Cool that John Cale from the Velvet Underground played on this album. And the Japanese metal band Boris copied this album's art for the reissue of their album Akuma no Uta.
I love the bustling energy on "Hazey Jane II", was expecting a more low-key folk tracklist so this is a nice surprise. I love Drake's soft singing style too. "One of These Things First" is a total jam, looks like one of my friends played it on our college radio show, though I don't remember it unfortunately. Can't say there were any moments here I didn't enjoy.
I was a bit late to the Frank Ocean game back in the day. I don't think I really dug into his music until college. I must've been too angsty to listen to him in high school, but I'm a fan now. I love his voice, but the catchy melodies are a bit too far and few between on this album for my liking. The exceptions are listed below, those are my faves.
Other random notes: He spelled "Suite Life" wrong. The synths on "Pyramids" sound kinda crazy, must be a product of the time. I forgot that John Mayer is on this.
Thinkin Bout You
Super Rich Kids
Crack Rock
Bad Religion
Pink Matter
Forrest Gump
2015! I think that's the most recent album we've got. Looks like Julian Casablancas's Cult Records co-released this album in North America which is super cool. Damon Albarn and Nick Zinner, the guitarist from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs also had a hand in this album. The opener is a super groovy banger. The guitarist is absolutely ripping through the whole album. I love the off-kilter groove on "Ai Tchere Bele". I'm very glad I went back and listened to this one because it slaps, I will have to revisit it.
Love this album. I got it on vinyl from someone who was selling it on Facebook in Chatham, shout out to my mom for finding it. Lotta great bangers: "Back in the USSR", "Helter Skelter" as well as low key tracks: "Revolution 1", "". It's got it all. Damn near perfect album. The book I'm reading just cited "Revolution 9" as an early appearance in rock music of the sample-based "musique concrète" form of avant-garde classical music
Love me some Bobby D. I actually listened to this album for the first time relatively recently and gave it a 9 on my IG. I'm not a fan of the first song, but I think the rest is straight heat. I think "Visions of Johanna" and "Fourth Time Around" are my favorite tracks. "Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat" always reminds me of the Death Grips song that uses one of Bob's lyrics as its very long title haha. I know my Dad has "I Want You" in his iTunes as well. This is folk rock excellency, though I prefer the album that preceded it: Highway 61 Revisited - I have that on vinyl. I'm looking forward to continuing my Bob Dylan listening journey with John Wesley Harding sometime in the future.
Joy Division is one of those bands who I've heard so much about, but have never done a deep dive into their music. Before today, I only knew "Love Will Tear Us Apart" from the radio and "Disorder" from my friends, both bangers. Thanks to my parents, I'm much more familiar with New Order, the band that Joy Division became after the lead singer died. My ignorance is a bit criminal because Joy Division is the quintessential post-punk band and I listen to a good amount of modern post-punk. Though honestly, I can tell that post-punk has evolved hugely since Joy Division, making this album sound a bit rudimentary and meandering in comparison. I can imagine it hit a lot harder back in the day. Though I have to admire the unmistakeable dark atmosphere throughout this album, I imagine that was pretty revolutionary for the time. Sick album art too of course. I should circle back to Joy Division sometime but I don't see them surpassing New Order in my mind.
I'm glad this is on here because it's a major blind spot in my hip-hop listening. I'm really only familiar with Speakerboxxx/The Love Below because my parents have the CD. No surprise for OutKast, this is a hip-hop album brimming with personality and versatility. They're able to deliver radio hits, hardcore rap bangers, and weird detours, all while rapping circles around you. The instrumentals on this album are pretty strange for such a successful album and I'm here for it. I didn't vibe 100% with every song, but still an excellent album. I gotta listen to the rest of their stuff now.
Favorite tracks:
Gasoline Dreams
Ms. Jackson
Spaghetti Junction
B.O.B.
Red Velvet
This is one of those older bands that I want to get into, but I had no idea where to start. Now I know! Previously, I only knew their big hit "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again)". I love the Family Stone's blend of funk and psychedelic/progressive rock on this album. And I realize now that the hip-hop group Arrested Development's song "Everyday People" is a cover, very cool. I thought "Sex Machine" overstayed its welcome a bit, but otherwise this is a fire album.
Favorite Tracks:
I Want to Take You Higher
Sing a Simple Song
You Can Make It If You Try
NJ legend! This is another major blind spot in my hip-hop listening. I only knew "Ex-Factor" and "Doo Wop" because Drake sampled them lol. The desk on the album art reminds me that my cousin used to work at her (and SZA's) high school in Maplewood. This album is bop central. The beats are super smooth head-boppers and Lauryn works wonders over them. Is there anyone else that can rap AND sing as well as her?? It's a long album and lost me a bit at the end, but I think it's great overall.
Favorite tracks:
Lost Ones
Ex-Factor
Doo Wop (That Thing)
Final Hour
I've never heard of this band! I'm digging the country influences, and the album has a great energy. This is getting me amped for my punk show tonight. The singer's voice gets tiring pretty quick though. Crazy that the 2nd song is a Robert Johnson cover.
Favorite tracks:
Sex Beat
Preaching the Blues
She's Like Heroin to Me
Ghost on the Highway
No surprise that this band is also from Seattle, the vocals sound a lot like Kurt Cobain, or maybe that's just part of the Grunge formula. Though the music here sounds more metal-leaning than Nirvana. The vocals sound pretty goofy at points, not gonna lie. I don't think the Grunge edginess has aged well in all cases. All the songs sound the same too, none of them really stand out in any significant way, except maybe the first song. Not sure I needed to hear this before I die.
So many classic indie bangers on this one. "Ready to Start" was my introduction to Arcade Fire back in high school, fantastic song. I probably heard it on SiriusXM Alt Nation. I've also been listening to "We Used to Wait" and "Deep Blue" for a long time, but I've only listened to the full album maybe once before this, so I'm glad this gave me a chance to revisit it. The entire thing holds up, even the deep cuts. Straight fire. I was supposed to see them live with Anthony and Kerri back in 2022 but I got Covid :(
Favorite tracks:
The Suburbs
Ready to Start
Empty Room
Deep Blue
We Used to Wait
Sprawl II
Definition of a classic. This is the very first classic rock album I got into after digging up my aunt’s old copy from my mom’s box of old records in high school. I still have it. Every song is great and they fit so well together as an album despite jumping between pop, psychedelic rock, ballads, and unorthodox detours. It’s a masterpiece, what else can I say.
Favorite songs:
All of them
This is groovy, but the songs aren't quite as strong as the Steely Dan I've listened to. Though it's refreshing to hear an 80s rock album without the gawdy 80s production tropes.
Favorite tracks:
I.G.Y.
Green Flower Street
New Frontier
I've never listened to this album before, "Drunk in Love" is probably the only song I'd heard prior. I love the dark, clubby vibes on some of these songs, especially "Haunted". All of the instrumentals are top notch, as expected for an A-List artist. And Bey is obviously an incredible vocalist. It's a solid album, though not every song is my cup of tea. It loses me a bit after the first few tracks.
Favorite tracks:
Pretty Hurts
Haunted
Drunk in Love
Blow
Hell yeah I just started to get into R.E.M. over the past few years after receiving CD copies of their big 90s albums from my aunt and parents, but I haven't listened to this one yet. The exceptions being their smash hits “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” which I forgot about and "The One I Love". I’m surprised that I didn’t start listening to R.E.M. sooner, they slap and are one of the originators of the jangly guitar sound that was prevalent in the indie rock I listened to in high school. Not every song here is a total bop, but most of them are, especially the big singles. I will definitely be continuing my journey through their discography in the future.
Favorite tracks:
Finest Worksong
Welcome to the Occupation
Disturbance at the Heron House
Is the End of the World As We Know It
The One I Love
Queen is good fun, especially with all the theatrics on this album. Their Greatest Hits was one of the CDs we had on repeat when I was a kid. That certainly included "You're My Best Friend" and "Bohemian Rhapsody," both eternal bangers. However, most of the deep cuts on this album don't live up to the singles. While the more theatrical moments here are fun while they're on, they're not the kind of songs I would seek out these days.
Favorite tracks:
You're My Best Friend
Sweet Lady
Bohemian Rhapsody
This was probably my mom's jam back in the day. I dig the middle eastern-sounding synths on "Father Figure". "I Want Your Sex" made me cringe and made it hard to keep a straight face at work. The sound effects in "Monkey" had me dying too. Overall though, this album is filled with quality, unapologetically 80s pop songs. It's a fun listen. -1 for not having "Careless Whisper" though.
Favorite tracks:
Faith
Father Figure
Hard Day
Look at Your Hands
Monkey
I did not vibe with the robotic vocals at the beginning of the album, they did not age well. Thankfully, they did not last. I also found the sound effects on "Same Old Show" very cringe. Some of the synths on "Don't Give Up" gave me Metroid Prime vibes which was cool. I had to be careful listening to this in the office because of the album art haha. Most of the songs that didn't annoy me I found pretty meh. But "Jump 'N Shout," "Red Alert," and "Bingo Bango" are bangers.
These boys definitely rock, but the vocals are a little too wacked out at times. I like the blues vibes on some of the tracks. The harmonica rips, and all the other instruments honestly. Thoroughly enjoyed this for the most part.
Favorite Tracks:
Waitin' for the Bus
Jesus Just Left Chicago
Move Me on Down the Line
La Grange
Sheik
Have You Heard?
NJ legends dishing out super smooth 90s hip-hop with crazy good chemistry between the 3 members. I read Questlove's memoir recently and he talked about how one day, the Fugees were opening for the Roots and soon enough, it was the opposite. The Fugees' penchant for pop songwriting (which the Roots were lacking) is clear through songs like "Killing Me Softly With His Song" and that's what led them to such quick success. But they also kill it when it comes to straight hip-hop tracks. The Bob Marley cover at the end of the album is cool, and I just learned that "Killing Me Softly" is a cover as well. The super twangy guitar samples on the last song are sick. Overall, this album is loaded with great rhyming and excellent head-bopping beats, it's a fantastic piece of art.
Favorite Tracks:
How Many Mics
Zealots
The Beast
Family Business
Killing Me Softly With His Song
The Score
The Mask
Cowboys
Manifest
Hell yes this album was my introduction to S&G after a family friend gave me her vinyl copy back in high school. I've listened to all of their albums since then, I'm a big fan. The duo really runs the gamut with this one: dramatic ballads (title track, "The Boxer"), super fun folk-pop jams ("Cecilia," "Baby Driver"), more stripped-down low-key cuts ("So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright," "Song for the Asking"), and more instrumentally diverse bops ("El Condor Pasa," "Keep the Customer Satisfied"). This album is S&G's final form. After starting out with stripped-down acoustic folk on their first album, they evolved quite a bit up until this album, where they really show their skills as a pop powerhouse with a much expanded musical palate.
Favorite Songs:
All of them
Robin Pecknold is a fucking angel. No voice hits my ear as beautifully as his. This album is an indie folk classic. All of the other Fleet Foxes albums slap too. If you're not familiar with these guys and you like this album, I highly recommend you keep going.
"Sun It Rises" is a perfectly gorgeous opener. "Ragged Wood" was my introduction to Fleet Foxes and it's still one of my all time favorite indie tunes. All of the other songs are good to great as well. But honestly, there are slightly more lulls in the tracklist here than their following albums. Still a great debut album, I'll give it a 9/10 and round up to 5 stars.
This is a welcome album for me since my only exposure to thrash metal so far has been through a little Metallica and King Gizzard's metal albums (no doubt the latter were heavily inspired by these 80s bands). I got to see drummer on this album, Dave Lombardo play with Mr. Bungle last year. Wild that Rick Rubin produced this album, that must've been around the same time he was working with early hip-hop acts like Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys.
This album rips, really gets the blood pumping, especially the really fast moments. It paired well with my morning caffeine. I can't say there were any moments I didn't enjoy. Out of all the albums we've listened to so far that I wasn't already familiar with, this is my favorite.
I think I listened to this band once back in college. The leader singer, Roky Erickson had a crazy life plagued by mental illness and I might've watched a documentary about him. It's cool to hear such a raw and rough-around-the-edges psychedelic rock album that was released before huge bands like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones embraced this sound the following year. Apparently this was the first time "psychedelic" was used to describe music. One of the band members played an "amplified jug" which is cool as well. I'm guessing the background sound that kinda sounds like a ghost is from that. Some of the songs are a little too messy at points, but overall, I thought this rocked.
Another great S&G album. "Save the Life of My Child" is a pretty strange song for the duo, I wonder if they caught a whiff of the psychedelia prevalent in the music of the time. There's nothing that sounds like this on "Bridge Over Troubled Water". "America," "A Hazy Shade of Winter," and "At the Zoo" are such bops. "Old Friends" is a beautiful folk ballad. "Mrs. Robinson" is a classic and probably the first S&G song I got into after watching The Graduate in English class in high school. I think "Bridge" is more consistent than this one, but it's still a great time.
Oooooh some early Beatles. I'm not sure if I've heard any of these tracks before. I've heard "Roll Over Beethoven" but only ELO's version. I'll have to check out Chuck Berry's original version as well. I don't think this album is quite as consistent as their later legendary albums, but it's still a fun listen.
Oh hey I actually know a song from this album. Our boy Robin Pecknold from Fleet Foxes posted "Weighted Down" on his IG a few years ago. This album is pretty strange. I like the loosely strung together instrumentation (reminds me of early Modest Mouse) and his odd, deep vocals. This doesn't sound like anything else from the time. Seems like the album has a crazy backstory, and he played in Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and Moby Grape. I'll have to give them a listen as well. And I mean, what a great last name. I could've done without the last song, but I enjoyed this otherwise.
I love Led Zeppelin, but I've only listened to around half of their albums front to back, not including this one. The opening track is an absolute banger. And I love the slower blues songs in addition to the more hard rocking tracks. I was not expecting the Indian percussion on "Black Mountain Side" - very cool. This hasn't dethroned some of their later albums in my mind, but it's still straight heat.
The first of The Who's rock operas I believe. I got this record and Quadrophenia, another rock opera, from my ex's collection of her dad's old records. This album is epic in many ways: the sound, length, and lyrical concept. Crazy that Pete Townshend wrote almost the entire thing. I think I saw an ad around NYC recently for Tommy on Broadway, that would be fun. I thoroughly enjoyed this from front to back, it did not feel as long as it is.
One of my parents' favorite bands. "Message in a Bottle" is a classic. "It's Alright For You" is also a banger. These guys really rock well together, I enjoyed the instrumental moments on this album as well as the sung ones. I was not entirely enthralled by all of the more low-key tracks, but I still think it's a great album.
I have their second album on vinyl, another one from my ex's dad. I've only heard "A Message To You Ruby" from this one, which is a total banger. These fellas are the quintessential ska band, there would be no Gorillaz without them. I love how their drums sound. The guitar riffs in "Little Bitch" sound kinda like "Brown Sugar" by the Rolling Stones. This album isn't airtight, I think the follow-up is a little more consistent. But it's a lot of fun and a great album for a sunny day like today.
YES I've been waiting for some Talking Heads. I fucking love them, they are my favorite pre-90s band. Y'all have probably seen me in my TH shirt before. Their first 5 albums are all masterpieces, and it all started with this one. I picked up a vinyl copy of this a year ago to the week when I was in San Diego for my cousin's wedding. It's the most recent and 4th addition to my Talking Heads collection. My mom and I have bonded a lot over our love for these guys, we saw David Byrne's broadway show together before Covid.
Anyways, they really open with a bang with the first 2 songs; total rockers. "No Compassion" is also a straight banger. "Psycho Killer" is an iconic song of course. Their music is so unusual and extraordinary, while using the most ordinary of rock instruments, it's magical. I really wish I was alive during the late 70s-early 80s so I could've experienced the magic firsthand.
Cool to hear another version of "Bye Bye Love" after listening to Bridge Over Troubled Water. "I Love You So Much It Hurts" has beautiful backing vocals and instrumentation. I can picture people boogieing in black and white to "Hey Good Lookin'".
Ray's vocals are silky-smooth throughout the whole album. The jazz instrumentation is on point and the strings are a nice touch, this album definitely has a very grand presentation. This isn't really the type of music that I'd seek out but I can't knock it, good stuff.
This album art is even worse for the office than the Basement Jaxx one. I can't imagine how that went over in the 70s. I've never listened to this band much, but I know Brian Eno used to be in it. I was curious to hear what art rock sounded like in the 70s. The vocals and guitarwork are pretty unorthodox. I like the driving rhythms on the opener. They really took the song name "Bitter Sweet" to heart. I really enjoyed "Triptych" with it's usual instruments. The instrumentation throughout the album is pretty rockin' but some of the songs don't have very strong vocal melodies.
Interesting this is our first Jack White album instead of something from the White Stripes. I've been a fan of both for a long time. I didn't realize this was his first solo album. I don't think I've ever taken a good close look at the vulture on his shoulder either. I've never listened to this all the way through but I've been listening to "Sixteen Saltines", "Freedom at 21", and "I'm Shakin'" since high school, all bangers. The electric piano on the opener shreds. I like the slide guitar on the title track too. I learned that "I'm Shakin'" is a cover just last week when I heard the original version by Little Willie John on this internet radio station I like. I thoroughly enjoyed this. Not every song is straight fire but it's still a quality rock album. I've been sleeping on it all this time.
Hell yes this is a bangin' album. One of the few Kinks albums I've listened to all the way through. I don't remember what led me to it in college, but I'm happy whenever one of the songs comes on. In particular, "Victoria", "Australia", and "Shangri-La" are total jams. I'll have to check out more of their albums at some point.
I dug the meditative mood on a lot of these tracks. I always appreciate some bird noises as well. The guitar work is awesome throughout the album, but the singer's voice gets pretty exhausting pretty quick, especially for such a long album.
I like the band's dark, gothic sound and their energy. I love me some good controlled chaos. I find this is another instance where the singer's voice gets pretty exhausting after a while, but I still enjoyed the album for the most part.
Some quality 70s glam rock on this one. The only T. Rex I've been exposed to so far is his big hit "Bang a Gong", "Teenage Dream" from the Scott Pilgrim soundtrack (great song), and two songs from a covers compilation that both happen to be on this album. Emily Haines from Metric and Father John Misty covered "Ballroom on Mars" and "Main Man" respectively. Not every song on this album is airtight, but it's a really good time.
Hell yes. Fela Kuti is amazing and "Let's Start" is easily my favorite track of his. Though, I have a lot more listening I need to do. Wild that Ginger Baker from Cream is just on this. The groove is undeniable, the solos shred, I could listen to this forever.
So many hip-hop classics on this one: "Gimme the Loot", "Machine Gun Funk", "Juicy", "Everyday Struggle", "Big Poppa"
This was probably the defining sound of NYC and the East Coast back then, after Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg starting blowing up out West. Even now, it's still one of the most significant hip-hop releases of the 90s and all time. It's also the peak of hip-hop machismo, which is starting to take its toll on me after listening to so many rappers talk about the same "tough" stuff. But I imagine the lyrical content was more fresh when it originally came out. And honestly, this is pretty emotionally raw for a gangsta rap album, which I respect. I could've done without the sex interludes as well lol.
He was only 22 when this came out, which is unfathomable. He grew up in Brooklyn not too far from where I live, it's a very different borough these days.
Old country is an area of music that I'd like to get more into, so I'm happy to hear this. He's no Johnny Cash, but this album is chock full of fun little tunes and pretty ballads. The steel guitar rips throughout. I like my country with a bit more of an edge, but I still enjoyed this thoroughly.
Unlike the Donald Fagen album, this one definitely has that gawdy 80s rock sound, though it doesn't really harm the listening experience. "Money for Nothing" is a classic, though I didn't realize how many "f*ggots" it had, that's a yikes. I didn't realize that Sting co-wrote and sang on it either. It is so dang catchy, was stuck in my head the rest of the day. I also recognize the iconic synth line in "Walk of Life". "So Far Away" is a nice listen too. However, I don't think the deep cuts compare to the big hits. I felt kinda meh on the album overall.
Here we have an album with the signature grimy Wu-Tang hip-hop sound, but with the spotlight on Raekwon as opposed to the whole crew. Though the RZA is still on production and other Wu-Tang MCs are scattered throughout. The beat on "Incarcerated Scarfaces" goes so fucking hard. The guest singer on "Rainy Dayz" was a bit all over the place. Wtf is that black-and-white movie gun sound effect on "Can It Be So Simple (Remix)" lololol. Now I know where the "Avalanche Rock" sample comes from.
It's a very good, albeit not perfect hip-hop album.
I don't think I've actually listened to this front to back in a while. What really needs to be said about it? It's a total classic, fire from front to back, truly an era-defining piece of music. I gotta catch these boys live again now that I'm in New York. Will I ever be able to identify each deep cut by name though? Remains to be seen haha, they still blend together for me. I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing though.
This is the first step that the boys took towards a less pop, more psychedelic sound that would end up taking over albums like Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour. This is evident from the sitar used on "Norwegian Wood", and even just looking at the album art. I think this album is what inspired Brian Wilson to make Pet Sounds too. He was amazed that the Beatles made this album a more cohesive listening experience, as opposed to just a collection of pop hits. So he decided that the Beach Boys should do the same.
I learned all that in college, but have never actually listened to this all the way through, haha. Mostly just "In My Life" which is a great song. This isn't the band's best crop of tracks, but it's still very good.
BASS.
The Bomb Squad were definitely ahead of the game with this one. These beats do not sound like they were made in the 80s. "Bring the Noise" and "Louder Than A Bomb" are total bangers. The guitar sample in "She Watch Channel Zero?!" is sick. Some of the repetitive sound effects and vocal lines are a bit annoying, but not enough to bring it down a star. This album is straight heat. Chuck D is locked in the whole time and Flavor Flav adds great character.
Yeahhhhhh boyyyyyy!
I’ve heard one song from this band on a CD of British acoustic recordings that was in a magazine my mom gave me in middle school lol. It’s cool to hear a familiar voice in its original, very different context. I did not realize they were a part of the 90s Britpop scene, I should’ve checked them out. I’m only vaguely familiar with the scene, I’ve listened to a little Blur, Pulp, and “Wonderwall,” mostly thanks to the Trainspotting soundtrack. I like the band's sound here a lot and the singer's voice too - very unique. Though I think the songwriting could've been tightened up a bit.
Favorite track: So Young
I liked Suede's 1993 album better, sorry Damon. I have the same qualms with this album's songwriting as the Suede album, but I like Suede's more colorful, glistening sound better than Blur's more straightforward rock sound. I think the Suede album has more bops overall too. There are a few Blur songs that I really like, but none of them are on this album. I do appreciate how unapologetically British this album is, with the album title and all. I have Blur's first album on my list, I would revisit this after that.
Favorite song: Oily Water
This was probably my parents' jam back in the day. I haven't listened to him much outside of his big hits I heard on the radio (which includes "Pump It Up" and "Radio, Radio" I now realize). Funny enough, the most I've listened to him is on the New Basement Tapes album which has a bunch of more modern artists performing lost Bob Dylan songs. My mom gave me the CD in high school. It features Elvis along with Marcus Mumford, Jim James from My Morning Jacket, and others. Didn't love this album but I like it. I think the music is groovy and I like his funky voice, very new wave.
I was expecting some good country twang when I saw Willie Nelson's name, but there was none. It makes sense since the songs are all pop standards, but I found the album a bit flat and bland without it. The instrumentation is still on point, but Willie's voice sounds a little out of place over it as well. It was kind of a snoozer, hopefully there is more Willie Nelson to come.
Some moments were groovy as heck, some lost me. Overall, it was a real nice listen though, I need more Brazilian music in my life. Favorite track was "Trem De Doido".
Yesssss I just listened to this all the way through for the first time right before I moved to NYC. This album is banger central. "Killing in the Name" is obviously a classic, been listening to that one for forever. The slap bass on "Take the Power Back" is SO GOOD. "Bombtrack," "Know Your Enemy," "Wake Up," and "Freedom" also go hard af. Rage makes the perfect mix of metal/punk, funk, and hip-hop. Some songs here a little more meh than others however. Looks like I gave this a 7/10 on my IG. I need to fix that, it should be an 8 at least. The songs that I didn't save are still pretty good. It's sad that the issues they talk about this album are still relevant 30 years later, we clearly need more revolutionaries like them in pop culture.
This is a nice folk rock album and a pleasant listening experience, but I don't think it has much else going for it beyond that. I'd rather listen to Joni Mitchell.
Love me some Neil Young, but I've mostly only listened to the tracks on his Greatest Hits compilation that my parents have on CD and I now have on vinyl. That means the only song I've heard from this album is the last one. For that reason, I expected this album to be more rockin'. I'm not mad about the folk vibes at the beginning though, they're lovely. I was surprised to hear the first song because I didn't know there was a folkier version of the last. I enjoyed this for the most part, but some moments were a little all over the place. I'd still give it a 9/10 though.
Cool that these guys are still rocking to this day. Wikipedia says this album inspired the future creators of grunge music which is very neat.
I've been waiting for some Prince! I was also familiar with a few songs on this album from a compilation that my parents have. Including the title track which has some weird, low-key energy, but Prince still somehow made it a hit. "Housequake" has that great quirky but infectious Prince energy. "U Got the Look" and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" are total jams as well. There are some lulls in the tracklist, it's not as punchy as his older stuff, but this is still a great listening experience.
Not my cup of tea. This is like the country equivalent of overblown 80s rock. It's too clean, I like my country with more grit and grime. There should be no need to put a MIDI keyboard clap on a country song lol, though that was probably more cutting edge back then. His "country voice" is a little too exaggerated for me too. Otherwise, it's not really bad per say, but it's not my thing.
Love me some jazz, especially Miles Davis. He's another artist that I got into thanks to my parents’ CD collection. They have a compilation of his that includes "So What" from this album, which is a fantastic song. All the solos on "Flamenco Sketches" are so beautiful too.
This album has a powerful lineup: Miles Davis on trumpet of course, Cannonball Adderley on alto sax, John Coltrane on tenor sax, Bill Evans on piano, etc. I have his albums Round About Midnight on vinyl and Bitches Brew on CD, I need to pick this one up.
I've never heard of this band but the lead singer's name, Robyn Hitchcock rings a bell for some reason. "I Wanna Destroy You" is a total banger, I saved it to my Spotify immediately. 1980 must've been a strange year to release a psych rock album, so I respect the band for doing so despite genres like post-punk being much more fashionable. Apparently, R.E.M. were very influenced by them which is cool and makes sense given this album's jangly sound.
My friend played "911 Is A Joke" on our radio show back in college. We could only play clean music before 10pm so Public Enemy was great for that since they don't swear much. And I've also been listening to "Fight the Power" for a while, especially in 2020 haha. The indie rock band Deerhoof has a strangely good cover of it. This is another quality album from Chuck D, Flavor Flav, the Bomb Squad, and co. However, I think it's slightly less consistent than Nation of Millions.
Happy to listen to some Otis. Previously, I've only heard "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" and "Tramp" (I heard the latter playing in Flying Tiger in Florence last week). I did not know "Respect" was written and originally recorded by him. Looks like Aretha added the iconic "R-E-S-P-E-C-T" part though. I absolutely love his voice, so powerful and soulful. There's also a cover here of the iconic "Wonderful World" song from Animal House, love it. The Rolling Stones cover is cool as well. No complaints 5/5
The only time I've listened to this band previously is the song "I'm Not In Love" from the Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack. It's a great song, but it's not on this album. Hearing "The Worst Band in the World" for the first time is super weird for my brain since it was heavily sampled and reshuffled by J Dilla for his song "Workinonit". This is a solid 70s pop rock album, nothing else to say.
"Highway Star" is a Rock Band classic and "Smoke on the Water" is probably the most iconic guitar line of all time. I've never heard any other songs from this album, but they all rock just as hard. Some grade-A classic rock.
I've heard a lot about these guys, but never really listened to them. They seem like legends in the metal scene. It says on Wikipedia that Metallica was likely influenced by this album which checks out. Lot of great shredding all over this thing. The vocals are a little too over-dramatic for my taste, but I can't help but respect them. Rob Halford sang his heart out. Overall, this rocks.
Progressive Rock is a genre that I've wanted to get more into for a while. And I feel like Yes is THE progressive rock band. I found their album Relayer on CD at the Chatham library annual sale, but I've never heard this one. Their musicianship is absolutely incredible and this album rips from front to back. I'll have to revisit this as well as their broader discography.
Another band I've wanted to get more into for a while. I think I listened to this one once at work, but Ege Bamyasi is the one on my to-listen list. I'm fucked in the head, so I love me some experimental music. Not a ton of substance here, but I enjoy the vibes. Light 4
I love the Beastie Boys. I have Hello Nasty on CD and I've listened to most of their other albums, but some, including this one, I need to give a deeper listen to. I'm only super familiar with "Sabotage" which is a total classic. In the 90s, the boys started recording as more of a band with live instruments, as opposed to a hip-hop group using samplers, drum machines, etc. So like the follow-up Hello Nasty, this album has a more of a diverse set of influences and sounds, which I enjoy. Light 5
