My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
The Modern Dance Pere Ubu	5	2.48	+2.52
Moss Side Story Barry Adamson	5	2.52	+2.48
GI Germs	5	2.54	+2.46
KEAH** (Psalm 69) Ministry	5	2.69	+2.31
Palo Congo Sabu	5	2.69	+2.31
Phaedra Tangerine Dream	5	2.73	+2.27
Atomizer Big Black	5	2.73	+2.27
Scream, Dracula, Scream Rocket From The Crypt	5	2.77	+2.23
Faust IV Faust	5	2.77	+2.23
Oedipus Schmoedipus Barry Adamson	5	2.79	+2.21

Album	You	Global	Diff
Ten Pearl Jam	1	3.91	-2.91
The Stranger Billy Joel	1	3.86	-2.86
Hot Fuss The Killers	1	3.73	-2.73
Graceland Paul Simon	1	3.73	-2.73
Kid A Radiohead	1	3.71	-2.71
Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers	1	3.7	-2.7
The Queen Is Dead The Smiths	1	3.67	-2.67
Arrival ABBA	1	3.51	-2.51
Illinois Sufjan Stevens	1	3.5	-2.5
Blood Sugar Sex Magik Red Hot Chili Peppers	1	3.49	-2.49

Artist	Albums	Average
Talking Heads	4	5
Beatles	6	4.5
Miles Davis	3	5
Marvin Gaye	3	5
Public Enemy	3	5
Creedence Clearwater Revival	2	5
Aretha Franklin	2	5
Oasis	2	5
Black Sabbath	2	5
Isaac Hayes	2	5
Fela Kuti	2	5
Iron Maiden	2	5
Muddy Waters	2	5
Motörhead	2	5
The Clash	2	5
Funkadelic	2	5
Barry Adamson	2	5
The Stooges	2	5
The Rolling Stones	4	4.25
R.E.M.	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
Red Hot Chili Peppers	2	1
Eminem	2	1
Kanye West	2	1
Steely Dan	4	1.75
Paul Simon	3	1.67
Leonard Cohen	3	1.67
The Smiths	3	1.67
Bruce Springsteen	2	1.5
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds	2	1.5
The Pogues	2	1.5
Scott Walker	2	1.5
Radiohead	4	2
Bob Dylan	6	2.17

Artist	Ratings
Metallica	5, 1
U2	4, 1
Peter Gabriel	5, 2, 4
The Who	3, 4, 2, 5

Beatles

5/5

Wow. This is kinda weird to approach at this point in life. This is an album I have listened to over 1,000 times in the last 35 years. Not my favorite Beatles records, but still one that I love and think is very important. Hard to truly review because every song is colored with years of memories and has so much nostalgia attached to it. I’m trying to think what it was like being 15 and hearing this again for the first time and I think I’m just too far removed.

In It For The Money

Supergrass

4/5

First time listening to this album and band. Pretty impressed. Super catchy Brit-pop sensibilities mixed with the energy of garage rock. Would listen to more.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

Another classic I've known most of my life. Probably my favorite CCR album. Chock full of hits you'd have to be living under a rock not to recognize. Travelin' Band songs like Fogerty channeling Little Richard. Even the non-hits on this one will get you moving. Not a bad track on this one.

Ten

Pearl Jam

1/5

I hated this alum when it was released. I tried to give it a fair shake now, years later, but my opinion is largely the same. Possibly the worst representation of the Seattle scene at the time. There are a few good riffs throughout but largely this is watered down radio rock; a safe and accessible way for the major labels to play in an underground sandbox without getting hurt. Can't finish this out without touching on the fact the Vedder's vocals are god awful; floating somewhere between unintentional comedy and unlistenable garble. Hard to believe half this band was in Green River.

Stardust

Willie Nelson

3/5

Pleasantly surprised by this one. I'm not a fan of country, but do have a lot of respect for an artist like Willie Nelson. Turns out, this is an album full of old classic cover songs and had very little country stylings. It's not a challenging album, but it is comfortable. Willie's guitar playing and vocals are always center stage, sounding great. Production on this was handled by Booker T (as well as organ duties) and as a big fan it was evident. All around a good listen.

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

Sometimes this is my favorite Beatles record. You can hear the experimentation of Rubber Soul solidify into a more cohesive expression. So much growth in just the two years from Meet The Beatles safe and an approachable pop melodies. This is a now a group that is reinventing something almost wholly new. The innovation of this album definitely inspired several types of music to be born. "Taxman is a punk song!" - Seantegrity

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

2/5

Not into this. Kate has a nice voice but the music does little to interest me. Adult contemporary soundscapes. I started to enjoy a couple of the later, more experimental pieces toward the back half of the album but even those seemed to drift away from my interest as they fell into the same monotonous synthy tones as the rest. Honestly it was depressing to listen to.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

4/5

I liked this a lot more than I expected to. Didn't know anything previously except Hallelujah, which I never really liked, so never gave anything else a try. This is a great release that can't really be pinned dow and labeled. It's always introspective, often haunting, but never feels pretentious or disingenuous. It isn't quite folk, but borrows from it. It isn't purely blues, but sits comfortably there when it needs to. The melodies are often as challenging as much as they are beautiful. There were times I'd expect to lose interest only to have something desperate pull me back in. This is the kind of album I'm here to discover.

Blur

3/5

Was excited for more brit-pop, but this ended up being all over the place and inconstant in sound and feel. I recognized Song 2 and have always enjoyed it. Super funny to learn it was their parody of American Grunge, only to chart alongside those they were making fun of. Theme from Retro was probably my favorite track; pure organ based psychedelia. All in all, it was tough to enjoy because it felt like it never became cohesive; lo-fi punky garage one minute, singer/songwriter man with guitar the next, some brit pop sprinkled in here and there, etc. Had some good tracks but really fell flat as a album. Then it moves into You're So Great; a lo-fi singer/songwriter trip to boredom. Really wish they'd pick a style. Chinese Bombs - punky lo fi garage, nice. Just a Killer for Love lo-fi fun, experimental. Liking more than not liking. Hate the acoustic IDK even know the term for it. WEirdo experimental parts are cool.

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

1/5

Just posting my track by track listening notes. ACT 1: Days of Graduation - I laughed. This talk over introduction destroys whatever emotion they are trying to build here. Ronnie and Neil - I'm onboard with this one. Upbeat Southern Rock. 72 (This Highway's Mean) - This SUCKS in every way that I hate country. Dead, Drunk and Naked - see above review for 72. Guitar Man Upstairs - I guess this is "cowpunk"? It sucks too. Birmingham - I kinda like this. It's a HUGE rip off of Neil Young's Ohio in both sound and the emotion they are trying to convey. The Three Great Alabama Icons - exposition like the intro because they can't work it in musically. Throwaway track. Wallace - Jesus, what are they doing here? Sounds like an untalented ZZ Top. Zip City - More uninspiring country infused "rock". No thanks. Moved - Wow... Who knew it could get worse. AWFUL vocals on this boring wanker of a track. Great way to close out "act 1" you dicks. ACT 2: Let There Be Rock - This AIN'T AC/DC! Road Cases - More Neil Young worship. Actually listenable. Women Without Whiskey - see above review for 72. Plastic Flowers On The Highway - Southern rock but without any emotional feeling to it. Vocals sound like Rod Stewart. Cassie's Brother - Oh! Now they are trying southern Soul (or R&B). I can't do much more of this. Life In The Factory - These are all starting to blur into completely non-memorable southern rock you'd hear at any redneck bar or county fair. Shut Up and Get On The Plane - OK, just figured out this whole thing is about Skynyrd... These guys AIN'T Skynyrd! Greenville To Baton Rouge - Finally, Southern Rock that actually sounds like it ROCKS! Album should have been a single. Angels And Fuselage - Neil Young rip off again, this one more early singer/songwriter style. Makes sense, this is where they are at their strongest. Still feels like a cover song when it's not. Never truly has the emotional pull Neil's voice did on tracks like this. Wow LOL they even bust out the harmonica for it!

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

2/5

This album is so forgettable. It's not bad. It's not good. I didn't hate it. I didn't like it. Feels like the musical equivalent of overprescribed Prozac, just emotionless and flat.

Bossanova

Pixies

4/5

Everything I want in '90s alt-rock! The Pixies are masters at blending multiple styles into something, if not unique, at least special in its appeal. Their punk is surprisingly approachable and fun. Their pop is challenging and never cliché. This is a band in their prime, playing off of and complimenting each other's strengths as they create. I'd only been familiar with Doolittle previous to this and that will be changing for sure!

The Bends

Radiohead

3/5

Been critical of this band for a long time. I can admit that I've judged them on their known hits and probably disregarded them based solely on their popularity. This one starts off great. the sort of weird psychedelic sound of Planet Telex was a very nice surprise. Definitely made me realize this wasn't a release I could totally disregard. I think they are at their best when they play slower, more melodic pieces meant to stir up your emotions. Unfortunately, I hate that shit. They do it well, and I can appreciate it from a musical standpoint, but I hate it. There are a few points where they sort of try to "rock" and it almost works, but just feels awkward somehow. First half of the album seemed to bounce some in tempo where the back half seemed to fall into a comfortable plodding pace that seemed a little too "samesy" to hold my interest. I assume it's some metaphor that went over my head. Closing track was depressing as a motherfucker and I can't believe any band would want to end that way. Sounds like the soundtrack for a slow suicide. All in all, I can respect the songwriting and talent here. I can understand why they are so loved, but it's just not what I reach for when I want to listen to music... ever.

C'est Chic

CHIC

4/5

I have to admit to having a very big soft spot for '70s era disco/soul/funk. I Did not previously know any of this except Le Freak, which was on regular rotation at the roller rink when I was under 10. The slow burning ballads with the sexy vibe aren't my favorite, but the faster, funkier stuff make the album well worth the listen.

Pacific Ocean Blue

Dennis Wilson

4/5

I fucking LOVE the '70s. There just seems no way around it. Had zero knowledge of or experience with this release previously. Not a big Beach Boys fan, and this really took me by surprise. Influences are ALL OVER THE PLACE, mixing rock, folk, soul, and pop. Even with all this it never sounds schizophrenic. Never feels like it jumps from style to style, more so it flows between and within them, existing comfortably in its own space. I (of course) love when this hits a good groove, but even the slower more introspective tracks (which is where an artist generally loses me) are captivating with their layered (almost psychedelic at times) instrumentation. This was a release that was difficult NOT to pay attention to throughout, and that's not something I can say about a lot of music. Disappointing to learn this would be his only solo album before his death.

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

5/5

Stevie Fucking Wonder people... What more really needs to be said? This is from the sweet spot (arguably the pinnacle) of his classic period and there isn't a bad song to be found on here. Musical serotonin injected straight into your spine right here.

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

3/5

I was a little nervous going into this. I like Elvis, but late era Elvis combined with a renowned country western backing band was something that didn't appeal to me on paper. You know what? I was wrong. This is a solid album full of well played, memorable tunes. Despite their penchant for honky tonk, the backing bad is incredible, and absolutely MAKE this release. Vocals sound great, better than I expected from this era. All in all, it wasn't a style I really enjoy, but is a true testament to how well a live studio album can sound when everything comes together properly.

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

3/5

I have been dreading the day I receive an actual country album. Was 100% ready to write this off as a one star review, but once again Willie surprises me. His vocal delivery is tailor fit to the music he composes; together displaying an undeniable talent. I especially responded to the stripped down feel here. No studio tricks, no textured layers. Something about this style speaks to honesty. This isn’t something I’ll find myself listening often, but I’m quite glad I was introduced to it.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

5/5

Let no one tell you different, this man INVENTED Rock 'n' Roll. This is arguably the most important record ever released. Every track is exploding with raw energy and innovative talent. Richard is like a dynamo, there is nothing that can even slow him down. He discovered James Brown, and inspired The Beatles and Prince. There's a reason nearly every song on this album is one you already know... and if you don't, you SHOULD.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

1/5

What in the actual fuck did I just listen to? This is beyond terrible. This sounds like the High School class-clown participating in the talent show as a goof. I wish I could give it 0 stars. Leonard is a great poet, but oh man should he stick to that and leave music alone if this is what he has to offer. I'm honestly at a complete loss to find a single redeemable aspect of this album. This doesn't even sound like a failed experiment. It simply sucks.

Chelsea Girl

Nico

3/5

I had the very first Velvet Underground and Nico LP as a kid, purchasing it as my interests in punk were starting to develop, and I don't think I ever really came to appreciate it. A lot of similar sounds on this release, but I seem to have aged enough to understand it now. Much of the performance, writing and instrumentation on this is still the Velvet Underground, and it's uniquely wonderful. Thoughtful and interesting compositions pulling from a vast array of stringed instruments and beyond. Jackson Brown lends his writing to a couple of tracks, as well as performs. Even Bob Dylan has a writing credit on one song. And of course, Nico's contralto is the thread that weaves all this together, often providing a weight to the softness of the music, grounding it's ethereal nature and giving it relevance.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

4/5

I've known all the hits most of my life, but have never listened to the album in completion. Not something I would reach for regularly, but undeniably a good album.

The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground

5/5

I was introduced to the Velvet Underground through R.E.M.'s cover songs before I was even a teenager. I bought this album then, and never clicked with it. Glad I listened to it again 30+ years later because this indeed lives up to the hype. This album features so much experimentation for the era; studio tricks, layers of instrumentation, stereo panning, improvised jams. There's so much here to digest. So much beauty, but it's also juxtaposed by an ugly chaos in many places. I think I respond most to the idea that these are musicians truly creating. Nothing by the numbers here. This is art, and I'm here for it.

Elvis Presley

3/5

Elvis is nostalgia for me; having been something my parents introduced me to. Despite this, and my love for this era of rock n roll, he is NOT my favorite. His debut LP showcases his voice quite well, and the cover image alone probably helped draw countless young people to this new form of music, whose roots were firmly in the taboo. And that's about where it ends. Elvis only plays guitar on a couple of tracks here, and piano on only one. Not a single song is written by him. This is the beginning of a 70+ year long music industry practice of taking a pretty face, and selling pop records with it. The music here is well played (great session players on here) but it lacks the raw power, energy, and innovation of artists like Chuck Berry or Little Richard. It's a fun listen and a historic artifact, but it's hard for me to not contextualize it as the colonization of rock n roll

Led Zeppelin

4/5

Probably my favorite Led Zeppelin album. Dazed and Confused and Communication Breakdown are some of the best songs they'd ever write. Their Willie Dixon covers show an obvious reverence in their arrangements. At this point this isn't a supergroup yet, just a bunch of British kids who absolutely WORSHIP the American blues. But even at this point they aren't comfortable just playing it, so much as innovating and expanding beyond it.

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

1/5

So... a concept album about kid-diddling, performed by a(n alleged) kid-diddler? Fucking great! Trying really hard to find a positive in this pile of shit. Once in a while the beats and guitar work align into something interesting, but it's not often and Beck ripped off all of them. The ever-present whisper talking vocals (produced so high in the mix sometimes it's hard to even hear the music over it) are AWFUL. Seriously, go watch The Simpsons episode "Life On the Fast Lane". You will never again be able to unhear Marge's bowling instructor Jacques on every track. Fuck this album in its entirety! Gotta go listen to something akin to an audio shower now.

Pearl

Janis Joplin

3/5

This one's hit or miss for me. I lioe the backing band. This is the only recording the Full Tilt Boogie Band did with Janis before her death and that's disappointing because they are great! Tracks like Move Over rock, and I love the timing and energy they bring. But when things slow down she loses me. The vocals seem too performative at these times; almost disingenuous. I feel like Janis and the band are at their best tearing through upbeat bangers, and there's just not enough here.

Moving Pictures

Rush

5/5

I’m not even going to dignify this with a response. C’mon!

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

5/5

I used to work with hippies in a natural food store and this was THE ONLY album we could agree on, so I've listened to it a lot... just not in many years. And I'm about to change that because this is simply incredible. Tough to pigeonhole into any specific sound; it's not really post-punk, it's not new wave, it's rooted in rock and roll, and has crazy pop hooks that still don't overly polish the teeth of this release. Not a bad track on here.

Miriam Makeba

5/5

This is great! I love almost all music I've heard that originates from Africa. Miriam mixes traditional Afro beats with western jazz and pop to create something (at the time) wholly unique. Her voice is beautiful across all tracks. Even her rendition of House of the Rising Sun (a song I absolutely HATE!) is an incredible and moving interpretation. I can see why she is well known for making "world" music more accessible to the US.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

5/5

Took me almost 10 years to understand and enjoy this one, but it's something I listen to a lot. Originally I hated the party-boy vibe, before I realized it wast their schtick at this point. The lyrics and delivery are juvenile and snotty, but that doesn't stop them from being really catchy; arguably it helps. Stripped down beats and samples performed by Rick Rubin are as important (or more?) to this sound as anything else and showcase just how much Richer influenced hip-hop after this. Paul Revere has always been my fasvorite track, but other the "Girls", there are no stinkers on here.

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

4/5

Coming to this only knowing "Bang a Gong" (and incorrectly always assuming it was an '80s hit). This album has got a great sound and feel to it; reminiscent of glam era Bowie but more subdued. The production is done really well, making it always feel like a single cohesive work; a true album. That being said, there wasn't anything that was really mind-blowing on a first listen. I do feel like this is a grower though, and I know if I keep listening to it (and I will) I'll continue to find little interesting details that will make me fall in love with it. The raw energy of "Rip" is such a killer way to close an album.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

5/5

It's 1991. Storrs, CT. UConn's West Campus. Lancaster Hall, 4th floor. This is the what you hear coming out of the windows on every nice day. It's the soundtrack to every party. This is the album you put on when you bring a girl back to your room and awkwardly try to get her in the mood. '90s hip-hop was full of experimentation and this is some of it's best. Stripped down beats and jazz samples under chill conscious rhymes delivered with precision. I think about this a lot because it's exactly the trajectory I wish hip-hop would've taken. Unfortunately the record industry thought it would be more profitable to glorify gang violence, crime, misogyny, and consumerism instead.

Tapestry

Carole King

4/5

Not my go-to style, but undeniably a good listen. Great songwriting and performances here. Of the 12 tracks on this, I think only 4 were things I didn't already know. Carole's voice is powerful throughout; overflowing with passion yet somehow still soothing.

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

2/5

Sounds like the background soundtrack played during a TV montage. Vocals are overly saccharine. Music is pleasant and competently played. It simply doesn't elicit any sort of emotional reaction from me. It exists, thoughtlessly, apart from whatever else I'm doing while it is on. If I force myself to focus on it I just get bored.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

2/5

Never heard of this and I did not enjoy it much. Competent writing and performance, but just seems like a clinic on fitting every '80s pop-trope that I can't stand into one album. Reminiscent of a lot of other bands from that era, but with nothing original to make it stand out on its own. Total snooze-fest for me.

Truth And Soul

Fishbone

2/5

Loved this as a pre-punk teenager, but have not listened to it since. There were a few times I found by head bopping. I do like when they funk and soul, not as much when they ska and "punk". The mix of styles doesn't always seem to blend so much as compete with each other in a lot of places. The production is off-putting to me. Too polished for the heavier and faster parts, too lifeless in the funk and soul. Talented musicians and performers for sure. I can tell they have a lot of love for Funkadelic, but at least at this point are not able to truly capture that same magic. Some of this is just over the top campy and hard to listen to, like Howard Beach Party; is this surf-ska?? Please don't.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

5/5

Fucking ROCKS right out of the gate and just doesn't stop until it's over (OK, I admit the lollypop-guild-voice song was a little weird). Brit-pop vibes are here but drown in fuzz and flashing a lot more garage sensibilities than the later material I'm familiar with. I'm always a fan of first albums and this is a GREAT one!

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

2/5

Opens up straight away into something that sounds like it should be in a musical... not a good sign for me. The simple vocal over a reverb-drenched organ definitely creates a cool vibe on Early In The Morning though. Down starts cooking, but still just feels like something is being held back. Oh right... Without You... Followed up directly with Coconut. I feel like this album has officially been weaponized against me now. Hey Harry, did ANYONE ask for a honky tonk version of Let The Good Times Roll? I'm guessing 'No'. Jump In The Fire makes a very solid attempt to redeem this whole affair, complete with a bitchin' drum solo. Definitely the standout banger on here. Probably should have closed out the album with it, instead of the banjo-tinged funeral dirge that was given that honor.

Faith

George Michael

1/5

Hated this when it was released. Haven't changed my mind in the slightest almost 40 years later. Crappy danceable canned rhythms? Check. Grossly overused synth-imitated instruments? Check. "Controversial" lyrics about fucking that will garner some media attention? Check. This is formulaic, throwaway, '80s pop music-industry garbage.

Trio

Dolly Parton

2/5

I still hate country I guess. This sounds like the caterwauling that spews from the bandstand at a county fair. Makes my teeth itch. Twangy harmonies ain't for me.

The Specials

4/5

If, like me, you lived through the '90s you probably hate ska too. Every high school honors student with a trombone started wearing checkerboard slip-on Van's and put together a shitty ska band and hoped they'd be the next Bosstones. It really did a lot for pushing me completely away from that sound. BUT... There is a reason The Specials kicked off enough excitement to start a new 2nd wave of ska. They are a solid band, and this is a great album.

Reggatta De Blanc

The Police

4/5

Not my favorite Police album (that's Synchronicity) but still great in its own right. This one's got a couple memorable hits, but also contains some great deeper cuts that never got the attention they deserve. The big surprise, and it's a pleasant one, 3 Copeland writing credits here (plus another shared with Sting)! I feel like later albums reduce Stu and Andy's writing credits to just a single song each, toward the end of the b-side. Sure, Sting seems to write those pieces that got the most pop attention, but there's just something about the Copeland written tracks that I respond to, so it's great to have multiple here. The only downside is no totally unhinged addition from Andy Summers on this album. Minor cringe-factor for Sting's white-boy Caribbean patois on The Bed's Too Big Without You, but the '80s were a different time I suppose.

The Wall

Pink Floyd

3/5

Well here's something I listened to quite a lot as a youth, but don't think I've heard in over 30 years. There's some great material here, and it's another one that is hard for me to separate myself from opinions I formed long ago. I do find this a little pretentious, and definitely too long. This would feel like less of a slog boiled down to a single LP.

Purple Rain

Prince

4/5

Once in a while, a pop album impresses me. This is one of those times. I think the main difference is I view most pop music as being produced within a predefined, rigid framework, and designed specifically to use that to maximize its sales. Prince, on the other hand, while aware of this framework, not only refuses to let it control him or his work, but actually innovates within it, pushing the boundaries and almost comfortably redefining what other artists will need to do in the future to keep up.

The Yes Album

Yes

4/5

I shamelessly love this band, but this is not an album I have a lot of experience with. Previous albums were schizophrenic; jumping from one sound to another as tracks change. Here, the band seems to have a clearer idea of direction. The prog is still front and center, the rock is undeniable, but gone are the classical compositions that felt so out of place on earlier releases. This is Yes defining what will make them so unique but instantly recognizable going forward. Worth noting that the dynamic range on the vinyl rip I listened to was far beyond any modern recording I've ever heard. Truly phenomenal range.

Station To Station

David Bowie

4/5

Bowie is one of those artists I've never found myself interested enough to really immerse myself in. I recognize the hits and I appreciate what I know of his catalog, but this is the first time I've sat down to listen to a full album. From the initial textured white noise intro, I'm sold. Station To Station starts off with a singular bass line and slowly builds the instrumentation into the complete melody before Bowie's signature vocals are injected. New Wave sensibilities are strong here! The opening track AND Golden Years both sound so much like Talking Heads songs to me. Stay brings that funk, in such a uniquely Bowie way I literally giggled. Wild in the Wind is an interesting choice for a closer. I feel it lacks the emotional power of the versions we've received from both Johnny Mathis and Nina Simone, but again it is arranged and performed in a way that is undeniably David Bowie.

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

It’s Miles Davis! If there were 6 stars, I’d award it.

1999

Prince

4/5

So different from Purple Rain. So much synth and so little guitar. I thought that was going to influence things badly for me, but once again Prince shows that his particular brand of pop is something I actually like. Felt a few little nods to electro throughout this one which also rocked.

Midnight Ride

Paul Revere & The Raiders

4/5

Wild ride (no pun intended) on this album. Opens up straight into Kicks. I love the energy here, a little garage rock, a little psych. A similar formula is used throughout at least half of the album and it just works. There's Always Tomorrow takes on a weird trip into twangy upbeat country, but somehow works in a chorus that is pure '60's pop. Weird, but it works. The only times they really lose me are on the slow burners; Little Girl in The Fourth Row and Melody for an Unknown Girl. Im just not a ballad guy.

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

3/5

Respect the studio work for sure, but the Beach Boys saccharine harmonies are like an eject button to the moon for me. While listening, it's hard not to get lost in a fantasy about a gang of rockers beating their asses and stealing their equipment

Tracy Chapman

4/5

I’m a known hater folk. And I don’t know if it’s nostalgia (Tracy Chapman’s music was everywhere when it was released) or not but something about the combination of her voice and guitar work is just captivating. Her lyrics are powerful and moving without ever seeming forced or contrived. Her ability to impart desperation as well as hope feels unique.

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

5/5

Another Nile Rodgers production. Damn, this guy might be responsible for ALL the disco I actually like. Everything you expect from Chic is here but add 5 sisters with incredible range and vocal talent. Nothing but good vibes here. Dancing my ass off instead of working today.

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

3/5

Always thought I hated Cat Stevens. Turns out, this wasn't bad. It wasn't good either, but I didn't mind listening to it. Probably never will again though.

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

4/5

More country I can get behind. This is a rock-solid album! All the classics (even those that are new at the time) played live. Much of the between song banter left in here to appreciate. Doesn't get more outlaw country than singing to prisoners in San Quentin.

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

2/5

Well, it's better than the last Cohen album I listened to... but not by a hell of a lot. This feels like outsider art, in all the wrong ways. Songs are drawn out MUCH longer than they should be, and it's tough to tolerate. HIs voice is terrible and he prefers to talk sing, which sucks. Music is so... "skim-milk", for lack of a better analogy. After a single song, it all seems to simply drone on endlessly. Similar tempos, similar keys, similar vocal style; the repetitious feeling is like I'm going crazy. I can barely tell where one song ends and the next begins. Is that his point?

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

2/5

Tried to go into this with an open mind. I've hated the Dead most of my life, based mostly on how much I despised the deadheads in high school and college I had to endure, and honestly NOT based much on the very limited amount of their music I had heard. Box of Rain was actually a really solid track! Maybe this will be OK... Well, that was short lived. This just takes a huge nosedive after the opener. I hate the harmonies and I hate the easy-country feel. Nothing about this rocks and I feel justified in my 40 years of dismissing this band and everyone who worships them.

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

3/5

It's something I'd probably never listen to again. I do find some of the experimentation on it to be really fun. The vocal melodies are interesting enough that I want to pay attention. I don't hate it, but it does not rock and its seems wildly incohesive

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

1/5

Ugh... Another one that is tough to separate from opinions I formed a lifetime ago. A single track here that borderlines on wanting to rock, but mostly it's all sad-boi jangly bullshit with some nonce crooning over the top. Never understood the hype here. Oh, and lest I forget, fuck Morrissey straight to hell.

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

3/5

Mostly this is the soundtrack to browsing one of those little boutiques in tourist towns, that are filled with "local" art that no one would buy if they weren't on vacation. There are some experimental moments peppered in here and there, and I really wish there were more. That seems to be when they are at their best. Nothing terrible here, just feels very "in the background" too often.

Brothers

The Black Keys

2/5

Feeling weird about his one. On the one hand I really like all the styes it seems to borrow from; soul, blues, punk, garage. On the other, something seems off. I want to call it contrived, but that doesn't seem entirely fair. I didn't find anything off-putting about it, just didn't find a single thing that really got me excited about listening to it. If I wanted to hear this style of music there are far better options that if I had to guess, were probably this band's inspiration.

21

Adele

4/5

Holy shit... I don't know what I was anticipating, but this is great. I generally avoid pop music so despite knowing her name I was unfamiliar with most of her music before listening to this album. Her voice has an undeniable power in its quality, and her control over it suggests a discipline that I feel many vocalists will never achieve. Even musically, this is elevated well above standard pop. I can hear nods to classic soul, r&b, and even Americana/outlaw country underneath much of this. Despite the varied influences it never sounds like an experiment, and never makes the album feel erratic. Instead, using those influences to create a unique sound. Nothing here is accidental and it shows.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

4/5

This might be some of the first modern pop Ive been exposed to that I don't hate. Wildly all over the map sound-wise, like someone setting out to touch every genre imaginable on a single (albeit 70 minute) album. Usually that's a turn-off for me, but this works. I love when she raps. I love when she screams. I love when she sings. The music also maintains a level of good interest, never turning into just background. It's ever-changing style actually works to its advantage here. All in all, another nice surprise for something I did not recognize at all going in.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

Miles again… automatic 5 stars.

Bad

Michael Jackson

3/5

More '80s pop I remember hating... great. Going to try to ignore that and give this an honest listen. One thing I did to stay interested was seek out an original mix version of this, learning that many of the songs on it were later remixed and/or replaced by their singles version. Glad I did. They sound like they are more stripped down, with flashier production elements either not yet inserted or left further back in the mix. Vocals also feel more balanced that own their singles where they are much too forward. It has much more of an electro vibe than I remember and I do have a better appreciation for that now vs. when this first came out. Musically I'm digging a lot of what sounds like nods to the original Motown sound. Not sure if that's all Michael or if it's Quincy's influence. Did I just hear Stevie Wonder? OK, I like that too. All in all I can say I have certainly more respect for this album than I previously did, but it's still not something that will ever be in regular rotation for my listening.

Vespertine

Björk

2/5

I don't know about this. Really liked the Sugarcubes, but find it hard to get into Björk's solo work. I do enjoy the experimental qualities to it. The blending of electronics and what sounds like field samples to create textures is very nice. Her voice is VERY unique, and despite it fitting the music quite well, I find that all together it’s just easy to dismiss as lovely background noise. Nothing really pulls me in. There’s no beat. There’s no groove. There’s no hook. I have huge artistic respect for her taking this approach but it’s just not anything that appeals to me.

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

4/5

No lie I love me some '70s soul. Right out of the gates this album is COOKIN' with an updated That Lady. Even when they slow things down and get sexy it still rocks. Heavy metal guitar tone (arguably before heavy metal existed) is a weird choice that mostly works. It does get a little comical in their cover of Summer Breeze. Solid album whose only downside is sometimes slipping into that "sounds too much the same" area.

Slippery When Wet

Bon Jovi

1/5

Ah yes, the album that made me give up on "metal" for over 20 years. After heavy rock slowly morphed into hair metal through the '80s, we get this. It's the culmination of "metal" becoming bullshit pop music. It's basically the antithesis of everything I believe in musically. This is throwaway industry garbage that can only be enjoyed through a very thick lens of nostalgia.

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

3/5

This is a band who I have heard described as legendary, countless times. They are mentioned as influences in interviews by nearly every band I've ever loved. I love the experimental nature of what they are doing. I can only assume this was pretty "out there" when released in '78, and it's undeniable that it influenced music across many genres as well as defining some of its own. With all that being said... I just don't enjoy listening to it. It's cold. It's lifeless. It's mechanical. It sounds like a mathematical property because sentient and "wrote" a few songs. Great dance music if that's your thing, but it's not mine. Not bad for background music, or if you want to score a nostalgia-dripping, 1980's themed, children's horror/sci-fi television show.

Repeater

Fugazi

5/5

Probably the #1 most anticipated album of my life. I could easily write 9+ paragraphs about the day I first heard this. I was a huge Minor Threat fan, owned both Fugazi ep’s, and could not WAIT for their first album to be released. Admittedly it’s not my favorite album of theirs (that’s In On the Killtaker) but inarguably it’s the most important to me. It went beyond hardcore. It transcended punk. It felt vital in a way nothing else at that time did. Inspirational, in a way that few other current bands at the time could portray. This is a true milestone in music that I don’t think enough people understand.

A Grand Don't Come For Free

The Streets

1/5

I think I hate this. Maybe I don't understand the English idea of flow in hip-hop because this just doesn't sound right. Like every line is out of synch with the rhythm. The production sounds super amateurish. The layered vocal is off-putting as hell. I really can't find a single good thing to say about this. Honestly I feel like I deserve some kind of prize for making it all the way through because this is unlistenable.

Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea

PJ Harvey

4/5

Into it. This was a pleasant surprise. Not sure what I expected, but this is a very competent release. Mostly hanging out in the indie guitar realm, but not afraid to hop the fence into a more garage/punk sound when the feeling arises. PJ's vocals fit all the music quite nicely. Ending the album on two lighter sounding pieces is something I'm usually critical of, but it works here.

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

3/5

Interesting for sure. I’m always fascinated with this era and style of producing. It reminds me a lot of The Bomb Squad at times. That being said it also feels like it’s missing something to me. It’s just too easy to dismiss without an MC on top of it.

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

1/5

I love Rick Rubin, but I do blame him and this album for having to be subjected to the Red Hot Chili Peppers far too often in the last 30 years. Before this album, they were just a weird funk-metal band that no one outside of niche skateboarding circles really gave a shit about. When this album dropped, you couldn't get away from it. It was EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME. Initial reaction; when they stick to sophomoric heavy funk they are in their element. It's fun. It's catchy. It's played well. Too often though they have decided to "get serious" on this album with tracks like Breaking the Girl and Under the Bridge. Quite simply, it shuts down any flow the album seems to be establishing, every time. I understand that these were their breakout singles and helped propel them into the forefront of mainstream rock, but as far as the album, it just doesn't work. Couple that with this being about twice as long (OK 3x) as it needs to be and you've got the recipe for a rough afternoon. Additionally and most importantly, Kiedis is the weak link here. Cut the vocals on the better parts of this and it's really solid and innovative funk. Kiedis ruins that EVERY time he opens his mouth. The lyrics are garbage. The delivery is worse. He's like the class clown that you couldn't stand to be around for more than 5 minutes in high school. Jesus Christ, if you can get through the final two tracks of this shit sandwich without wanting to do serious harm to yourself or others, you're a better person than I am. I'd like to give this 0 stars and if at all possible, erase it from history.

Peter Gabriel 3

Peter Gabriel

5/5

I'm a superman of Gabriel's early work and consider the first 4 self-titled albums untouchable. This is the best of the 4 too. It's experimental (for the time) but still weaves traditional melodies and pop sensibilities throughout so it's never in danger of losing the listener. There is an immense power in this album, even at its most introspective (Lead a Normal Life) moments. Every song feels meticulous in its creation. Nuanced sound textures and synth in the background seem to float in and out and at just the right moments to create real emotional responses. Biko is nothing short of a masterpiece.

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

2/5

A lot going on here. Hard to pin down stylistically, it often sounds like it's taking cues from pop but applying overly distorted, fuzzed out guitars. Not sure the fusion really works for me. Makes for a very nu-metal sound and I'm not really into it. The production leaves this feeling sterile and it definitely takes away from the heavier parts. It's the pop-produced style of the vocals that I really just can't get down with. They don't fit the music and more often than not distract me from hearing the more nuanced and intricate work happening there. The long instrumental parts of Cicatriz Esp really hammer home how much better this would be without vocals entirely.

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

4/5

Such a great listen. I’ve never been this deep into The Kinks discography and not disappointed to be here. Styles are a little all over the place here, but it’s never off putting. Proto-‘90s-Brit-Pop! You can plainly hear the sound that Oasis and Supergrass will borrow years later. A lot of album’s are labeled “ahead of their time” but this one delivers.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

2/5

Started off nostalgically strong with Rikki, and I had high hopes. The Dan is one of those "supergroups" I've always really wanted to like but this isn't doing it. This album takes a STEEP nosedive after track one and I'd wager officially crashes and burns on East St. Louis Toodle-Oo. There are couple signs of life after that but they're faint and feel mostly reflexive. This is just bad.

Joan Armatrading

4/5

Another artist I am completely unfamiliar with. I think I expected singer/songwriter style folk melodies here and I'm really pleasantly surprised. This is some good poppy soul with a soft rock backbone to it (yeah I know, but in this instance I actually DON'T mean to be insulting with "soft rock"). Some jazzy bits mixed in here and there, some blues too. Beautiful voice on Joan. Guitar work from her is also really expressive. Another one that's hard to really fit into any specific category, but just brimming with talent. I have to believe that Tracy Chapman was heavily influenced by Joan Armatrading. The songwriting and vocals are just too similar.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

5/5

'60s girl-group pop influences delivered to your ears through the filter of late '70s LA punk. I love everything going on here. Definitely a big help in moving new wave on to the mainstream in the early '80s. Everything here is just upbeat and catchy. Hard not to have a good time listening to this.

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

1/5

Trying really hard to view this through the lens of the time it was released. This is when hip hop went to shit as far as I’m concerned, trading in simple bass and drum beat backing for fully produced “songs”. It moved the focus from MC to producer and I think the art suffered. Undeniable that Eminem's flow and delivery were totally unique when this was new. But lyrically, it’s impossible to enjoy this album. Murder and rape fantasies, over the top misogyny, homophobia at every turn; this is an album made by a fucking narcissistic sociopath. This influencing an entire generation sort of makes our current shit society a little more understandable. This is juvenile, selfish, garbage.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

5/5

This is a banger! No more filling half the album with covers of American blues classics. At this point the Stones have truly come into their own, defining themselves as a creative force and establishing a foundation for what is to come. This is truly listening to history here.

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

5/5

It’s Aretha… Respect!

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

1/5

Tough to get through this. I know this is not a popular opinion, but I can’t stand Bruce. Americana as a genre just don’t do it for me. Specifically, I find his vocal delivery to be unlistenable. The bigger sounding tracks are ok (until he sings) but the acoustic guitar/piano tracks that focus on his voice is like having a hot knitting needle jammed directly into my eye. NJ can keep this guy (and Bon Jovi), I got no use for him.

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

4/5

Great album! This later era Prima, and you can hear a lot of his big band and swing past influencing this jump jazz sound. Upbeat tempos, bright brass, and Prima’s signature vocal delivery make this album really easy to get through and keep you tapping your feet the whole time. It’s a feel good album for sure

Aja

Steely Dan

1/5

This is the “experimental” album? Sounds a lot like the others. Not for me.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

4/5

I’m a casual fan of early Wax Trax material, and loved Pretty Hate Machine years back, but I never really gave NIN’s later material attention. Digging this a lot more than I expected. It’s got just the right blend of chaos and aggression, but still sticks with that early industrial dance beat to keep it focused. Probably going to be listening to this more.

British Steel

Judas Priest

5/5

Favorite album by one of my favorite metal gods. This is a perfect album, not a single bad track. Halford at his pinnacle!

Heroes

David Bowie

4/5

Solid album with a number of recognizable tracks I didn’t realize were on it. Ends a little weird, but I’m still for it.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

4/5

Holy shit! I was expecting doo-wop and the opener just blows the doors off the hinges with some of the greatest psychedelic inspired soul I’ve they heard! Hell yeah!! Sly and The Family Stone influence here is undeniable. More of a return to form for the back half of the album but still solid material.

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

4/5

This rocks! I generally prefer my hip hop with very stripped down production. But the jazzy instrumentals (with flute!) applied here don’t take any power away from the MC. if anything it’s a perfect compliment. In an era where the music industry was pushing violence and misogyny in their hip hop, it’s also really nice to see a group focus on conciseness. I hear a lot of Tribe Called Quest influence here, and I’m NOT complaining.

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

5/5

‘60s soul performed live in a small club… It really doesn’t get better than this. All the tempos are elevated, the crowd is charged. The performance is electrifying. I only have 2 complaints; it’s but long enough, and I’m not old enough to have been there.

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2/5

Initial thought is that this is Pop/Dance masquerading as “indie”. Big NOPE for me. The position of the synth so high in the mix seems like an engineering error. The “set it and forget it” dance beat used nearly throughout the first half of this album is lazy as hell. The latter half trades it in for a slowed down snoozer approach. Not sure how much of an improvement that is. I don’t hate the vocals (with the exception of Runaway). Shame and Fortune was the single stand out track I thought was great. Can’t find much else I like here.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

3/5

Immigrant Song is a banger of an opener, but this one just never lives up to the previous two. Nice to see them experimenting a little, the blues influence is still present, but they seem to be leaning on it with less weight. A couple slower tunes here (almost acoustic). All in all a little lackluster for the boys, compared to their previous two.

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

3/5

Not often I run into a band from this era that I've ever heard of but here we are! Initial reactions were that this would be a little too folksy for my tastes, but there seems to be JUST enough psychedelia mixed in here to keep me interested. Mostly starts sound sort of the same as it progresses, with a few moments here and there that stand out. I think closing the album with a cover of My 'ol Kentucky Home might've been a misstep though.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

3/5

Not too knowledgable about 2000s hip hop. What I do know I'm not too fond of, but this starts off strong. Front half (Big-Boi) is a perfect combo of quality production that doesn't overshadow the rhymes and flow. Really like it all. Back half (André 3000) unfortunately fails to live up to the front. It was actually REALLY hard to sit through. Production is too busy. Vocals are too sing-songy and it's laced with far too much pop influence. Upon completion, I cannot even be diplomatic... it's fucking awful. Should've left this a Big-Boi solo album clocking in at half the time.

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Big surprise here as I have always pigeonholed this band into "shitty alt-goth I will never listen to". Well... here's where I admit I really like this. It's definitely mood music, not something I'd listen to all the time, but the pulsating textures of almost ambient sound they create are incredibly interesting. It can easily serve as good background music you ignore while working, but is also something that you can focus on and lose yourself in, finding new intricacies the deeper you dive. Reminds me A LOT of a more guitar-focused Slowdive.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

Solid '60s pop. Could listen to this stuff all day. Reminds me of being in high school and having a car with only a radio in it. Just drove around all day listening to "oldies". Good vibes only.

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

3/5

This exists in that nebulous area where it isn't bad, but there's just nothing that pulls me in enough to get excited about it. I find my mind drifting as it plays and allowing it to become background noise. I can certainly see why others enjoy it. The vocal delivery is competent. The instrumentation is well performed, and is certainly more evolved than the average hip-hop from this era. It has a very "modern R&B" feel to it, which I've never really preferred. Maybe that's the turn off? Overall it's just nothing I can get passionate about either for or against.

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

5/5

I knew a lot of the hits, and did have a loose appreciation for them, but upon sitting down to really listen to this... I think I love it! Lots of later Kinks going on. Some Beatles-esque compositions and harmonies. All around big-sound going on that I really like here. Probably the pinnacle of what I think of for Brit-Pop. My only complaint is why do you close such a powerful album with an acoustic sleeper?

Traffic

1/5

This fucking sucks!

In Our Heads

Hot Chip

3/5

Based on description alone I expected to hate this. Honestly though, it's not awful. Electronic dance music is not my style, and it's nothing I would probably ever listen to again, but I don't find it offensive. Some of the composition is interesting, and for the most part it is pleasant. I understand why others would be drawn to it.

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

5/5

Wow, this is tough one. REAL downer of an album, which is something I'm not too keen on. But the performances are SO POWERFUL and moving, it's hard not to love this. Learning the context around the making of this album is heartbreaking, and makes it all so understandable. This is a tribute to pain, isolation, and sadness. Something I just WON'T be able to listen to often, but undeniably a momentous work to be respected.

Raising Hell

Run-D.M.C.

5/5

Classic hip hop for a reason. This is non-stop hits. One of the earliest to fuse rock with rap and I'm here for it. The only negative here (and I won't penalize this release for it) is that this is the ONLY reason Aerosmith had a popular resurgence and was able to put out a string of over the top shitty albums.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

4/5

Wasn't sure about this once I heard it was mainly written on and focused more on piano than guitar, but it's still Bowie doing his thing. It's lighter and poppier than the stuff he's done that I prefer, so not my favorite of his albums. That being said, there is a lot going on that that is so well done that I did find myself enjoying it more than expected.

Peter Gabriel

2/5

The first of 4 self titled albums for Gabriel post Genesis. I like them all, but this one is by far the weakest. Solsbury Hill is a masterpiece, and the album will stay in my collection solely for that, but the rest is tough. Excuse Me is a complete stinker. The exerimentaion within songs like Humdrum and Moribund The Burgermeister cause them to feel disjointed. Lots of different styles thrown in here and many of them don't land well. The schizophrenic sound is understandable from an artist trying to find their solo voice, but it's certainly distracting in an album format. Not an easy listen and it's more understandable now why it seldom gets a spin from me despite owning it for many years.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

3/5

Can't really focus on this enough to care. It's not offensive, but it's just such "background music in a dentist's office" that my mind does everything it can to push it out of the forefront of thought. Better than Simon's solo drivel in my opinion, but nothing I can get excited about either for or against.

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

4/5

Early Beatles aren't any favorite Beatles, but for some reason I still enjoy it a lot. Short, upbeat, filled with harmonies, total pop. This is the first album to feature all original songs, though they undeniably pull from the 50's American rock 'n' roll they were mostly covering previously. George's 12-string Ric on this album is pretty much responsible for years of emulation and eventually spawning the jangle-pop genre. I guess I can't really blame him though, it did sound good here. Another album that's hard to separate from my very long history with it. Would I still like it if I just heard it today? Hard to say, but nostalgia makes this a fun listen for sure.

Sea Change

Beck

2/5

I'm familiar with some earlier work from Beck... What the fuck happened here? Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know the backstory, but seriously? How does a romantic break-up change an artist's music so drastically for the worse? This is a total bore. I can't stand "sad man with a guitar" music, and adding orchestral elements on top doesn't help me. Hopefully this guy got over it eventually.

Snivilisation

Orbital

1/5

If I was into dancing and getting fucked up on party drugs, I might love this... but I'm not. This is the soundtrack to my own personal hell. Nope!

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

2/5

Another artist I've heard people gush over for years. I don't really get the hype. It's not awful, but just seems so... theatrical, for lack of a better term. Music is well performed, but lacks any elements that really thrilled me, and often borders on boring. Vocals are just too campy and over the top. Big turn off.

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

5/5

One the the greatest albums ever made, put out by the greatest band to ever make music! If I could give it 10 stars I would. This masterpiece defined an entire new style of music that 50 years later is STILL pulling its best moments directly from it. If you don't like this album, I KNOW I don't like you!

Appetite For Destruction

Guns N' Roses

3/5

Was NOT a fan when this was released. It's definitely grown on me over the years and it certainly rocks. Still, something about it just doesn't fully hit for me. I think it's Axl's voice. I was surprised to recognize EVERY song here despite thinking I'd never listened to this straight through before. It's fine... I like it... I just don't hold it as the rock 'n' roll masterpiece others do. I certainly can't deny that if anything from it starts playing in public, I'll rock along to it.

Hot Buttered Soul

Isaac Hayes

5/5

Right from the jump this is an AMAZING headphone album. The layering of sound, the organ and guitar competing in seperate channels, and the ebb and flow of dynamics in Walk on By is just an unbeatable sonic experience. The party continues through Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic, then Isaac slows everything down for side B, into what can only be described as his patented "fucking music". The man is a deserved legend and this release is a perfect example of why.

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

3/5

Didn't know anything about this band previous to listening except that Alex Chilton was a member. The upbeat tracks are great, and feel really ahead of their time, but there is just SO MUCH slow and depressing music on this album that it's really hard to enjoy. It's well played and I can appreciate that but god damn it, I don't need another reason to be down in the dumps. Not enough rock here.

Nowhere

Ride

4/5

Never liked the term "shoegaze" but I do like most music that falls under the umbrella. The droning wall of noise here is great. Vocals and melodies feel very brit-pop before it was really a thing. Sounds like something that would be absolutely immersive (in the best way) played live. My only complaint is I find it easy to drift off in thought while listening to it rather than maintain focus on it. Typical of this type of music, and inarguably more of a me problem. This will definitely be something I listen to again. Seems like it would be really good for long drives alone.

Dust

Screaming Trees

3/5

Solid '90s alterno/grunge rock with a 70's psych influence. It's not something the gets me super jazzed, but I do like it. Music rocks at times, but a lot of it is mid-tempo jams that blend with the melodic vocals into something that causes me to lose focus easily. I do feel like it would probably grow on me with repeated listens.

Live!

Fela Kuti

5/5

This fucking ROCKS like nothing else can. Fela is the MAN, and basically invented Afrobeat. The Africa '70 is phenomenal, untouchable in their talent. Find a version with the bonus track that is just a Ginger and Tony Allen doing a 16 minute drum solo. God damn I could listen to this all day!

Elephant

The White Stripes

3/5

Always passed this group off as a gimmick and never really gave them a chance. Heavy Detroit garage influence is evident. Somehow, I'd still rather listen to their influences. A lot of this inarguably rocks, but just feels... contrived, for lack of a better term. The recording process and equipment used is all really cool conceptually to me, but it just does not automatically make this a great album. All in all, I find it a little bland for what I feel like it wants to be. Listenable for sure, just not interesting.

Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge

Mudhoney

4/5

Not my favorite Mudhoney album (that would be the 1989 Self Titled LP) but still very solid. I've always said THIS was the band that Seattle should be recognized for, not Pearl Jam or Nirvana. This is a fuzzed up, anthem-laden, garage screamer of an album. My only complaint is it lacks the same raw ferocity that made Superfuzz Bigmuff and the Self Titled LP so untouchable.

Arrival

ABBA

1/5

Proof positive that whites should NEVER be allowed to make "dance music". ZERO soul here. This is the music equivalent of unseasoned boiled pasta on a cold plate. Thank GOD someone introduced me to Nile Rodgers a few years ago. I had grown up thinking disco was just Abba and The Bee Gees. No wonder I hated it.

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

4/5

A little hit or miss here, but I do love some classic New Wave. When this is on it is INCREDIBLE. Unfortunately there are some pretty lackluster moments as well. Drumming is very standout throughout though. Big points there.

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

5/5

This is everything I need for '70s soul. Curtis Mayfield is a genius and the only problem I have with this album is it's not longer. It's phenomenal front to back.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

4/5

Loving this. Ella's voice is incredible. The big band backing her up is outstanding. The three hour length is a little tough, but it's so easy to listen to I can't even complain too much about that.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

See previous review

Iron Maiden

5/5

Not my favorite Iron Maiden record, but that being said, it's still miles ahead of most of the music that gets put in front of me. incredible band with an incredible discography. This is an early representation of the band and shows a little more of their influences than later material. It's a great representation of their beginnings and where they will be heading musically in the future. I have a hard time trusting anyone who doesn't like Iron Maiden.

1977

Ash

4/5

Damn! For a band I've never heard of, I'm impressed. This opens up with a rager; Lose Control. Reminiscent of heavier Dinosaur Jr. material. Takes a more approachable melodic turn in Goldfinger. I can see why this was the "hit". Almost brit-pop melodies but still thick in the guitar fuzz dept. Rest of the album seems to follow this same formula, but not to a point of making it feel stale. Solid head bopper here. I'd listen to this again.

The Score

Fugees

4/5

I do like my hip hop conscious. So this is right to my alley. Great rhymes, great production. A free misses for me but for the most part a very solid listenable album that gets you both moving and thinking.

Feast of Wire

Calexico

1/5

This sucks. Writing anything more will just piss me off entirely.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

5/5

Start to finish this is gold! This might not be "classic" Muddy, but god damn you'd be hard pressed to know that while listening. Even the rerecorded material sounds fantastic. Pure blues. So much talent and emotion in this man and his backup band. There will never be another like him.

Tellin’ Stories

The Charlatans

4/5

Brit-pop feel to a lot of this, but they mix in some psychedelic, funky, 70's soul influenced hip-hop instrumentation too that makes it pretty interesting and unique. Definitely warrants a second listen to get it.

Queen II

Queen

2/5

I'm an admitted Queen hater, though I'm mostly familiar with the hits. Pleasantly surprised to almost enjoy a couple songs early on; Someday One Day and Loser In the End. But most of this is typical Queen and I think it's awful. Never understood why "metalheads" liked this corny operatic garbage.

War

U2

4/5

Ok. Here’s where I admit I secretly love most of the early U2 catalog, and this one is the top of the list. Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Years Day alone make this a great one; total rock anthems. Shortly after this they will start to believe their own hype and it’s a fast ride downhill, but this stands up.

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

5/5

One of the defining albums of ’60s soul! Otis, with the backing band from Stax again. Booker T, Donald Dunn, Isaac Hayes, Steve Cropper; a literal who’s who of the genre. This is musical perfection.

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

1/5

Truly awful! It's like an unfunny attempt at parody. There is no way you can convince me anyone wants to listen to this crap. Time Will Break the World might honestly have THE WORST lyrics I've heard in my entire life. I hope his 4 hungry children starve. Not a single redeeming thing I can say about this truly, truly, terrible music.

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

2/5

Starts out better than previous Smiths material I've heard, with a couple tracks I can almost call "upbeat". But takes a turn fast. Death of a Disco Dancer is completely awful to me, just depressing and boring. Girlfriend in a Coma is laughably terrible. I still HATE Morrissey's sad, crooning, melodramatic voice (hate him as a person too). Stop Me might be the first Smiths song I actually like! The rest is mostly shit. Did I mention Morrissey sucks? I did? Good, I didn't want to leave that out.

Tubular Bells

Mike Oldfield

4/5

I had a High School teacher who talked about this record incessantly. Somehow up until now I had STILL only heard the excerpts used in The Exorcist. This is a wild ride, and totally rocks, except for maybe the weirdo Popeye the Sailor jam at the conclusion. I should've listened to Mr. Nouri over 30 years ago.

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

4/5

Love this stuff. Reminds me of high school, driving around with nothing but a radio tuned to the oldies station.

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

3/5

Not my typical preference for jazz. Not bad, but just not super interesting to me. Decent background music.

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

5/5

Love, love, LOVE, this album! Arguably my favorite of this era, which is saying something because it was a GREAT time for music. My dad introduced me to Booker T when I was very young and it will always remind me of watching The Blues Brothers with him. These guys basically become the Stax "house band" and backup MANY of the well know artists that came through that studio. Truly amazing album from a truly amazing group of musicians.

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

5/5

I don't know what I expected, but it wasn't this. I love it! Spacey, surreal, alien, and experimental instrumentals. Sci-fi/Horror movie soundtrack kinda vibe. Spent most of my life passing on this thinking it was adult contemporary yoga-mom stuff.

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

3/5

This album is kind of a slog. I've owned it for over 30 years and it's only been on my turntable a handful of times. It's got a few great songs, but just isn't consistent. Honestly is it EVER worth releasing a triple album? With the exception of the obviously plagiarized My Sweet Lord, Side 1 entirely feels like it had to have been an inspiration for the Brit-pop sound of the '90s (yeah, yeah, I know the Beatles basically are, but this goes beyond that). There is some great material there. Side 2 is where it starts to slide for me, as it adopts a more country feel to it and seems to slow down a bit. Let It Down stands out though, bringing back a little more of the first side sound. By Side 3 and 4 I'm starting to feel the burnout. Nothing here really stands out, and it's all starting to sound the same. Side 5 begins the Apple Jam (which continues through Side 6), and it's mostly good, solid guitar based jams... aside from It's Johnny's Birthday, which is awful. This could've easily been a GREAT album if it was just pared down more. I understand there are hours more of these sessions and what we got IS a pared down version, but seriously... it needs more.

Document

R.E.M.

5/5

The last great REM album! The writing is on the wall for what will come. It's better produced, less mumbly than previous albums, and songs like Exhuming McCarthy are starting to show some of that later pop sound they'll become popular for, but this is still a fantastic album showcasing all the reasons I originally fell in love with this band. Finest Working, The One I Love, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Oddfellows Local 151 all define what was great about "college rock" in the '80s. I may not love the trajectory they took once signing to WB, but the IRS years are undeniably one of my favorite runs of any band ever.

If I Should Fall From Grace With God

The Pogues

2/5

This is definitely not for me. Nope.

With The Beatles

Beatles

4/5

I've owned the US version of this (Meet The Beatles) for most of my life and it omits all the covers, which I now realize is a crime. Never even knew they covered Smokey and The Miracles! Early Beatles are far from my favorite Beatles, but this is still pretty outstanding considering the context of the time. Here are four Brits who LOVE American rock 'n' roll, but aren't content in simply going through the motions of playing it. The originals are all built upon it, but the pop melodies (and harmonies) are their own. Even the covers go beyond simply playing someone else's songs. Their own spin is in everything from the vocal treatment to the arrangements.

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

3/5

This is all over the place! Psychedelic at times, experimental at others. Includes a foray into soul. No idea what to expect next. You Need Your Head into Rock & Roll Pussy were the closest moments to really loving this release, but they alone were just not enough.

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

5/5

I know the hits, but never really did a deep dive into a full album. I expected to like a few tracks, but this is a BANGER front to back. Hard for me to throw around the term "perfect album" but this might just be that! "Lynyrd Skynyrd Smokes"

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

1/5

Super overrated blues. Borderline soulless. So many better artists if you want to hear this style played with actual heart.

Play

Moby

1/5

A few songs in and I was a little surprised that I didn't hate it. The blend of early soul/R&B samples over beats was a little weird but not totally off-putting as background music. But hIs spoken "vocals" over repetitious ambient beats really annoys me when that's going on. This is nothing I would reach for to listen to again, ever. The deeper I got, the more I just got bored with the predictably formulaic approach. The singular moment he mixes it up (machete) and gives me what I initially expected the whole album to be (frenetic dance club bullshit), I simply cannot stand it. Pure garbage. Once again I am mystified at how so many people regard this as an essential listen.

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

4/5

Wow... Not what I was expecting from the guy who recently left The Stooges and is regarded as a punk icon. Front half sort of answers the unasked question "What if Bowie wrote and produced a Devo album?" I like it, but it's obviously and entirely a Bowie album that Iggy just sings on.

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

2/5

Getting a lot of "my very first beats tape" vibes here. Not offensive, just totally disinteresting to me.

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

3/5

Musically this rips; psychedelic rock 'n' roll fused with soul and blues. I am, however in the minority, in that I really don't like Joplin's vocals. Honestly feel like it sounds like someone torturing a cat. She actually sounds more haggard on this recording than some of the later ones I've heard. Everything is at its best when the band is really jamming on something. I think because Janis's voice becomes the focus when they slow down and show some restraint. If this was an instrumental album it would be amazing.

Blunderbuss

Jack White

2/5

Starts off strong. I dig it when it's stripped down and rocks. Not as much when it gets slow and orchestrated. Lots of different style going on here, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Back half kind falls off for sure.

Ramones

5/5

Classic record. Untouchable in every way.

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

2/5

County fair bandstand background music. Not for me.

White Light

Gene Clark

2/5

This is exactly the type of folksy-Americana I can't stand. I respect the artistry and talent, but just find it totally unenjoyable.

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

3/5

Not something in my general wheelhouse of listening. That said, there was a lot here I liked. Had a wider variety of styles than I expected and everything was performed very well. Still not sure it’s something I’d turn to often.

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

1/5

This is god awful! It’s the musical equivalent of a basic college white girl. It’s ugg boots, leggings, and a puffy vest turned into music. I’m so pissed I’m listening to this

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

3/5

Usually not a fan, but this one resonated with me some. Still not anything I'd reach for to listen to often but seemed to go well beyond the folksy acoustic material I've come to expect from this duo.

Sticky Fingers

The Rolling Stones

4/5

No frills, straight forward rock and blues. Exactly what I expected from this era of the Stones.

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

2/5

Sounds like showtunes. Not my thing. Vocals and instrumentation is performed quite well though.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

I distinctly remember falling in love with Coldsweat from my early days of watching 120 Minutes on MTV but for some reason that never inspired me to buy and listen to the whole album. Blame my discovery of hardcore and my narrowing of tastes at that age I guess. Really nice post-punk here with an almost futuristic (for the time) approach to new wave. Björk's voice is as outstanding as it is unique here and it's no surprise that in a few years she will be propelled into being a successful solo artist.

Tommy

The Who

3/5

Man, this is a tough one. On the one hand, this album was something a very cool, guitar-playing uncle introduced me to when I was 6 or 7 years old. I spent YEARS listening to this, analyzing it, and thinking it was just the coolest thing ever. On the other hand, I've come away from it for even longer at this point in my life and it has somewhat lost its shine. I still know every song intimately, right down to knowing nearly every lyric. As an adult, listening to this currently, the subject matter just seems... off, especially after the light was shown on Pete Townsend's propensity toward child porn (yeah, I know it was "just research"). Ignoring that, I just find it to be very middle of the road; some great music on here, but a lot of campy/cringy filler too. It's simply does not live up to the status I assigned it as a pre-teen.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

3/5

I don't hate it, but I'm really not into it either. It's just too repetitive and "dancey" for lack of a better (real?) term. I think I just don't like beats unless someone is rhyming over them.

Chicago Transit Authority

Chicago

4/5

This rocks! Only thing keeping it from a 5 is the flagrant overuse of horns.

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

2/5

Opened up with a banger! Lost me with white guy reggae meets The Smiths on track 2 though. Rest of the album seems to ping pong between "Hey, this is sort of interesting" to "What the fuck is happening here?" Hard to get onboard with this.

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

4/5

Interesting to listen to something so lyrically based, that's in a language I do not understand at all. That being said, this is hip-hop that is right up my alley. Late '80s to early '90s is my sweet-spot for rap. Hip hop in this era was focused on the MC delivery, with the production being more sample, bass, and drum heavy. I find modern production too distracting; overshadowing the MC with too many changes and too much instrumentation. Solaar has a great voice and shows off multiple types of flow throughout. It sounds a little dated now, but for the era it was released, I think this was probably pretty groundbreaking.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

3/5

Not my favorite style of jazz. It's nice in a club atmosphere, but a little too smooth for my usually listening tastes. Still inarguably a great and talented performance by all.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

3/5

'50s country is so much more palatable than a lot of what will come later. Not something I will ever love, but this is pleasant and well-preformed. Reminds me more of hornless mariachi than what I think of as "country", but I also know the relationship between the two is pretty tight, so it makes sense.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

2/5

Thankfully a short album. I assume this is fine if you're into this sort of thing... I'm not.

Psychocandy

The Jesus And Mary Chain

3/5

Always wrote this band off as "goth I'm not interested in", but it's not bad. I love the completely obliterated guitar tone and its juxtaposition to the deep and clean bass lines. Not wild about the droney almost monotone vocals, but it works with the music I guess. I defiantly prefer the faster and noisier tracks like Inside Me, but on the whole this is a pretty good album.

Butterfly

Mariah Carey

1/5

Right out of the gate this is insipid pop industry garbage. Canned beats, fake instrumentation, and Mariah's signature melismatic singing style that she forces into every fucking song, just to hide the fact that she's actually NOT that talented. This is the epitome of everything I hate in music.

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

4/5

Opens up with an ass kicking! Nice blend of post-punk, garage, and Britpop going on here. Really seems to take the best from each and just rocks out with it.

Garbage

4/5

Fun trip back to the mid-'90s for me. This is a solid album with a few really outstanding tracks. Only downside was closing on what is arguably the weakest song of the album. Forgot how many of these got radio play when it was new!

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

1/5

Knew I would hate this before I made it to the 2 second mark. Dirt-mall bootleg Depeche Mode here, complete with a Dave Gahan impersonator for a singer. No, thank you.

Beautiful Freak

Eels

2/5

Opens up pretty nicely, Novocaine For The Soul hits all the classic tropes for '90s alt-rock nostalgia. Really slides downhill after that though and proceeds to just be really boring.

What's That Noise?

Coldcut

3/5

It's fun and upbeat. First track was very interesting; pop influence with a bit of a 70's soul or disco feel to it as well. As usual, when this becomes just beats I sort of lose interest. Not Paid Enough/Paid In Full being a perfect example of how great this stuff works with an MC.

The Velvet Underground

4/5

While I do enjoy their more experimental work, I love this album for it's straight-forward approach. Rock, blues, and ballads galore here with very little of the weirdo stuff they are more known for. Solid release.

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

4/5

Less familiar with this later '80s Prince. Still solid though. Lots of nods to '70s era soul. Did this gut have any misses?

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

4/5

I like this more than I expected to. Nice late UK punk sound with a poppy new wave influence. There's a few down-tempo Joy Division-esque tunes on here, but when it rocks is when it's really on.

A Walk Across The Rooftops

The Blue Nile

3/5

New wavey... First few tracks are reminiscent of U2 from around the same era. It devolves over the course of the LP into slower ambient tracks that remind me of the parts of Peter Gabriel's catalog that I do not like; mostly snoozers.

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

5/5

"...trick question, Lemmy IS God." Seriously though, if you don't like Motörhead, I don't like you!

25

Adele

4/5

Not even debatable that her voice is incredible. Possibly the most powerful in the game. Feels a little slower more introspective that 21, but not in a depressive way. Still enjoying her output here.

Live At Leeds

The Who

4/5

My interest in The Who has waned quite a bit over the years, but this is a kick-ass live recording. Even I can't hate on this. Every track is a classic banger. Entwistle's tone is off-the-charts fantastic.

Boston

4/5

I spent a large part of my life thinking I hated this... I don't know what I was thinking. Every track here is a banger! I don't think there's a song on here I don't know.

Unhalfbricking

Fairport Convention

4/5

Not a folk fan, but this has JUST enough psychedelic elements blended in to make it really interesting. I'm liking it a lot more than I expected to.

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

5/5

Was obsessed with this band as a kid, but this album was IMPOSSIBLE to find then, so I've never heard it before now. This is outrageously good, like a psychedelic and experimental version of the Kinks. Vastly different from the later, more well known output from Floyd. Makes me realize why so many people hold Syd Barrett in such high regard. This is a great album!

Odelay

Beck

3/5

It's not awful, and it has some very interesting parts and nice hooks here and there, but on the whole just isn't something that holds my attention. Certainly better than Sea Change, but I think I just don't like Beck.

James Brown Live At The Apollo

James Brown

5/5

Possibly the greatest live recording ever made! I could listen to this on repeat all day.

Pelican West

Haircut 100

2/5

As new wave goes, this is bottom shelf stuff. There is an orchestration to a lot of it that just doesn't seem to fit. Latin rhythms, lazy jazz, British sensibilities, and lots of horns. It's all a bit too much thrown into the blender. This just isn't for me.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

5/5

Another perfect album from Lemmy and the boys. This band is a litmus test that will determine if we're going to get along or not.

Phrenology

The Roots

4/5

Great hip hop here. Production style makes it feel a little older than it actually is, which is a good thing for my tastes. I sort of checked out of rap when the production became too far removed from simple beats, and samples. Even the R&B parts on this (that I generally hate and skip) are solid. Did NOT love the closing track however.

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

3/5

A band I've always heard a ton about, but never actually listened to. Pretty interesting. Definitely some hit and miss moments for me. I like the straight forward hip-hop parts. The addition of '70s style R&B vocals throughout is really the highlight that makes this stand out. Another album where the closing track straight-up stinks though. What's up with so many artists ending albums that way? Not sure this is something I'd ever replay.

Crosby, Stills & Nash

4/5

I always think I don’t like this trio (unless Neil is involved) but this is a great album. The hits are timeless classics that I’ve known since childhood. Even the deeper cuts are really interesting. I don’t always respond well to the three-part harmony on the vocals, but I have some respect for it. Hard to dislike this honestly

The Clash

5/5

Classic and untouchable. Perfect album.

Peggy Suicide

Julian Cope

2/5

Not into this. It had its moments musically, but not a lot of them, and the vocals were just terrible.

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

5/5

What’s better than a Talking Heads LP? A Talking Heads LP that’s inspired by Fela Kuti!

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

2/5

Not a lot here I like, though there are moments. Not a big fan of modern R&B or its production.

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

Solid release. Sounds more like Iggy than The Idiot did, but still undeniably has the Bowie signature all over it. Not a bad thing, but it's still not the Stooges.

Shaft

Isaac Hayes

5/5

This is a clinic on how to make a soul album. It's just one non-stop groove. One of few double albums that deserves the format.

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

Great feel-good listen. So wild to realize that Samba was a Brazilian secret until this duo "discovered" and introduced it to mainstream American audiences in 1962.

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

4/5

Angry femme-positive rock from the '90's you say? Yes please!

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

5/5

Only recently was able to appreciate this band and album. Honestly can’t get enough now. They deserve all the hype they get.

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

5/5

Absolutely STUNNING display of Jazz/Funk fusion. Incredible album straight through.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

4/5

Some REALLY solid tracks on this album; Sympathy For The Devil, Street Fighting Man, and Stray Cat Blues being standouts for me. I'm less enthusiastic about the more straight-forward blues numbers and the honky-tonk on here.

The Who Sell Out

The Who

2/5

Wow... I REALLY don't like this. The "concept" is annoying. The songs are mostly forgettable. A lot of it sounds like it's rehashed from older songs or rehearsal for future ones. Nope.

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

1/5

If I could eliminate any genre of music from existence, it would be whatever this bullshit is.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

1/5

God damn this is awful! Something about Billy Joel's music makes me want to commit violent crimes.

On The Beach

Neil Young

4/5

Great album! Neil being super introspective about his own "fame" and trying to escape it. Not outright sad or depressing, but certainly not upbeat either. Tunes are mostly slow, and lyrics are very emotionally powerful. Might not be my favorite album or era of his, but WELL worth keeping in rotation.

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

2/5

My WHOLE LIFE, people I respect as musicians have been trying to sell me on Frank Zappa's greatness. No matter how many time I try, I just can't. This was no exception. Much of the music IS great. I love the experimentation. But there is something about the goofy feel to the compositions overall that just turn me off. Frank's voice and delivery, the lyrical content... I just can't take any of it seriously and that makes me just not care enough to be invested in it.

Scream, Dracula, Scream

Rocket From The Crypt

5/5

Hell yeah! The epitome of '90s post-punk rock 'n' roll! And I mean that as a compliment. Fell in LOVE with this band with the release of Circa Now, and this was such a great follow up. This band gives some of the best live performances I've ever witnessed and this album really captures the power and energy those live sets deliver.

evermore

Taylor Swift

2/5

Dry white toast

More Songs About Buildings And Food

Talking Heads

5/5

Love this album. Somehow defines and also transcends new wave. This is a band just starting to understand their own potential and greatness.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

3/5

Don’t hate it, but it doesn’t do anything for me at all. Often sounds too close to the Grateful Dead for me to enjoy much.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

1/5

Awful. There’s absolutely ZERO reason I, or anyone else, needs to hear this before they die.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

4/5

If o have to listen to Christmas music that’s not being performed by James Brown or Booker T, then this is it. I do love the girl groups of the sixties despite Phil Spector’s hand in their success.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

4/5

Solid ‘60s psych. I can dig it.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

2/5

Let's just get the obligatory 'Fuck Morrissey' out of the way up front with this one. I mean seriously, this dude is a GIANT piece of shit. Hate his voice, hate his lyrics. Music/instrumentation/production here is probably the best I've heard from them, though still laced with the typical sad jangly bullshit The Smiths are known for. Without vocals, it wouldn't be offensive, but still nothing special. This whole band's position in the history of music is extremely overblown.

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

5/5

“You become so Pat as my style increases What's that in your pants? Ahh, human feces! Throw your shitty drawers in the hamper Next time, come strapped with a fuckin' Pamper” God damn legend of an album and deserves to be

Hot Shots II

The Beta Band

3/5

Very weird mix of sounds that can't really be pinned down to being part of any genre. Some trip-hop vibes here and there, some R&B influence throughout, but not wholly either of those things. Vocal delivery, is soft, melodic, and echoey; really pushes this almost into ambient territory. Overall production just sounds "'90s" for lack of a better descriptor. Outside of keeping my head nodding, I'm not sure it really does much for me. I do think it's something that might grow on me with repeated listens though.

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

5/5

Epitome of '70s soul. This is a perfect album.

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

3/5

Love the more rock-oriented tracks. Love Neil's vocals. This is hot and cold for me though, with enough folk mixed in to keep me from really loving it as a whole.

In Utero

Nirvana

4/5

It's taken me a long time to admit it, but this is a great album. The success of Nevermind pushed me away from Nirvana pretty quickly and despite knowing the radio hits from this album I never really spent time listening to it as a whole. I totally get why people regard it so highly now.

If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears

The Mamas & The Papas

4/5

Solid album full of hits I remember from the "oldies" station as a kid. Nostalgia aside, this is still a great album.

Funeral

Arcade Fire

2/5

SNOOZE FEST! It's not as bad as their second album, but that's not saying much. Nothing here I respond to on any level.

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

3/5

I only remember this band from Don't Bring me Down, and the giant UFO stage show photos that awed every kid in 1979. WAY more Beatles-esque than I remember. Sounds like a lot of Bowie influence in there too. Overall, I don't dislike it, but the whole "let's add orchestral instruments to rock" just doesn't get me going.

2/5

Basic bluesy rock that never really gets cooking. And that’s when it’s at its best. Experimental parts just aren’t good. Vocals and lyrics really kill this for me.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

1/5

Wow... This stinks. It's almost completely lacking the ONLY thing these guys ever (even remotely) did well, sophomoric punk influenced funk. The few times it shows up, it's a neutered version of its former self. This is a record FULL of the pretentious songs I hated most on their previous albums. Musically this is a guy in clown make-up screaming to be taken seriously. Fuck this trash.

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

4/5

This is a pretty great album. I've always really liked Nick's voice. I don't think I've ever heard his work with a backing band before. Very impressive how even with a full band they can maintain that very intimate feeling that Drake is known for with his solo acoustic work. Music is all very laid-back but never gets boring for some reason. Definitely the type of stuff I generally do not respond to, but something here is different, really pulls in a listener.

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

2/5

Honestly I like her voice, but I just can't stand Americana. The intricate storytelling is annoying. I'll read a book if I'm looking for exposition. There are way too many christian references for my comfort level. It has its moments of beauty and melody, but more often than not bounces between boring and feeling like it's pandering to a specific demographic that I'm not part of. There are a few instances where it seems to break out of the Americana mold (hearing some trip-hop inspired drum production), but they are too few and still not super interesting to me.

I Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight

Richard Thompson

2/5

Acoustic-focused music is just not my thing at all. This sounds so maudlin to me. I can't even seem to enjoy it as background music.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

3/5

Love the Cure's first album, but after that it's really hit or miss. I don't dislike this, it just doesn't really do much for me. Wouldn't turn it off or leave the room if someone else put it on, but I'd never choose it myself.

Kid A

Radiohead

1/5

Right out of the gate this is AWFUL! Bullshit kid's Casio keyboard tones with whiney androgynous vocals. There is minimal improvement as this progresses, but the vocals will 100% destroy my enjoyment of this every time. The jump from style to style is abrupt and jarring. It seems senseless, sometimes happening mid-song. The whole thing just feels SO pretentious, like Thom is under the impression he's writing another Abby Road. Probably doesn't need to be said, but he didn't.

Tidal

Fiona Apple

4/5

I liked this. Not usually a piano-focused music guy, but this has some very interesting songwriting/structure and beautiful vocals. This would certainly a be mood-inspired relisten, but I could see it happening.

OK Computer

Radiohead

2/5

Didn't find this QUITE as annoying as other Radiohead albums I've listened to. I even found a few interesting moments here and there. That being said, it's still boring and pretentious.

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

2/5

This goes a little too hard in the pop realm for me to love. Honestly, it gets more irritating the I longer it goes on, and this is a LONG album. There are a lot of moments when it starts to "rock", but there is still some weird polish on it that makes it feel toothless and safe. Great performance, both technically and musically, but aside from a few moments here-and-there (Little Red Lights, solos on Slut) I just couldn't get into it.

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

3/5

I really liked the first (and last) track. Serious headphone jam with the vibrato emulating channel panning on the keys. I really enjoy this musically, especially the more upbeat jams. But too often it slows down, and there I find the vocals a little over the top. The blues tune goes hard though, loved that track.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

4/5

Great album. It's no Fela Kuti, but few are. This is solid jazz with a healthy injection of afrobeat. Really fun to listen to and never gets stale.

So

Peter Gabriel

4/5

A really interesting turn here for Gabriel, fusing the artsy almost avant-garde work he previously did with the contemporary commercial pop sound of the time. This album made him a household name and an MTV superstar. Not my favorite album he's made, but still a great listen. I respond most to the tracks that could've fit on his older album though; Red Rain, We Do What We're Told, and In Your Eyes. Bonus points for featuring Stewart Copeland on drums for Big Time, and (LOL!) "hi-hat" for Red Rain.

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

3/5

Not a Beach Boys fan, but this one at least is more interesting than the older stuff. Big Phil Spector sound on a lot of this. Not EVERY song revolves around girls, beaches, and cars at this point. Saccharine harmonies are still there though.

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

4/5

Straight up blues record. I dig it. Hilarious that the background is them holed up in France, evading taxes and the album becomes this personal anthem to their own outlaw status. Also fascinating that this mostly grows out of hours-long jam sessions, many with other musicians sitting in too.

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

5/5

LOVE this! I don't know why I always heard the name Pere Ubu and thought they were a crappy Pet Shop Boys clone. This album has a great post-punk sound with a LOT of artsy experimentation. Really fun first listen, that inspires replaying for sure.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

5/5

BANGIN' southern rock/blues album here. Only one slow-burner I could skip.

The World is a Ghetto

War

5/5

Perfect album. Great sound, great message, great performances. I just love '70s funk/soul. Could listen to this all day.

Caetano Veloso

4/5

Lots of interesting things going on here. A lot of Spanish guitar and vocal throughout, but it really gets interesting for me when he works in a little psych here and there. Digging the organ work on a lot of this too. I had to go through this one twice to really get the feel for it. It was a little disjointed in its attempt to fuse multiple styles but in this context I liked that. Felt like I was along for the ride as the artist went through a discovery process. Veloso is basically defining the Tropicália sound here.

Junkyard

The Birthday Party

3/5

Better than Cave's solo efforts IMO. Some interesting stuff here. Seems like it might have inspired some of my favorite noise acts, but I still can't really get into it. Something about it just seems very contrived; staged and theatrical. I can't get over that.

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

3/5

Solid album. Well played jazz. Not my favorite in the genre. It's pretty laid back. I want to call it background music for a fancy cafe, but that's insulting and dismissive. I guess nothing really sticks out to me and that's why I feel that.

American Idiot

Green Day

2/5

OK, I'll admit I don't know much of anything from Green Day since they left Lookout records and were a cheap rip off of Ramones and Cheap Trick. This... is... rough. It's wildly overproduced milksop powerpop. While it has its moments, it's for the most part forgettable. I don't feel enough to say I hate it, but I would NEVER think to ever put this on to listen to.

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

Classic album by a great band that is outgrowing its punk roots and experimenting quite a bit. Most of it works. I miss the stripped-down garage style sound they started with, but this still maintains that same energy, just focuses it on expanding their horizons. In fact, even more so on this album than previous, the band seems to be writing songs that (intentional or not) are anthems. Very powerful stuff here.

Moby Grape

5/5

Never heard of this band or release, and it straight up ROCKS! Perfect late '60s fuzzed out rock with seam jazz sensibilities and lots of vocal harmonies. Not a bad song on here.

Take Me Apart

Kelela

3/5

Really nice vocals here. Production is well done too. Just not anything I'm interested in listening to.

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

2/5

For the amount of love I have for Tainted Love, it was pretty disappointing to find the rest of this album to be mostly mindless '80s dance club jams. Really happy I did not listen to the whole 30+ Deluxe edition.

Violent Femmes

5/5

Here's an album I've known since I was 14, and was inarguably one of the gateway albums to my love of punk. Blister In The Sun, Kiss Off, and Add It Up remain timeless classics. How these songs still sound so aggressive, played on acoustic bass, a cocktail drum kit, and a guitar with virtually no fuzz is still a mystery to me. Proof positive that early punk was an attitude more so than a sound.

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

Another band I've heard of but never listened to. Not what I expected. Dreamy, shoegazey layers with captivating vocals riding on top. I like this more than I expected I would.

New Forms

Roni Size

2/5

I've got a known track record here for hating on UK electronica/beats/whateverthisis. This didn't convince me otherwise. Frenetic beats over monotonous bass lines with some bleeps, bloops, and samples thrown in. I don't think I do the right kind of drugs to appreciate this. The occasional vocal elevates this to "barely listenable."

Machine Head

Deep Purple

5/5

This album has a lot of hype behind it... and it deserves every bit of it. This fuckin' rocks! Space Truckin' alone earns it 5 stars.

Untitled (Black Is)

SAULT

3/5

I love that this conceptually revolves around social consciousness. Beats and production are really good. R&B portions are a little too modern for my tastes. Afrobeat influence is present, but not nearly prevalent enough. Vocals, despite being well performed, just never seem to catch my attention. Maybe it's because the vocal is often just a repeated chorus, often a single word or line. There is a message there, but it's lost in monotony. It's better than most of what I've heard released in the last 5 or so years, but still just not something that really hits me in a way that makes me want to listen to it again.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

3/5

The Zeppelin album I feel like I (we all) know the best. It's got some bangers for sure, but most of those I overplayed before my 12th birthday and now it's hard to focus without them just turning into background noise. Anyways, more solid blues based arena rock here. I know this was groundbreaking for the era it was made but it's hard not to let the effects of history diminish my interest in this band's catalog.

Stankonia

OutKast

3/5

I like my hip-hop stripped down and this is just too busy. Great moments here and there, but the production pushes me away.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

5/5

Damn! As someone who knows VERY LITTLE about music made in the last 10 years, this was completely off my radar. Really great stuff here. Obvious '70s Soul influence at work here, but that's just where it starts. Some psychedelic rock. I hear, brit-pop hooks buried deep in there too. That being said, it never feels like a Frankenstein's monster. There is a natural feeling of cohesion to it, especially in the vocal delivery and clarity. Even the orchestrated sections retain a feeling of intimacy only the vocals can deliver.

Suicide

2/5

Nope. Points for experimental originality I guess, but this just isn't doing anything for me. Sounds like arthouse keyboard karaoke night.

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

I know Billy Corgan is a total piece of shit, but this album is FUCKING KILLER. It sounds huge! Production is so perfect; giving room for all the instruments to be heard clearly, but still creating this massive wall of noise as they come together. Drags a little in the back half, but god damn does this album rock.

Achtung Baby

U2

1/5

I've always liked their early work, but it seemed to fall off around Joshua Tree. This opens up sounding a little bit like The Cars. Was not expecting that. But by the halfway point, that is honestly the most positive thing I have to say about it, and the back half sure doesn't redeem it. Most of this a complete bore. Basically sounding like audio drivel, tailor-made to be commodified. Not shocking at all it would only be a short time before they were shilling for major corporations.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

5/5

The original architects of funk/rock fusion, and it's never been done better. George Clinton was a genius.

Zombie

Fela Kuti

5/5

Fela Kuti is like Miles Davis. I see I have an album by either and I know before I listen that it's a 5/5 (I still listen for confirmation and enjoyment).

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

4/5

Pretty solid mix of punk with blues and rockabilly. Opens up with a total banger to grab your attention before it shows off its weirder moments. That's how you do it! I dig this.

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

2/5

I've really enjoyed all of the African music this list has put in front of me. This... not so much. Soukous sounds a lot like Soca to my ears and I'm just not fond of it. Koffi has an undeniably strong voice, but I just can't get into the jerky rhythms and pop production overall.

Different Class

Pulp

3/5

This gives me more Cure vibes than Britpop. Most likely the whiny vocals and prolific use of keyboards (both things I'm to a huge fan of).

Dookie

Green Day

2/5

Oh great... over-produced, major-label pop punk. If you're over 18 and still listen to this, you're undeniably a pedophile. Giving it 2 stars because at least it's still better than the absolute crap they put out after this.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

A little more pop influence than previous albums but there are some great songs here none the less. Very solid album.

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

5/5

This fucking ROCKS!

Talking With the Taxman About Poetry

Billy Bragg

2/5

I just don't enjoy folksy singer/songwriter shit. Nothing wrong or offensive with this, it just doesn't speak to me at all. Most of this feels like it's designed to be a drunken crowd singalong in a pub. Nope!

Dummy

Portishead

3/5

Rare instance of something that certainly does not rock, but I still find myself enjoying it. A lot of it reminds me of early Björk. If someone described this to me without me hearing it, I'd be convinced the vocals and music could never work together, but somehow, when you're listening, they do.

Fear Of A Black Planet

Public Enemy

5/5

PE is inarguably my favorite all time hip-hop group, and Fear Of A Black Planet is probably my favorite album they made. It represents the absolute culmination of the Bomb Squad, perfecting their unique approach to production. Hundreds of layered samples creating a cacophonous wall of noise that some consider unlistenable, but hits ALL of my brain's pleasure centers. This is an audio assault. All of that, paired with Chuck's revolutionary lyrics and aggressive delivery and this album just oozes power you can feel as well as hear. Fight the fucking power!

Moon Safari

Air

3/5

Not my usual thing, but it's not bad. Very light for lack of a better term. Hard for me to really get into, but provides a nice tranquil background vibe.

Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear

1/5

Big snooze-fest here. Who is this music made for? It just feels so vapid. I recently read an article about the dumbing down of music and this album really feels like a perfect reference for that.

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

3/5

Not a huge fan of the crooners. I respect the talent I suppose, but it does nothing for me. OK as background music.

Fever To Tell

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2/5

Well... it's better than most of what Ive heard that'a labeled "indie" from the 2000s. Lyrically (when I paid attention to them) this seems to completely lack any substance at all, but maybe I just don't "get it". Musically, this is pretty low-tier garage/grunge style rock, lacking any real hook. All-in-all this sounded like people specifically trying to create "safe punk" to me. What's the fucking point?

My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy

Kanye West

1/5

Fuck Kanye. Tried to give this an honest go and it's boring at best. I hate modern production and this is no different. Flow and rhymes are entirely amateurish outside of a few moments from guests. This has to be one of if not THE MOST overrated artist/producer in the history of music.

Be

Common

2/5

Meh... It's not terrible. Flow and rhymes are solid. Not a fan of the production, but that's typical for me and modern hip-hop. Nothing really outstanding here though. Nothing makes me want to listen to it ever again.

Sunshine Hit Me

The Bees

2/5

I'm basically starting to cringe anytime I see my latest album is from the 2000s. Was this legit the worst era of music ever? At its best moments, this sounds like a children's record. I respect wanting to blend multiple styles and find your own voice as a band/project, but this is another instance where all that attempted innovation just waters everything down. Nothing here is memorable. Nothing here makes me go "wow!" when I hear it. Nothing makes me want to delve deeper into their catalog, or re-listen to this release. It's not offensive, it's just... there, like a backdrop you completely ignore. It has no emotional impact whatsoever.

Woodface

Crowded House

2/5

I remember sort of liking the '80s hits I'd heard from this band, but I didn't know anything past that. Still pretty solid pop rock at first. It's not something I expected to enjoy, but I was. Then it just FELL OFF with All I Ask and never found its way back. The whole back half was just terrible. It was like a different band.

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

4/5

I worked at a natural food store in college where this album was about all that I and the hippies I worked with could agree on musically. I heard it A LOT that year. Then the store closed. I still like this album though.

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

5/5

Starting to wonder if this band ever put out a miss. Overlooked them for years and have really kicking myself for it. Here's another solid release, jam-packed with creativity. They're constantly experimenting, but can still write hooks that never make the weirdo shit feel off-putting; all the while still undeniably rocking. This one in particular feels like a perfect waypoint between More Songs and Remain In Light.

Daydream Nation

Sonic Youth

5/5

Love this band, and this is easily one of their best albums. Their droning wall-of-noise sound is something you feel as much as hear. The compositions evolve as they progress, building on simplicity and repetition, and ultimately exploding with chaotic energy. Years of previous experimentation results in full understanding here.

Abbey Road

Beatles

4/5

Some great songs on here, but it's really a mix of stuff that almost seems to not come together (pun intended). Pretty clear this is a band with each individual doing their own thing at this point. I have to agree with John's thoughts on the closing medley no matter how much I like (most of) it. It really just feels like a bunch of unfinished songs forced together. This album is still a good listen but not their best by far.

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

Really nice interpretations here, reworking classic country twang into the jazz and R&B numbers. Ray Charles was a musical genius.

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

5/5

The only thing better than a BB King album is a live BB King album. I just wish it was twice as long.

At Newport 1960

Muddy Waters

5/5

Classic, real-deal American blues from one of the absolute greats.

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

3/5

Not my usual listen for sure, but not bad. Never been a big Bollywood soundtrack guy, though I’ve met some die hard fans.

Led Zeppelin II

Led Zeppelin

4/5

Solid Zep. Probably my second favorite grind them. Some great and classic tunes on here.

Electric

The Cult

4/5

Actually liked this more than I expected to. Used to clown on these guys for being cheese metal, but this is really just a heavy rock/blues style. Apparently that has really grown on me as I get older. Vocalist is especially great, and is one of those voices you know instantly when you hear it.

Horses

Patti Smith

2/5

I remember checking this out early in life when I had first learned about and was craving anything associated with punk... This did NOT do it for me then. After another listen 35 years later, my feelings have not changed in the slightest.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

5/5

GREAT album. Maybe a perfect one. When it rocks it REALLY rocks. Even when it slows down and introduces a country twang it's still great. Love Petty's whole career, but this debut is probably the greatest.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

5/5

One of the last great AC/DC albums. All killer, no filler.

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

5/5

I consider myself a Neil Young fan, but this is an album I had no experience with. God DAMN is it a banger. Classic Neil with Crazy Horse sound.

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

Presently surprised as I expected an 80s pop album. The throw back r&b was abundant here, but often felt out of place, or disingenuous. Didn’t hate it, sure didn’t love it.

Harvest

Neil Young

5/5

Not my favorite Neil Young album but it's up there. Do I love the heavier rock with Crazy Horse more, yeah, but this is iconic Neil right here doing what he does best.

Parklife

Blur

4/5

Hmmm, defintly taking A LOT from the Village Green era of The Kinks here. It's fun and catchy, but also weird... very weird at times. They don't just sit on the approachable brit pop sound and capitalize off of it like they could, they innovate on it. We could probably argue all day about how it lands. Some of it leaves me scratching my head, but a lot of it is solid. Overall a pretty enjoyable release.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

5/5

Top 3 Maiden records for me. This is non-stop bangers from start to finish. Band is in its absolute prime here!

Medúlla

Björk

2/5

This is pretty rough. I respect the unique idea and experimentation, but this just falls flat for me. It comes off as a total novelty.

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

5/5

Had to listen to this 4 times before I felt (mostly) ready to give it a rating. I don't think I've ever had this kind of reaction to an album before and I view that as a very positive thing. Sometimes it's dancey proto-acid house, sometimes it's got big-band vibes, other times free jazz, then it just decides to go full exotica. This is the kind of album I'll think about when I can't sleep, pondering it like an unsolvable riddle. I'm not SURE I love it. but it deserves 5 stars just for how long its made me consider things.

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

Not my favorite Marley and the Wailers material by far, but it does contain a lot of very well known and "Classic" tunes. Hard for me to separate this from the rich. white, pseudo-hippies I went to high school and college with, but it undeniably is some really strong roots reggae.

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

4/5

One of those bands I tend to think of as too folksy for my tastes, but honestly this album was really great. Classic tunes.

OK

Talvin Singh

4/5

Liking a lot of this. The tabla and flute work is fantastic, and fusing it all with drum-machine dance beats and bass drops is kinda wild. Not sure this will become something I listen to often, but I really dig how different it sounds.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

2/5

This album was inescapable when I was 10 years old, and honestly I would have been fine NEVER hearing anything from it again, but here we are. I am not a Springsteen fan. I hate his voice. I hate his story-telling style of lyric writing. I hate how much he wishes he was Bob Dylan (who I also hate). But mostly, and specific to this album, I HATE that the average American flag waving douche-bag still regards Born In The U.S.A. as a fist-pumping patriotic anthem. Cover Me is probably the closest I've ever come to enjoying a Springsteen song though, so points for that I guess.

Paris 1919

John Cale

3/5

Hmm, not at all what I expected from John Cale. Very approachable, dare I say, poppy melody here... That being said, it lacks a certain something. Seems kind of dispassionate. Well performed, just not having much that draws me in and makes me want to listen to it more.

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

1/5

Man, this shit really sucks.

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

4/5

Personal bias has stopped me from listening to this band most of my life. Had a girlfriend in early college who listened to nothing but The Dead and The Allman Brothers. At the time I was firmly entrenched in hardcore punk and was simply unable to give them a chance. Honestly, this is a solid blues album. I understand why they get lumped in with The Dead, but I find this WAY more interesting than anything I've heard from the aforementioned.

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

2/5

If there is ONE THING my old hippie friends all insisted on when they learned I hated The Dead, it was "You have to hear their LIVE recordings!" Well, turns out they were mostly right. While it certainly didn't make me a fan, this is probably the most interesting recording of theirs that I've heard. Still not my thing, and I'm OK with that.

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

3/5

Wasn't really my thing, but had its moments. I don't like as much as earlier material, but it's not something I'd hate on.

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

4/5

Another one I enjoyed more I expected to. Interesting fusion of styles. The vibraphone is on almost every track and used in ways I’ve never heard before. Definitely inspires a relisten.

The Band

2/5

Twangy roots apparently isn't my thing. Thought I'd like this but too often it just reminded me of the Grateful Dead.

Amnesiac

Radiohead

2/5

Not as awful as Kid A That shit was so pompous in the most masterbatory way. Right off the bat, this is better, almost tolerable (well, in the front half at least). That said, it's still over-the-top whiney pretension, and I'd never want to hear it again if given the choice.

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

3/5

Good background music. Keeps my head bopping to the rhythm, but as usual with this type of music, I get bored fast. Really feels empty without an MC with good flow, rhyming over the top.

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

5/5

LOVE this band. Great upbeat and funky soul here. Impossible not to move when you hear this.

Let's Get Killed

David Holmes

2/5

REALLY starting to wonder about this list. There seems to be so much throwaway electronic dance music from the UK on here. There is nothing timeless or special about any of it. This is a perfect example here. It's not terrible, but it's just boring. It's background music for when you don't want to be distracted by anything challenging. Impossible to get excited about any of it because it's like window dressing. The more of this I hear the more I hate the entire style. For fuck's sake, please team up with someone who can write rhymes and has some flow and just be a hip-hop project instead of this monotonous drivel.

Paul Simon

2/5

In general, I really can't stand the "storyteller with an acoustic guitar" genre. Paul Simon is no exception. Bores me to tears. Opening up with the whitest reggae imaginable at least gave me a good laugh. One point because Julio is a damn good song... album could've just been a single.

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

4/5

Perfect example of an outlier for me. As I have mentioned many times before, I really do not care for most singer/songwriter, storyteller with an acoustic guitar type of music. But this is great. Drake's voice is instantly recognizable and sounds perfect with the subdued almost classical-style guitar work. I worked a job in the mid-'90s where this album played DAILY, and I still really enjoy it.

Searching For The Young Soul Rebels

Dexys Midnight Runners

5/5

Opens up with a banger! So immediately it's not at all what I expected from a band whose only song I know is Come On Eileen. This is solid post-punk with a soul influence. The horns give off a ska feel even without always following the off-beat. Not going to lie, I REALLY don't miss the banjo and fiddle I was expecting to have to endure. I don't know what happened to this band between here and there, but it's damn shame because this whole album rocks!

High Violet

The National

1/5

My first thought hearing almost any 2000's indie is "People really listen to this by choice?" Total snooze fest. Shit vocals. This music for people who don't listen to music. God damn I hate this garbage.

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

2/5

Not as bad as Eminem, but this whole era of hip-hop does very little for me. Beats and production tries really hard to elevate itself above that from the 80s and 90s. I understand wanting to innovate, but it often falls flat. Simplicity is key. Rhymes are unrelatable being mostly tough-guy fantasies, glorifying violence and misogyny. I'd rather listen to Public Enemy or BDP for the millionth time over ever hearing this again.

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

5/5

Exactly what you'd expect from the funk/rock fusion masters. I don't know it as well as the older stuff but it doesn't stray very far. These are exceptional musicians just getting weird with it. How can you not love it? "Fried ice cream IS a reality!"

1984

Van Halen

4/5

One of the defining albums of my childhood. Jump has not aged well for me, I’d like to blame the synth but I’ll Wait still rocks, so who knows. Not my favorite VH album, but Hot For Teacher alone means this one’s a banger.

Diamond Life

Sade

3/5

Nothing offensive here, just not a lot that really got me going. Standout for me is Why Can't We Live Together, which has a great groove. Hell of a way to end an album.

All Directions

The Temptations

5/5

Yo, '70s funk Temptations is THE SHIT! Run Charlie Run is as topical today as it was in '72. Papa Was a Rollin' Stone literally sends chills up my spine when I listen to it. Possibly one of the greatest songs ever performed for so many reasons. Wild to learn that it was the label that pushed the socially conscious vibe. The group was opposed to it, and hoped it would flop so they could get back to singing ballads. Regardless, this is such a strong album that truly deserves to be here.

Moss Side Story

Barry Adamson

5/5

Love this shit. It's all over the place in sound but absolutely plays out like a movie score. Easy to dismiss as background music as it's mostly instrumental, but there is so much going on that it can steal your focus very quickly. This is the experimental music I've been missing.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

2/5

I hate this but I'll give it a 2 because it's at least a slight improvement over the other trash of his I've heard from this list.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

4/5

A bunch of jazzy early numbers from the Genius. Solid tunes. Nothing really challenging for the era they were released, but inarguably great performances all.

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

2/5

Hate Dylan's vocals. Never understood the appeal. This is a modicum better than some of his more acoustic folksy albums but still nothing I ever want to listen to again if I can avoid it.

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

1/5

How in the actual fuck is this essential listening? The wikipedia article couldn't even find more than two sentences to say about it. This is music made for high school theater kids. They will outgrow it in under a year and be embarrassed they ever listened to it too. God damn this is absolute crap.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

5/5

God damn this is a great album!

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

2/5

So, this doesn't suck as badly as the other Dan albums this list has strong-armed me into listening to. That doesn't say too much though. Sure it's more straight forward, missing some of the experimental bullshit they'll attempt later, but it's so god-awful milquetoast. Soft, safe, "rock"; why bother?

Smash

The Offspring

2/5

'90s radio-rock with lots of whoa-oh-ohs. The soundtrack to so-cal bros becoming "punk". Musically, it could be a lot worse I suppose, but it's just so corny.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

Another Bob Marley album that might as well be a greatest hits collection. Solid roots reggae here.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

1/5

Ugh... At first I just found this to be pretty forgettable pop-rock. Not truly offensive, but very by-the-numbers and safe. Got to about the third track before I started to find it super irritating. A barrage of stolen pop-hooks with no substance. Completely insipid. This sucks.

Smile

Brian Wilson

1/5

Without trying to disrespect the recently dead, this is not my thing. Literally sounds like circus music to me. Even as a single album I'd dislike this. As a double it is infuriating, and I HATE it.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

5/5

The last great Metallica album and a masterclass in thrash. It's a shame Lars sucks and insisted the bass basically be removed from the mix. Fuck that guy. My favorite story about this recording (whether true or not) is the engineer having to literally cut and splice the tapes hundreds of times to make it seem like Lars could actually play One in time. Despite all this, I still love it.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

5/5

Greatest hip-hop album ever recorded. No further elaboration needed.

Actually

Pet Shop Boys

2/5

I've been making fun of What Have I Done To Deserve This for decades without Evan knowing it was the Pet Shop Boys. Apologies to my queer pals, but this is the sweet spot of '80s pop/dance music that I simply cannot stand listening to.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

4/5

I dig this. It's a nice departure from my standard listening. So easy to get lost in the consideration of the rhythms and melodies not normally present in western music. Love the tabla work throughout.

I Against I

Bad Brains

4/5

Not my favorite Brains album, but the front half rips! Lots of experimentation on that back half tough. Not all of it hits (looking at you She's Calling You). When they're on, they're ON, and the production here is slick but heavy.

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

Standouts for mw are Lively Up Yourself (old-school Wailers ska feel), and Rebel Music. The rest of the album just sort of blends together into a roots medley for me.

Fleet Foxes

2/5

Talented musicians playing music that will never interest me.

Like Water For Chocolate

Common

2/5

Better than the later Kanye produced album I've heard. It has its moments where it's on for sure. Unfortunately lots of filler though, and it really makes it drag a lot of the time. Could have easily made this a shorter and more powerful album.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

1/5

Musical drivel.

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

3/5

Nice laid-back vibes here, but nothing really exciting about any of it.

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

5/5

This album is the literal sweet-spot for the type of soul I love. Nearly every song is a classic and even the few that aren't are still bangers. Aretha truly is Lady Soul.

Imagine

John Lennon

2/5

Snoozer. Really makes it evident how much he needed the other Beatles.

Quiet Life

Japan

3/5

Sounds A LOT like Duran Duran to me. Not really my type of "new wave". Is it just name or was Despair totally ripped off for the Westworld TV theme?

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

3/5

It's no Ironman. Has it's great moments (Clipse of Doom, Dogs of War, and Three Bricks are certainly standouts) but for the most part it fails to really impress. Another victim of quantity over quality.

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

1/5

Complete crap! 45 minutes of the same boring dirge with shitty whisper-singing over the top. This was absolute torture to sit through.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

5/5

Phenomenal! The Duke was my entry point into jazz as a teenager and I still have a great deal of love and respect for his music. Willingly (and happily) listened to the 2+ hour complete version of this album.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

4/5

Wow... I'm NOT a Beach Boys fan but this sounds nothing like a Beach Boys album (until the final track Surf's Up). A ton of psych influence, overt social and environmental lyrics, more diverse and experimental sound. All fused with the solid studio magic perfected on Pet Sounds. I don't love it all but it was a very pleasant surprise.

The United States Of America

4/5

Wild psychedelia with... checks notes... a calliope! Some slide-whistle shows up here and there too. I don't know what the fuck this is but I'm not hating on it.

A Little Deeper

Ms. Dynamite

3/5

Better than a lot of modern R&B I've heard. Still not something I'd reach for to listen to but wouldn't turn it off or leave the room if someone else put it on.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

5/5

The production on this was straight up groundbreaking when this was released. Dre's G-Funk style was developing with NWA but it's perfected here. This album (re)defined left coast hip-hop for the '90s and still holds up as a great listen.

My Generation

The Who

5/5

I loved the Who growing up but a lot of their material just hasn't aged well to my ears. This early stuff however, is great! Garage sensibilities and power, a couple James Brown covers sprinkled in, fuck yeah!

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

3/5

Enjoyed this more than I expected to. I don't normally go in for folk. Joni has a beautiful voice though, and the songs here all have a private and intimate feel to them (for lack of better terms).

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

2/5

Better than most of the early "classics" that people are astonished I don't like. I dig the heavy use of the blues here, especially when the the keys are featured. Overall it feels lazy though. Blues riffs are very basic and sterile. The songs all blend together into background music aside from a few. Still nothing I'm likely to ever listen to again.

Scott 4

Scott Walker

2/5

Reminds me a lot of Leonard Cohen... I don't like Leonard Cohen.

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

1/5

If you're substituting a V for a U in your band name, you better damn well be playing black metal. Awful, danceable, pop garbage. Fuck this.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Good album with some GREAT tracks. Not perfect... which I expected based on other albums Stevie put out in this era.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

4/5

Fats was one of my father's absolute favorites so I've had a lifetime of exposure to his music. This is classic proto-rock 'n' roll. It's not just simple blues, it's become something more, and arguably this is where it all started.

American Pie

Don McLean

1/5

I've hated the title track of this album most of my life. Was not looking forward to listening to a whole album, but I did, and I was right. Nothing against Don or his fans, I just hate this type of music. Shoutout to a few small parts of The Grave for being almost listenable.

Black Sabbath

5/5

My favorite Sabbath album, and arguably my favorite album ever made. Nothing like this existed before and it influenced over 50 years of music. This is a perfect album start to finish.

Go Girl Crazy

The Dictators

5/5

Great proto-punk here. Didn't appreciate it when I was younger, taking the lyrics way too seriously. This is a ripper, full of garage-style punk rock with tongue-in-cheek humor.

Young Americans

David Bowie

4/5

Wow! Funk/Soul/Disco Bowie?!? I'm here for it.

The Cars

5/5

Incredible album. Arguably defined how the early '80s would sound. Just What I Needed is one of the first songs I can remember falling in love with as a four year old, riding around with my dad in his van. Hits stacked on top of hits. I cannot express how much I love this album.

Liquid Swords

GZA

5/5

Without a doubt my favorite Wu solo album. A clinic in perfect '90s hip-hop production. It's stripped down and grimy, like old film, pushed for contrast. Rhymes are mixed with the obvious intention of complimenting that rather than overpowering it. This album truly creates a mood (again cinematic) most hip-hop never even considers. Bonus points for the Shogun Assassin samples. Father U Cee King the police!

S&M

Metallica

1/5

A terrible and gimmicky attempt to appear relevant at a time when this band had become a hollowed out shell of what it once was.

The Grand Tour

George Jones

2/5

George has got a nice voice and the instrumentation here is performed really well (some very cool pedal steel). I just can't get into this whiney "woe is me" style of country. Sorry your dog died, your wife left you, and your truck won't start.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

1/5

I'm not going to downvote this JUST because Kanye is a piece of shit (though it's hard to not let it influence my listen). Everybody already knows that. I'm downvoting this because it's just musical gibberish. The production has nothing unique or special that draws me in. The lyrics mostly sound like unrelated nonsense crammed together to force a rhyme. No idea why this guy was ever considered a "genius".

Raw Power

The Stooges

5/5

This album is the unadulterated definition of rock 'n' roll!

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

2/5

Did NOT expect this to open with some bastardization of surf rock! First two tracks were almost good enough that I worried I might like something this POS created. Good thing he lived up to my initial expectations by filling the rest of the album with the usual whiney, self indulgent, melancholic crap.

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

3/5

On the one hand, the music is pretty great; really interesting and very dreamy. The vocals however, are AWFUL. And not just bad, but bad AND don't seem to complement the music so much as distract from it. Would love to hear someone strip this down into an instrumental album.

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

2/5

With ex-members from Blur and The Clash, plus Tony fucking Allen I really anticipated that this would be a previously undiscovered gem, and I would love it after listening for the first time. Big disappointment. This just sounds like most of the other unenthusiastic indie I've heard from this era of music. It just plods along at a lazy pace, with each track sounding like the last. Instrumentation is well-played, but there is simply nothing I can get excited about listening to it.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

3/5

Maybe I'm in a more amenable mood than usual, but I didn't hate this. Sure it's acoustic. Sure it's folk or at least folk-adjacent. But there's something "dark" for lack of a better term that seems to exist just below the surface of the harmonies, and that makes me at least a little interested in it. In all honesty, I'm starting to think that's Art's influence since Paul's solo work feels so different.

Dire Straits

2/5

This doesn't do much for me. I had (and loved) Brothers In Arms as a kid, but outside of the hits, I've never heard anything else. Sort of surprised by how southern rock this sounds, especially coming from a British band. This was mostly tolerable, but started to wear on me toward the end.

Fred Neil

1/5

"Guy with an acoustic guitar" genre again... I really don't respond to this type of music positively. Folk, Americana, acoustic country; this is everything I never want to hear musically.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

5/5

Damn I love '70s soul, and Marvin is basically royalty when we talk about that. Wasn't familiar with this one before this listen. There's an undeniable jazz influence on here, compared to earlier material, but feels like a pretty natural evolution. Marvin's signature vocals are ever-present, but almost feel more subdued than usual, which allows the music equal footing rather than overshadowing it.

The Only Ones

3/5

Solid early punk influenced rock. Nothing that blows me away but it's fun and very listenable.

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

3/5

Good listen. Great '90s west coast production. Solid flow, actually pretty innovative for the era when I think about it.

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

2/5

First half isn’t bad if you can get over the Bob Dylan vocals (I have a hard time with that). Back half goes back to more of his more traditional folk sound. I’m out.

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

3/5

On paper, this is music I assume I would hate. Upon listening, I'm surprised to be enjoying it some. Sure it's dance music, but there are little snippets of jazz peppered in all over the place that bring a level of interest I didn't expect.

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

3/5

I like this more than any other Sinatra I've ever heard; clearly Jobim's influence.

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

1/5

Absolute crap.

Murmur

R.E.M.

5/5

I adore early R.E.M. and this is easily my favorite album of theirs. It's really hard for me to be objective about this album given my near 40 years of history with it. The recording, performance, and pacing are all near perfect as far as I'm concerned though. Nothing sounded like this when it was released. It was truly unique.

Pornography

The Cure

5/5

I don't love all of The Cure's output, but this one is in the sweet spot for me. Great album with a good mix of guitar and synth.

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

4/5

This rocks! Heavy garage rock energy with better production. Great listen.

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

3/5

A couple real stinkers on here (Religion I and Foddertompf), but the rest of this surprised me. It's solid post-punk. The upbeat bangers are obviously more fun than the slower dirges, but all in all, I liked it.

Faust IV

Faust

5/5

THIS is why I'm here! Never heard of this before today and I LOVE it. Wild experimentation throughout. Reminds me a lot of what Hawkwind was doing at the same time.

Is This It

The Strokes

2/5

White-bread rock. It's not awful, just bland and boring.

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

2/5

This is OK. Not the worst Dylan I've heard, but still not my thing. I still really hate his voice.

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

4/5

Some of the most well known '60s psych for a reason. This is a really solid release.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

3/5

A few good tracks. Some serious snoozers too though. Maybe the best of Lennon's solo work, which really isn't saying much. It's a lot of middle of the road.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

5/5

Crazy-good '60s soul here. God damn this rocks!

Guero

Beck

3/5

Right from the jump I could tell this was produced by the Dust Brothers; hell yeah! Easily the best Beck album I've heard. That being said, it's still Beck. HIs vocals always sound like they're performed by someone who'd rather be doing anything else right now. Some of the cooler parts lose their impact due to their overly repetitive usage. And finally, I think this could have ben trimmed down in length. I'd still listen to this one again though. I fee like it might be a grower.

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

2/5

List seems insistent on pushing Bob Dylan to me lately, and I'm STILL not onboard. This is quintessential Bob Dylan. Other albums have surprised me some but this one is 100% what I expect when I hear his name.

Cross

Justice

3/5

On paper, this looks like something I was going to hate. Nice surprise that I actually find it very interesting. Lots of bloops and blorps, with glitchy/choppy staccato delivery. Not usually my thing, but what stands out here is that all of this very modern approach to music making is fused with the rhythm section of a '70s disco band, which acts like the backbone to the whole party. Even I have to admit it works.

In A Silent Way

Miles Davis

5/5

The first Miles Davis record I ever bought. It was a used copy from 1977 and still sounds great. Arguably the beginning of a new experimental phase for Miles that would last for years. REALLY cool to hear how that evolves from this early non-traditional (now) classic. I love this album!

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

5/5

This fucking RIPS! No further explanation needed.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

5/5

Untouchable funk. Just a LITTLE bit less freaky than Funkadelic, but still 100% great. George Clinton is nothing short of a genius.

Something Else By The Kinks

The Kinks

4/5

Not the best Kinks album but I still Liked it a lot. Easy to see the influence it had on Brit-pop here.

Sail Away

Randy Newman

1/5

Reminds me of that one friend everyone has who NEVER shuts up. Only Randy sings and noodles on a piano. Just a stream of conciseness no one asked for. This sucks.

Madman Across The Water

Elton John

4/5

Pretty solid offering here. Quite a few "hits" I recognized and enjoy. Even the deeper cuts are all really good. I've never been a big Elton John fan, but certainly understand why others are. This one definitely makes me feel like I should explore more of his catalog.

Eagles

1/5

"Man, come on. I had a rough night and I hate the fuckin' Eagles, man!"

Fever Ray

4/5

Had no idea what to expect going in but this was a good listen. Somehow dreamy but still abrasive. More electronic than synth. Vocals are beautiful. Definitely one of those "glad I'm still doing this project" moments for me.

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

4/5

Ice Cube, fresh out of NWA with production from The Bomb Squad! This is pretty much everything I've ever wanted in hip-hop. Some GREAT (and powerful) social commentary on here. Conscious but aggressively so. I just wish some of the more misogynist sentiments were missing, but those seem to be something you just have to endure to enjoy a lot of hip-hop from this era.

Teenage Head

Flamin' Groovies

3/5

Really good blues-based rock. Sounds like early Rolling Stones, but a little bit more raw. that being said, it's never capitalized on the way it should be. I feel like this could have sounded like the Stooges with the right direction and production but they just never seem to push for that. It falls a little flat to me because of that.

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

4/5

Did not get the hype with this band when they were active, but I do now. This is just fun. Punk riffs, glam sensibilities, ridiculous lyrics, and, holy shit, just an irresponsible amount of pop hooks at every turn.

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

4/5

This rocks. Another band whose name I've known forever but never took the time to listen to until now. Great post-punk here with a weird single-finger keyboard style that sort of sits on top of everything without seeming like it's totally out of place. Reminds me of a tamer Rudimentary Peni in energy and vocal style. Interested on the rest of their catalog now.

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

3/5

Wanted to like this more than I did. It's decent '80s pop with some (though not enough in my opinion) new wave mixed in. Vocals are really difficult to enjoy and did not age well.

Screamadelica

Primal Scream

2/5

Dance tracks were awful. Non-dance tracks had me scratching my head. This album seems confused.

Dance Mania

Tito Puente

5/5

Been having a rough couple of days, so this REALLY hits the spot. This is a party in musical form. Feel-good from start to finish. If I knew how to dance I'd be shaking my ass!

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

5/5

Sheet Music

10cc

1/5

Wow... This is bad. It's the prog-pop no one EVER asked for. I feel like someone really should have told this band they sucked before they got this far. This sounds like it's being performed at a high school talent show... and they lose to the popular senior doing topical stand-up.

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

4/5

Bowie entering his weird phase. Not my favorite of his album but Suffragette City is easily in the top 10 of best songs ever written.

More Specials

The Specials

3/5

Starts off how you'd expect, and just gets weirder. Some solid Ska and a great dancehall track on the front half. A couple tracks that sound almost mariachi that don't really do it for me. The muzak/lounge inspired pieces were interesting but crude compared to the jazz they pull from.

90

808 State

2/5

Never been to a rave. Never done MDMA. I feel like you need to have experience with at least one of these two things to enjoy this.

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

4/5

Outside of the hits, I don't know this era of LZ as well as the first 4 albums. Liked this a lot more than I expected. Still heavily blues based and continuing to expand and innovate on that sound, while maintaining an obvious reverence for it. Really liked the smattering of psych peeking out on here, especially heard on In The Light.

Rising Above Bedlam

Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart

3/5

Mostly great upbeat vibes. Digging the rhythms. Standout track for me was Everyman's An Island, which felt like it had a big Dust Brothers influence that I didn't really hear anywhere else on this. All in all though, a lot of it just sounded like it needed something more to make it interesting.

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

2/5

Weird one. It is ALL OVER THE PLACE as far as sound. It's not entirely bad, but completely comes off as a desperate novelty. I wish more of it sounded like Plaistow Patricia. Holy shit, I vividly remember Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll from early childhood, hearing it on Dr. Demento!

GI

Germs

5/5

Classic nihilist punk from LA. This still rocks.

You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr.

5/5

This rocks. Great album.

The Notorious Byrd Brothers

The Byrds

3/5

I love Psych, but I don't love Pop... and there is a real fusion going on here between the two on much of this. It often sounds too approachable. Something about the melodies maybe? Moog experimentation gets some points from me, but it's primitive and a little rough. Don't hate it, but it's background music for me.

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

1/5

I hate this entire style of music and when I hear it I can still smell the drunk, 40-year old skinheads who tried to tell me how great it was when I was in high school.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

1/5

Nostalgia allowed me to enjoy Our House, but the rest of this sounds like regional co-op art space musical theater (not a compliment.)

Sweet Baby James

James Taylor

3/5

Never liked many of James Taylor's hits, but I tried to give this a fair listen. Even I think Fire and Rain is great, and I don't think that's only because of how often I've heard it. Lo and Behold was a standout deeper cut that I'd never heard before. Better than I anticipated going in, but still didn't make me a fan.

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

2/5

This is the first cassette I ever completely wore out (and was devastated when I did). Very early influential album for me that is steeped in childhood memories. I still know almost every lyric on it, even the deeper cuts. That being said, I don't find that it aged well. It sounds really dated. Production is very '80s; sterile and synth heavy, which feels so wrong for a guitar based blues/rock band. Even the guitar tones are manipulated to sound like a synthesizer on many tracks. Really off-putting. The ballads are unlistenable.

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

5/5

Bought this album the day it came out and still listen to it regularly. Production is sparse compared to Fear Of A Black Planet (arguably the pinnacle of The Bomb Squad's work). I only learned recently that had more to do with lost digital recordings than it did a conscious choice. Whatever the reason, it works. Chuck's voice is on display here with no distractions, and it broadcasts a powerful and direct message. Even Flav's humor is laced with an obvious anger. I could go on for days about this album, but suffice to say it gets my vote for one of the '90s all around best.

Bad Company

2/5

Wow, this album starts off STRONG with three bangers everyone knows that basically define what I think of as "classic rock". It does slide a lot after that though. Slower, more ballad-esque tracks fill out the remainder of the album and I just lost interest entirely

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

4/5

Classic punk that I've never really given the proper attention to. Like this a lot.

Eternally Yours

The Saints

4/5

This rips! Great blues-fueled early punk.

Kimono My House

Sparks

2/5

The similarity to ABBA is inescapable.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

3/5

This was released when I was 9 and I loved it. I knew nothing of what they had done previously at that age. In context, it's tough not to see this as Top's attempt to cash in on the '80s. The processed guitar tone and heavy reliance on a sequencer just cheapen what this band used to be. I'm glad they got some big hits out of it, and it has a lot of nostalgic value for me, but it pales compared to their previous material.

NEU! 75

Neu!

3/5

This starts off rough. Isi has a nice bouncy beat, but it's pretty one note. Seeland is somehow more interesting but more boring. Leb' Wohl is 9 miserable minutes of life I will never recapture. Things pick up here though, a lot! The entire back half from Hero through After eight is great. a couple punky guitar driven tracks with a spacey/droney jam in between.

Nixon

Lambchop

2/5

I don't think I understand what I just listened to. It's all over the place style-wise. Sometimes twangy, sometimes adult contemporary, sometimes a weird soul experiment.

Low

David Bowie

3/5

Was pretty excited about his one. A Bowie album I'm not familiar with and with a description that sounded pretty cool. That being said, it's FAR from my favorite of his material. Experimentation is cool and all, but a lot of this just didn't do it for me.

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

2/5

Started off OK. I probably would've liked it if it was a single song, but the longer it continued, the more it sort of became a caricature of itself. By the end I felt like there was a joke somewhere that I wasn't getting. Quickly went from forgettable to off-putting.

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

2/5

Vocals were great. The music hovers between ethereal and sleep-inducing in most parts. It had a very "adult contemporary" sounding on that's not really my thing. Overall it was very forgettable.

Slayed?

Slade

4/5

Much cooler people than myself have told me for years how great Slade is and I still never listened to them. The only thing I ever knew about them is that a couple of Quiet Riot classics from my youth were covers of their songs. Well this rocks, and I'm embarrassed I slept on this band.

Liege And Lief

Fairport Convention

3/5

Not as much Psych as the last FC album I listened to. Still something more than just straight-forward folk, but close enough that I can't really get into it so much. Obviously talented musicians and great vocals.

Tical

Method Man

4/5

Classic Wu sound. Great production. Great Flow. Not sure why I don't listen to this as often as Liquid Swords or Ironman?

Hms Fable

Shack

1/5

YAWN! Almost 10 years late to the Britpop party and this is supposed to be an important album? And that doesn't even start to touch on the fact that this is totally uninspired and derivative drivel.

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

Not my favorite FM album but undeniably something I could put on anytime and not be unhappy with the decision.

Modern Kosmology

Jane Weaver

3/5

Not something I expected to like based on description, but I did. Not all of it was up my alley but on the whole, it's much more interesting than I expected. Drony, repetitive guitar work is great as a counter to the saccharine melodic vocals. Never heard of this before.

Survivor

Destiny's Child

1/5

Pop music from this era might be some of the worst ever made. This is pure trash. Generic "beats" layered with overtly commercialized over-produced vocals. Can't find a single redeeming thing about this.

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

3/5

Respect the experimentation, but I still don't "get" this band.

Scott 2

Scott Walker

1/5

This is like sitting through a Vegas lounge act. I'm NOT drunk enough for this bullshit.

Fromohio

fIREHOSE

2/5

I love the Minutemen. I love Mike Watt. I really liked Ragin' Full On (even though it was quite clearly NOT the Minutemen). I really wanted to like this just as much, but I just... don't. It's not bad, it just doesn't have anything that sticks to my ear. Some interesting parts here and there but mostly forgettable. Maybe it's a multiple listens type of album before it gets you?

Chris

Christine and the Queens

1/5

Retro-rehashed '80s and '90s pop that countless other artists did better. What a useless pile of crap this album is.

Movies

Holger Czukay

4/5

Weird one, but not in a bad way. A good mix of experimental and approachable material blended here. Sometimes fun, sometimes out there, sometimes just making you think. Cool In The Pool is so god damn quirky (and fun), but WILL get stuck in your ear really quickly. Persian Love was the track I liked the least, and even that had its moments that pulled you in and made you pay attention. This definitely merits multiple listens.

School's Out

Alice Cooper

4/5

As a kid, Alice Cooper really disappointed me because the music wasn't as heavy as his appearance and reputation made me think it should be. Also got turned off by how straightforward theatrical some aspects of his sound was. As an adult, I can overlook most of this and admit that this just rocks. School's Out will always be an anthemic ripper.

Synchronicity

The Police

4/5

Another nostalgia album that I have listened to regularly since the '80s. Surprisingly, the triple-threat hit list of Every Breath You Take, King of Pain, and Wrapped Around Your Finger is probably my least favorite part of this album, mainly because this songs were played to DEATH on pop radio when this album was new. Sychrnoicity II is easily my favorite Police song and the inspiration for me to start looking at faster and heavier music. I have ALWAYS loved how Summers' Mother takes you completely out of the album (in the best way) and Copeland's Miss Gradenko pulls you right back in (before returning us to the Sting show). It’s not a perfect album, but one I'll always find pretty great.

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

5/5

Everything Nina does contains true power. Even in the more quiet and reserved songs here, you can feel it. She is an artist with true greatness matched by few.

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

2/5

This sounds VERY dated. It sits squarely in that keyboard heavy '80s pop-wave sound. Lots of ska/reggae rhythms that feel sterile without much additional instrumentation as accompaniment. Melodies are almost recognizable as other artists work, but not quite. Obligatory 80s sax on one track. Didn't hate it, but there's just nothing interesting happening here. It's typical and generic schlock for the era it was produced.

Chore of Enchantment

Giant Sand

1/5

These bullshit wannabe Lou Reed vocals are completely awful. Musically, this has a brief few moments of interest but for the most part stays safe and in doing so just becomes forgettable. Another "Why is this on a must-hear list?"

Music

Madonna

2/5

Well this was mostly garbage. Shout out to Impressive Enstant and Runaway Lover for being the only semi-redeeming moments for me. (Who knew I'd respond to what I can only describe as futurist house?) Things dropped off a cliff shortly thereafter though. The obviously experimental folksy/country vibe was pretty terrible. Then a bunch of generic dance pop, some of which sounded like experimental demos in all the wrong ways (stutter guitar on Don't Tell Me, I'm talking about you here). American Pie cover was the breaking point for me, and made me question ending my own life it was so bad. By the time I hit the Raga I didn't know what the fuck I was listening to. This is a complete disaster of mismatched styles in a desperate attempt to compete with Britney and Christina in the charts. It's a singles collection, not an album.

Parachutes

Coldplay

1/5

A lot of people have told me that the early Coldplay albums are really good... They lied.

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

2/5

This feels like it's trying to be weird just for the sake of being weird. When it's not doing that it's just a big snooze-fest. Starting to resent the large amount of lackluster garbage on this list that's there just because it was made by Brits. This is entirely forgettable.

New York Dolls

5/5

Classic proto-punk. The foundational inspiration to more than half my usual listening.

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

This mostly rocked. Good grooves on some of the more straight forward stuff. Vocals on Peking O were basically unlistenable, but other than that I enjoyed the more experimental parts as well. Tough one to really sum up, and definitely going to require multiple listens to really get. I like an album that makes me think.

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

5/5

Metal influenced industrial... Yeah, I'm here for it.

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

4/5

Weird one for Eno. I guess this is his "rock" album? Music is mostly solid. A lot of really interesting moments on the front half that have a rock/funk/soul feel going on. I find that his vocals never really fit what I'm hearing though. They just always sound... wrong somehow. Back half is more what I expect from Eno. I'll probably spend a little more time with this to be honest. Here He Comes, with its twangy country sound is probably the only song I'd skip on future listens.

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

1/5

My GOD this is awful, self-indulgent, schlock. I absolutely abhor this type of music, but if you enjoy it, there are hundreds of artists out there doing it better.

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

3/5

Fun listen once. Probably would've been GREAT to see live. Honestly I couldn't see it getting a lot of multiple plays though.

Modern Life Is Rubbish

Blur

3/5

Some good stuff here. Some weirdo stuff too that misses the mark a bit. Typical Kinks-worship Brit-pop at times with almost equal attention given to experimentation outside that box as well. Maybe not their best album, but still a fun listen.

Welcome to the Afterfuture

Mike Ladd

4/5

Great flow. Great lyrics. This is basically local hip-hop for me and I had never heard of it. That's a shame because it's great.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

1/5

I hate this type of music. It's performative depression set to music. Why do so many people try to tell me how great this is?

Vanishing Point

Primal Scream

4/5

Fun, experimental yet approachable, and psychedelic. I like this! Definitely something I see myself listening to again.

Third

Portishead

3/5

Swings from hit to miss multiple times for me. Really love the trance-like moments as well as the trip-hop beats. The synth parts that sound like a John Carpenter score are also really cool. The more melodic vocal-heavy parts didn't do la lot for me. I think I might like their previous albums more based on that. This was definitely interesting enough to make me want to check out more.

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

3/5

7th Dylan album I've had on this list. This one is pretty typical of what I expect from him. There were a couple of nice surprises. Masters of War is a masterpiece (though I prefer the Mark Arm cover because well... again, Dylan's voice.) Down The Highway with its foundation in delta style blues was cool too. The rest of the mumbly folk on here I'm ok with never hearing again.

Rocks

Aerosmith

4/5

I'd love to hate this because of the caricature of itself that Aerosmith turned into in the '80s and onward, but their '70s output is undeniably pretty great.

The Blueprint

JAY Z

2/5

This does nothing for me. Vocal delivery is monotone and lifeless, completely lacking any emotion or inflection. Production sounds thin and empty, generic R&B with unnatural clicky beats. I truly do not understand those who claim this to be the greatest hip-hop album ever released.

Spiderland

Slint

5/5

One of those bands I seldom listen to but am always blown away by when I do. Incredible use of dynamics; creating very delicate and soft moments that later explode with power. Few bands attempted this style and even fewer succeeded.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

2/5

This was a tough one for me. There were a few glimmers of hope here and there, showing that when he wants to, Framton can rock, but it just wasn't enough. Too often this just languished in a weird space, feeling too slowed down for rock, and too guitar based to totally rule it out as such. Mostly lost me on this one.

Calenture

The Triffids

1/5

Sounds like Irish folk music that was influenced by 80s goth pop. Truly awful.

Green

R.E.M.

3/5

I was a HUGE fan of REM for years when this was released and I bought this (with GREAT anticipation) the day it came out. I've listened to it countless times and even went to see them on the tour that supported the album. It's hard to do and difficult to say but if I separate myself from all that nostalgia, I have to admit that this just isn't a strong album when compared to their previous material. Production is cleaned up, pop sensibilities are MUCH more prominent, and in general their sound is shifting toward something more marketable and radio-friendly (ironic and sad considering the cynical message in Pop Song 89). Side B shifts more toward their original sound, but the damage is done.

Joan Baez

2/5

Eh... Not as bad as I expected. I'm not a folk fan, but Joan does have a great voice.

Cypress Hill

5/5

Part of the 1991 soundtrack to my freshman year of college. I still love this album. Such a weird and unique release when it came out. Production is amazing, sampling from funk, jazz, soul, and bossa nova; then blending them into something that is totally its own. A lot of stuff from this era sounds dated now, but this holds up really nicely.

Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor

Lupe Fiasco

3/5

Very listenable for 2000's hip-hop. Lyric/vocal-centric which is nice in an era that often feels more about the producers. That being said the production is decent too, nothing flashy, but solid. This could be something that grows on me with more listens, but for now feels a little middle of the road.

Born To Be With You

Dion

1/5

Does not rock.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

5/5

One of my top favorite soul releases ever! If you can't feel the emotion Marvin is pouring out here, you must be dead.

The Stooges

5/5

God-tier rock 'n' roll right here. We Will Fall could be a lot shorter but that's a very minor gripe considering the MASSIVE impact this album had on pretty much all the music I love.

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

3/5

I like the hip-hop on this. It's safe and unchallenging but it has a fun vibe which is refreshing. The R&B on here though is just tough to sit through. Typical of this era I find it sterile and over-produced.

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

5/5

Incredible album! Basie in general always means great big-band jazz, but this later era Basie is just so tight and arrangement based. I love this so much. My only complaint is I wish it was longer than 40 minutes.

Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

Spiritualized

2/5

Man... When I hear "space rock" I'm looking forward to hearing something something like Hawkwind, F/i, or US Christmas. While this OCCASIONALLY works in a few similar elements, it is most assuredly NOT space rock. This is mostly pretty boring. Not only that but it's pretentious as hell, attempting to blend genres and incorporate instrumentation and vocals that just don't fit. This feels like an idea that was never fully fleshed out, and never properly edited down.

Talking Timbuktu

Ali Farka Touré

5/5

Two artists I'm totally unfamiliar with doing a collaboration, and right out of the gate I love this! I don't have a lot of experience with African Blues, but what I've heard is great, including this release.

Tuesday Night Music Club

Sheryl Crow

3/5

I was digging some of this, but most of it is just sort of... there. It's not annoying, or bad, but it just doesn't really have a lot to offer me.

Rain Dogs

Tom Waits

1/5

I hate everything I've ever heard from Tom Waits, and this didn't surprise me at all.

Atomizer

Big Black

5/5

Love this album. Love this band. Steve Albini had a very unique approach to everything he did and it really shows here.

O.G. Original Gangster

Ice T

5/5

Undeniable genre-defining album. Lots of imitators but nobody ever came close to topping this. Also, Body Count!

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

4/5

Solid late 80's hip-hop. Loved their debut album. This one is almost as good.

Graceland

Paul Simon

1/5

Ugh... What's worse than Paul Simon? Easy, '80s Paul Simon blending African music and pop into his otherwise unremarkable sound and acting like he discovered something. The whole thing feels like smug pandering.

Palo Congo

Sabu

5/5

This rocks!

Future Days

Can

4/5

Second album I've been introduced to from this (previously unknown to me) group and I'm digging it! Lots of experimentation still, but the changes between (and within) songs seems less jarring than on Tago Mago. Overall, it creates a nice flow from start to finish.

Pyromania

Def Leppard

2/5

OK, this was essential listening when I was a nine-year-old hesher, and I am a little ashamed to admit I still know every song on this album. That being said, it lost its shine for me LONG ago. I can make a pretty good argument that this was the Prometheus of metal (at least in mainstream circles) becoming a toothless caricature of itself. There are defiantly a few riffs left here reminiscent of Judas Priest, but for the most part this is watered down and polished for popular consumption. Great for DF because this album certainly made them a household name but tis is background music for me.

Countdown To Ecstasy

Steely Dan

2/5

Much like Can't Buy a Thrill, this earlier stuff is almost tolerable. Still nothing I'd ever put on by choice. It's just so milquetoast.

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

3/5

Joni continues to be the only singer associated with the folk movement that I seem to enjoy. Though, this album is a little unconventional and I’m not sure I'd even really consider it folk. Experimental Moog work on Jungle Line is so cool.

A Night At The Opera

Queen

2/5

Mostly what I've come to expect from Queen. I don't even like the hits on here. Few songs make my skin crawl like You're My Best Friend, and I've never understood the appeal of Bohemian Rhapsody. I just don't go in for this overly theatrical crap.

Signing Off

UB40

3/5

This is pretty solid reggae, despite being obviously British. The only thing I knew from UB40 before hearing this was Red Red Wine, so this was a pleasant surprise.

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