Didn’t realize I knew every song on the album as being on the same album. Listened while grading papers, which was kinda nice.
Obviously lots of the same elements, but lots of “important” songs all in one place. Glad to have tuned in.
This album had an awful lot of really cool parts to it. It was fun to listen to but I’m not sure if anything was hits hits. He’s obviously got a lot to say musically.
It was really nice getting back to this. What a treat!
Man, what an absolute treat. No skips. I’d forgotten he was still making music, so this led me down the rabbit hole of listening to his most recent release. Not the same, of course, but still amazing.
It holds up. I didn’t *need* to listen to this album. But I did, anyway.
Didn’t realize how much activism there was in this debut work. Good listening. Can’t believe it’s 35!
I’d heard of Keith Jarrett before. But I hadn’t heard this somehow. I will purchase this record next time I see it. Couldn’t tell who was making the noises but it turns out it was him the whole time!
A great find.
Trippy and fun soundscapes here. I’ve heard *of* these guys but never *heard* these guys. Some fun stuff throughout for sure. Almost like Porcupine Tree lite at moments.
There were some really good, famous songs on this album. There were also other songs as well.
What in the Sam Hill am I listening to. Who signed these guys?
This was incredible. Breakneck pacing, just ripping through the set, almost as if something were going to happen if he didn’t fight it back with music. Such incredible energy throughout from SC and the crowd, too. I needed this on a Friday!
The (arguably) most famous song on this album sounds nothing like the rest of it. I could hear so many influences through the earlier part of the album. A really nice listen overall.
Sublime. What a thrill. Can’t believe this album is 32.
There are so many swear words on this album. It felt great listening to it at work.
It’s hard to describe other than amazing.
Ooh. This felt like it took me right back to five years before I was born. The trebled-out bass tone, the poppy lyrics with that edge underneath it all… tons of fun!
This is an outstanding album from growing up, obviously. But it hit on a day when I really needed it. What a voice. Music is great, but what an absolute voice.
This album was a true two-outcome hitter. Grand slams, or swinging so hard and missing you tear the muscle fibers from your bones as you shred whatever ligaments and tendons used to exist in peaceful harmony there. And no I’m not just talking about “Song 2”.
This whole goddamn album sounds like why Mike Myers made the character of Austin Powers. Baroque pop, aggressive, Andy Williams, Tom Jones motherlover.
Which isn’t to say I didn’t like it. I really did. What a fascinating dude and a fascinating album.
Perfection. No skips. Beautiful. Simply divine.
Aside from “You Can Call Me Al” being about five minutes longer than mostly anyone remembers (except me, since C and her dad danced to that at our wedding), I’m afraid I don’t see the hype. Nor do I hear it.
Maybe I’m just a little too young? I feel bad. I just don’t like it.
Lots of funky stuff here! What a fun album!
Man, this guy sounds like he really has something to say. I really wish I knew what he was saying. He tossed a few words in there I caught, which was cool. Otherwise, I’m pretty sure I found the perfect soundtrack if I were ever getting dumped while bullfighting at a carnival sideshow on Christmas morning.
Can’t really top that, I suppose.
I can hear the actual inspiration/influence on lots of other artists in this record. Kinda cool.
I did not like this album. It was the same song for 58 minutes. It didn’t clurb hard enough nor did it 1960s hard enough.
Felt like an important album. Forgot that the last two minutes of “The End” was just Morrison screaming the F word over and over again. Sorry sophomore class. Eek.
Exactly as I remembered. As a best friend said, their best stuff lays in the non-hits.
This is an awful lot of music. Which isn’t to say it’s awful. Lots of it is really cool, and genre-bending. But it’s just like… a lot.
I had no idea it was so cinematic and had such groovy attitude. I know his deal, and I know his hits, but this was like a complete rock opera almost and was just a total blast. So pleasantly surprised by all the blues and jazz influences, too. Completely silly but also amazing. Wild to think he was 24 but it was like his third or fourth album already.
Man. This was incredible. So melodic, so intense, so uplifting. Early on in this experience, I’m realizing that I might really be into hip hop and rap. Which I knew, but it’s rewarding having data to start backing it up.
I know the album; it was cool to listen to in one sitting. Someone recently told me how psychedelic it was but cover notwithstanding, it felt way bluesier than I recall. Not a bad thing!
Okay, I gotta admit. I was pleasantly surprised by this one. I thought I knew what I was getting into, but this was a pretty solid blues album overall. It did just make me want to listen to Bonnie Raitt, but I get the hype a bit more than I think I did for the first 37 years of my life. Very solid.
Maybe I’m way off. It was really good. But the highlight for me was Rod Stewart singing on these tracks. I was a little whelmed by the album, but perhaps it just didn’t hold up like I thought it might.
It’s no Stone Roses. Or even The Cure. But at all times, part of it tried to be. I think I’m not not that into the whole Madchester thing. But I felt like there were a lot of Danny Boyle moments on the record.
Panicked when Spotify told me it was 2 hours but then noticed that was the Deluxe Reissue or whatever, with 12 different Hallelujah remixes. Phew, I think.
Great tunes. Great voice. The sound of an era, maybe even two. Cool balance of some different styles. Just a great listen.
Tons of funs. Just a fun album overall. Hits and not. What a meaningful band.
With the exception of the instrumentals, which honestly were highlights, and Sabotage, which mostly speaks for itself, this was like 50 minutes of the same sounding song.
Man, this sounded like a lot of fun. The breaking glass sounds effects off an old cheap keyboard sorta took me out of it a few times, but I gotta say, this felt more like the elements of Graceland in the ways it should have. Seems to be an interesting cat as well.
This was a really fun pop album. Totally knew some of the songs that weren’t their “hits”. Just a nice listen! Last track got kinda weird but everything was fun.
Okay. Conceptually this was incredible. Not exactly my style, but this whole album was on the attack and I gotta say, for a Black dude to be putting this out in all its glorious nerdiness in 1996/7, that’s pretty amazing. Some real hooks, mixed in with the weird sampling from straight up pornography.
You know, this was a good collection of songs. So much versatility on display in one album. I don’t know why everyone hates “I’m in Love With My Car”?
One of the rare ones I’ve gone back and listened to immediately again. Slowcore Daft Punk vibes throughout. Made for a good start to the week. Highly recommend.
If you liked the Black Saint part wait until you get to the Sinner Lady part. Fire energy. Really cool melodies across the whole ensemble.
If you liked the Black Saint part wait until you get to the Sinner Lady part. Fire energy. Really cool melodies across the whole ensemble.
I must admit. Ive only heard them in the background before, never actively listened. This was pretty rad, to say the very least.
I will admit. I rolled my eyes when this popped up. And I will lead with the end… it kind of fizzled. But holy cow, the first half of this record brought me back to an incredibly specific time and place in my life when they’d just hit it big and they were *everywhere*. Didn’t hate listening to it.
This was fine. Certainly no Sam Cooke at the Harlem, that’s for sure. Some good energy. The announcing of the setlist before they played anything was interesting to say the least.
Strange
Lowdown
Mannequin
Aside from those really popular ones, there were some really cool tracks on this one. A really nice edge to the record on the whole. Lots of fun to explore the debut!
Some nice highlights on here. I have a hard time with the vibrato and tone of his voice. I get that he’s an important artist. I just don’t usually seek out chances to listen to him. Some cool parts but also lots of parts I didn’t find particularly cool at all. 🤷🏻♂️
This was totally fun. As the great individual who turned me on to this site said, “I think I’m actually a huge fan of 1980s-90s hip hop. Me, too, my friend. Me, too.
I know folks love these guys. I love certain moments by these guys. This album more brought me back to where I was when it was released than reminded me of the strength of the music. Certainly some real strengths, of course, and I remember the big deal when the album came out. But the unremarkable songs seem to cast a giant shadow. Probably just me.
I know folks love these guys. I love certain moments by these guys. This album more brought me back to where I was when it was released than reminded me of the strength of the music. Certainly some real strengths, of course, and I remember the big deal when the album came out. But the unremarkable songs seem to cast a giant shadow. Probably just me.
Outstanding. As expected.
Okay so I’ve always been enamored with/by Steve Winwood’s annoying voice. I can’t get enough of it. For a dude who’s been everywhere, this album was solid. The funky weird synthy basses, the works. I really like it. Nothing stands out as much as the first two tracks for me, but it just felt terrific to listen all at once.
Still amazing. Still moving. What an impression!
Important. But still awesome. Love the banter and love the energy.
So much fun. So so much fun. I had to explore YouTube to get the full album but on top of really needing something to help me work, it was just a delight.
Was fortunate enough to see these dudes at a rad venue on a three-concerts-in-three-nights run back in 2011. It was really really cool. This album brought me right back The other shows, I think, were Death Cab and the Gaslight Anthem. That was a killer week. I feel
like I have been tired ever since. Very good album.
This was kinda fun! Krautrock indeed!
Somehow had never come across this. Some really lovely covers, and a really interesting story behind the whole album’s impetus.
Speaks for itself. Fortunate enough to have what I believe is an original pressing of this record. Best way to listen to one of these bad boiz.
Started off so hot and then sort of fizzled, but this was a really amazing listen. It’s been forever since I sat with an MA album. Great grading music!
Really interesting to hear this whole album at once. Listened while going on my first run in a very long time and it was just the right vibe, even in the dark before sunrise. The near consistent vocal stabs tracking through the background of whole album threw me off a bit, as I kept thinking someone was very close to me but it was apparently just Annie Lennox from 40 years ago. Still a fun listen that seemed to define an era, if only briefly.
This was a tricky one. I know the bands name but don’t think I’ve ever actively listened. Those droning, dissonant bends made me queasy. I know that’s the point. It just didn’t hit for me. Maybe someday in the future.
Such a hot start. I feel like EJ has Bruce Springsteen syndrome; if half of the material was held back instead of released, so much more of it would be amazing. Which I suppose is true. “It’s a hundred floors of frights. They ain’t all gonna be winners…”
Ok. I understand why it’s important. But that still doesn’t mean I have to like it. At the risk of sounding absolutely insufferable, it just sounds like I’m at a St Patrick’s Day themed amusement park. Just not for me.
I just liked it. Two Weeks obviously lives in the collective mind, but it was a nice album outside of that, too.
Man. This was pretty incredible.
This was immaculate. From production to energy to everything in between. Some really consummate showmanship it seems!
I didn’t hate hate this. But it was just noise mostly.
Another one where I wish I knew what he was saying, cause he sounded really passionate about it. I was most impressed by how different every song on this album was.
Some good stuff on here. Some. It so good stuff on here. Some weird stuff on here. It’s so interesting to me how certain performers do their thing in this way and are both super famous but also not as famous as they “should” or at least could be. Weird.
This felt like a demo of Motown cuts or something similar. Some really nice stuff, some funky beats, and some beautiful, cool vocals.
Sounds like an American Bowie prototype almost. Cool record!
Eh. This was fine. Kinda the same song ten times. Everyone faded out. And every one sounded the same.
Some bangers. And some decidedly not bangers. What a weird bunch of lads.
I get it. I don’t love it. But I get it. Lotsa ivory-tickling and boogie-woogieing all night long and the like.
Funky little album here. Which, you know, makes sense.
A lovely little set of songs. Knew a couple other than the title track but maybe hadn’t put it together that they were all on this album.
I didn’t realize a few things:
1) this album is as old as I am
2) it’s a really hot debut
3) I don’t dislike them/this album as much as I thought I did
4) the whole backing track approach is basically classic rock
Please forgive me. I know I was wrong/uninformed before.
I mean this was fine. It sounded like a lot of other things from this era. Or perhaps a lot of other things from this era sound like this. It reminded me of other stuff through and through. It was what it was.
It is what we all know it is. Some really influential tracks amidst it all. I know it doesn’t include the vault tracks. But maybe it should 😬
Some tasty little jams throughout. Greggie on the vox and keys!
I mean it was fine. Some cool things on it. Not sure I’d pursue it again?
okay. So most of the time I was listening to this I was thinking it was a 2. Then, since it was accidentally on loop while I exercised, it somehow ended up as a 4 after a second listen. There was something dissonant about everything, but the guest spots and the rock element added so many cool things to the rap element. So interesting.
This was fine. Had it on in the background while sanding our front porch. It was music.
This was completely devastating.
This was fine. Basically exactly what I expected, I guess.
Holy shit. I listened to this three times today. Totally blew me away.
Some jams for sure. The Antonoff effect is strong with this one.
This was fine. Not their best, not their worst, some cool stuff on there.
This was fucking weird. What a weirdo.
This was good. But in context, it was only ever just good. Maybe even very good. But it’s surrounded by greatness.
This was kinda fun, I’d say.
I feel like their other stuff deserves to be on this list way more.
I really loved listening to this album. I knew so many of the deeper cuts, making me realize perhaps they aren’t that deep!
This was more fun than I knew I needed. I never realized that first track is literally almost 8 minutes long.
Very very good. I didn’t ride this wave the way many others did when I was a teenager but it’s still a very very good album.
What a delightful treat. I knew so much off of this, but there were still some hidden gems. Good stuff!
Outstanding. Felt like I was in an Arrested Development episode at some points, but how is that at all a bad thing?
What a tremendous voice and songs overall. A complete delight!
I wouldn’t listen to this again. It was some music.
It was fine. They’re not my favorite.
Still outstanding. Even the weird stuff. So fortunate to see Greg Hawkes play these on the original devices in 2023. So rad!
V good. Understandably classic
Lots of good stuff on here. More atmospheric than I think I realized.
Eh.
Frozen somehow was the best song on this album.
So weird. Not bad. Just weird.
Just perfect. Especially played through. I love how you can see IV developing after the natural progression of the first three albums.
It was very good. Not surprisingly.
This was lots of fun to listen to. Ended up just having her stuff shuffling for the rest of the school day in the background!
This was lots of fun in a real pleasant way. Knew some of the tunes and experienced others for the first time. Even better than this was the algorithm that played straight bangers for three hours on Spotify afterward.
This was really good, but I feel like somehow I missed the boat on it because even though I know who they are this album made me feel like I had literally never heard any of their music?
Pretty much what I expected/remembered
I’d break up my band, too, if this were an album we released.
Just kidding, that’s kind of mean. But also just as true.
Very good but not their best by any stretch I don’t think?
Lots of fun stuff on here. Lots of weird stuff as well. Living in this era must have been bizarre. I was surprised at how much I knew and how different the stuff I didn’t was.
Always fun, that other Elvis.
What a fuckin weirdo. I love it.
This is a very good album. This is my review. The highs are so high.
Just fine I guess. You can always tell when it’s JW, but the various styles of each song was kinda cool.
This was lots of fun for sure.
I was today years old when I discovered that the man who “doesn’t e-raze the bodies, he creates the bodies” from Guy Ritchie’s Snatch, was an actual, real life musician.
This was more fun than I imagined. I’ve always felt kinda weird about not knowing their stuff as someone who’s lived in Boston for 20 years, but I think I do actually know their stuff, I just might not have realized it was them.
And this isn’t even their “best” album.
Okay I originally thought “what a weirdo” when I started this one. But then I looked into him and it felt more like “mission accomplished”.
I liked this more than makes sense.
Man this was fun. So much fun. They’d be fun to see live I bet.
I don’t know that I needed to listen to this guy’s musical about middle America. But I’m pretty sure it might have been like the 1010th or 1011th best album of all time. Oh man, it just missed.
Probably my least unfavorite Stones album. This was actually nice all the way through.
Man. These guys really wanted to almost be REM.
Pretty terrific album. Surprising probably nobody.
Kinda hard to separate the songs but no doubt it was a vibe, I guess.
Lots of iconic moments on here. Feels more like a collection of nice covers and movie soundtrack options than an album I’d necessarily pursue again, but happy to have listened while walking the pupper on his 7th birthday.
HAYAGONNA LEAD OFF WITH SMOOTH OPERATOR?
Man. This thing rocked. Why was the cover so bad?
Lots of fun, I guess. Not my style, but then again, what is?
Kinda fun bunch of weirdos I guess.
I’m a sucker for this band. This album was a blast; I’ve seen all good people is still one of the greatest. That organ!
