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Mon Jan 22 2024
Violator
Depeche Mode
first tape i ever wore out. millions of listens to this record.
5
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Wed Jan 24 2024
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
I'm a bit disappointed with all the fade outs on guitar solos.
This record feels like a shot at Elvis, leave the C&W to the pros. - i hear this especially in the way Waylon is singing the ballads. Maybe this is a chicken egg situation where producers in Nashville had been heavily influenced by Elvis in the decade before this came out.
"got an education paid for by the law"
4
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Thu Jan 25 2024
Want One
Rufus Wainwright
what a bore.
I'm sure there is genius in here somewhere, but most of the time i just can not even figure out what he is thinking about. I get zero emotional resonance. Mostly I feel like Rufus thinks he's so much cooler than the rest of us cause he lives in NYC. (or something... how do you like them apples?)
The melodies and themes mostly sound the same.
1
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Fri Jan 26 2024
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
"whatever happened to humanity?" I better stop with the pull quotes now before it gets out of control.
this record is really good. such funk. Right as grunge is hitting big and everyone is slam dancing or mosh pitting this is probably the only caucasian record that came out in 1991 that you could actually dance to.
Sir Psycho Sexy is my favorite track. the bubble bass is outstanding
4
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Sat Jan 27 2024
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
This record is entirely too short.
As a contemporary of Paul Simon I wonder what Nick would have got up to in the 80s and beyond.
similar to Rufus I sometimes dont know what Nick's talking about, but i feel more curious instead of talked over.
4
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Sun Jan 28 2024
The Boatman's Call
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
this record is a head scratcher. There's at least 3 other Nick Cave records I would pick over this one.
Its too slow, too samey and rather boring. Its not bad, just boring.
Listen to Dig Lazarus Dig instead.
2
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Mon Jan 29 2024
White Ladder
David Gray
3
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Tue Jan 30 2024
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
Just a solid record. I guess so far I mostly like the funk records.
4
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Wed Jan 31 2024
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
Straight forward rock and roll from a time when everyone played everyone else's songs and used everyone else's band members.
3
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Thu Feb 01 2024
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
Straight rock and roll. Awesome guitar solos with a driving beat all the way through.
In contrast to Rod Stewart playing someone else's music using someone else's band these guys are going their own way, doing their own thing. It feels like a sea change from the 60s to modern music.
I feel like these guys hadn't quite found their groove yet. I think this record is them just showing off their amazing technical skills.
4
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Fri Feb 02 2024
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
I didn't get into TV until a few years after this record, but this record could have come out in 1991. It is pure alternative. In fact they probably wrote a poem about Madonna.
Wear You Out is the perfect end to the record, the bonus tracks spoil that a tiny bit.
5
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Sat Feb 03 2024
Coat Of Many Colors
Dolly Parton
Yee haw, this album is great.
Traveling Man is down right scandalous. I can't believe how much innuendo is on a record with gospel songs. And does the mother end up eloping with the traveling Man at the end? Wild
5
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Sun Feb 04 2024
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
If I was a girl 16-24 this would be my favorite record.
It's got fall in love songs, breakup songs and even a dance anthem.
I do like the middle bit of the record better than the rest: Love you like a Woman, wild at heart and dark but just a game.
But since I'm a 50yo man it only gets 2 stars.
2
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Mon Feb 05 2024
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
another record I missed. I probably wouldnt have appreciated it at 11 and I never really got into the band when they were more popular in the 90s.
But I would have loved this record if i found it in the 90s. Great sound scapes. Love the jangly guitars and the vocals.
4
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Tue Feb 06 2024
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
hard to believe this came out a year before the Dolly Parton record we just listened to.
this is it for punk and glam all rolled into one.
4
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Wed Feb 07 2024
Gold
Ryan Adams
in 2001 I was 25 and very serious. I guess I was perfect for Ryan Adams.
I wouldn't say this was anything groundbreaking but it is top notch coffee shop rock.
4
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Thu Feb 08 2024
Tanto Tempo
Bebel Gilberto
good stuff. feel like im at the Warsaw restaurant on jazz night.
3
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Fri Feb 09 2024
Manassas
Stephen Stills
3
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Sat Feb 10 2024
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
I actually loved the guitar
4
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Sun Feb 11 2024
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
5
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Mon Feb 12 2024
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
1
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Tue Feb 13 2024
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3
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Wed Feb 14 2024
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
This is very different from what I thought Paul Revere was.
I love old rock songs about cars. My SS 396 wants to jump off the line.
3
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Thu Feb 15 2024
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
My previous self apologizes profusely for writing this record off. This is a god damned masterpiece.
I need to get some LSD and trip out with this.
5
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Fri Feb 16 2024
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
I have always loved this record.
When this came out we were a couple years into grunge being everything. Liz really flipped grunge on it's head for a second.
They writing is so clever and the hooks ands grooves are infectious. This is basically a female Matthew Sweet.
5
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Sat Feb 17 2024
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
this record jams. Love 'can you get to that' since Sleigh Bells covered it.
4
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Sun Feb 18 2024
Millions Now Living Will Never Die
Tortoise
3
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Mon Feb 19 2024
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
3
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Tue Feb 20 2024
The Next Day
David Bowie
not my favorite bowie, pretty good though.
3
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Wed Feb 21 2024
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
This album was just okay as it was released. It was definitely a rookie album by a band trying to find their footing. There is a lot of talent for sure.
With the inclusion of The Bronze i would add another star as that is my favorite QotSA song of all time.
2
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Thu Feb 22 2024
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
what a masterpiece. To this day I still can not fathom that this record came out in 1967. Easily 10 years ahead of its time.
4
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Fri Feb 23 2024
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
oh man, I really dont know what to think about this.
I think firstly I dont appreciate the implication of southern = dumb, so this feels a little like punching down to me. Similar to short people honestly.
I suppose the music sounds very Newman if you're into his vibe.
2
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Sat Feb 24 2024
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
some say it was a crime that Stevie did win a grammy for this record as well as every other record he made in the 70s. This is 100% pure gold, but maybe I'm a simp for the man.
I love the funk, the organs, the backup singing. Its all so effing good.
5
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Sun Feb 25 2024
Water From An Ancient Well
Abdullah Ibrahim
3
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Mon Feb 26 2024
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
I honestly didnt know Queen rocked like this. This is some top notch heavy metal.
4
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Tue Feb 27 2024
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
meh. this sounds so 60s.
2
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Wed Feb 28 2024
Permission to Land
The Darkness
3/4 of this band blows the roof off. While I admire the singers bravado and moxie its pretty hard to listen to his screaming for 45 minutes. I do think this record does belong on the list.
2
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Thu Feb 29 2024
Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
This is one of Zappas most approachable records and it still is way out there.
I think its genius.
4
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Fri Mar 01 2024
Come Find Yourself
Fun Lovin' Criminals
somewhere way in the back there is a drunken stupor giggling about fun loving criminals and taking notes on a criminal fucking conspiracy.
2
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Sat Mar 02 2024
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
at first i made the mistake of listening to this on the phone. This record really needs to be listened to in stereo at least, if not surround sound. At the same time though it does follow the 'car radio' rule of being recognizable played on a tin can. Just look at a song like Breathe. The first few chords of...its not really a bass line or a melody line. I would call it a blue man tube noise. Everything in that song is played in service to that one phrase so the song can basically be boiled down to one measure easily recognized even through humming.
Maybe its just a Chicago thing, but I feel like after the disco demolition of 1979 the radio stations didn't really have an appetite for dance music for a long long time. Sure we played music we danced too and we did play Groove is in the Heart, but mostly that stuff is more pop than dance. the Prodigy was specifically dance music and they were a huge success for a few years in a row. Many people think dance is what Prodigy is all about, but those people are all wrong. The Prodigy is about one thing only and always: DIESEL POWER!
...after the record ended autoplay went to Songs for the Deaf and it was a perfectly seamless transition.
3
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Mon Mar 04 2024
B-52's
The B-52's
The guitar sound of the early B52s was simply out of this world. The guitar player, Ricky Wilson used some unheard of tunings and would often play with a couple different strings missing. Supposedly he said the guitar was too hard to play with 6 strings, but take that with a grain of salt.
In any case this record is really good and you can see it's influence in new wave and post-punk for the next decade and beyond.
4
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Tue Mar 05 2024
Stardust
Willie Nelson
I really appreciate that this record was kind of groundbreaking. Having a major country star do a crossover record of all cover songs was a novel thing at the time, and it led to more instances like Johnny Cash and someone else major i cant remember in the 90s.
Obviously there is nothing groundbreaking or innovative about this record, and it's not a good example of Willie Nelson. I do like his version of Georgia on my Mind though.
2
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Wed Mar 06 2024
One World
John Martyn
this is the first record I was unable to finish. I dont even want to waste my breath on it.
1
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Thu Mar 07 2024
Electric Prunes
The Electric Prunes
this was decent, but not great. The style was all over the place. very unfocused.
2
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Fri Mar 08 2024
American Beauty
Grateful Dead
I could listen to this record all day long. I am super biased, but this has a couple of the best GD songs in ripple and box of rain.
4
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Sat Mar 09 2024
Young Americans
David Bowie
This record is okay. I do love Young Americans and Fame. I really hated Across the Universe, it made me cringe.
The real star of this record is David Sanborn on Sax who rises above a crew of legends to really put his stamp on this whole record.
2
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Sun Mar 10 2024
Chelsea Girl
Nico
i did like the song for Lenny Bruce and Chelsea girl
2
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Mon Mar 11 2024
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
This is one of the most important bands to my teenage years. These guys directly inspired every band I loved from 89-95. They created industrial music and were influential in house music and edm.
That being said its not something i would put on at a party. I haven't personally listened to one of their records since 1995, but still rightly deserve a place on this list.
4
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Tue Mar 12 2024
Murmur
R.E.M.
Even more than Kollaps this is _the_ most important album that no one ever heard. Just like Kollaps invented industrial music, Murmur invented college radio.
Rem is one of those bands where there is a clear progression of quality in their music over each record they put out. By the end of the 80's they were the kings and everything they touched was gold. Unfortunately the 90s happened and I'm still not sure what happened to REM. I assume they are still touring and making tons of money.
i was a huge fan of REM in the late 80s. I never owned murmur so I only heard it a few times before today. My best friend's older brother had it on tape, but we could only listen to his tapes when he wasn't around or he would beat us. Talk about the passion is still one of my favorite song by REM.
Side note, i think its a bit ironic that spotify has all the lyrics. As i remember Stipe really didnt like people dissecting his lyrics to the point that they never had lyrics in the liner notes until 98's Up album. Of course by 98 i no longer cared about REM.
4
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Wed Mar 13 2024
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
I really like this record. I love how hard it rocks. This is pretty metal, just listen to those guitars.
3
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Thu Mar 14 2024
Timeless
Goldie
this is good stuff, but i dont have time/will to listen to a two hour record today.
3
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Fri Mar 15 2024
Horses
Patti Smith
What a gorgeous record. I've never listened to it before and I'm so happy to listen to it now. Yesterday I complained about listening to a 2-hour DNB record but I listened to Horses three times.
5
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Sat Mar 16 2024
Tommy
The Who
i was going to write a book here about Tommy, but i've run out of time.
bottom line is i think this record is yugely overrated. I will say that it is one of the the most opera of the rock operas. eg refrains, callbacks, codas etc that many other rock operas forgo. Also it has a story that is mostly coherent.
Really the entire record revolves around pinball wizard and nothing else really stands out.
2
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Sun Mar 17 2024
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
5
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Mon Mar 18 2024
Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
3
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Tue Mar 19 2024
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
This is interesting, but not really for me
2
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Wed Mar 20 2024
Close To The Edge
Yes
I feel like I am saying this too much across this whole project.:
this is pretty good stuff. I love prog rock, but i dont think this is the best effort, even just within Yes' catalog.
3
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Thu Mar 21 2024
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Surprise to me but I've actually never heard this record. I thought it was absolutely great the first track is a real banger.
3
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Fri Mar 22 2024
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
Is this the first pre-Beatles record we listened to? It definitely sounds like it.
I love when an artist gets big enough to do whatever the fuck they want, and this record is great.
It's not held up well to time though so only a mid rank.
3
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Sat Mar 23 2024
In Utero
Nirvana
Dude, I really really wish we had half star ratings. This is not technically a 5 star record, but its also not a 4 star record.
It is the third best record by Nirvana and really highlighted the lyrical songwriting. By this time grunge was in full swing and everyone was on board.
5
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Sun Mar 24 2024
Snivilisation
Orbital
This was classic 90s raver music. I cant say I would know which band this was, let alone name a song, but it is instantly recognizable.
Also my wife is a big fan.
3
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Mon Mar 25 2024
Justified
Justin Timberlake
if you couldn't get laid with this CD on in 2002 you probably soon turned to roofies.
The first half of this record is fire, but the second half is such a snooze fest.
never tall anyone i like this record or there will be blood.
3
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Tue Mar 26 2024
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
This is the best nepo-baby record since Nelson hit the scene.
But seriously this is a really good record. again i wish there was half stars i would go 3.5
3
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Wed Mar 27 2024
The Undertones
The Undertones
i didn't know they punked like this in Ireland. pretty good stuff, but I've never been that big on classic punk.
2
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Thu Mar 28 2024
Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
the start of this record caught me a bit off guard. The first couple tracks I thought we were in for more straight forward punk rock, but after the third song the whole record took a sharp left turn.
I loved everything after track 3.
4
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Fri Mar 29 2024
Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
I was today years old when i found out I love french rap. I listened to it all day long. So glad i was exposed to this.
5
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Sat Mar 30 2024
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
This is obviously a fantastic album. Speaerboxxx alone would be one of the best rap records of the 2000s and the love below is truly one of a kind.
I do feel a little bad for Big Boi though. "his" part of the combo is full of everyone else rapping verses including Andre, but Big Boi has almost no presence on the love below. It's like OutKast put out a record and 3stacks added his own record to the same package.
4
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Sun Mar 31 2024
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
HAIL SATAN!!!!!
5
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Mon Apr 01 2024
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
i am not a big punk fan anyway, but you got to be either "behead the queen" like the Clash or super clever like the Dead Kennedys for me to not fall asleep.
2
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Wed Apr 03 2024
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
Biggie melded the gangster style of NWA with the grimy NYC style of KRS-ONE and put that on top of some of the slickest production to date (F*ck Puffy though) He brought a real life feel to gangster rap and a sincerity that a lot of the OG west coast rappers never seemed to capture until 2Pac came along.
I never really got into the whole Beef thing and its a sad state of affairs that only brought sorrow, but who cares wtf a stupid white boy from the midwest thinks.
This is Biggies best record. I feel like after he blew up, and puffy got his god complex, they turned into more Hip-pop.
5
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Thu Apr 04 2024
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagon
This was pretty cool, but I think it would take a long time to really unpack everything here. It feels unfair to give something like this a rating because of that, but i guess i will just cop out and give it 3 stars.
3
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Fri Apr 05 2024
Microshift
Hookworms
at first i didnt think much of this, but i had spotify on repeat and after three listens i really like it. Maybe its just Stockholm syndrome, but maybe this is just a really unique band with a really fresh sound?
4
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Sat Apr 06 2024
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
4
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Sun Apr 07 2024
Purple Rain
Prince
what's to say. absolute smash
5
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Mon Apr 08 2024
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
i never listened to this record before even though i am a huge Neil Young fan.
This is pretty good. especially love the my my hey hey and hey hey my my bookends. It reminds me of the wilco songs outta sight outta mind and outta mind outta sight from being there.
The other track that really stands out is powderfinger. such great writing. I really felt like i was on the dock for that one.
4
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Tue Apr 09 2024
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
gatorjuice: was it the review about the 70s orgies? i think we should bring that back like Justin brings sexy back.
Anyway, this website once again shows its love for bands second best record. This is still a very good record. It is one of the most DaDa records we've listened to. It's like the Pixies were trying to one up REM for the most cryptic lyrics. I dont think the Pixies lryics are about anything for most of this record.
3
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Wed Apr 10 2024
Vivid
Living Colour
Story time:
During Jazz week in NOLA we went to a show that was G.Love and Cory Glover. the show was supposed to start at 1 or 2 am, but it didn't start until 4 or something. (it was light out on the walk back to the AirBnB.)
They called the show The Glove Love and they were throwing condoms off the stage into the crowd the whole time.
It was the perfect epitome of late night jazz fest and one of the most memorable shows ive ever been to.
This record is important, but unfortunately its not the best. the cult of personality would get 5 stars as a single.
3
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Thu Apr 11 2024
Mama Said Knock You Out
LL Cool J
LL was a real pioneer, but the production on this record is ass
2
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Fri Apr 12 2024
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
meh
2
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Sat Apr 13 2024
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
DJ shadow was a big influence on a lot of the music i loved late 90s and i'm happy for his continued success. In the 90s I had no idea who made any of the music i heard at raves, but i loved it.
What this record in particular made me think about was the lost art of scratching. There really were only a few DJs who ever got to a master level: Terminator X and DJ Jazzy Jeff being the top ones of my youth. People that could make random noises come together to make a whole new sound is really wild to me.
Anyway, I personally find it hard to really get into instrumental music without the help of some stimulant / dopamine drugs and dancing my ass into a myocardial infarction so i cant give this more than 3 stars.
3
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Sun Apr 14 2024
Scum
Napalm Death
wow, this was amazing. I listened to grindcore all day. (With some dj jazzy jeff mixed in. a juxtaposition for the ages.)
3
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Mon Apr 15 2024
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
decent, not my favorite new wave, but they did have some hits.
3
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Tue Apr 16 2024
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
This record saved Dre's life, and Snoop Dog is 100% responsible.
I cant think of a more acrimonious band breakup than NWA. Even the shit Fleetwood Mac got up to paled in comparison.
Dre was definitely the runt of the litter coming out of NWA. He was so much less charismatic then Ice Cube or easy-E and generally didnt have the street cred either. His career was basically over until he got snoop, nate and warren G to help him.
Dre did make great beats and everybody loves the Funky Worm, but even here his rap is not fluego, but this record put him on top of the entire west coast rap world for a decade.
Much respect, but i'll listen to some Tupac or Chronic 2000 before I come back here.
4
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Wed Apr 17 2024
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
2
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Thu Apr 18 2024
Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
never heard of this. pretty good. i have questions though.
2
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Fri Apr 19 2024
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
Really great voice. I could listen to this on any sunday morning.
3
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Sat Apr 20 2024
Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
decent record. i really like doorbell and denial twist, most of the rest is filler to me.
3
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Mon Apr 22 2024
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
mostly a snooze for me. i prefered the beth orton record from a couple days ago.
2
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Tue Apr 23 2024
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
4
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Wed Apr 24 2024
The Predator
Ice Cube
i'm so glad this came to us so close to the chronic.
These two records couldnt be further from each other (except for the funky worm again.)
It's hard looking back to say which is a better record. I think Predator is a way better record than mama said knock em out.
4
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Thu Apr 25 2024
The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
if you were digging music in the 80s you owed a lot of it to this man.
4
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Fri Apr 26 2024
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
This was really interesting. I really like how almost every song is based on a riff or phrase / line(s) from a famous songs by other artists. Unfortunately i dont have the time to really sit with and experience this record. I think it would be good on a great stereo.
3
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Sat Apr 27 2024
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
Now this is the best white stripes' record.
This was easily the best record of 2001. Grunge/alternative had slid all the way over to Nu Metal (;`0´)═゜。
Jack black got us all back on track, just a beat up old drum kit and one kick ass guitar. I love this record.
5
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Sun Apr 28 2024
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
80s metal is so hokey. I think in retrospect the best thing that came from it was the album covers.
I am glad to get a chance to listen to this one final time though. ( listened to it a lot in jr high.)
4
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Mon Apr 29 2024
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
I love this record, second only to back in black.
So much innuendo i was here for this as a pre-teen.
I will say that i believe ac/dc is just a well disguised pop band. they played very familiar and basic keys and cord progressions. You could make an entire axis of awesome song using just ac/dc songs. If you made a band today with billy eilish singing and (insert todays hot producer) playing the same sheet music it would be 100% mainstream pop music.
They were basically the Nicki Menaj of the late 70s - mid 80s. (90s ac/dc was a completely different band.)
4
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Tue Apr 30 2024
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
3
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Wed May 01 2024
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
i was surprised at how melodic this was.
I was also very surprised to find out how old this was. i thought kraftwerk was more in the 80s.
3
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Thu May 02 2024
Basket of Light
Pentangle
This must have been England's response to Genesis
2
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Fri May 03 2024
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
4
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Sat May 04 2024
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
As much as i liked PJ in 1993 i never heard this record. I heard it was good, just never got around to it. This doesn't sound like the PJ i remember,
This is a beautiful and brutal record. i love it.
4
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Sun May 05 2024
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
all the hits!
3