466
Albums Rated
3.68
Average Rating
43%
Complete
623 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
1950s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Cheerleader
Rater Style ?
131
5-Star Albums
2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grievous Angel | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Shadowland | 5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
| Damaged | 5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
| I Against I | 5 | 2.93 | +2.07 |
| Sail Away | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind) | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| Fire Of Love | 5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
| Meat Puppets II | 5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
| Here Come The Warm Jets | 5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
| Heartattack And Vine | 5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hybrid Theory | 1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
| Violator | 2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
| Hotel California | 2 | 3.6 | -1.6 |
| So | 2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
| War | 2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
| Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water | 1 | 2.47 | -1.47 |
| Aja | 2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
| Parachutes | 2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
| Diamond Life | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
| Crime Of The Century | 2 | 3.41 | -1.41 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| David Bowie | 5 | 4.6 |
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 4.75 |
| Neil Young | 3 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.67 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.67 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.67 |
| Stevie Wonder | 2 | 5 |
| Curtis Mayfield | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| Michael Jackson | 2 | 5 |
| A Tribe Called Quest | 2 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 2 | 5 |
| Sly & The Family Stone | 2 | 5 |
| Funkadelic | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bob Dylan | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (131)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Neil Young
5/5
"This track seems kinda thin."
"I hear you, what are you thinking, adding an organ or something?"
"No, we need a...shoot, what's it called?"
"Banjo?"
"It's like a banjo.."
"Mandolin?"
Snorts enormous rail of 70s Colombian bam bam...
"Ahhhh...London Symphony Orchestra....that's it. Get me those guys."
5 likes
Bad Brains
5/5
Great fast aggressive technical music. But the vocals are the star.
2 likes
Underworld
2/5
There is a time and place for all music. In this case, let's say that you have to fight Liu Kang on your way through Mortal Kombat. Or, for example, you might be making your way through a crowded dance club, fighting a whole mess of Agent Smiths on your way to meet up with Trinity. In those times, this is 10 out of 10.
2 likes
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
The works of Edgar Allan Poe, if they were turned into a rocking musical with gospel backup singers.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Harry Nilsson
5/5
Gotta Get Up
Without You
Coconut
Jump Into The Fire
...Stone Cold Classics
Early in The Morning
Let the Good Times Roll
Super solid
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Green Day
3/5
Marty Robbins
5/5
ZZ Top
4/5
The Who
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
N.E.R.D
2/5
Ice Cube
5/5
The Replacements
5/5
Miles Davis
5/5
Fela Kuti
5/5
Grizzly Bear
4/5
This album came out at the tail end of the 2000s. That was a good decade, and music like this colored a lot of it. Pitchfork approved indie music.
Smarthphones were just getting going and iPods were still big. Marvel movies hadn't begun to dominate. Social Media didn't have "like" buttons quite yet.
Listening to this take me back there, and I like that.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Far Out Delta Blues.
Madonna
3/5
Baby making music. But where are the hits, Madge?
David Bowie
5/5
Return to the home planet. Listen to this one with headphones, a lot is going on there.
Talking Heads
4/5
Come for David Byrne, stay for Brian Eno and the grooves.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
This was Stevie's 17th studio album. He was 24 when it came out. He was absurd.
Lambchop
3/5
That's nice. Its like the Silver Jews with a strings section.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Willie and the great American songbook.
Deep Purple
3/5
In case you ever need a 6 minute drum solo, we've got you covered.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I liked the faster ones, in particular.
Steely Dan
2/5
After almost 2 years in the studio, and with the help of 40 studio musicians, Fagan and Becker did it. They created the ultimate music to celebrate a really terrific pair of slacks.
The B-52's
4/5
Surprisingly normal and good new wave. The girls particularly liked it making dinner.
Ute Lemper
2/5
"Wanna listen to some edgy tunes by the likes of Nick Cave and Tom Waits?"
"Yeah"
"Want me to do the songs in the style of showtunes?"
"No"
"Very well, 5,6,7,8!"
"Wait...Stop."
Violent Femmes
5/5
Greatest acoustic bass in all of punk rock.
B.B. King
5/5
Lucille and BB five the crowd what it needs.
King Crimson
2/5
"It really is a fine line between stupid....and clever."
-David St Hubbins
Mudhoney
4/5
Take 2 parts of Black Sabbath sludge and mix well with 2 parts Ramones bop. Let stand overnight to create Mudhoney.
Bonus...allow Mudhoney to ferment in the rain for 6 weeks...this will result in Nirvana.
Bad Brains
5/5
Great fast aggressive technical music. But the vocals are the star.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Listening to this alerted me to the fact that Depeche Mode is not Duran Duran and vice versa. In my mind its all the same, but when you listen, its different. Also appreciated the no-tricks Beethoven at the end.
The Verve
4/5
Peak 90s Britpop.
Soft Cell
3/5
Entire song dedicated to a Sex Dwarf.
Coldcut
3/5
Ok I guess. Loved these guys on the Paid in Full remix.
k.d. lang
5/5
KD Lang's voice is so good it got Owen Bradley off the retirement couch and back in the studio with all his old pals. I love this. Some might not vibe with this, but you have to recognize that this is a pure, honest, representation of an original American art form (even if KD is from Alberta).
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Smoother that Ron Burgundy and his Yazz Flute.
Yes
2/5
YES!?
More like....maybe.
Neil Young
5/5
Ambulance Blues is my favorite Neil Young song on this, my favorite Neil Young album. I love many things about this record, not keast of which are the liner notes written by Rusty Kershaw on the original packaging.
"
I can't read or write very well, so I
don't quite understand why anyone would want me to write liner notes.
Except for what I saw and heard.
The first time I saw Neil his spirit was down the next time I saw Neil I tryed to Boost his sprits with my music and I did and it work.
In return Neil played, Sang and wrote, the Best of any music in a While.
Not to speak of the fun we had. We laughed so hard we all had Bruzed ribs.
On Revolution Blues, I turned inot a Python, than an aligator, I was crawling like one, makeing noise like one, Plus I was eating up the carpet and the mike stands and such. and in the meanwhiile I started to crawl up towards Neil; Which is pretty Spooky.
When your trying to Sing:
But anyways by that time the necktie people ask my friend Joe what are we gonna do about Rusty, and my friends answer was, 'Hell I don't know I'm just Hangin around to see if Hel'll Swallow Him or not.
But what the Hell I give you my word there is good music in this album.
Rusty Kershaw
R.K.
Cause B`en is My Friend"
Keith Jarrett
5/5
Blows my mind that this is all improvised. Also love how you can hear him grunting.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Mother will they break my balls?
Sigur Rós
2/5
Not quite sigur gross, but not really sigur VERY NICE either.
MGMT
3/5
Shortening to MGMT is the kind of out of the box efficiency move that has MGMT written all over it.
Ice T
4/5
Im down with the Iceberg.
Radiohead
4/5
From Pablo Honey to this in 4 moves. Bold move Cotton!
Hookworms
3/5
Synth punks. I could have been convinced to drop a 4 on these guys, but these songs really didnt need to be 6,7,8 minutes long. Lets get in and out in 3, boys.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Sad she never did another one.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Lovely. Calm.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Mikey, I know what youbwere going for, but you didn't quite go hard enough
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Other than "The Murder Mystery" this was great.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
This is our second record with Siouxsie. I like this one slightly more better.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Amazing.
Bob Dylan
5/5
What's to talk about? Stone cold classic.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Too much man, too much.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
I don't think I was in the right frame of mind to fully accept the Boys into my heart.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Me and me Uncle Jamal blast Dizzee before we battle with the EastStaines Massif.
Janis Joplin
5/5
One of a kind.
Pixies
3/5
A few bangers. But mostly just beyond my reach.
Mj Cole
2/5
Not my favorite. But at least there is 72 minutes of it.
Faust
3/5
Is this krautrock? Do I like krautrock?
Aerosmith
4/5
You may not like it, but this is what peak male performance sounds like.
Gorillaz
3/5
Cool Vibes.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
One of Mick & Keef's finest.
Orbital
3/5
Started nice, got annoying in the middle, and then ended strong. Overall the least offensive techno I have ever heard.
The Stooges
4/5
"And how many times have you heard people say of bands: “Man, what a shuck! I could get up there and cut that shit."
Well, here’s your chance. The Stooge act is wide open. Do your worst, People, falsify Iggy and the Stooges, get your kicks and biffs. It’s your night!
No takers. They sit there, wide-eyed vegetative Wowers or sullen in a carapae carapace of Cool, unafraid or unable to react, to get out there in that arena which is nothing more than life, most often too cowed to even hurl a disappointing hoot stageward. And that is why most rock bands are so soporifically lazy these days, and also why the Stooges, and any other band that challenges its audience, is the answer."
--Lester Bangs (Dec, 1970)
Mudhoney
3/5
Superfuzz got 4 stars, so this gets 3.
Prince
5/5
Best of the best.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
This is a movie, with a story and a point of view.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
Rocking indie shreds.
Antony and the Johnsons
4/5
Great surprise. Soulful and emotional.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Shaft us a bad mother...
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Love it or hate it, this is a pure distilation of Red Hot Chili Peppers...pure capsaicin.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Golden Era Stevie
David Bowie
5/5
Starman Jams
Duran Duran
3/5
Dammit. I wanted to hate it. Couldn't do it.
Ministry
4/5
Dont know where that came from, but loved it.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Far out. Loved Watermelo Man.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Dylan sings the blues with a chip on his shoulder. Beauty.
Air
4/5
Pretty good tunes for not listening to tunes.
George Jones
4/5
Greatest country singer ever. One of his best songs ever, but not all the hits.
Radiohead
5/5
Classic record.
Eagles
2/5
The dude hates the Eagles, man.
Neil Young
5/5
"This track seems kinda thin."
"I hear you, what are you thinking, adding an organ or something?"
"No, we need a...shoot, what's it called?"
"Banjo?"
"It's like a banjo.."
"Mandolin?"
Snorts enormous rail of 70s Colombian bam bam...
"Ahhhh...London Symphony Orchestra....that's it. Get me those guys."
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
This music is a slippery slope. This one rides the ridge without tumbling into terrible.
Love
3/5
Pretty good for dirty hippies.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Wonder how I missed that. This was great.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
Open guitar tunings, 3 part harmony, and a few bricks of Moroccan hash.
The Band
4/5
Missy Elliott
3/5
Music video jams
Robert Wyatt
2/5
That first song almost had me. But then it was fast downhill from there. I learned that there is a term called "Wyatting" which is putting on one of Wyatt's tunes on a juke box in a bar, and then leaving. That sounds funny, but also unlikely, because these tunes wouldn't be in any jukebox I've ever seen.
The Go-Go's
4/5
More than just the hits.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Rasta Vibrations.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Pusherman is my fave.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Interesting tunes that answer the question: "What would Billy Joel sound like if he was from Montreal instead of Long Island (and was gay)."
3/5
Serviceable 90s Britpop. S'ok.
Killing Joke
4/5
Grimy. But not too grimy.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This album is a monster.
The Beach Boys
5/5
No discussion. Classic.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Never heard of this...listened twice. At first I thought it was a cheap Public Enemy knockoff. Then I listened again, and thought it was pretty good.
Underworld
2/5
There is a time and place for all music. In this case, let's say that you have to fight Liu Kang on your way through Mortal Kombat. Or, for example, you might be making your way through a crowded dance club, fighting a whole mess of Agent Smiths on your way to meet up with Trinity. In those times, this is 10 out of 10.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Launch of the more Canadian, hornier Bob Dylan
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Wee slice of cheese on the side of this one.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Not a lot of mistakes in the 70s for the Zep boys.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Canon.
Buzzcocks
3/5
Proto pop punk.
Blur
4/5
Coldplay
2/5
Dull.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Sultry jams.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Pretty watered down.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
Over and Over is my sleeper pick for favorite Neil Young song.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Easy there Lady R Kelly.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Psychadelic jams.
R.E.M.
4/5
Proto alternative jams.
Common
4/5
Neil Young
5/5
Never heard before. Good, Loose, Bluesy Rock 'n Roll. Really great.
Simply Red
2/5
Brian Eno said: "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band."
Justin Yurek said: "4 million people bought that first Simply Red record, but none of them formed a band."
Kate Bush
5/5
Awesomely weird and original...poetic without being abstruse.
Beatles
5/5
You don't hear the medley used in an album so much any more...
The Prodigy
2/5
Meth-y jams.
Blondie
5/5
Sunshine with a sneer.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
The works of Edgar Allan Poe, if they were turned into a rocking musical with gospel backup singers.
R.E.M.
4/5
Leonard Bernstein, Leonid Brezhnev, Lenny Bruce, and Lester Bangs walk into a bar...
Adele
3/5
Diva Jams.
The Undertones
3/5
My favorite candy growing up was Coffee Crisp. Its slogan was, "a nice light snack". Being that this was a Canadian treat, the slogan was also translated into French: "Un goûter léger".
I think that suns up The Undertones: "Un goûter léger".
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Boomer jams. This is your dad's favorite guitar player, but for a good reason.
John Coltrane
5/5
I like this music very much, but my musical palette really isn't developed enough to tell good jazz from bad. If you told me that this was one of the most important pieces of music ever recorded, I would nod and agree. But, then again, if you told me that this was part of the Lethal Weapon 2 score, and that this piece was written to play over a montage of Sgt. Riggs looking out over the beach, sullenly, after one of his relationships fell apart - I would nod and agree that that too was true.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Answering the question: "what would it sound like if Charles Dickens joined a rock band, and added flute solos?"
Massive Attack
5/5
Crabs and football: that's what Maryland does. Banksy and Trip hop: that's what Bristol does.
Queen
3/5
No no. These Queens had some growing up to do yet. At this point we were not hearing fully formed Queens. These were merely princesses.
Def Leppard
3/5
This version of Def Leppard features the use of 10 band member arms. They really hit their stride on the album after this where they cut the arm number down to 9.
Pulp
4/5
Took 2 listens, but there is good stuff here. Particularly Side A.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Have to show this record its due propers. Bad, The Way You Make Me Feel, Man In The Mirror, Dirty Diana, and Smooth Criminal all could virtually be standards at this point, and even the tier 2 songs like Liberian Girl, Another Part of Me, and Leave Me Alone are elevated. Even the sound effects (both from the producers, and from MJ's little yelps) are all 100% associated with this album.
Alice In Chains
5/5
That was fun. I know rationally that this album rocks, but I had not rocked to it in person in a long long time. I'll have to revisit my entire pecking order of 90s albums because this one is moving into the upper echelons with a bullet.
The Associates
2/5
When you take upbeat weird and give it a positive outlook and some joy, you get Talking Heads, which lives in 4 and 5 star territory. When you put upbeat weird into a minor key and make it all mopey and angsty, you get this.
Prince
4/5
Interestingly, this album was released in 1982 - just like the album immediately preceding - Sulk by The Associates. Both albums sound like they came from 1982, but 1999 is welcome in the future, and Sulk is not...at some point I will sit down and think about why.
Don McLean
2/5
Waylon Jennings was hired by Holly to play bass for him on the Winter Dance Party Tour, which began January 23rd, 1959, in Milwaukee. Jennings, 21 at the time, had been in New York City recording sessions produced by Holly, and after taking a train to Chicago, met up with the rest of Holly’s band. Problems first arose when the tour buses hired to transport the group began breaking down. After a show in Clear Lake, Iowa, on February 2nd, Holly decided to charter a plane for himself, guitarist Tommy Allsup and Jennings so they could fly to Fargo, North Dakota, instead of taking the long, frozen bus trip. Richardson, who was suffering from the flu, asked Jennings for his seat on the plane, and Valens asked the same of Allsup. When Jennings told Holly that he was going to take the bus, Holly jokingly told him he hoped the bus broke down, to which Jennings replied, “I hope your ol’ plane crashes.”
This story was a better use of space than a review of this ablum.
Boston
4/5
Without ever actually listening to this whole album, I formed opinions about Boston. The opinions were uninformed and wrong. There is room in my life for these 37 minutes of music.
Linkin Park
1/5
What an experience! And to think, I somehow avoided sitting down and listening to this for 24 years. I shall now endeavor to avoid it for the next 24 years.
In his work, "Politics", Aristotle wrote about the wisdom of crowds: "it is possible that the many, though not individually good men, yet when they come together may be better, not individually but collectively, than those who are so, just as public dinners to which many contribute are better than those supplied at one man's cost."
Well, this album sold 32m copies worldwide. The crowd may have been confused here.
Khaled
2/5
I liked the French songs somewhat more than the Arabic songs.
The Gun Club
5/5
Unfamiliar with this. They got my attention with the opening riff and kept it for the whole record. I started the bugger over again when it was done. I hope the rest of the discography is like this, as I'll be looking into it next.
Simple Minds
2/5
Unfortunately, I only have room in my life for one Simple Minds album, and that album contains Don't You Forget About Me. Tragically, that song was never put on a proper Simple Minds album, it was written and recorded specifically for The Breakfast Club soundtrack. So, I guess what I am saying is I don't have room in my life for a Simple Minds album.
Arcade Fire
5/5
This album has been a fave for 20 years. I continue to enjoy it.
Nirvana
5/5
John Beck: "Annual reminder: In utero is not a good album."
Dave Romano: "I love in utero, easily my favorite album of theirs."
JB: "What’s your favorite part? The terrible melodies, lack of hooks, or the awful lyrics?
DR: "All of the above! Really I love the artwork, the production, and the lyrics. Serve the servants, Dumb, Frances Farmer, All Apologies have great lyrics."
There are so many things that John Beck has right and Dave Romano has wrong, but this take was not one of them.
Green Day
5/5
Peak-Pop-Punk. The state of the art. Often imitated, never duplicated.
John Cale
3/5
Not that exciting. Like Kale. John Kale.
The Saints
3/5
I was intrigued with the opening number and its horn section. The intrigue faded, though.
Pulp
4/5
This album was really good songs, and also some overly dramatified bads ones. However, when it was all over, there was more good than bad. This stuck with me:
"She doesn't have to go to work
But she doesn't want to stay in bed
'Cause it's changed from something comfortable
To something else instead."
Clever songwriting.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
This one was a pretty good magic trick...
"Guys, your first record was wildly successful and featured the most incrdible vocal harmonies of the whole hippy era. What are you going to do next?
We are going to add Neil Young's voice to the mix, and not even thay is going to be enough to screw this formula up."
...and it wasnt, the harmonies were still good and Young upgraded some of the songwriting.
The Strokes
5/5
A bunch of great influences, blended together nicely, and delivered with swagger.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
I don't know how to operate this music.
Sonic Youth
2/5
I think I would be cooler if I liked more Sonic Youth. But sometimes albums like this make it hard to be cool.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
"Right lads, let's stop mucking about and make a proper rock song...one these geezers will listen to forever."
"Right-o, let's run through what we'll all do on it, Robert?"
"I'm the singer aren't I? Don't be a ponce, I'll sing."
"Noted, Jimmy?"
"I'll play the guitar, but a few kinds. Give me an acoustic 6, and best have a 12 knocking about, and also let's obviously have the Gibson on solo duty."
"Rock and roll. Bonzo?"
"Just set up the kit and piss off."
"Fair enough, John Paul, that leaves you with the bass, right?"
"Yep"
"Ok, soun.."
"And the electic piano..gimme a Rhoades."
"Piano, good, that'll be ni..."
"And I want recorders..."
"Recorders? Johno this is the greatest rock song of all time, not music Monday in a kindergarten."
"No recorders, then I'm out."
"Fine...have your recorders."
The Velvet Underground
4/5
The best ones are when Nico takes a break.
The Flaming Lips
5/5
Wonderful.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
Exceeded expectations. The addition of Spanish influence to the bass and beats was a good idea.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Sometimes I listen to tunes like this, but Neneh wouldn't be my first choice normally.
Rush
5/5
Love these goofy hosers.
AC/DC
4/5
Rock and Roll. No tricks.
Lorde
3/5
Pop music from the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, & 90s is easily identified by the decade of its origin...even if you never heard the song before. I find the 3 decades that follow to be much harder to distinguish. 00's? 10's? 20's?
Is it because I got old? Is it because nothing sounds the same anymore because there is more variety? Is it because everything sounds the same now? Is it because of the way music can be recorded now? Is it because of the way that music is consumed?
The Police
4/5
Never listened to that all in a row like that. Good album. String of monster tunes tracks 6 thru 10.
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
This gets an extra star because mom and dad had this cd when i was young.
The White Stripes
3/5
I like the White Stripes. Other than the one big hit though, this album doesnt hold together strongly for me.
Beck
5/5
He might sound like a slacker, but Beck is for serious.
The Cure
2/5
Mopey.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Traditional instruments, electronic instruments, living together. Mass hysteria.
Solange
3/5
MESSAGE!
Jack White
3/5
Piano-forward arrangements were unexpected. Still, kinda mid, as the children say.
Supergrass
3/5
Listening experience started shaky, but the last 3 songs chilled out.
The Lemonheads
5/5
Short and sweet pop gems.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Nice background tunes. Wish the vocals were a little different.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
This guys stock has risen a lot in the past 25 years. Still, other than Hallelujah, nothing here really grabs me.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
Love these tunes.
Nirvana
5/5
A beauty.
Erykah Badu
5/5
Good way to get more of the Soulquarian/Jay Dilla vibe.
Steely Dan
2/5
Too sterile.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Jazz jams, hold the gangta.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Over 100 samples, layered together into 1 album. Great stuff.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Peak Marvin. Peak Funk Bros.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Sleeper hits here include "25 Minutes to Go" and "Flushed From The Bathroom of Your Heart".
Prince
5/5
I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man is my fave.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
The xx
3/5
Chill, but maybe a little flat
The Band
4/5
One of Canada's finest.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
The Concept is a monster song.
The White Stripes
5/5
My favorite version of White Stripes.
U2
2/5
"I don't go to awards shows anymore. I'm not saying I'm better than anybody else, but you'll be sitting there at the Grammys, and U2 will beat you. And you say to yourself, 'Wait a minute. I can play that kind of music, too. I played La Crosse, Wisconsin growing up, I know how to do that, you dig? But you will not do 'Housequake.'" - Prince.
“They have the worst rhythm section in big rock. That is the most plodding, corny rhythm section ever to fill a stadium. If you look at some of those records, they’re mediocre Brian Eno records with a bad band in the way. They need a producer like Eno or Daniel Lanois to kind of prop up this cabaret singer and his one-trick pony" - Henry Rollins
Solomon Burke
4/5
Preacher soul jams.
Nick Drake
4/5
I like Nick Drake. But 5 star Nick Drake is just him, his guitar, and an alternate tuning.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
I had this band mentally filed besides G Love & Special Sauce.
Major filing error - way more aggression than chill on this record, and I am in to it. I will refile closer to Black Lips and King Khan.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
4/5
Never listened past Clapton...the piano, organ, harmonica, horns, and vocals here are all worth listening to.
Steve Earle
4/5
Americana jams.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
The popular formula in England in this, the aftermath era of such successful British bluesmen as Cream and John Mayall, seems to be: add, to an excellent guitarist who, since leaving the Yardbirds and/or Mayall, has become a minor musical deity, a competent rhythm section and pretty soul-belter who can do a good spade imitation. The latest of the British blues groups so conceived offers little that its twin, the Jeff Beck Group, didn’t say as well or better three months ago, and the excesses of the Beck group’s Truth album (most notably its self-indulgence and restrictedness), are fully in evidence on Led Zeppelin‘s debut album.
- John Mendelsohn, Rolling Stone 1969
Some music critics miss the mark. Here is a good example. This album rips and rocks unmerciful.
3/5
Talking Heads
4/5
Joyful Jams.
Paul McCartney
3/5
Pretty pleasant, Paul. I kinda liked most of the instrumental songs, as well as "Maybe I'm Amazed".
Gotan Project
3/5
Some international baby making music.
Coldplay
3/5
A few good ones.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
Look, I was born in Toronto. I grew up in Boulder. I live in suburban South Charlotte; not urban Mecklenburg County, we are talking across the county line in Union. And yet, putting this album on puts a pang in my soul to go directly to a car lot, buy a '76 Eldorado, and just drive slowly up and down the street while listening to Billy Jack, either until I die, or until the wheels fall off.
Ozomatli
2/5
There's a lot of questionable music trends all just blended in. Take your favorite aspects of Ricky Martin, then add a touch of NuMetal, including pointless dj scratching, and then add a dash of Big Bad VooDoo Daddy inspired swing. Hope for the best.
Peter Frampton
2/5
Pretty soul-less. I did like the guitar solo on "It's a Plain Shame".
This list really slobs the U2 knob.
Common
3/5
The Corner was a good jam. The rest was a little heavy handed with the social messages
Santana
5/5
One of a kind. Spiritual, soulful, mystical jams.
Portishead
5/5
Stone Cold Classic. My favorite Trip Hop.
Chicago
2/5
I couldn't figure out what occasion this music fits with...even music I don't like, I can find a use for...for example, I noted earlier that Steely Dan was great music for buying a terrific pair of slacks. Some music is good for ignoring even...but I couldn't figure out what Chicago is for. I did think Poem 58 was a good jam.
Mercury Rev
4/5
Earlier this year, I happened upon a well-executed interview from 2002. Carson Daly was the interviewer and his subject was David Bowie...
Here was part of their exchange:
CD: I've seen you at the MTV Video Music Awards. I think like last year I remember sitting there when N’sync or Britney Spears was on and I remember just looking over at you and thinking what does David Bowie think of this right now?
...Crowd laughs... Bowie looks around and says- "well that would be too easy" or something and smiles...
DB: Uh let me go another way with that one. I think you know a major band in this country for me anyway during the 80s were the Pixies. I thought they were absolutely necessary - a very very important band - Charles was, or Frank, whatever or however you want to refer to him, is a fantastic songwriter and they produced some really exciting music. Obviously Nirvana was terribly influenced - a number of other bands were influenced by them. But, they were never played on American radio, they never sold any albums, and they broke up.
I'm seeing that beginning to happen again over here. You got bands like Grandaddy, Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips – They (Flaming Lips) are getting some kind of exposure now right this second , but if they don't get played, they don't sell albums, then, if you're not careful they're going to go under. And more creative, really inventive artists are going to disappear after 2 or 3 years because nobody's out there supporting them. The radio isn't supporting like it should be, and there is crap on American radio - real crap.
...After seeing this interview, I listened to Grandaddy, and was pleasantly surprised. Happy to see Mercury Rev posted here. Bowie was really tuned in...all 3 of those bands are cut from the same cloth, and, as predicted, all but Flamin Lips kind of faded away.
David Bowie
5/5
Think this is my favorite Bowie front to back. 80 lb, paranoid, Thin White Duke Bowie.
De La Soul
5/5
70+ samples.. no clearances...because these kids were just having fun.
Brian Eno
5/5
Incredible. Needle in the Camel's Eye and Baby's on Fire are great songs. On Some Faraway Beach may be the ideal song for rolling movie credits.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Proto post grunge jams.
The Human League
2/5
According to the book Let It Blurt: The Life and Times of Lester Bangs, renowned music critic Lester Bangs died of an accidental drug overdose while listening to Dare.
"Don't You Want Me" is pretty good.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Sly says The Revolution will be televised, and The Revolution will be funky. Just because you are fighting the man doesn't mean you can't shake your ass. Matter of fact, if shaking your ass is wrong, Sly don't want to be right.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
As Brian Eno famously said: “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.” - Similarly, I heard a podcast recently that said something similar about Sublime, except it was more like..."everyone who listened to Sublime went and started a band that was terrible"...I feel like Lynyrd Skynyrd is like that...There was a lot of questionable stuff that came after this record...even from the band itself, however, just listen to this in a vacuum, its peak Southern Rock and its very good.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
He's an angry elf.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
In a vulnerable moment I confided in a friend that I didn't quite like Joni Mitchell. He said I was a bad Canadian. I think he might be right, but I still don't really get it.
Turbonegro
4/5
This went way harder than I was expecting. Dudes who take their rocking so seriously that it almost seems like parody...but it's dead serious.
Paul Simon
4/5
All the elements of what you are going to get out of a Paul Simon record...a mishmash of styles, all tastefully and respectfully adopted, with thoughtful songwriting...especially on the chord profression side. 3 chords and the truth this is not.
Elton John
4/5
We played this on a family road trip driving South to see Uncle Jeremy and Aunt Katherine. It was a good roadtrip album. Roy Rogers was my favorite.
Pere Ubu
2/5
A little too artsy fartsy.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This whole series worked well. This one might be the best one.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Good. I prefer slightly more stripped down Elliott Smith.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I mean, its fine, I guess. This little snippet was inferesting:
Though the album sold four million copies worldwide, and earned a Grammy nomination in 1981 for its art design in the category "Best Album Package", the band's record label deemed the project a failure, laying the blame squarely with Buckingham (considering the comparatively huge sales of Rumours and the album's unprecedented recording expense).
CHIC
3/5
Nile Rodgers is a funky man.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
"Gimme Da Loot" Plus "Who Shot Ya" on the remaster version...those are my faves.
Funkadelic
5/5
High potency funks administered direct from the Mothership. Unavailable for conventional streaming...probably too funky.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
Tropicalia jams.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Boss Jams.
The Temptations
5/5
Didn't expect the Sly Stone/Funkadelic sound. Beauty. Unmistakeable James Jamerson on the bass
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Marvin having a ball.
The Pharcyde
4/5
De La, but from the Westside.
Radiohead
4/5
Yeah, ok.
Sarah Vaughan
5/5
Classy jams. Side B is a string of swell tunes.
Fugees
5/5
This album came out when I was 16. Listening to it sparks deep nostalgia. I can smell my first car and the Case Logic CD case I kept this disc in.
The Beta Band
4/5
I was attacking a tedious and frustrating task while listening to this. It was helpful. The task still frustrated, though.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Arctic Monkeys with a big string section.
Syd Barrett
2/5
Syd has a cool reputation, but this was just like a less talented Donovan.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Powerful. Rainy Day, Dream Away was a good one I didn't know that well.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Will Hunting jams.
Al Green
4/5
Respect the Reverand, he doesnt quite make my soul Mt Rushmore, though.
Bad Company
3/5
If you are working on your 1974 Trans Am, this better be on.
The Style Council
3/5
Based on the country of origin, vintage, and name of this band I believed I knew what this would sound like. The vocals came in as what I expected, but I underestimated the jazziness on the instrumentation. Exceeded expectations.
Snoop Dogg
5/5
Madison bought this tape for me at El Corte Ingles in Madrid because I was too wimpy to buy a tape with a big Parental Advisory sticker on it. It still bangs.
Metallica
5/5
This was the soundtrack of my run this morning. I am currently reading about the origins of indie hardcore. Bands like Black Flag and Minor Threat. Husker Du's "Landspeed Record" featured 17 songs in 26 minutes...and that includes the last track that was 6 minutes long. Metallica went the other way, 9 songs in 65 minutes. I love this stuff so much.
The Youngbloods
2/5
More like the Yawnbloods.
Various Artists
5/5
This is in my 5 essential Christmas records.
Megadeth
3/5
Dave, you always were a little annoying.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Scottish Strokes
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
"First of all, who's your A&R?/A mountain climber who plays an electric guitar?
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
Like Sticky Fingers, with a few rockabilly numbers mixed in. Real good!
Gene Clark
2/5
There were many interesting albums that spawned from The Byrds-iverse...however, this was't one of them
Adele
2/5
I'm not the target audience here.
Miles Davis
4/5
Nice...not too wild. Big band-y.
Queen
4/5
You might come for Bohemian Rhapsody, but stay for the rest. '39 was a nice one.
Sonic Youth
4/5
It clicked for me on this one. Noisy, but song structures I could follow.
50 Cent
4/5
Never listened to this past the singles. Better than expected.
Taylor Swift
2/5
I have 3 daughters under 13...so I am familiar with Taylor's work. This one, however just doesnt have good songs. I even like many of the "indie" folk on the record...none of the songs are strong, though.
Meat Loaf
4/5
An opera about teenage hormones.
Beck
4/5
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Its like The Magnetic Fields, but not as good...somehow straight, but also more gay.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
Agent Smith stands no chance when I pump these jamz.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
I dont mind loud, noisy, and chaotic like this, but do the songs have to be 9 minutes long?
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Is it valid to call these guys my favorite jam band?
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha..Atlantic...Muscle Shoals... this album is a monster.
Alice Cooper
4/5
I never listened to a whole Alice Cooper album. Good. Glam filth.
Frank Sinatra
5/5
Fucking limeys. You know, it’s just that people like this…you know…they get all they want so they really don’t understand, you know…about a life-like Frank’s. I mean, when you’ve loved and lost the way Frank has, then you, uh, you know what life’s about.
Merle Haggard
4/5
Love Haggard's writing, but the covers are good here, particularly the Jimmie Rodgers tune.
Mooney doing the Lord's work per usual on pedal steel.
Didn't know James Burton, Jim Gordon, and Glen Campbell helped out.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
A real beauty. Like Black Star by Bowie, or the Wind by Warren Zevon, this is a record put out by an artist who knew he didn't have a lot of time left. The title track, "Treaty", "Leaving the Table", "Traveling Light", and "On the Level" were all highlights.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Not quite as good as the first 2 records, but not quite as far off as I remembered. Half Life I & II and Sprawl I & II were quite good.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
Too much jive on this one, Frank.
Gary Numan
4/5
Didn't know what to expect. Could have been a lot worse.
Joe Ely
3/5
West Texas honky tonk dancers.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Preacher Man.
Happy Mondays
4/5
I'm no expert at spotting the various underground club music genres, but this one reminds me of Primal Scream and I'm into it.
David Ackles
2/5
The reviews made this seem like this was going to be some sort of Nick Drake level genius, that was undiscovered. This was like a bad play no one wanted to watch.
The Byrds
2/5
Hey, at least this song's not too bad...oh, it's a Dylan cover...
The Temptations
3/5
Pretty good...social commentary, but I prefer ballads on my Temptations.
Depeche Mode
2/5
I was in a bad mood when I listened to this. It didn't help. I'll try again in a better frame of mind.
Hole
4/5
I never listened to this record beyond Doll Parts. I think its because of my distaste for Courtney. However, setting aside her charming personality, this is pretty good rock and roll.
Belle & Sebastian
5/5
Barry:
Holy shite. What the fuck is that?
Dick:
It's the new Belle and Sebastian...
Rob:
It's a record we've been listening to and enjoying, Barry.
Barry:
Well, that's unfortunate, because it sucks ass.
--Jack Black in High Fidelity.
While that is funny, Barry was wrong. This is a stupendous album.
Billy Bragg
4/5
This project is precisely the kind of thing that could seem like a good idea on paper, but could fall apart in execution. Fortunately, not the case. California Stars is a monster. Other good tunes: One by One, Minor Key, Whitman's Niece.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Killer live album. Opening track, "I Got My Brand On You" is particularly good. Not a lot of crowd banter for Muddy - all business.
Patti Smith
4/5
Earnest. Honest. Passionate. Poetry.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Gave it 3 listens. Glad I did. Listen 1 and 2 - instant hate. However, listen 3...Drums, guitar riffs, and bass lines are all solid and pure rock and roll - listen to Magnificent Five, for example. Liked some of the Easter Eggs too - for example "Rumble" riff throughout Killer In The Home, or Enrico Morricone Westerns with Jolly Roger.
The Pogues
4/5
Good one from Ireland's Springsteen.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
I think I thought that the Boo Radleys were like The Rembrandts, or Deep Blue Something, or Del Amitri. This is not right. These guys are British, and aimed for something a little higher. I applaud the effort, but they didn't hit the target.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
A wonderful record for making commercials.
The Smiths
3/5
Dont know much Smiths. Pleasantly surprised that this was way less whiny than expected.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Dreamy Springsteen. The typical WoD blueprint. About as good as Slave Ambient.
Minutemen
5/5
Ralph Waldo Emerson & Woodie Guthrie wrapped in punk.
2/5
Age of Aquarius hippy dippy stuff. The instrumental: Space Child, and then the next song When I Touch You were the least offensive.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Born in The USA, I'm On Fire, Down, Glory Days, Dancing in the Dark...pretty much standards. Also love I'm Going Down and My Hometown. Wasnt familiar with Darlington County...but I like that one too.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
No tricks. No hippie dippie. Just straight-ahead, workman-like rock and roll. Wait for the Ray Charles cover at the end.
Norah Jones
3/5
This is fine. I want to know what confluence of perfect storm events led to this selling 26m records.
T. Rex
5/5
Decadent rock and roll swagger. I love the whole vibe.
Paul Weller
2/5
Dire Straits
3/5
Without Sultans this would be pretty average.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
And if there ain't no beauty,
you got to make some beauty. Have mercy!
The Jam
2/5
I listened twice. Nothing stuck out. Does that say more about the record, or more about me.
Slint
3/5
Fagones called this album "a slog".
That is accurate.
4/5
Far out funks. Liked Cisco Kid and the title track, in particular.
Deep Purple
4/5
Proto Metals. I liked Hard Lovin Man & Child in Time.
Iron Maiden
4/5
First 4 tunes are good rockers.
Tom Waits
3/5
Freaky Waits.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Casimir Pulaski is the fave.
The Libertines
3/5
2nd tier Brit Pop
Derek & The Dominos
5/5
Drummer Jim Gordon also played on Pet Sounds and Classical Gas....he also killed his own mother in a pschizophrenic episode.
Pixies
4/5
This is a good album. For the Pixies, I would call it "accesible".
Def Leppard
4/5
Long ago, right after we listened to "Queen 2", by Queen and right before we listened "This is Hardcore" by Pulp, we listened to Pyromania by Def Leppard, which I gave 3 stars. Back then I said Pyromania was not as good as Hysteria. Well, here is the payoff. 4 stars. Near peak hair metal.
Wild Beasts
2/5
My record here is clear. I have an average star rating given of 3.74. I have given exactly 1 1-star review. I love to give the benefit of the doubt. But, this one was aggressively irritating.
Jacques Brel
3/5
I like a lot of non-English pop from the 60s...particularly from France, Italy, and Brazil. You can add this Belgian to the list.
Thelonious Monk
5/5
Creative Bops
The Kinks
4/5
Classic Brothers Davies.
Bobby Womack
2/5
Tough one. Has virtually all the elements of music I'd like, but its about 5cm off center, and that apparently spoils the whole thing. Took something with sould and transformed it to cheese. Soul cheese.
Mylo
2/5
Its 2006. You walk into a new sushi restaurant in the trendy shopping district. The decor is wall to wall stainless steel with retro anime accents..Voltron images, Street Fighter characters... The roll list is 275 items long and has the punniest names you ever saw. At least 8 contain truffle oil for some reason. The cocktail list is a combination of enormous fishbowl drinks and sake/fruit martini fusions. 6 cocktails involve dropping a shot glass into another glass. No one that works at the restaurant is Japanese, except the resident DJ. That DJ plays this album on a loop. Your friend orders the truffled scorpion unagi roll with pickled scotch bonnet as your Blackberry vibrates. You really don't like anything about your surroundings, but you are content.
Nirvana
5/5
Don't give me no revisionist hipster takes. This is a big deal.
ABBA
3/5
Come for Dancing Queen, stay for Fernando and Happy Hawaii.
Louis Prima
5/5
King Louie!
The Electric Prunes
2/5
After 12 songs of this, I was all, "man, this sucks"...then song 13 came on and I was all, "hey, this is much better." Well friends, there is no song 13 on this record. My phone had simply moved on to playing something else. Go check out "Gone" by The Factory - similar but better.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
This is a great album. But I don't think we needed a double. There is 1 classic album's worth of stuff here. This revisit revealed that I had not paid enough attention to Muzzle in years past.
Little Richard
4/5
The innovator, the originator, the architect of rock and roll.
James Brown
5/5
The greatest live performer and his band, playing live, at an iconic venue, near the height of his powers.
Van Halen
4/5
Shred jams.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
A member of one of the greatest 4 album arcs in music history. Don't sleep on You Got The Silver.
The The
3/5
Surprising...This is The Day is a legitimately good song.
Metallica
3/5
Looks good on paper, doesnt really follow through when you see it executed...I dont think the symphony added anything here.
The Who
3/5
Not one, but two James Brown covers? The audacity of these whiteboys. Where do they get their balls big enough?
Alanis Morissette
5/5
Half the songs on this record are standard 90s anthem singalongs.
Machito
4/5
Desi Arnez jams.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Pretty accessible for Sonic Youth.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Outlaw Jams.
Nick Drake
5/5
My favorite Nick Drake.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Bluesy jams from Timbuktu
Iron Maiden
5/5
22 Acacia to Number of The Beast, to Run To The Hills is a hot run.
4/5
I've always thought these blokes were a bunch of wankers. However....this is good rock and roll album - can't be denied.
Funkadelic
5/5
Can You Get To That is an alltime classic. Title track is a Mount Rushmore guitar solo.
Nina Simone
4/5
Haunting
The Killers
4/5
Was only familiar with the singles. This is a good album from top to bottom. Surprisingly good.
Black Flag
5/5
Proto Hardcores.
Bee Gees
2/5
That was hard for me to listen to.
TV On The Radio
5/5
Exciting indie.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Throwback jams.
David Bowie
4/5
Don't call it a comeback Bowies.
Stereolab
2/5
Pretty bad.
White Denim
3/5
These guys are at their best when they resist the urge to jam. They should stay in rock, roll, or groove more.
Taylor Swift
4/5
This album is worthy of study. This record transitioned T Swift into icon status. Iconic gets tossed around willy-nilly these days, but she's an icon now...Elvis, The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna....icons who caught the whole world's attention for a number of years. Taylor is on that list now, and this album started that movement. There isn't a cheat code to this, its a bit of magic...but ultimately you need catchy catchy catchy songs, and this album has that.
Blur
3/5
Brit Pop jamz.
3/5
Patti Smith for the 90s.
Janet Jackson
4/5
Peak New Jack Swing. Some of the "social commentary" gets a little heavy handed, but still great.
Kings of Leon
2/5
They got the vibe, but not much else.
Orbital
2/5
Not enough there to pay attention to. Too much there to ignore.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Aretha puts some stank on it.
Parliament
5/5
Simultaneously enjoy the PFunk and recognize the GFunk samples.
Suede
4/5
Was unfamiliar, but enticing enough to visit again in the future.
The Stone Roses
4/5
I sat with this one for a week. Its a grower. Made of Stone was a highlight. Many songs made me think of Jesus and Mary Chain with no fuzz.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Workers Unite Jams. The covers are good too, and Levi Stubbs Tears is a classic.
Elton John
3/5
As high as Tiny Dancer flies, Indian Sunset sinks as low. What a dumb song.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Its a little like Paul Simon's Graceland, but with zero soul or overall point of view.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Living Colour
4/5
Cult of Personality opens the album, but I think the second side of the record is the best.
Dolly Parton
5/5
To know this album is to know country music. Sentimentality, heart ache, two timing, authenticity, RCA Studio A and The A Team.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
American Girl is my Petty fave.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Surf's Up is my fave Beach Boys song.
Hot Chip
2/5
Decently listenable. Parts reminded me of what a Club Med might play during a guest pool party/limbo contest. You can dig it with enough rum punch.
Brian Wilson
4/5
Heroes and Villains, Cabin Essence, Surfs Up, Good Vibrations.
3/5
Comparisons to Radiohead are tempting, but not all that appropriate.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Big band jamz.
Mekons
4/5
A pleasant surprise. Reminiscent of Billy Bragg, The Pogues, and The Clash. Nothing virtuoso here, but that's part of the pleasure. They have a voice, a point of view, and an attitude, and they express it very clearly. I am down.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Kinda liked the lecture-like explanation mixed in.
Van Morrison
2/5
This grumpy old Mick can sing, but I prefer his studio versions to this live stuff.
David Bowie
4/5
Ziggy goes to America.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
4 out of 7 of the tunes here are straight classics.
Joy Division
4/5
Dr. John
3/5
Too much mojo for me.
Sly & The Family Stone
5/5
Track 6...4 seconds of silence.
Track 12...7 minutes of tasty funks.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Hail Satan.
Public Enemy
5/5
Terrordome Jamz
Elvis Presley
4/5
Starts slow, but side 2 finishes strong, and I listened to the bonus tracks which also add.
Bee Gees
2/5
This is BeeGees record #2 that is "Must Listen Before You Die" and neither one was the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack...
These records really aren't very good. Sorry mates.
Tim Buckley
2/5
8 minutes per song...Timmy, you're a self indulgent hippie.
Kraftwerk
3/5
If Tony Montana moved to Berlin in Scarface 2, this would be the soundtrack.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Yes, sure.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Even better than "Thriller, Also".
Daft Punk
3/5
A few notable bops mingled in here.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Been down with my man since 2012.
Jimmy Smith
5/5
If the fate of the world ever depends on blowing someone's mind with a B-3 Organ, this would be the recording to reference.
Nas
5/5
5 Mic jamz.
GZA
5/5
The best Wu-affiliated record there is.
Björk
3/5
Very Bjorky
Justin Timberlake
3/5
If you are into this music at all, I think this has to be considered the state of the art.
Produced by The Neptunes dudes about a year after N.E.R.D. put out that In Search Of... record.
Timbaland
Janet Jackson
Clipse - both dudes
All guest features.
The little talking bits he does on some tracks, where he puts on his vaguely African American sounding, soft and sexy voice is quite hard to listen to, but the rest of it is not bad considering what my expectations were.
Supertramp
2/5
I dont love prog rock. But apparently I don't love prog light either.
Duke Ellington
3/5
A little on the Dull side of Duke.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
Pretty rocking for some far out hippies.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Hell of a way to go out. Goodnight sweet prince (of darkness). This album brings the hits.
Julian Cope
3/5
Sometimes I hear Nick Cave. But then sometimes I hear like - Del Amitri or something.
Sade
2/5
That album was like one long boring song.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Listening to this with your 11 year old daughter makes one acutely aware of all the sex lyrics.
Venom
3/5
Geordie Satan Jamz.
Steely Dan
4/5
I knew these songs. These are some good ones.
Meat Puppets
5/5
Wasn't prepared for as much country as I got. More Uncle Tupelo than Melvins.
Gang Of Four
3/5
A very well regarded record. I listened 3 times to see if I would agree. Didn't quite get the huge love it gets.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
Fast and bulbous jams.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Next time I have an urge to hear this, I'll just turn on Lauryn Hill or Erykah Badu instead.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
For me it goes I, IV, II, III....but they are all 5's.
The Charlatans
3/5
Pretty typical 90s Brit Pop.
Black Sabbath
4/5
This list made me spend more deliberate time with Ozzy and the boys than I have before. These first 5 albums or so are super solid f4om top to bottom.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
A prog rock homage to a classical piece is a good use of prog rock.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
Song 5 is called "Humdrum". That would have been a good title for this record.
Boards of Canada
2/5
Not a whole lot to it.
The Smiths
2/5
Get fucked.
Tom Tom Club
2/5
A lot of raw material for early rap.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
Still pretty exciting stuff from Boulder High's own Jello Biafra and the rest of the gang.
Gram Parsons
5/5
Gram and EmmyLou...Elvis' band...Cosmic American Music.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5/5
Banger.
Randy Newman
5/5
Some musicians you can spot from hearing the tone of their instruments, Randy Newman you can tell by reading the premise of his songs:
1. The pitch of an American slave trader to Africans in Bonny, off the west coast of Nigeria. The slaver sings a song about the wonderful life to be had in Charleston.
2. The final farewell of an atheist father to his atheist son.
3. American politicians gleeful discussing "dropping the big one" and remaking all countries in America's image.
4. The beauty of Cleveland - especially when the Cuyahoga River catches fire from pollution.
5. A disappointed dad who doesnt understand why his dumb son doesnt listen to his advice...only to reveal that all of his advice are just cliche'd platitudes.
6. A song where God tells humanity that they are suckers for putting their faith in him.
You don't have to know much, but if I tell you those premises, you have a good shot at guessing those are Randy Newman tunes. I think the guy is retroactively getting some love these days, but I think this album remains underrated.
Elvis Presley
5/5
First rock and roll record to hit #1. First rock and roll record to sell a milli. Pay your respects.
Tom Waits
5/5
"I like beautiful melodies telling me terrible things"...Tom Waits
I got really into On The Nickel yesterday. That's a real beauty.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
Girls Just Wanna, Time After Time, All Through The Night are standard fare. The rest of it was all better than I expected, and She Bop impressed me.
The Slits
2/5
White lady reggae punk. It wasn't my fave.
Christine and the Queens
2/5
Le crap.
Suede
2/5
The combo of lyrics, singing style, and orchestral, dramatic flourishes gave me the irresistible urge to roll my eyes. It is a physical reaction. For some reason it reminded me of the physical urge I get whenever I see Tucker Carlson's mock-incredulous, slightly mouth agape face. It's not just a punchable face, it's a punch-demanding face. In the same way, this album demands an eye roll.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Mr. Soul & Bluebird are standard fare...I kind of liked the Furay piece: Good Time Boy.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
I like this music...but what's wrong with something thats actually in Portuguese, rather than English covers?
Paul Simon
5/5
Every song from top to bottom gets a like.
Beth Orton
2/5
Upon listening I said: "Hmm...this is some Lillith Fair stuff...or maybe soundtrack to WB shows from the 90s". Turns out it was both those things.
Buck Owens
4/5
The Buckaroos were tight.
N.W.A.
5/5
Gangster jamz.
Bob Dylan
3/5
A few good ones...What's up with Highlands? Sounds like a drunk campfire singalong.
Goldfrapp
3/5
An album of Bond Theme songs.
New Order
2/5
Love Vigilantes was a nice song. The instrumental Elegia was kind of cool...like Tubular Bells. The rest was kind of bollocks.
ABBA
4/5
Went into this one ice cold, think I emerged with increased respect for Abba. First three songs are great + Slipping Through My Fingers.
Very story driven...very cinematic/operatic...strong melodies.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
There is hair/glam metal that is worth listening to, but this wouldn't be my choice.
1/5
A 75 minute musical interpretation of 2 drunk douchebags who bump into one another at the bar, and then puff up real big. "Hold me back...I ain't the one...dont disrespect me...imma knock you out!"...All that unimaginative bluster and you know they aren't really going to inflict any damage.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
5/5
I can't dance for shit, but I thought this was some sweet salsa.
Minor Threat
4/5
Listenable and economic.
Lana Del Rey
3/5
Nicer than anticipated.
Primal Scream
3/5
S'ok, but not as good as Screamadelica.
The Clash
5/5
Classic.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
"I love that album. It’s a top 5 EC album for me for sure." - John Beck.
I Want You is relentless.
Love
3/5
Hippy freak out jamz.
The Byrds
3/5
THE folk rock formula of the 60s. Jamgly 12-string, intricate harmony, a backseat, chop the songs down to 3 minutes so you can use radio to sell albums. I'm good with this sound for 3 songs, but they beat it to death for a whole album....then about 10000 albums after continued flogging it.
Gene Clark
3/5
I sat with this for a month...it wasnt that bad in the end.
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
That was actually quite good "Theme" is the showpiece, but the whole concept album thing works here.
Eminem
3/5
Over the top sensationalism, but you could see the talent.
Faith No More
5/5
Its December, 1990. I am 10, nearly 11. I am at a sleepover with 7 other 6th grade dudes. We all drank jolt cola and saw who could stay up the latest. Those that fell asleep first got their hands savagely put in warm water. A classic hallmark of pre-pubescent late nightedness was the appearance of Saturday Night Live. This evening's host was John Goodman: Costar of Roseanne, and comic relief from that summer's blockbuster: Arachnophobia. The show is great, including the instant classic sketch, " Bad Idea Jeans". The musical guest is this weird and raucus group called Faith No More. They play a song called Epic. It was indeed. Music underscoring a perfect memory.
2/5
No. No thank you. I had a big lunch.
Stan Getz
5/5
Pura
Suicide
4/5
Very cool. Like Dirty Beaches. You can hear this influenced a lot of stuff.
Spiritualized
4/5
Excellent. About as good as "Ladies and Gentlemen, We Are Floating in Space."
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
There are a few Springsteen albums you must listen to before you die - I'm not sure this is one of them.
Ray Charles
5/5
Genius Indeed.
The Beta Band
3/5
I bought this CD because of High Fidelity with John Cusack.
2Pac
4/5
Near peak Pac.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
A favorite.
Mardy Bum is a perfect little song.
David Holmes
3/5
Very cinematic, even if you ignore the 007 one. Lots of street recordings. Interesting.
The Specials
2/5
Eagles
2/5
When the Coen brothers were making The Big Lebowski, they reached out to the musical genius – who has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Willie Dixon – to help them curate a suitable music taste for The Dude. It was Burnett’s suggestion that he should hate The Eagles. Why not? Burnett f–king hated them, too, man. He even went as far as to tell Rolling Stone that they contributed to killing the counterculture movement: “[The Eagles] sort of single-handedly destroyed that whole scene that was brewing back then.”
So, how did they kill the scene, and how was that even relevant for a film set in the 1990s? Well, as it happens, a few years prior to the release of the movie, the Eagles hit the headlines as the first rock band to charge over $100 for tickets. Seeing as though The Dude hailed from a place of hippie idealism, parcelling simplified peace and love with a price tag that lofty was an awful duality to straddle as a band.
The irony of a platitude like ‘Peaceful Easy Feeling’ – a song that strips the counterculture movement of any of its pointed intent and merely serves it up as a lukewarm laidback lark with an incense addiction – was bound to get on his nerves almost because it’s simply pleasant cab ride music. Burnett saw this as diluting the era down to its most commercial elements and serving it up for cash.
He even used his hatred of the band to leverage song rights deals for the Coen brothers film later down the line. He wanted to use Townes Van Zandt’s cover of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Dead Flowers’ to close the movie, but he encountered contractual issues as their manager, Allen Klein was asking for a budget-busting $150,000. But Burnett convinced him to watch the first cut of the film, and he recalls: “It got to the part where the Dude says, ‘I hate the fuckin’ Eagles, man!’ Klein stands up and says, ‘That’s it, you can have the song!’ That was beautiful.”
William Orbit
2/5
I found it a little boring and bland. Like buttered noodles, slightly over cooked.
Beyoncé
2/5
This thing is built like a skyscraper. A feat of architecture and collaboration. But I'd never have as much affection for a skyscraper as I would a cozy cottage.
Dolly Parton
4/5
I have an irrational distaste for Ljnda Rondstadt. Then again, I have an irrational love for Dolly and Emmy Lou. In the end, it was 2 v 1 and the 2 won. This is worth listening to.
5/5
Loretta wrote and played important American music. This is one of her classics.
Brian Eno
4/5
Great tunes for concentrating.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Better than average indie pop.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Production is worthy of careful listening with headphones. Modern masters of Zeppelin-style light and shade. Deep, unashamed influences evident. Corgan claims that the riff on Cherub Rock was stolen from Rush, and it was. But its the groove he stole from Ted Nugent's Stranglehold (that he won't cop to) that made that song.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
This is my 3rd favorite Tribe record, and its still a 5.
The Yardbirds
2/5
Most of these songs are corny...especially the vocals. Nazz Are Blue is an exception. The sustain on the solo reminds me of Nigel Tufnel.