Feb 15 2024
View Album
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
The robots - it sounds like it was cool and wild in the 70s, not so much now. A little too repetitive, but maybe fun to dance to.
Space lab - I liked the first half, then it lost me a bit. Cool synth work tho!
Metropolis - probably my fav so far - really cool intro and decent development.
The model - pretty simplistic
Neon lights - it definitely sounded like neon lights! But it went on a bit long. Great music for a trip
The man machine - great backbeat/ostinato. Didn’t go to anywhere interesting, but very vibey.
3
Feb 16 2024
View Album
Queen II
Queen
An amazing album! You definitely hear how their sound started and would continue to develop. Absolutely loved the second half of the album especially, though every song had its charm. The Fairy song was probably my fave.
4
Feb 19 2024
View Album
Melodrama
Lorde
A great album! Not my kind of music, but very well made and I enjoyed my listen. Some of the transitions were a little weird, especially in the first half of the album, but I think that’s just a me thing.
4
Feb 20 2024
View Album
Guero
Beck
A very diverse album, but well crafted. I didn’t love every song, but I loved the range and general vibe. Would definitely check out their other stuff!
4
Feb 21 2024
View Album
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
At first I thought it was a little generic, but I loved the 2nd and 3rd songs. The diversity of style was great, and I really love the groove and timbre they have!
4
Feb 22 2024
View Album
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
What a wild album. Rap is not my thing, but damn is this impressive! I really enjoyed the 2nd and 3rd songs, the others not so much. But the craft that goes into it is incredible.
4
Feb 26 2024
View Album
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
Didn’t enjoy this much. The vocals on the first song were atrocious, and while they did get better, it was hard to get past that. The songs and music were fine. I know he’s apparently revolutionary, but not for me.
2
Feb 27 2024
View Album
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
What a fun time!
5
Feb 28 2024
View Album
Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
WOW! I expected to enjoy this, but I seriously loved it. Stevie is definitely in his prime here, and the range and creativity especially in orchestration is fantastic. A thoroughly enjoyable listen.
5
Mar 01 2024
View Album
The Holy Bible
Manic Street Preachers
An absolutely fantastic album. I love the style and the sound - but my favorite part is the deeply thought out lyrics (and interspersed audio). I really feel like the album tells a story/is sending a message in an artistic and creative way. Definitely want to check out their other stuff!
5
Mar 05 2024
View Album
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
I absolutely loved this - it’s reminding me of Chicago and some Simon and Garfunkel as well. I’m a sucker for horn parts, and I seriously love their mixing techniques with minimal reverb. What a fun album! Only song I wasn’t a fan of was probably the instrumental track.
4
Mar 11 2024
View Album
Disintegration
The Cure
It felt very repetitive throughout - not much distinguishing each song. Maybe a closer listen would get me more into it, but overall not quite my thing.
3
Mar 12 2024
View Album
Sign 'O' The Times
Prince
I was very split on this - I loved the more narrative/lyric driven songs, but really didn’t like the more dance/club songs. I am curious to listen to more of his music, though, since I know he’s such a legend and I know very little about his style.
3
Mar 26 2024
View Album
Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
I absolutely loved this. I’ve heard many of these songs before and didn't know they were all from the same album! Take five is, of course, iconic, and the Rondo is also extremely famous. One that I didn’t already know but loved was the waltz - going between straight 3 and a swung feel was spectacular. I also really loved the mixing on the album - so natural and clear, especially for the piano. I don’t love the airy Sax tone, but I know that’s part of what makes it iconic.
5
Apr 24 2024
View Album
Heroes to Zeros
The Beta Band
The middle songs were the strongest for me on this album. The beginning songs sounded a little too similar, and the vocals sit so far back in the mix that sometimes they might as well not be there. But, the middle songs added more variety and interest. I would give it a 3.5 if I could.
3
Apr 25 2024
View Album
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
I guess I’m just not a Springsteen fan! I did like this one more than the other one, though - I’d give it a 3.5. I did not enjoy the first two songs (the vocals are just so grating!), but the rest were more enjoyable. I wish the lyrics were more prevalent in the mix - I often found it hard to decipher what he was saying. I can see how this would have been wild when it came out, but it’s not for me right now.
3
Apr 30 2024
View Album
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
WOW! I loved this so much. The beginning was a little slow, but every song after that had a fun surprise I wasn’t expecting. The orchestration is fantastic and the mixing is beautiful, especially for this time period. I would go with 4.5 if I could, but overall absolutely fantastic.
4
May 06 2024
View Album
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
A really interesting album - more of an auditory experience than anything. Lots that I didn’t really understand but still enjoyed - my favorite parts were the piano solos and the flamenco guitar sections. I also loved when they played with rhythm and seemed to have two different meters in different sections. I don’t know if I’d listen again, but I thought it was really cool and they were all clearly masters of their crafts and a tight ensemble!
4
May 07 2024
View Album
Green
R.E.M.
This album was good - but nothing special in my opinion. I liked the vocals, the mixing, and the fun mix of instruments throughout, but the lyrics were very repetitive and I lost interest about 1:30 into most of the songs. I would definitely put it on at a casual gathering or something, but don’t know if it’s worth another listen.
3