The Eagles are so easy to listen to, and I hate it. Their harmonies are like honey, even when there is a country twang to the rock. Every song I didn’t know was worth the listen.
Catchy beats from a British hip hop artist AND the title helped her reconnect with her activist father? I’ll round up.
Three hits and a lot of really fun “others.” “The Ox” shows off Moon’s talent. Rounding up.
George and Ira’s lyrics and compositions combined with Ella’s beautifully controlled voice (no scatting here) was perfect.
Very interesting and fun.
The good songs are great, the others are just okay.
Interesting parts, but mostly simplistic mood music. Better than Violator - maybe.
While there were some good beats, I mostly wanted it to be over.
Fine enough, but not something I will look for again.
Creative. Wish I could like it more, but only “Relax” works for me.
Good production and playing, but it does little for me.
Straight up great blues singing.
Loved that he gave a shoutout to Sam and Charles. Very good music, even if not hits.
What’s special about covers, especially when they aren’t re-arranged? The Byrds play fine, but there is nothing special about this particular album, and I hope no one things these are their songs.
I understand why they did it, but this album would have been better with just the really good songs, instead of being a double album. 4+
Different band, same problem: they would improve simply by dropping a few mediocre songs. Better still, drop the pretentious silly noises on most songs. There was potential to be a solid album.
MUCH better than their previous album. Their darkly humorous lyrics were secondary to upbeat and unique music that kept my attention.
Good, but not great. Really a 3.5, but I’ll give half a point because Elvis’s vocals are more mature or because of the saxophones. Probably the saxophones.
Three great songs spaced out, with good and okay songs in between, led to three full listens yesterday. 4 stars for the music and 1 for the balance.
As with many orchestral songs, there are parts I like and parts I don’t. But at the end of the day, there was almost nothing memorable about this album, except for the concept.
Getting drunk and high and playing music might be a way to grieve the deaths of friends; recording the music and selling it does not make it great. The grief is palpable on these tracks.
The humor and the tribute to pirate radio aside, the music is uneven, making “I can see for miles” stand out. It’s worth a listen to hear the birth of Tommy in “Sunrise” and “Rael” but people would have to wait two more years for that brilliant album.
Lamar likes to play with a theme throughout an album, as an extended story. This was clear from m.a.a.d., which was a better album with songs that might linger. This one had none.
Unnecessary redundancy, but better than SW 4.
Worth listening to, if only to try to figure out if it is good music. For me, it had really good moments (like the second half of “Stereotypes”) and a lot of juvenile tracks (especially on the second side). Other bands did the sound better.
Disco pop is not my thing, but this is what you get when people have talent and they know how to produce quality sound: a solid album. “Rio” is the standout hit.
Worth listening to again. Strong, interesting vocals; impassioned lyrics; balanced instrumentation. Not sure why I avoided her music in the past.
Wilson knows how to jam. Even better on the second listen.
I would wear out the A-side of this album, if I had it, but the second half is lacking the energy that makes this group so good.
Drake has nothing on Jim Croce or Donovan. Fine for background music at a pub, but the lyrics are laughable and the vocal creative range is minimal. I cannot believe there’s more than one album on this list.
Since Butthole Surfers is to hard rock as Miles Davis is to jazz, I shouldn’t like this album - but I do. The group’s ability to create catchy phrases of lyrics and riffs, along with keeping each song and the album short, made me want more. The jerks!
Often mundane music, but the lyrics were good.
While amusing at first, by the end of the album and the beginning of a second listen, I felt all that was missing was electric shock therapy and some official insisting that this is what good music sounds like.
Tender, poignant, and humorous. Scott Walker could have learned a lot from this guy.
The Eagles are so easy to listen to, and I hate it. Their harmonies are like honey, even when there is a country twang to the rock. Every song I didn’t know was worth the listen.
Bold move putting the two best songs last on the album. Mostly arcade noises and simple lyrics. This album is an oversimplification of what the early 80s were. A 3 is generous.
Quite late in the game for punk, but enjoyable.
I expected more from Radiohead than Sleepy Pop.
This is the folk music I grew up on: superb poetry and harmony.
Better than In Rainbows, this is still nothing to write home about. The first really interesting song was the ninth.
Probably a 3+,but much better to my ears than Radiohead. The early tracks are the best.
Really good music, for country. I was hoping for one more upbeat song, but the slow-dancing songs have a beauty to them. Some fun lyrics!
Good for both MTV and grunge.
Worth a listen for its strangeness, but I expected more from psychedelic swamp rock.
Fun for background dance music, but none of the songs stood out to me. 3.5
Taking ok music and making parts dissonant does not make any of the music better. Poor philosophy that others glommed onto.
Love the beats and the way they finish each other’s lines. Kickin’ it old school.
Plenty of good music here. I just wish Morrison would let the band jam more; a few of the songs would have been better without the vocals.
Damn, that is some red hot jazz! I love that the crowd recognized how good it was, even for a festival.
Not only are the songs’ lyrics powerful, but the arrangements bring out an energy from every instrument and voice that beg to be listened to over and over again.
Guided By Voices answers the question of whether one can get to know a band through samples.
Great vocals, but not my cup of tea. Music to make one sad.
Immature concept in every respect. Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare succeeds where this one fails.
Normally this would be a 4 for me, but context matters. Appropriating these songs in 1962, re-arranging them (often for the better), and choosing songs with lines about chains and being a slave and having it harder than others suddenly becomes much more poignant. Don’t tell me he was blind to what he was doing.
Made it through three listens and would have gone for a fourth if there had been time. Great energy and a lot of subtleties worth unpacking.
Uneven; it started well enough, but by the fourth song I was dreading finishing the album. Even as the songs got better, those few tainted the collection.
They’ve perfected the second half crescendo, with a driving beat (and organ) that beg for this album to be used in celebration/as a pick-me-up. Just right for the last day of the year with students.
Looking for the line between noise and music, they must have gotten spun around and lost the horizon. Awful.
Pleasant voice and interesting compositions, but the songs ran too long to keep my attention - R&B rambling.
This would be a four if there were no vocals; the singing does not hold up against the deft guitar licks. I think they knew this, as the singer often sounds like he is behind the instruments. A tip of the hat to “The Prisoner” clip. Three plus.
One of the best groups for Blues Rock. Only a few radio-play songs here, but that does not diminish its appeal. Great balance of ebb and flow energy, and what a Stomp! I’ll round up.
I wanted to like this more, but after two listens I didn’t feel there was anything memorable about this album. Good, and easy to listen to, but not memorable.
Their energy is infectious despite (or maybe because of) their juvenile behavior, much like watching children playing at recess. Guessing samples from songs of my youth is a game in itself.
Amazing how quickly this double album flew by. Brilliant!
The sound of many bands in the 90’s that strayed from or rebelled against synthesized sounds of the 80’s. Difficult to tell this group from the rest. Songs don’t really move past the hook.
I feel I stumbled upon a backwoods after hours lounge. It’s a bit naughty, but the musicians are giving it their all, and I am totally captivated. I gave it three listens and I’ll be back for more soon!
I can see this album’s influence on Grunge bands and, therefore, it was worth a listen. Beyond that, it was not as good as those that come after it, especially the vocals, which do not blend well with the rough music. Three plus.
Abba is a guilty pleasure for me. The harmonies make me blush like a kissed teacher. This album was fun throughout, even though I only knew two songs.
This was not the jazz I was expecting from one of the greats, and that really affected my first listen. However, the second go round I heard how the orchestration fills in the space around Holiday’s vocals beautifully, and, while this is not Holiday in her prime, her vulnerability connects so well with the songs she’s chosen. Depressingly emotional from an aging, worn out singer at the end of her career.
Running scales are tiresome, but her voice is beautiful.
I have always wanted to like Elvis’ work, but the songs I have heard have not caught my interest (except for the hit “Veronica”). Clearly I have never heard this album. It’s good and catchy; I liked it even better the second time. Probably a 3.5, but I’ll round up to a 4 because it was startlingly not strange.
It’s amazing none of these songs became generational hits. Each is compelling, and Armatrading’s vocals are understated beautifully.
Lesson: Good things happen when you dwell on your problems and you put them out there for the world to hear.
Something to be said for hearing the first of a genre. Thankfully there were others that liked the sound but believed they could do better. The two covers aren’t as good as the originals. Quite a silly album - and there’s a place for that.
Elements of the Troggs and Mungo Jerry, it’s a fine sounding album, with “Bang a Gong” at the next level.
It started out interesting - good bass lines- but grew tiresome, until the last song.
Supposedly this album changed rap. I can’t say it was for the better.
It starts a little slow, but it is a nearly perfect side two. This version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is a lasting masterpiece. Rounding up.
Solid noise for those who like to jam.
Can almost give this a 5 for “Rednecks” alone. Ballsy, patriotic, and heart-crushingly tender, this album is a true salute to the Deep South. I would have loved to hear it performed in Georgia, with Newman conducting the Atlanta Orchestra.
Too much experimental electronica, not enough hard rock.
Just enough (or little enough) industrial and electronic sound to make things interesting.
From the first notes of “Chameleon” I was enthralled, and it didn’t even matter that it became chaotic during “Sly” or sounded like music that would be used on Buck Roger’s.
Very catchy, despite its raunchiness and crassness. Their energy and playfulness works, as it does for De La Sol and A Tribe Called Quest.
Mellow mood music.
Solid, but leaving me wanting more.
Despite being enjoyable and interesting, with a sound that seems to have influenced bands of the 90s, most songs feel incomplete. A great sampling of their talent that I would listen to again; frustrating that I cannot give them more than a 3 because of what’s missing.
Probably would have been more popular in its time if not for the subject matter. More than three singles here.
Clapton could take a 40 year old standard and make it sound as new as his own compositions. This studio album sounds like a live album, jamming for an incredibly short hour and seventeen minutes. Encore!
Was it really 28 songs or 28 variations of the same song? Like a child’s tantrum, thankfully it was over quickly.
Three albums in one year!? No wonder they were writing about forgetting songs and breaking bones to get a vacation.
I was thinking this one wasn’t going to be as good as the other two we’ve had, but then “Save the Life of My Child” began and I remembered how good this album is. “Fakin It” and “A Hazy Shade of Winter” are two of my favorites. While “Overs” through “Bookends Theme” are subdued, there is power in their message that gets more poignant to older I get. All the emotions are on display on this one.
It did make me grin to hear what is the quintessential sound of the 80s. However, that doesn’t make it automatically good. The only song here I know/remember is “The Look of Love” and that is easy to pass over.
So he’s been spouting nonsense for a long time. The last song really shows his ego.
Who are these pretentious punks? Their good songs are rip-offs of great artists, like Buddy Holly and Dave Brubeck; and they openly dis Smashing Pumpkins for no reason. Pavement was meant to be walked all over with no second thought or listen.
Musically, the first songs are the most interesting, and this is a three star album; however, the socio-political nature of the lyrics take this up a notch. Unfortunately, still relevant today. “Talkin’ about a Revolution” is worth a listen.
This seems to be old hat, but as the “first” live blues album, it’s showing just what the blues were all about. As I listened, I couldn’t help but think of a generation of rock artists who were influenced by Muddy Waters, from the Beatles to the Stones to the Yardbird - and everyone they influenced as a result.
Dank groovin’ throughout this album. “Graveyard Train” is especially good.
It’s too bad this album sat on a shelf for 22 years. Cooke shows that he knows how to party, changing up each song just enough to make it a unique experience and keeping the crowd involved. Slightly higher rating for the spirit captured in the album.
It has the good singles, but the rest is quite forgettable. I don’t think the next generation will look kindly on the album.
If I am going to listen to hip hop, this is the type of album I’d choose: lots of energy, positive, and a bit silly.
I’m totally biased, but so is he.
Solid Young, which is saying a lot after Tonight’s the Night. Good blues riffs.
If I’m ever in the mood for heavy metal, this might be the type I’d listen to: some variety to the yelling.
Surprisingly enjoyable, and nice to hear several songs with positive messages.
Solid album, with their own songs being the strongest and the weakest contributions. The covers are mostly good by being unique, except for “You Baby,” which is a poor knockoff of the original.
Excellent blues! While Clapton headlines, his guitar does not seem to feature more than the other instruments, and the standout moments of sax, harp, organ, and piano, make this a well-blended album. Mayall it a great artist.
Catchy beats from a British hip hop artist AND the title helped her reconnect with her activist father? I’ll round up.
Easy listening, but not as interesting as I expected.
Given time, he doesn’t upset me like he used to, but I still don’t like it.
The great thing about Marley is he found a sound that works so well that there isn’t much of a drop from the great songs to the lesser known ones.
Not being on meds, I could not appreciate the noises they created. Except for when they “sang” or involved animal sounds, I was tolerant enough to round this up.
They know what they’re doing, and they do it well. “Orion” was enjoyable.
I’m going to want to listen to this funky, festive album again. Unfortunately, I couldn’t remember any particular song shortly after listening. Maybe that changes with repetition.
Interesting religious theme to some of the songs. Otherwise, it sounds like so many of the others.
Good, driving beat, but annoying repetition of simplistic lyrics. Forgettable.
Minimal, but usually with a sound that is fuller than two people ought to have. Always creative and interesting, if not always great.
The two covers may have been the best part of the album, proving that Eastern and Western music can mix. 3.5, but I’ll round up.
The influence on the Beatles and countless other groups came from so few songs (three albums), but what songs! Add to that the nostalgia of my father singing them and that influence on my music appreciation, and that these songs are still hip, albeit naive, tunes. What could have been had he not taken that flight?
This is a 3.5 for me: it was artistically unique for its time and kept me entertained, although I didn’t give it as thorough a listen as normal.
Started well enough, but played themselves down.
Good message, good beat, but lacking the banter that other groups deliver.
I see why it sold poorly in the US: it’s not bad, but there is no standout for radio play. An example of several famous musicians coming together and not making a great album.
Melancholia for its own sake is not for me, but these songs have purpose. Especially powerful are “Four Women,” “Lilac Wine,” and “Either Way I Lose.” These songs may have been castoffs from her other albums, but there is a respect given to each one that’s worth a listen.
This album forced its rating down by choosing to keep a couple of annoying songs on an already lengthy disc. Rave material that’s too fast for most workouts and too long to bounce to in one sitting. 2.5.
I really disliked some of these songs, but I unexpectedly liked others. Weird, but playful.
A lot going on, and good samples throughout, but not as enjoyable on the second listen. 3.5
Well done, but I didn’t want to listen to it again when it was over. Maybe that will change with time.
Three hits and a lot of really fun “others.” “The Ox” shows off Moon’s talent. Rounding up.
The music is good, but the vocals and lyrics make me cringe. The first and last songs are the best, as they are vocal-less.
Being stifled by two great artists can lead to something like this, once freedom prevails; however, instead of doing a “solo” album, Harrison chose to surround himself with other greats, including Dylan, Billy Preston, Clapton, and members of The Band (among others) to create this masterpiece. Thank you, John and Paul.
Fun, upbeat African beat throughout. Did I hear the sound of the chorus to “Do Ya Think I’m Sexy” on one of the songs? Definitely influenced several artists of the time.
This is a 4.5 for me. A few iconic songs, some good , and a few fillers. The great songs seem to end abruptly.
It sounded fine but, as ethereal as dream pop is, I have forgotten nearly everything I heard now that a night has passed.
3.5: There are a lot of interesting things going on in most of the songs, and the members really seem to know what they are doing with the construction of these songs. Maybe worth another listen one day.
Good representation of 90s rock. The upper side of 3.5 and worth listening to again.
Phew, there is a Byrds album I do like: when they do psychedelic folk. Good harmonies and haunting sound on this one, with “Artificial Energy,” “Draft Morning,” and “Tribal Gathering” standing out.
Interesting concept: going from acoustic to electric, although it would have been better if it built throughout. Other than first/last song, the music wasn’t really interesting.
Too manic.
I know what is sophisticated, and what is well produced, and then music critics go and rate an album like this 37th best ever. What?? While the arrangement can be well done, like on “Live and Let Live” (easily the best song on the album), the singing and the lyrics can also be a disaster, like on “andmoreagain.” Even the Wrecking Crew couldn’t fix what ailed this album.
Exactly what we should get from a supergroup: brilliant lyrics, harmony, and playing.
3.5 that I’ll round to 4 because the 80s vibe and the subtle commentary on British society worked for me.
The potential for greatness was there, however the choice to have psychedelic, French cafe, alien, clown music made it too strange for anything more than background noise.
Highbrow rap about themes of the day (that are mostly still a problem).
A masterpiece. This is everything Let It Be was not; finished and well-conceived. A fitting encore that seems to show something new on every listen.
The negativity in the lyrics in the lighthearted, upbeat music was disturbing. Not for me.
Good variety of rock styles kept my interest. A nice surprise.
Seems to be missing something and, while it might grow on me with more listens, it falls flat the first two times.
Fully conceived concept album. Serious and silly, complex and garage sounding, as only the Kinks could do.
“Pleasant Street” is by far the best track. There are other good ones, but the folk ballads of wandering vocals keep me from giving a higher rating.
Surprisingly good. They knew how to make an interesting rock song, so the random noises didn’t detract.
I’ll assume I’m rating the UK version, which is a pity because the US version has “Paint It Black” on it - a superior song to the also great “Mother’s Little Helper,” which inexplicably is only on the UK version. Sadly, neither song can prevent my disgust with the second track, “Stupid Girl,” and several subsequent songs about misogyny. The 11 minute blues jam “Goin’ Home” is worth a listen, as it pushed the stereotypical limits on a song. This record reminded me that the Stones, at their core, are not just a blues band, but a country-blues band.
Great jazz for foreground or background, orchestrated for long grooves. The venture into electronics even seems natural. I’ll have to remember Masekela.
What pipes! Great lyrics and depth, but the last song’s jazzy slide blew me away.
Similar to Talking Heads. A grooving punk, alt rock type band. Definitely worth more listens.
Honking reed instruments and smashing cups are musical? Not for me. Too bad, as there were moments of good music underneath.
I respect the music, but the twanging country is not for me.
Breathy/whisper rock annoying at times. Odd blend of sorrow and cheer in the music.
There’s something about Reed’s voice that sounds unpracticed, unpolished, and often flat, and yet ultra cool. Or maybe that’s why he sounds so cool. This is an album for multiple repeat listens.
It was okay.
Floyd-like, but without any connecting thread from one song to the next.
First two and last two songs were the best here, but the album was just okay. Terrible name for the sound.
Tried too hard with backwards tracks and Indian instruments, but the harmonies were spot on. Mostly good songs.
Not my speed.
Young knows how to sound emotional, and the emotions run the gamut on this album.
Man, did she know how to sing the blues! The one song on the album without her voice (because she had passed away) reminds us that there was a funky band there, too.
The second record is the better one, because there is some funk to it; however, I just can’t get into this soul.
From their name, I thought there would be double what I don’t like, but they brought the funk to each and every song.
There is something about this album that transcends Soul. Quietest political music ever.
Better on te second listen, but still a 3.5.
What a range of rock. Some of this is quite good, but some is quite bad/weird.
Second quietest political album this week. A good companion to What’s Going On.
Brilliant wit and irony abound throughout this musical style rock album. Beloved by preteen me, and I still find myself singing along.
More complex than Depeche Mode, but it still didn’t grab my attention.
High enough 3 to round up. Something interesting here.
There’s a lot of interesting things going on with the percussion and strumming. Well produced. And then there’s Byrne’s vocals. 4.5
I like this a lot, but still a bit raw and, perhaps, not enough variance in the second half. Unfairly, perhaps I am comparing with what comes next.
A one trick pony, if playing hard (to like) is a trick. It certainly was no treat.
Complex blues rock. There is something new to appreciate with every listen. The percussion is fascinating. Much better in stereo!
Brilliant! This is what happens when everything aligns. Thank goodness for that car trip south!
There is a rawness that is either genuine or contrived, but it works. Retro 60s vibe to the rock.
What started off as all right became intolerable, and I was openly mocking it by the end. Unsuccessful second listen.
More vaudeville than opera, there’s a bit of everything here. And, as with the Marx brothers’ movies, it takes several listens to fully appreciate the wit.
This seemed behind the times, rather than ahead. I know vocal harmonies were their thing, but I forgot how little they did anything else.
Might be a good meditation album, except for the lasers.
The PT Cruiser of the music world; like it or hate it, it’s worth discussion.
So different from other rap/hip hop albums. 3.5 that could be rounded up or down depending on the day.
Really well produced. 4.5
While different from each other, each song was too monotonous for me.
I wanted them to have more energy, but what they brought was a 3.5.
Not for me; crass language, and the music was boring.
Rhythm was fine, but the vocal and lyrics were juvenile.
21st century folk; a cross between Donovan and Mungo Jerry.
Solid 4. Could be a 5 by removing the last two songs and a middle one. Impressive what one drummer can do without any band mates.
This is a solid 4, until the second side, and then it turns it up a level. “Ain’t That a Shame” through “Surrender” is shear bliss. Then we add the bookends of “Hello There” and “Goodnight” before the encore and we have a perfectly packaged concert. The constant cheering of the fans added another layer of energy to the set. This is what I want in a live album.
Some interesting lyrics, but country rock.
They funked me in the ear, and I liked it!
There is some good playing here, but the choice to sing dramatically the most foolish lyrics ruins several songs. Is that a Scottish thing? Quite a rollercoaster.
More sleepy pop from Radiohead. Innocuous, but dull; and I think their title proves they knew it.
Better the first listen, but it gets the benefit of a dry week.
No hooks that I’ll remember, but great orchestration, and a distinctive voice that sucks me in.
So much that should have been cut out of this one. A few good songs. Weird pronunciations, such as “may” for “me” did not endear him to my heart.
Breakup themed. This was surprisingly interesting music.
Just listen to the last song to realize there are no cheap throwaways on this album. Clever and interesting throughout. 4.5
I’m more tolerant than I was at 12. I’ll try again at 88.
Definitely challenging people’s definition of music at the time. Unimaginative lyrics, but interesting instrumentation.
There’s only one speed to this album, and every song is pretty much like the next, but I like it.
Really good; right up there with Ella and Billie. If I have a complaint, it’s with the continuous short line, pause being in every song that would make this monotonous if not for her distinct voice.
Too long to be listened to twice in a normal day, yet fun and interesting folk pop. Will listen again sometime.
Two drummers is a great idea for a band that cares more about driven sound than message. The hooks are repetitive and often silly, but that’s extraneous. 4.5
It might be my failure, but I didn’t hear much of interest. I liked their first album better.
Not enough in these songs to really hook me, although I can see the artistry and talent.
This music tries to be inspirational. I think it succeeds well enough to round up.
It had some moments that raised its score, but I did not hear a reason why I needed to hear this album.
Not as good as Purple Rain, more eclectic, but the quality production is still top notch. High 3.
Wasn’t impressed with the album, but that might have been the commercial interruptions. The last 20 minutes were untethered and I was able to fully appreciate their concert sound. Annoyed that Apple Music does not have this album.
Such energy. Continues my concept that multiple people rapping with and over each other is better than single rappers.
This album did not agree with me.
Iconic couple of songs, and the rest was okay. 3.5
This is a clear 3.5 for me: the styles, instruments (and vocals) run the gamut, with a tongue in cheek look at the variations of love. Compelling enough. The half step up is more a celebration of making it through without becoming disgruntled.
Lyrically funny, like a pompous musical performance. I would have liked to have a second listen.