659
Albums Rated
3.14
Average Rating
61%
Complete
430 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Singer-songwriter
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
45
5-Star Albums
20
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
|
5 | 2.28 | +2.72 |
|
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
|
5 | 2.65 | +2.35 |
|
What's That Noise?
Coldcut
|
5 | 2.78 | +2.22 |
|
Ys
Joanna Newsom
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
|
4 | 1.91 | +2.09 |
|
Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
|
5 | 2.92 | +2.08 |
|
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Sunshine Hit Me
The Bees
|
5 | 2.99 | +2.01 |
|
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
4 | 2.03 | +1.97 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Boston
Boston
|
1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
|
We Are Family
Sister Sledge
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Revolver
Beatles
|
2 | 4.24 | -2.24 |
|
Pyromania
Def Leppard
|
1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
|
Make Yourself
Incubus
|
1 | 3.08 | -2.08 |
|
Ray Of Light
Madonna
|
1 | 3 | -2 |
|
Steve McQueen
Prefab Sprout
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
|
Heavy Weather
Weather Report
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
|
Rapture
Anita Baker
|
1 | 2.94 | -1.94 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Neil Young | 3 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 3 | 4.67 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.67 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| My Bloody Valentine | 2 | 1.5 |
| Orbital | 2 | 1.5 |
| Frank Sinatra | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Simon & Garfunkel | 5, 4, 2 |
5-Star Albums (45)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
De La Soul · 12 likes
4/5
They are clearly having so much fun making this album. The friendly comedy sketches. The playful dissing (“everybody in the world, you got dandruff”, “you got doo doo in your pocket”). Wild to hear so many samples out of their context (Otis Reddings SOTDOTB whistle track in “Eye Know”). Crazy to think they made this before technology made it way easy. Just a damn fun album. The beats are hypnotizing. I could listen to the instrumental of “Plug Tunin’” for hours. As the album marches on they get bolder when it comes to the explicit content. Problematic for the suburbs in 1989 I’m sure. When “Me, Myself and I” drops toward the end, I got excited because I finally knew a song. That one has been there my whole life, hanging on the wall, sprucing things up. I’ll be coming back to this for sure.
Lightning Bolt · 2 likes
5/5
What a shot in the arm this is! It’s noisy and aggressive, but there are grooves to be found. And once you find a treasure, they let you keep it for a while, while the noise happens around you.
Cocteau Twins · 1 likes
3/5
Wow, another Cocteau Twins album in my first 130. I had never heard of them before and I continue to be pleasantly surprised. Their ethereal sound and fun harmonies sets it apart. The 80s textures aren’t my favorite, but their creativity overshadows it.
Cee Lo Green · 1 likes
5/5
Hot damn this was a fun ride. Cee Lo has such a unique and captivating style, and, man, the beats. Pharrell Williams and Timbaland involved? Lights out. Add Ludacris into the mix and you get a 5 from me.
Devendra Banhart · 1 likes
4/5
A cool, weird, unapologetic, transparent album. You feel like you’re in the room with him making this album as he taps into the all the mysticism he can muster from around him. Sometimes prophetic, sometimes silly, always strange.
4-Star Albums (186)
1-Star Albums (20)
All Ratings
De La Soul
4/5
They are clearly having so much fun making this album. The friendly comedy sketches. The playful dissing (“everybody in the world, you got dandruff”, “you got doo doo in your pocket”). Wild to hear so many samples out of their context (Otis Reddings SOTDOTB whistle track in “Eye Know”). Crazy to think they made this before technology made it way easy. Just a damn fun album. The beats are hypnotizing. I could listen to the instrumental of “Plug Tunin’” for hours. As the album marches on they get bolder when it comes to the explicit content. Problematic for the suburbs in 1989 I’m sure. When “Me, Myself and I” drops toward the end, I got excited because I finally knew a song. That one has been there my whole life, hanging on the wall, sprucing things up. I’ll be coming back to this for sure.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
My first take is that this is an energetic band with a fun funk bend. Flea’s bass lines are on point and Chad’s drums keep up. Anthony is having a great time. His white boy rap style is not taking itself too seriously.
When they navigate away from the funk with “breaking the girl” they really feel out of their element. With the drums and bass still standing out, the vocals and flute seem lost. Some redemption to be had with that junkyard breakdown bridge.
Such a talented band with a charismatic frontman. The signature Anthony Keidis skittleybapadangdong is ever-present and sometimes clouds the amazing rhythm section and shredding guitar, but not too often. I do find myself wanting some of their grooves to last a little longer without vocal intervention.
I realize they need to do it to switch things up, but the sensitive slow crooning is off putting, saved only by some sultry guitar licks. The lyrics and vocals really aren’t built for it. The exception to this is, of course, “under the bridge” which transports you to a place, time and struggle. Too bad they seem to apologize for it with their next track “naked in the rain”, a song that dives head first into all of the things I dislike about this band.
Ultimately, I found myself oscillating between wishing this album were over and being impressed by moments of brilliance. I think that speaks to their engulfing style. Either you’re all in, or you’re on the outside looking in. If I had the energy to stand up and join them, I have no doubt I would have a blast. This is album is a great display of the punkfunkgrunge only the Red Hot Chili Peppers bring to life.
Nick Drake
4/5
Flowing and rolling. Beautiful and timeless. Resting somewhere between sadness and relief. It’s like sleeping in and waking up to a rainy day coffee cup morning after a long night of difficult conversation.
Parliament
4/5
The talent of this band is evident right away! I love how fun it is. It was a fun romp. Way shorter than I expected a rollicking funk album to be. The hit hit just like they always did. The playful plays on words “funked up” “mother sucker” are fantastic additions. Fun times!
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
The hits start coming and they don’t stop coming. Tuesdays gone, gimme three steps and simple man is a helluva three song line up. These guys are pure 70s rock and fucking roll. From the badass guitar licks to the manly sensitivity. They would change every Contruction site forever with these jams.
What a goddam epic Free Bird is. Every bar band breathed a sigh of relief when it was usurped by Wagon Wheel as the most shouted request.
A great time and definitely full of classic rock anthems.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This album has some real bangers on it. “Brown Sugar”, “Dead Flowers”, and especially the jam at the end of “Can’t you hear me knocking” (my favorite part of the whole ride).
Some of the songs fell flat with me, like “I got the blues”. “Sister Morphine” followed by “Dead Flowers” had me wondering if these dudes were OK.
I loved the sax and the keys on this album. The orchestral ending was a nice surprise.
“You gotta move” seemed like a fun riff on “come on in my kitchen” but ultimately, I felt like they were lampooning things at times. The feigned or attempted country western accent in “Dead Flowers” was a good example of this, though I absolutely love that song.
Wish it was longer, I could have used more of the “brown sugar” energy/vibe.
American Music Club
2/5
Was it the smiths? Was it a precursor to nirvana? Was it a Bruce Springsteen tribute band? This album seemed to hold all of that.
There were moments of greatness and Bad Liquor is an absolute smash.
3/5
Loud, unpredictable, compelling.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This album kind of pours over you. It doesn’t really have enough of a punch to grab me. When I do happen to pay attention to what’s happening I find beautiful singing and descriptive and dancing lyrics. There is also an active bass line that is fantastic, but not in the texture I like.
Santana
2/5
Obviously Santana’s guitar is the centerpiece of this album. Sadly, I have been trained to tune out classic rock guitar, especially in the form of Oye Como Va.
The highlight for me on this album is the percussion.
The Who
2/5
Weekend listens are hard for me, since my kids are running around and loud.
I threw this on in the background and I knew I would love the drums. I did, but I also loved the bass.
Ultimately, this album isn’t my cup of tea.
Also, I’m not sure how much more classic rock in can take from the app. I’m only eight albums in and have had The Rolling Stones, the who, lynyrd skynyrd, and Santana. Please tell me this ride isn’t going to be like this.
Radiohead
4/5
This album humanized Radiohead for me. I’ve never been a full time fan of theirs, but I’ve always enjoyed certain moments, Karma Police for example. When Paranoid Android came out with its wild music video, I was stunned. I both loved it and was turned off by its otherworldliness. Giving this album a full listen helped me realize they are a rock band. Definitely one that was pushing limits and being weird, but they’re a rock band. I loved Electioneering and think I’ll add it to my running playlist.
Also, Thom Yorke is one of a kind.
Lauryn Hill
5/5
Such an amazing talent! This album is so well put together and diverse. Her ability to navigate between singing and rapping is unmatched. “To Zion” with Santana is amazing. The harp in the Doors tribute “superstar” is amazing. For 1998 this is hard to believe. The basis for so much in the hip hop/soul/now-soul world. My first 5 star album!
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Leonard Cohen has a way of adding importance and gravity to every song. So much depth and emotion in these tracks. Even the jaunty “Diamonds in the mine” gets dragged into the mud when he begins to sing. He certainly sets a mood!
Muddy Waters
3/5
This is what I think of when I think of the blues. The repetition lets you settle in and not worry about where you’re heading. He’s cool, sounds great, and is backed by some folks that really know how to do it.
The White Stripes
2/5
I feel like this album was chosen by throwing a dart at the white stripes discography. This is not their best album. Normally, white stripes albums are characterized by jacks ripping guitar, and the little elementary diddies serve as a port in the storm. Instead, here, they are featured heavily and it falls flat with me.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
This album was kind of like punishment for me. I was already cold on Joni Mitchell after listening to Hejira as one of my first albums on this app. She has a wonderful and graceful voice. Her lyrics can be brilliant, but don’t do much for me. Ultimately, I struggle to stay with Joni as she lilts along. Raised on Robbery was a nice injection of energy.
It also doesn’t help that she isn’t on Spotify, so listening to this album is peppered with ads.
Bauhaus
3/5
This album had moments of fun “FISH CAKES!”. I loved the rhythm section. This band seemed like contemporaries with the talking heads. I haven’t explored this genre much and enjoyed this trip.
The Modern Lovers
4/5
I’ve always loved this album and I love Jonathan Richman. He’s forever young and always making me think, reflect and laugh. Such a fun album with many highlights. For me it’s all about GIRLFREN “girlfriend” and “roadrunner” which has been on many of my jogging playlists.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Surprisingly melodic! I really enjoyed the unique song structures and movements n many of the songs. I can hear that they laid a foundation for many bands to come like guns and roses. I can also hear their connection to past music like Led Zeppelin. Listening to the album redefined my u informed idea of Iron Maiden.
Alice In Chains
1/5
This was a struggle for me. The band wasn’t doing anything special. The lead sjj in beer was doing something unique and impressive, but not pleasing. The lyrics were sad and angsty and often left me wondering if the dude was ok. Not a single track struck me well.
Drive-By Truckers
2/5
90s and early 2000s southern rock to the hilt. Birmingham was just “Last Dance with Mary Jane” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers without the charm. I respect the carrying on of the tradition. The lyricist is a southern rock historian. Ultimately, the sounds and the grooves all melt together for me. None of the songs hold any special place for me, but they do make me want to listen to Skynyrd and Tom Petty.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
This was such a great album for me. Friendly, heartfelt, funny. You can really see how their sound impacted others.
Nick Drake
5/5
Better than pink moon for me, this album is a chamber-folk gem. Shorter than I wanted it to be. This one will be one heavy rotation for sure.
Beatles
2/5
Some of these songs are really bad (“she said she said” for example). And what the hell was “Dr. Robert”? The sitar pieces seem a little forced, or demonstrate someone just exploring because they can. The stark fade outs at the end of nearly every song are not good. They finally show some vocal chops with the soulful ending to “got to get you into my life” and they just… fade out during it.
Some gems in here for sure (“Good Day Sunshine”, “And Your Bird Can Sing”), but this album ain’t for me.
Pixies
4/5
This album is great! High energy.
Did anyone else feel like “I Bleed” was Weezer’s “Undone Sweater” song just 5 years earlier? A clear influence. Their impact goes beyond that. I hear “here comes your man” in the Felice Brothers.
Minus one star for the late 80s/90s rhythm guitar sounds that I am allergic to now. They make up for it with other grooves and intricacies.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
The album cover describes where we’re going. Insightful, creative, amazing. As he walks you lyrically through his worldview the music spans many genres. He maintains the hip hop tradition of skits, cameos and interludes. All stimulating and amazing.
Black Sabbath
3/5
This album kicks off with two all-time rock bangers, War Pigs and Paranoid! I’m all here for railing against the war machine and the death cult that runs it. I even found myself liking the slowed down bongo laced Planet Caravan. Ironman, which I’ve always kind of scoffed at, had some surprising fun grooves. The spooky/scary vibes were fun. The album was surprisingly more bluesy than I anticipated.
Shedding all preconceived notions of this band, I liked it!
The Adverts
2/5
I didn’t know anything about this band before listening. I didn’t read anything either. I wasn’t surprised to learn that “Looking through Gary Gilmore’s Eyes” was one of the most popular songs on there. That song, and it’s bass, rips.
Album was palatable enough, but nothing really grabbed me.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Crooners to the max. Gotta admit all these songs sounded the same after a while. The harmonies, of course, are impressive.
The Cure
3/5
Turns out I like the Cure! It’s moody in all the right ways.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
A jaunty and heartfelt album. It’s a pretty modern sound for 1996. Seems like they influenced a lot of people to come, Conor Oberst, iron and wine, etc.
You can also tell they were contemporaries with Ben Folds Five and other.
The Junk soundtrack revived some of this music for me, my main association.
Good stuff!
Q-Tip
3/5
The sample on won’t trade is amazing. Q-tips flow is so smooth. This album is a great demonstration of how great a producer he is. Loved it.
Suzanne Vega
2/5
Most of this album falls flat with me. The instrumentation is basic and her vocals don’t carry much and often seem off balance.
There is some redemption to be had with the intriguing narratives and mood of the Queen and Soldier and Night Moves.
Television
4/5
Loved this! How have I never heard of this band. It’s clear how much the vocalist influenced Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes, one of my favorites. It rocks in all the right ways.
Slade
1/5
This one was tough to swallow for me. Unbridled crappy rock and roll. I only like the gimmicky novelty song they put together at the end titled, “kill em at the hot club tonite”
Joanna Newsom
5/5
Wild cosmic endeavor. Bjork meets Regina Spector meets Shara Nova. I can even hear some influence on Anais Mitchell and Hadestown.
This album holds up. Hard to believe it’s 18 years old. The timelessness of the instrumentation, the otherworldly lyrics and the uniqueness of her voice help with that.
Loved it!
Korn
1/5
I really need to cast preconceived notions of this album aside. They were popular when I was in high school and liking the put you in a specific social category. For that reason, I never went there. But, as time has gone on my opinion of the band has changed. They’re actually not very different from the other bands of that era.
Now, years later, here I am listening to it earnestly and it kind of rocks. The tortured breathy singing is laughable, but fun. The energy is great.
I remember liking Got the Life, and that hasn’t changed much. Fun song. Seems like the album really just got worse from there (song 3 lol). The homophobia is definitely not cool.
I was unaware of the hip hop elements of this album.
Charles Mingus
4/5
This might be the first jazz album of this era that I’ve enjoyed! Maybe I’m ready for jazz now, maybe this just rocks. I’m going to try more.
Jazz has always been there my whole life. Movies, films, holiday soundtracks. So I’ve never really grabbed on. This album grabbed me.
I love the mood it sets, the journey it takes you on, and the international feel some of the tunes have.
Chaotic, cacophonous, energetic and inspiring!
Anita Baker
1/5
The 80s instrumentation kind of killed me here. She has a good voice, but nothing groundbreaking. The lyrics are also pretty RnB love song basic. Not much here for me.
Meat Loaf
2/5
His vocal range is pretty impressive. The style of music and instrumentation remind me of Bruce Springsteen. The skits are a little weird. “Paradise by the dashboard light” was a banger.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Again, I went into an Iron Maiden album expecting to dislike it. And again they won me over. These songs rip.
The lyrics definitely leave a lot to be desired. Especially the one that says “molest her”.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
This album was good. I really liked the more rocking guitar solos. The slow tracks dragged a little bit for me.
Interspersing love tracks was a fun detail.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Amy is such a force! Amazing voice and style.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
The Beatles but better! I love the horns on this album. The off kilter singing and lyrics are charming. His falsetto is on point. 4 stars!
The Band
4/5
The band is classic. So many of these tunes have been in the background all my life. They hold up extremely well. I love their grooves and off kilter harmonizing.
Holger Czukay
4/5
Regis was a surprising good time! Never heard of this guy, or Can, or Krautrock for that matter.
It felt like a very modern album with the world influence and sampling. Very cool!
Lou Reed
4/5
This album is amazing! Love the grooves and it’s obvious how much he influenced current artists like Kevin Morby, one of my favorites.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
It’s hard to divorce what this album actually represents from what it has become. Not a hot take, but this is stock jazz, elevator music, grocery store soundtrack stuff. And rightfully so. It’s beautiful, classy, palatable.
Take five has a great vibe and will always be a banger.
Not much here for me though. I am leaning toward two stars, but will give it an extra star because of how talented everyone involved is.
Cheap Trick
2/5
Fun stuff! Kinda blend together at a certain point. The hits hit hard, especially I want you to want me. Pretty pop-rock standard.
The Specials
4/5
Fantastic and fun album! Judging by the date these folks must be early Ska/ska-punk. Great vibes all around and the saxophone reaches my soul.
The Darkness
2/5
Parts of this album really rip. It’s definitely a fun vibe/take. Vocals are impressive. Ultimately, I kind of feel like it’s a rehash of peak Aerosmith, with a dash of AC/DC and Zeppelin, which I’m fine with.
Decently palatable, but nothing I’ll be coming back to.
The Notorious B.I.G.
4/5
The album kicks off with a short film worthy intro. From birth to poverty to scarcity to trauma to violence to prison to freedom. The album then dives into the hedonistic daydream of wealth and sex that characterizes a lot of rap.
Amazing and electric album, perfect flow and well constructed beats.
The graphic nature of the album suggests they don’t want anyone to listen that can’t handle it.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
This band is aging like fine wine! Love this and Storms is a special song for me.
Neu!
3/5
The first half of the album is pretty pedestrian. When they kick it up with Hero, the album is redeemed a little bit. Nothing groundbreaking here for the though.
Giant Sand
3/5
Moody broody voice. Probably the precursor to bill Callahan. The lyricism is off kilter and at times off putting, though not in a gross kind of way. Funky elements on some songs. Velvet underground is a clear influence here. The discordant jams you hear every now and then rock.
Nirvana
5/5
I’m very familiar with this album, since it got heavy play for 13 year old me after Kurt’s death. Back then I went on a nirvana deep dive and their MTV unplugged album was one of my first CDs. I hadn’t revisited this album since my love of them back then.
Man does it hold up! It kicks off when a banger and then proceeds not to miss. Such a well constructed album all the through the final track, which is then unleashed. Loved it this time through.
John Coltrane
3/5
The talent of the artists involved is evident. This genre of jazz is tough for me. I always feel like the performers are having more fun than I am.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Cool, soulful voice. Neat arrangements on some tracks. Some of the songs fall flat, but some of them light you up.
Playlist choice: manhattan
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Some of the tracks kind of blend together. But it’s smooth and his voice is great. Activism with a gospel bend.
Playlist choice: Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
Animal Collective
3/5
Radiohead sings beach boys? Beach boys sing Radiohead? I’m here for it. It definitely had that late 2000s indie rock feel of Dark Was the Night.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
The only positive thing I can say is that it’s better than Korn? The attempt at badassery falls flat with me. Some of the songs have great baselines and rock pretty hard. It’s not as bad I I thought it would be. But it’s bad.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I liked this better than sticky fingers. The drunken bluesyness is awesome.
Playlist pick: factory girl
Adele
4/5
A beautiful and powerful album. Obviously, her voice is amazing. The vulnerability in her lyricism is touching. The composition is almost always on point. Very few misses here.
The Cult
2/5
Pretty standard rip roaring classic rock. Stones, Aerosmith, AC/DC, Billy Idol, it’s all on there. Nothing there to grab me necessarily.
Playlist pick: Memphis Hip Shake
Michael Jackson
3/5
Amazing and energetic funk soul. Some of the slow tunes fall flat, they should have kept it coming with the dance tunes. Tidal wave me.
Playlist pick: working day and night.
ZZ Top
3/5
You know what… I don’t hate this. Solid white boy boues. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Little Feat, John Lee Hooker, it’s all in there. They must have really jumped the shark in the 8”a with sharp dressed man (my only real knowledge of ZZ Top until now).
Manu Chao
3/5
Awesome and fun. The Spanish-French combo is captivating. Great grooves!
Baaba Maal
4/5
An amazing album, full of energy and complex time signatures.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
Iconic attitude and style! Really seems like you don’t want to fuck with Lucinda. Also sounds like she would drink you under the table. This album grabs you more as a whole than as individual numbers. A definite vibe.
Playlist pick: Lake Charles
Incubus
1/5
Is this 90s butt rock? Straddling the line between Korn and 311, with a heavy dose of the Toadies.
Big “I’m 13 and this is deep” vibes. I can get on board with the anti-conformist anti-capitalist themes.
Drive and Pardon me are 90s bangers. The rest is a bit flat.
Playlist pic: Battlestar Scralatchtica
Talking Heads
4/5
A fun and exciting album! The band is so tight and David burns off kilter vocals keep you listening.
ZZ Top
2/5
Sharp dressed man and Legs are 80s tropes at this point. TV Dinners has astonishingly bad lyricism, especially when he dives into the TV dinners he likes.
There are some bright spots though and the guitar is always rippin.
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
This was not what I was expecting when I saw tango. This album has classical, jazz, and a lot more. Fun, energetic pieces that make for good work/study music. I’ll be adding this to the get-shit-done repertoire.
Ravi Shankar
4/5
I loved this! So great to get a window into how the music is arranged. His voice was so soothing and the grooves were fantastic.
The Byrds
3/5
Solid white-boy gospel/country with a heavy dose of the Beatles and Dylan.
Eagles
3/5
I enjoyed this way more than I expected to. The harmonies are on point and the banjo hits right. It’s almost a 4 for me. Points deducted because… they’re the eagles? I don’t know. Something about their sound doesn’t sit right with me and it’s probably due to the heavy rotation they have gotten on classic rock stations throughout my life.
The National
3/5
A lovely and sensitive album. The vocals really draw you in to the experience. The simple drums are hypnotic.
Playlist pick: Anyone’s Ghost
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
3/5
This album was rockin! The “tell me what I say” cover fell flat. What the hell was that drum solo?? Pretty standard though for blues/rock in that era.
R.E.M.
3/5
REM holds up when it comes to 80s and 90s tunes. This album was cool, mainly due to Stipe’s vocals and quirky lyrics. It was interesting listening to “Everybody Hurts” as intended. I cried.
Jacques Brel
4/5
I’m a sucker for this vintage French stuff. The accordion speaks to my heart. So much energy in this, I just wish I knew what he was saying.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
I’m starting to like these 80s new wave, post-punk vibes. It’s very hard to divorce these sounds from the movies I saw as a kid.
The unexpected sax is a good touch.
Daft Punk
4/5
This album fucking RIPS. Next time I need to clean the house, this will be the soundtrack.
I remember “around the world” coming out when I was in 7th grade. It hypnotized me then and even had my black friends singing it in class. No idea where I never bought the album. I clearly should have.
Playlist pick: rollin’ and scratchin’
Radiohead
3/5
Glimmers of what Radiohead would become are evident, but a lot of these songs fall flat for me. Bones sounds like it could be U2, which I dislike. Obviously, high and dry and fake plastic trees are classics.
The Vines
2/5
They sound great, but I’m not sure what their sound is. They oscillate between Nirvana, Blue Oyster Cult, Oasis, and the Beatles. Hedging their bets for some money-making to be sure. Not a bad plan, just doesn’t grab me. Factory is a Beatles-style bop that sticks in my head.
Eagles
3/5
They really caught lightening in a bottle with Hotel California. This album struggles to follow its namesake and opener. Still, though, the eagles maintain tight grooves and perfect harmonies. I especially liked “Try and Love Again”, a personal thing to write about that is no doubt hard to do. Could have done without send off of The Last Resort. 3 stars.
Iggy Pop
3/5
This kicked off with a banger. Loved sister midnight. After that it just seemed a bit noisy with Iggy droning with unimpressive lyrics. HOWEVER, I respect the vibe for 1977!
Alice Cooper
2/5
This is hard to like for me. The feigned badassery is off putting. The grandiosity. It’s all so cringey. There are bright moments of instrumentation. I specially the “me and Julio” riff at the end of that one song. This would get the lowest rating from me, but the band saves it a bit.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
I liked this better than the Beatles. The guitar riff halfway through “let me roll it” was awesome. Mamunia was beautiful. Nine Hundred and Eighty Five has the Paul McCartney vibe I’ve come to like a lot.
Kate Bush
4/5
A unique album. It has 80s electronic baselines, demons, reels and a lot more. To me it was “like a prayer Madonna” writ large, which I love. I’m allergic to some of the 80s synth textures, but this survives that pretty well!
Elton John
3/5
This improved my opinion of Elton John. While I recognize his talents, I have always been bothered by his grand affectation. But the rocking parts of this album are hard to deny. The consistent mention of “dirty little girls” and “tender young Alice” set of alarm bells for me. Different times I suppose.
Johnny Cash
5/5
No one can make you listen to a story like Johnny Cash. For some reason his voice stops everything. His clear charm and connection with the prisoners is amazing. He’s the only person who could’ve pulled this off and we got it on tape. Simply amazing. This album is a place, time, vibe, that will not exist ever again. Americana at its finest.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Obviously, Stevie is a virtuoso. I’ve always been wowed that he doesn’t read music. Like.. what?? This album has some real bangers; Living for the city, Don’t you worry bout a thing.
Some of the songs, despite their musical impressiveness, fall flat with me. I think it’s probably due to the style of the time.
Metallica
3/5
Well-composed with ripping guitar, bass, and drums. Add strong vocals and semi-biblical lyricism and you have the black album. Iconic to be sure. Not my cup of tea, but iconic.
Linkin Park
2/5
This seems to be the best version of the limp bizkit era of lates 90s white-boy turntable rap. It’s angsty and angry, which I’m sure inspires some people. Every song ends up sounding the same to me and I don’t really like it.
Deep Purple
3/5
This actually ripped! I found it high energy with catchy as hell guitar riffs. Nothing really grabbed me on the lyrics front, but the vocals were impressive.
Ride
2/5
Noisy oasis? I think I would have liked this better without the vocals. It has a vibe, but it’s not for me.
Jorge Ben Jor
5/5
Fun, funny, groovy and inventive! This album didn’t miss with me. I loved the varied timing, the passion and the creative vocalization’s. I plan on cooking to this many times in the future!
Depeche Mode
4/5
One of the tracks on this album is titled Clean, which is the first word that comes to mind for me… clean. This is a tight, well-composed album. I love the feel, the vibe. Obviously Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence are ever-present hits, but there are some other gems in here as well.
Metallica
2/5
Loud, raucous, rattling, inspiring (if you’re seeking being energetic and angry. It’s a cool sound for 1986 and a good base layer for what Metallica would become. Master of Puppets is an epic one. I found myself loving the Orion instrumental, which gave them the freedom to be more sensitive without giving away their tough persona.
Prefab Sprout
1/5
Not entirely sure what this album is. Bossonova, RnB, jazz? Lots of 80s textures throughout. The lyricism is pretty basic as well. Not sure I needed this and I will probably not be coming back for more.
Maxwell
1/5
Schmaltzy, sexy, steamy. It’s groovy and he’s got a great voice, but nothing grabs me here. The only line I can remember is “until the cops come knockin” which just conjures negative things. I didn’t enjoy this one very much.
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
The beats were the highlight here and I love Q-Tips flow. The improv stuff where they keep the tape rolling doesn’t yield much. Ultimately very cool for the year.
Ray Charles
2/5
I’m normally a pretty rabid Ray Charles fan, but this isn’t it. This is Ray sings Hank with a big band/Christmas ensemble. Very few moments of Ray’s genius I love.
Jethro Tull
3/5
It’s like Crosby Stills and Nash meets Led Zepplin. I feel middle earth in the lyrics and delivery. As expected the flute is amazing in this. I especially loved “Up to Me”. It’s also clear that they influenced Metal artists like Metallica, or at the very least helped in kicking off that genre.
A Tribe Called Quest
3/5
This albums clips right along with few palpable breaks. It flowed and flowed and was over before I knew it. I have always loved Q-Tip’s flow. It was a pleasant surprise to hear Busta Rhymes on here.
3/5
In this album I hear the precursor to Vampire Weekend and a continuation of the Beatles. There is a heavy dose of Simon and Garfunkel as well as this album plays with sounds, timing and rhythms. It’s fun, but seems like a novelty to me. They’re having fun and creating cool, well-produced sounds, but not much soul or intimacy shining through. The dictionary song was kind of laughable, but also kind of slapped.
The Smiths
4/5
This is my introduction to the Smiths and Morissey. I have certainly heard them before but have never dialed in. I found it to be an interesting album that keeps you on your toes and holds up to contemporary standards. Morissey’s voice and style are super-unique and tap into an introspective mood that others don’t. I particularly liked “I started something I couldn’t finish” and “I won’t share you”. I was consistently left pleasantly surprised by a jam that featured keys or the accordion.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
Rippin late 70s rock. Not too much intrigue, but some fun vibes. I never knew they sounded so fun much like Springsteen. At least to me.
Massive Attack
2/5
This album has great grooves and really sets a mood. I couldn’t help but wishing every song were an instrumental. The vocals are the least inspired part of this album, and not just the playful light my fire outro.
Destiny's Child
2/5
Wild the amount of success the first three tracks alone had! Such an exciting time in Hip Hop and RnB. After that, we dive into more b-side tracks like Nasty Girl, which has a nice midway ode (rip-off?) to Push-it by Salt-N-Pepa.
As the album continues it struggles to match the pace of its openers. “Apple Pie A La Mode” isn’t any good and I found myself wishing the ambitious “Sexy Daddy” would end already. There is some redemption to be had with the “independent women” reprise, but not much. The outro where they dote on each other is sweet.
Sade
2/5
Admittedly, I am pretty allergic to the 80s bass tones and keyboard featured here. I am also struggling to decouple “smooth operator” from the office slow jams and hold music that have embraced it over the years. When I imagine this album under different textures I (only) kind of like the vocals, grooves and lyrics.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
Ella’s voice is flawless! Her ability to dance around the music is unreal. This album in particular is unbelievably long at 3hrs14mins. By the end I had a bit of Ella fatigue. I think I would consume it in chunks next time.
James Brown
5/5
This isn’t a show, it’s a party. And James is one hell of a host. You can feel the energy coming through. The larger than life presentation, the soul, the passion, it is all spectacular.
Otis Redding
5/5
What a force Otis is. You would struggle to name a more compelling voice. He’s covering songs here and it’s like you’re hearing them for the first time. Just an amazing talent.
Beatles
3/5
This landed better with me than most Beatles albums, but not by much. The goofy opener of “Drove My Car” had us starting off on the wrong foot, but Norwegian Wood brought me back. Ultimately found myself liking some of the tracks, like “Girl” and “In my life” has always been one of my favorite Beatles songs.
Eric Clapton
3/5
Verging on the Grateful Dead with some grooves here. This is Clapton and his best (for me). He is somehow skirting outside of the white dude blues and finding magic elsewhere. The Bob Marley cover was ambitious, but he pulls it off pretty well.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
This is a cool sound for 1984, which is incidentally my birth year. I hear them influencing the Cranberries and Y La Bamba. It also seems to be contemporary with Kate Bush. I’ll be visiting the rest of this catalogue.
a-ha
2/5
Does any song represent the 80s more than “Take on Me”? This whole album is like a caricature of the 80s. It attempts to have the moodiness of the smiths and the tones of Prince, but falls short. “Take on me” is unbelievably catchy, but there isn’t much else here for me.
Neil Young
5/5
This albums simply doesn’t miss. I love the diversity of tunes from the rocking, to orchestral, to the folky, while still maintaining a consistent thread. This is Neil Young at his best for me.
The Black Crowes
3/5
God-tier bar band. Rockin’, palatable. Good stuff.
Laibach
3/5
Inspiring, weird, electric, odd, energetic. I’m in. This is an album to break out for special occasions to get a rise out people. You need to crush some brick? This. You need to whip up a herd of black goats into a frenzy? This!
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This album is just so complete. Every song makes sense and is somehow different from the rest. From the sensitive “Bridge over troubled water” to the fun times of “Cecilia” to the Peruvian “El Condor Pasa”. I knew I loved this album, but listening in this context just hits different. 5 stars.
Frank Zappa
4/5
This album is amazing! What a sound for 1969. Zappa was truly ahead of his time. “Willie the Pimp” is a hit that keeps on hitting, and it doesn’t stop there. This album had me moving and grooving the whole time.
The Gun Club
3/5
The Rolling Stones, the Ramones, the violent femmes, the velvet underground? I hear it all on this album. I loved the song “For the Love of Ivy” but the overt racism ruined it for me.
Prince
3/5
What a personality! I have obviously always been aware of Prince, but I have never taken the time to listen to a whole of album of his. It’s fun and didn’t go on too long. I felt like I knew half of the songs well enough from exposure over time. “Darling Nikki” and “Baby, I’m a Star” were personal favorites. I loved the off-kilter lyrics and timing.
Beastie Boys
4/5
I was prepared for the aggressive white boy rap MC work done by the Beastie Boys, but I was not prepared for the beats, funk, grooves, and instrumentals on this album.
I was always curious how the Beastie Boys fit into the Hip Hop story, or what the Hip Hop community thinks of them. Q-tips appearance on “Get it Together” answers that question.
I enjoyed this way more than I expected to.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Fun and upbeat! I particularly love the first track and the “under the boardwalk” cover. Their association with the talking heads is apparent and boy do they miss Byrne. Great grooves though and fun bass lines.
The Cardigans
2/5
I liked this a lot more than I thought I would! “Lovefool” was a childhood favorite radio-play of mine. I have fond memories of riding in a car, listening to it, while the sun danced on my closed eyelids through the trees. Nice trip down memory lane, but this album doesn’t hold much more than that for me.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I already gave live at Folsom Prison 5 stars, so I’ll probably give this a four. But he sounds much different in this one. He really leans into the machismo and bravado of his prison pandering persona, which I love. The Folsom Prison tribute song was so nice they wanted to hear it twice. I’m a sucker for these albums, especially when he ropes in Shel Silverstein.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Wow, another Cocteau Twins album in my first 130. I had never heard of them before and I continue to be pleasantly surprised. Their ethereal sound and fun harmonies sets it apart. The 80s textures aren’t my favorite, but their creativity overshadows it.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Noisy, grungy, punky, velvet undergroundy. None of the songs on this album stuck with me, save for the super graphic one about the car accident.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Pop meets Lucinda Williams here, and it’s doesn’t really miss. Hit after hit charges at you while she endears herself to the listener with fun and relatable lyrics. The subterranean homesick blues-inspired “The Na-Na Song” is the fun middle child of the album.
Cream
2/5
I may be too early in the project to have classic rock fatigue, but boy am I getting there. This is album is probably interesting in a vacuum, or within its cultural context, but I can’t seem to remember a single song.
Oh, except for that one guitar riff from every job site ever, and the one about the baby going down the drain.
The Pharcyde
3/5
This album is a PARTY. The party is a little polluted by the occasional grotesque lyric.
I found myself wishing the “skits” were full tracks. These seem to be creative moments that don’t fit the mold of 90s hip-hop that they call “skits” to avoid criticism. I wish they’d let them shine.
Slipknot
2/5
Rippin drums, guitar and bass. I enjoyed parts of this more than I thought I would. There were some fun time changes and arrangements. Ultimately, I don’t need the angsty angry vibes in my life, but I get it.
The Zombies
3/5
Is there another album more emblematic of the mid-60s? Time of the Season has long been played every 5 songs on classic rock stations. And for good reason! Such a great song. This album has great harmonies and is varied enough to keep you interested. I particularly liked “Beechwood Park” and “Butchers Tale”.
The Doors
4/5
Turns out I like the Doors! Or, at least, I like this album. I was really only ever exposed to “Riders on the Storm”, “Come on baby light my fire”, and maybe to some extent “peace frog” featured here. I found every song to have catchy grooves and Morrison is doing a great job of entertaining. He uses his limited voice really well and doesn’t get too ambitious. I’m excited about this one and will be coming back.
John Grant
3/5
All of these songs have provocative and deliberately weird lyrics over pre established popular songs. Like “chicken bones” is just sweet child of mine” right? And “Sigourney Weaver” has a teaspoon of “free bird”, no?
But there is some brilliance in the raw honesty of the style. It’s Adam green meets Mika, meets the eagles somehow. Interesting stuff.
Spiritualized
2/5
This strikes me as a Radiohead that wasn’t weird enough to catch anyone’s eye. It’s ambient, raucous, sensitive, orchestral and many other things. Yet, somehow, in its totality it doesn’t reach great heights.
To its credit, it sounds to me like this could be the precursor to a lot of 2000s sounds we got via Dark Was the Night, with broken social scene and others .
The Prodigy
2/5
This album hit the same way it did when I was in the 7th grade. Breathe, Smack My Bitch Up, and Firestarter are all memorable bangers. The rest of the album is pretty forgettable, with some middling rap influences.
Lambchop
3/5
This is a great sound for 2000. It fits into the Will Oldham and Bill Callahan club. I can see how it influences bands like My Morning Jacket. Ultimately, this album reach the heights of those bands. The falsetto is sometimes forced and I find myself thinking they’re doing something they’re not entirely cut out for. But, I love the soulfulness and the genre bending.
John Martyn
3/5
This album surprised me in a lot of ways. When I first put it on I thought I was in for a Steve Miller Band-adjacent experience. Which would have been ok.
At times I heard the inspiration for Dave Matthews vocals, other times the inspiration for instrumental dreamscape.
Oasis
2/5
Somehow this album is too much Oasis. Every song should be 1m30s shorter. And even then I’m not sure I need much of it. It’s 90s rock noise for the sake of 90s rock noise. They finally switch it up on the last track, which was my favorite song on the album.
3/5
This is a great sound for 2000. It fits into the Will Oldham and Bill Callahan club. I can see how it influences bands like My Morning Jacket.
Ultimately, this album reach the heights of those bands. The falsetto is sometimes forced and I find myself thinking they’re doing something they’re not entirely cut out for. But, I love the soulfulness and the genre bending.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Out of the five Bob Dylans that exist, this one is like my third favorite. He’s versatile and deep and stays in his lane. The final 15 minute track tells you everything you need to know about this album. He always has the ability to distill life down to a few words. Good stuff.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5/5
This album, and artist, are a perennial favorite of mine. Will Oldham has such a prophetic nature and the voice to match. The music is slow and off kilter adding to gravitas. This one makes me feel deeply and I like that about it.
David Bowie
4/5
This albums has it all, but the blender often blends it onto a cacophony that’s hard to follow. The distinctive Bowie vocals even it out into a particular and recognizable sound. Fun interludes, dancing lyrics. 4 stars!
Count Basie & His Orchestra
2/5
Big band greatness! I love the sound, but find it hard to distinguish one song from the next. It kind of just washed over me.
Steely Dan
3/5
This felt like an afternoon with classic roach radio on. So many perennial hits from this one album. Jazzier than I expected it to be. They are clearly very talented and there are some timeless aspects. But it HARD to shake the dust of classic rock association.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
This felt like watching a movie. It locks you into a time, place, and feel and doesn’t let go. You can hear mistakes, dreams, aspirations, failure. It’s less developed than his later music, which has more complex beats, but lyrically it’s great.
The Youngbloods
3/5
This is a pretty cool album. I had t heard of these guys before. I hear Appalachia, Britain, California, and more. They stay in their lane and don’t get too ambitious. There’s folk, soul, and jam. Nice smooth ride with a heavy dose of 60s textures.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
He’s certainly got a lot to say here. Unfortunately, I can only understand about 40% of it. The passion is there though and the band is rockin. I especially enjoyed “The promised land” and “streets of fire”.
Wire
3/5
A loud and quick romp. 21 tracks in 35 mins?? Gotta love punk for that. I can definitely see their influence on artists like the Strokes and Green Day. Pretty smooth listen in the end.
Pretenders
3/5
Chrissie Hynde is just so damn cool. Her vocals and attitude were definitely the highlight of this album. The band is great, and at their best when sounding Ramones-ish, but ultimately they struggled to grab me often enough.
Brass in Pocket gets its due via radio play and otherwise, and rightfully so. The lead off track is where it’s at though… PRECIOUS!
Stan Getz
2/5
Great grooves that definitely wash over you. Seems perfect for a dinner party with people you don’t know very well.
Gang Starr
3/5
Turns out I’m a sucker for this golden age of hip-hop stuff. I’ve enjoyed all of it, trice called quest, beastie boys, de la soul. The beats are just so damn good and they let them roll as instrumentals long enough to appreciate them. The flow and lyrical content is good enough here, but nothing show stopping. Nearly a 4 for me.
Ray Charles
2/5
I usually love Ray Charles, but there must be a certain Ray that I like because this and “modern sounds in country music” did nothing for me. The croony Christmas feel leaves something to be desired. I was optimistic after the album kicked off strong with “let the good times roll”, but it quickly dove into banal soundtrack hymns. Here’s hoping I get one of his albums that moves me soon!
Wilco
4/5
Somehow Wilco exited the 90s without the 90s rock band dust settling on them too much. It’s a pretty timeless sound that is diverse and varied. The can switch from rocking to crooning as good as anyone.
And what an outro! Dreamer in my Dreams!
My only critique is that it could have been a shade shorter.
Common
2/5
This was a bit of a slog for me and it’s hard to say why. I liked the beats, and to some extent, the flow. I found myself not knowing what he was saying a lot of the time. Maybe I’m just out of the loop. Nothing really grabbed me here. Oddly enough, my favorite track was the outro with his dad talking.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I don’t have much exposure to Elvis Costello, despite him being what I would consider “up my alley”. At first I was a bit off-put by the vocal affectations. It strikes me as an approach someone would take to mask their lack of talent.
But as the album marches on the songs get more diverse, I find myself more impressed. His impact on future music is apparent. I hear disco-funk, punk, ska, and 80s crooning.
I particularly liked “Two Little Hitlers” and “Sunday’s Best”.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Woooo!! High energy with something to say. Masterful composition and grooves. Compelling stuff. Very few misses here.
Rod Stewart
3/5
There are some decent grooves here, but nothing that really sets apart - other than Rod’s distinctive rasp and style. The lyrics leave something to be desired, but I appreciate the band and the energy.
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
I hear a lot of Wilco and Jeff Tweedy in here, especially in “pissing in the wind”. There also elements of Thome York and Radiohead, and Neutral Milk Hotel. Pretty good stuff.
Sister Sledge
1/5
“We Are Family” COME ON DOWN TO OUR TOYOTA SALES EVENT!
You can’t I hear it. I guess it’s not their fault their somewhat catchy hit got repurposed by every commercial ever.
The other songs on the album sound pretty much the same. A fairly boring March through middling disco.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Once I see past the early 80s production and tones, the sub par lyricism, and the insufferable harmonies, I can see some jazz to appreciate. This is not the sound for me.
Hole
3/5
We’re dealing with the Godmothers of grunge here, right? This album has more depth than I expected with tracks like “northern star”. And what a banger of an opener. Unfortunately, the album dabbles in the 90s mundane at times.
Wild Beasts
4/5
I loved this and I’m not sure how I kissed it. As an older millennial, steeped in arcade fire and dark was the night, this fits right in. I hear future islands and the dirty projectors as well. The strange vocals are on-point and compelling. The tunes are great.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
If you had to demonstrate what the 60s sounded like to an alien you might choose this. Classic 60s vibes bottled up. But they sound great and they are the banner holder for a reason.
Constantly toying with the R/L stereo kind of fucks me up. Calfornia Dreamin’ is my go to track for making sure my speakers are both working.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would though.
Gorillaz
3/5
It’s like a massive attack and Radiohead collaboration with a tablespoon of melodica and a teaspoon of Goldan Age Hip-Hop.
One thing is certain though, these tracks are undeniably fun and a few of them manage to be timeless.
Brian Wilson
3/5
It’s as if a beach boys cover acapella group was led into a studio, given psychedelics and told they were unchained and could now use instruments.
It’s like Winnie the Pooh happened upon a bunch of heffalumps that love The Beach Boys.
It’s both a very familiar childhood sound and very unmoored.
Sigur Rós
3/5
Ethereal and reflective. Perfect for a jellyfish exhibit. Clear Radiohead contemporaries. I wonder if I would like this as much if the words were in English.
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
This seemed like Soundgarden without the necessary Chris Cornell vocals. It was ok. But struggled to grab me with any of the tracks.
LL Cool J
2/5
Certainly seems like LL likes women and fighting. There are some struggle lyrics peppered in, but it’s mainly that.
The beats are nice, but get repetitive by the end. His flow is smooth, but the rhymes and attitude aren’t super compelling for me.
This has been my least favorite prescribed album from the Golden Age of Hip Hop.
Morrissey
3/5
Haughty, aloof, elitist, amazing. I love that he really leans into that persona. He has a great sense for what sounds compelling, and uses his voice just right to get your attention. He states things plainly but makes it sound poetic.
In his words, he is not a “crashing bore”.
The Band
4/5
I love their messy, drunken, bluesy ways. Ignoring any polish, they march through songs that are funny and heartfelt, while demonstrating a knack for finding grooves. I always thought “Big Pink” was a movie I hadn’t seen. I now know that it was a house where a lot of cool people hung out to make some cool music. Oh to be a fly on the wall.
Genesis
3/5
Genesis coming in with a damn-near-four! I have to admit, my only exposure to them was the somewhat-novelty tune “I can’t dance” that my mom was into in the 80s for a couple of weeks.
I was not expecting a prog-rock odyssey into, what, Robin Hood?
This album rips way more than it should and Phill Collins’ prowess as a drummer shines. Every song is an epic with multiple movements and it keeps you on your toes.
Stan Getz
2/5
Smooth, jazzy, bossanova. It’s certainly a vibe. My main orientation to this album is obviously “the girl from ipanema” an office and grocery store staple.
Looking past all of that, there is something seductive here. And the instrumentation is clearly virtuosic.
Unfortunately, it’s not anything I’ll be coming back to any time soon.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Their creativity, patience, and innovation shine here. They let their music breathe in a way few artists allow. This is an odyssey through space that you can really sell into. Built for a good set of headphones, stars, and maybe some LSD if you’re feeling adventurous.
Cowboy Junkies
4/5
When I heard this band name, I expected my ears to be assaulted by drunken southern rock. This was the opposite. Thoughtful, lilting alt-rock-country.
And what a sound for 1988! I could see this fitting right in ten years later.
I kept feeling like the singer was holding back though. I wanted her to belt some of these tunes, but she remained reserved and gentle, perhaps a style choice.
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
This album has many impressive elements - the production, the pace, the instrumentation, the genre melding, all good stuff.
I had never heard of this album before and left impressed. So high energy, until they decide to slow it down the last two tracks. Cool stuff.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I feel like I need to add the preamble that Win Butler’s alleged sexually abusive behavior clouds arcade fire a bit for me. I have to remember there are other members of the band and their contribution should not be brought down with those allegations.
This album holds a special place for me. It landed on my iPod in my early 20s, when I was post-college and somewhat adrift. The themes about the pains of growing up resonated with me. “Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up”.
The big sounds and the energy, paired with their sensitive nature are appealing.
This album has some great tracks, but also some moments I tune out for, like the bjork-esque outro.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Wow! Such an impressive sound for 1977.
You know how you can tell they were one of the first electronic bands? Because in the first song they just repeat “we are the robots” which is exactly what someone discovering they can make that voice for the first time would say.
Every song settles into a nice little groove that entrances you. And they even sprinkle in a little velvet underground-esque jam with Neon Lights.
Yes
3/5
I have been Bombarded by prog rock as of late, but I actually liked this more than I thought I would. The bass lines are ripping and the tracks are variable enough to keep me interested.
The Verve
2/5
There isn’t much here for me. It’s 90s rock where the singer’s voice can’t keep up with his vision. Their slower songs are better in my opinion, but not by much.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
This album has one helluva opener. High energy kickoff. They show their blues chops with tunes like Gallows Pole.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Poetic barroom slop! And I am 100% here for it.
There are a lot Bob Dylans, but I think this one is my favorite.
MGMT
4/5
Does anything say late-2000s house party quite like this? You can chill, dance, reflect, or just vibe to this whole album. It’s diverse while maintaining a central theme. And it’s a sound that is extremely recognizable.
Spiritualized
3/5
This is a nice and diverse sound. Advanced for 1992 for sure.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This is The Rolling Stones at their best for me. I love how every songs ends in a groove and I’m a sucker for the sloppy saxophone that shows up just the right amount. A great party/hard work album that I’ll be putting on in the future for sure.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
This album does a great job of mixing electronic sounds into orchestral themes. They also do fun stuff like seemingly hammering sheet metal in the middle of songs. Though, I’m am curious if this sometimes clouds the songwriting and emotions they’re able to inspire. Cool album.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
This album was all over the place. Super
Manic in the beginning but then settled down. The soul medley was pretty cool. I like Zen Archer the most. There were pieces I liked, but in the end I found myself wishing it were over.
R.E.M.
3/5
Michael Stipe’s yodeling sound drives this album forward. He really lays it on thick in the last song, which I loved. The single “Stand” is fun but doesn’t do too much for me. It’s a really cool sound for 1988.
U2
2/5
U2 has always been among the top bands that annoy me. And not just because they forced their album onto my iPhone that one time. First of all, Bono and Edge, with their mononyms are kind of cringey. Second of all Bono always sounds like he’s pandering or trying too hard.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, I’ll say that there are some good tunes here, in particular the hits of “One” and “Mysterious ways”, which were soundtracks of the long car rides of my childhood.
Nothing I’ll be coming back to here.
Boston
1/5
Wow, I hated that. Nothing seemed to grab the entire time. The consistent pace. The wailing vocals. Hell, I even hated the album art.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
This album is amazing! She has some smooth grooves. Is it country? RnB? She also displays some mystical lyricism with “The Windmills of your mind”, which I love. Unfortunately there are some mundane tracks sprinkled in which stop me from giving it a 5.
Supertramp
3/5
A clean and well-produced prof-rock album. Bloody Well Right deserves the airplay it continues to get. Not much else here that is memorable.
The Residents
4/5
Is Les Claypool in this band?? I’m so confused. Primus and Ween owe this band a beer.
I love the repetition, the sing songy trances, and the childlike approach to dark tones.
Weird? Sure. Bizarre? Definitely. Cool, unique, and not boring? Absolutely!
Elastica
2/5
Not much here for me. Pretty standard 90s stuff.
Portishead
3/5
I’m nice I get past the 90s textures that lock me into a time, place and vibe, I can unearth some real genius here. The broody vocals keep you on your toes and are rarely out of sink with the electronic beats. I particularly liked “wandering star”.
Sabu
4/5
Rhythm and grooves just pouring out of this album. I feel like I’m there in the room, and the energy is high!
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This was a surprising album in a lot of ways. Salisbury Hill is iconic. He sounds like Randy Newman, and even the Band, at times. Unfortunately, the album finds its way to some middling prog-rock too often. I loved “excuse me”.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Always saw this band as a one-hit wonder, riding the coat tails of the Strokes. The album actually has a lot more to offer than the hit “take me out”. At times it’s a happier Queens of the Stone age, and at others it is a poppy party album. The vibes remain fun and energetic which helps a lot. Not bad.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I love the vibe and the sound. Elvis has a lot to say, but never really seems to say anything. He doesn’t really let the tunes simmer, not a ton of instrumental breaks, yet I didn’t walk away feeling like I’d heard anything poetic or insightful, but maybe that’s just me.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
This album represents The Rolling Stones before they were The Rolling Stones. A lot of the elements of their signature groove are there, as shown in the long outro, but it’s missing something. Painted Black was cool, but doesn’t shine particularly bright against its peers of that time period. Ultimately, I left this a little uninspired.
GZA
4/5
Such a cool album with a great feel. It really starts cooking for me in the latter half. The repetitive beats entrance me.
Prince
4/5
Now this is a party!! I put this on during a rainy Monday and despite the mood, I found myself dancing along. Such great grooves. It’s playful and fun and the talent shines through. Such a nice surprise!
Amy Winehouse
4/5
Hard to separate the art from the artist here, considering the nature of her death and the lyrical content of these tunes. But, if you manage to see through that, you find heartfelt tunes and a voice as strong as any in the biz. She is such a force, and can imbue every sounds she makes with meaning. While there are a few misses on this album, it plays well in its entirety.
Mylo
2/5
This definitely isn't my thing. I could see how it would be good cleaning/work flow music, but nothing I would deliberately put on. Seems like the person making it had fun.
Serge Gainsbourg
4/5
This album seems to be ahead of its time. The grooves it finds are something you might find right at home in the modern day. It’s a cool vibe that reminds me of Leonard Cohen.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
It’s hard to view this album in its original context. Their sound seems to be what every old white man established as their understanding of hip hop to this day.
“It’s Tricky” is a certified banger that absolutely holds up! The other songs follow in its footsteps, but don’t switch it up enough, save for the Aerosmith cameo in “Walk this way” which is a moment in music history.
In the end there is not much here for to revisit, because it would be ridiculous to put on “it’s tricky” or “walk this way” in earnest.
Tori Amos
3/5
There are parralels with Kate Bush, which in here for. She also sounds the precursor to Regina Spector at times. The album strikes somber tunes and has beotifuk poetry. A few gems in here for sure.
Emmylou Harris
3/5
There are a few misses here, but not many! When it hits it hits and it’s usually a cover (re: queen of the silver dollar, the bottle let me down, coat of many colors), but she kills it.
Lorde
3/5
Moody party vibes. She makes the most of the studio. It’s a big, compelling sound, and when the beat drops out she’s there to greet you with her affected lower register. Good stuff. I won’t be putting it on, but am happy to have it find me organically.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
“rock and roll will never die”… kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy here. This album rocks and rolls.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
There are a few bangers here, “(oh no) what you got” and definitely “cry me a river” - but the album is polluted with D+. Soul and RnB. The times he sounds Stevie wonder-esque are the worst. He even tries his hand at a Missy Elliott cadence. I won’t be sad to hear “cry me a river” in my bi-annual cadence, but I won’t be coming back to this album.
Willie Nelson
4/5
This is a smooth, sensitive, heartfelt album that puts you in a time and place. I feel like I can smell the barroom, taste the light beer, and see the cigarette dangling from the steel guitarists lips. The country guitar, lilty piano and Jews harp jams, mixed with the slow and thoughtful lyrics, make for a sweet romp.
Radiohead
4/5
This is probably my favorite Radiohead album. Controversial, I know. I just feel like it’s the most coherent and isn’t polluted with them being avant-garde for the sake of it. No one song on this album can hold a candle to my favorite Radiohead tracks (“karma police” “life in a glass house” “idioteque”) but it’s the only album of theirs I would consider putting on in its entirety.
Eminem
2/5
This whole thing is built on irreverent humor carried by Eminem’s signature lyricism and cadence.
This type of thing either excites and stimulates or offends. Back when I was a 9th grader in 1999 it did the former, I now does the latter. Joking about drugging and raping a 15 year old girl, or killing your daughter’s mother simply doesn’t sit well with me snow.
I’ll be shoving this into the bottom of the music trash can along with other aged-like-milk material.
It’s saved from being one star by Eminem’s uncanny ability to create a rhyme from nothing and Dr. Dre’s beats.
The Zutons
4/5
I hadn’t heard of this band before, but there is a quite a bit to like here. I hear tunes similar to the RHCP, Dispatch, QOTSA, the Strokes and more.
They manage to find new and compelling grooves throughout.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
This band sounds so different from everything else in 1969. They somehow managed to create a timeless sound while also sounding very different from everything else in this era.
I have always been a sucker for CCR. They are just undeniably fun.
This album didn’t have many of their hits that drive their work forward. Certainly “Born on the Bayou” and “proud Mary”, which are stellar. But the others don’t shine as much.
Supergrass
3/5
Once I got past the Billy Corgan-esque vocals I could find some grooves to enjoy. It kept teetering into a four star album for me, but something was holding it back.
Side note: doesn’t that one song sound a lot like Danny California by the RHCP?
Ryan Adams
4/5
This continuation of Dylan has the benefit of having some masterful musicians on staff (Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch… wow!). And “in my time of need” is definitely just repackaged “if I needed you” by TVZ.
At any rate, this album plays well and holds up well. It clearly had a huge influence on things we’re still hearing today from Jason Isbell for example. It would be a 5 but I can’t seem to ignore the self-righteous person lingering behind the tracks. Who starts an album airing out a petty argument with their producer?
Don McLean
3/5
We’ve all been subjected to (assaulted by?) all eight minutes American Pie at some point, if not MANY times in our life. It has its charms, but I was not excited for a whole album of it. But, I found some things to like, like “Winterwood”.
He seems to be trying his hand a lot of the popular styles of the times, sounding at times like Dylan and at others like Simon.
Not bad on the whole.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
There is some Sinatra I love, but this isn’t it. This to me is big band schmatlz at its finest. Nothing for me to grab into really, but pleasant enough.
ABBA
4/5
I love ABBA way more than I feel like I should. It’s distilled beautiful pop. They somehow always do the right thing to the point that you feel like you can guess where they’re going. It’s so simple you feel like you should have come up with it.
But you didn’t. ABBA did.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
There is some effortless musicianship displayed here. And what a force Janis Joplin is! Fun, steamy, energetic, salty.
Massive Attack
2/5
This is pretty cool for 1991. I definitely hear how they influenced bands like the Gorillaz. I didn’t know the date of the album and my first take was “wow these rhymes are wack!”. The early date gives them a bit of a pass. Little ages worse than rap flows. It’s nothing I’ll be coming back to, but it’s not hurting anyone.
Guided By Voices
2/5
I didn’t find much here to grab onto, but I respect the number of songs and the ability to keep it brief. Though, I do wonder if the brevity of the songs is what allowed it to wash over me. The distorted garage sound hides any brilliance that may lurk.
Traffic
2/5
The jams are great here, but I’m not big on the old English folk songs like “John Barkeycorn”. I struggle to follow the tales and find it daunting and uninspiring to try and keep up.
Kate Bush
2/5
I didn’t like this album as much as “Hounds of Love”, but I found it to be unique and creative. For some reason, I wasn’t very compelled by it. Can we classify that one song as tin-whistle bossanova? Not something I needed.
Green Day
3/5
This is a timely album, because Trump was re-elected 2 days ago and I also don’t want to be an American Idiot or a part of the “redneck agenda”. The pace is fun and the long pop-punk songs with movements have a soft spot in my heart. Unltimately, it doesn’t fit my taste these days, but I respect it.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A wild, loud, jazzy romp. They threw caution to the wind with this one and did everything they could to assault your ear drums, with care-free lyricism highlighting individuality shining through. A drug and alcohol filled smoky room personified. Almost nothing exists with more abandon.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
I can’t help but thinking that this is what Dr. Frankenfurter would sound like if he made a 90s chamber pop album. I was consistently put off by the gross creeper stuff, begging for kisses etc. Weird but not in a good way.
B.B. King
4/5
This is an endearing album that highlights “the king of the blues”. It all sounds so standard, but that is probably because he is the standard bearer. The crowd is INTO it. The back and forth between them and King characterize this album. I felt like I was there. And I had a great time.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Dark rock badassery. Makes me want to buy a motorcycle and fuck some shit up. Ozzy’s pipes add needed color to pedestrian guitar that actually manages to find good grooves regularly.
Joe Ely
2/5
C+ country. The Texas Waltz was fun, but other than that there is nothing here for me that I’ll be coming back to.
Faust
4/5
This rocked. Inventive and weird with grooves throughout. Only occasionally do they devolve into sounding like their 1973 peers, but they mainly created something that holds up. “Sad Skinhead” was a fun ride and “Jennifer” is so nice. Surprisingly good stuff here.
Pearl Jam
2/5
All hail the king of yarling! Vedder’s signature singing style dominates this album. His loud vibrato is impressive, but laughably unintelligible.
I might just be over-exposed to some of these songs having grown up gen-x adjacent, but man did I find myself bored throughout. Nothing grabbed me.
Haircut 100
3/5
*chicka-dun chicka-dun* That riff guitar beat drove the whole album. But I’m not going to lie, it had me moving and grooving. At times I thought I was listening to the Talking Heads, at other disco. The album didn’t have enough variation and the lyrics left me wanting. Other than that, this wasn’t bad.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Such a beautiful atmospheric album. I cranked away at some work while this was on. I’ll be coming back to this for sure, but mainly in those moments of needed focus.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
It’s amazing how they can go from soft and sensitive to ripping boarder line metal. They’re diverse. Some of these songs are iconic and hold up. Some of these are outright bad. I think the album could have been trimmed down to one disc.
Cee Lo Green
5/5
Hot damn this was a fun ride. Cee Lo has such a unique and captivating style, and, man, the beats. Pharrell Williams and Timbaland involved? Lights out. Add Ludacris into the mix and you get a 5 from me.
The Young Gods
3/5
Pretty cool stuff. I love the accordion and the fact that it doesn’t forsake traditional music. It’s loud, rough and ripping at times. Not a daily album, but certainly one to steal from when you need that quirky playlist track.
Thundercat
3/5
It’s like Mac DeMarco meets childish gambino. Hearing Michael McDonald’s and Kendrick Lamar on the same album was not on my bingo card. I appreciate how eclectic it is but part of me feels like he’s working too hard to keep me on my toes. Obviously, the bass lines are virtuosic, which is easily hidden because of how common it is to farm the rhythm section out to a computer. Not my taste in the end, with the sustained jazzy tones and all, but I respect it.
John Lennon
3/5
I think imagine was my least favorite song on the album. I really liked how it hit rock and roll, ballads, and bar room blues. A diverse album that ends a little early. I’m not sure I agree that it’s hard to hide when you’re crippled inside.
Duran Duran
2/5
This is about as 80s as it gets for me. Crooning over a synthesizer. I thought this album was fairly lost until the last track. “The Chauffeur” is compelling and I’ll be coming back to it.
Alice Cooper
2/5
The band finds some great grooves and jams that save this album from the dumpster, just like the last Alice cooper album I had.
What had it on its way to the dumpster to begin with was that I don’t really like him or his persona and I think it’s ripping off others - the doors (Blue Turk), the Beatles (Alma Mater).
But it gets a two because the band is keeping up with other artists of the era, and doing it as well as any other.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
What a beautiful powerful voice. I love this genre but for some reason the songs here don't grab me. Chain of Fools is the front runner, but the others don’t do much for me.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
This rides hard on anti-establishment themes. Even themes that rail on those who are anti-establishment. I’m not sure I can take an ethos seriously that just laughs at other ethoses. The nihilism is tempting but doesn’t sit well in the end. Unfortunately, cynicism is masking musicality here. Imagine what they could do with an eighth of a teaspoon of caring.
Roni Size
2/5
I stuck with it for 2 out of the 5 hours of run time. Maybe they switch it up a bit in hours 4, 5, and 6, but I can’t imagine that’s the case. It grew redundant for me and I felt like I was listening to the same song the whole time. It was a decent song, but I wasn’t high enough to have it take me on the journey it wanted to.
Skepta
2/5
Is this my introduction to Brit-Hop? Not bad all things told. At times they sounds like three-six mafia, at others more
Neptunes-ish. I can’t help but hear the gorillaz when a British dude is rapping. Some pretty good beats, but nothing super compelling in the mix.
Muddy Waters
4/5
He says something, says it again, says some thing else, then rhymes something new with the first thing. A standard that seems at least as old as recorded music. All in service of getting the real point, some ripping blues guitar. It’s got attitude, it’s not talent, it’s a real vibe. Does anyone represent he blues better than Muddy Waters?
Nirvana
4/5
All hail the kings of grunge! The nonchalant musicianship and self deprecation bring you in like no other. Not too cool to fully lean into playing someone else’s songs entirely. Emotion ratcheted up to 11. What a send off!
Jane's Addiction
3/5
This is great and it goes a little beyond grunge which is cool. Perry Ferrell’s voice is an attraction on its own. They pepper in some sounds from different genres and do a good job of letting it rip the whole time. It’s not my thing, but I can tell they’re doing their thing well.
The Police
2/5
For some reason I have never enjoyed stings singing style, his affectation. However, this album had some surprising elements like “mother” which was cool. Ultimately, not my things but I appreciate the bass, and the undeniable hits that came out of it.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
A master class in slow crooning… which I snored through. I felt like I was listening to the same song the whole time. It has a distinct vibe, straddling Christmas and a romantic scene in a 1950s detective show, but not much for me to engage with.
Queen Latifah
3/5
A really cool hip-hop feminist album from a 19 year old. Great to see De Las Soul on here. She is clearly wise beyond her years and I love the reggae tunes in here. Ultimately not something I need to put on regularly but I respect it.
Talvin Singh
3/5
Indian electronics isn’t some trying I would have ever chosen to explore in my own, but I would be missing out. This is great workflow/soundtrack music and I love how their complex timing melds seamlessly with the digital world here.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
It was so nice to live in this album for a while. It goes great places and keeps you on your toes. So cool to faintly hear him in the background enjoying himself. It fits in with some of its contemporaries at times, but mostly lives outside of that.
Cypress Hill
2/5
The melting pot of this album is cool. I get some lyric fatigue with everything being about guns and drugs. You write what you love though, I guess. There are some great beats here, with a semi- annoying flow on top. Ultimately not my thing, but I like that it exists.
TLC
2/5
The groovy RnB beats make this album. Pretty vintage 90s hip hop bbq stuff. I was surprised to hear Busta Rhymes and Andre 3000 on this album. Their timelines did not overlap in my mind.
I ultimately, found the subject matter to be pretty shallow, save for waterfalls, and I could definitely have done without the skit where someone flushes a toilet.
Joy Division
2/5
I like the dark tones and the pace of the album. The call and response work is fun too. Every now and then the vocals venture out of the avant garde and into just kind of sucking. It’s a fine line I guess.
I didn’t really grab onto any of the tracks and likely won’t be revisiting it any time soon. But it’s not bad.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
This album is great! Funky, sexy, socially conscious. Great messages paired with some clear A+ musicians. Their impact on the music that came after this apparent.
Tangerine Dream
2/5
This isn’t hurting anyone, but it’s not adding much for me either. Kind of seems like Pink Floyd without the fun parts. I appreciate the word of mouth nature of the success of the album, but I’m all set after that.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
Popified grunge at times, yarling 90s butt rock at others. She has an impressive voice, and the attitude is sure something. But for me, it often overplays its hand (re: the wailing at the end of “Perfect”). It has a place in the annals of my music history, but nothing I ever need to revisit, beyond when it dances by my ears in public.
The White Stripes
4/5
This is the White Stripes at their best for me. Letting it rip (“Ball and Biscuit, “You have no faith in medicine”) and giving me a port in the storm of their gigantic sound with little diddies (“It’s true that we love one another”). Jack white is fierce and Meg matches him perfectly.
Elvis Costello
3/5
I like Elvis Costello, but something holds me back from loving him. Is the that his sound is dated and locked in time? Is it his affectation and attitude? Is it the fact that he talks a lot and seems to say very little? I don’t know. But it’s something.
Once I shirk those critiques, I find myself enjoying myself when listening to him. I especially enjoyed “watching the detectives”.
Tom Waits
4/5
I’m a sucker for this rough and tumble junk box, back alley, nitty gritty Tom Waits stuff. Weird ages better than talent and Tom Waits is a fine wine with a perfect vint.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I always like Simon and Garfunkel more than I think I will. First I think they’ll bore me with traditionalism - then they find bongo grooves, lampoon Bob Dylan, and dive headlong into social commentary. And obviously the flawless harmonizing doesn’t hurt. The album has some awesome tracks like “patterns” and some real hoke like “The 59th Street Bridge Song”. All in 28 minutes.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
They rip at times and I like the tune that has the horns. They should have done more of that! Ultimately, the aggression bags at me and I have to turn it off for a breather. It’s a pretty exhausting album with “Jane says” being the only truly palatable tune.
U2
3/5
Wow, this is for sure the most I’ve liked U2. I always found Bono rather annoying and was pushed over the edge when they forced their way onto my iPhone in 2013.
But this has some cool elements. I respect the political themes and am shocked to hear them sounding vaguely new wave. Not bad at all.
Gene Clark
2/5
Pleasant enough, though I’m not sure it stands out or shines among the other albums of its era. It’s pretty standard fair with some pretty songs in there.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
A rocking good time. The jams and the attitude make for a high energy ride. The outro of “you can’t always get what you want” is nice, especially with its iconic choir lead in, but it’s all about the barroom tunes like “Midnight Rambler” for me.
Germs
2/5
As with most punk, energy and vibe are prioritized over musicality or musicianship. They strike rough and tumble and carelessness on the head. I have always appreciated a punks ability to get in and get out. Many tracks in a short time, painting the picture just right.
The bio was a wild read that started with me reading about the lead singers suicide and ended with learning that Belinda Carlisle was the Germs drummer.
In the her hit “Heaven is a Place on Earth” Belinda says “in this world we’re just beginning to understand the miracle of living. Baby, I was afraid before but I’m not afraid anymore”. Good for her.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I loved this album. Admittedly, it can get exhausting to hold the emotional space it demands, but when it hits… it hits. Simple, pretentious, heartfelt, cold, poetic, lonely and celebratory.
Janis Joplin
4/5
This is an album I should listen to more often! It is so damn good. I just have to make sure it’s the right time for it or it would be like welding without a mask on. It’s so full, loud, energetic and soulful. And there are some real iconic tunes on here.
Weather Report
1/5
Someone must have bastardized the genre they represent because this sounds like a shitty sitcom intro that just won’t end.
Various Artists
4/5
What a big and joyful sound that has soundtracked my life a ton since I was a kid.
It’s hard to situate Christmas music among normal music, since so much is built into it, nostalgia, excitement, emotion. It’s so fun that they wrangled so many classics into a cohesive sound.
Devendra Banhart
4/5
A cool, weird, unapologetic, transparent album. You feel like you’re in the room with him making this album as he taps into the all the mysticism he can muster from around him. Sometimes prophetic, sometimes silly, always strange.
CHIC
2/5
The baselines really steer this album away from the ditch. They’ve got the grooves, but the ultimately the hokieness of disco prevail and turn me off.
Deerhunter
2/5
Not a bad indie album, but I never felt like it was offering anything new to me. I felt like I had heard it before. And I had to laugh when “he would have laughed”sounded like “Satellite”.
Baaba Maal
4/5
Compelling stuff, even though I have no idea what’s being said. The timing, the vibe, it’s all great. It also manages to dodge some of the 80s textures when it comes to how it sounds present day. It holds up.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Funny that I get this album right after The Germs. Guess it’s Pat Smear week over here. I always loved that this album existed. It was the nirvana continuance that I needed. “I’ll Stick Around” is the lead track and Grohl definitely stuck around. I’ve always loved that track.
In the end though, this has too much of the noisy rhythm guitar that classifies 90s butt rock for my taste. They switch it up a bit with “Big Me” and find their Nirvana groove with “Alone + Easy Target” but it isn’t enough for me to voluntarily spin it.
Dwight Yoakam
3/5
Great album that blends mariachi, zydeco and Texas sounds with trad country. His yodel is on point and I almost wish he would use it and fill more with it.
Bebel Gilberto
2/5
Something about bossa nova bores me pretty badly. I perpetually hear “The Girl from Ipanema”, which isn’t an entirely bad thing - just not compelling. However, I can appreciate the magic that exists in this album. The grooves are certainly a vibe and her silky smooth vocals make for a pleasant ambiance.
Garbage
2/5
The production quality of this isn’t lost on me, but the dust of the 90s settled heavily on this. I can see their frosted tips and soul patches through the speakers. The 90s textures nearly overshadow the appealing attitude of the lead singer. But I like how they pull in some electronic elements while honoring the alternative genre they inhabited. “Fix Me Now” was my favorite track on the album. Not something I needed on the daily, but not bad.
The KLF
2/5
I think I would have liked this album a lot better as an instrumental. The vocals seemed really cheesy and dated. Ultimately, it was pleasant enough but nothing here would ever compel me to do a voluntary spin.
Barry Adamson
3/5
I definitely felt like I was experiencing something other than an album. The movie feel was there. The bombastic sendoff gave the album a much needed ooomph. Reminds me of when we donned masks and attended Sleep No More at the McKittrick Hotel in NYC.
Le Tigre
4/5
Poppy in all the right ways, punk in all the right ways. This album rocks and keeps you bopping the whole ride while intriguing you but not distracting you with bizarre sounds and interludes.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Amazing how popular every song on this album is. It really keeps dealing the hits. It’s also remarkable how fresh it still sounds, likely because it’s never left the airways. I love the driving rhythm section and the vocals are amazing.
Radiohead
3/5
This is Radiohead being Radiohead. Loud, sensitive, meandering, avant-guarde, the works. No one track grabbed me, which isn’t typical for their albums - but instead the whole thing washed over me.
Cat Stevens
5/5
I’ve always loved this album. So clear and so soulful. And baby it is a wild world. When he belts out “lord my body has been a good friend, but I won’t need it when I reach the end” it stirs my soul. It’s so on the nose, yet so lovely.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
This album is very compelling. It has a way of drawing me in. Her vocals are so rich and the lyrics so introspective. All while the band maintains a driving sound with intriguing embellishments. The tracks are varied enough to keep you on your toes, while maintaining a central theme.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
Unbelievably boring and cheesy. I can clearly imagine the 90s office mom who was so excited to have discovered this album. It tries its best to shake the milquetoast affect of its front woman with its hot beats, but it falls short.
The Saints
4/5
Just a really fun punk album that really holds up. It’s fast, it’s grooving, and the horns make for a ride. There are some real gems in here.
Def Leppard
1/5
This sound is emblematic of every shitty 80s song I have come to hate over the years. Loud for no reason, stupid themes like “danger in the air”. Just really nothing to enjoy here.
I will say this though, it’s always impressive to learn that their drummer has one arm. That’s amazing.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
A whole soul album based on infidelity. And I have to admit I can only imagine Chef from South Park when I hear Isaac’s Voice. But there is an abundance of buttery moments.
Heaven 17
3/5
So 80s, so robotic, so… up tempo. The grooves are there, but I can’t help but think it would benefit from being slowed down by half. I appreciate the anti-capitalist themes and the sound is clean and compelling. I liked it more than I feel like I should have.
The Pogues
4/5
Rough and gentle, punk and traditional, hardened and sensitive - this album is full of juxtapositions. It reminds me that there is a special place for the bad boy who cleans up for Christmas, tattered sweater, coiffed hair and all.
There are some real gems in here, but specially the line “I could have been someone, but so could anyone”.
The unapologetic vibe, mixed with the embrace of traditionalism is a nice blend.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
This album is all about how big of a homerun “you haven’t done nothin’” is. What a biting political critique and downright banger of a song that is. The rest of the album contains varied grooves as well that he never lets get stale.
The The
3/5
Is there a disproportionate amount of New Wave on this list, or is it just me?
This one holds up pretty well and sounds fairly modern. The clarity of the lyrics and the energy of the delivery add a lot to the sound, which is pretty damn 80s.
“This is the Day” is a banger and I’m glad o have finally heard the whole album.
The Specials
4/5
This is easy listening. Pleasant reggae tunes with a message and an attitude. I’m on board. It’s clear how the influenced future bands like Operation Ivy and Rancid. Good stuff.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
The best song on the album is the first song, “Soft as Snow (But Warm Inside)”. The album struggles to recreate the dissonant magic it captures there. It instead devolves into big sound and vocal drones that fail to inspire.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
A very intimate recording. You really feel like you’re there, and she’s a joy. No ego involved, plowing through forgotten lyrics with grace, leaning completely on a voice as sweet as any other. A horn on wheels.
U2 has always struck me as way more lame than they think they are. “The Edge”? Really? That’s a lot of middling guitar for that “badass” moniker. I usually try to stick to how much I like the sound, the lyrics - but U2 annoys me.
This album has very few palatable tracks and I think “New York” might be one of the worst songs I’ve ever heard. “In a Little While” with its “Beasts of Burden” rip-off lick isn’t bad and “wild honey” might actually be good - and those two save this album from the trash heap.
Travis
3/5
Fantastic 90s alternative soft rock. Radiohead after a rejuvenating and sentimental adult summer camp. Some U2 elements as well, but much better.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
This album has the dance party vibes of Daft Punk (opening track) and the sentimental noise of Wilco (the outro). It doesn’t have many misses and manages to keep things varied and interesting.
I definitely hear that 2000s indie sound of peers like Arcade Fire shining through. But also the continuation of new wave vibes and attitude.
Frank Ocean
3/5
This felt like a very honest album about his life. It also had tones of Prince which I respect. My favorite song was “Lost”, which, ashamedly, might be the poppiest track. Ultimately, not my thing, but I respect it. It was surprise to see Andre 3000 and John Mayer on here.
Merle Haggard
3/5
He’s a force with his outlaw country quintessence. By the end of the album you’re a little besieged by the heart brokenness, hard luckedness, lost long lovedness. But you’re not to sad about it.
The Cars
3/5
Holy smokes this album kicks off with a bang! The first three songs are certified HITS. Unfortunately, the rest of the album struggles to live up to their standard. They never really find their footing again as they lean heavily on their synths and even try their hand at some Bowie-esque tunes.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
A wild ride of a concept album that can make you laugh, imagine, and cry. What more could you want?
There are a few misses that have it fall out of being a 5 for me and they come at the end of the album. “All we have is now” and “approaching pavonis mons by balloon” are the weakest tracks. Everything before that holds a special place in my heart.
Side note, I saw this album performed in its entirety last summer, flaming lips fanfare and all, and it was amazing. Weird ages better than cool, and the Flaming Lips make that apparent.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Such a big and vibrant sound, and a compelling protest album. I remember listening to this when I was in the peace corps not wanting to ”live in my father’s house no more”. Also, I spend a lot of my time both staring at and trying to avoid black mirrors, a modern curse. The sound holds up and manages to shake off the late 2000s/2010s Ho-Hey-ification.
My one gripe that pulls this album out of being a 5 is that it relies heavily on, and is derivative of, Bruce Springsteens singing style. It could have done with teaspoon less of that.
Pixies
3/5
This album strikes me as the product of a really good garage band. A cool sound for 1988 that definitely influenced a lot that came after it. “Where is my mind?” Is such a standout track.
Pixies
3/5
My father in law talks of bars in the 80s that would spin only side 2 of vinyls as the theme of the night. This album would have been perfect for that. It got so much better as it marched on. Every track from “All Over the World” on had something for me to love. Alas, me only liking half of the album keeps it below a 4.
King Crimson
2/5
There is an edge to this that sets it apart from other prog rock of that era. But it still devolves into the flute laden boredom of Jethro Tull at the their worst. I would probably like these prog rock albums more without the vocals and their middle earth elven lyrical delivery.
Orange Juice
4/5
This album goes hard! “I can’t help myself” could drop today and do well. It’s like the Smiths and Talking heads with a twist of Graceland. Some tracks have parts that drag, but there are very few misses here.
Dizzee Rascal
2/5
This was a rough one for me. When the opening track has a refrain of “just sittin here” you know you’re in for something impressive. But, it only takes one track that I like to save an album from the dumpster of a 1 rating and I did actually like “Fix Up, Look Sharp”.
DJ Shadow
2/5
I respect the tenacity of DJ Shadow to produce this album almost exclusively from vinyl samples. I love hip hop sampling and how it takes the best parts of songs and highlights them, the cream at the top. However, as a collective this album doesn’t inspire me. It’s pleasant enough, but I need more from an album.
…maybe I just miss the rapping.
N.E.R.D
3/5
I like the genre bending, but I’m not sure I liked any of the songs. The jazzy tones bore me and the lyrics were shallow for the most part.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
This album helped me gain a lot of respect for Michael Franti, who right now strikes me as more of a pop icon than anything. His roots as an activist shine bright here. He is either politically prescient, or we have just been dealing with the same bullshit for the past 30 years. Methinks it’s the latter.
At any rate, Franti and co. Find grooves that complement the tirades. There is some heavy 90s hip hop turntable dust on this sound, but it’s not too bad.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Dolly’s voice is sweet and the lyrics are heartfelt. This album clocks in at an impressive 27 mins. She certainly fits a lot in. “A Better Place to Live” would be a hippie anthem were it not for the country affectation. “Coat of Many colors” has the -ability to make you cry and “here I am” is a proclamation we should all sing with Dolly’s gusto once in a while.
Peter Tosh
3/5
It’s a smooth album, but strikes me as the caricature of a reggae album. I’m not so sure marijuana is good for asthma and tuberculosis. “Burial” is an amazing song and ranks up there with my favorite reggae tunes.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Rough, fast, no fucks given, pushing boundaries, lampooning Elvis - this album has all of the characteristics of a perfect punk album. I can’t exactly say it’s good, but it holds a special place for attitude and energy.
The Thrills
2/5
Wilco on the sunny side of life. It’s palatable enough, but nothing really groundbreaking here for me. The whole album kind of washed over me. It did make me want to go to California though.
Talking Heads
4/5
What a debut album! It kicks off with a bang with their signature jaunty sound that holds up so well in the modern day. Rooted in punk and borrowing from the world, the Talking Heads are a thing of their own. As the album marches on, there are a few lulls and misses but not many. And when it hits, it hits!
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
It’s hard to give an album that can almost make you cry anything lower than a three.
There is something that keeps me from fully embracing this band. Maybe it’s the singers affectation?
Their mark on indie pop in the decade after their work is apparent.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
This didn’t strike me as particularly skillful or innovative. It also kind of felt like one long song. I will give it this though, I cleaned house to it and it did the trick.
Queen
3/5
“Bohemian Rhapsody” at its best, “The Prophets Song” at its worst. During the latter I felt assaulted by malevolent fairies.
I enjoy the little throwback diddies they include, like “Lazing on a Sunday afternoon”, but I could do without it the throwaway tracks like “I’m in love with my car”.
Mercury’s voice is always impressive, and it’s fantastic when he uses it for good.
Coldcut
5/5
Honestly, I loved this. So damn fun! Always keeping you on your toes. Is it stealing to mash up others work? Who cares! Especially if you’re creating something that excites like this does. What a sound for 1989.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Some this is extremely compelling. Tracks like “San Vicente” are undoubtedly beautiful. Bossonova has always sort of bored me and there was a fair share of that. The epic endings to most of the tracks have big payoff. Tarantino soundtrack caliber epicness at times.
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
This is another one of those albums where the sound of the decade they existed in settled on them like the ashes of Pompeii, preserving them just as they were. The 60s writ large, this album checks all of the boxes. At times you could be listening at the mamas and the papas, at others Simon and Garfunkel. The two break out songs broke out enough to make it to us all, “white rabbit” and “somebody to love”. Those two heavyweights carry this album to a three from me.
Neil Young
5/5
I remember hearing the title track of this album when I was in the back of my friend’s car. His dad was driving and it came on the radio. I immediately had to know who it was because it stirred something in me. I bought the album and learned every song by heart. It’s still as compelling today. From the heartfelt “Tell me Why” to the rocking “southern man” to the pretty little ditty of “cripple creek ferry” this album has a lot to like.
The Stooges
4/5
Alright, this rips. Proto-punk? Proto-noise rock? All of the above? They sound like a continuation of the Kingsmen, but with far more abandon. A big sound that has aged well!
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
I am usually pretty cold on British prog rock, but this album rips. The virtuosic Hammond and somehow-not-annoying use of the synth are great here. Sprinkle in some traditional British vocalizing and ripping drums and base and you’ve got some magic. This outshines other prog rock I’ve had so far.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
This album is all about “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out” for me. That song is a banger. The rest is ok, but fits strongly into the place I always find Springsteen sitting - trying to say too much over music that wants to party or talking emphatically about people and places I’ve never heard of. I always feel like I’m missing something when I listen to Springsteen. I feel like I’m joining a conversation mid stream. Did everyone go to school with him but me?
Ute Lemper
2/5
This album has some of the right elements, and certainly its source material is compelling, but it overplays its hand. I feel like I am at a convention where fringe artists are being honored, but by musicians whose weirdness is less authentic.
TV On The Radio
3/5
This is a clean, diverse album that can sound like Prince, Bon Iver, REM, or The Beach Boys when it wants to. It is definitely firmly situated among late 2000s indie-pop, but it holds up pretty well. “Crying” and “Red Dress” are standout tracks for me.
Ps: I can’t ignore the cool fact that “DLZ” was used in Breaking Bad during the “stay out of my territory scene”. That was epic.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
This album has a lot of elements to it. Sometimes Al Green sometimes the Beatles (“Little Miss Strange” was a shock). The classic Hendrix tunes shine among the others, “all along the watch tower” and “voodoo chile”, but I struggled to bond with much of the rest. Hendrix’s signature wailing guitar, virtuosic to be sure, just wafted over me. Perhaps I’ve been over-exposed through years?
Talking Heads
4/5
This is an 8 track album and the first five songs are ALL home runs. From the gutsy intro, to the settled jams of “the great curve”, to the pop appeal of “once in a lifetime”. Holy shit!
The final three songs pack less of a punch. “Seen and not seen” has a spoken word boringness. “Listening Wind” fails to inspire and “The Overload” somehow takes us into brooding… metal? Not for me.
The first five tracks are five stars. The final three tracks are three stars. We’ll settle on four.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This sound is so developed and innovative for ‘66. It’s clear that it made a huge impact on music at the time. The cacophony they’re able to create is amazing and paved the road for every chamber pop album to come after it. There are so many bangers on this, and very few misses. The grooves are always tight and sound really special. What keeps this from a five for me is the lilting vocals, the type taking center stage in “god only knows”. If they could embrace the magic of the final 30 seconds of “I’m waiting for the day” I would be all over this.
The Offspring
3/5
This album conjures some of my cringiest memories, being released during my tween years. But I have to say it holds up pretty well. The band and production is pretty tight and the lyrical delivery is crisp and more understandable than others in its glass. They are pop punk, but they have an edge at times - and at others they find melody and fun in their ska overlap. Not a bad album for what it is.
Coldplay
2/5
Ultimately, I felt like this album was palatable enough. Nothing really to offend here, but not much to inspire either. I suppose I like things with more of an edge to them. Sensitive, heartfelt, and… boring?
Björk
3/5
Although the 90s disco dance sounds abound in this album, there is a lot to appreciate. Foremost is the vocal style that’s jarring, otherworldly and beautiful. This album contains a lot. Jazz, funk, metal, disco. And Bjork carries those banners well and genuinely.
Rush
3/5
To be honest, this goes pretty hard. The vibe is not what I need, but I can hear the drums, guitar, and vocals ripping. The affectation of the vocalist and the subject matter leave a lot to be desired, but I don’t hate it.
The Young Rascals
2/5
This is some late 60s vibes in a bottle. “Groovin” is a great song, but I have been overexposed. It wasn’t until track 9 “you better run” that I felt much of anything when listening to this album.
Van Halen
2/5
The guitar playing is virtuosic and the sound makes you feel like you would have had a really fun, albeit short, life if you were part of that scene. It conjures images of smoke filled clubs with a non-zero amount of cocaine nearby.
The sound is loud, intense and unrelenting. The themes are boring, shallow and unimpressive.
Beck
4/5
This a fun album that includes beastie boys-esque rap rock and daft punk-like techno beats at times. “Hotwax” gets to work trying to recapture the manic of “Loser” and does it pretty well. The free association lyrics of that kind abound here. They are padded by a raucous sound that contains the multitudes.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
One long song that’s a good groove. I was excited to begin with as I marveled at the early funk and its relationship to current popular artists. But by the end I was a little bored. Good use case for this album during a focus session.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Is anyone’s sound more appropriate for a sendoff album at age 71? It’s like his whole career was driving him to this point. This album is fantastic and works overtime to highlight Cash’s unique voice. Every song hits just right and most can leave you in tears. It’s up there with John Prine’s or Leonard Cohen’s final albums. What a swan song for the man in black!
4/5
While I’ve never been a huge Beatles fan, this album made me realize that I do indeed like the Kinks more. There are so many great tunes on this album “Shangri-La”, “She’s Bought a Hat Like Princess Marin” (with all its kazoo and washboard pageantry), and “Arthur”. They’re lyrics are fun, they’re hooks are amazing and they don’t lean too much into the lilting Britishness from the 60s that I struggle with.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
Decent band that does a good job of switching it up. They find good grooves and end them right on time. Seems like the singer is the weakest part (both in vocals and lyrics), but maybe the raw nature of his style is what’s appealing? The use of flute or clarinet is nice.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
He was doing pretty well until “does anybody out there even care”. The beginning of that song is bad. He’s compelling and seems ahead of his peers in sound. Sounds much more 90s than late 80s. Something about his vocals always missed the mark for me and the lyrics represented here are a little on the nose. Not too bad at its best.
Fela Kuti
5/5
The social commentary, the timing, the Jazz, the grooves - it’s all fantastic. The musicality of everyone involved shines through.
My Bloody Valentine
1/5
I didn’t enjoy anything about this. The incessant droning, the breathy vocals. Hard pass on all of it? Is this the shoegaze everyone loves to name drop? If so I’ll gaze elsewhere.
Kings of Leon
4/5
I fucking loved this way too many times I caught myself bopping and partying to tracks like “Happy Alone” and “Genius”. Just damn good rock music for the era that it came from where everything seemed to lack that edge.
N.W.A.
3/5
I was hoping from more political commentary from this, being that “fuck tha police” is the only song I was familiar with. Instead, we mainly get chauvinism here, which is a little hard to stomach. The shallowness of the lyrics is saved by the beats. I find myself wishing this album were instrumental.
The Soft Boys
3/5
At times this album was cool and punky. At other times a pale stand in for The Rolling Stones. I’m not sure there was much here that I’ll be coming back to.
Moby
3/5
Soul and gospel hooks and samples are doing A LOT of heavy lifting here for Moby. Compare “Southside” and “natural blues” for example. The former is Moby laid bare, which isn’t bad. But the latter embraces so much of what this album brings to the table, other people’s magic moments. Ultimately not a bad thing for human race to have, but not something that needs to be revered outside of its original context.
Steely Dan
2/5
The grooves are pretty good. The singing is little cheesy. And the lyrics are about nothing. I recognize the musical ability of this band, but they consistently fail to evoke any emotion from me. Just not my thing I guess.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
LCD Soundsystem just knows how to make entrancing and compelling stuff. They really let their grooves settle in and you never quite know when of if they are going to chime in with lyrics. It keeps me on my toes. On this album they sometimes sound like U2, thankfully they also sometimes sound like the talking heads.
Suede
2/5
This album, and you can’t blame them, started off with the best song. Sadly, for me it then meandered and never really found the magic again. Ultimately, an uncompelling cruise through a 90s take on a resurrected sound.
Nick Drake
5/5
Such a beautiful album and so intimate, like all of his work. The stuff of rainy car drives or quiet evenings by the fire. He manages to touch many bases during the album, traditional folk, blues, jazz - all while remaining under the same banner. That silky smooth Nick Drake sound.
Van Morrison
5/5
The album cover really sets the tone here. You kind of just want to lilt in a field while listening to this and remind yourself who you are. Its song cycle style keeps you hypnotized throughout, pulling you to the surface only occasionally with tracks like “the way young lovers do”. It seems to tap into what’s ancient and mystical around us.
David Gray
4/5
I’ve always liked this album more than I should. A friend once described it as an album you and your mom can connect over liking. Debuting in 1998, it seems like it paved the way for bands like Coldplay. There are a few tracks on here that shake off the 1990s drum textures and maintain some modern relevance, “Say Hello and Wave Goodbye” and “This Year’s Love” for example. I hate that this is hard to hate… but it is.
Gary Numan
2/5
This seems ahead of its time and innovative for 1979. I liked parts of it, but over time the textures wore on me and vocal affectation of an androgynous cyborg grew irksome. I liked the song that sounded like “Cars” better than “Cars”.
Beatles
4/5
This was by far my favorite Beatles album so far (I’ve had 4). Obviously, I am very familiar with many tracks on here; “here comes the sun”, “come together”, “I want you (she’s so heavy)”. Those tracks are classics and shine on the album. But there are a few tracks that don’t do much for me “octopus’s garden” and “maxwell’s silver hammer” for example.
Ultimately I feel like it’s a big sound that is well produced and epic in its appeal. Major moments like that of “golden slumbers” and the full throated “she came in through the bathroom window” were my favorites.
After this, I may, just maybe, be able to say I like the Beatles.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Man, did I love this. Hard hitting beats, playful delivery, the genre bending with rock. It’s all so cool and innovative. You can really hear their influence on acts to follow. Very minor points deducted for repetition (which is part of what makes it good) and the overall feel of cheesiness to the raps. Hip hop cannibalizes itself a bit when its edge of innovation casts aspersions on outdated styles and I can’t ignore that.
Eminem
3/5
I’ll start with the positives, which include masterful beats by Dr. Dre and an unrivaled command of the English language in rap by Eminem. Those elements nearly redeem this album from its sexism, homophobia and violence that have aged like milk. Teenage edgelords may still unite around this juvenile irreverence, but I find it grating.
Jack White
3/5
Jack White is at his best when he’s A) ripping and shredding on guitar and B) when he’s being playful. He’s not my favorite when he’s indulging his prog rock side. Sign me up all day long for tunes like “I’m shakin’” and “trash tongue talker”. Sadly, this album has a bit too much of my less favorite moments.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
I didn’t overly enjoy much on this album, but I appreciated it keeping me guessing. Auto tune-laden poppy tunes, Beatles-esque British lilting, techno it’s all here. I particularly appreciated “Receptacle for the respectable” developing into ween-level weird at the end. While there were good moments, at the end of the day I couldn’t ride a wave long enough to consider myself surfing.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
It’s ok music for the background, movies, video games, etc. - but not for intentional listening. It’s not awful and finds some good grooves occasionally, but nothing here is particularly compelling.
John Lee Hooker
2/5
The guitar is timeless and so is John lee’s style. What isn’t timeless is the “Sade-esque” 90s tones of some of these tracks. It’s great to see distinguished collaborators on this album, I always love some Bonnie Raitt, but there isn’t enough of that John Lee Hooker and his guitar for me.
Willie Nelson
3/5
This a smooth album where Willie manages to bring disparate popular tracks from various genres under one Willie Nelson Banner. He maintains is same smooth delivery, but without the heart worn tone of his typical lyricism, I find myself a little bored. It’s pleasant enough, but nothing I’ll be putting on to showcase these songs or Willie.
Miles Davis
3/5
I find myself wanting to like jazz of this type. When I dial in, its sounds so soothing, so fun to get immersed in their mastery. But I never dial in. I guess I’m just not settled enough to live in a jazz album. As background music it’s fine, but I require more of my active listening choices. That’s said, it’s clear how effortless the musicianship is here.
Billie Holiday
4/5
Such a profound and romantic sound! Can anyone class up a joint like Billie Holiday? The only thing keeping this from being a 5 for me is the lack of variation in the tracks. It ends up feeling like one song. I realize that is because she is so unique, but it’s how feel.
Public Enemy
3/5
Loud, brash, explicit, and just being themselves. You have to appreciate something to unapologetic. Is it an everyday spin for me? No. Is it high energy and iconic. Yup!
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
There was a time in my life when I would have halfway liked this. I was a college kid occasionally sporting a backward baseball cap, which is who I think this is made for. Now, I just get irked by the slurred sexy pseudo-carefree affect of his vocals. Did it age poorly? Have I gotten old? Have I learned how to spot trust-fund jamming when I see it? We’ll never know. But I do know whatever G Love days I might have had are behind me.
The Jam
3/5
This album had some sneaky good songs. As it oscillated between pure pop numbers and early punk roughness there was magic to be found. Some really fun early punk on here and some precursors for new wave appearing as well. Not bad!
Pink Floyd
3/5
A journey of an album that has the ability to convey significance, even in its smallest moments. There is a lot here culturally. I am familiar with nearly all of the songs and I can’t help but picture The Wizard of Oz playing silently in the background. Cutting through all of that, I find myself enjoying a prog rock album more than other prog rock albums of that time. They manage to find a level of modernity that others don’t conjure.
R.E.M.
3/5
I love the political aspects of this album, but it doesn’t speak to me the way other REM albums have. I appreciate that their sound isn’t bogged down in 90s tropes. There is some of that, but really only the loud, jangly, rhythm guitar.
Basement Jaxx
2/5
A British house album that had me partying at certain points during it, “Same Old Show” for example. But the rest was a bit unremarkable. I find it easy to lose track of the fact that I’m listening to this type of music and perhaps that’s the point.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Under the wildly creative noise and avant garde creativity, there exists beautiful pop that would succeed on its own. It’s not enough for the flaming lips. Through that veneer, they establish that they are dealing in time-travelling intergalactic circles and they have a message to share that wells up from the universe, all with childlike wonder. This album threatened to make me cry a few times and I may be back to do just that.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
One of the first rap albums I heard as a kid. I appreciate the fun aspects, the boundary pushing and snoop’s flow. I get a little weary of the same key, tempo, etc. “murder was the case” was a highlight for me.
R.E.M.
3/5
This has been my least favorite of the 4 REM albums I’ve been prescribed so far. I can tell that they didn’t sound like anything else at the time, and points for that, but nothing catches me in particular. The only track I find myself coming back to is “We Walk”, which is a bizarre outlier that manages to capture something not represented on the rest of the album.
Al Green
4/5
Silky smoooooth! The band is a party and Al keeps you hooked with his crooning. Not much to complain about here.
Orbital
2/5
While there were a few bright spots, this album failed to set itself apart or grab me. Perhaps it’s because this genre has come so far since 1994? Either way it’s not something I’ll be revisiting.
Rush
3/5
Are these dudes aliens for real? They certainly sound like highly talented aliens who have studied what rock should sound like, but they reveal themselves with their competence, textures and lack of soul.
You can’t deny the musicality, or the fact that they rip. My biggest beef, as with most prog rock, is I feel a little unmoored without a cohesive touch point.
Fred Neil
4/5
How did I not know this guy?? I love this folky, outlaw country stuff. Great grooves and harmonies without overplaying his hand. Meaningful lyrics and fun arrangements. My only complaint is that he didn’t whistle more. That was beautiful.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
What’s smoother than a bossanova Frank Sinatra album? This thing is like a caricature of a romantic album. For that reason it’s hard to take it seriously, or even to pretend that I will find use case for spinning it. Maybe if I decide to sprinkle road pedals that lead to the bedroom on Valentine’s Day. But until then, it will remain on the shelf.
Common
3/5
I liked this a lot better than the other Common album I had. It’s less soul and more hip hop. I remember the song “The Food” from the Chapelle Show. It was my introduction to Kanye and it was inspiring back then. Common’s social commentary is lucid without sacrificing flow and the beats are solid here.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
One of my favorite kinds of music is music that makes you feel something. It feels deep, emotive. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds show you how it’s don’t here. Cave’s Baritone and the lyrical content paint a picture you can’t look away from.
(Points deducted for occasionally having arrangements that remind me of U2)
The Fall
3/5
Compelling style and attitude, but diversity on the album is a bit lacking. The rudimentary keys are enjoyable for me. I’ve always loved that kind of thing. It makes the music feel more accessible.
Suicide
3/5
Suicide is able to create a compelling and entrancing vibe with their synth and drum tracks. The persistence of these digital instruments freed them up to let things marinate in a way that you might not do if a flesh and blood band was behind you. It allowed them to encourage you to settle in, day dream, and wait for their delivery. Sparse vocals communicated their message which was realist and bleak.
Beatles
3/5
The happy go lucky love song era of the Beatles is, admittedly, my least favorite. I realize that it was monumental in its contribution and still unrivaled in its popularity. But that doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t what I need from them. The songs are creative, brief and to the point, and the harmonies are on point though.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
An iconic and sweaty embrace of Cuban music. This album has always held a special place for me, and not just because it feels like you’re accessing the forbidden through a time portal. Also because the grooves are nearly unrivaled and the passion is so strong.
Steely Dan
2/5
I appreciate the musicianship and the level of production of this album. It’s very tight and clean. However, I would prefer a talented dude and a 5-gallon bucket recorded on an iPhone over a lot of this. It’s strikes me as a fun blend of rock, jazz and soul - but I’m left unfulfilled. Maybe it’s the jazzy vocals, maybe it’s the meaningless lyrics. Whatever it is, I am not its target audience.
The Cure
3/5
These dark and industrial sounds, paired with the vocal brooding can be nothing but goth. It’s compelling, entrancing, and just a little… exhausting? I find myself thankful I’m not in the right headspace to really sell into the sulk, while also feeling like it would be great to spin this on a rainy day and indulge my moodiest self.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
3/5
Wild tripadelic name for a band that seems so normal now. Perhaps then they weren’t? They strike me as peers of the band, Graham Nash, and others of the era. Smooth grooves and pleasant Melodie’s.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
No denying that Led Zepplin rips. Their rock infused blues sets the stage for most classic rock and certainly their continued airplay is a testament to their talent and ability to put it together. For that reason, though, I am a little over exposed to it all.
Looking past that, I find strong compelling vocals, ripping guitar, powerful drums and bass. The lyrical content is lacking but that doesn’t matter much. The talent abounds.
Beastie Boys
4/5
The energy they bring alone is enough to get you off the couch. Ignoring the sexism and chauvinism, this album is great. The beats are compelling and the raps are the beastie boys signature yell. You know when you’re listening to the beastie boys and you know they mean it.
Sonic Youth
3/5
If I look, I can find elements of this that I find compelling. The strangeness, the nonchalance, the grooves. Most of the time, though, I find myself irked by the noises (which unfortunately are sort of its trademark). Every now and then they strike typical pop rock, which makes me suspicious that they are just either pandering or ridiculing. Not something I’ll spin regularly, but I don’t hate it either.
Orbital
1/5
Techno for the sake of techno. As the album drives on and one “song” blends into the next I find myself as fatigued as I would be if I were dancing to this music in a dark club and my energy were waning. By the final tracks I’m just wondering if we can skip ahead to the part where we eat shitty food and go home.
David Bowie
4/5
So many iconic tunes on this album! And they’re all so different. Even some of the songs I’m less familiar with are amazing, like “quicksand”. That said, there are a few misses for me (songs that don’t reach the 5 star mark), like “Andy Warhol” and “Song for Bob Dylan”. I also hear some British prog reach creeping in, which I’m growing fatigue for at this stage in the project. Also, not worth nothing, but I sometimes have no idea what Brits are singing about.
Britney Spears
2/5
Teen boppy pop to the max. There are bright spots that are energetic and fun, but boy does this album get worse as it marches on. Everything after “Thinkin’ About You” exists just to reach the track threshold for an LP. What was worse, “E-mail my heart” or the Cher cover?
Hit me baby…. Maybe never again?
Sonic Youth
3/5
Punk, noise, new wave vibes. I can’t say that I like the genre much, but I appreciate what they’re doing. It’s not a good sign that I can’t recall many songs, save for “hot wire my heart” which is objectively a badass song name.
Red Snapper
2/5
Seems like 311 and Linkin Park contemporaries, with a lot less singing. And imagine how bad this might have been without with singing. The lack of vocals allows you to focus on the music and the grooves, which are ok - but still locked in time in the early 2000s, particularly the turntable sounds.
The Stooges
4/5
It’s like the best part of The Rolling Stones. They’ve got grit and they are boundary pushing for the era. I love the attitude and the grooves they fine. My only complaint is that there isn’t much variation in sound. I don’t need a band to be someone they’re not mid-album, but a few more key changes would be welcome.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
This is much harder than my normal listening, but I found it energetic and enjoyable. At times they sounded like Nirvana, and at others Metallica. I cleaned the shit out of my house while jamming, which is a fantastic use case for an album.
Björk
3/5
A wild, discordant, and innovative a cappella prance. It’s remarkable where they take it and what they’re not afraid to do. She definitely is a singular artist. There aren’t two Bjorks around.
Dolly Parton
3/5
Three beautiful voices operating as one here. The lyrics are middling 80s country fare about love lost and men leaving women, or women leaving men. There are some 80s textures I dislike, but ultimately this is a pleasant album and well produced. No show stopping tunes, but not bad.
Black Flag
3/5
Sloppy, unapologetic, loud, aggressive, irreverent. Distilled hardcore punk here. It has the ability to inspire grit with political themes, and inspire empathy with suicidal ones. Not something I could put on just around anyone, but a headphones spin when I’m raging out and cleaning, unpacking all of the worlds shitty parts, definitely.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
I remember loving this album when it came out. I was in the Peace Corps and I would have it in my headphones when I was traveling around by bus/van. It’s a grand sound that is able to make everything feel epic. Taking cues from The Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear harmonizes and leans into big percussion. The early 2010s were riddled with ho-hey stomp-claps, and this album has a little of that, which doesn’t hold up particularly well. Other than that I loved it.
3/5
Well that was a frenetic assault on the ear drums!
Talent abounds here and it is used for discordant evil. Occasionally they find a groove where you can settle in and it feels like a port in a storm. Chaos to the max and high energy.
4/5
An iconic Brit-pop album with some real bangers on it, and I’m not even talking about “Wonderwall”, the meme it has become. “Don’t look back in anger” is a top 20 90s song for me and “Champagne Supernova” is an amazing send off. Plenty here to like.
Beatles
4/5
Pretty classic Beatles sound here. It was nice to have the many covers add a layer of soul to the Beatles Britishness. They managed to nail a lot of the covers while maintaining their personal sound. I love that fact that they all got to sing on this album and the messy history of its many releases.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Wow, this albums keeps the hits coming and doesn’t really let up. You get a brief crying break during “Songbird” then it’s back at it. Every tune distinct from the last, Fleetwood Mac manages to create some timeless hits on this album that have aged quite well.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
There are a couple of misses on this album, the disjointed opening track “Ramble Tamble” and “Ooby Dooby” for example. But other than that it is a firestorm of HITS. How did CCR write so many songs that have endured so long?
When I hear folks talk about CCR, it inevitably comes up that they aren’t from the south, as if that discredits them. Yet, no one bats an eye at the British invaders fetishizing the south. Oh well.
Beatles
4/5
So many great songs on here! Some of my favorite Beatles songs are present; “revolution 9” (sans all of the trip fest), “blackbird”, “while my guitar gently weeps” to name a few.
But the real magic lies with the playful tunes that shirk expectations. Song like “why don’t we do it in the road”, “rocky raccoon” and even “wild honey pie” excite me the most.
For an album to get a 5, I have to like every song - or at least stay involved for all of them. This album, with so many songs, struggles to clear that hurdle. But it’s a solid 4.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Is this grating? Yes. Is it absurd? Certainly. Is there magic somewhere in it? Absolutely.
Now what can we glean from the absurd? It transports us to a different place. We gain access to words we wouldn’t have thought to put next to each other, a yell we may not be able to make because we have neighbors. Escape.
Then again, maybe this band is just trolling us.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Fun white boy soul vibes. I particularly enjoyed the epic 8 minute long “revolution 1993” with its drumline. Even here 32 years later “it’s time for a revolution”.
Duke Ellington
3/5
I liked this better than other traditional jazz albums I’ve had, though that is a broad category. It felt big bandy at times which was fun. I didn’t know we were going to get Louis Armstrong, that was a nice surprise.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
Somehow they are the missing link between the Stooges and Arcade Fire. Moody and emotional they have a compelling sound. I love the driving rhythm section. There is plenty to like here.
The Yardbirds
4/5
Such great rockin 60s Brit-blues. Looking at the roster, it’s no surprise they have rippin solos and catchy hooks. They keep you on your toes, not selling into any particular sound.
John Martyn
4/5
A really smooth album that highlights Martyn’s talents as a singer songwriter. I liked”Over the Hill” and “The Easy Blues” who ch can go toe to toe with almost any early 70s blues/folk.
George Michael
3/5
He has a strong voice and his passion shines through with intimate lyrics. Where I get lost is in the overtly 80s pop tones. My favorite song on the album was the stripped down “They Won’t Go When I Go”.
Björk
4/5
A unique and sensitive album where she uses her voice as a singular instrument, discordant and beautiful. Points deducted for the 90s synthetic drum tracks.
Motörhead
3/5
Ignore, if you can, that this creep proclaims he wants to bang 15 year old children during the song “Jailbait”, and you’ll find driving rhythm and bass, ripping guitar, and gritty vocals. All of which create a high energy don’t-take-shit-off-no one vibe that is appealing.
MC Solaar
3/5
This was super enjoyable, but I regret that I can’t understand his lyrics. It seems like he has a lot to say. The beats and flow are on par, if not ahead of, everything else in 1991. I love how he mixed it up and sounded like Prince at times and Sublime at others.
Syd Barrett
3/5
This whole album feels like a B-side/Demo. Some of it could probably have remained unrecorded, but there was magic in there. I particularly liked “Love You”. He’s clearly creative, constantly trying new sounds and delivery methods, but the lack of polish holds him back a bit. But maybe that’s the point.
Adele
4/5
Adele has such a special voice. It seems like she’s never fully unleashed and yet she outshines nearly every other singer. The lyrics have a sincerity and continuity to them that immediately recognizable.
The White Stripes
4/5
The White stripes have the uncanny ability to transition between soft, playful, school tunes like “We’re Going to Be Friends” and face-melting rock/punk/blues a-la “Fell In Love with a girl”. The a capella numbers like “little room” and the break down in “The Union Forever” are a very cool touch.
This album would be a five if it stopped at “Aluminum”. The final four tracks struggled to keep my attention and sounded like more of the same.
Electric Light Orchestra
3/5
Beatles inspired yacht rock? I’m here for it. There are some bangers on this album. I particularly liked “Jungle”.
Green Day
3/5
Aside from the notable 90s pop punk anthems we all know on here, there isn’t much that captures my attention. As we’ve navigated further from when this album was made its vinn diagram with other contemporaries has greater overlap. I hear Blind Melon’s “No Rain” at the end of “Longview” for example.
As a side note, I was a 90s MTV kid and nothing described my experience more than “Longview”.
Björk
3/5
Admittedly, this is my third Bjork album this month and I’m getting tad weary of it. She has the ability to create importance in her work. It’s almost theatrical and I love the string arrangements. The trouble is, aside from concentrated listening, I can’t think of the right use case for this music.
Brian Eno
4/5
A really cool ethereal sound that holds up to this day. The sparse vocals create a mood that lets you really settle in.
Kate Bush
4/5
Delightfully weird and unapologetic. Really cool and pretty avant-garde for 1982. I loved “suspended in gaffa” with is discordant singing and odd timing.
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
I feel extraordinarily over-exposed to this album. Every classic rock station of my life has played purple haze multiple times a day. I can hear it ringing out on the construction site now.
Later in the album, when the deeper cuts stack up, I find myself reminded that it is truly psychedelic blues. What a cool genre that we didn’t know we needed.
Neil Young
5/5
This album in all its groovy rock glory, has no misses. It’s Neil at his best for me. With settled jams, hard hitting poetry and a vibe to beat all others.
Pulp
3/5
I actually liked the feel of this album, it seemed to be arcade fire before arcade fire existed. What I didn’t like was the lyrical content. We got off on the wrong foot with “pencil skirt”; “I'll be around when he's not in town. Oh, yeah, I'll show you how you're doing it wrong. Oh, I really love it when you tell me to stop, oh-oh. Oh, it's turning me on” (yuck) and it didn’t get better from there. Does this guy sing about anything other than sex?
Elvis Presley
4/5
I’ve always loved Elvis. The old school rockabilly vibes are amazing. I had never really heard much slow Elvis from this era until this. Some of those songs shine as well. The one drawback for me is in the covers of “I’ve got a woman” and “tutti frutti” just left me wanting to listen to the original versions
Hookworms
3/5
Ultimately a pretty middling album for me. Not sure what sets it apart from its peers that made their mark in this genre from 2007-2012ish. Seems like a continuation of the “Dark Was the Night”-type thing.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Despite the name, this seems like the least-surfiest Beach Boys Album I’ve had so far. It verges on activism. They come out strong by protecting water, but pull their punches in “Student Demonstration Time”.
I loved the grooves here though and the multiple genres they touch on. Their impact on future acts is evident here, as I hear Grizzly Bear and the Dirty Projectors.
Raekwon
4/5
It’s all about the RZA beats for me. The slightly off timing of his chopped up samples, the vinyl need sound effects, the relentlessness of the grooves that allow the MC to play as long as they want. It’s all so hypnotizing.
GZA and Co. do a masterful job of delivering the content to supplement. Surprised to see NAS on the album. Is this just rebranded Wu-Tang since everyone seems to be here?
Tortoise
3/5
There is an innovative quality that sets this apart from other ambiance-heavy, dream-like jazz rock. It’s great music to work to. Driven and not distracting. Ultimately, it fades a bit into the background. A live show would probably be pretty inspiring.
New Order
3/5
Some of the beats were nice and jaunty, but the vocals/lyrics were a little emo for me. If I’m going in that direction I’m going to go full Cure.
Radiohead
4/5
I love the way Radiohead makes noise, profound soundtrack-esque reflections, and normal indie music, all in the same album - and even sometimes in the same song. The arrangements are amazing here and they never let it get too stale. Not every song is a winner, but damn near.
Mike Oldfield
4/5
I enjoyed this way more than most of the prog rock I’ve been dealt. The different motions in the two long tracks could definitely have been considered different tracks for the ease of navigation. I found myself grooving at times and I wasn’t struck by anything dating this work in particular.
Throwing Muses
4/5
Wow, what a surprise this was! I had never heard of this band before, but they impressed me. Cool lyrics, variable tracks, unique singing voice. I felt like I was listening to A continuation of Siouxsie and the Banshees with more energy. Good stuff!
The Prodigy
2/5
Ultimately this is pretty repetitive and uninspiring. The other prodigy album I had had a lead singer and I missed him.
Gene Clark
4/5
Not sure why I’ve never heard this album. This is peak mid-seventies psychedelic blues. It’s goes toe-to-toe with the Grateful Dead, and Crosby, Stills and Nash. And there aren’t many misses, any. I particularly like the opening track, “Strength of Strings” and “True One”.
Mudhoney
4/5
Early Seattle grunge! I’m here for it. High energy, nice hooks, and clearly influential. They are the bridge between the Stooges and the grunge scene.
Randy Newman
4/5
I love the grooves of this album. It’s Ray Charles adjacent, but Newman adds his own jaunty offkilterness. The first track is well composed, but its shameless use of a racial slur hasn’t aged well, even if used in satire. I loved the political activism wrapped in light hearted ditties though.
Nina Simone
4/5
What an amazing voice Nina Simone has. She effortlessly navigates between genres and never fails to inspire. I loved the jaunty “why keep on breaking my heart” and “lilac wine”.
The B-52's
4/5
Name a funner band than the B-52s. They just bring it with their driving rhythms, discordance, yelling, speak-singing, and off kilter lyrics. They are new wave/post punk and all of that, but they are also singular in their approach. Camp meets a party.
Arrested Development
5/5
Man am I a sucker for early 90s rap, especially the stuff that positively complements the gangsta rap that was so pervasive during the same time period. It’s undeniably fun. Add in more than a dash of social activism and I’m all in.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
I liked this album with its big driving rhythms and weirdo lyrics. It reminded me of Bowie and the Clash.
Paul Simon
5/5
There are so many great tunes on this album. I’m a sucker for Paul’s crooning paired with the flute and a driving baseline. “Everything put together falls apart” is my least favorite track, but it still has its bright spots. Otherwise than that, each track is a banger.
John Prine
5/5
Prine manages to tackle post Vietnam opioid addiction, environmental protection, faux patriotism, TV’s evils, marijuana legalization, and everyday life - all with a wry salt-of-the-earth grin. Like only he can. Truly a master of his art, which is also singular. All hail John Prine!
Aerosmith
2/5
Boy they really pulled together every sound of this era, Sabbath, ZZ Top, Zepplin, it’s all in this album. The stuff unique to Aerosmith walk this way and sweet emotion, made it through. Everything else was pretty milquetoast. The irreverent “10 inch record” was unnecessary.
Calexico
4/5
A smooth album that reminds me a lot of other contemporaries, dispatch, the bower birds, Andrew bird, devotchka. And by that metric should be right up my alley, but something falls short. I love the style, just not sure if the songwriting/compostion is where it’s at.
Bobby Womack
4/5
80s soul in the house! It’s a party and definitely has some disco vibes. But it maintains a sense funk and soul that sends it. STANDING ROOM ONLY!
Ryan Adams
3/5
This album is A LOT better than the cringey album cover suggests. Not every song is a gem, I’m looking at The Rolling Stones knock-off track and the overly affected white boy soul (life is a highway vibes). But, there is magic in here.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
This might be my favorite led Zepplin album so far. Funk pops up, and the inspiration for the white stripes is here as well. They keep the riffs coming. My only critique is that it is long. I felt little besieged by the end of it.
The Charlatans
3/5
I think I liked these guys best when they were jamming, like “Area 51”. They were similar to Oasis at times, but they outperform them in the instrumentation/composition realm. Unfortunately, they aren’t as good of song writers as oasis, but still good. This was a nice find!
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Maybe I’m shallow, but this guys affect makes me think he’s a creep. And I can’t shake it. The music isn’t bad, and usually I’m a fan of grand chamber pop sounds, but for this one I’m out.
Yes
2/5
The high harmonies represented in so much British prog rock start to grate on me. I can find solace in the ripping guitar and grooves they find at times, but it’s not enough of a port in a storm.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I feel like I liked this album more than I should have. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised because “Come on Eileen” is such a banger. Something about the off kilter vocals drew me in. I could have done without the “wearwolves of London” ripoff and some of the dialogue. Other than that I found myself grooving and enjoying fun band.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
The beats, while hypnotizing, were incredibly repetitive. The flows were nice, but I’m not sure it offered more than others of this era.
AC/DC
2/5
Highway to hell is decently cool and the album cover is on point, but the rest is pretty middling rock. While high energy, this album struggles to capture your attention and every tracks bleeds into the next. In the end, the unique vocals save it from the dust bin.
Carole King
3/5
I’ve always found Carol King to be pretty milquetoast, in the vain of James Taylor, but this album changed that a bit. There are some cool jazzy, bluesy moments here - and she navigates it well. I could have done without the blues-pandering “smack water jack”, but “way over yonder” was a highlight.
Bee Gees
3/5
I didn’t know this side of the BeeGees and I have to say I was surprised and impressed. I loved th way they pushed their vocals to the max and didn’t apologize when they fell short. They just kept going. This album got better as it went on and I particularly liked “Lion in winter.
Slipknot
3/5
The screaming, and the transitions to melodic singing, are impressive - the bars-spitting not so much. I love the fast pace of it all, but it loses me with its aggrieved aggression. It’s just not my vibe in the end.
OutKast
5/5
This is an easy 5 for me. They are so cool and creative. This was my first encounter with the unique musicianship/artistry of Andre 3000. I loved The Love Below when it came out. It hits on rap, rnb, soul, rock, folk, and more. I appreciated Speakerboxxx much more on this decades-later listen. I can’t believe the cameos on this double album, Jay-z, Lil Jon, Nora jones.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
At this point, I may be a bit over-Costelloed, but I did like this album. It seems less needlessly wordy than the others I’ve had. I particularly enjoyed “I want you”.
Kelela
2/5
Not sure what the is added to the world that pop rnb icons haven’t. I feel like this was an album of Beyoncé songs that didn’t make the cut. And I’m not super compelled by the breathy soulful affectation she embraces.
With the negative old man stuff out of the way, she has a strong voice and some of the beats aren’t hurting anyone.
Stephen Stills
3/5
I liked this album fine, but it’s been my least favorite from the Crosby Stills Nash and Young team and its associated offshoots. Something about it being soulful, but missing the mark a bit, weakens it for me.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Noisy but melodic. Brash but not punk. Dinosaur Jr. seems to straddle a lot of lines here. Ultimately, their influence on indie rock is probably overshadowed by those who have done it better. No tracks stood out to me as favorites. The reverberating guitar is all that is imprinted in my mind.
Little Richard
5/5
Woooooooo!!! What can I say about it Little Richard!? What a party he was! Imagine singing like him for more than a minute?? Just an unbelievable force. Never to be matched again.
This is album seems like vintage fun 70s rock and roll/blues rock. Which makes me wonder why Faces isn’t often mentioned in conversations about bands of the time, like The Rolling Stones, the band, and others. Is it because Rod Stewart became… well, rod Stewart? This rocks as good as any of the era and Stewart’s voice shines in its squeezed out uniqueness.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Cool album that I’m sure seemed futuristic for its time, and kind of still does. Are they saying they’re “fond of the autobahn”?
The Doors
4/5
Turns out I kind of love the doors. The grooves they find are compelling and Morrison is a helluva front man. I think the hits from this “riders on the storm”, “Love her madly” have been overplayed. I would have loved to have heard a lot of these songs sooner. “changeling” was a favorite.
Robbie Williams
2/5
This seemed like pop for pops sake. He meanders through different styles looking for a hit with shallow lyrics and few hooks. Not terribly awful on the ears in the end, but nothing I’ll be revisiting.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I love the drums and bass here driving everything and I love Ozzy’s vibe and voice. The dark/horror themes are compelling and I’m sure ruffled some feathers back in the day.
The Doors
3/5
Not a bad album, but it shows me that I prefer the doors 3-4 years after this. It seems like they were more caught up in that classic sound of the 60s with this one. They were able to “break on through to the other side” for lack of a better term in the years following. The meandering organ music doesn’t do much for me.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Some of this is standard 60s fare, but so much of it isn’t. From the embrace of middle eastern tones, to the unapologetic heroin tribute. I loved “run run run” the most.
The Afghan Whigs
1/5
I didn’t like much about this. The breathy singing, the irreverent sexual lyrics. All sort of rubbed me the wrong way. One song switched up the lead singer and I liked that moderately better.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Pop-rock with a bit of an edge. Not bad, but nothing really stuck with me that would keep me coming back.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This album is super varied. It is often good stuff and sometimes not. I really like the feel of it with the narration and the loud raucous numbers.
Carpenters
2/5
This sounds like typical late 60s/early 70s catchall fluff. It seems to take no risks and ends up very milquetoast. I appreciate that Karen plays the drums, but other than that, this is a boring toe me.
David Bowie
3/5
Some of these tracks I loved, like “breaking glass” and “sound and vision” (“I’ve been breaking glass in your room again” is a great line). Other songs seemed like meandering soundtrack fodder for a sci-fi movie.
Blue Cheer
2/5
Not bad psychedelic rock from the 60s. It has a decent feel, but there is something uninspiring by about it. Perhaps I’ve been inundated by those who have done it better.
Aerosmith
3/5
Fun loving drug-fueled cheesy late 80s rock pop. Hard to dislike a lot of what’s here. Also hard to take it too seriously when it comes to its ranking among the best albums.
Steven Tyler’s voice is strong, the riffs are powerful and they do a decent job of switching it up. I have always loved the slowed down “tell me what it takes” and it’s bluegrass outro.
The Blue Nile
3/5
Straddles the line between the talking heads and the police. Not inspiring necessarily, but not objectionable.
The Beta Band
4/5
I feel like it’s rare to hear music in this genre that injects humor into the mix and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, particularly the last song “eclipse”.
Sonic Youth
3/5
This was the most coherent of the Sonic Youth albums I’ve had. At times sounding downright poppy. BUT, they always returned to form by ruining (improving??) perfectly good pop songs with distortion and noise.
Lou Reed
3/5
The lyrics are needlessly gloomy and provocative and I’m not sure the album makes up for it with anything else. It’s pleasant enough though.
The Waterboys
4/5
This is pretty damn good! Surprised I’ve never heard of it, as it sounds like Wilco - drawing on Bob Dylan, Springsteen and the Pogues.
Lana Del Rey
5/5
Wow, is Lana Del Rey my new favorite artist? She’s thoughtful and honest in her delivery and always seems to know exactly where the song should go. I love the embrace of pop beats as well.
The Byrds
2/5
The grooves were nice but the lyrics were underdeveloped (I could have done without the detailed Hiroshima accounting). Not bad for 1966, but not quite inspiring.
Röyksopp
2/5
This is electronica I don’t have much use for. Meandering and not inspiring for me.
David Crosby
3/5
The grooves and jams seem uninspired after so much exposure to the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young anthology and all its spinoffs. I do love the activism and have a soft spot for the vibe.
Mercury Rev
3/5
It’s disorienting to hear a sound so close to another. They do sound astonishingly like the flaming lips. They even sound like Phish at times. I like it in its surprising psychedelia.
Ministry
3/5
Ya know, I didn’t mind this. It’s hard but not obnoxious about it. Surprisingly melodic at times. It’s also a nice antidote to the kids music in bombarded by in my life these days.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
This album isn’t bad, but someone in the band decided to periodically put a belt sander to some sheet metal in the middle of every song. I don’t get turned off by noise rock often, but I found myself needing to turn this down to avoid literally hurting my ears. The Velvet Underground-esque grooves are enough to save it from the dust bin.
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Uninspired beats, mundane lyrics that often felt like free styles, and the oh so distinct flavor of the 90s. To borrow a term from the era… WACK!
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
This album reminds me why Neil Young is my favorite of this act and its associated spinoffs. They really miss his grit. Of course, their harmonies are amazing, but there is a certain rawness missing without young. A lot of these songs are popular classic rock fair, and for a reason.
Dagmar Krause
4/5
Such an impressive vocalist backed by expert instrumentation. So strong and smooth and inspiring. Unlike anything I’ve heard.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Middling 60s fare here. It sounds like every prominent 6”s band combined (stones, stooges, doors, you name it). Cheeky song titles only carry a band so far (“I had to much to dream last night”, “get me to the world on time”) ah well
Sepultura
2/5
Except for the slower down song “under siege” every song sounded the same to me. Loud, fast, irreverent. It could be cathartic if I was pissed I guess.
Missy Elliott
5/5
Timbaland beats on point here as always and Missy Brings it all to life with her signature style and attitude. She sings more on this album than I expected. So cool to hear other greats of the era on the album, genuwine, Aaliyah, Lil Kim. And too many bangers to count here.
Bill Callahan
5/5
Insightful lyrics, strong vocal delivery and tight melodic grooves. I’m all in for Bill Callahan!
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
This was maybe my least favorite Simon and Garfunkel album I’ve heard. Mrs. Robinson is a banger, but other than that I struggled. I also dislike hearing unintelligible lo-fi audio in the middle of recordings. Should I know what’s going on? Should I guess?
T. Rex
5/5
This is a surprise for me. I love the grooves, the sass. Every song is a banger. Blues, Rockabilly, Glam Rock, it’s all here.
Bee Gees
3/5
This album is all over the place. Beatles at times, the Band at others. All created by… the kings of Disco? Were the BeeGees just opportunists? I like it.
The Avalanches
3/5
I had never heard of plunderphonics but it makes sense. I love the statement the brazen thievery makes. These sounds are for us all! Who hasn’t found immense joy in an artist sampling the very best part of a song and looping it again and again to scratch that itch?
This album was good but doesn’t add too much to the pile that others haven’t already covered. Great working/focus music though!
The Fall
2/5
If I had a nickel for every unnecessary vowel at the end of the singers words, I’d have like fifty bucks. They really spotlighted his singing and punk attitude, which I’m not sure are the strongest parts of the group. Just when I focused in on the music, they leaned into the 90s beats.
Radiohead
4/5
This album mostly lilts, but it has its hard hitting moments, mainly its spectacular outro of “life in a glasshouse”. Seems great to put on for those moments when you have to do a mindless task in front of a screen, or do a puzzle.
Turbonegro
3/5
I was skeptical in the beginning, but as the album marched on I found that some of it ripped. Pretty good late 90s punk/pop punk.
Madonna
1/5
Madonna past her prime for sure. There is some decent dance music in here, but other than that I don’t need it much.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This had moments of brilliance, but ultimately was a fairly middling pop rock album. I particularly liked the vibe of Speedboat, I wish they could have captured more of that.
Billy Bragg
5/5
These albums are amazing. They rock you out, touch your heart, and mobilize you as an activist. The different sounds of Wilco and Billy Bragg flow well together and there is even some bonus Natalie Merchant. One for the ages.
3/5
I love the attitude, the vibe, the salt of the earth lyrics - but I wish there was just a little more variation here.
XTC
3/5
Seemed like a continuation of The Beach Boys, but with new wave tech and expanded sensibilities. The jazzy moments aren’t my favorite, but the playful instrumentation is fun. The last track “dear god” was my favorite. More social commentary please!
Big Star
4/5
Such a great rock power pop band. Wild that they didn’t have any initial success and even more wild that I hadn’t heard of them until now. Of course, I was familiar with the co-opted version of “in the street” from That 70s Show, and I have heard covers of key songs - but I didn’t know the band. Some songs are standard 70s fare, but others are hits for the ages.
The Triffids
3/5
Not bad late 80s pop rock. The textures are very 80s and haven’t aged well, but they are not alone in being victims of that. I could have done with more instrumental work from them.
Pavement
3/5
How did this album miss me as a kid? It must not have been widely available. I listened to weezer and the pixies. Seems like this should have made it to me. I like the album enough, they keep it moving.
Liz Phair
3/5
The apathetic nonchalant pop punk feminist we all needed. Like Hole, but bearable. She had some rockers in here, some stripped down slow ones too. I thought the album was honest and catchy.
UB40
2/5
Pretty standard middling reggae album. Was there a moondance melody in there?
Guns N' Roses
3/5
What is there to say about this album? It’s everywhere. Your neighbors cd collection, football movie montages, skating rinks, stadiums. Hard to deny its popularity and appeal. Pretty amazing what axel rose can do with his voice and slash always slashes.
BUT, the lyrics are shallow and the lack of transition out of the same sound is tiresome. I have also been over exposed to this one.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
This was my favorite and, in my opinion, the best composed of the three Joni albums I’ve had so far. “River” might be one of the greatest songs of all time. Per usual, I get a little fatigued by the jazzy singing. It lilts in a way that I disengage from, beautiful as it is.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Mid 70s rock and roll with overly sexual and creepy themes that gross me out. The only semi-cool song on here was “next” which had a show tune vibe. Next indeed.
Pavement
4/5
Not sure how this band avoided my radar, since I like so many sounds in here. I usually try to steer away from artist comparisons, but I can’t help but hear Wilco, modest mouse, the pixies, and even weezer in here. All of which I have had long standing listening relationships with. I love the sound they capture in “range life”. Good stuff.
FKA twigs
3/5
Nice, vibey pop here. Would be great soundtrack sounds. The songs all had a continuous thread and one tended to bleed into the other for me. I enjoyed “lights on” the most.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Some fun tunes in here. They seem to be able to rope in ska and pop punk sounds without completely losing their edge, which can be hard to do. Some songs are low effort in the way punk songs can be. Ultimately not a bad listen, but nothing I’ll be coming back to.
Talking Heads
3/5
This is my least favorite talking heads album. One of my friends accuses them of sounding like a tiki-bar house band, and this album doesn’t help me rebut that. It marches on and on with the same sound almost throughout. The lyrics seem uninspired compared to the rest of their catalogue.
That said, it’s still the Talking Heads and still worthy of being played at any party.
David Ackles
4/5
What the hell is this? Sounds like Nick Cave’s dad made a Broadway album. It’s chamber pop, Broadway, folk, goth, and pretty damn cool. His singing style keeps me involved more than most.
None of the stories really landed with me, but great delivery.
David Holmes
3/5
Late 90s dance, electronics, house, soundtrack stuff. Would have fit right in on the oceans eleven soundtrack. Was it on there??
Ultimately, not a bad listen for cleaning the house or something.
Donovan
3/5
Pretty cool album with a few bangers on it. I like the jangly sitar that shows up throughout.
Kanye West
5/5
It’s impossible for me to see this as anything other than a 5. The beats, the production, the cast. It’s all just too epic. And there isn’t a song that misses.
Justice
3/5
Fun party album in the vein of Daft Punk. I can play it around my friend Marc, who is “always raging”.
Hawkwind
4/5
This goes pretty hard. Seems early enough to be the back drop for a lot of punk and metal, sounding at times like sabbath, other times the dead.
This album is long, and their sound can be fatiguing after 2 hrs of it. Hard for me to stay in that pocket. If I had a motorcycle this would be in my ears as I careened.
k.d. lang
3/5
I expected the sulky 90s tunes like “constant craving”, the hit I heard back then. I didn’t expect the ABBA-esque “season of the hollow soul” or the sped up bossonova of “Miss chatelaine”. I liked this more than I thought I would!
3/5
I love the off kilter timing and lyrics. It’s whacky but talented. Having only ever really been exposed to “whip it” this was a nice surprise. A clean sound that is ultimately a bit manic for my taste, but I like it!
George Harrison
3/5
This album is pleasant enough and the jams are on point, but I found it to be really long. The last four tracks could have been a blues rock jam album of its own. The religious themes are a bit of a turnoff for me, as someone allergic to organized religion.
Madness
3/5
Admittedly, I had a hard time finding the full album. But I was able to piece together enough to understand it. It’s fun and poppy with some working class takes. It’s a pretty locked in time sound of 80s Brit ska, but I don’t mind it. And of course we have all been inundated by “our house” over the years, for better or for worse.
Happy Mondays
3/5
This was a hard album to pin down. Just when you thought you settled into Brit-pop it pivoted to house music. It was wild and fun. Something about the compositions didn’t land for me, but I appreciate what it’s up to. I’m sure some raging parties went down listening to it.
Grateful Dead
4/5
Ya know, I think I might get it now. The Grateful Dead cover a lot of ground here; gospel, prog rock, blues rock, soul, rock and roll. And all under the same banner. They lose me the most with the meandering lulls and builds, but they inspire with diversity and unapologetic patience.
Mj Cole
1/5
Throwaway dance music with affected vocal accents characterizing the sparse repetitive singing. What is the use case for this music? Making me regret I stayed out too late?
I’m usually pretty positive, but this was long and bad.
The Police
3/5
I like the reggae aspects, or even the bo diddley rhythm they find sometimes. Seems like they pulled from fun places to make a fun sound. The album is really well produced and has a clean sound.
Erykah Badu
5/5
Loved this! The attitude, the smooth approach, the catchy hooks. She’s such a queen and keeps my attention the whole time.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Wow! Great early pop punk tunes here, a genre that will command a lot of attention in the decades to come. Great grooves, nice song writing, solid pace/sound changes. I’m surprised by this!
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
I’m a sucker for 1950s rock and roll. These guys in particular demonstrate the connection between country and rock for me. It’s fun, unapologetically sappy, and energetic.
Doves
2/5
Kind of a middling indie album that carries a lot of 90s vibes with it into the year 2000.
Air
4/5
Really cool album/soundtrack. Doesn’t go on too long. Keeps it fresh. There is a little of that early 2000 massive attack sound in there, but it doesn’t taint it too much.
Sugar
2/5
What can I say? It’s sounds like a 90s pop-rock album that I’ve never heard of should sound. They had some big plays here for 90s radio hits (“if I can’t change your mind” for example) but it just wasn’t enough. Not much here to take with me.
Killing Joke
3/5
Post punk industrial vibes that sound foundational in some ways to grunge and other genres. An early-ish departure from the prevailing sounds of the 70s. Nothing I would spin regularly, but it has some redeeming elements.
Eurythmics
4/5
Other than my synth-fatigue, I loved this. Fun and compelling composition. Annie Lennox’s voice captures your attention. The driving and danceable beats don’t disappoint.
Pulp
4/5
I liked this a lot better than Different Class. The lyricist(s) toned down the sexuality and innuendos and had some clever and thoughtful moments “Oh and I could be a genius If I just put my mind to it
And I could do anything If only I could get round to it”. Good stuff there.
It has elements of the asshole in a suit genre that I like; nick cave, father john Misty, Leonard cohen, the National.
Tears For Fears
2/5
If 80s pop were a dart board, this might be the bullseye. The 80s tones and textures are an undeniable distraction. The affected singing, the reverb, the synth. It all gets in the way of me enjoying any redeeming qualities this band might have.
The 13th Floor Elevators
4/5
Raucous 60s psychedelic garage rock. The underwater helicopter (or the electric jug as I found out) adds a distinct element. I love the wailing, the sound, the energy. Point deducted for every song sounding the same, but that’s life.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
A pretty cool album with varied sounds (even a tribute to subterranean homesick blues, which was cool). I liked it, but there is a certain pomposity and ethereal orientation that gives me pause.
Pet Shop Boys
2/5
80s synth pop seems so cheesy to me. I don’t know what it is.
Pet Shop Boys start off hot here with some quirky dance numbers, which I can appreciate. I wish they would just crank those the whole time instead of angling other places.
Slint
4/5
Punk, grunge, garage, metal, sensitive, heartfelt, raging, killer bass. What’s not to like?
The xx
3/5
I liked this more than I felt like I should. It was at times cheesy and operating with the sound of the 80s and 90s, but also kind of sweet and well written. The textures really throw me off, but the songs are kind of beautiful, especially “Say Something Loving”.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
This post-punk genre stuff, and particularly the goth rock they edge against, has been a positive discovery for me. This is more approachable than The Cure for me. I love the verbose style and tone and the shredding with driving rhythm.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
Such a cool and modern sounding album for 1978. I love the attitude and mood. Seems like a continuation of Jefferson Airplanes coolest side.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I’m going to try to ignore the fact that the music video for “criminal” awakened some new feelings for teenage me.
Fiona Apple is so cool, the epic sound, the attitude. All of it. Imagine being her parent when she started writing these songs at 8 years old. Mind blowing.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Such a fun album and concept. I know that it’s the basis for hip hop to come, but it’s hard to see it anything other than a funk/soul album. It’s so playful and captivating, no wonder it took over the world.
Nas
3/5
I loved the beats and Nas aggressive style. The story he tells and his observations of the world hit hard.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
Quirky French pop that has a good vibe. The album is really long, so I got a bit fatigued. But if you have friends who are into pop, this might save your sanity when picking a playlist for the night.
The Coral
4/5
What is this style? Gypsy rock? I like the harmonies and instrumentation, the time changes and the vibe on the whole. It’s has a bit too many mundane rock elements for me still. Not bad though!
Lightning Bolt
5/5
What a shot in the arm this is! It’s noisy and aggressive, but there are grooves to be found. And once you find a treasure, they let you keep it for a while, while the noise happens around you.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Fun and groovy Fred Neil-esque 60s folk. He sounds great and I love the xylophone that permeates every song.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
He really covers a lot of territory here and manages to stay pretty mainstream with it all. There are ballads, yacht rock, classic rock, and others here. A future historian will be hard pressed to find the exact decade this comes from.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The folksiness, for which Bruce is known, pairs well with the big sound his band creates. Unintelligible at times, his lyrics are heartfelt and compelling. And there are some real bangers on here that aren’t so main stream (Going Down for example). The 80s synth work that happens on some track pulls me out of it, as does the grunty crooning. But I love a lot of this.
PJ Harvey
4/5
This album is harder than I normally enjoy, but it slaps. Her unique style ties everything together and the rhythm section is fantastic in its aggression. It all blends so well.
Einstürzende Neubauten
4/5
Is this thing weird, experimental, disorienting and abrasive? Yes. Is it innovative, shocking, different and artful? Definitely. Is it better than listening to yet another jangly 60s album on this list? Absolutely. I will listen to something as unique as this any day.
It also convenient material for when you want to weird someone out with a playlist, or shut down a party.
Bad Company
3/5
Is there any band that represents classic rock FM more than these guys? It screams construction site, biker bar, DAVE FM.
Now, was that who they were in the original context? Maybe not. Maybe they were just a band that bowled right down the middle, roping in elements of rock, country, soul, and blues - with just a great sensibility for what makes a mainstream hit.
I can’t say that I love it, but it’s not BAD.
Beck
4/5
Run and poppy, yet grungy and bluesy. I love the blues adjacent tunes like “go it alone” and “scarecrow” that thread that needle.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
It’s interesting to hear so much alignment with the music of the Caribbean, and yes I know the reason. This is nearly the same genre as Harry Belfonte. No matter the reason it’s fascinating to hear how music travels, adapts and maintains.
These tunes are objectively danceable and beautiful. As is her voice.
The Streets
4/5
This is fun and is certainly a fresh sound among all of the classic rock on this list. I love the spoken word approach and the beats are on point. Also seems like a caricature of British rap.
The Crusaders
2/5
I recognize the talent, but man this isn’t my genre. Maybe it’s because it sounds like a super market, but I can’t get into it. Just as I find a groove to settles into they do a cheesy key change, or jazzy break down. Oh, and I did not like “Street Lights”, it just went on and on.
The La's
2/5
I appreciate the harkening back to the British Invasion and contributing to the creation of Brit Pop, but at the end of the day I don’t find much to connect to here. “There She Goes” is obviously the teen movie anthem when the popular girl walks by, and is iconic - but everything else fails to capture my attention, no matter how much it jangles.
Sebadoh
4/5
A lo-fi indie sound that blends sensitivity with punk, folk and rock. I like how raw it is. Modest Mouse might already be sitting in this band’s seat for me.
Air
3/5
Perfect soundtrack fodder. I had to google where I knew “Sexy Boy” from. Of course it was “10 things I hate about you” when they are throwing flyers for a party at Bogey Lowenstein’s….
Anyway, It’s decent stuff that fades into the background. No hate from me.
John Lennon
4/5
Sensitive and rocking, rocking and sensitive. It’s almost as if every song is apologizing for the last. I love most of these tracks, especially the rocking ones. Is there some proto-screamo metal in here? It doesn’t quite fit my criteria for a 5, but it’s damn close. Better than the Beatles!
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
I love the blend of South African music, DJ scratches, hip hop, etc. I could do without the protracted radio show interludes.
Can
3/5
A fun and experimental album that has shades of the future. They don’t seem to be limited by time, song structure or much else.
Mariah Carey
2/5
Her otherworldly, super strong voice and whistle notes are absolutely impressive. The songwriting and schmaltzy feel are not for me. The bone thugs-n-harmony collaboration was a nice addition.
Norah Jones
3/5
What would Coffee House radio on Sirius XM be without this album. So many restaurants and cafes have used this album to welcome in guests as they wait for the chance to play holiday music.
At the end of the day it’s a smooth album with a few bangers (Hank Williams cover, I’ve got to see you again).
Robert Wyatt
4/5
This was a complete surprise for me. Seems super innovative for its era. It’s influence on bands like Radiohead is clear, with the droning and cacophony moments. While it’s not my thing, I enjoyed it.
William Orbit
2/5
Atmospheric and soundtrack worthy. The album has some good elements, but mainly carries a lot of the early 90s with it, including kitschy drum and bass tracks. Not bad, but not my thing.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
It was pleasant, but I felt like it was an hour of the same thing over and over with little to grab onto. Good working, or setting the mood at a coffeee shop on a rainy day, but no other spin case for me.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Man what a voice! The call and response between vocals and screeching guitar had me going. Cool sound for the era. Seems so much more well produced than its peers.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
A bit of a rehashing of David Bowie at times. I’m not sure anything unique stood out to me about this album.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
I feel so silly for loving these guys. It’s goofy, cheesy, and undeniably fun. They quirky vocals and the 80s horns limit its spinability for an everyday affair, but I’ll be cleaning the house to this one for sure.
Public Enemy
3/5
Aggressive and in your face, paving the way for what was to come. True pioneers. They also, created what would essentially become nu-metal by collaborating with Anthrax. Can’t say that I thank them for it, but it’s interesting.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Seems like a 90s pop album with only about a teaspoon of garage rock. Nothing really stuck with me, but I didn’t hate it.
808 State
3/5
Fun early techno that has me picturing a car chase scene. I’ll put this one on the next time i need to run from the cops.
Portishead
3/5
The juxtaposition of the sensitive singing with the heavy and sometimes industrial sounds sets this album apart. It’s perfect drama soundtrack fodder. Most of these songs would be right at home in a show intro/montage.
Cornershop
3/5
This album is nostalgic for me, since I loved “Brimful of Asha” as a middle schooler. I’m surprised to find some depth here. It’s 90s alternative with an Indian world music bend. I can still recite some of the Punjabi lyrics. I should probably give them more credit when it comes to my love of world music. But who knows… chicken or the egg, ya know?
D'Angelo
2/5
Schmaltzy and smooth, but it doesn’t do much that excites me.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
It’s fun and danceable, but it has a bossanova-adjacent boringness for me I can’t quite put my finger on. The whole time, I felt like I should be liking it more.
Depeche Mode
3/5
1980s thriller/horror soundtrack fodder. It’s activates my fight or flight responses. I feel like I did something wrong.
But it’s clean, unique and well-produced. Not bad!
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Smooth as silk. A lot of these are covers that they now own forever. You’re welcome. “Who’s that Lady” is such a banger.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I liked the psychedelic elements of this. It had some classic Brazilian bossanova in there, which I can do without.
The Icarus Line
2/5
Descent alt rock, but nothing inspiring me here. At times they sound a bit like the white stripes, or even Suicide, but that’s all I took away.
Beach House
4/5
A beautiful and sensitive album. The atmosphere it creates is nostalgic and whimsical. Reminds me a lot of the fleet foxes, but less pretentious.
3/5
This is a cut above other alternative rock of the early 90s. It’s a clear continuation of 20th century British rock, all the way down to the playful ditties like “let’s all go down the strand”. They switch it up often and even get a bit experimental at times.
Happy Mondays
3/5
This album went a lot of places. There was new wave, rock, 80s dance music. The energy was high, but ultimately the songs were not memorable for me. Not bad though.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
A middling 90s band with a ripping vocalist. Her range is so impressive and her attitude brings it to fruition. Impressive stuff!
The Fall
3/5
New wave, post punk work that holds on to some punk attitude. In the vein of the stooges. Also seems like an early foundation for alt rock and others. I love the signature extra syllables of the singer.
Elvis Presley
5/5
He packages so much under the Elvis banner here. Blues, soul, crooner, country, and of course rock and roll. And he’s silky smooth with all of it. The album is clear and well produced and doesn’t have many misses. All hail the King I guess.
Rod Stewart
3/5
It’s like someone learned their chain smoking aunt could hang with The Rolling Stones. The songs are descent, the band is great, and rod is raspy.
King Crimson
4/5
They found some grooves here. The jams were on point. This could be a modern album if they didn’t sing (the British lilting gives them away). Good stuff!
Shuggie Otis
3/5
Some yacht rock standards in here. He finds some great grooves. I particularly liked “strawberry letter 23” and “sweet thang”.
The Monkees
3/5
This is what I would expect of a group originally brought together to resemble the Beatles and capitalize on their momentum. It’s playful and Beatles-esque, with a pretty middle of the road late 60s sound. I could have done with more songs like “no time”.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
The composition isn’t bad, and I like the chamber pop orchestral vibes. But, the female backup singer arrangements are locked in time in the early 2000s and his breathy whiny affect irks me.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
This was loud and fast soft punk. Is this what they call hair metal? I like the glam aspects and the energy, but I didn’t walk away itching to spin it again. Not bad for some Finns!
Abdullah Ibrahim
2/5
Christmas jazz without the holiday spirit. I respect the skill and artistry, but was kind of bored.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Mainly a sitar cover album, which is nice. “Ocean” was really cool and my biggest takeaway.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Fantastic sound for 1967. Crooning, folk, chamber pop. At times her sounds like Cher. Very different from the other stuff I’ve heard from him.
Fever Ray
3/5
Some cool moody tracks here. Some danceable, others good soundtrack fodder.
Gillian Welch
5/5
So smooth and skilled. Every harmony and guitar note on point. It’s a honey salve that soothes the rough parts of the soul. Everything Gillian and Dave do is a five.
Dr. Dre
3/5
It’s proactive and iconic, but not super listenable for me these days. The irreverent skits, the subject matter. Doesn’t do much for me. I also don’t love taking a song like “make my funk the p funk” and just rambling over it. The beats are nice and it’s nostalgic though.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Pretty cool alt punk. The strong female lead reminds me of LeTigre or the Pretenders before them. Cool stuff.
Ozomatli
3/5
I appreciate the melting pot aspects of this album, and I love the activist messaging. But I found myself wishing it were strictly Cumbia, samba etc. I didn’t have much need for the rock, rap or DJ aspects.
Elliott Smith
5/5
A sensitive orchestral album with fantastic arrangements and guitar pieces. Some points deducted for being a bit whiny but it doesn’t drop it out of a 5!
Elis Regina
3/5
I’m never a big fan of bossanova, but this is the best version of that. I like the energy and the jazzy, scatting moments.
Primal Scream
3/5
I had a disjointed listen of this one, so I never really was able to sell into it. It’s a really diverse album though. At times sounding like The Rolling Stones, at others leaning into dance electronics adjacent stuff. Not bad!
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
A wonderfully innovative album that breaks the mold by using weird and unconventional instruments. It’s has a modern feel to it because of this. Great study/work album as well.
Iron Butterfly
2/5
This whole experience centers on the magic in a bottle they somehow captured with “in-a-gadda-da-vida”. The album is named after it and when it finally comes on after some pretty standard 60s throwaway tracks it’s refuses to end.
Now, I remember being a kid and being inspired by this song in my mom’s collection. “It’s still going!!” we would marvel. Now I am saying “it’s still going!” but in an entirely different way.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Such an innovative album for the timeframe. I feel like “Abzug” is a straight up 90z hip hop beat. Cool stuff.
Soul II Soul
2/5
This is decently listenable, but I don’t think we can let them get away with how cheesy this is.
The Clash
3/5
Loud, fast and brash. Cool to see the early makings of the punk reggae incorporation.
Ice Cube
3/5
This album comes at you fast and doesn’t stop really. Fast paced and in your face. Once you decide to stop pearl clutching at the gangsta rap themes, you find great beats and an aggressive iconic delivery with some good storytelling.
5/5
How is every song so damn good? As the track would turn I would find myself saying, “yep, here’s another banger”. I love the horn grooves, something I hadn’t keyed into in the past, and the explosive moments. 5 stars!
Napalm Death
1/5
Certainly a vibe and I’m sure it scratches an itch from some, but it’s not my thing. Luckily I don’t have that amount of rage in me.
Stephen Stills
4/5
This album makes me realize that he was the funkier, groovier one of the four. I love that he carries the tight harmonies forward in his work. This album spans a lot of genres, pivoting from something Latin-esque for the outro to “both of us bound to lose” to the bluegrass of “fallen eagle” for example. I also like that he can slow it down with tunes like “hide it so deep”.
The Smiths
4/5
The jaunty new wave tracks juxtaposed with morissey’s broodiness is a cool effect. I particularly liked “Rusholme Ruffians” and “Barbarism begins at home”.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Fun pop! I could do without the overpowering keyboard and arena sound. But her songwriting and the hooks manage to shine through.
The Stooges
3/5
It’s like if The Rolling Stones decided to be a garage band instead. I love the edge and sass.
The Only Ones
4/5
I’m surprised I haven’t heard these folks. They have the same DNA as other bands I love, Television, the Violent Femmes - and it seems they were early to that sound. Definitely Velvet Underground influenced. I think this whole album holds up well.
Circle Jerks
2/5
They accomplished a lot in 15 mins, I’ll give them that. Fast paced, rough and energetic.
Roxy Music
5/5
This was a cool discovery for me. Not sure why I haven’t heard it until now. I’ve certainly heard of Brian Eno.
Cool album from 1972. Has elements of glam and prog rock. The rich warble of the singer, paired with the fun experimentation is nice.
Crowded House
3/5
Some cool grooves on here. I particularly like the opening track. They also manage to hit some CSNY style harmonies which is cool. The drawback is that it’s cheesy at times and has some intense late 80s early 90s textures.
Waylon Jennings
5/5
Man I’m a sucker for outlaw country. The driving drum and bass lines, the soulful singing, the salt of the earth content. And who does it better than Waylon. Sign me up!
Dennis Wilson
4/5
I had only ever really heard of Brian Wilson. I started listening and was curious how something of this obscure (to me) had this production value. Then a little digging and.. oh he’s a beach boy. The bio didn’t stop there and I tried not to let it taint the rest of the album for me. He has some brilliant moments here. There are pandering moments as well, but all told this is a surprise good album.
The Bees
5/5
How is this a 2001 album?? And recorded by only two dudes in a shed? This thing spans funk, dub, beach boys inspired indie, and more. A surprise 5.
Bob Dylan
3/5
This album has a polished mainstream bend to it that feels like it pollutes his rebel ways a bit. But it doesn’t limit his songwriting. Such cool moments here, “tangled up in blue” “buckets of rain”. And I love the groovier tunes like “meet me in the morning”
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
I liked this less than other nick Cave albums I’ve heard. While heartfelt and emotional, there were some cheesy textures I didn’t like and it seemed to brood a little too long with too much overlap between tracks.
Bad Brains
3/5
It’s cool that they brush up against hardcore punk and post punk in the same album. Not a lot for me to grab onto here, I didn’t come away with a favorite song. But I like the variability in the styles.
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I feel like I need to watch this movie now. Some cool vibes on here and I love the orchestral moments.
Scott Walker
4/5
Orchestral, lavish, and delightfully verbose. It is schmaltzy at times, but kind of works. I need to listen to it again to get more out of it, but I like the imagery it creates.
Paul Simon
3/5
Seems like Graceland’s cheesy 80s elements without the things that make Graceland cool.
David Bowie
3/5
I didn’t like this one as much as other Bowie albums I’ve heard, Hunky Dory, Ziggy Stardust. It felt less funky and had less zeal. Seemed like the precursor for a lot of new wave stuff to come though.
Doves
2/5
Nothing too inspiring here for me as it oscillates between Coldplay-like tunes and praise music at times.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
A pleasant album and I like the spoken word aspects. They add an atmosphere that would be otherwise missing.