. I didn't love the songs with the male lead vocals. I thought the last song fell flat. 4.5 stars, but going to 5 since that's not an option!
Oh lawd. I understand what he was trying to do, but goddamn with the slurs. The lyrics have a point and the discomfort level of Rednecks will certainly grab your attention right out of the gate. Lyrically/politically, I'd consider rating this higher, but his voice and the overall music are complete misses for me. Add in about 100+ slurs and that's a big ole "hell no" from me
The first 3.5 minutes of "Rudy" didn't suck. That's the nicest thing I have to say about this one.
Enjoyed the first album, not so much the second
This album fucking slaps.
Thoroughly enjoyed the first half, but it lost me a bit after the second overture. This is exactly what I was hoping to find by doing this experiment: being introduced to a new album/artist that blows my socks off!
Painfully long (and I'm talking about the shorter, original version, not the Special Edition - - why anyone would want over 2 hours of this drivel is beyond me). First song was okayish, second is well-known but that doesn't make it "good", the rest was just awful
Some songs were enjoyable, some were far too slow. Overall, not my taste but seemed well done.
As is my norm with so many albums/bands on this list, the vocals were the weakest part for me. A little too raw/yodel-y. But goddamn, this album slaps and is so quintessentially 90s. 4/5
Between a 3 and a 4 for me. There were a few standouts that pushed it above being a middle of the road album, although I don't really see anything that screams "you MUST listen to this before you die"
A bit bland, which came as a surprise considering how fun the song titles are. The lyrics had their moments, and I didn't hate it overall, but I don't think I'd seek it out again. I like the concept of doing state albums but feel it could have been more fun.
Please tell me there are only two Neil Young albums on this list, because this is my second and idk if I can stomach a third. Or fourth, or fifth, or DEAR GOD TELL ME IT'S ONLY TWO
Some of the songs were okay, but the whole thing *felt* like a movie soundtrack, and that's not my thing.
Is this a joke? It feels like a joke..
You can hear the heavy influence of each featured artist in each song. Which might sound cool, but not at the expense of losing your own sound. Not that Ute Lemper seems to have any sound I particularly want to hear, so maybe it *is* a good thing.
Didn't suck
The first bit of this album is truly terrible. Things got a little better starting with "A Forest" throughout the end of the (traditional) album. I didn't listen to the deluxe portion. 1.5/5
Unremarkable 1/5
Generally okay; "Pimpf" was quite fun. 3/5
Enjoyable but the songs weren't very varied.
The music was enjoyable, but I couldn't get past the fake accent.
I made it four songs and couldn't do it. The voice is so grating
Nice mix of funk and rock
This was brutally hard to listen to. I thought I liked R.E.M. (granted I only know their most popular songs), but I think I might be wrong on that account. I skipped the latter half of nearly every song because I couldn't stand for it to go on. The lead singer's voice grated on my last nerve.
0/5, if I could
I think I would have liked it more if not for Love's voice/range
Is he purposely trying to sing in the worst voice ever heard? Is this two hours of torture satire?
