Chris
Christine and the QueensI guess I don't really dig the modern electro-pop sound. Nothing really stood out to me after the album's completion, plus the translated lyrics (I presume) sounded nonsensical to me.
I guess I don't really dig the modern electro-pop sound. Nothing really stood out to me after the album's completion, plus the translated lyrics (I presume) sounded nonsensical to me.
I think I prefer Davis’s earlier work, this style of experimental jazz didn’t seem to do it for me. It just felt like there was too much dead air and disjointedness, especially in disc 1 (which consists of two tracks each over 20 min in length I should add). Just never really landed for me, but I appreciate the effort that went into trying something different.
I tend to prefer instrumental funk, and those types of track really shine in this album (moreso funk-rock I guess, especially Maggot Brain). The other tracks weren’t that memorable (save for the title track) and kind of drag on a bit. Maybe a product of its time, as a lot of these early funk records are a bit similar in that vein.
I was familiar with some of the singles prior to getting this album. I haven't been exposed to a ton of electro house, but this album was pretty solid. It starts off strong with 'Genesis', to the iconic single 'D.A.N.C.E' (which feels a tad out of place in this album). The ending three tracks ('Stress', Waters of Nazareth', 'One Minute to Midnight') also prove to be a killer finishing combo after reeling the listener back in. I can see this type of music not being for everybody, so the reviews may be a bit polarizing. But as someone who likes Daft Punk, this record is somewhat up my alley.
Well this album definitely flies by. The Ramones have a pretty signature "sound" and that's very evident in this album. As a result a lot of this album sounds very similar, save for the two singles and a select few tracks. Very uptempo, as was much of "first wave" punk rock during this era. Punk rock definitely evolved to better things in my opinion, but this was part of punk rock's foray into the mainstream radio and I can appreciate that.
I was familiar with some of the singles prior to drawing this album. It's an alright listen, as I've been exposed to other Britpop from around this era. If anything, though, listening to this made me want to listen to Oasis. This album runs a bit long, with a few 5+ min tracks including the interesting final hidden track that literally contains like 7+ min of silence. The singles themselves are memorable (talking about the iconic "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and "Lucky Man" of course), but nothing else really stands out.
First album I've gotten that I knew nothing about (outside of the artist). Very much has that "new wave" sound, complete with mesmerizing, yet subtle drums and bass. The album goes by pretty quick and stays pretty "down" beat. If you're looking for energy, you're not gonna find it here. I think I'd say that I prefer the Cure's later stuff, but this was easily digestible.
So this is the album before 'Doolittle' huh? I gotta say, this album is all over the place. Very few highs and mostly very strange and inconsistent lows. Really raw-sounding and gruff throughout. Kind of had to force myself to finish the album after 2/3rds of the way through. Guess I'll wait until I draw 'Doolittle' (assuming it's on this list) to give my true opinions on the Pixies.
Was not familiar with this band whatsoever prior to listening. Was greeted with a very glam-rocky sound, akin to David Bowie, which I can enjoy. A few of the tracks felt like something I've heard before, but couldn't place my finger on them. No song really overstays its welcome and consists of some catchy & silly hooks/choruses too. Particularly memorable tracks included: "Metal Guru", "Rock On", "The Slider", and "Telegram Sam".
This is quintessential 60's soul and R&B, complete with the powerful tones from the Queen of Soul herself. I've gotta be honest though, I never really dug deep into Ms. Franklin's discography before this, as I was only really familiar with her hit singles. Will definitely be checking out her lesser-known work after this. As for the album itself, every track is just a joy to listen to as you can feel the energy and spirit radiating from Franklin's voice. Evident immediately after starting off with a bang in "Chain of Fools". The same feeling applies to the slower songs from the album as well, such as with "Ain't No Way" and of course the massive "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman". It's infectious, really.
This album doesn't pull any punches right out of the gate. I wasn't familiar with this group prior to today, but just looking at the song titles told me what I needed to know. This album isn't "pleasant" to listen to, but it isn't supposed to be. Michael Franti is very up-front and clear with his delivery about a variety of societal issues throughout the album. His delivery honestly reminds me of the likes of Ice-T and Chuck D from that era. One FYI, Spotify omits four songs from the album on their platform for some reason (some pretty big ones too).
Wow, all of Bon Jovi's hits are really on here. Although, I feel like everyone's heard them at this point. A fun listen, although glam metal/rock can feel a bit cookie-cutter at times. It's always a mix of high-energy choruses and then some slow ballads mixed in. Not bad, though.
Eminem is very much a polarizing figure in hip-hop, that much I will agree with. I was exposed a bit to Em growing up, and thus am very much familiar with this album. This might honestly be his best work, but I usually go back and forth between this and his previous album "The Slim Shady LP" in determining that label. Em's..."charged" delivery and explicit lyrical content may not be for everyone ("Kim" has all of that and then some), but the first half of the album sets the tone nicely, featuring some of the more iconic songs from Em's vast library.
This album has a surprising amount of singles, which I guess makes sense considering the timeline of this album releasing after the commercial success of Wham! There really is quite a fusion of musical genres here, with rock, funk and even some soul mixed in throughout. Very... sexually-charged too, if that wasn't already a given with George Michael.
I'd consider myself somewhat of a big beat fan. The sound combination of heavy breakbeats with a variety of sampling can be energizing. I've been exposed to acts such as The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and of course, The Chemical Brothers. Although I will admit that I wasn't familiar with much of this album outside of the first track coming in. Many of these tracks sound like they were designed to be idle tracks or in club mixes and as a result, skipping through these tracks means you're not really missing much. This is exemplified in the start of the back half of the album. Although things do take an interesting change of pace at the end. I dunno, I guess I was expecting more, especially after starting with "Block Rockin' Beats".
I have never listened to an album from a folk artist like this all the way through before now, just never a genre that I crossed paths with. I've always possessed an open mind (or ears!) when it comes to music and this challenge just reinforces that. Pretty soothing album overall, and I could hear and see some Americana in the lyrics too. Nothing groundbreaking, but this type of music comes across as more pure and authentic to me I guess, likely due to the limited instrumentals and simplistic sound. The lyrics and the delivery have to shine as a result, and Mrs. Welch does a good enough job throughout. A word to first time listeners, the final track is a marathon song (15 min).
I do not know much of Bowie's work post 1990s, so this was an interesting listen. Very ominous, depressing, and introspective throughout, which makes sense given the state of Bowie's health at the time (and ultimately his passing a few days after this album). "Lazarus" and "I Can't Give Everything Away" were standout examples of those aforementioned themes. I'd be lying if I said this was Bowie's best work, though
Vaguely familiar with the Scissor Sisters prior to listening. I'm not sure how I would describe this sound, they're labeled as glam rock but all the glam rock I know and have listened to is from the 70s. I guess this is the natural evolution of a music genre into the current century. Anyways, there's a good mix of jovial, high-energy jams and slow ballads on here. Complete with an...interesting cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb".
I guess I don't really dig the modern electro-pop sound. Nothing really stood out to me after the album's completion, plus the translated lyrics (I presume) sounded nonsensical to me.
Sounds very much old-school yet modern at the same, with a blend of what feels like soul and rock/indie rock. Starts off great with the opening track & single of "You Ain't The Problem" then really just flows nicely from there. Wasn't familiar before, but this won me over. Great overall album experience.
This is contemporary/folk rock at its best. Poignant & tender, simple, yet complex. Above all though, it sounds authentic. "Fast Car" is a timeless classic, but the other two singles found in the front half of the album hold their own, as well as the chilling notes of "Behind the Wall". The album also doesn't overstay its welcome, as Tracy says what she needs to say in an impactful 36ish minutes.
I think I prefer Ice Cube's later work. This album starts off hard early on, but kinda loses me midway through. Echoing everyone here, but could've done without the misogyny too. Seems like a lot of gangsta rap from this era had similar content. Ice Cube is still one of the greatest lyricists in hip-hop though.
I feel like I had a transformative experience whilst listening to the lengthy "intro". Sounds familiar despite not being super familiar with this group. I guess because prog rock has a signature, yet strange mix of sounds.
More artsy and melodic compared to the Bowie works I'm used to (I believe this is directly before the Ziggy Stardust era). You can certainly hear flashes of Bowie that would come to be later in the decade following this release. Closer to a 4 than 3 if we're using the five-star scale.
As a fan of modern punk, going back to listen to early punk is always interesting. Much like the punk of that era, this album is loud, messy and a little silly too. Rollins' delivery throughout the album is ferocious and emotional. The lyrical versatility is seen starting out with the iconic "Rise Above" and then a few songs later in the silly & satirical "TV Party". I will admit that the songs included do sound a bit "samey", though. I also think that the front half of the album shines a bit more than the back half.
The overall sound in this is pretty timeless and unique for its era. You could drop some of these songs into the 90s/2000s and they wouldn't feel out of place. Like I thought "Blister in the Sun" was an early 2000s indie/alt rock song for a while after first being exposed to it. This feels more alternative than punk to be honest, but I guess the acoustic-like sound throughout plays a big part in why I feel that.
I feel obligated to compare this to George Michael's first album, "Faith", due to it already having appearing on this list for me. "Faith" felt like the more "fun" album due to the mix of upbeat genres throughout. This feels more soft and emotional. One of the review snippets from the Wikipedia article describes a good portion of this album as "cocktail music", which is a bit unfair but kind of fitting honestly. I think "Cowboys and Angels" is a pretty fitting match of that aforementioned sound. George Michael has range for sure but when I think of him, I hear Wham!/his early solo stuff over this and any future work.
Man, the UK hip-hop scene is fairly unknown to me. Grime is even MORE unknown to me. If I were to describe the genre after listening to only this album, I would mark it as aggressive and loud hip-hop. Like the breakbeats in each track are super loud and booming. Everything quite literally sounds "grimy", so the genre name is certainly fitting. As for the lyrical delivery, Skepta & guests are certainly commanding with each verse. A lot of the Brit slang flew over my American head though. Not really my type of hip-hop at the end of the day.
Perfectly weird, as new-wave and Talking Heads usually are. The more I listened to "I Zimbra" the more I became addicted to it.
Can't think of a bad Marley album, though I haven't quite listened to them all. Strong start with "Lively Up Yourself" and the iconic "No Woman No Cry". Everything just flows effortlessly for the most part, makes for a laid-back listen.
Felt almost too grandiose at times I guess? Maybe I'm just a little tired of all the britpop that I've been getting lately. "Common People" and "Disco 2000" do stand out, though.
I'm sure it's been said already, but this is one of the most versatile albums of all time. You can choose to get lost in the sounds of the jazzy modulation/chord progression, or just throw this on as background music. Regardless of how you listen, 45 minutes goes by just like that and your time with Miles Davis & co. is over (until you replay the album of course!)
Hmm, quite a few songs I've heard despite not having ever listened to this album. I would assume most, if not all, of the songs are covers? Still good recordings nonetheless. I always forget Dusty was from England.
This album takes a tonal shift almost immediately, starting with "No Other". It's almost like a country-psychedelic rock fusion all throughout, which is interesting I'll say.
Fine, I'll listen to Nevermind again. But seriously, I can't think of a better starting three tracks, or even FIVE tracks to an album. Just massive hits right out of the gate before you're even finished strapping in for this grunge excursion. Even the "lesser" known songs, including the two acoustic ballads in "Polly" and "Something My Way" stand out too. An influential album for its era and still 30+ years later for sure.
Blues rock at its best pretty much. Also the last Doors album while Jim Morrison was still with us. A lot of big & familiar hits here, including "Love Her Madly", "Riders on the Storm", and even the titular ode to the city of LA, "L.A. Woman". To be honest, this almost feels like an end to this particular blues rock era, as the subgenre appeared to transition to more of a harder and edgier rock sound as the 70s went on. What a way for the Doors to go out!
I think I prefer Davis’s earlier work, this style of experimental jazz didn’t seem to do it for me. It just felt like there was too much dead air and disjointedness, especially in disc 1 (which consists of two tracks each over 20 min in length I should add). Just never really landed for me, but I appreciate the effort that went into trying something different.
I'm really digging this Bowie sound. It's different, but refreshing compared to his previous (at the time) works. His work leading up to Young Americans is good, don't get me wrong, I just tend to prefer funk/soul if it's being compared to glam rock. Definitely a prominent sax sound throughout that sounds straight from the 80s. I'm sure most will agree that there is nothing particularly groundbreaking found in this album, but it's still fun throughout.
I think every human adult recognizes the opening few notes of the title track "Let's Get It On". An album can't start much better than that. This really started a "sex revolution" of sorts in the industry too, as Motown and R&B as a whole really began to embrace slow and sensual jams. Short and sweet listen.
Do yourself a favor and listen to this with some good headphones. I had some reservations upon getting this album, and I imagine the reviews will be VERY mixed prior to looking, but I enjoyed this slightly more than I expected to. This album is almost entirely all a cappella, with help from plenty of other voice talent throughout. Yes it's weird (this is Björk after all), and I'll admit I felt uncomfortable at times with some of the lyrics and strange...breathing/sounds heard throughout (oh God what the fuck was 'Ancestors' even?). At the end of the day, my experience listening could be described as somehow both ethereal and confusing. Guess I'll go right down the middle then.
Just sounds like droll, proto-punk to me. Kept waiting for things to pick up or get interesting and they never did. I think the vocal delivery played a large part in making me feel that way.
Fun (and and also some downright depressing) country-western ballads. Such is the life of a gunslinger in the Old West! The storytelling in "Big Iron" and "El Paso" will have you coming back to this album.
This album kinda rips ngl. I’m not a huge heavy metal guy, so this seems like a good launchpad for those who aren’t familiar with the genre or are hesitant to listen. Don’t expect anything world-class here, but give it a listen will ya?
Just starting with the lengthy opening track, I feel like I was warped into the soundtrack of an 80s sci-fi/horror flick. I swear I was hearing tracks like this in Stranger Things or something. Very mystifying and ominous music, but not something I think I would come back to.
I'm sure many will agree that this is one of those essential albums for all of humankind. It's one of the best-selling albums of all time and it's taught in music history classes of varying levels for good reason (shout out to the Foundations of Rock course I took freshman year of college). It transcends rock and pop. I've always appreciated the sheer variety of sounds & instruments across the album's 39 minutes too. Among everything else, you've got: glockenspiels, sitars, tablas, tambourines, and even comb-and-paper kazoos! Plus it all ends on an absolute high note (erm, a long E-major chord to be specific) with "A Day In The Life", really showcasing the collective effort of each one of the Beatles. I hate to be hyperbolic, but it really is a melding of musical greatness rolled up into 13 songs. I'm not a massive Beatles fanboy either, yet this album always commands my attention whenever I come across it.
I'm a little familiar with MBV's next album after this one, so listening to this was a bit interesting. It's funny seeing all of the genres that Wikipedia classifies this album as, I think I would classify it as quiet, yet loud-post punk rock. Seriously, everything just kinda sounded subdued and suppressed throughout the album? Especially the vocals, but it didn't help that Spotify didn't have lyrics available during my time of listening. I guess I'm learning about "shoegazing" in real time. Not a terrible listen by any means just, a little unusual from what I'm used to.
Didn't expect to be familiar with any of this coming in, but I've definitely heard "Dominion"/"Mother Russia" before (in the in-game radio for GTA IV of all places). If anything, the sound is mostly consistent throughout. The reverb drums really grab you immediately. A few duds keep the overall experience down, though.
A ton of the hits are on here, these songs are what you hear when you think of Peter Gabriel. Outside of the singles, the rest of the album has a “softer” and melancholic sound, which I wasn’t expecting but certainly welcomed it. Listening to this while walking in the rain was fitting and honestly amplified my experience too. Always a great storyteller, that Peter.
Delectably funky, soul-y, and rock-y!
I figured this was a cover album after hearing "Georgia on My Mind", but that doesn't (or shouldn't) devalue this album at all. You can tell Willie has a ton of respect and reverence for these songs as he likely was inspired by them while starting out his music career. Willie gives these tracks a tender touch and a ton of his usual vocal charm. Just another reminder that I need to take a look at the rest of Willie's discography.
Just didn't really move the needle for me I guess. Started to cook with Hot Burrito #1 and #2, but nothing else really stood out from there. Might be one of those albums that was probably influential at the time, but sounds a little tame when heard through modern ears with decades of country music that are easily accessible.
Fun album. I know there are quite a few of these "Johnny Cash at X Prison" live albums, but this is the first time I've fully listened to one of 'em. Really transports you to the time/place with the crowd reactions and Cash himself shooting the shit with everyone in-between songs.
Lots of different genres represented here, a little all over the place as a result though.
Honestly a few bangers here ("Move Any Mountain", which I guess was only in the later US release so that probably can't be counted here, and "Make It Mine") but mostly everything else wasn't really close to rave-worthy. Slightly too long too. This isn't to say that I hate electronic music, though. In fact, I'm hoping that some 80/90s house music appears during the continuation of my journey through this list (only about 50 albums in at this point).
Ms. Lynn had quite the discography I see. Great vocalist for this type of weepy-country music. Album itself is short and sweet despite having 12 songs too.
ABBA seems to transcend all generations. That's very evident in the fact that some of their songs have gone viral again with the TikTok crowd. The pop sound is just easily digestible. I mean, you've got mega-hits in here such as "Dancing Queen" and "Fernando". The earworms are plentiful in this album. Put on your dancin' shoes!
When you get an album titled "Post Orgasmic Chill" (still not sure what that name came from) from a group you've never heard of, it's hard to anticipate what you're expecting. What I really got was passion-fueled vocals with a hard-hitting rock sound and an overall satisfying and refreshing experience. Everything just flows together nicely and even slows down and gets intimate at times. A pleasant surprise!
This might be THE Bob Marley & The Wailers album. It's already the second one I've received on this list and I think I slightly prefer it to the only other one I've previously listened to (Natty Dread). Politically charged and also a little tender at points. 'Concrete Jungle' is a great opening track indicative of what's to come for the rest of the album.
I guess I'm a simpleton, but this album seemed on the safer side. Maybe I was expecting "more", especially since this was a live album. An easy and comforting listen, sure, but I was hoping for some more of that improvisational jazz "oomph". I guess listening to a few Miles Davis records skewed my view on this classic era of jazz.
It's amazing what human voices can do when they are THE instrument. You can feel the pride of Africa through the rhythmic "oooo's" and "mmmm's". I also wasn't aware that this was the group heard within Paul Simon's "Graceland", so perhaps I'll be seeing (or hearing) these guys again real soon!
Appreciate and understand the message, but the whole album felt bloated and heavy-handed whilst delivering said message. Just a lot of repetition on some tracks. Also, the strange ASMR-like interludes that the other reviewers mention kind of take you out of the listening experience (which defeats the purpose?). You could probably cut 1/3 to 1/2 of the album and it would be a slightly better listening experience. Unrelated to the album rating itself, but being taken back to mid-2020 was not an experience I wanted (for obvious societal reasons).
I dig acid jazz and downbeat-style music. This album dips its toes into both of the aforementioned subgenres and gives everything a Latin twist. I'll be honest though, the second half of the album didn't grab me as much as the first half did. Almost felt like a slight sound & tempo change, like the album took a detour.
Simple and similar-sounding melodies, very folksy-Americana sound. Gets a little more energetic near the end. It's not music that'll amp you up, but the gentle storytelling will transport you to a specific moment in time & place. Pretty indifferent to this as a whole, though.
Honestly the opening and closing tracks were pretty strong. Everything in-between kinda lost me though. It's important for an album to keep and maintain momentum (if that even exists in music), and I think this loses its way just a teensy bit. The sound feels ahead of its time for the most part, though. A lot of the melodies and overall song construction feel at home in 80s/90s alt rock/britpop (artsy and a bit lengthy, perhaps a big inspiration to those later artists?)
Timeless. Always an adept storyteller in the genre of hip-hop/rap, Kendrick Lamar tells a coming of age story in the streets of Compton through his eyes and carries the west coast hip-hop torch well. Like his albums before and after, "good kid, m.A.A.d city" is a concept album and thus flows along effortlessly. There isn't a wasted moment throughout, including the voicemail and dialogue snippets as both serve as transitions into the proceeding tracks. Heck, even the album itself seems to come of age with each passing track. The storytelling matures in real-time as the album transitions into a more introspective tone near the end. To top things off, the album loops pretty well for repeated listens.
I did not know of Nick Drake prior to getting this album, but now I'm interested in learning more about this fellow. Immediately it's easy to tell that he was a talented songwriter. A quick Google search tells me that Mr. Drake battled depression and was unfortunately not on this Earth for long. The melancholy and loneliness seeps through in this album specifically but if you zoom out, you're also entranced by the easy-going, folksy-jazz sound heard throughout. I can only assume his other work is just as (instrumentally) pleasing to listen to.
It's a given that there will be a lot of jazz on this list due to the genre's cultural impact in the early-mid 20th century. Jazz itself is timeless and easily digestible (in my opinion). This live album is no different and also appears to be one of the earlier albums (chronologically) in this list. Let Duke and his boys cook, as you're taken back to 1956 for the Newport Jazz Festival. Hearing the live crowd go into a frenzy as the sax solo progresses during "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" is as good as it gets.
I'll admit I'm a Beach Boys fan, but I've never heard anything from this album outside of "Feel Flows" (from the 2000 motion picture "Almost Famous") prior to listening. This does not sound or feel like any other Beach Boys record that you're used to. Way more political and socially aware than the surfer jams from years past. The messages don't really land for me either, I must say. I get that the group wanted to change their image and sound at the time, but some of these tracks just feel outta place, especially "Student Demonstration Time". It's a bit jarring honestly, especially compared to the closing tracks in the same album that feel more at home coming from the Beach Boys. Side note: I guess I'm working through the Beach Boys discography in reverse order as this is the first album of theirs that I've drawn thus far. I don't necessarily see this as a bad thing!
Hey, it's the "Bohemian Like You" and "We Used to Be Friends" guys! Onto the album itself, this is probably the most britpop-sounding album from a non-Brit group. Not a slam or anything, the singles really pop and the overall sound they bring is just different enough. Middle of the album was really strong, carried by the big single "Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth". Rest of the album didn't do much for me, as a few songs had a tendency to drone on I feel (especially towards the end of the album). I find it difficult to give this anything more than a 3 here.
A perfect Friday album! This is already a top 10 favorite album of mine, but will update with a proper review when I listen (again). Post-listen: This is always a fun listen, every aspect of the Green Day trio gets to shine throughout the 14 tracks. The guitar riffs are iconic to anyone from ages 25-50, the bass lines are tasty (especially to start in "Longview"), and the drums consistently make their presence felt with a very clean, yet crashing sound. Lest I forget to mention the iconic choruses too (just start singing the opening chorus to "Basket Case" around anyone remotely interested in rock music and see who joins in). I would imagine that this pop-rock/punk sound was pretty fresh back in 1994 too, with grunge and heavy metal being the forefront of rock at the time. Argue whether or not "Dookie" can be considered "pure" punk rock, but it's hard to deny the impact this album had on the punk rock/pop-punk scene that emerged in the coming years. I'd consider that era of punk rock my "comfort" music too, so the fact that this album is always in my rotation makes total sense. Plus it's always nice to find another excuse to listen to Dookie, even in a house with unlocked doors and I'm fuckin' lazy...