It's just about as basic as you can get for a jazz album. It's mostly just vamping over some nice chords. It's not off-putting to listen to and it's not that engaging either. It's some of the most inoffensive music I've heard and I have to mark it down for that. These guys really do be playing some instruments. Track 3 had a little somin somin to it mind.
Zeppelin can take fairly straightforward riffs and make them sound anthemic and insane. The meat on the guitar/bass tone just tears. I don't know how much of the production quality is original, but it's really well spread out. They do make some odd structural choices though, simpler is better in this case. Solid.
Extremely long winded project that barely goes anywhere with it's ideas. It can't just be funky. There are some very telling noncey lyrics on here too. There is one truly great track out of 17. I was waiting for every track to move out of the usual schtick. I felt fairly exhausted of it by the end. Not impressed.
Such a smooth vocal and great backing from the band. The brass is big and loud and isn't compressed down like it might be in future recordings. The arrangements are fun, it's not pushing crazy boundaries but I don't feel it needs to too much. There could have been slightly more diverse song choices tbh, but hey.
Very grunge era album that carries it's themes across well. The vocals can be real powerful at times but they can be inconsistent. The chords are simple and that can help and hurt the sound. It's super 90's and I do love that style. The structure definitely needs work.
He's a great showman, he works the crowd well. The stories that preface the tracks enhance them a bunch. Cash's vocal feels pretty flat sometimes but it picks up as the show goes on. The backing is strong but not that diverse. It felt a bit underwhelming, though the big moments did shine. It felt heavily edited.
Super diverse mix of sounds from all over, either side of some great Bollywood tracks. It gets funky, the strings soar over the ballads, there's even jazz solos. It's cool to fill a soundtrack with so much influence. I only think some of the tracks could be a bit tighter structure-wise. The ending ties things off thematically but could do with more oomph.
There's some solid Stevie bangers on here, it's just rough putting any other song on here next to Superstition. It's just gonna pale in comparison. A lot of these tracks start out really well but end up losing themselves in the jams towards the end for a few minutes. Could definitely use some tidying up.
While there is some super cool musicial ideas being formed on this thing, there's a big portion that feels aimless. It's a hard time threading the needle between being unique and being different for the sake of it. I dig the weird rhythms, the stones cover is SO good. The rest of it gets kinda lost for me, they need to lead to a more solid hook. This music begs to be catchier than it is.
Jazz with some fantastic and sometimes magical moments. Jazz-fusion always brings interesting new sounds. While it's focus is trumpet, it's the piano that really blew me away. It reminded me of Soul the way he just floats around the keys. I gotta say some of the trumpet techniques were re-used a bunch.
Wonderful introduction to traditional African music, arranged and sung with grace. Makeba's vocal is amazing wether singing Xhosa clicks or more western style tracks. There's great jazz backing throughout. The vocal does become overpowering at times and some song choices could be better.
Megadeth have always been so accessible for metal, the lyrics are so unserious it almost feels like parody. But that doesn't stop the music from being the most engaging riff heavy non-stop thrash. There are only a few moments on this album where the formula doesn't quite work. The time sig changes really get to me, so good.
A super bloated album that tries to lean way too hard into nostalgia. There are a few tracks that have a nice reflective nature. However, a lot of lyrics end up feeling quite narrow-minded. Musically there are good ideas but a lot of them feel drawn out. There are some great tracks that get lost in the drudge around them. Needs cutting down a bunch.
Extremely mid britpop. The vocals feel amateurish which are only further contrasted by quite accomplished instrumentation. There are occasional poingant quieter moments that definitely shone brighter than the rest. A lot of it feels grabbing on the coattails of Oasis and the like. It's trying.
One of the best debut albums ever 🙏
Mostly unenjoyable. The album is waay too long. There are some fun moments, interesting production and decent flow at times. The skits got me too. Most of the tracks overstay their welcome with the same hook. The idea of being a concept album is all over the gaff as well. Pretty unimpressed.
Dark and atmospheric, amazing soundscapes with some great bass especially. While there are some great lyrics that paint a bleak picture that works so well, Ian Curtis is very hit or miss as a vocalist. A super impressive album that is only just held back by being off pitch. After 10 years or so, I finally like this thing.
Strong soulful vocal and well constructed atmospheres. There are some themes and ideas that get recycled and the interludes and intros can feel redundant. I think there were times were I wanted a stronger committment to new sounds. A lot of the backing vocals especially felt like a crutch. Saying all that, the lyrics are solid, it's definitely enjoyable.
This album is SO front loaded. The first few tracks are subtle but driven. The atmosphere is laid back but doesnt feel empty (until later). The album really takes a dive in quality outside of the singles. Their sound and lyrics become so formulaic and don't challenge anything. If this was an EP of the singles it would be solid, but as an album it seriously suffers. A shame cus the singles are real fun.
When the Talking Heads formula works, it's funky, weird and uplifting. The latter half of this album fails to capture that for me. A lot of the melodies seem to be all over the place. It screams for more structure to reign in the fun and crazy rhythms. The tones on this are fantastic though. You can feel TH's searching for their sound and getting a little lost. I would recommend heading straight to their next album.
While Soundgarden are great are making some riff heavy rock, they also carve out a really unique sound. Chris and Kim make a really diverse soundscape, using lots of different scales and subtle uses of less traditional instruments. This album has some of the most effortlessly great vocal performances. RIP Chris. I gotta say a few tracks get lost in the durge, stuff like Limo Wreck. Either way it dings.
Super disappointed with what I thought would be a really solid album. There is so little invention going on would these tracks. The likes of Master of Puppets starts well but the energy fades after 8 mins. There's just nothing that's grabbing me, even the solos feel fairly uninspired. There's a track or two here and there that manage some interest but it's hard to keep with all the tracks being so long. Mid.
50's rock and roll doesn't really do much for me. Aside from the slight Fallout 3 radio mod nostalgia, it's decent inoffensive songwriting. The last track has some really cool rhythms I wish they'd visit more. It's good for what it is, very much commercial music as a product of its time.
What starts off as a fun and danceable new fusion of sounds turns into the same old same old by the end of the album. I feel like they came out blasting with the best riffs and vocal hooks at the start and the rest of the tracks were kinda just jams. Good jams though. The last track is sombre and sweet and I appreciate them ending on that note given the bands history. I wish they just kept reinventing but it's easier said than done.
There are hints of this that are super ahead of their time, often times it's mixed with some subpar vocals and overly experimental stuff from Eno. When the band reigns in the art rock side, the glam rock is pretty good. I just can't get over the vocal, it really holds it back from being interesting. If Bowie was on this jaunt he might just make it gold.
A proper return to form for Bowie at the end of his career. It works well as a clear-cut rock predesessor to Blackstar. The songwriting is fun and blends into the style of the time seamlessly. It's art rock without going too crazy with it. I saw people critizise it not taking much risks with the sound but I think the simplicity works. The lyrics still feel maze-like and enjoyable to explore. The ballads hit just as hard as the bops. Solid stuff.
Really fun prog with a strong driving rhythm. Even though they're famous for the crazy bass and drum lines in wild time signatures, I ended up prefering their more radio friendly moments lmao. I feel I wanted the structure to be a little tighter even if that conflicts with the freedom of the sound. Grew on me a lot after another listen.
The whole album doesn't really push the creative boat out. I gotta say off the bat Petty really isn't a strong vocalist. He's got this restrictive tone that really doesn't speak to me. The songwriting is fine but feels so middle of the road americana. The very heights of the album are only decent which doesn't bode well for me listening to any more Tom Petty. Fairly egregious amounts of mid.
Decent collection of gentle folk and blues. Paul Simon really excells in making comforting music. There is some wonderful guitar work but I feel you're often waiting for the end of the chorus to hear that one crazy riff. The blues chords really brighten up the harmony, especially in tracks like Falls Apart. Some of it might be too easy towards the end. I have a soft spot for stripped back albums like this. Enjoyable for sure.
This album is mostly pretty droning, the tone just doesn't work for the majority of the tracks. There are some highlights that brooding atmosphere really sell the story behind the music. I think more could have been done instrumentally to enhance the ideas presented here. Cave's vocals are fairly hit and miss and all. If I lost PJ Harvey I would act the same way.
FUCK, such a cool project. It's got this big blues focus but still retains the jazzy elements they normally bring. It feels front loaded but the second half explores more styles which I loved. I wasn't gonna go 5 but it's just clawed into me.
There are undeniably some banging southern rock going on here. Fogerty's vocal is grainy goodness, it really compliments the guitar. The track length didn't actually bother me too much, I liked getting lost in the soundscape. The riffs really carry it. The big let down is the more basic blues tracks. I don't really know what would fill that void though.
This album feels pretty damn ahead of it's time, by that I mean the singer is mostly bad. But I gotta say it's sometimes a vibe. A lot of these don't land but then they bring out a cool Doors-style solo and win me back. It's a love hate relationship. The lyrics can be funny and real too. I love the idea of it but it's not the most enjoyable music at times lmao.
Some crazy good pop-rock with fantastic interplay between gritty guitar and floaty synth melodies. It's super tight, even when it does get loose it's in a QOTSA kinda way and the Queen style harmonies ding. There are times when it loses it's focus and the vibe gets too weird but only a couple times. It's just a near perfect example of that late 70's era where more interesting ideas are creeping in. Super fun.
Joni really nailed the balance of Folk, rock and jazz here, that's not easy. The lyrics are sweetly personal and delivered by a wonderful vocal. There's some quite experimental moments. While not all of them work, the ones that do really elevate the album into a floaty jazzy cloud of a place. Honestly this is just the project where Joni goes full Steely Dan mode and I couldn't be happier for it. There's a good mix of soft piano moments that let the vocals come through and huge rocky moments that explode through the tracklist. Raised on Robbery is an especially huge track, bluesy and fun. I was impressed overall by the instrumentation and respect Joni for pushing her sounds into bigger places like this.
They really said what if all these tracks become the biggest Reggae classics for the rest of time. Seriously though, I think I had previously put down reggae to having the same beat but my presumption almost made me miss an amazing album. It has such a drive to it that really sells the messages it's putting across. The rhythm is punchy and relentless, it keeps the jam going all night. It oozes fun in tracks like Jammin' and sings out a sweetness in tracks like Waiting in Vain. The production really gives the drums a snap and the vocals a lovely verb. You can't help but feel good listening to this music. The albums on such a high note in both message and music. The first side of the album isn't quite as strong as the second which is what bumps it from a 5 but it's still quality stuff. It's hard to fight against some of the most iconic tracks of all time. I went in a little skeptical and come out a lover. Lovely album.
It's ambitious and impressive, but it doesn't hold that level the whole way through. The movie improves on the tightness of the storytelling to get a better picture of what's going on.
