498
Albums Rated
2.82
Average Rating
46%
Complete
591 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Hard-rock
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
19
5-Star Albums
49
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
|
5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
|
White Ladder
David Gray
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
|
5 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
|
Dust
Screaming Trees
|
5 | 3.16 | +1.84 |
|
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
1989
Taylor Swift
|
5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
|
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
25
Adele
|
5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
In Utero
Nirvana
|
1 | 3.83 | -2.83 |
|
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.68 | -2.68 |
|
Remain In Light
Talking Heads
|
1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
|
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
|
1 | 3.51 | -2.51 |
|
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
Blackstar
David Bowie
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
Amnesiac
Radiohead
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
|
1 | 3.24 | -2.24 |
|
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
|
2 | 4.21 | -2.21 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Adele | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bob Dylan | 5 | 1.4 |
| Tom Waits | 3 | 1 |
| The Mothers Of Invention | 2 | 1 |
| Public Image Ltd. | 2 | 1 |
| Radiohead | 6 | 2 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 1.67 |
| Nirvana | 2 | 1.5 |
| Pixies | 2 | 1.5 |
| Lou Reed | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Velvet Underground | 2 | 1.5 |
| PJ Harvey | 3 | 2 |
| Leonard Cohen | 3 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (19)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Frank Ocean
3/5
I can see inspiration from Stevie Wonder and John Legend here. It's unusual without veering into whacky, and he has a nice voice. But something about this is just kind of meh. Nothing resonated with me, made me feel like moving, or grabbed hold of my attention. Also it's very long
1 likes
Tom Waits
1/5
In an earlier review I wrote that if Bob Dylan could sing, he'd be Leonard Cohen. Well if Bob Dylan suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child, he'd be Tom Waits instead. I can only imagine that the editors of the 1001 albums book have some kind of inside joke about him that caused them to include multiple of this guys albums. I kind of regret listening to this because it's so bad that I don't think Tom deserves to receive any streaming revenue from it
1 likes
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Great songwriting, emotionally resonant lyrics, lovely melodies. This album is great, though I do think Harris' voice isn't the best and you'd have to be in the right mood to listen to this one straight through. Several songs went into my favourites
1 likes
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Fine as background music, not especially interesting. But not unpleasant
1 likes
Frank Black
2/5
Utterly forgettable. Yer man can't sing but he won't let that stop him from trying. Nice guitars I suppose. Drags on far too long
1 likes
1-Star Albums (49)
All Ratings
4/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Enjoyed this more on the second listen than the first. I guess I just don't really care for reggae - the songs flow together well, but feel a bit samey over the course of the album
N.W.A.
3/5
Wildly misogynistic lyrics, but I should have seen that coming. The music is pretty catchy though, and the angry energy is infectious
Nirvana
1/5
Awful. Alternates between screaming and mumbling over background noisy distortion. Can't tell what the lyrics are so no comment on whether they were interesting
Cream
4/5
Great stuff, really catchy guitar riffs
Pixies
2/5
Generic rocky stuff, didn't care for it really. A bit screamy
Nick Drake
3/5
Some really interesting sounding guitar work. This album has a very calming vibe to it, but it's just slightly boring in my opinion.
The Police
3/5
Decent. The only song I already knew was "Message in a Bottle", which was by far the standout track on the album. As I said of the Bob Marley album, I just don't care for reggae - and this was close enough to it that it didn't do it for me
OutKast
4/5
Janet Jackson
4/5
2/5
Bob Dylan
1/5
Awful. If nails on a chalkboard were transformed into a person, that person would have the voice of Bob Dylan. Writing poems and then screeching them doesn't make for good music, even if they were good poems (though in the case of this particular album none of the lyrics moved me or seemed particularly artful, so even from that angle I was left wanting)
Marty Robbins
5/5
Fantastic. I thought it was corny at first, but then it really sucked me in. Love the vibe, and El Paso is a great song
Iggy Pop
2/5
Beatles
2/5
Fugees
3/5
Tim Buckley
1/5
George Harrison
2/5
Nice guitar playing, boring vocals. Overall pretty bland
Otis Redding
2/5
Too many covers for me to rate it highly. I'm sure this was very influential when it was released but to me it was just alright
Ray Charles
2/5
Death In Vegas
3/5
Oasis
4/5
Talking Heads
2/5
Instrumental work could be worth a 3, but the singing really dragged this down
Van Morrison
5/5
Great album, standout tracks are "And it Stoned Me" and "Into the Mystic"
Steve Winwood
2/5
I liked the mellow vibe, but found the album as a whole a bit boring. It's pleasant background music rather than something you'd seek out to listen to
Robert Wyatt
1/5
Absolute drivel. If this had been the first album on the list I'd have given up on this project immediately
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
What the fuck did I just listen to
Ray Charles
2/5
Just not my cup of tea
Jeff Buckley
3/5
Sonic Youth
1/5
Too heavy for my tastes
Goldfrapp
3/5
Nice enough background music, but didn't hold my attention
Talking Heads
2/5
Just like the last Talking Heads album, interesting music with horrible distracting vocals over the top
The Doors
3/5
Common
3/5
SZA
2/5
Whiny voice, none of the tracks really caught my attention
ZZ Top
5/5
Quite fun, great guitar tunes
Ash
4/5
3/5
Lou Reed
2/5
Pretty boring, but not actively bad
Elton John
2/5
OK, nothing particularly attention grabbing
Bob Dylan
2/5
Much less screechy than the last Bob Dylan album
Sister Sledge
4/5
Quite liked this, really funky and fun - made me feel like dancing
Pixies
1/5
Absolutely horrid, noisy instrumentals with screamy vocals over the top
Aerosmith
3/5
Carpenters
4/5
A couple of standout songs, otherwise just ok
Joni Mitchell
3/5
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Not sure how to rate this - I didn't like it at first but it grew on me. Wouldn't listen to any tracks again individually but the overall vibe of the album is nice
Yes
4/5
Another one where I enjoyed the album as a whole but wouldn't listen to any of the songs individually
Deep Purple
5/5
Songhoy Blues
5/5
Great study music
Bob Dylan
2/5
I feel like with each Bob Dylan album that pops up I get slightly more immune to his awful voice, but I still dislike it enough to not give this more than 2 stars
Milton Nascimento
2/5
Nothing grabbed my attention here, but not actively bad
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
Not my cup of tea, pretty boring
Arcade Fire
2/5
Not to my taste, disliked the male vocalist's voice in particular
The Beta Band
2/5
Boring but inoffensive
CHIC
3/5
A bit bland but good energy
Queen
4/5
Quite good, varied enough to stay interesting throughout, but don't think I'd listen to any of the songs in isolation
Van Halen
4/5
Quite a head bopper, but some of the lyrics are a bit cringy
Eminem
2/5
Not my cup of tea, 1 extra star for Stan which is great storytelling
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Found this very boring, but not actively bad
Lambchop
1/5
Songs ranged from boring to actively unpleasant
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Found this boring, couldn't get into it. Didn't have any of the Stevie Wonder hits I was previously familiar with
Dire Straits
3/5
Cool guitars, sleep-inducing vocals, averages out as 2.5 which I'll round up
Hugh Masekela
3/5
I don't really get jazz but this was interesting enough background music
Sepultura
1/5
Heavy metal is not for me personally - hate the vocal style
Caetano Veloso
2/5
Boring with a capital B
Happy Mondays
3/5
This was fine, not great not terrible
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Very fun and a bit weird but in a good way
The Rolling Stones
2/5
This went on for way too long. Nothing good, nothing bad, completely generic in my opinion
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Very funky, not really my taste but was quite a fun listen
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Was only previously familiar with the title song, which is pretty good. But the rest of the album is pretty samey. Not really my cup of tea (and a bit preachy)
Billy Joel
4/5
This was quite good, hadn't heard the title track before but I really liked it
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Similarly to the last Gangster Rap album, liked the music, hate the lyrics. Too misogynistic
Iron Maiden
3/5
Liked some of the songs, some have pretty cringey lyrics
Nas
4/5
Really like the vibe of the album as a whole, it draws you in to a particular mood. The rhymes are impressively dense in the lyrics too. Not enough bangers to reach 5 stars, but quite an enjoyable listen
John Lennon
3/5
Better than the George Harrison album, but still a bit dull. The title track is so preachy that it's hard to take anything else Lennon does seriously. Would give 2.5 stars if possible but I'll be generous and round up
Beastie Boys
3/5
This was not what I expected. I liked the jazzy instrumental tracks and the overall vibe of the album, but I'm not a fan of shouted distortion-heavy vocals. This is especially the case for rap, where it seems odd to choose a style which makes the lyrics difficult to understand
The White Stripes
3/5
Perfectly pleasant listening, but nothing that excited me or really seized my attention
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
The obsession of hip hop artists with misogyny and violence is so juvenile and after listening to a few such albums in a short span of time I'm very sick of it. That said, the music is quite catchy
Jean-Michel Jarre
2/5
From reading the Wikipedia page for this album I gather it has a lot of historical significance as one of the earliest electronic albums. My own criteria for this project is solely based on how much I enjoyed listening to the record. So the fact that it's a landmark album or was very influential counts for nothing (to me personally) and I award two stars on the basis of "boring but not actively bad"
Steely Dan
4/5
Liked it, but no scene stealers for me
Peter Frampton
5/5
This was great! I was skeptical when I realised it was a live album, but the crowd noises really add to the atmosphere. Songs are varied enough to stay interesting (the midpoint acoustic instrumental track comes at just the right time to keep it fresh). Cool electric guitar riffs and beautiful solos
Dolly Parton
3/5
A bit boring, and the title song is overly sentimental. But a nice short album that doesn't overstay its welcome
Adele
5/5
Really good, several standout songs, what a voice
The Band
2/5
Boring music, bland vocals, sounds like it was recorded in someone's garage. But not actively bad
The Replacements
2/5
At first I was hating this and planning to give it 1 star for "actively bad". But it grew on me over the course of the album. Still wouldn't listen to it a second time as it's a bit noisy and screamy for my tastes
The Jesus And Mary Chain
1/5
Easy 1 star for "actively bad". Almost no melody and lots of staticy noise makes for an unpleasant listening experience
Blur
3/5
This was nice enough but nothing really stood out to me as special
The Doors
2/5
Meh
M.I.A.
3/5
After slogging through so many samey sounding psychedelic rock albums on this list, this was truly a unique and refreshing sound. Not totally my cup of tea but I found myself foot-tapping to a few tracks
Don McLean
3/5
The title track is a classic, and there are a couple of other great songs on here, but overall it's not my genre I'd say - the album is a little too slow paced to hold my interest fully
Neil Young
3/5
Too depressing to go into my regular rotation, but the last few tracks really lay down a melancholy vibe which is sort of cozy in a way. I like the guitar work, and the harmonica and fiddle aren't over the top in the way some folk albums are (looking at you, Bob Dylan)
Al Green
3/5
Title track is a classic. I really like the guitars and Al Green's voice on this album, but not many tracks after the first one really jumped out at me. Maybe on a different day this would have hit better but I can only judge on the listening experience I actually had
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Nice enough, too old-school for me to really get into. I love how short older albums are though
Kanye West
3/5
Pretty catchy songs - shame Kanye is a whacko, it makes his music difficult to enjoy
John Lennon
1/5
Boring and sometimes actively bad (what's with the screaming?)
Joe Ely
3/5
Quite fun, maybe too country for me - don't think I'd play many of these songs on the reg
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Not great, not terrible. No songs grabbed me, but the overall sound is pleasant enough
The Cure
3/5
I like a few songs by The Cure a lot, but none of them were on this album. The overall vibe was pretty good, but nothing really stood out like some of their hits do, so I was a bit disappointed
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed listening to this album. The weird cover art and lack of any genre indicators in the Wikipedia passage made me assume it would be too arty for me to find it accessible. The fact that it's about nuclear weapons made me assume it would be a depressing listen. But in the end it was just weird enough to be refreshing. I probably wouldn't listen to it again but it made for nice background music while I got some work done
Randy Newman
2/5
Exceptionally dull, but not actively bad
Incubus
3/5
Reminds me of the sort of music I was more into as a teenager. I guess my tastes have evolved over time, but still enjoyable and a bit nostalgic
4/5
Pretty good, I like the guitars. It's cool that it tells a story over the course of the album. None of the songs really stood out to me but it feels like the kind of album that would stick after a few listens (which I'll probably never get around to in all honesty)
The Doors
3/5
There are a lot of Blues Rock albums on this list. Some are boring (like this one), others aren't (Songhoy Blues). I'm not sure what makes the difference, possibly just how I feel on the day of listening. But this album was, for me, a classic case of "each song individually is likable, but all together it's a bit samey"
Dagmar Krause
1/5
This is the first album I've bailed on without finishing. Just hated listening to it. The fact it wasn't even available on Deezer and I had to use YouTube to find it is telling. Would rate zero stars if that was an option
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
Noisy instrumentals devoid of melody, screamy vocals, and lyrics that feel like they were written by an edgy teenager. Actively bad
Coldplay
3/5
Yellow is a classic track and quite nostalgic. The rest is a bit slow for me to get into. A nice rainy day album, but not something that makes me want to move
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Funky, but at times a bit to talkey for me. Fun listen though
Public Enemy
4/5
Funky, high energy, but probably wouldn't play the songs again in my usual rotation
Randy Newman
2/5
Not my cup of tea at all, just found this very boring and samey. But somehow it was less dreary than the previous Randy Newman album
Taylor Swift
5/5
Such a great album - varied enough to stay interesting despite being on the longer side, and loads of hits mixed throughout
Joy Division
2/5
Interesting background music, consistent vibe, but not to my taste. The vocalist really detracts from the music instead of adding to it
Little Richard
4/5
High energy, makes you want to dance. No songs I'd save to listen to regularly but that's just because the genre is a bit old fashioned for me
Kraftwerk
3/5
I liked this as background music, but it's not captivating enough to make me want to hear any of these songs on the reg
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Found the vocal style here quite off-putting, a la Talking Heads
Tina Turner
3/5
Not exactly my cup of tea, but alright. I think if I had heard this on a different day I might have liked it much more, but it just came at the wrong time for me to get fully into. Such is life
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Good album but too long
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Man's got a nice voice, but not really my genre
David Bowie
2/5
Not my cup of tea at all, but not actively bad. I've never heard a Bowie song that made me feel much one way or the other. It's odd because the music is definitely unusual, but somehow still boring despite not sounding like anybody else I've heard
The Zombies
4/5
This was not on Deezer, but I was pleasantly surprised after finding it on YouTube. Kind of has Beach Boys vibes
Depeche Mode
3/5
Good atmosphere, a bit too out there for me
Radiohead
2/5
Very dreary. Every song sounds the same, and it's pretty sleep-inducing stuff. The only song I'd heard before was "Karma Police", but if you imagine that for an hour you'd have a good idea of this album
Sex Pistols
1/5
Influential \neq good. This is a classic example of what I describe as "actively bad", ie I'd rather be listening to silence than this
The Who
2/5
Talk about overstaying your welcome, sheesh. I feel like I could've liked some of these songs individually but it just goes on and on, and the "story" of the album doesn't really add anything to the experience in my opinion
The Stooges
3/5
Utterly forgettable, but not boring per se. Just completely middle-of-the-road
Fats Domino
2/5
Pretty fun, just not really my cup of tea
Portishead
2/5
Moody, interesting, but too gloomy and too weird for my liking
David Bowie
3/5
This was alright, nothing really grabbed my attention
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Better than the last Joni Mitchell album, which was too jazzy for me. Some of these songs are quite beautiful-sounding but it's hard for me to imagine wanting to listen to them frequently
Brian Eno
2/5
Very boring overall
The Slits
1/5
I really don't see the appeal of punk personally. It's just noise innit
David Gray
5/5
This album is really lovely as music to have on while working. It has a very cosy vibe, makes me feel nostalgic for some reason. Something about it makes me want to play it on repeat, and it's really grown on me with more and more listening time
Supergrass
3/5
This was alright, but nothing special
Gorillaz
2/5
Had to attempt listening to this multiple times before I could get through it in one sitting - it's just incredibly boring
The KLF
2/5
Nothing really grabbed my attention, it's perfectly innocuous background music but never rises above that level
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
Very mediocre, wouldn't seek out these songs to listen to again but they were fine I guess
Anita Baker
3/5
Alright, but nothing that really stood out to me
Radiohead
2/5
Utterly depressing and boring to boot - but not actively bad
David Bowie
2/5
Too weird for me. Just overall a bit all over the place
Cheap Trick
4/5
Quite a fun listen, I've been pleasantly surprised with both live albums so far with how much the crowd noises add to the vibe rather than detracting from the music. These guys sound like they're having a blast
The Zutons
3/5
This was enjoyable but somehow I didn't like as much as I felt I ought to. The genre isn't something I'd generally dislike but nothing really stood out to me
Johnny Cash
4/5
I think a big reason this album seems to be so acclaimed is that Cash died not long after it was released. Given that, and the fact that it's mostly covers, I was expecting not to care that much for it when listening. But Cash's voice and singing style are undeniably unique, I love the guitar playing, and I found the songs more emotionally resonant than I was expecting. I don't think I'd listen to this repeatedly, but it's deserving of four stars from me
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
It's ok - I just don't much care for reggae. Every song sounds kind of the same, but fine to bop along with
Carole King
3/5
This feels like an album my parents would love. If they'd had the CD, I'd probably have listened to it many times over and grown to like it too. But this is my first time listening to it, and it's nice but doesn't resonate with me. I think if I gave this a chance and listened to it a few times it would grow on me, but I don't have the patience for that. A solid 3 for me
The Byrds
3/5
A bit weird, a bit good - but just a bit
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Actively bad
Crowded House
4/5
I really liked this, but wouldn't play it on repeat so capped at 4 stars
Willie Nelson
5/5
Just lovely. I put this on while I was working and didn't expect it to be so relaxing. I think on another day I might have found it boring, but instead I just found it deeply peaceful
Dire Straits
4/5
If Dire Straits had a different vocalist, this would be 5 stars. The instrumental parts are sublime, but the singing kind of kills it for me
Fairport Convention
5/5
Love this album. It's so weird but really drew me in. I tried looking for other stuff with a similar vibe (including other work by Fairport Convention) but nothing really hit the spot. Feel like they caught lightning in a bottle on this one
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
This was ok, didn't really grab me, but was fine as background music
DJ Shadow
2/5
This was pretty dull. Instrumental hip hop seems like an idea doomed to mediocrity when the most interesting thing about hip hop music is the rappinh/lyrics
Radiohead
3/5
I liked this more than the last Radiohead album, but still a bit gloomy overall. Sad music for sad people I feel
Prince
3/5
This was ok, but gets a bit samey
The Associates
2/5
Booooring but not actively bad. Vocals were unpleasant
David Bowie
3/5
Nothing special, but not bad either. Just more Bowie innit
The Who
2/5
Some ok songs, nothing that stands out. But as an album, this is less than the sum of its parts. Incoherent, overlong, and doesn't flow well or have a cohesive mood
Willie Nelson
4/5
I liked this, but not as much as Stardust. Willie Nelson has a great voice, and I like the storytelling of the album, but probably wouldn't play this repeatedly
Air
2/5
Pretty dull to me, I feel like if there's no lyrics the music needs more variety to grab my attention
The Fall
3/5
OK, nothing special, annoying vocals
Janelle Monáe
4/5
This was fun, and unique while still being musical as opposed to just noisy. I saved a couple of songs but probably wouldn't stick this on repeat which keeps it from five stars for me
Slipknot
1/5
I sometimes like the instrumental part of metal songs, but I just can't get on board with this style of vocals. The lyrics are also edgy teenager shit
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Fine, but nothing elevated this beyond background music for me
Garbage
4/5
This was super weird, but there's something about it I really liked. Probably wouldn't play it repeatedly but I'm glad it was on this list since I never would have listened to it otherwise
Cee Lo Green
2/5
Too long, too samey. It just gets a bit boring CeeLo also has a voice like a cartoon character, which is interesting for one song but grating after more than 10 minutes or so
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Kind of boring tbh. If Bob Dylan could actually sing, he'd be Leonard Cohen. I guess a lot of the appeal lies in the poetry of the lyrics, but honestly I can't make heads or tails of most of it. I feel like this kind of thing just goes over my head
Spacemen 3
1/5
Both boring and actively bad. Way too long. I now dread any album that comes up that's "psychedelic" - I can only assume the genre refers to music you have to be on drugs to find enjoyable
Michael Jackson
4/5
Funky, catchy. Not enough bangers that I'd play it through repeatedly, but it's a fun listen that makes you want to move around
Beatles
4/5
Pretty fun listen. Quite a few catchy songs but not the kind of music I'd listen to often
The Beach Boys
3/5
I like a few Beach Boys songs a lot. But none of those are on this album. The whole thing feels a bit twee
Dusty Springfield
5/5
This was awesome. Gorgeous voice, songs by turn catchy and romantic. It really makes you want to sing along
Eagles
4/5
Pretty good dad-rock kind of stuff. Wouldn't listen to it on repeat and there are maybe a couple too many slow ballads, but I like the guitar solos
Solomon Burke
4/5
A great soulful voice, a few songs that make you want to move about, but not the sort of thing I'd play on repeat
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
This was quite good. It's varied enough to not overstay its welcome despite being quite long. A few particularly good songs, and weird enough to be refreshing without being unmusical or noisy. Probably wouldn't play this on repeat though which caps it at 4 stars
Love
3/5
This was ok, a bit boring perhaps. There's some variety and nothing was actively bad. I often feel the Beatles are overrated, and hearing a similarish band from the same era makes me realise how much more interesting and modern the Beatles' sound is by comparison. Like this was fine but I'm not surprised I've never heard of this band before
Ice T
3/5
Some catchy beats on this. I like Ice-T's voice and how much variety there is on this album, but I can't listen to Gangsta rap without cringing at the lyrics
Girls Against Boys
1/5
This is one of the most unpleasant things I've ever listened to. Barely counts as music in my opinion. I can't believe anyone bought this album other than angsty teenagers rebelling by buying music deliberately chosen to make their parents think "how did I raise this piece of shit?" Would give zero stars if it were possible
Beatles
3/5
Pretty decent. The Beatles are for sure the most overrated band in history, and the only real knockout track here for me is "Here Comes the Sun". But nothing is bad, it's just the Beatles innit
Van Halen
3/5
High energy guitar driven rock, it's pretty fun and up my alley. But gets a bit samey as you listen through the album. None of the songs are particular standouts for me
Chicago
4/5
I really like the fusion of jazz and rock here, and all the instruments gel together really well. One thing I've realised I like a lot in an album is when it somehow sounds as though the musicians are all having fun while they play - I couldn't tell you what makes it sound that way to me, but these guys seem to be having a great time. Let down by Freeform Guitar and the fact that it's overly long (the 14 minute final track adds nothing to the experience)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
I really like the guitars on this, it reminds me a bit of the ZZ Top album that came earlier. A couple of songs were a bit boring but mostly really good. Free Bird is epic
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Quite fun to bop my head along to, I like the high energy of it, but it gets a bit samey
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I like some Springsteen songs in isolation. The electric guitar and saxophone combo is wicked (see Sam Fender). But his voice is a bit grating when you get a whole album's worth in one go - like being shouted at by an old smoker
ZZ Top
4/5
Cool music, cringy lyrics. I didn't like this as much as Tres Hombres but it's still quite a fun listen
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
This was fine as background music, but fairly dull. I don't think anybody really needs to hear this before they die
Black Sabbath
3/5
This was decent. Bland singing and edgy goth lyrics, but good instrumentals and pleasantly short
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Just ok, nothing really grabbed my attention. The songs mixing reggae and hip hop were interesting, but I don't care for reggae so wasn't super into it
Public Enemy
2/5
Not as enjoyable as the last Public Enemy album (It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back). The sample-heavy style is very unique, and the rapping is full of passion, but this just isn't clicking for me personally
Radiohead
2/5
I cannot believe there are (at least!) 4 Radiohead albums on this list. They all sound the same and they're all dreadfully boring. This album was also overly long. I've said it before and I'll say it again - sad music for sad people. Not giving 1 star because it's at least actual music and not just noise, unlike some of the albums in this list
Missy Elliott
2/5
Pretty dull. All the tracks sound similar, none stand out. A lot of the lyrics are very braggy, but then it doesn't live up to the big game it talks. Timbaland does his thing of occasionally mumbling or grunting in the background, which I've always found weird personally
Adele
5/5
I can't believe so many of Adele's best tracks are on the same album. To be fair most of the songs I didn't already know were a step down in quality from the hits, but when the hits are this good who cares? Adele's voice is so emotive - great album, would play on repeat
Meat Loaf
3/5
This is so over the top - it's quite good fun but I probably wouldn't listen to any of these songs again
The Go-Go's
4/5
This was pretty good, I liked the energy of the music, and the songs were pretty catchy. I don't really care for the lead singer's voice though, and didn't feel like I'd play any of these songs repeatedly
Pink Floyd
3/5
I like the moody atmosphere of the album, but it's a bit samey and quite slow paced. The only songs I'd heard before from this were "Money", which is the best track on it by some margin, and "Time", which is also pretty good. The rest was just filler though tbh
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
Interesting sound, very mellow, but not my cup of tea - Jazz poetry? No thank you
The Avalanches
3/5
This was overly long. Interesting enough as background music, but nothing more than that
John Martyn
4/5
This was pretty cool - too jazzy to go into regular rotation for me, but I'm glad it was on this list as I really liked the guitars and would likely have never come across it otherwise
Elvis Presley
3/5
Elvis' voice is very unique, and there was decent variety in this album, but I guess it's just not really genre. Some songs were incredibly sappy (eg Don't Cry Daddy)
Nick Drake
2/5
Nick Drake is like acoustic folk Radiohead - which is to say every song sounds the same and it's all dull sad music for sad people
The Verve
3/5
Pretty moody very cohesive, not really my cup of tea though. A bit noisy and with whiny vocals
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
Fine as background music, not especially interesting. But not unpleasant
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
Quite odd but fun to listen to. Not really sure why it's on this list but I enjoyed it, although I wouldn't listen to any of these tracks again in all likelihood
Dr. Dre
2/5
Like the previous Gangsta Rap albums that have appeared on this list, the music is enjoyable (but for me, not transcendant) as long as you can ignore the lyrics. The misogyny is gross and for this album in particular, the final song leaves a bad taste that I just can't get past once all is said and done
Arcade Fire
2/5
Pretty boring - kind of gloomy, not melodic enough to suit my tastes, and the singer has quite a whiny voice. But not actively bad
Big Black
1/5
Just noise - tough listen, I don't really get why people enjoy this sort of thing
The Triffids
3/5
This was ok, didn't really catch my attention but fun enough to listen to. The singer has quite a unique voice which I liked
Devendra Banhart
2/5
This genre is not up my alley at all. Weird creepy hippy vibes. Lots of plucking semi-tunelessly at an acoustic guitar while singing weird poetry over the top in a voice that sounds like a creaky door
Boston
5/5
This might just be my favourite album of all time. The guitar sounds are awesome, the singing is great, the songs are catchy. It just all clicks
Jimmy Smith
4/5
This was pretty nice actually. If I'd known it was an instrumental jazz album going in I'd have had low expectations but it's quite a pleasant listen. Good background music for working to
Cornershop
4/5
Pretty interesting and unique. This was fun to listen to but I probably wouldn't put it into my regular rotation. The blend of western and South Asian music is really well done, and Brimful of Asha is a classic
The Jam
3/5
Perfectly fine, but nothing that really stood out to me. I liked the bass playing. This feels like something I could have really got into on the right day, but today I wasn't really feeling it I guess
The National
4/5
Going through these albums has really made me realise the extent to which there are summer albums and winter albums. If I had got this in July I probably would have found it too downbeat and gloomy to enjoy. But on my grey November commute it really set a mood that I could get into. I likely wouldn't play this repeatedly but I enjoyed it in the moment for sure
Green Day
4/5
Quite nostalgic for me. I wasn't super into Green Day when this was current but I like the singles from this album. The whole thing has good energy to it and is varied enough to stay interesting. Not enough of my cup of tea to play repeatedly but this was a very enjoyable listen
The War On Drugs
4/5
This was a great listen - moody, cool guitar, interesting voice but without being overly weird. A bit too depressing to be on regular rotation for me. I liked the Springsteen style guitar and sax combo
Big Star
3/5
Generic dad-rock. Don't get me wrong, I like this kind of music, it's just that there's nothing novel or exciting for me here. Nice enough a listen, but nothing that really grabbed my attention
Can
1/5
This got more and more weird (in a bad way) with each new track. I thought it would peak with the 18 minute middle track, but later tracks included what I can only describe as Pingu noises. I don't understand how people can create something like this while taking themselves seriously. Like surely they knew it was trash while recording? I'd be embarrassed to perform this in front of people
Buck Owens
3/5
The best songs on this album reminded me of "Gunfighter Ballads..." which was one of my favourite albums from this list. But there's also a bunch of twee country songs of the kind I don't like so much (think Coat of Many Colours style). Overall I'd rate this a 3
The Police
3/5
The Police aren't really my cup of tea outside a few songs. On this album the only such song is "Every Breath You Take". The rest isn't bad per se, just doesn't really do it for me
Radiohead
1/5
Please no more Radiohead! Whiny voice sad music for sad people. Every song sounds the same and drones on and on
Pulp
3/5
Fine as background noise, fairly boring. Nothing to really catch my interest or imagination
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
An album with a sound I really like, but which slightly overstays its welcome. Besides being too long, some of the lyrics are a bit cringy. But the overall energy and vibe is quite fun to listen to. The bass playing is so funky, and the singer's voice is distinctive and pleasant. The only song I was familiar with was Under the Bridge, which I think is for sure the best track on the album
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Some songs on this are quite nice - the harmonies on Scarborough Fair are lovely for example. The album is also quite snappy in length and doesn't overstay its welcome. This kind of acoustic folk with sparse musical arrangements isn't really my cup of tea; there's just not enough going on to fully hold my attention. I think individual songs in the right context can hit quite well, but a full album in this genre tends to bore me a little. The song parodying the vocal style of Bob Dylan was quite amusing though
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I really think if this album had been released by a hitherto unknown singer, instead of Leonard Cohen at the end of his life, it would be forgotten to history. It's just an old man mumbling over generic bluesy instrumentation. I don't find the lyrics moving, and I think Cohen's voice was much nicer when he was young
The Flaming Lips
4/5
This was pretty good, easy to listen to - but no songs were outstanding to the point of making me want to listen to the album again
Wild Beasts
4/5
This was quite fun, varied enough to stay interesting, and I like how the instruments layer up. Not really any songs that made me want to play them again and again though
Björk
1/5
Experimental a cappella you say? Throat singing? Count me the fuck out! This was certainly unique, but I can't say my life is any better for having listened to it haha
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
This is fantastic. A small number of songs, some of them quite long, but all very cohesive and not too long an album overall. Neil Young's voice is something of an acquired taste but I feel like it's one I'm starting to acquire. I love the guitar solos on this album. Would be a 5 but some songs are weaker and it didn't hit me fully until my second listen
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I was apprehensive going in to this one after seeing it described on Wikipedia as being a commercial flop at the time of release due to its "abrasive, unconventional sound and controversial lyrics". As it happened it was just a pretty average rock and roll/psychedelic album which wasn't particularly avant-garde to my 2024 ear.
I get that this was probably ahead of its time in the '60s (it's certainly abrasive and unconventional compared to what the Beatles were putting out at the time, for example). But my personal ratings don't award any marks for influence or historical significance. Purely based on my own taste, this was so-so, with some tracks veering towards actively bad while none particularly inspired me
Pearl Jam
5/5
Kind of a revelation. When I first heard Pearl Jam I was a young teenager and found it too noisy for my taste. Later I heard the songs Eddie Vedder did for the film "Into the Wild" and associated them with the movie, which I thought sucked. Since then I haven't listened to anything Pearl Jam or Pearl Jam related, and had lumped them in to the same mental bucket I put Nirvana in (who I can confirm are not to my taste based on the albums that have come up for me on this project).
So I went in to this expecting abrasive grunge, but instead got this melodic, emotive album with lyrics you can actually understand, epic guitar solos, and thumping energy. This shit absolutely rocks
Joan Baez
2/5
This kind of folk music is not really my cup of tea as a genre. I love the storytelling of old folk songs, but the arrangements here are just too simple to really hold my attention
It is well executed though, with strong, clear vocals (she kind of sounds like a theremin sometimes with all the vibrato haha) and the sparse guitar accompaniment which really adds to the songs without distracting from the stories
For me, I prefer folk that embraces some more modern instrumental embellishment (see Liege and Lief) - in one word, this was boring.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
I really liked this. Wasn't expecting to since most of the hip hop that's come up on this list so far was gangsta rap, and the misogynistic lyrics are really off-putting. But this album didn't have any of that, and the tracks were pretty nice to bop along to, with some interesting lyrics to boot
Barry Adamson
1/5
Nah, I didn't like this. Too arty farty - can't have people speaking in monotonous voices over music that mostly goes nowhere
Blur
3/5
Very middle of the road. I didn't dislike it per se, but it certainly inspires apathy
Michael Jackson
4/5
Great album, several bangers, and not overly long. What can I say, Michael Jackson knows how to make a good pop song. He's not enough to my taste to get a 5 star rating though
Fiona Apple
3/5
I was expecting to dislike this after seeing it described as "art-pop" and "experimental", but it was surprisingly decent. Good vocals, emotive lyrics, odd enough to be interesting without just being unpleasant. Ultimately though, I'm a simple person and my preferences tend towards things that are a little more mainstream ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Stereolab
4/5
Pretty good, perhaps a bit repetitive, but it was nice background music to have on while working
Screaming Trees
5/5
This was awesome. Lots of catchy tracks that were fun to rock out to
Queen
3/5
This wasn't really what I was expecting. I had no idea Queen had such a heavy rock sound in their early days, being familiar only with their later more poppy hits. It's delightfully weird and they sound like they're having a great time performing, but not really to my taste. Not sure I'd listen to any of these tracks on their own to be honest
Joy Division
3/5
Very gloomy vibe to this. Kind of reminds me of the early "The Cure" album that came up earlier on this list. I don't really care for it tbh
Mekons
2/5
Country punk? Cacophonous to be honest. But I wouldn't say actively bad. And blessedly short
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Pretty interesting - Joni Mitchell kind of vibes. I didn't like any of these songs enough to want to keep hearing them, but nothing was bad. The album was varied enough to be interesting, and I like her voice
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
This really surprised me - I'm not a big fan of reggae, but I really enjoyed listening to this album. There's a really consistent vibe throughout, it's easy to foot tap along with, and some of the electric guitar is very bluesy in a Jason Isbell-like way. Wouldn't listen to this on repeat, but I'm glad I listened to it at least once
Stan Getz
3/5
Very chill album. I liked the tone, just not super into this genre. It's a bit elevator musicy - something that would play in a hotel lobby perhaps
David Bowie
1/5
Oofie doofie - I don't really care for Bowie at the best of times, and this is far from his best. Mostly unpleasant, gloomy, self indulgent. But there are occasional high points. Opening a 40 minute album with a 10 minute track is certainly a choice
Napalm Death
1/5
If I could rate this zero stars I would. Awful noise, the vocals are completely unintelligible (sounds like the noises I imagine a caveman would make if he was teleported into a live electric chair). It seems like the rest of the band's goal is to play as fast as possible with no regard for whether their instruments actually sound good together. If someone I knew told me this was their favourite album I'd hand them in to the police as an obvious wrong'un and wonder how my judgement was so poor as to have made this person an acquaintance
Various Artists
2/5
Not sure how to rate this. Christmas albums are gimmicky in my opinion. I feel like to be consistent with my other ratings I'd have to base my rating on how much I'd enjoy listening to this album at a random time of year. Sleigh ride is a classic for a reason, the rest I could take or leave
Jerry Lee Lewis
2/5
This sounds like a recording of a concert that would have been fun to attend in person (both Lewis and the crowd have good energy throughout), but I don't really like the music personally. It's all a bit samey, the singing is quite shouty, and he's hammering that piano so hard that every note has the same volume. Not actively bad though
The Isley Brothers
4/5
I quite liked this. It's very funky and danceable. I don't think I've ever heard the song Summer Breeze fully - the guitar solo at the end is epic
Nirvana
2/5
I don't really like Nirvana. Their sound is too abrasive for me personally, and Cobain's vocals are both ugly sounding and unintelligible, rendering the lyrics moot. Hearing Nirvana playing an acoustic(ish) set makes their instrumentation less abrasive, and I actually quite like how the guitars sound on this album. But Cobain's vocals are the greater problem here, and are as awful as they always have been. I think this album is as well regarded as it is mainly because of his death, which occurred not long after this was recorded. It's nothing special as a listening experience
Elliott Smith
2/5
Inspires no strong feelings in any direction. The definition of bland, but not unpleasant
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Great songwriting, emotionally resonant lyrics, lovely melodies. This album is great, though I do think Harris' voice isn't the best and you'd have to be in the right mood to listen to this one straight through. Several songs went into my favourites
The Streets
4/5
A very interesting listen. This is like a story that's sort of rapped/spoken/sang over an instrumental backing track. Not quite sure how to rate it as it's so unique. I really like the storytelling, but probably wouldn't listen to this again and the style of music isn't really to my taste. Cool concept though
Elvis Presley
3/5
Not really my cup of tea. I feel like anything sufficiently old (like before 1970 say) just sounds boring to me. But it's not terrible, and I like Elvis' unique voice
Rush
4/5
Great album, but I probably wouldn't stick it on repeat. Tom Sawyer and YYZ are fantastic songs, the guitars and drumming are awesome throughout. I find the singer's voice a bit whiney, and the 10 minute song wasn't good enough to justify being that long. The final track was weirdly reggaeish which was kind of jarring after what preceeded it
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Somehow every song on this album seems to have the catchiest guitar riff you've ever heard. It's incredibly fun to switch off your brain and play air guitar to. Would be a 5, except that if you make the mistake of actually listening to the lyrics (which seem like they were written by a horny 14 year old) you'll want to cringe out of your body. If a instrumental version of this album existed it would be one of my favourite of all time
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
This was alright - neither particularly good or bad in my opinion
Frank Sinatra
2/5
One of the most boring things I've ever listened to. It's not actively bad, but it's very soporific and all sounds the same
Beatles
3/5
This is very very long and kind of all over the place genre- and mood-wise. The songs that are good are really good (Blackbird, While My Guitar Gently Weeps) but there's too much filler for this to rise above a 3
Soundgarden
3/5
Pretty solid, but nothing that really captured my attention. The album is too long but fairly standard grungy rock
1/5
Horrid - the drummer seems to be the only band member who actually knows how to play their instrument, and the singing is weird in a way only hipsters could enjoy
Black Sabbath
4/5
Great album. The Bowie song is kind of jarring compared to the rest, but a lot of songs on here are really fun to listen to. Fantastic guitars
Q-Tip
2/5
Generic hip hop album, neither here nor there
Pulp
3/5
This was quite fun, a couple of bangers, but the rest was fairly forgettable
Beatles
3/5
It's fine I suppose. They're just so overrated. I feel like if I'd never heard of the Beatles I'd give this a 3. Tempted to go for 2 because they come so hyped that what would be a 3 in a vacuum is inevitably disappointing. But I'll be fair and stick with 3
Eurythmics
4/5
Pretty good, very unique, a few bangers but wouldn't listen to repeatedly
Sade
3/5
Pretty good, but not amazing. No individual songs stood out to me but it had a very consistent vibe without getting boring
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Let down mainly by awful singing, which was more like tuneless shouting. But even without it, the instrumentals were nice but nothing special
The Smiths
3/5
I quite liked this. The singer's voice is unique in a good way and the overall vibe is quite good. None of the individual songs really rose to the point of being bangers, so I'm between giving this a 3 and a 4. Given Morrisey is a bigot, I'm happy to err on the side of 3
Harry Nilsson
3/5
This was nice enough, but kind of generic. The coconut song is quite weird and doesn't feel like it goes with the rest. I never knew Without You was written by this guy - Mariah Carey's version is better
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Very generic electronic music. Couldn't care less about this, but not actively bad
Kendrick Lamar
2/5
Way too long, pretty dull in general. Lamar's voice varies between whiny and muppetesque. It's certainly unique but not in a way that sounds pleasant to me. Most songs had very little variation within the song so they get stale very quickly
The Beach Boys
3/5
This album has two killer songs - Wouldn't it be Nice, and God Only Knows - the latter of which is an all-timer. Funnily enough the rest of the album has a similar vibe but doesn't connect with me at all. Something about the Beach Boys makes them much better in small doses than an album's worth at a time, for me at least. It's just all a bit twee
The Band
2/5
This was quite generic and bland, didn't grab my attention at all except just enough to decide I dislike the singer's voice
Yes
3/5
Quite interesting, not sure I'd listen to it again. A lot of the songs were far too long and they seemed to be trying to fit as many notes into the time as possible. Loads of rapid arpeggios, not much melody. Kind of a shame because I feel like apart from that the band's sound is quite reminiscent of Boston, which I love
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
Quite a fun listen. Very consistent vibe. Gothic stuff isn't really my style, but the song in the middle of this album (This Corrosion) is absolutely mad in the best way. It's like 10 minutes long, weird but catchy, and quite danceable. Wouldn't listen to the rest of this again though, which holds it back at 4 stars
Manu Chao
3/5
Nice vibe, cool mix of languages. This genre isn't really my thing but it's very pleasant background music and makes you want to tap a foot along with it
Metallica
4/5
Sick riffs, shame it's so long. This is definitely an album which outstays its welcome, the songs are too similar sounding to listen to for an hour straight (except for Nothing Else Matters, which breaks things up a bit but is also a snoozefest)
Arcade Fire
3/5
Better than the last Arcade Fire album. I think my issue with this band is that the music has many layered sounds that build over a song, often in a kind of heavily emotional way - which is nice and effective when you hear one good song. But the albums are so long and this kind of sound is punishingly heavy over an hour plus long stretch. It's like being bludgeoned with a pretty club. The art is hard to appreciate while it's assaulting you
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
Listening to the first half of this album I'd never have guessed that this is the same band that made "Maps", which I think is the only song of theirs I was already familiar with. It's definitely the most palatable song of theirs to my mainstream tastes. The rest of this was far too harsh-sounding to be up my street. As with a lot of punk and punk-adjacent styles, I liked the energy but hated the vocals
808 State
2/5
This was pretty good as background music while I was out on a walk. The beats really make you want to move. But it's also just kind of uninteresting. Most songs don't really go anywhere, and some of them are very long
The Lemonheads
4/5
This was great. The rhythm guitar and drums are particularly good. The singer's voice is a little grating on some songs but quite nice on others. I don't think I'd listen to this on repeat, but a few songs on it are keepers for sure
The Charlatans
3/5
I remember enjoying listening to this, but writing this review the next day I literally can't remember anything else about this album. So I guess it can't be worth more than 3 stars
The Offspring
4/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this given the genre is not generally to my taste. Wouldn't put it on repeat but really a nice surprise
Steely Dan
4/5
I like the laid back, almost jazzy vibe of this. I think it would get boring if it were a long album but it doesn't outstay its welcome. Some cool guitar solos also. One I'll probably listen to again some time but not play repeatedly
Digital Underground
3/5
Wasn't expecting much based on the corny title and album cover. The Humpty Dance was a pleasant surprise though, fun beat and hilarious lyrics. Much of the rest of the album was closer to what I was expecting at the outset. The whole sex packet concept is also just weird but not really in a funny or interesting way
KISS
3/5
Generic dad rock music with generic lyrics. It's fine, but nothing special
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Good shit. The hip-hop/rock fusion sounds awesome, and there are couple of absolute classic tracks. There are also a few I'm less into, which stops this from getting 5 stars, but I really had fun listening to this album
Stevie Wonder
3/5
The Stevie Wonder songs I'm most familiar with are so mainstream compared with the weird variety that you get on a full album of his (based on the two that have come up on this list so far). The more experimental stuff isn't really up my alley to be honest, but I respect the range this guy has.
Superstition is one of the greatest songs ever written in my opinion. If you can hear that bass line (which I always assumed was played on a bass guitar but I just found out was actually improvised by Stevie on a clavinet) without wanting to move some part of your body you're dead inside. When the sax and trumpets come in it's so sick. Tempted to rate this a 4 just for that track, but the rest of it was kind of meh to me
Beck
3/5
Kind of interesting, nothing that really captivated me. I like the singer's voice and the variety of sounds on this album. It's a little too long
Brian Eno
2/5
Not actively bad for the most part, but too weird for my taste. It felt longer than it perhaps was, and I couldn't really make heads or tails of most of it
The Flaming Lips
2/5
Unremarkable. The lead singer's voice is a bit screechy sometimes. No standout tracks for me
Beth Orton
2/5
This was quite a slog. A longish album in a genre that's not really my thing. Sounds like Nick Drake but with some vocal idiosyncracies I found grating. All slow and mostly boring. Not actively bad though. I feel like if I listened to this a few times it might grow on me, but life is too short for that
Funkadelic
3/5
The lyrics of the first two songs are all about how funky the band is. Which would be a bit cringy if it wasn't undeniably true. In the middle it gets a bit weird. Overall too long, but it's a real foot-tapper for sure
Stevie Wonder
3/5
More Stevie Wonder, same review as last time I guess. The good stuff is really good (though nothing on this album is on the level of Superstition). The less good stuff is ok but not my cup of tea. This album was incredibly long which counts against it for me - there was enough filler that this didn't need to be a double album in my opinion
1/5
Yet more Bob Dylan. I have to say, the first disc of this album was less bad than I expected. Maybe Dylan is starting to grow on me?
But the second disc was the same screechy yelling I've come to loathe so much. I feel like he has to yell harder when accompanied by electric instruments in order to not be drowned out by the band
Ranging from boring to actively bad, this is gonna be a no from me
The Last Shadow Puppets
2/5
The definition of boring. This was totally inoffensive and therefore I won't give it 1 star, but I'm sure if I went somewhere where this was playing, I wouldn't even realise I'd heard it before. Instantly forgettable album
R.E.M.
4/5
This was really good - a couple of standout tracks, but wouldn't play the whole album on repeat. Weirdly the version of this on Deezer contains the song "It's the End of the World..." twice in a row. I don't really mind since it's my favourite track on the album. I really like the way the different instruments and vocals layer up on this album. Feels like there's loads going on at once but it all fits together well without seeming overwhelming or noisy
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
This was underwhelming given how much people revere Jimi Hendrix. I guess nobody was playing guitar like this before he came along, but to my modern ear it's nothing mind-blowing. The songs are a bit too all over the place for me, and the album is far too long for how good it is
Coldplay
3/5
This was fine. Nothing grabbed my attention except the two songs I already knew (The Scientist and Clocks). I think Coldplay is good but kind of overdone for me at this point. It doesn't really have staying power
Tom Tom Club
3/5
This was an interesting listen. Weird but not in an off putting way. I had no idea Genius of Love was where the beat for Mariah Carey's Fantasy originated. That track was probably my favourite, but I'm not keen hear this album again any time soon
Blue Cheer
2/5
If you took the first 3 minutes of each song this'd be fine. Every song seems to finish with some mad noodling but it's not particularly musical noodling. Compare with Neil Young's Everybody Knows This is Nowhere for an example of a similar kind of thing but executed much better. By contrast this album feels a bit like listening to some guys jamming in one of their basements. Or a pub band maybe. They're clearly enjoying themselves but it doesn't really do anything for me
Jefferson Airplane
2/5
Totally meh. All this 1960s psychedelic stuff just sounds so generic to my modern ears. Don't care if it's historically significant, it's just boring
The Pogues
3/5
I really like the instrumentals, but don't really care for MacGowan's voice. This was refreshingly different from some of the other albums that have come up on this list. It does run a little long though. Fairytale of New York bumps this up to a 3 for me
Bob Dylan
1/5
More Bob Dylan. Ugh. This blurry ass smug mf only stops screeching when he wants to abuse the shit out of a harmonica. Please make it stop
The Everly Brothers
3/5
This was fine. A bit old fashioned for my taste. Lovely vocal harmonies though. The first song is a bit skin crawling to a modern ear
Kate Bush
2/5
The first half of this album is a normal amount of weird for an 80s pop album. The second half is completely nuts - not in a way that particularly piques my interest. A truly strange album, which is refreshing in a way. But ultimately I just don't really like Kate Bush
Simple Minds
4/5
I liked this, but not enough that I'd play it repeatedly. No particular songs stood out, but the overall vibe is pretty good and quite consistent throughout. The bass playing is particularly great on this album
Elton John
3/5
I just can't really get into Elton John. Candle in the Wind is incredibly sappy and I think wouldn't be so highly regarded if people cared less about Princess Diana. Saturday Night's Alright rocks, but overall this is a pretty self-indulgently long album for how meh it is. I'll give it a 3 overall
The Who
3/5
This was fine, nothing particularly noteworthy. Really neither here nor there
Elvis Presley
2/5
Fine, a bit boring. Elvis has a nice voice, but nothing about this music is particularly attention holding to me. Can't remember any of the tracks after listening
Alice Cooper
2/5
Fine instrumentals, weird edgy lyrics, nothing particularly interesting or memorable
New Order
4/5
This was a great album. Cool vibe, doesn't overstay its welcome, every song is different enough to renew your interest but similar enough to the others that the album has a cohesive feel. I love the bass playing on these songs
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Pretty solid album, I thought it might be a bit samey but there was enough variety in there to keep things interesting
The Cure
3/5
Underwhelming. It sounds nice but the songs never really go anywhere, and I find the vocals annoying after an hour of listening to them
Nick Drake
2/5
This I think is the least bad of the 3 (!) Nick Drake albums that have come up so far. There's something about his voice I just find very annoying
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
OK, a few things to cover off on this one
To start with, I really dislike the lead singer's voice. It's so whiny and off-putting. The instruments are quite good though
Next, this album does have a fairly consistent mood/tone, but it jumps all over the place genre-wise. One song is a piano backed pop song, the next is heavy metal, then we hit grunge, and on and on. It's impressive that they can write songs that are good and so different sounding, but it makes the experience worse for me as a listener
I think if this 2 hour (!) album had been split into 3 albums, each grouped by genre, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. As it is, it's far too long and self-indulgent
Adam & The Ants
3/5
This was quite a fun listen, but I doubt I'll ever listen to it again (or any individual songs from it). I like the energy and the silliness, but the vocal style is a bit much (like shouty singing with shouty backing vocals over shouty hammahey stuff)
Thelonious Monk
3/5
So I don't really "get" jazz, in the sense that I find it harder to connect to than say rock or pop music. I guess that makes me unsophisticated, which I'm at peace with. Having said that, this was quite nice to have on in the background while working.
It was different enough from what I would usually listen to to be interesting, but not so much that it was cacophonous or jarring. Some bits were foot-tap inducing, which is always a good thing in my opinion. I feel like extended drum solos are pretty cool and should catch on more outside jazz
Final thought: This guy's actual birth name is Thelonius Sphere Monk? Come on! How cool is that. Destined for greatness
Metallica
4/5
Great riffs. I'm not super keen on the vocal style used in heavy metal but Metallica's singer isn't a particularly egregious offender. This was quite fun to listen to but I wouldn't play any of these tracks on their own - a lot of them are excessively long
Sonic Youth
3/5
After the previous Sonic Youth album I was expecting to hate this, but I was pleasantly surprised. The first song was great, and the rest was mostly fine, with a scattering of songs or parts of songs that were bad in the way I was fearing the whole album would be (high noise-to-melody ratio, harsh vocals, overly long repetitive songs)
Overall I'd give this a 3, but I'm not sure if it's getting a bump for exceeding expectations
GZA
2/5
Very consistent vibe, not really my cup of tea though. I found this pretty boring in general
Aerosmith
4/5
Strong start but kind of peters out towards the end. Aerosmith is hard to rate because they write undeniably catchy songs with kick-ass guitar parts, but the lyrics can be so sleazy and gross. Like "Love in an Elevator" would be an infinitely better song if it wasn't about shagging in the lift, but it is what is I guess. Overall quite a fun listen
Charles Mingus
3/5
This was nice, but not really anything that excited me. It's less weird than some of the other jazz that's come up on this list. I could imagine this as a film score. Good background music, but didn't really make me feel anything
Elliott Smith
2/5
Utterly forgettable, but not unpleasant
3/5
This was fine, I enjoyed it but wouldn't say it really captivated me
Motörhead
1/5
With the best live albums, the sound of the crowd really adds to the atmosphere of the recording, and you can hear that the band are all having a great time on stage. Sometimes you also get some cool extended soloing or jamming which can be quite fun to listen to
This album had none of those features. I don't know what Motorhead's studio recordings sound like, but on this album it was hard to distinguish the instruments from each other, resulting in something better described as noise rather than music. The lead singer's voice is also horrid, and most of the songs sound the same as each other, with unintelligible screamed lyrics. I'd rather sit in silence than listen to this again
G. Love & Special Sauce
3/5
I love the jazzy bass, the bluesy guitar, and the occasional harmonica - all the instruments on this album are great. But the singer's voice is really grating. It's like a combination of drunk slurring, an affected accent that makes it difficult to take seriously, and a weird croakiness that makes it sound unpleasant even when you can tell what he's saying. This Ain't Living is by far the best song on this album, and it's largely because someone else does most of the vocals
T. Rex
3/5
This was ok, the genre isn't particularly my cup of tea and it went on a bit too long. The singer has a bad case of what I describe as "Bowie voice". There's something about that weird affectation I find quite off-putting
Miles Davis
3/5
More jazz. This didn't really do anything for me, but was also inoffensive. I kind of feel like if I listened to it once a day for a fortnight I would suddenly "get" it and find it amazing, but maybe that's me trying to convince myself that jazz isn't just beyond me. Either way I don't have the patience to try that experiment right now so I'm gonna rate this one straight down the middle
Eric Clapton
3/5
It's good, but not amazing. I like bluesy guitar, ergo I like Eric Clapton's music. But there's something a bit dull about some of it too. Maybe it's his voice, which is inoffensive but also not especially interesting. I think on a different day some of these songs might have hit better and bumped this to a 4, but in the words of Aragorn son of Arathorn, it is not this day. This day we rate 3 stars
Coldcut
4/5
I quite enjoyed this. It's very danceable, and varied enough to hold interest while being consistent enough to have an identifiable vibe that sticks around throughout.
It seems not to exist on Deezer so I had to listen on YouTube, which means I'll almost certainly never listen to this again. Which is a shame, because as I said it's pretty good
Primal Scream
2/5
This ranges from dull to bad (ie tuneless noise). Not up my alley
The Clash
3/5
I liked the music, good energy, good variety (I was surprised at how much reggae influence there seemed to be about). I really don't like the vocals (shouty singing, slurred words). I get it, this is part and parcel with punk and punk-adjacent styles. But with a singer more to my taste this would easily have been a 4. If it was also 45 minutes long instead of over an hour, even better
The Stooges
4/5
I really liked this. I feel like similar sounding albums have come up on this list that just didn't land with me, and I couldn't tell you what made this one different. But it was very fun to listen to. Not long enough to overstay its welcome either
Madonna
4/5
Great album. I was only familiar with the title track, which is an all-time classic, but there are plenty of other bangers on here. Generally, all the upbeat songs were hits for me, while most of the slow songs felt like filler - the latter are the only thing that keeps this from being a 5 star album
XTC
4/5
This was quite weird but I really liked it. I can't really say why either, and I don't think any tracks really stood out to me. But the whole thing just comes together really well
The Strokes
4/5
Another album with great instrumentals slightly spoiled by grating vocals. Really snappy though
Neil Young
3/5
Pretty good. Neil Young's continues to be weird, though it definitely grows on me the more I listen to it. Some of these songs were much better than others
Rush
3/5
Sometimes I find this stuff really cool, and other times it leaves me cold. Prog is like rock but with the danceability taken out - sometimes I think people who get really into the technical side of playing instruments forget the point of music (see also Jazz). That doesn't make it a bad listen necessarily, but it misses some key magical ingredient for me
Klaxons
4/5
Quite a fun listen. It's high energy, has catchy hooks. Some of the vocals are a bit screamy but it's not over the top. Can't make heads or tails of the lyrics on a casual listen but there seem to be lots of references sprinkled in
Lou Reed
1/5
Very dreary. The song with the crying children was particularly horrible. Not my cup of tea
Paul Simon
3/5
This was fine. Inoffensive, but not really attention-holding. Pleasant-sounding but not particularly interesting. There was good variety on the album and it's a little long but not obscenely so
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Pretty funky and smooth. I like the sound, but have no desire to listen to this again. It really does sound like a soundtrack to a film (which it is), rather than something to listen to on its own
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This is fine I guess - I've never really liked the vocalist, and the music is quite noisy, with each song starting to feel bit repetitive by the time it finishes
The Darkness
4/5
Very fun album. I love the guitars on this, and the energy is infectious. The falsetto singing gets a bit much over the length of the album, but overall this is really good
Pentangle
4/5
This project has taught me that I don't like much folk music when it's done in a straight-through style with sparse arrangements (I find them soporific).
However, I really like narrative songs, and something about the old-timey poetic ballads creates a mysterious atmosphere that I really dig; a sort of nostalgia for a time period that ended a few hundred years before I was born.
When traditional songs are played with fuller instrumentation and elements that appeal a bit more to modern sensibilities, it all clicks for me. Fairport Convention pulled it off by using electric instruments and putting a little rock spin on things, and Pentangle also pull it off but via a more jazz-inflected approach.
Either way, something about this really drew me in. The vocal harmonies on Lyke Wake Dirge are absolutely haunting. I don't think I'd listen to this again since it's not often I'd find myself in the right mood. But I'm very glad to have heard it once
Prince
2/5
Neither good nor bad. Didn't really move me
De La Soul
2/5
Would make for decent background music if it weren't for the interspersed sketches. The album is also already long enough without them, so they make it a bit of a slog to get through. But the music is nice enough and makes me want to move, which is always a good thing in my book
Moby
3/5
This creates very similar vibes to David Gary's White Ladder. It's a tad long, but the songs are varied enough for it not to get too stale. I probably wouldn't listen to any of these tracks on their own but it's really good ambient music to have on in the background while working
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
More jazz - it's pleasant enough I guess. Kind of boring though
ABBA
4/5
Not ABBA's best, but what can I say? I fucking love ABBA. Even a so-so album of theirs is great
Black Flag
1/5
Harsh vocals, poor singing, a dearth of melody - I just don't like punk music. I suppose it's better experienced live than on a recording. I can imagine being in a crowd that's very energised by the music, and having the amps dialled up to a volume level that I'd be uncomfortable listening to on my headphones would intensify the experience. But if you need all that to enjoy it fully, is the music itself actually any good?
David Bowie
3/5
This was less bad than other Bowie albums that have come up, but didn't really resonate with me. I think in the right context I might have enjoyed it more though, so I'll give it a 3
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
This was fine as background music. I liked the relaxed vibe, but it does go on for far too long. Not especially attention-grabbing either
Van Morrison
4/5
This is a great live album. Everyone seems to be really feeling it and having a good time, and there's a good mix of hits, deeper cuts, and covers of other people's songs. I'm not a big enough fan of Van Morrison's music and vocal style to rate this 5 stars, but I can appreciate how well executed it is
Donald Fagen
2/5
Very boring but not actively bad. At least it was short ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Funky, but not really up my alley. It wasn't too long though, and on a different day I might've been more into it
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This wasn't really what I expected, but my expectations were completely irrational, being rooted in a vague association my brain made between Elvis Costello and Elvis Presley. So really I knew nothing about Costello going in.
In the end it was just alright - I like the energy of it, couldn't really make heads or tails of the lyrics, and found it a bit samey after a while
AC/DC
5/5
Before listening to this album, I'd never heard an AC/DC song I didn't like. But obviously there's some selection bias going on, since I was only familiar with their biggest hits. It turns out, they really are just that good. As soon as the guitars kick in, you can't help but smile. The rhythm section is the probably the best of any rock band ever. The energy on these songs is so infectious - it really feels like everybody involved was having a blast. And even though all their songs are basically the same, somehow it never gets old.
With some albums on this list, I listen and then spend time deliberating over whether it deserves 4 stars or 5. I think this is my first 5 star album in a while, and it's made me realise that when I'm on the fence, the answer should always be 4. Because when you know, you know. Rock on
Killing Joke
2/5
I'm not a punk guy. But this wasn't actively bad. The worst thing about it is the vocals, but at the same time they're deployed so infrequently as to make most of the songs very dull and repetitive. Would it kill these guys to bust out some melody? The rhythmic stuff is good to be fair, but each songs goes nowhere. It's like they came up with a bunch of riffs and then said "if we play each riff repeatedly for 3 minutes or so that's a finished song"
Frank Black
2/5
Utterly forgettable. Yer man can't sing but he won't let that stop him from trying. Nice guitars I suppose. Drags on far too long
Faith No More
3/5
About halfway through this album, I was thinking my review would be along the lines of "what if the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were bad?" But it really grew on me in the second half. The fusion of metal and funk is really cool, but I really dislike the singer's voice, so it's very hard to give this an overall rating.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Very smooth, but also rather dull and repetitive to me. It's totally inoffensive as background music, but doesn't grab the attention
Talking Heads
1/5
Didn't suffer from the annoying obnoxious vocal style that this band's singer has used on Talking Heads stuff that came up before on this list, but it just ranges between boring and actively unpleasant to listen to. I really don't get the appeal of this band
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
This could be incredible as satire of 1960s American culture - I don't know enough about the era to judge that adequately but I'm happy to take the experts' word on it. But music it ain't.
Gotan Project
3/5
Lovely mellow, jazzy, mostly instrumental stuff. The vibes are great and it's nice background music that's not too distracting, but it's also not something I'd necessarily reach for when I'm looking for something to listen to.
Brian Wilson
1/5
This was kind of embarrassingly bad in my opinion. Like Pet Sounds is great, but the Beach Boys were done by this point and this album feels to me like a nostalgic attempt to recapture the magic of something that's better left in the past, uncorrupted by necromancy. Something about it feels soulless and repetitive. The random slide whistle noises are also very jarring
The Temptations
4/5
Very danceable. I enjoyed listening to this a lot but wouldn't reach for this to listen to again, just because I'm not so into the genre
Supertramp
2/5
Totally uninteresting, but not actively bad
Minor Threat
1/5
I hate punk music. It's just noise with no melody, the vocals are harsh sounding and unpleasant, the lyrics largely unintelligible. I was shocked at how recently this album came out too - surely this gimmick wasn't even novel or transgressive by this time?
At least it was mercifully short
The Who
4/5
Pretty good. Nothing that really blew my socks off though. Baba O'Riley is a great song
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Great album. I liked the way the songs flowed into each other. Overall vibe was very consistent, and the singer has a lovely soulful voice. I liked the jazzy guitar playing too
Steely Dan
3/5
It's jazzy, it's danceable, it's easy to listen to... Maybe too easy? Something about Steely Dan is just kind of boring, but I can't put my finger on what. It's pleasant enough though
Muddy Waters
3/5
Too old for me to get into - I know old doesn't necessarily mean bad, but it just sounds kind of dated. Still, I liked the energy of it
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
Very raspy voice, and it's all a bit samey. I feel like people rate this more for the sob story than the music
The Smiths
3/5
Nice singing voice, but nothing in this grabbed my attention or moved me emotionally
MC Solaar
4/5
Very enjoyable listen. French is such a lovely sounding language, and I liked how much variety there was on this album while maintaining a consistent overall vibe throughout
Beck
3/5
This was fine, but went on a little long. I like that it's varied and kind of hard to fit into a genre; to be pleasantly surprised one must be surprised, so I respect uniqueness. For me though, this doesn't really push my buttons
Radiohead
2/5
Ugh. I hope this is the last Radiohead album on this list. I don't mind a sad song or even a sad album (shout out to Jason Isbell's Southeastern). But Radiohead always come across as whiny to me. And the albums are so relentlessly, self-indulgently long for how repetitive they are
Deep Purple
4/5
Pretty good album, but I don't think I'd play any of these songs on their own. The extended jamming gets a bit much. I reckon these guys would have been a blast to see live though
Goldie
2/5
Timeless? I've never been so aware of time's passage. This album is crazy long, with 50% too many tracks, but also every song on it is itself about 50% too long. They also all sound the same, have no melody, and are boring as hell. This was not "actively bad" so I won't give it 1 star, but I was real glad when it was over
Jack White
4/5
This was really good. Cool guitar solos that are unique but without being too weird, and a real thumping rhythm from the drummer which makes the whole thing make you want to move. I'm not crazy about Jack's voice, but it did grow on me over the album
Beatles
3/5
It's fine. The Beatles are massively overrated (which is not to say they're bad). Their earlier stuff sounds better on average (to me), but has less variance - so the best of the later stuff is the best overall. This is an earlier album, full of twee love songs. It's dated and seems kind of uninspired, but I can't deny they execute well
3/5
Very eclectic, but still fairly cohesive, which hasn't been the case for some of the other Beatles albums. None of these songs are standouts to me, but it's not bad either. Very Beatles in that sense
Stan Getz
4/5
Saxophones sound great. I always like when they make an appearance in rock/pop music (see Bruce Springsteen, Sam Fender). This album was jazzy, which can be a red flag to a pleb like me, but I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible it felt. Just smooth, relaxed music, with enough variety to stay interesting, and not overstaying its welcome. I don't think I'd listen to this regularly unless I got more into Bossa Nova as a genre for whatever reason, but I'm glad to have listened to it once
Steve Earle
3/5
Pretty good guitars, quite danceable. The singer's voice is so twangy that it almost seems like a parody of a country singer. I listened to the album twice and it didn't really grow on me. Plus the slower songs are a bit of a snoozefest. But decent overall
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
When I downloaded this album and saw that it was nearly an hour and ten minutes long, I started having negative feelings toward it immediately. I acknowledge this kind of pre-judgement is unfair, but my prior experience has been that most albums over an hour long feel tedious by the time you finish them.
Then I had a quick look at the Wikipedia page and saw that the genre was post-hardcore, and my misgivings only grew. Possibly I actually frowned while skimming the article.
One thing I've learned about myself from this project is that punk and adjacent styles are very much not my cup of tea. Different genres of music emphasise or value different aspects of music - rhythm vs melody vs harmony, simplicity vs show-offy displays of virtuosity, energy vs restraint/tenderness. Most punk I've heard is heavy on rhythm and energy/aggression, and light on melody and tenderness. This just isn't to my taste most of the time.
All this is to say that I was fully prepared to hate this album, but instead I merely disliked it. I feel like I've had a little breakthrough in realising that if you don't think of the harsh sounding vocals as a human voice, but instead let it wash over you as just another instrument, then it fits in well with the heavy, distorted guitars and adds to the overall vibe instead of just seeming like tuneless screaming
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Pretty good. Higher Ground is very groovy. I feel like to me, Stevie Wonder's hits are really, really good, but a lot of the other songs on his albums just don't do much for me. So the average is pulled down a bit by the deep cuts. I respect how varied his songs are while still having a signature style, and they never sound bad - just not my cup of tea (with a few exceptional tracks)
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
Cool guitar sounds. Hendrix's voice is kind of boring to me. It almost sounds like he's singing from the next room over - there's something dull about it. Music from the '60s has something about it that just stops it from really hitting me, I think it's just too far back for me to not seem a bit dated. Overall a decent album but no standouts. I think if I heard this at a time when I felt more energetic I'd get more out of it, but hey ho
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Pretty decent. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals, but I like the guitar parts, and the overall vibe. Only the lead track (The Cutter) really stood out to me. I'm on the fence between giving this a 3 or a 4, but I definitely preferred it to the previous album, so I'll bump it up to 4
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This was fine. Immigrant song is a classic. The vocals kind of grate after a while. I can no longer listen to Led Zeppelin without hearing Henry Paker's impression
The Jam
3/5
Unremarkable. Maybe I would have got more into this if I was in a different mood when I listened to it. It's not bad or really even boring per se, just nothing that really captivated me
Duran Duran
4/5
I really enjoyed this album. The title track in particular is really fun, and Hungry Like the Wolf is a classic
Alice In Chains
3/5
I like the sound (mostly), but it gets a bit samey. Way too long of an album for how similar all the songs sound. None of them really stood out to me
John Martyn
2/5
You know when you're in a foreign airport or train station and you hear an announcement over the tannoy in a language you don't understand, so your brain treats it as background noise and it just blends in with the wider soundscape? John Martyn's voice induces the same effect in me. He just sounds like he's far away for some reason, and my brain chooses not to focus on whatever he's singing. It's very odd.
Aside from that, this music also just doesn't really do much for me. An inoffensive but utterly forgettable album
Black Sabbath
4/5
Sick guitar riffs. Before this project I thought I wasn't a fan of heavy metal, but I've come to a more nuanced understanding of my preferences. It's noisy, high-distortion instruments and screamy vocals that I don't like, and this doesn't really have either of those
The Divine Comedy
4/5
I listened to this twice. The first time, I kind of liked it but I found it a little old fashioned and a little cringy in how dramatic it is (especially some of the lyrics in "If...").
On a second listen, I was in a mood better suited to leaning in to the drama of it, and my response to the music was totally transformed. What before had seemed cringy and overwraught now seemed romantic and sweeping. The orchestration is lush and has a grandeur that fits the dramatic lyrics perfectly. The singing is great too; the style sits between Englebert Humperdink and Dusty Springfield.
Enough songs failed to resonate with me that I can't give this 5 stars, but I would definitely listen to some of these songs again
Miles Davis
2/5
That's jazz baby. I don't really know how to talk about this kind of music. All I can say is that it was not really my cup of tea (a little too slow to hold my attention) but not actively bad
David Bowie
3/5
I don't really vibe with Bowie. This was fine, nothing more or less. I like the energy, but find his voice irritating
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Leonard Cohen's music doesn't really gel with me. I love the way his voice sounds, but his talk-singing style makes the whole thing feel a bit like a hipster poetry recital rather than songs. I feel like if I listened to it a few times over then maybe I'd appreciate the lyrics more and get into it, but it doesn't hold my attention out the gate - just not really my cup of tea
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I knew that one of Neil Young's nicknames was "The Godfather of Grunge", had never heard music from him that was anywhere close to grunge. The guy who sings "Harvest Moon"? Who sings "Helpless"? The Godfather of Grunge? Colour me intrigued
Now here's a grungy Neil Young album, and I have to say it's pretty damn good. Grunge is a hit and miss genre for me (really dislike Nirvana, really like Pearl Jam). This is one of the better grunge albums I've listened to though. It really has the vibe of a live recording, rather than something polished to within an inch of its life in the studio. I think that really adds an authenticity to the album - it sounds like the band were really feeling it when they recorded. This especially comes through on the extended instrumental jams on some tracks, reminiscent of "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere". It's like listening in on the band just vibing, and I really like that feeling.
Ultimately though, this style of music is just not enough up my alley to get more than 3 stars (but I'd give it 4 if you caught me on the right day)
Nine Inch Nails
2/5
Some of these songs are fine as background music - I like the strong beats and synths. But the overall vibe is a huge downer, there are many songs that are basically just screaming and/or noise, and the album is way, way too long.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
I try not to be ageist about art, but this old-timey stuff is just hard for me to like. I reckon he'd have been entertaining enough in his day but the world has moved on to better things. My ratings have all been a reflection of how much I personally enjoyed listening to each album, with no consideration for how influential or significant a record was, and so I can't give this more than 2 stars in good conscience
Miles Davis
3/5
Jazz still isn't my favourite genre, but I do quite like this. I feel like the whole band is just clicking really well, it's very foot-tappable. I think this is also the latest "ancient" sounding album of all the 50s and 60s albums that have come up on the list so far - there's something timeless about it
Emmylou Harris
4/5
Great voice, I love a storytelling country song. Some of these are a bit too plinky-plonky for my taste (I can't come up with a better way to describe what I mean). Harris' cover of Coat of Many Colours is better than the Dolly Parton original imo
Tangerine Dream
2/5
This is barely music. More a collection of ambient sounds. It's not actively unpleasant, but it only really works for me as a soundtrack to something more interesting. Not my cup of tea
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Didn't hit for me like the last Divine Comedy album, but kind of interesting
Joanna Newsom
1/5
Too weird for me. The vocals are horrid, like a child learning to play the violin
The Rolling Stones
3/5
It's fine, but I don't really get why the Rolling Stones are a big deal
The Modern Lovers
2/5
I really hate this guy's voice. He sounds like he has a blocked nose and the songs vary from punky ranting to whining and whinging
Slade
3/5
Before listening to this album, all my prior exposure to Slade was from either their Christmas song or "Come on feel the noize"
Given that, I'd say this album held no surprises. They really just do the one thing over and over again. To be fair, if you're gonna be a one trick pony, it's not the worst trick to have; the songs are high-energy, fun and danceable.
But this album is too long for how little variation it has. After a while the shouty vocals start to tire you out, it's a bit like being yelled at for an hour (but to a catchy beat)
Violent Femmes
2/5
This is basically a repeat of the Modern Lovers Album (see two reviews ago). The singer's voice is a little less whiny, but the album is still pretty rubbish overall. Not enough melody, uninspired lyrics, kind of an unpolished sound
2/5
Incredibly boring. This just didn't get through to me at all, I felt like I kept checking to see how many songs were left and being disappointed at how high the answer was
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I had high hopes for this after the last Dusty Springfield album that came up on this list, but this one didn't do it for me in the same way. Son of a Preacher Man is still a banger though
Cat Stevens
3/5
I've a soft spot for Yusuf/Cat Stevens because I listened to a lot of his Islamic children's music (under the name Yusuf Islam) growing up, so his voice has a real nostalgic feel for me.
That said, I find this kind of folk music a little boring. Wild World and Father and Son are classics, but in between it's kind of a lot of filler
Aphex Twin
2/5
It's just background music. Fine as background music, but there's only so engaging beats and the odd chord progression with no melody can be. I can't say whether this is a particularly good example of this genre because it sounds like all other background music. How it made this list I'll never know. Nobody's missing out by not hearing this
The Residents
1/5
Oof. If this is art I'm happy I'm a philistine I guess. It's just unpleasant to listen to
Fred Neil
2/5
This was fine but quite forgettable. A bit too folksy for my taste too
The Sugarcubes
3/5
This was weird, but not in a way that was unmusical. I wouldn't listen to it again but it was interesting at least. Bjork's vocals are so unique, and I'm still not sure if that's in a way that I like or not
Slipknot
3/5
Things I like about metal music: guitar sounds that are distorted but still melodic, drumming that sounds like the drummer is trying to destroy his kit, the high energy and catharsis of it all
Things I hate about metal music: screamy vocals that are barely intelligible
It's amazing how one aesthetic choice can ruin an otherwise great genre. The parts of songs where the singer just sings instead of shouting are really enjoyable. But there's too much screaming here to raise it above 3 stars (also runs a little long but hey ho)
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
This is a hard album to rate, because there were songs I really liked, and others I hated. The best ones had a strong beat that made me want to move, but interspersed with these were songs that were discordant and noisy.
In the end, I can only rate based on how much I enjoyed listening to the album as a whole, and on that basis I'm going straight down the middle
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Really enjoyable, especially the instrumental tracks. It's soulful and makes you want to move around. Great guitars, and the orchestra really adds to the tracks without making the whole thing feel like classical music. I know this was written as a movie soundtrack, but it stands up really well on its own
Circle Jerks
1/5
Blessedly short. This kind of music holds very little appeal for me
Iron Butterfly
3/5
This was alright. Nothing really grabbed my attention, but nothing grated on me either. Perfectly tolerable music
The Waterboys
4/5
The best songs on this are great, but the average is just ok. I do love the sound of a fiddle. It sounds like the band had a lot of fun in the studio, which is always something I like to think when listening (having no idea whether it's really true or not)
Soft Cell
3/5
Synths + drum machine + sex noises. A bit weird innit? Tainted Love is a banger, and it was interesting hearing the original version of Say Hello, Wave Goodbye. But otherwise this kind of went in one ear and out the other for me
Tom Waits
1/5
Spoken word jazz... The horror! Some terrible albums are terrible in a way that is ultimately forgettable. I will remember the name Tom Waits for the rest of my life, motivated by a desire to avoid more of this kind of "music"
Frank Ocean
3/5
I can see inspiration from Stevie Wonder and John Legend here. It's unusual without veering into whacky, and he has a nice voice. But something about this is just kind of meh. Nothing resonated with me, made me feel like moving, or grabbed hold of my attention. Also it's very long
Cocteau Twins
4/5
I cannot for the life of me understand the lyrics here. It sounds like a mixture of English and French but honestly I'm not even sure of that. The indistinct, somewhat otherworldly vocals are a really good match for the style of the music though. Overall I really enjoyed having this on while I shopped for groceries. No particular songs really resonated with me though
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
I like how much energy this guy has, it seems like he's having a lot of fun. The style is a bit theatrical and camp for my taste (sort of a punkish Meatloaf vibe), but it's kind of a fun listen
Tom Waits
1/5
This is the second Tom Waits album on the list so far for me, and it's already two too many. I saw on one of the public reviews of the last one that the list has 5 (!) in total, which is absolutely baffling to me given he can't sing, doesn't write interesting lyrics, has a horribly grating voice, and so on. I honestly am not even sure how this guy managed to produce 5 albums - who's buying them?
2Pac
3/5
Pretty good, the atmosphere of paranoia and despair is interesting and makes this feel less ridiculous than a lot of other gangsta rap that's come up on this list. It runs a little long
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This didn't really do anything for me, but the more Joni Mitchell albums I hear the more I get the appeal. It's growing on me, but not quickly enough for me to have really enjoyed this haha
Buzzcocks
3/5
I liked the instrumentals, especially the frantic drumming. The overall vibe is quite fun, with lots of energy and some catchy riffs. I didn't much like the vocals, and none of the lyrics really stood out to me either (though I'm more of a music-first listener than a lyrics-first listener, especially for genres like this). Overall a good listen, but I wouldn't listen to any of these songs again on their own
Suede
2/5
Instrumentals okay, but I really disliked the vocals on this. A bad case of "Bowie voice". I don't understand where that comes from, it seems to only affect British singers but I've never heard anyone speak like that in real life. Anyway it's not my cup of tea. I found it very difficult to make any sense of the lyrics so can't really comment on those.
Reading the Wikipedia page for this album it looks like the band were enormously hyped before its release, which is honestly baffling to me
Kraftwerk
2/5
I think this style of electronic music is just not for me. It's too repetitive, which causes me to get bored of each song by the time it finishes. The synth sounds are nice, and the atmosphere built up is pretty cool, but there's just not enough change or melody to really hold my interest
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
3/5
There were parts of this album which seemed like music, and parts where it seemed they were just making noise for the sake of it. The musical parts were enjoyable, the rest not so much. I quite liked the twangy guitar parts, but I'm not a fan of the singer
Burning Spear
2/5
It's just reggae innit. Not really my cup of tea, all sounds the same. But not unpleasant
Dinosaur Jr.
1/5
This is not up my alley at all (too grungy, sounds like a high school band).
It also ends with a cover of Just Like Heaven so bad it's almost insulting. Not every original song is every listener's cup of tea, but I respect anyone who puts themselves out there with their art. But if you're covering a song that's actually good, and do *that* to it, you fully deserve any criticism you get for it
Donovan
2/5
Man was this boring. I just don't find psychedelic music interesting; maybe you have to do drugs to enjoy it?
The Fall
1/5
My god this was a slog to get through. Over an hour long, and it's just all over the place
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
Love the energy. The aggression is a bit much when you listen to the full album in one go, but it's kind of cathartic. Killing in the Name is just a great song
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
Utterly forgettable
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
The energy on this is kind of crazy, mostly in a good way, but it feels like it goes on forever. One to play in the background and dance to, but nothing I'd play on it's own or because I really wanted to listen to it in particular
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
There have been so many of these '60s rock albums that all sound the same. It's incredibly boring to listen to on the whole
Hot Chip
4/5
Finally a good album. It's been 16 reviews since my last 4 star album, but this one really came through. I love how it's simultaneously chill but energetic - just a nice vibe all around
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
This was pretty good, great flow and a very soulful voice. It's not enough up my alley that I'd listen to it again, but I quite enjoyed this (and it's a welcome reprieve from all the punk and dad-rock this list throws up)
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
This is so bad I feel bad for even giving them the listens on Deezer - nobody involved deserves to be making money off this. And it's so long too :(
Led Zeppelin
3/5
It's fine I guess. Stairway to Heaven is cool and undoubtedly one of the most iconic guitar solos ever, but overall Led Zep gets a bit samey. Opening with an 8 minute track that doesn't really go anywhere is certainly a bold choice
Pink Floyd
2/5
That was so unbelievably long for how boring it was. I wish the rock opera were never invented as a concept, all of the ones that have come up on this list have been insufferably pretentious
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
I feel like I might have resonated more with this if I didn't listen to it half asleep on a commuter train, but hey ho. It's a fun, danceable, hip hop album - easy on the ears, but all the tracks sort of blended together for me with no standouts
Turbonegro
1/5
Pretty awful. At first I thought it was generic rock of the sort you might expect from a teenage band, ie nothing to write home about but ultimately inoffensive. But every time I tuned into the lyrics they were inane edgy nonsense, and all the songs sounded identical, and the vocals are horrible, and it goes on for ages... Definitely gets worse the more you hear
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Pretty stunning. Great voice, consistent jazzy vibe. By turns romantic and poignant. I was surprised so many of her hits were on one album. I was surprised I even knew so many Amy Winehouse songs to be honest. And it's only 34 minutes long to boot? Talk about not overstaying your welcome
White Denim
3/5
Fine background music, not transcendant for me. It's pleasant but not moving - sort of boring in the way psychedelic music generally is
Tom Waits
1/5
In an earlier review I wrote that if Bob Dylan could sing, he'd be Leonard Cohen. Well if Bob Dylan suffered a traumatic brain injury as a child, he'd be Tom Waits instead. I can only imagine that the editors of the 1001 albums book have some kind of inside joke about him that caused them to include multiple of this guys albums. I kind of regret listening to this because it's so bad that I don't think Tom deserves to receive any streaming revenue from it
Fela Kuti
4/5
Out of the gate, the first track was really fun. Full of energy, danceable, vibrant, jazzy. I'm not into the genre enough for this to go into regular rotation for me, but I did have fun listening to it
Megadeth
3/5
High energy, consistent vibe. I'm not super into the shouty lyrical style and obsession with speed trash metal has, but I liked the guitar parts on the final song a lot
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Springsteen writes good songs, but sings like a drunk in the corner of a pub. The slurred, shouty vocals are really off putting to me
TLC
3/5
Some good songs, but talk about overstaying your welcome. This album feels incredibly long, and the cheesy interludes (which from previous albums on this list I've come to realise are a staple of 90s hip hop) don't add anything of value. Waterfalls is catchy as ever, but I'm not surprised that I've never heard anything else from this album before
Paul McCartney
3/5
I really believe Paul McCartney is the most talented Beatle. Of the post-breakup solo albums that have come up for me so far on this list, this had been my favourite. He's just quite good at writing catchy hooks. The guitar and bass parts on this album are pretty good, and it's varied enough to be interesting without seeming all over the place. Still no tracks that really stood out to me, but if I'm honest I wasn't in the mood to pay close attention when I was listening to this
Cypress Hill
4/5
This has such a party vibe. The beats are real foot-tappers, and it sounds like the band are having fun performing the songs, which I always like in an album. I'm not a massive fan of the main rapper's voice though
Mike Oldfield
3/5
Good background music. It's basically two very long ambient tracks, which sounds kind of awful but there's lots of variety in there which keeps interest as you listen. The second track is definitely worse than the first, especially the weird vocals. But overall it's pretty good
PJ Harvey
2/5
Screechy voice, lyrics I can't really make heads or tails of. This is not my cup of tea at all
Kate Bush
3/5
I'm not a big Kate Bush guy. She has a flair for the dramatic in a way I find sort of annoying. But I liked the instrumentation on this album, and when she's not being shrieky her voice is quite nice
Boards of Canada
2/5
Ambient music has always been less inherently interesting to me than music with lyrics, or even just, you know, melody.
This wasn't unpleasant sounding, and it can build quite an interesting atmosphere, but it's also not really attention-holding, and is a very long album.
I wouldn't mind having this sort of thing on in the background while doing some work that required me to not be distracted by my background music. But when you're trying to think of positives about a piece of art and fall back on the utility of it for getting other stuff done, it sort of tells you everything you need to know
Common
3/5
This was ok, but I struggled to form any kind of connection with it. It's quite long, and the chorus of almost every song consists of the song title repeated a bunch of times like a pokemon saying its name. Yer man has a nice voice though. Since watching Silo I can't hear it without thinking of Robert Sims, which makes it a bit harder to take the rapping seriously
X-Ray Spex
2/5
This might be the least bad punk album I've heard. It actually sounded good until the singing started. I liked the youthful energy, the refreshingly (for punk) un-amateurish instrument playing, and the use of saxophone. It's also not overly long. But even a short album with shrieky singing becomes hard to bear pretty quickly
Blondie
4/5
Really good. I knew some of these songs but hadn't realised they were all by Blondie. It's very catchy, has a fun energy, and some great beats
Christina Aguilera
3/5
This was okay, but too long. Aguilera has such a strong voice, which I like in small doses, but listening to it for an hour plus starts to feel like you're being yelled at. Also the song "You Are Beautiful" was so overplayed in my childhood that I'd be more than happy to never hear it again
Iggy Pop
2/5
This was too artsy for my taste. I read on Wikipedia that the music was composed by David Bowie and Iggy Pop wrote the lyrics to fit, and you can kind of tell. I enjoyed it more than I enjoy David Bowie though, because at least this guy doesn't do the weird Bowie vocal theatrics (to be fair, he does his own weird vocal theatrics, but they're less obnoxious to me)
Rod Stewart
5/5
Rod Stewart had faded out of pop culture relevance before I was born. I knew of him, but had only really heard the song Maggie May, and mostly I was aware of him through jokey references which made him seem particularly lame and old-fashioned.
This album completely disintegrated my preconceptions of him. It's just fantastic. His raspy voice is emotive without feeling hammy or affected, the songs run the gamut from rocking tunes that make you want to move (the guitar solo outro on Cut Across Shorty is awesome) to romantic ballads while still having a consistent country-rock vibe. It's not overly long either. Kind of a Van Morrison vibe going on. I listened to this three times in as many days. It just works for me
Britney Spears
3/5
This is hilariously of its time - "Email my heart" feels like a parody song. Having said that, the hits are hits for a reason. Quite a nostalgic listen
The White Stripes
3/5
It's alright. I feel like the White Stripes are kind of overrated, but it's not unpleasant. If you were making a TV show and had a scene somewhere where rock music might be playing (like a record shop?), this is exactly the kind of generic rock that you'd choose to have play in the background as diegetic noise
Led Zeppelin
2/5
The more Led Zeppelin I hear the less I like it. The guitars and drums are cool, but the singer ruins everything. What an annoying voice. Also the Lord of the Rings references in random songs feel quite jarring when interspersed with lyrics of adjacent songs that are basically saying "ooh baby, ooh mama" roughly seventy times consecutively
Pantera
3/5
Cool riffs, but I just can't get on with metal vocals. If this were an instrumental album I'd like it a lot more. Having said that, listening to a bunch of metal albums from this list has kind of made it grow on me slowly. If I'd heard this as the first album, I'd probably rate it a 1 or a 2
4/5
This was awesome. Similar vibe to Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, but without the cowboy angle. I love the singer's voice, and the pedal steel guitar sound. And it's a nice snappy album too
Kings of Leon
3/5
Unremarkable. The two songs I'd heard before were the only decent ones. The singer's whiny voice gets old very quickly
The Incredible String Band
1/5
This was awful hipster nonsense from the time of the OG hipsters. Hate psychedelic music
2/5
This is alright, but drags on a bit. The weird noise track halfway through is pretty off-putting. I feel like Britpop in general is just not really my jam
Sinead O'Connor
2/5
Not really my cup of tea. It's very dramatic in a way I find kind of irritating
John Lee Hooker
3/5
Good blues album. Music that makes you want to move. But not really attention-holding for me
Ray Price
3/5
This is pleasant enough old-timey country music. Love the fiddle playing and pedal steel, and Price's voice is great. It's just a bit too old-timey for my taste - kind of soporific in album-sized doses
Pretenders
4/5
I really liked this. The vocals are idiosyncratic without being irritating, and the instruments have great energy - I especially liked the bass playing.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Great voice, the smooth Bossa Nova vibe is very relaxing. But I wouldn't choose to listen to this kind of music of my own volition under most circumstances. It's very chill, but a little boring
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Based on the Wikipedia synopsis, I fully expected to loathe this album. Long, psychedelic, experimental, poorly received by the public - all the hallmarks of a bad time. So my expectations were super low going in, and I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was merely kind of boring
Paul Weller
3/5
This is an album that's less than the sum of its parts. I like his voice, I really like the guitars, there's a consistent vibe throughout, and it's a lovely chill one that I can really get on board with. But none of the songs really have a hook that makes you want to move, or that you keep humming after you've listened to it. There's something sort of boring about this that makes it slide off my brain like a fried egg off a teflon pan. And at nearly an hour in runtime that really stops me from raring this any higher than a middle-of-the-road 3
Mudhoney
2/5
Sort of generic grungy rock - I didn't particularly care for it but it's not actively bad
Sparks
2/5
This was trying too hard to be fun and ended up being kind of overwrought instead. It really dragged on for me and I couldn't really make heads or tails of the lyrics. The singer has incredible range, I'll grant you, but it's not used to any effect I particularly cared for
Eagles
3/5
Fairly generic dad rock. Not great, not terrible
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I quite liked the music, not so the singing. Very shouty vocal style, not my cup of tea
Duke Ellington
4/5
Reminds me of the music that plays over the end credits of Monsters Inc. I'm no jazz-head in general, but I kind of dig this. It's very pleasant to have on in the background. Take the A Train is really catchy and has a timelessness to it - it sounds instantly familiar even though I hadn't heard it before
PJ Harvey
1/5
The third PJ Harvey album that this list has given me, and it's as bad as the others. I really hate this style of singing with the screamy constipated sound
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
This was very pleasant, and easy to listen to while working. Not enough my cup of tea that I'd listen to it again, but I'm glad to have heard it once
Raekwon
2/5
This felt interminable. The mafia styling is cringy, and the album goes on for way too long without doing anything I find particularly interesting
The Young Gods
1/5
Awful. This is mostly noise and goes on for ages with no improvement
Everything But The Girl
3/5
I listened to this on a sleepy morning commute, and the chill vibes really suited how I was feeling. I really like the singer's voice on this (kind of reminiscent of Dido). Overall pretty good, but perhaps a little boring. I can't really see myself reaching for this album to listen through from start to finish again. If I were in the right mood there are other albums I'd pick over this one
John Prine
4/5
A high, nasal voice (but can really hold a note); deceptively simple folk-style guitar arrangements; beautiful, poetic, sometimes funny lyrics about ordinary people, political satire, and emotional experience - I feel like the person Bob Dylan fans seem to describe when they rave about him has actually been John Prine all along. Unlike Dylan, Prine can really sing (though his voice is still a bit of an acquired taste). I kind of loved this, though the style is not something I'd reach for to listen to regularly
Scott Walker
2/5
Very dramatic. Walker's voice suits the style well and is very emotive. I like the orchestral backing arrangements. But this kind of music just sort of does nothing for me, generally speaking