Journey in Progress
Discovering music one album at a time
330
Albums Rated
3.15
Avg Rating
32
5-Star Albums
30%
Complete
759 albums remaining
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4.8
Per Week
483
Days Active
Reviews
244
Written
74%
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vs Global
-0.19
Avg Diff
3.15
Avg Rating
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How you rate albums
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Which era do you prefer?
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Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Indie
Favorite Genre
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Top Origin
Balanced
Rater Style
11
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitte Orca | 5 | 2.69 | +2.31 |
| Slanted And Enchanted | 5 | 3.03 | +1.97 |
| Loveless | 5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
| Either Or | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
| Fleet Foxes | 5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
| Tusk | 5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
| The Modern Dance | 4 | 2.48 | +1.52 |
| Surfer Rosa | 5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| Foo Fighters | 5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| The Suburbs | 5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Marshall Mathers LP | 1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
| Aja | 1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
| Blue Lines | 1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
| C'est Chic | 1 | 3.34 | -2.34 |
| The Slim Shady LP | 1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
| At Folsom Prison | 2 | 3.99 | -1.99 |
| Ghosteen | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
| Exodus | 2 | 3.94 | -1.94 |
| At San Quentin | 2 | 3.81 | -1.81 |
| The White Room | 1 | 2.79 | -1.79 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and high weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 5 | 5 | 4.25 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| Pixies | 3 | 4.67 | 3.83 |
| Pink Floyd | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 2 | 5 | 3.8 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 4.33 | 3.67 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums and low weighted score
| Artist | Albums | Avg | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eminem | 2 | 1 | 2.2 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 4 | 2.25 | 2.57 |
5-Star Albums (32)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Johnny Cash
2/5
I guess I was enjoying it more than the Folsom Prison album. But it was only about 34 minutes, he spent a lot of time taking, and played the same song twice in a row. So how much did I enjoy? Like 10 minutes?
Also, did Johnny Cash not know how to tune a guitar?
3 likes
Bob Dylan
5/5
There are a few songs I don't necessary love, but I have to appreciate that this was Dylan shocking his audience by going electric. Then the last few songs are back to his acoustic style, but with songwriting elevated so much beyond his earlier work. It's almost like he was challenging them to complain that he had changed.
This is when Dylan became Dylan.
1 likes
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
I always feel like I should like this band more than I do. But it just doesn't do much for me. The album is good, but I don't know if I'll listen to it much.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (11)
All Ratings
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Al Green
4/5
Fela Kuti
4/5
Duran Duran
3/5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Beatles
5/5
Sister Sledge
2/5
Talking Heads
4/5
Method Man
2/5
Billy Joel
3/5
Gary Numan
4/5
The xx
3/5
Radiohead
5/5
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Death In Vegas
3/5
Talking Heads
3/5
Johnny Cash
2/5
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Pixies
4/5
Steely Dan
4/5
Cool vibe. Sort of CSNY combined with a little bit of the Grateful Dead/funky blues sound.
The Who
4/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Fleet Foxes
5/5
David Ackles
3/5
Queen
4/5
The Doors
4/5
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Rush
2/5
Haircut 100
3/5
Grateful Dead
2/5
Beatles
5/5
Oasis
3/5
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Pixies
5/5
Not my favorite Pixies album, but it's the best representation of their style. It's loud then it's quiet, it's melodic then it's dissonant, it's creepy then it's cute.
Stereo MC's
2/5
3/5
The Sonics
2/5
Iggy Pop
3/5
Jane Weaver
3/5
Simple Minds
4/5
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
Snoop Dogg
2/5
Suzanne Vega
2/5
Maxwell
2/5
Minutemen
4/5
Frank Zappa
4/5
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Roxy Music
3/5
The Associates
3/5
Solomon Burke
3/5
The Temptations
3/5
Def Leppard
2/5
The Stranglers
3/5
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Better than Metal Box. But still just not my thing
Fats Domino
3/5
Cool to hear some very early rock and roll.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Great alt rock / grunge album. It's a lot more polished than the other albums of the time. Had a great balance of sounds and styles. Good listen that didn't get boring
Television
4/5
I really enjoyed this. I had been meaning to check this band out for years because I know they influenced a lot of the music I love.
The guitar melodies were fun. The chord progression were interesting. The vocals were great.
Throbbing Gristle
3/5
Very good for what it is. I don't know if I will ever listen to it again. But it was interesting to listen to.
It reminded me a lot of Revolution 9
Talking Heads
4/5
Probably my favorite of the Talking Heads albums so far
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
I liked it better than the other Bob Marley album
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Really interesting musically. I thought the lyrics were relatable.
Neil Young
4/5
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Just not really my thing.
Tangerine Dream
2/5
Just not my thing. Pretty forgettable
Jethro Tull
3/5
Cool sound. I liked the rock music with flute and piano.
I don't know if I'm totally on the same wavelength, but it was fun to listen to and I will probably listen again at some point
Kraftwerk
2/5
Not bad. I can tell it's very influential. But I just didn't really enjoy most of it.
Michael Jackson
3/5
The hits are great. But a few of the other tracks felt like boring filler.
Les Rythmes Digitales
2/5
I don't really listen to this style if music. So I can't say if this is good or bad. But it's not something I will listen to again. To chaotic for my to listen to while working, and not interesting enough for when I'm focusing on music.
Motörhead
2/5
It was fine. I generally don't like heavy metal, but I didn't mind this. I don't think I'll listen to it again though
Michael Jackson
3/5
I had a pretty similar response to Bad. The hits, like Rock With You, are amazing. But the rest of the songs just didn't catch me. They felt like filler. Maybe it's just because I haven't heard those songs all my life, so I have no attachment to them.
Public Enemy
3/5
Cool protest album. It had a lot of serious points but it made them with a kind of humor that was fun to listen to. Musically a lot different than most hip hop that I'm familiar with. Some metal style guitar
Billie Holiday
2/5
It was all fine. But none of the songs really captured my attention. Sure has a unique voice that I don't really love. Probably because I didn't grow up listening to her, so I don't really feel nostalgia on her sound
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
Cool bit of musical history. I don't know if any other album references Cream and Satie in a way that works this well. I enjoyed the instrumentation and variety.
It's probably a 3.5 for me. I liked it, but I don't see it going into my regular listing rotation.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
I really love his voice. He makes falsetto sound so natural.
I do think this album could have been a little shorter and it would have had more impact.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Fun album. Really nice sound. I don't know if it'll go into my rotation of music that I actually listen to though
James Brown
3/5
Fun album. Quick and had a handful of memorable moments.
Morrissey
4/5
I was surprised that I liked this as much as I did, because I've never been a big fan of the Smiths. I really liked his voice on this.
Faith No More
2/5
Didn't love the vocals or the vibe on this. The chorus on Epic sounded cool for a second. So that brings it to 2 stars
Willie Nelson
3/5
This was a really solid album that was really peaceful to listen to. Not a lot that really got me excited, but it definitely has it's place.
I think this is a 3.5/5, but at they moment I'm feeling like a 3 fits better than a 4
The Kinks
4/5
The Kinks are always fun.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Overall it was better than I expected. A few catchy songs and pretty consistent.
My Bloody Valentine
5/5
Probably a 9/10 for me. It's the perfect execution of the genre.
Just rock music distilled down to a vibe. In a way, I might not know what any of the songs are about. But I know what they feel like.
The Beta Band
3/5
I initially judged this album by the silly comic book art cover. I thought it was going to be ska or something. But I was pleasantly surprised. The songs were fun.
I'm having trouble remembering much about the album the morning after though. So I think that makes it a solid 3/5. But I'll most likely listen to this again
Eels
4/5
Ive only really heard a handful of Eels songs. But this album was pretty solid. Reminded me a bit of Sparklehorse
The Cars
4/5
Really tight sound. Fun melodies and guitar riffs.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
It was all great and I'm sure it was groundbreaking at the time. But I think it was so influential that it just doesn't sound special anymore.
It was all good. Maybe I'll listen more and it will grow on me.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I didn't really enjoy this one as much as Paranoid, but it was fine. The guitar work was really good.
I think it's a 2.5 for me, but I'm rounding up because I'm not positive that I listened to the best version of it. There are other track listings and the vocals sounded oddly choppy at times, so maybe there's a remaster that I'd dig more.
The Triffids
2/5
I just wasn't into it. It just felt really cheesy and self-righteous. Not necessarily terrible musically. I just didn't care about any of the songs
Boards of Canada
3/5
Good stuff. I enjoyed working while listening to it. Some interesting songs. But overall it's just not really a genre that does much for me. But I'll probably listen again
Moby
3/5
Fun album. Great music to work to or drive to. I think it's a 3.5/5 for me
U2
4/5
I liked this album more than The Joshua Tree. The band had a lot of cool rhythm going on. Bono's vocals were great and the lyrics felt like they had a cohesive viewpoint.
Foo Fighters
5/5
Maybe there's some nostalgia at work here, but this is just a perfect record to me. I haven't heard most of these songs since the mid 90s. But I'll definitely listen a lot more.
The pacing keeps me interested. The guitar tone goes from crunchy to twangy to fit the mood. The vocals and lyrics are intense but whimsical.
I haven't been very interested in most of the Foo Fighters later work. But this album just feels like a cultural epoch.
Willie Nelson
3/5
It was a good country album. I got a little bored, but it wasn't a long record
Sepultura
1/5
I know someone is into this. But I am not. I don't doubt the skill or technique of the musicians. But it's just not my thing.
Whatever experience these musicians are providing is not the experience that I look for in music.
The Who
3/5
Good album. Well recorded for a live show
The Black Keys
4/5
Great album. I've listened to it before, but it's interesting to put it up next to the classic stuff we've heard lately. It definitely holds it's own. Fun songs. Clean recording. Distinctive style.
CHIC
3/5
Disco isn't really my thing, but this album kept it fresh so I didn't get bored.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I didn't really have the time to listen to this one as closely as I think it deserves. The music is very complex. There are lots of non-musical sounds mixed with heavily processed synths, but then the there are pleasant acoustic guitars. I find myself wondering how they even started composing these songs.
I don't know if the angsty lyrics always work for me. Maybe when I was younger I would have identified with them more.
Hurt is the perfect final track. The fact that he wrote such a beautiful and poetic song, and still recorded it in such a complex way was definitely a risk. But it comes across beautifully.
The Coral
3/5
Good album. I liked his voice. I'm not sure I was really into a few of the songs. Maybe I'll try listening again
Judas Priest
2/5
Before I started the 1001 Album project, I thought that heavy metal was all about hyper masculinity, dark symbolism and just loud in-your-face aggression.
But now I understand that all of that is just a way of compensating for some of the cheesiest music you can imagine.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This one is tough to rate. I think there are some of the best songs every written on this album. Don't Think Twice, Blowin in the Wind, Masters of War, A Hard Rains A-Gonna Fall. Incredible.
But there are just enough filler tracks like Bob Dylan's Blues that I have a hard time saying is a perfect 5.
Roni Size
2/5
It was fine as background music. But a lot of the songs sounded the same. It's not really a genre that does anything for me.
I typically give a 2 to stuff I don't like. It feels harsh here. I'm not sure that this music was really created to be judged as an album, in the same way that Abbey Road or Dark Side of the Moon were. But that's what this rating system compares. So on that scale it was long and boring.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I enjoyed all of this and I think some of it could really grow on me with some more listens.
I don't really know how to review a double album. If it had just been Abattoir Blues, maybe I would have given it a 4. But as a complete album, it felt like it lost a lot of steam in the middle (The Lyre of Orpheus) and dragged on. Should I listen to these halves separately? Maybe. But I have to give a rating to the whole album.
New Order
3/5
It was fine.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
3/5
Fun southern rock album. I enjoyed every song on the album, but Tuesdays Gone and Freebird are standouts.
I considered bumping up to a 4 but I don't really see myself listening to this much.
The Stone Roses
3/5
It was fine. I'm having trouble remembering anything, but I remember thinking it was fine
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Fine album
Pavement
5/5
Perfect album. The tone goes from raw to polished. The lyrics and vocals go from dramatic to whimsical. There's noise and dissonance but it doesn't overwhelm. Everything feels effortless while also feeling meticulously constructed. It's all about contradictions.
This is definitely one of the albums on the Mt Rushmore of modern indie music. It influenced everyone, but somehow I can't think of another band that sounds anything like Pavement.
Blur
4/5
Fun album. I enjoyed some songs more than others, btw never for bored.
T. Rex
4/5
I'm surprised that I'm not familiar with this band. The only song I recognized was "Bang a Gong". It was a fun album with an interesting sound. There were a few songs that kind of slowed down the momentum, but I have a feeling I'll listen to it again, and it will grow on me.
David Bowie
4/5
I'm a big Bowie fan, but haven't listened to this one yet. It was a lot of fun and I'll definitely listen to it again. It's not a 5 probably because I have to compare it to Ziggy Stardust. The album as a whole doesn't have the same impact as that one.
Elvis Presley
3/5
It was good. I probably won't listen to it much again. But not bad
David Bowie
3/5
It was fine, but there are much better Bowie albums and there are much better albums from 2013.
A lot of the entries in this list from the last 20 years really seem arbitrary. I think the authors don't really know music from this period.
Tom Waits
4/5
I'm still digesting this album. It didn't grab me the way that Rain Dogs or Mule Variations did. But I don't think I appreciated those albums at first either. It's likely that I'd end up giving it a 3 in the long run. But I'm feeling hopeful.
This week, I was happy to listen to something that felt like it was taking risks. I remember when I was younger and getting tired of all my music sounding the same. Then I discovered Rain Dogs and it sounded like nothing I'd ever heard before. Almost like outsider art, but still very polished when it wanted to be.
Beck
3/5
It was good, but I think it got a little monotonous. None of the songs were bad. But it would have been improved if there was a little more energy here or there
John Coltrane
4/5
Really solid jazz album. A classic that that I remember playing with friend in college.
It's always pleasant and interesting. Every time I listen, I notice more. I will definitely keep this on rotation.
Supertramp
4/5
I usually don't really get into prog rock, but this one was great. There were a lot of cool harmonies and song structures. But it didn't feel like it got lost in itself, like prog usually does. They were just fun songs playing with cool ideas.
Duke Ellington
3/5
Good chill album
Weather Report
3/5
It was fine
Led Zeppelin
5/5
It's crazy that a British band is able to absolutely nail so many forms of Americana. This album covers blues, rock, folk, and a little bluegrass, and it does them all flawlessly.
There are so many singles on this album. But they also work together to produce a nice flow for the album that keeps you engaged the whole time.
R.E.M.
4/5
It was a really cool sound. I honestly didn't get to listen to this too closely. I will have to come back it to.
It would probably be a 3.5, but the fact that it came out in 1983 makes me want to round up to a 4. This is what all indie and alternative music sounded like in the later 80 and the 90s. And you can still hear it today.
Radiohead
5/5
Crazy how many perfect albums Radiohead can create that are all so different. This is the one I listened to the day of came out, so it has a special place in my heart.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Excellent band name. Okay music.
Bauhaus
2/5
Didn't really work for me. Maybe it was really influential or something. But I don't plan to listen to this again.
The Prodigy
2/5
The music wasn't very exciting and the edgy lyrics don't hold up.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
It was all fine and there were some cool moments in songs like Band on the Run, Let, and Let Me Roll It. But then they seemed to drag a little.
k.d. lang
2/5
She has a good voice, but I was just bored my the songs
GZA
3/5
It was fine. I didn't play too close of attention to the lyrics. But musically it was enjoyable.
The samurai themed interludes don't really work for me, but they aren't as bad as a lot of the other sketches in this era of hip hop.
Madonna
3/5
Fun album. It was nice to hear an iconic female artist on this list.
The title track is a banger and there are a few more that I liked, but overall I don't think I'll listen to the album again
Björk
3/5
I enjoyed the whole album. Very complicated and original. I'll listen to it again to understand it better. But I don't know that I will listen to it much more than that.
4/5
Cool rock album. I really liked her voice and style
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
It was good classic blues rock
Beatles
5/5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Queen
3/5
It was all really well done. Just not really a vibe I was into at the moment. There were a lot of very complicated and dynamic arrangements. It was impressive, but I just kind of felt anxious listening to it.
Pretenders
4/5
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
I don't really know what to make of this one. At times it felt like outsider art because of how unpolished it was. It reminded me a bit of when I used to go on message boards and share songs I recorded in my bedroom with people around the world.
There was a moment when I was worried that I accidentally listened to the demo versions or something.
I feel like there's a story behind it. But musically I don't think it grabbed me
Kate Bush
3/5
I liked her voice and there were a lot of cool elements to the music. Overall it felt a little dated and didn't really grab me. But there were a few good tracks
Richard Hawley
4/5
At the beginning of the album, I was ready to write it off as boring. But the style and his voice really grew on me. By the time I got to The Ocean, and I heard the emotion in his voice, I realized I was wrong. At the end, I considered giving this a 5. But I'm not sure the album as a whole deserved a perfect score.
I'll definitely listen more and look up his other stuff
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
The standout tracks were Somebody to Love and White Rabbit, which were the ones I already knew. Everything else was fine, but didn't really grab me
Coldplay
4/5
A lot of great songs on this album. A few of them don't have the same impact. But overall it was a solid album
Marty Robbins
2/5
k
Super Furry Animals
3/5
There was a lot of fun and interesting stuff on this album, and it was certainly original. But I don't know if any of it really grabbed me. But it might grow on me with more listens
Sebadoh
3/5
I liked the sound, but didn't connect with a few of the songs
Nick Drake
3/5
It's weird because Pink Moon is one of my favorite albums, but I just can't get into this one. I almost feel like I'm giving it a 3/5 just on the strength of Pink Moon.
But there was really interesting guitar and his voice is beautiful.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
A perfect album composed of so many perfect songs. It has heartfelt songs filled with nostalgia like the title track and The Boxer. It has fun and quirky songs like Baby Driver and Keep the Customer Satisfied. It feels like they must run out of material at some point, and then they knock you down with Only Living Boy in New York.
This album could be so much worse and still be a 5.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
It's cool listening to music that is so unfamiliar. I enjoyed the whole album, but I do think some of the songs were too drawn out. But I'm generally not a fan of jam band music either.
Nightmares On Wax
2/5
This was fine and I enjoyed bits here and there. It was good to have on in the background while working. But overall, it's not a style of music that interests me.
Talvin Singh
2/5
I love the Indian instruments, but I just didn't like the sound of this. It was a little too chaotic
4/5
This is an easy 4 for me. Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, Don't Look Back in Anger, and Cast No Shadow are all great songs. The rest of the album is solid and keeps up the momentum, but aren't as powerful.
Massive Attack
1/5
1 seems harsh, but I really didn't enjoy anything on this album. The rap wasn't interesting, the singing was underwhelming, and the music was boring. I'm just glad it wasn't too long.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Kinda boring and then all of a sudden he starts singing about murdering some girl. Super weird.
3/5
Radiohead
5/5
Radiohead showing more of their rock chops. A lot more banger tracks that you could dance to.
I remember hearing Paranoid Android when I was in high school and it blew my mind.
Soundgarden
3/5
Some good songs, but the rest of the tracks didn't really live to do the singles.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
Remember when Bowling for Columbine came out, and everyone was like "oh Marilyn Manson is actually a normal and thoughtful dude". But now we know that he's actually a psycho violent abuser. So this time I guess our parents were right to clutch their pearls.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Not bad. But not very interesting. Don't expect to listen again.
Green Day
4/5
Fun punk rock that doesn't take itself too seriously.
Depeche Mode
3/5
A couple of catchy songs like Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence.
I'm sure they are a very influential band, so it definitely has a place on the list and I'm glad I listened. But I probably won't listen much more.
Johnny Cash
2/5
I guess I was enjoying it more than the Folsom Prison album. But it was only about 34 minutes, he spent a lot of time taking, and played the same song twice in a row. So how much did I enjoy? Like 10 minutes?
Also, did Johnny Cash not know how to tune a guitar?
Gram Parsons
2/5
This was very good for what it was. But I'm not sure that I'm interested in this style. Torn between a 2 and a 3. But I don't think I'll listen again.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I don't think Nick Cave's style is really suited to this schedule of listening to an album every day. I think he does something well, but I'm just having trouble getting into it. Maybe if I were in the mood and had time to process, I would get it. But it was a rough listen.
The Who
3/5
Pretty cool album. I enjoyed listening to it from a sort of historical perspective. I didn't really vibe with many of the songs. But it was fun to hear a really subversive side of The Who with all the satire of consumerism.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
What an incredible voice. There are several standout tracks, like the title track, Mercy Mercy Me, Inner City Blues. But then the rest of the tracks weave together in a way that is really unique for a soul album.
The War On Drugs
4/5
War on a Drugs sounds like of Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen collaborated with the Flaming Lips or something. Cool ethereal sound, but very personal lyrics. Good stuff
Santana
3/5
Good jam album. Fun to listen to, but I probably won't listen much in the future
2/5
There were a few ideas here that I liked. But overall I just didn't enjoy listening to most of it. The first song was really unpleasant and chaotic. A lot of the lyrics were cheesy.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Cool view of the earlier days of rap. I enjoyed it for the most part, but it's not really my style
Pixies
5/5
Landmark album for alternative music and also for my personal musical taste. When I picked this up as a teenager, I'd never heard anything like it. Something so serious but also a little whimsical. Great guitar work. Dynamic vocals.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I don't usually like Frank Sinatra, but I enjoyed this album. His voice was on point and the songs were fun.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Super fun and funky. Never gets boring. A great album to put yourself in a good mood
Buzzcocks
3/5
I was concerned that a late 70s punk record would be a little too avant garde or noisy. But this was fun. I could see how this style evolved into some of the early 90s punk rock like Green Day
Boston
2/5
I was feeling like it could be a 3 for the first couple of songs. But by the end, I was just ready to listen to something else. Nothing specific that I didn't like. I just didn't find much to enjoy after the first song.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I don't think I recognized any of these songs, but it was sort tight the whole way through. I can't believe it was an hour and 14 minutes long. It didn't feel like it.
It didn't have the make of the anthemic bangers that I associate with Fleetwood Mac. But the vocals, guitar work, and songwriting were all there in peak form.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Fun style. A couple of standout tracks like Allison and Less Than Zero.
The B-52's
2/5
Maybe on another day this could have been a 3. But it was just not my thing.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
I listened twice, but I don't really remember anything. Not terrible, just kind of boring
De La Soul
4/5
One of the best rap albums I've ever heard. The beats were fun and could stand on their own. The lyrics felt like a few guys just having a good time and trying to make each other laugh.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Thunder Road kicks of this album with nostalgia and heart. The title track is one of the greatest songs ever written. Just a great album throughout.
The Doors
3/5
It was okay. It was a lot more focused on jamming than on the songwriting, compared to the self titled album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Fun songs with a couple standout tracks (Who'll Stop the Rain). I enjoyed it, but I likely won't listen again
The Saints
4/5
I didn't expect punk to be this musically interesting. There were interesting melodies, horns, catchy choruses.
I'm a fan. I'll listen to this a lot.
Happy Mondays
2/5
Mostly fine. A few of the songs were bad.
CHIC
1/5
I just didn't feel like there was anything here for me
Derek & The Dominos
4/5
King Crimson
2/5
Not for me.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
It was good. It didn't catch me the rest that M.A.D.D. city did though
Simply Red
2/5
Didn't really do anything for me
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
I grew up listening to some of these songs, so sometimes it's hard to realize that an actual human wrote songs like Dreams or The Chain. It feels like they must have been handed down from a mountain top.
The Black Crowes
2/5
I just couldn't get into this guy's voice
Scott Walker
2/5
Not really bad, but just nothing that caught my interest
Bad Brains
2/5
Nope. Don't like that.
Arcade Fire
5/5
This album came out just as I graduated college and moved into the suburbs. It defined that part of my life.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Great album, but I've always had a problem connecting with it.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Maybe I didn't have enough time to process this one yesterday. It was all good, but didn't hit me the way that Stevie Wonder usually does
Burning Spear
3/5
One of the things I like about this project is hearing protest and political music from artists I've never heard of. It's a really cool look into history.
I'm not really into reggae, but this was decent.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Paul McCartney
4/5
What I have always liked about this album is that it wasn't meant to be a 5 star record.
It was just Paul doing what he does. He recorded it at home and got his wife to sing a little. When I was a teenager dreaming of being a musician, this album showed me that you could just record on a 4-track in your bedroom and still do something worthwhile. It didn't need perfection; the imperfections are what gave it character.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Good stuff. I'll listen again sometime. It might grow on me
Eminem
1/5
He's trying so hard to be offensive and he's also whining that people are offended.
I'm not saying he shouldn't be allowed to rap about violence with women screaming in the background. I just don't want to listen to it.
The Sugarcubes
3/5
Interesting stuff. Probably not something I'll put on again, but it's cool to hear where Bjork started
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
2/5
I guess it was fine. Just a lot of heavy handed political commentary. I'm on board with all of his points, but they wasn't really anything exciting musically to get me interested
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Good calm album to listen to.
Meat Loaf
2/5
I feel like Meat Loaf is really good at what he does, but I just don't think I understand what that is
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Spacemen 3
3/5
Beatles
5/5
This is the Beatles at their musical peak. The orchestrations, the horns, the contrapuntal melodies, the Indian instrumentation, backwards recordings. They were experimenting, but the songwriting is all solid.
The White Stripes
4/5
Fun album. The White Stripes do blues rock, while also being very original. I really like how Jack White plays with dissonance with his guitar and vocal work.
Elton John
4/5
Elvis Presley
3/5
Some solid Elvis hits, but it also lacked a lot of the polish I think it would have had a few years later. Some of that lead guitar was... not very impressive.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Nice voice and great orchestrations made for a really clean and nostalgic vibe. I think the songs got a little less engaging after the first half. If they'd all been as catchy as Son of a Preacher Man, it would have been at least a 4.
William Orbit
2/5
It all just kinda blended together
Yes
3/5
Cool sounds. The guitar work was great. I didn't really connect to many of the songs and I don't see myself reaching for this in the future.
Black Sabbath
2/5
I've heard a bunch of okay songs from Black Sabbath, like Crazy Train or Iron Man. I assumed the rest of their songs would be on the same level. Is this a legendary band that only has 2 good songs?
Brian Eno
3/5
I don't really have the energy to process this right now. It was kind of interesting, but I'm not really into this style of ambient/electronic music
Kid Rock
2/5
Musically it was mostly fine, although it was too long. But I just get annoyed at an artist constantly acting like a victim. He just wants to believe that he grew up in a trailer so bad.
Digital Underground
2/5
It was silly in the same vein as Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul, but it wasn't as clever. There weren't any standout grooves either.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
A solid album with a few standout tracks. But I probably won't listen to the album as a whole much
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I liked the style and maybe with a few more listens it would grow on me. I liked the lyrical style that was both silly and overly dramatic.
Air
3/5
Interesting. I'm surprised there is a soundtrack on this list, but it was good. Maybe I'll check out the movie.
MGMT
4/5
Cool modern psychedelic rock. I feel like a few of these songs still get as much play in the radio as they did in 2007
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Such a unique and timeless sound. From the first notes I was thinking how cool it sounded. I was worried it would lose steam by the end, but it didn't.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
It was okay. A lot going on and it was a long album. So it was hard to process one day
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Blur
3/5
It was fine
Talking Heads
3/5
Lot of Talking Heads in this list
David Bowie
4/5
I enjoyed it, but I really think there are better Bowie albums
Q-Tip
4/5
Not as silly as his Tribe Called Quest stuff, but it was a fun album
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
Ute Lemper
2/5
OutKast
3/5
It was fine.
King Crimson
3/5
Steely Dan
1/5
It's like if an elevator music writer was trying to create the auditory equivalent of a PowerPoint star wipe
The Cult
3/5
It was all fine, but not really groundbreaking in my opinion. It sounds like the kind of band you'd hear in a bar on a Saturday night.
Mercury Rev
3/5
It was an interesting sound. I'm not surprised that the band was tight with the Flaming Lips. It reminded me of their early stuff.
But I didn't really get hooked by anything. I'll give it another shot someday
Rush
2/5
I get that they are technically talented, but it just doesn't sound good to me
Thin Lizzy
4/5
This album surprised me a little. I always thought Thin Lizzy was heavy metal, but this was a lot more dynamic than that. It was a little bit blues, jam, prog, folk, and a lot more.
I personally like an album to be a little shorter to have better impact. So I'm not sure I'll listen to this again. But I enjoyed it.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
It's fine
Goldfrapp
3/5
There was probably more going on than I had the bandwidth to pick up yesterday. It was all pleasant. But it kind of felt like background music to me
Bob Dylan
5/5
There are a few songs I don't necessary love, but I have to appreciate that this was Dylan shocking his audience by going electric. Then the last few songs are back to his acoustic style, but with songwriting elevated so much beyond his earlier work. It's almost like he was challenging them to complain that he had changed.
This is when Dylan became Dylan.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Carole King
4/5
Spiritualized
3/5
I somehow feel like if I had discovered this album at the right time, it would have struck me as much more engaging. But I just really couldn't get into it, after several listens. It was a solid 3.
Various Artists
4/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I've always had trouble understanding why the Rolling Stones have such a legendary status. Except for a few of their big hits, they sound completely mediocre to me.
Wild Horses and Dead Flowers are great songs. The rest just sounds like filler. I've never listened too closely to the lyrics of Brown Sugar before, but now that I did holy shit...
Otis Redding
4/5
AC/DC
3/5
Leonard Cohen
3/5
I think if I took the time to process all the lyrics, I might appreciate this more. It was find, but it clearly wasn't written to be musically impressive.
The KLF
1/5
For most electronic stuff I just think I don't get it, but I still think it sounds fine. But not this one. This one was bad.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
I enjoyed it. It's a cool view into the late 60s psychedelic rock movement that I had not heard of before.
The Waterboys
3/5
It's well done. The songwriting is good and the band has a cool sound. But this style of Irish rock has never really done much for me.
The Cure
3/5
I liked the sound and I always appreciate a unique style and point of view. But it really dragged on for the last few songs
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Really solid jazz album. I liked the vibe with the audience that made the album feel like a real live performance.
David Bowie
3/5
It was fine. There are much better Bowie albums
Pere Ubu
4/5
I'm glad I have this one a second listen. There was a lot of noise and dissonance that was layered over some really interesting rock music.
One of the lessons I've learned from this project is that if you are going to try to make a statement on an album, it's best to keep it under 45 minutes.
Devendra Banhart
4/5
Muddy Waters
3/5
Really solid blues album
Neil Young
4/5
Air
3/5
It was fine. I enjoyed most of it and it was a very different style of electronic music from what I'm used to.
Justice
2/5
It was mostly fine as background music, but a few of the later some got a little irritating to me
Joan Armatrading
3/5
It was fine. Got a little boring. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this.
Jurassic 5
3/5
It was good. But there weren't really any standout tracks that stuck with me.
The Strokes
5/5
Original sound. Fun songs. I like the way they do sort of "anti-endings" on a bunch of the tracks
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
Cool sound
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Not for me
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
Cool album. Probably not the kind of thing I'll listen to much in the future.
ZZ Top
3/5
It was fine
Green Day
5/5
One of the few examples of a "concept album" in my lifetime that doesn't come off as forced. Green Say reinvented themselves with social commentary that is still relevant today.
The way the songs tie together was really well done, and I respect that even on the streaming version, they lumped songs together to avoid the interruption of a track change.
The Young Gods
1/5
Maybe I should give this the benefit of the doubt and assume the lyrics are genius. But I just didn't enjoy any of this album
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
I always feel like I should like this band more than I do. But it just doesn't do much for me. The album is good, but I don't know if I'll listen to it much.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
Portishead
2/5
Michael Jackson
4/5
Lorde
4/5
Solid songwriting and unique sound. I think a lot of pop starts have been emulating this style for the last few years
Christina Aguilera
2/5
There weren't really any bad songs and her voice is undeniable. Maybe I would have rated it higher, but it was way too long. It dragged.
Queen Latifah
3/5
It was good, but none of the songs really hooked me or were very memorable
The Pogues
3/5
It's fine. Just not vibe I typically go for.
Neil Young
5/5
This is one of those albums that I start hearing in my mind when I think back on my early 20s. Back when I moved across the country and had to figure out what living as an adult meant.
The Police
2/5
I just can't get into the Police.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Probably my favourite of his work. Some decent song writing. But there's just not much to make me want to come back and listen again.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
David Bowie
4/5
Pretty solid album throughout, with a few standouts
Elliott Smith
5/5
This album defined who I wanted to be when I was in high school. That's how I wanted to sing; how I wanted to play guitar; how I wanted to walk down the street.
Grateful Dead
4/5
I'm not that into the Dead, but I've always enjoyed this album. It has more heart that I can get invested in. Musically it's fun and doesn't drag.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Maybe a 3.5. I enjoyed the album and a couple of the songs are really catchy like "Heads will roll"
Dire Straits
3/5
I liked it more than I expected. The guitars were good and it was fun. But it did sound a little dated.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Fun album that was clearly very influential
Fred Neil
3/5
It was fine. Decent songwriting, but nothing really special in my opinion.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I love Joni Mitchell but this album didn't go much for me. Still a decent listen, but I don't think I'll come back to it.
Stan Getz
3/5
5/5
It's goddamn Sgt. Peppers.
Don McLean
2/5
Good songwriting, but boring songs. Even the title track. It's extremely catchy... but it goes on forever. A catchy song should leave you wanting more, but this one over plays it's hand.
2/5
It is musically impressive at times and the production is excellent. But the songwriting is all from this violent point of view of a victim lashing out at an oppressor. I just don't enjoy listening to this sort of aggression.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
It was fine. I don't really know if I get the vibe. But that's just what the 80s were like.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Fun songs. Great voice.
Eminem
1/5
There are some catchy songs and he's definitely talented. But he is clearly trying to define himself by his edginess and shock value.
If you want to say something controversial, that's fine. But I'm just bored by the whole message that he's this victim because everyone wants to censor him.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Fun album with great voices and great songwriting.
Dirty Projectors
5/5
Nothing sounds like the Dirty Projectors, and this is them at their peak.
PJ Harvey
3/5
ZZ Top
3/5
This is the kind of music I'd be into while drinking in a pub or something. But I don't really have much interest in listening in general.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Just a perfect album. It's Bruce at his catchiest and with his best songwriting.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
That baseline is just forever imprinted in my brain
Johnny Cash
3/5
A couple of real standouts, but a few tracks that feel like filler
Morrissey
3/5
It was fine. It seemed more focused on his lyrics than on the music.
PJ Harvey
3/5
PJ Harvey is an icon, and this album is good. But it didn't give me anything to come back for.
Coldplay
3/5
I glanced over the track list and expected that I'd give this one a 4. I think Yellow and Trouble are two on Coldplay's best songs. But then I listened and found that every other track was just boring.
The Police
2/5
I'm not really that into reggae. So British people pretending to be Jamaican is definitely not for me
Common
3/5
Dagmar Krause
2/5
But entirely bad, but there was just nothing there for me
Deee-Lite
2/5
That's exactly what they were going for and they probably did a great job. Not it's not for me.
Sonic Youth
3/5
It was fine. Every few years I decided to give Sonic Youth a shot, and I always find them underwhelming.
Funkadelic
4/5
Sam Cooke
4/5
Normally I'm not that interested in live recordings, but the way he interacted with the audience throughout the entire performance was really fun. And that huge buildup and tease before Bring It in Home was incredible.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
I guess the laid back bluesy vibe was the point. But I had a hard time looking past the stupid vocals.
R.E.M.
3/5
Dead Kennedys
2/5
I wanted to give this a 3 really badly. I like the punk purity of it, but I just don't really enjoy the sound. It is a lot more musically engaging than something like Public Image Limited though.
Janis Joplin
3/5
A couple of standouts, but most of this was just okay.
Linkin Park
2/5
I can't believe I voluntarily listened to an entire Linkin Park album
Dennis Wilson
3/5
I like the scale of it. He can pivot been a single voice with a piano, right into a huge orchestration or a chaotic synth soundscape.
But ultimately the songs just don't do much for me. I'll give it another shot at some point to see if it grows on me.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
It was good, but didn't have the kind of catchy hooks that he had on Pusherman
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Little Richard
3/5
It definitely belongs on this list, and it holds up reasonably well. It's an important part of rock and roll history, but I don't think I'll come back to listen.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Pink Floyd is that constrained my any typical song structure or even album structure.
When I listen to a 10+ minute song from a jam band or a prog rock group, I get bored. It sounds like they are wasting my time. But when Pink Floyd does it, I understand why each minute of the song is important. I understand where it's going, and why the full progression is needed for the full impact.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
Some of the people on this album knew how to play their instruments and had rehearsed. But not all of them.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I did enjoy most of the album but I don't know if I totally understand what it's going for.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
It's fine, but I think the CSN style requires Y to give it a little edge.