Mar 04 2024
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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
I thought this was fine. Didn't really jive with it.
2
Mar 06 2024
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Live!
Fela Kuti
Filing this under "how did I not know about this album earlier"?
The drum solo made me want to get up and dance, so I did
5
Mar 07 2024
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Love the title track, and Treaty always gets me. I think the existence of this album is more compelling than the actual musical quality. Will inevitably come back to this, even though it's more spoken word than song
3
Mar 08 2024
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Surfer Rosa
Pixies
Angsty, but weirdly I didn't find it distracting while trying to do work. \"Where Is My Mind?\" is one of those tracks I didn't knew I knew
4
Mar 09 2024
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Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Loved how the first track ramped up from strung out to excited. FX felt ahead of its time (no synths, I assume). Much less satanic than the name suggests.
3
Mar 10 2024
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Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
Wasn't feeling this at first, but the vocal harmonies really got to me around Oxford Street. Production feels a bit dated. Would have written this off if it weren't on the list.
3
Mar 11 2024
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Fuzzy Logic
Super Furry Animals
This was kind of a nothing burger, but I found some tracks catchy.
2
Mar 12 2024
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Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Chilled me out
3
Mar 13 2024
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Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
Album evokes a big range of emotions while staying artistically and aesthetically consistent. Behind the Wall was a revelation on this listen. Why? did remind me of parody protest songs though (looking at you, Flight of the Conchords).
4
Mar 14 2024
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Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
Enjoyed getting Pt II at the end of the album - this just isn't an experience I typically get with my current listening habits.
3
Mar 15 2024
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Duck Rock
Malcolm McLaren
At times this felt like appropriative whitewashed claptrap, but then the track would change and the artistry would shine through. Settles on a 3 for me, but I do find myself wanting to relisten
3
Mar 16 2024
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Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
Took me a few tries to get thru this album, but on the successful attempt, I was grooving to Red Eyes. Not totally sure where to place this in terms of genre - it's accessible and varied, but not the most distinctive.
4
Mar 17 2024
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Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
Why does the saxophone sound so out of tune? Almost gave this a 1, but found parts of this catchy, so upped to a 2.
2
Mar 18 2024
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Illmatic
Nas
Some lyrics didn't age well, but this really got me nostalgic for New York.
4
Mar 19 2024
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xx
The xx
This feels of a piece with bands I love like Tycho and Alt-J. Will definitely be listening to this again!
4
Mar 20 2024
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Beautiful Freak
Eels
Took me a few attempts to get my way thru. Fairly approachable but a bit underwhelming. Some of the 90s era rock came off as dated
2
Mar 21 2024
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Bandwagonesque
Teenage Fanclub
This wasn't bad, but I'm also questioning why it was in a list of 1001 albums you MUST listen to before you die. Really?
2
Mar 22 2024
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Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
This sent me down a bit of a reggae rabbit hoe, but I still wanted to come back to this album. Such a classic!
5
Mar 23 2024
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All Directions
The Temptations
Great listen, not sure I had heard the 11-minute version of Papa Was A Rollin' Stone before.
4
Mar 24 2024
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Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Started off way more classically rock than I associate with Queen. Definitely saw some of their eccentricity in tracks like Bring Back Leroy Brown.
3
Mar 25 2024
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Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
The tracks blended into one another a bit, but I loved the fullness of the sound. Not an everyday listen for me, but I dug it.
3
Mar 26 2024
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Frank
Amy Winehouse
AW really shows off her jazz bona fides in this album, it felt like a breath of fresh air having listened to Back to Black many times. I particularly enjoyed the references to Lullaby of Birdland.
4
Mar 28 2024
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Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
Good to work out to. Enjoyed the very LA aesthetic.
3
Mar 29 2024
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Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
Super funky! I can't count the number of times I've heard Move on Up, but it was great to hear all these other great tracks.
4
Mar 30 2024
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Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
Really enjoyed the funky instrumentals to start this off.
By The Time I Get To Phoenix is an 18min track - maybe that made less of a difference when playing on vinyl, but it took me a few times to get through it playing digitally and not remembering where I had left off.
I did like the groove, but I'm not rearing to relisten.
3
Apr 14 2024
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Ctrl
SZA
Pretty accessible hip-hop, I liked SZA's flow. Want to revisit more!
3
Apr 17 2024
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Drunk
Thundercat
This was goofy and weird but still super engaging. I loved the wandering melodies and at times irreverent lyrics
4
Apr 19 2024
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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
I loved this album when it came out, and I still love it. It goes without saying that Kanye is a controversial figure. But this album is an all-timer, and the first six tracks might be the most re-playable album leadoff in history. I was surprised at how the production sounded tinnier than I remember (not sure if that was lower fidelity streaming, or maybe it's just like rewatching a classic movie after years of HDR). This album is great, and as they say, I miss the old Kanye.
5
Apr 25 2024
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Heaux Tales
Jazmine Sullivan
Super sexy, it's been a while since I listened to a new R&B artist. Felt classic but also very much of the current decade.
3
Apr 26 2024
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Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab
Started rocky but I really liked the French tracks (trying to get more francophone). We made pizza while listening
3
Apr 28 2024
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Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
Gave this many chances, and while a few tracks felt soulful, the overall vibe just didn't speak to me, and I found the repeated lyrics pretty underwhelming. It's time to put this record away.
1
Apr 29 2024
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Me Against The World
2Pac
The old school beats gave me a pep in my step as I was on an afternoon walk. But the later tracks were really hard to get through - Tupac's death really hangs heavily over the lyrics. Don't think I'll be revisiting this one, as much as I enjoy some of 2Pac's other work.
2
Apr 30 2024
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(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Listening to this made me realize I was introduced to Oasis first via satire (an old SNL sketch), not to mention various parodies and jokes that poke fun at the band. But just focusing on the music, I was really blown away, despite having heard so many singles before.
5
May 01 2024
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Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
My enjoyment of this album was much more academic than emotional. I found the dissonance and eclecticism really intriguing, but also didn't feel inspired to want to come back to this. Does make me think about listening to this album in the context of Radiohead's artistic progression over time.
3
May 02 2024
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Buffalo Springfield Again
Buffalo Springfield
Really liked the freewheeling acoustic guitar solo on Bluebird. A pleasant blend of folk and rock, I found this pretty easy listening, wouldn't mind hearing again.
3
May 03 2024
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Konnichiwa
Skepta
My previous exposure to grime music was mostly parodies in Desus & Mero sketches. This isn't my favorite genre, but I found it compelling, especially the spoken word interludes
3
May 08 2024
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
I hadn't heard this album before, and while I did enjoy it, I don't think it reaches the same heights as Rumours. Made for pretty solid music to work to, as well.
3
May 09 2024
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Vespertine
Björk
Not for me. Really interesting sound, but not something I enjoyed listening to. Got about halfway through the album, finishing it would have felt like homework.
1
May 12 2024
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All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
Some of the production felt dated, but other tracks came thru more as classics. Really enjoyed listening to this one, didn't realize how talented a rapper QL is
3
May 13 2024
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It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
Rebel Without a Pause is an all-time great. Public Enemy's sound is so distinct and also feels very rooted to a place and time. Really enjoyed listening to this
4
May 21 2024
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Urban Hymns
The Verve
Heard a lot of shared DNA with other Britpop groups like Oasis. Bittersweet Symphony is a classic; I wouldn't mind revisiting this later. Also, hidden track? What a throwback!
3
Jun 04 2024
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Heavy Weather
Weather Report
Grew up listening to Manhattan Transfer, so some of the tracks (especially Birdland) brought me to a happy place.
3
Jun 05 2024
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Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
Pleasant listening, but this felt like of like elevator music to me.
2
Jun 06 2024
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Faith
George Michael
First two tracks are undeniably catchy. I had to dig a bit to remember why I know Father Figure so well; it's on the excellent soundtrack for Atomic Blonde.
3
Jun 07 2024
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Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
So many bangers! A few of these tracks are almost indistinguishable. Maybe that speaks to just how unique a sound Alanis has on the album.
4
Jun 08 2024
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Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Higher Ground is an all-timer, but Living For the City really got me in the feels. Immediately re-played this one, and it makes me want to explore Stevie's catalog even deeper.
5
Jun 09 2024
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Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
Much bluesier than my impression of Led Zeppelin. Enjoyed this, but didn't have any of their classic all-time singles.
3
Jun 10 2024
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Darklands
The Jesus And Mary Chain
Perfectly corpulent.
2
Jun 11 2024
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In Utero
Nirvana
Not quite the stone-cold classic of Nevermind, but some fantastic tracks (I like some of the strings in the arrangements, too).
3
Jun 12 2024
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Homework
Daft Punk
Da Funk and Around the World are all-timers, but I found some of the tracks less accessible (maybe I needed to be at a dance party to really get in the mood).
4
Jun 13 2024
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The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Don't Think twice It's All Right really got me. Some tracks were less memorable, but I immediately replayed half of this
4
Jun 16 2024
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Pyromania
Def Leppard
Felt a bit like generic hair metal. Kind of wafted over me for the most part, but I did find myself groovying along at times.
3
Jun 19 2024
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Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Glitzy, fun 80s pop. Played this while cooking dinner, was great for kitchen dancing energy.
3
Jun 21 2024
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Life Thru A Lens
Robbie Williams
My dad bought me a few Robbie Williams CDs when I was a kid (I had his Greatest Hits), so this was a bit sentimental. Still catchy, more ballads than I might prefer
3
Jun 22 2024
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Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Some of these tracks are so embedded in the cultural ether, it's wild to think they all came on the same album. While I might reach for a different Marley album for most listens, this one is undeniable. We're jammin.
5
Jun 23 2024
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Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Liked the breadth of sounds on this album, I checked a few times to see if the album had ended and transitioned to some adjacent Spotify recommendation. Ranking this over the various ensemble work I know of Stills
3
Jun 24 2024
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KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)
Ministry
I think this is probably very good for what it's trying to be. Love the hardness of the instrumentals, and the production is quintessentially 90s. Made me think of grungy carpet and gory FPS games on Playstation. Not a genre that speaks to me, but I am glad to know of Ministry when I do need to put on something to rage to.
2
Jun 25 2024
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Good listening, but it peaks at the first track and doesn't quite return to those heights. Might have been the speakers I listened on, but some harmonica parts sounded a weirdly off key.
3
Jun 26 2024
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Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
There were some James Bond vibes on Unfinished Sweet, direct interpolation perhaps. I also enjoyed the rock opera aesthetic, and the whining vocals reminded me of a proto Smashing Pumpkins, many years earlier. Overall, enjoyed this more than I expected
3
Jun 27 2024
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The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
Feels like a bit of a forefather to Kamasi Washington. Melodic with a healthy dose of cacophony; definitely not something I'd put on for a quiet evening. Complex in a way that makes me want to listen again and decipher more.
4
Jun 28 2024
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Superfuzz Bigmuff
Mudhoney
I enjoyed this album more knowing it was released on SubPop. Didn't listen to the full Deluxe edition (stopped short realizing I had already heard some tracks). Solid grunge fare. Requires a glum mood.
3
Jun 29 2024
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Heroes
David Bowie
Sense of Doubt giving John Carpenter horror vibes
Heroes reminds me of Moulin Rouge, whose cover is maybe more familiar than this classic.
Very high concept, especially the final few tracks.
3
Jul 01 2024
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Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
Ray Charles cover got me thinking about appropriation of the Blues.
This felt like the kind of music they'd play at the Stevedore bar in The Wire season 2.
3
Jul 02 2024
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L.A. Woman
The Doors
Right off the bat, I dug the funk.
L'America had me shaking my head and jamming along.
Riders on the Storm felt endlessly groovy.
This album was harder to swallow knowing that Jim Morrison died shortly after it was released.
4
Jul 03 2024
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Protection
Massive Attack
Surprisingly good music to work to. Some of the vocals weren't my favorites. I did like the Doors cover as the final track.
3
Jul 04 2024
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The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
I finished my first listen thinking I love the music this group inspired more than these actual tracks. Daft Punk, Justice, The Midnight: all these groups (and so many more) are standing on the shoulders of these Kraftwerk giants. But this album is so blessedly short; I found myself coming back to it. No earworm, but in the moment, it's so catchy.
4
Jul 05 2024
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Black Monk Time
The Monks
This was a pretty interesting album. At once a peer of the Beatles and early rock, but also some more dissonant punk-like elements. Love Can Tame The Wild was pretty catchy, and some of the later tracks got very trance-y.
3
Jul 06 2024
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Superunknown
Soundgarden
Black Hole Sun is catchy as ever, and I really found myself digging Chris Cornell's vocal virtuosity. His musicianship really makes Soundgarden stand out from their grunge peers. Listening to this also left me a bit melancholy; it was hard not to think of his preventable death.
3
Jul 07 2024
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Technique
New Order
Mr. Disco was a revelation. Also dug Vanishing Point and Dream Attack so much that I immediately re-listened to the final 3 tracks. Felt more intrigued by the electronic elements than the pop punk, but that's perhaps personal taste.
4
Jul 08 2024
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Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
Found some of the vocal harmonies on the first track a bit whiny, and slightly out of tune. Unfortunately, that continued on the second track. The third track started better, but then had the same issue. Pretty much had to tune out to make it to the end of this one.
1
Jul 11 2024
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Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
Like it says on the tin, this was excellent ambient music. I had this on while working and it faded smoothly into the background while letting me stay focused. Could equally see myself listening to this with eyes closed at a late-night electro club with the bass thumping in my chest.
4
Jul 12 2024
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If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
First got to know the Pogues as the band that plays the police wake song as cops are laid on a bar pool table in The Wire. I own a few Flogging Molly albums, so it was nice to visit one of their forebearers. Fairytale of New York has a slur in the lyrics, that took me out of the song pretty jarringly.
4
Jul 13 2024
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Definitely Maybe
Oasis
Nowhere near the heights of Morning Glory, though the style felt roughly equivalent. Would I really dig this album more if I were almost over-exposes to it? Maybe the melodies just aren't as developed. Still solid.
3
Jul 14 2024
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A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
A few seconds in, I was ready to give up. Then I decided to put in headphones and really listen. This album was eclectic with a wide range of influences. The sax solo on Zen Archer made me pump my fist. The animal noises on Dogfight Giggle had me scratching my head. It was at times bizzare, but I'm so glad I listened thru this, it's strange and I'd like to revisit it.
4
Jul 16 2024
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The Next Day
David Bowie
Some tracks (like You Can See Me) edged past refreshingly experimental to excessively avant garde. I'm impressed Bowie was still pushing his limits later in his career, and there are still some bops here. Intriguing, but probably not something I'd revisit eagerly.
3