Well, this album makes sense for inclusion on this list, given that it is one of the finest hours of funk metal that has gone on to influence several bands after. Every member on Rage Against the Machine delivers on their debut. Tim Cummerford’s bass slapping is infectious and has several moments. Brad Wilk’s drumming is well-accented, punches when needed, and makes use of a variety of percussive instruments, particularly the cowbell. Tom Morello’s guitar soloing and riffage are some of the most experimental sounds out there. Rounding it all out, Zach de La Rocha commands an excellent balance between rapping and harsh vocals. A lot of the songs are meaningfully constructed, where the riffs stick to memory and there are several movements and percussive breakdowns in between. As for the lyrics, I get that Rage might not be as beloved, given that they are a political band and the American political landscape has changed a lot in the past 30+ years. That said, it cannot be denied that a lot of the themes they touch upon are still relevant issues in the modern age, including the pursuit of freedom and justice, accountability, police brutality, racism and domestic abuse. Love it or hate it, there are reasons this album has maintained relevance to this day. Go into this one with an open mind. - thinking 5 stars

- Yeah, I have no problem giving this album 5 stars. Alright, here we have the first album from The Boss to achieve mainstream success. I gather that it was a rather lengthy process to perfect his sound during the recording sessions. Hell, six months were spent working on just the title track. Suffice it to say, all that hard work paid off in dividends. Born to Run contains some high-caliber piano-driven rock tunes, where Bruce was able to capture the essence of working class people trying to find their escape. Credit is due to him and the E Street Band for crafting and producing some true bangers on this album, and not just the singles. Even deep cuts like “Backstreets”, “She’s the One” and the 9-minute closer “Jungleland” prove to be exceptionally constructed with a sound that’s timeless. If you haven’t already, give Born to Run a chance. I get not everyone’s fond of Springsteen’s music, but if there was at least one that deserves its place on this list, it would be this one.

For this review, I'm sticking to the original LP tracklisting, and not factoring in the B-side tracks and second disc of the super deluxe edition. I hadn't heard of Adam and the Ants before, and that album artwork already gives me quite the impression. This group went through a near complete lineup change before this album, along with a style shift from post-punk to new wave, with the sole consistent member being frontman Adam Ant. Kings of the Wild Frontier gave me similar vibes to The Stranglers concerning the manic energy that Adam and the rest of this group exerted in their songs. From the get-go on "Dog Eat Dog", the Burundi drums kick in as Adam howls and belts his way through, complemented by catchy guitar hooks. It doesn't take long before lyrical themes go off the rails, from talking about the uprising of ant-people to pirates and Native American tribes. It's fun in its lack of cohesion with good riffs and percussion, though this band kept at 100% chaos and doesn't give a break to change up the style, so be aware of that. Give it a spin.

This is the second Beatles album I’ve gotten on this journey, after Sgt. Pepper’s. Oddly enough, Revolver is the album preceding that one. At this point, the boys were just about done performing live as a band. They started ramping up their studio production tinkering to create an innovative soundscape inspired by LSD trips, Eastern philosophy, and avant-garde music. There’s the horn section on “Got to Get You Into My Life”, the string octet for “Eleanor Rigby”, the back-masked guitar solo of “I’m Only Sleeping”, the Indian instrumentation on “Love You To”, the tape loops assembled for “Tomorrow Never Knows”, the list goes on for what they achieved. I know these tape effects and instrument choices will be used more frequently by artists in the future, but the Beatles did a lot to make well-structured music with these new-at-the-time methods. Adding to that, the song structures are a lot more varied on this album. A fair amount of tracks are idiosyncratic - the out-of-tempo count-in to “Taxman”, the switching between 4/4 and 3/4 time on “She Said She Said”, and the syncopated drum pattern of “Tomorrow Never Knows” as a few examples. These variations are complemented by more normally structured songs that serve as good palate-cleansers like “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Yellow Submarine”. As for the lyrics, Revolver largely deviates from the Beatles' prior work of mostly love songs. Instead, the themes range from isolation in "Eleanor Rigby" and "And Your Bird Can Sing", to drugs in "Got to Get You Into My Life" and "Doctor Robert", to other assorted topics like taxes and sleeping on "Taxman" and "I'm Only Sleeping". There's a great deal of variety in the emotional delivery throughout the album, whether a song evokes sadness, joy, angst, or bliss. Honestly, I couldn’t think of a bad or middling track off this album. Each song brought something unique to the table, as every band member was on their game lyrically and sonically. I know they would continue to experiment on Sgt. Pepper’s and onward, but Revolver became a high mark to surpass.

As someone who only knew about "Rockit" before listening, this was an amazing experience. Herbie takes you on an audible journey that goes through several movements, and the only time the mood got questionable was the first minute of "Watermelon Man". But even that track settles into a chill groove. This is not an album for everyone, given that it's instrumental jazz and the first track is 15 minutes. But if you have the stomach for that vibe it comes with a strong recommendation.

Having only heard about DJ Shadow before from his appearance in the DJ Hero video game, I can say this was an eye-opener. The way he weaves sampled words and instrumentals in new and meaningful ways such as Cliff Burton's bass intro from Metallica's "Orion" as a backdrop for a beat on "The Number Song" makes for an intriguing listen. Other cuts like "Organ Donor", "Midnight in a Perfect World", "Stem / Long Stem / Transmission 2" and the medley of "Napalm Brain" and "Scatter Brain" add to the wide range of tone and timbre Shadow can pull off. Granted, this album is not for everyone, as it's an instrumental album running a little over an hour, comprised heavily of samples, and has a few interlude tracks that don't add much to the overall package. But it is highly recommended for those who are into this style of music.

Oh yeah, this is a bonafide classic. Perhaps not to the immediate smash that "Are You Experienced" was, but then you start digging deeper. Tracks like "Spanish Castle Magic", "Little Wing", "If 6 Was 9", the title track, and "Castles Made of Sand" showcase the rich blend of blues and psychedelia Jimi was able to conjure with his band. Granted, the album starts with the weird-ass spoken word intro that is "EXP", but it doesn't take long for Jimi's guitar to kick in and before you know it, you're "Up From the Skies." This album comes with a high recommendation.

This was an amazing album. It's a throwback to the soul and R&B of the '60s but coming from a genuine place of passion. All of this is possible from Amy's charismatic voice, her lyrics delving into the conflicts and drama that can spur from a relationship, and the tight production chops of Mark Ronson and Salaam Remi. I've heard "Rehab" and the title track before, but the rest of the album is just as good as those two. Highly recommended if you haven't listened yet.

I've heard of Elliott Smith before as an influential singer-songwriter, and that talent is showcased on this album. This is an easy-listening indie folk album that doesn't stretch itself too thin, complete with Elliott's whispery singing over some nice acoustic melodies. There are standout tracks like "Ballad of Big Nothing", "Angeles" and "Cupid Trick", though some tracks in the middle of the album admittedly run together and sound similar. Still overall, a pleasant experience from start to finish.

I can see why this album is included on the list. The Police were a massive new wave and post-punk group in the late 70s and 80s, and their short catalog is considered iconic. Synchronicity, in particular, is stacked with some of their tightest and most poignant songs at their final hour, including the likes of both title tracks, "Walking in Your Footsteps", "Tea in the Sahara", and "Wrapped Around Your Finger". There's a problem though - "Mother" is on the first half of this album, and it is a blight. One of the few songs Sting didn't write, it's a creepy track where Andy Summers frantically sings about how "every girl becomes [his] mother in the end." I understand if Andy felt pressured by his mother growing up, but his struggle does not translate well into a song. If you end up listening to this album, feel free to skip the track; the rest is fine without it.

This was the follow-up album to the smash hit that was Rumours, and as such there was more room to experiment. Thus, we got a double album where it starts getting weird on track two "The Ledge", where the guitar is tuned down an octave to sound like a fuzzy bass alongside Lindsey Buckingham's repeated utterance of the phrase "Someone oughta." In fact, the tracks written and sung by Lindsey tend to be the standouts on this album, including "Think About Me", "What Makes You Think You're the One", and the spoof on punk songs that is "Not That Funny." That's not to say I didn't appreciate contributions from everyone else. In particular, I consider "Sara" and "Storms" as well-penned songs from Stevie Nicks, and opener "Over & Over" from Christine McVie helped set the tone. But, I'll admit the album slows down on the back half, with songs sounding similar and it makes the album feels it's length before picking back up again at the end with the title track and "Never Forget". It's overall a solid album, and I can understand the creative freedom Fleetwood Mac had from their immediate success. Just could've been a little tighter.

This was the debut album of Damon Albarn’s cartoon band, and in some ways they have outgrown the popularity of Blur. The appeal of Gorillaz can be drawn to how wide and varied the styles they can play, taking influence from alternative rock to trip hop and in-between. Tracks can take on a range of emotions from the melancholic “Tomorrow Comes Today” to the energetic “Punk”. The few guest appearances feel inspired such as Del the Funky Homosapien rapping on “Clint Eastwood” and “Rock the House”, as well as Ibrahim Ferrer’s cadence on “Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)”. One’s enjoyment of this album can be attributed to how well they can tolerate the experimentation going on throughout this record, as well as Damon’s voice through his cartoon persona 2D. Because on some tracks like “Man Research (Clapper)” and “Sound Check (Gravity)” where he’s going into his high registers, it can make or break your experience. Still, it’s an overall fun time.

This is the first Lana Del Ray album I have listened to, fitting before her headline performance at Coachella this weekend. On the surface, this is weirdly new to appear on this “1001 albums to listen to” list given that it's barely three years old. Then you look around and find that it was added to the 2021 edition of the list within months of release. All this to say that it might have been a presumptuous addition because this sounds to me like it does not need to be listened to before you die. Sure, there is some merit here with it being a baroque pop album that sounds aesthetically pleasing; a song like "Dark But Just a Game" is a good example of this style. But this album rarely leaves much of an impression, as Lana's wistful cooing and lyrical clunkiness don't work well, combined with Jack Antonoff's sheen pop production that does not mesh well here. There are times when the lyrical themes conflict with each other. I can't imagine Lana is "Wild at Heart" and wanderlust while embracing traditional ideals like standing by your man on "Let Me Love You Like a Woman". What surprised me was that this album ends with a cover of Joni Mitchell's "For Free" where Weyes Blood takes the final verse. Given her rich vocal timbre, it's as if she steals the show from Lana right at the end, which was probably not intended. Perhaps it could have been a ceremonial passing of the torch, but that wouldn't work because Lana followed up with another album the same year this dropped. I have to assume there's a better Lana album out there because this was not a good first impression. It's certainly not a must-hear.

Having only heard of New Order before from the singles "Blue Monday" and "Ceremony", I can say this album was quite the treat. It's good vibing post-punk complete with popping synthesizers, well-accented percussion from Stephen Morris, and Bernard Sumner's effortless vocal delivery. Tracks like "The Perfect Kiss", "Sunrise" and the instrumental "Elegia" pop off remarkably well, and the guitars get some time in the limelight on "Sooner Than You Think". Perhaps the songwriting and production are not consistently up to the high standard set by "Blue Monday", but there's no denying the group's performance is well done here. It's worth checking out if you're curious.

From my understanding, this is a hardcore breakbeat album from a UK electronic dance group that is considered a pioneer of the big beat subgenre. That much is evident early on from "Break + Enter" with how hard the beat goes amidst synthesizer loops and samples of breaking glass. A lot of this album goes pretty dark with the sampling and beat intensity, to the point where it's closer to industrial than dance. That said, the 78-minute runtime is pretty daunting and requires being in a certain mindset. If you're into heavy rave music, then check it out.

I've already heard "Heroin" off this album, which serves as a prime example of the psychedelic rock on display. The tone can swing from easy breezy pop to uptempo rockers and lyrics of sexuality and drug use. Your enjoyment of this album may vary depending on how much you tolerate the experimentation and the vocals as Lou Reed's deadpan delivery and Nico's contralto singing are not everyone's cup of tea. For those who can handle it, it's a solid recommendation.

For this review, I am looking at the original release of this album. I will not include the four-song EP "A Something's Extra" that gets tacked on to the end of the CD and streaming releases. That still leaves us with a double album that runs for about an hour and a half, and that runtime seems to be the elephant in the room here. As experimental as Stevie gets here, I don't think there's a bad or filler track per se, even though the baby recordings on the album cut of "Isn't She Lovely" are jarring and some tracks like "Another Star" and "Black Man" go on for longer than they need to. That said, I do not recommend marathoning this album in one session, because there is such a case for "too much of a good thing." Take a break between discs/records for this one. It belongs on this list, but only when approached with the right mindset.

This is one of the few times when Bruce Springsteen did not record with the E Street Band, as he chose to release the 4-track demos as they are. Not only that, but the tone is a lot more melancholy than previous efforts, where the lyrics revolve around characters who have been through rough patches in their lives as extreme as criminal behavior or mass murder, and then finding a turning point for themselves. This album is not for everyone based on the overall tone, and how naked it is with just Bruce and his guitar. Perhaps there could have been a drummer for the faster tempo tracks like "Johnny 99" and "Open All Night", but that wasn't Bruce's intent. As it is, it's certainly an interesting piece for the diehard fans and those curious.

For this review, I'm looking at the original tracklisting of the album, without the CD reissue bonus tracks. Having heard "Bela Lugosi's Dead" and "Dark Entries" before, I know that Bauhaus are considered one of the progenitors of the goth rock subgenre. Their second studio album Mask was their attempt at expanding their sound, incorporating keyboards, funky rhythms, and saxophone. There is a wide range of tones throughout, from the somber "Hollow Hills", to the groovy "Kick in the Eye", and the rather ominous title track that closes the album. What pleased me the most was how good Kevin Haskins was behind the kit, with well-accented shuffle beats and the right amount of space for the percussion. Your mileage with this album will depend on how well you tolerate the experimentation, along with Peter Murphy's vocals as his delivery can get maniacal. If you're into the goth scene, it's a solid recommendation.

After an unprecedented effect on the pop music landscape with her debut Pure Heroine, Lorde wanted to expand her artistic reach with her second album. Quite simply, that effort paid off in spades. From a production standpoint, it's impeccable as she made full use of Jack Antonoff as her producer this time. Together, they took the pop satire from her previous effort and added better framing, stronger melodies, and greater influence. Lorde's intense delivery is expanded here from soft coos to outright belting that opens her range. Peppered throughout are just enough discordant elements to add to the intensity, such as the horns on "Sober" or the unstable guitar on "Hard Feelings/Loveless". Enough is going on here musically to serve as a fitting backdrop for the loose framework in the forefront. Lyrically, this album was written based on Lorde's experience after her first breakup. The album opens with the one-two-three punch of "Green Light", "Sober", and "Homemade Dynamite", setting the stage for a reckless party where Lorde is acutely self-aware of how inflaming such an environment can be. She throws herself in too deep for the temptation of it all which makes the heartbreak on "Liability" all the more piercing. From there, that heartbreak is processed, from the separation felt in "Hard Feelings/Loveless", to obsession in "Writer in the Dark", to the reliving of memories in "Supercut". All for her to come around at the end with "Perfect Places", reaching a point where she accepts the consequence of the reckless love experienced, but is not one to abandon it. This album takes a deconstructive approach to pop music, then comes around and celebrates it much harder. It lives up to its title, but with enough sense of humanity that makes the trip worthwhile.

Bowie describes this album as "plastic soul", which means soul music that is believed to lack authenticity. It's certainly not that often for an artist to be self-critical of their work within a year after its release, and he would later soften his stance while still aware that it was an attempt at soul music from a white man. Having listened to this album, that is exactly what we get. It's not a bad album, as it's aesthetically pleasing and bookmarked well enough by the title track and "Fame". Bowie was helped through the recording thanks to funk guitarist Carlos Alomar, saxophonist David Sanborn, backing vocalists Ava Cherry and Luther Vandross, and John Lennon. But at the end of the day, most of the tracks permeate with this sense of a white man trying to adapt to a style of music that he wasn't comfortable with. From a historical standpoint, this is one of the first notable instances of such a phenomenon. Young Americans as an album certainly has its place in Bowie's discography, albeit as an odd little phase. Make of that what you will.

Chances are good you've heard "Dancing Queen" before at a wedding or other occasion for hitting the dance floor. This is the album where that song comes from, along with other easy-listening pop tunes. It's a largely inoffensive record with solid production, though your enjoyment will vary depending on how much you can tolerate this style of music. If that sounds like your vibe, then check it out.

I'll admit I hadn't heard of Richard Hawley before. He seems to be a prolific singer-songwriter, guitarist, and producer who's worked with artists such as Pulp, Arctic Monkeys, and Gwen Stefani. For this being my first album of his listening to, it's pretty solid. There's a bit of variety in the throwback sound employed here, from vintage pop to country and blues. It's well-crafted and easy to listen to, though its momentum slows down by the end with the ambient instrumental "Last Orders". It's pleasant to have in the background, though not many songs stand out.

From my understanding, Tricky started as a member of Massive Attack, a group considered one of the pioneers of the trip-hop genre. He left them in the mid-'90s to pursue a solo career alongside vocalist Martina Topley-Bird, with this album being their debut. With that little background out of the way, I can say this album was a trip. Elements of psychedelic rock, R&B, electronica, and hip-hop are blended and weaved into this dark little package. Martina's smooth delivery and Tricky's off-kilter spoken rap balance out each other, only broken up occasionally by appearances from Alison Goldfrapp and Ragga who also do an excellent job. Aside from the covers of Massive Attack's "Karmacoma" and Public Enemy's "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos", this album lyrically taps into the psychological effects of recreational drugs and sexual paranoia. It's uneasy with purpose. With all that said, I don't expect everyone to enjoy this album. It's a slower and more ambient album than what someone would expect from a rapper. But if you're into that style, it's highly recommended.

This seems to be a case where an album was added to the revised edition of the list within a couple of months after the album dropped. From what I can gather, they are an indie rock band that describes themselves as "ambient punk", and this fourth album of theirs is loosely based on the human tendency to re-imagine our memories to make them look better than how they played out. There is some well-accented percussion and guitar work to a fair amount of the tracks such as the singles "Revival" and "Memory", along the lines of psychedelic rock music from the '60s. Unfortunately, the album is bookended by tracks that lean more towards ambient shoegaze, which is an odd juxtaposition. It's a solid album overall for the psychedelia once you dig in.

There’s a good chance you’ve heard the opening track “Hello” before, which has become a hallmark in Adele’s catalog with the spare piano and touches of reverb that build into a choir echoing into the emptiness. There’s also a good chance you’ve heard the next track “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” before, which is one of her weakest songs with the muffled stomp-clap beat that takes more focus than any semblance of melody. The fact these two are together sets the tone for how inconsistent this album is. It’s not a bad album, but it’s pretty apparent how each song has a different producer, which leads to different vocal effects and instrumental compositions across the album. Adele has been at her best when the production is dark and gritty, and that’s not always what you get here. This also translates to this album's vocal performance and lyrical themes, where it’s coming from a more mature perspective, reflecting on past relationships. She isn’t midway through a breakup like she was on 21, thus the framing would be different. But the songwriting hasn’t aged up with that maturity all the way through, and there is not as much raw power in the delivery. “Hello” and “Love in the Dark” are great songs, but you don’t quite get a “Rolling in the Deep” or “Set Fire to the Rain” here. Overall, it’s a solid album that will get a recommendation, as there are good selections to be had here. I wish it were a little tighter and more focused.

I've heard Beck here and there before, and this will make the first full album I sit down for him. It's a folk rock album where he croons along to his guitar playing and accompanying strings, with a very melancholic tone as he wrote these songs after he ended a nine-year relationship with his fiancee. The album is pretty well done, even if it goes longer than it should and won't be everyone's cup of tea. Give it a shot.

This is the first time I've ever heard of Will Oldham; likewise, this was the first time he published music under the alias Bonnie "Prince" Billy. From what I can tell, this kind of music can be described as "gothic folk", where dark and weighty lyrics are sung over haunting melodies. In that regard, the album is certainly well-crafted. I can see why Johnny Cash would cover the title track shortly after. There are just a few problems with this album - Will's warbly vocal delivery and the overall tone. This is not for everyone, given how bleak it comes off. If you're already in a bad or unpleasant mood, chances are good this album will not make it any better. From the right mindset, give it a spin.

I've heard of The National before, and this is the second album I'm checking out from them after First Two Pages of Frankenstein. It's the kind of indie rock and post-punk blend you would expect from such a reputable group, where rich poetry is delivered over fuzzy hooks, well-accented drums, and great grooves. I don't expect everyone to like this, given the genres they belong in and Matt Berninger's lower register. But if you're into that style of music, then it's a solid recommendation.

For this review, I'm sticking to the original track listing and not counting the bonus tracks from the 2001 remastered version. I'm already familiar with Muddy Waters as a blues legend, with this being a hallmark performance of his at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1960. This is peak Chicago-style blues for those who are into the classics, complete with an upbeat performance by Muddy and his live band. There's a reason why this album has been cited for developing the hard rock sound. Check it out.

Well, I'm going into this album already familiar with Deep Purple as one of the pioneering heavy metal bands. I've heard most of the tracks off this album before in pieces. Putting the pieces together, I will say this album kicks ass. Most of In Rock consists of hard rocking hitters one after another, from the one-two punch opening of "Speed King" and "Bloodsucker" to the percussive banger "Flight of the Rat" and the raucous outro "Hard Lovin' Man". The sole exception is the ten-minute epic "Child in Time". While the track is long, it's never boring as the band runs through multiple movements and never feels overwhelming until the appropriate climax. If anything, it's a standout song with Ian Gillan's vocal delivery and Jon Lord's organ playing. I'm comfortable giving this a high recommendation. It may not be Machine Head, but it does set the blueprint for albums like that.

There's no denying this is a classic debut album from one of the most influential bands in rock history, stacked with heavy hitters like "Good Times Bad Times" and "Communication Breakdown" as well as inspired blues and folk covers such as "Dazed and Confused" and "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". The only problem is that it's still a debut album where the growing pains are evident, as the second half of the album loses momentum on "Your Time is Gonna Come". However, it transitions nicely into the instrumental "Black Mountain Side" before picking things up again. Overall, it's a solid fundamental album for the genre, and as such gets a recommendation for those into rock and proto-metal.

From what I can gather, Jean-Michel Jarre is considered a pioneer of electronic ambient music, and this album is exactly that. Broken into six movements, Oxygène is a relaxing listen where the synthesizer hooks pop off and doesn't overstay its welcome. Some portions of the piece stand out like the keyboard swagger of Part V that's a toe-tapper. This is a niche album, where not everyone's on board for ambient music. It comes with a solid recommendation if you're curious about this genre.

This is an oddity of an album, starting with the fact that I hadn't heard of Barry Adamson before. He's regarded as a musician, writer, composer, photographer, and filmmaker, who's worked with Magazine, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, and Depeche Mode. His solo albums tend to be described as soundtracks for imaginary films, and Oedipus Schmoedipus is no exception. Much like a soundtrack album, various styles are at play, ranging from funk, lounge, big band, and spoken word. Not all of it works, such as the dissonant nature of "Dirty Barry" with the horn blares and "It's Business as Usual" combining found audio recording with piano string manipulation reminiscent of Henry Cowell's "The Banshee". But it's at least kept interesting throughout the runtime, with the tracks aligning to how such a movie would sound. Overall it's a very niche album where I'm not sure of its inclusion on this list of albums you must hear before you die, but I don't regret listening to it once. In that sense, it's much like a movie you see once and probably not revisit unless you genuinely want to.

Well, this is the first proper Beach Boys album I'm listening to. I've heard songs like "Surfin' USA" and "Little Saint Nick" in passing, though never cared enough to seek them out. I did not expect they would forego the whimsical nature of their surf rock '60s material for a more psychedelic prog-rock album. This is a strange album, where it takes twisted turns using Moog synthesizers, Hammond organs, electric guitars, and vocal effects while taking a crack at socially conscious lyrics for the time. It's not a perfect album, as not every experiment goes well. But, I'll be damned if I'm not impressed with the boys trying something different than what I expected. Give it a shot.

Well, this is my first listen to a Smiths album. I've heard "How Soon is Now?" in passing, though I haven't bothered to seek him out because Morrissey is that big of an asshole to ward me away from his old band. Having listened to this, I can say he was the problem for The Smiths. Morrisey's baritone vocal style and excessive wordiness hold this album back. He comes off more as rambling than any typical vocal cadence. Only a few songs like "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" and "Well I Wonder" have enough space to allow him to sing, which does work. Lyrically, I will at least meet him halfway in that the songs against corporal punishment like "The Headmaster's Ritual" are generally good. Also of note are songs like "What She Said", "Nowhere Fast" and "That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore" where the contemplations of death carry a sense of empathy that you wouldn't expect from the man writing these songs. Unfortunately, that also brings us to the closing title track, which has a very pro-vegetarian stance that isn't for me. As someone who is a meat-eater, I can't speak for those who choose not to consume meat. However, I disagree with Morrissey saying that eating meat is "death for no reason" from an understanding of the life cycle and survival. Up to this point, I hadn't even gone into the instrumentation, which is the saving grace for this album. Johnny Marr is an excellent guitarist and songwriter, able to experiment with different styles from funk to rockabilly within the post-punk sense. Andy Rourke is an impeccable bass player who complements Johnny's work. Mike Joyce on the drums can keep it well-accented and does a superb job with the percussion arrangement for enough space between sections. Overall, it's a solid album from an instrumental standpoint that gets hampered down by the frontman. Not the worst, but I don't expect to revisit this anytime soon.

I remember mowing my neighbors' lawns as a teenager, blasting this album on my iPod. Every track hit hard as a kid getting into metal music, and I can comfortably say that sentiment rings true 15-ish years later. Back in the '80s, every member of Metallica brought their A-game. The guitarwork of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett was impeccable and relentless, the late Cliff Burton's bass compositions came straight out of a classically trained mindset, and even Lars Ulrich's drumming was ferocious for the time. It's a testament to how they constructed a meaningful album with just eight songs. Each track goes through multiple movements that make you feel a wide range of emotions, from the opener "Battery" which eases its way into blistering riffage to the pulse-pounding stomp of "The Thing That Should Not Be", and even the instrumental "Orion" that showcased the song-crafting prowess of one of the best bass players gone too soon. There's a certain magic to Master of Puppets that's hard to replicate, even for Metallica themselves years later. This is worth the listen.

This album has the unfortunate problem of being under the shadow of its overexposed title track, and the man who is considered by many to be the least favorite Beatle. I never hated John Lennon as a person or artist, but this is a case where the situation can go awry when one's ego isn't checked. In particular, the production throughout this album is rough, especially in the middle with songs like "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama" where the vocal mixing is all warbly, which does not work for John's already off-kilter delivery. That's before you get into the lyrics, where there are attempts at political songs but don't quite hit the mark or make a passive stance like with the title track that comes off as middling. There are some good songs here, such as "Jealous Guy" which paints a rather bleak picture of how hurt John must have felt to cause unintentional harm to others, and "Gimme Some Truth" and "How Do You Sleep?" which have some great slide guitarwork courtesy of fellow Beatle George Harrison. But those highlights are few and far between. Overall, this album's not bad, but I don't see myself revisiting it anytime soon.

If that last name seems familiar, Tim is the father of Jeff Buckley. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as they were both singer-songwriters with an impressive tenor vocal range. Though I've heard Jeff's work in passing, I hadn't heard Tim's before. I will say this album is at least interesting, as it's a cross between psychedelic folk and jazz fusion, complete with songs spanning multiple movements and liberal use of the vibraphone. It's pleasant to have in the background, though conversely, it does mean little stands out except for how hard Tim goes off on "Gypsy Woman". It's a solid outing overall, give it a shot.

I've already heard the opening track "E-Pro" off the Rock Band 2 video game, and it's still a bop with the crunchy guitarwork over the sampled rhythm section from the Beastie Boys' "So What'cha Want." The rest of Guero continues down this path of alternative rock with hip-hop influences, sample use, and strong beats courtesy of the Dust Brothers. The momentum slows down toward the final two tracks, but overall the album was enjoyable. (I'm thinking 4 stars.)

This is an unfair inclusion in a list of albums to listen to before you die because this is a box set. It is a collection of 59 recorded covers of songs by George and Ira Gershwin, done as part of Ella Fitzgerald's ambitious attempt to cover the entire Great American Songbook canon. For my sanity, I listened to The Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook compilation which is 12 tracks for a runtime of 45 minutes. I will say, Ella's delivery and improvisation are remarkable over these well-constructed show tunes. Perhaps this compilation would have been a better inclusion than the 3-hour original box set. Alas, what we get is what we get.

Oh yeah, this is one of the landmark albums in the pop-punk genre, which makes sense for this list. Tre Cool's varied and kinetic drumming, Mike Dirnt's memorable bass lines, and Billie Joe Armstrong's very personal lyrics over power chords make this album work exceptionally well. If I had to nitpick aside from the off-putting hidden track "All By Myself", it's that Dookie is a genuine 90's album; a lot of the attitude and tone throughout these songs are of the time it's from. It is certainly one of the best representations of said time though, and as such still gets a high recommendation.

I've heard of X before as an influential punk act, more specifically the songs off of their debut album Los Angeles. Much like that album, Wild Gift is a solid punk album with some rockabilly styling and pleasant vocal harmonies courtesy of John Doe and Exene. Just about every track stands out on its own, particularly in the middle with cuts like "In This House I Call Home", "White Girl", and especially "Beyond and Back" with how uptempo it gets. It would have been nice if Los Angeles was included on the list, but if you had to pick one album from X I'm cool with Wild Gift. Check it out.

For this review, I’m sticking to the track listing of the 1981 second edition, with no bonus tracks factored. From what I can gather, producer Brian Eno previously worked with David Byrne on prior albums with the latter’s group the Talking Heads. This album marked the first time the two collaborated separate from that group. Inspired by Eno’s trip to Ghana for a West African music festival, this album takes sampled recordings from around the world and puts them over funk guitar riffs and percussive rhythms. All this to say that it’s a very ambient album, where the samples take the place of lead vocals. It helps that the instrumental compositions in the background get pretty groovy in places such as on “Help Me Somebody”. Sure, some recordings sound a bit dated, but they never feel overwhelming in the mix. Not a lot of tracks stand out, but again it’s largely ambient and meant for the whole experience. Overall, I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected. Give it a shot.

I will say I didn’t get into Prince’s music until after he passed away, and it’s a shame on myself because I’ve enjoyed what I heard thus far including this album. It’s not perfect, where Sign ‘O’ the Times is a double album (originally a triple album) that can sound dated in places with extensive use of a drum machine. But, I will say a lot of tracks stand out, from the simmering title track that opens the album before kicking into full gear with “Play in the Sunshine”, to the sensual “Slow Love”, to the swagger of the duet “U Got the Look”, and even the admittedly grunge-sounding ballad “The Cross”. Overall, it’s the kind of funky, groove laden, sexual 80s album you’d expect Prince to make, albeit a bit bloated. I’d divide your listening time into more than one session for Sign ‘O’ the Times, cause it’s certainly enjoyable when you’re not overindulging.

Well, I’m already familiar with Mr. Young as a prolific singer-songwriter. I’ve also heard “Heart of Gold”, “Old Man” and “The Needle and the Damage Done” before sitting down for this album. Needless to say, the rest of Harvest is just as good as those three if not more. This is the kind of tightly constructed, well-written folk rock you’d expect from Neil Young, with a few surprises such as the symphony orchestra accompaniment on “A Man Needs a Maid” and “There’s a World”. There’s also a fair amount of electric rockers with “Alabama” and the closing waltz “Words”. Speaking on the former, I understand Neil has not looked fondly at “Alabama” with how the lyrics might not have been fully thought out, but I personally feel it’s aged better than the response we got from Lynyrd Skynyrd. I can see why Harvest is considered Neil Young’s signature album. This is exceptional.

Well, this album makes sense for inclusion on this list, given that it is one of the finest hours of funk metal that has gone on to influence several bands after. Every member on Rage Against the Machine delivers on their debut. Tim Cummerford’s bass slapping is infectious and has several moments. Brad Wilk’s drumming is well-accented, punches when needed, and makes use of a variety of percussive instruments, particularly the cowbell. Tom Morello’s guitar soloing and riffage are some of the most experimental sounds out there. Rounding it all out, Zach de La Rocha commands an excellent balance between rapping and harsh vocals. A lot of the songs are meaningfully constructed, where the riffs stick to memory and there are several movements and percussive breakdowns in between. As for the lyrics, I get that Rage might not be as beloved, given that they are a political band and the American political landscape has changed a lot in the past 30+ years. That said, it cannot be denied that a lot of the themes they touch upon are still relevant issues in the modern age, including the pursuit of freedom and justice, accountability, police brutality, racism and domestic abuse. Love it or hate it, there are reasons this album has maintained relevance to this day. Go into this one with an open mind. - thinking 5 stars

I've heard of Genesis before but only a few singles from the '80s and '90s. I hadn't ventured into their '70s catalog until now with this album. This is as genuine of a prog-rock album as possible, complete with various guitars, flutes, organs, and synthesizers. It's pleasant to have in the background, with notable passages here and there, and certainly with "More Fool Me" as the centerpiece. It's not an album I don't see myself revisiting as often, but I wouldn't mind if it comes up in rotation.

I'm at least familiar with Liz Phair, having heard her comeback album Soberish back in 2021. It was a decent experience from what I recall, but what we got here is her debut from when the hunger was fresh. From what I can gather, this album is framed with similar compositions and pacing to the Rolling Stones album Exile on Main St., which I unfortunately haven't listened to fully yet on this journey. Based on the songs I've heard off of Exile on Main St. thus far, there could be some merit to the comparisons. "6'1"" kicks the door down in the same way "Rocks Off" does, "Never Said" is as big and catchy of a single as "Tumbling Dice", and "Fuck and Run' does come off as a narrative flip of "Happy" where the woman is having trouble with finding a committed relationship. But I feel like there's more than just putting a spin on one of the Stones' classic albums. While it undoubtedly rocks, there's a lot more production techniques going on from the teamwork of Liz and Brad Wood that makes Guyville stand out, such as how the feedback of "Shatter" ebbs and flows in the background. Also lyrically, a lot of the content here is very transgressive, where Liz comes into a very male-centric scene with a lot of swagger in finding her place and exploring the various ways women have been taken advantage of in the past, with a bit of humor and wit thrown in. It's certainly commendable. I enjoyed this album a lot more than I expected. Guyville is one of those albums that is locked to a very feminist point of the early 90's, yet like other 90s classics this has stood the test of time. Check it out.

Well, I'm already familiar with Fatboy Slim as a big-beat producer, particularly for the songs "The Rockafeller Skank" and "Praise You" from this album that I've heard on alternative radio. Needless to say, the rest of the album is of similar quality to those two tracks. This is a very electronic album, where Slim experiments with beat loops, samples, and track manipulation to create fresh rhythms to groove to. Sure it's a bit repetitive and long, but that comes with the territory of the big-beat genre. If that's not your cup of tea, I get it. For everyone else, give this a shot.

It's another classic live blues album from one of the masters, and this time it's B.B. King at the Regal Theater in Chicago circa 1964. The show was pretty good, where the crowd got into it, and King himself had some nice banter in between songs. There are only a few nitpicks I had. I might be missing the context of a show intermission, but B.B. King was introduced again at the start of side two with "You Upset Me Baby." Also, the closing number "Help the Poor" wasn't as big of an ending as I would have liked. Still, I can see why this is considered a classic blues staple. Check it out.

I've felt that the Sex Pistols have been long overhyped as a punk group. Their very formation resulted from manager Malcolm McLaren getting involved, which comes off as against the DIY understanding of punk music. I understand that for many people starting to get into punk music, the Sex Pistols may come off as a gateway band, not unlike the Ramones or the Clash. That notion has some merit, given how tuneful the band's song construction can be. Steve Jones came up with some catchy guitar riffs, while Glen Matlock, Sid Vicious, and Paul Cook were competent in the rhythm section. There is a backbone to this album. But that brings us to Johnny Rotten. McLaren picked Johnny as the vocalist for the group simply because he looked like trash, which was the image he had in mind for the group. Well, he didn't just look the part; he is trash. Johnny is such an irritable vocalist. There have been far better vocalists out there who can better snarl and have actual conviction than Johnny ever could. As for the lyrics, most songs tend to be pretty generic and try to be shocking or provoking for the time, and yes that includes the likes of the singles "Holidays in the Sun", "Anarchy in the U.K.", "God Save the Queen" and "Pretty Vacant." The one exception to this is track two "Bodies", which is an anti-abortion song that is absolutely disgusting. Hearing lines like "Dragged on a table in a factory" and "Throbbing squirm/Gurgling bloody mess" in the song's context makes my stomach churn, and I've listened to grindcore. I get why this album was included on the list. I also get why it can be considered influential. But holy shit, it's not good. Check out the singles if you are curious, but that's the best I can offer.

Well, I've already heard "California Dreamin'" and "Monday, Monday" from this album. Aside from those two songs, "Go Where You Wanna Go" and "Somebody Groovy", there's not much here to write about. It's the debut album of a folk-pop group from the 1960s, complete with a couple of covers that don't add much to the overall product. The only other notable aspect of the Mamas and the Papas is what happened after their breakup, which you are free to check out and make of what you will. As for the album, take the singles and the rest can be skipped.

I've already heard "Hanging Around" and "(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)" as covered by other artists, and the rest of this album is just as sonically good as those two. This is a British punk/new-wave album with galloping bass, catchy guitar riffs, and plenty of organ melodies. The songs here have this driving groove to them, and Hugh Cromwell's low-register vocals are delivered in a campy fashion. There is admittedly a problem, and it involves some of the lyrics. I can recognize that as a product of its time, there are some songs like the opener "Sometimes" and "Peaches" where they come off as a bit misogynistic. It's something that unfortunately can't be ignored even if the instrumental compositions are well done. Thankfully, not every song is written in that manner, as the rest of them range from mundane urban living to spooky apocalyptic scenery. Overall, it's a solid album and is worth giving a chance.

Well, I've already listened to the collaborative album Brian Eno had with David Byrne, and thus I get to hear one of his earlier solo works. This was the first album in a four-part series of ambient music where the intent was to make them meaningful with irregular patterns and various motifs. It's a pleasant album to listen to in the background while working, with enough going on to keep it interesting, and doesn't overstay its welcome.

I'm already familiar with The War on Drugs as a heartland indie rock band from their later singles "Holding On" and "I Don't Live Here Anymore". The group was formed by Adam Granduciel and Kurt Vile in the mid-2000s, only for the latter to leave shortly after their first release. This is their third album, and wow Adam and everyone else who worked on this knocked it out of the ballpark. Lost in a Dream is an album drenched in a blend of washed-out shoegaze and mid-80s-inspired roots rock that's intricate in its song construction. It's filled to the brim with gorgeous melodies, and several instrumental moments that resonate like the guitar solo of "An Ocean in Between the Waves", the reverb guitar sliding of "The Haunting Idle", the synth crescendo and interplay on "Burning", and the saxophone that shows up on "Under the Pressure" and "Red Eyes". Seriously, "Red Eyes" is one of those immediate smash singles from this record that I couldn't believe upon first listening. Adam sings with a Dylan-esque delivery that maintains a balance between capturing an emotion without overselling it and holding it together on the edge of heartbreak. His vocals pair neatly with the lyrical content, where after a year of nonstop touring, his anxiety and depression bled into the words. He tries to hold onto fleeting moments of love before they fizzle out, even if it drives him near a breaking point. It's earnest yet self-aware enough to have some emotional stakes. He knows there will be heartbreak after heartbreak, yet he keeps looking no matter how much it'll hurt. This is a strong record through and through, taking the rock of the past with the melancholic lens of the 2010s indie scene. Give it a chance.

I've listened to this album before and it has aged like a fine wine. On their second album, Black Sabbath was able to perfect their formula for the early formations of heavy metal music. The songwriting and mix are impeccable so I can hear every member have multiple shining moments in the spotlight. Every track is a classic in its regard, even deep cuts such as the slow gaze of "Planet Caravan" and the short instrumental "Rat Salad." Iconic riffs are paired with timeless lyrics of destruction, be it of the world at large through war or of self by partaking in drugs. Maybe the sequencing of tracks could have been a smidge better like the drop in tempo from “Paranoid” to “Planet Caravan”, but that is a minor nitpick. If you've not heard Paranoid before, then please take the time to listen.

Alright, this is a funky-ass album from one of the legends Parliament, complete with scratching guitars, horns, oily bass courtesy of Bootsy Collins, and a loose outer space narrative. Is it cheesy? Absolutely. But that's where the charms lie with how much charisma George Clinton and company can pull off with this collection of tunes about interstellar grooving that doesn't overstay its welcome save for the opening skits. It's a silly album with a lot of craftsmanship to back it up, I dig it.

I've heard of Arrested Development as an alternative hip-hop group that was big in 1992 but fell off shortly after. They've since reformed with Speech as the sole original member in the lineup, and 3 Years is still regarded as their best effort. Listening to this album, I can see why. The skits, slow conscious rapping, sampling, and swagger are of the early 90s deviation from the rise of gangsta rap. I give them props for using live instrumentation in the song construction and Speech's ability to command the mic with his flow, even if the sound is stuck to a specific time. Lyrically, this album mainly addresses spirituality, civil rights, and the prevalence of street gangs. A fair amount of the songs pop off well including the singles, particularly "Tennessee" with how Speech reflects upon his upbringing and where he belongs after his grandma and brother passed. Other songs though can come off as either dated, a bit preachy, or in the case of "Natural" questionable with the sexual advancement. Overall, 3 Years is not a bad record and I can see how it paved the way for later conscious hip-hop efforts. Take the singles, and cherry-pick from the rest.

For this review, I am looking to the original track listing, and not factoring the "Bitch Don't Kill My Vibe" remix with Jay-Z that is included on streaming services. Alright, it's time for K-Dot and his major label debut, executively produced by Dr. Dre. Billed as a "short film," good kid is a concept album about Kendrick's upbringing in Compton, with the prevalence of drugs and street gangs. Yet, such a summary doesn't do much justice, as there's a lot of introspection done on this album, exploring the expectations and transgression faced in a cruel, uncaring world. It's revealing the kind of storyteller and MC Kendrick could be in how he can twist and warp his delivery to fit a dark, swampy West Coast vibe that's well done in the atmosphere. Kendrick gets away with the 12-minute-long track "Sing About Me, I'm Dying of Thirst" on those principles from the perspective of different characters. Hell, this album interweaves audio recordings so well that the tracks feel incomplete without them, and every featured artist brings their best contribution including Drake which is a rarity for him. I know we still got To Pimp a Butterfly coming up next, but good kid is such a prime setup that it can't be ignored.

Alright, I'm already familiar with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as an influential goth rock act, having heard select songs before including his 2013 album "Push the Sky Away". I will say here, this is technically a double album, but arranged into two different sounding albums. Abbatoir Blues contains more abrasive, rocking tunes, while The Lyre of Orpheus contains more chorus-driven ballads with some potent hooks. That's where I would recommend breaking your listening time into two different sessions, one for each disc. The other hurdle with this project is that the music better resonates if you're already familiar with Nick Cave's songwriting. How he touches upon themes of death, gothic tragedy, relationships, and religious imagery is established by earlier material. It doesn't work as effectively if say you're on this site getting daily randomly generated albums, this comes up and you hadn't heard of Nick Cave before. If you have the time, I recommend listening to a greatest hits compilation or playlist before approaching these two albums. For those already familiar with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, yeah these are two great albums. I admittedly got a bit more mileage out of the melodic nature of The Lyre of Orpheus, but both are worth your time.

This is my first time listening to Portishead. From what I can gather, they're considered an influential group in the trip-hop genre, alongside the likes of Tricky whom I’ve heard before on this journey. That genre is pretty much the vibe we get with this album. Beth Gibbons's sweet and sultry vocal delivery melts over the slow yet well-accented percussion and spare accompaniment from various live instruments, samples, and electronic programming. In a way, the album is cinematic in its overall presentation. Pair that with yearning lyrics, and the experience takes on a whole melancholic tone. I enjoyed this album overall, and I can see how later acts were inspired by it. There's a sense of it being simple but effective.

For those unaware, Public Image Ltd. was formed by John Lydon aka Johnny Rotten shortly after the Sex Pistols broke up. He recruited an old friend of his Jah Wobble as bassist and former Clash member Keith Levene as guitarist. Metal Box, subsequently known as Second Edition, is their second album, categorized by what they're getting away with as an "avant-garde" sound, with stream-of-consciousness lyrics, dub-inspired bass grooves, and an abrasive "metallic" guitar sound. Now that formalities are out of the way, my enjoyment was admittedly slightly better than the Sex Pistols' one album. Keith Levene's guitar playing may not be as hook-driven as Steve Jones's was, yet it's also weirdly hypnotic in its unorthodox behavior. The rhythm section shines here, where Jah Wobble's playing up and down bass is well executed, and the session drummers do a superb job with the beats. Once again, Johnny Rotten is the worst part of his own group. He's a terrible singer, but instead of badly snarking he's now badly wailing. Similarly, he hasn't improved much as a lyricist, though he probably got away with using abstract imagery under the guise of "avant-garde." Thankfully, we don't get a "Bodies" here. Also helping to ease things between are the instrumental tracks "Socialist", "Graveyard" and closer "Radio 4", which I admittedly found pleasant. Overall, it is technically a step up from Never Mind the Bollocks, but not by much. I can see how someone would classify this as a landmark album for post-punk. Just one more Public Image album on this journey, and then Johnny can fuck right off.

I've heard of Wilco before from a hipster music professor I had back in college. They're considered one of the more influential indie rock bands out there, with this album standing out due to its troubled release history which you're welcome to look into. I will say I enjoyed the album as a whole. It was an easy listen, with some light motifs on songs like "Karema", "War on War", and "Jesus, Etc." that stood out. It does overstay its welcome a bit on the closing track "Reservations", and some songs do run together. Still overall, it was a solid album to have going in the background while keeping the vibes interesting.

I hadn't heard of Ray Price before. From what I can gather, he was notable for being one of the best baritone singers in country music and helped popularize the shift of the beat in country songs from 2/4 to 4/4 time. There's a bit more to the story though, as one of the members of his touring band that played on this album was a young Willie Nelson, playing bass and backing vocals. As for the music itself, this is the chill yet upbeat country music that would be expected from such a pairing. Every instrument has its moment in the limelight, and Ray's delivery is silky smooth. There were a fair amount of standouts from the opening title track to the end with "Are You Are". It was a pleasant listen and as such gets a solid recommendation.

This is a prime example of "It should not work, and yet it does." After the commerical success of Young Americans, and starring in his first film The Man Who Fell to Earth, David Bowie transitioned into a new persona that would be dubbed The Thin White Duke. This character would be the embodiment of one of the darkest times of Bowie's life, where his diet of red peppers, milk and cocaine contributed to an unhealthly and depressing lifestyle. In fact, Bowie was so drug-induced that he couldn't recall the recording sessions for Station to Station. I couldn't begin to fathom what he was going through at the time, let alone attempt to make a new album in that condition. That could've been a recipe for disaster, right? Yet in spite of the turmoil Bowie went through, this might be one of the best albums he's ever done. Six songs of various genres that end up somehow cohesive as he tows the line between drug-riddled and yearning for love. The ten-minute title track is ambitious in switching from a slow march to progressive disco at a different key and tempo, and it works. The singles for this album are superb, especially "Golden Years" with its uptempo groovy edge. Finally, the album closes on a cover of Johnny Mathis's "Wild is the Wind" and it might as well be one of the best vocal performances we ever got out of him. I'm not saying doing cocaine made this album work, and I'm certainly not going to endorse that notion. Rather, this album works in spite of Bowie's at-the-time addiction. I'm glad he sobered up after this and continued to be ambitious with his music, but I'm also glad this album exists as a sobering reminder.

There’s two ways that one can go about reviewing this album - the easy way or the hard way. The easy way to review it would be to just say, “It’s Dark Side of the Moon.” That’s it. This album continues to garner accolades. It shows up on “Top Albums of All Time” articles from various publications. The individual songs and the whole have been covered multiple times (and yes, that includes the shitty Roger Waters solo de-make). Even if some people might prefer Animals or Wish You Were Here, Dark Side usually gets brought up when discussing the best albums of Pink Floyd’s discography. You could point to all that and get away with it. The hard way to review it is to sit down, listen in full with a fresh mind, and think critically about how this album works in relation to you the listener. For me, I know I just listened to this album a couple of months ago for the solar eclipse in Vermont, plus I watched a making of documentary about Dark Side last week. Regardless, I wanted to listen again in full and see if I can figure out why it works for me. What I can say right off the bat is how impeccable tracks flow from one to another. Whether it’s “Breathe (in the Air)” building up tempo to “On the Run”, or “Any Colour You Like” with the guitar bend at the end moving towards “Brain Damage” followed by “Eclipse”, the transitions are well executed. There’s even wonderful segues in the tracks themselves, such as the cashier sounds leading into the bass line for “Money”, or “Time” providing a neat callback to “Breathe (in the Air)” at the end. Hell, even the intro track “Speak to Me” serves as a pretty good overture. Every band member and session member perform exceptionally well on this record. My personal highlights would have to be Dick Parry’s saxophone solos on “Money” and “Us and Them”, as well as Clare Torry’s vocals on “The Great Gig in the Sky”. Lyrically, Roger Waters was able to craft a meaningful reflection on life as we are each day drawn closer to the end of our time. Is it a bit melodramatic? Maybe, yet it also can be viewed as a call to pursue something greater in our lives while we still can. Overall, I’m glad to have revisited Dark Side and thought more about how I view this album. At the end of the day, that’s the best we can do on this site, ain’t it?

Alright, it's time for OutKast! I've already heard "Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad" before listening to this album, which I'll say right now are personal highlights. Going into Stankonia proper, this takes the funk foundation of acts like Prince and Parliament-Funkadelic and builds upon it with a lot of techno and hip-hop experimentation to bring the sound to the start of the new millennium. Andre 3000 and Big Boi share some fun, tongue-in-cheek lyrics with dashes of forward-thinking verses in between, all delivered on top of some exquisite production courtesy of Mr. DJ. It was even fun with the sound diving into funk metal adjacent territory with "B.O.B." and "Gasoline Dreams". Come to think of it, there are a lot of guest artists that bring their A-game here, including B-Real of Cypress Hill on "X-Plosion", Erykah Badu on "Humble Mumble", Cee-Lo Green on "Slum Beautiful", and a very hungry Killer Mike on "Snappin' & Trappin'". If I had to nitpick, while I'm cool with the interludes, there are a lot of them; roughly a third of the album's tracklisting. That said though, they're short, don't overstay their welcome, and it's admittedly funny that they end each with the crew shouting "BREAK". Overall, I had a fun time visiting Stankonia. Give it a chance.

This was a surprising find, not gonna lie. We have here a well-done late-90s garage-rock album that takes the good elements of acts like Dinosaur Jr. and Sonic Youth with an Irish tint. 1977 is certainly good in the latter third, from the ruckus buildup and breakdown towards the end of "Innocent Smile", to the ending guitar solo of "Angel Interceptor", the surprisingly good ballad "Lost in You", and that bombastic closer "Darkside Lightside". It may be a product of its time, but like with Green Day's Dookie, this album is a good musical representation of that era. Give it a shot.

I'm well familiar with the garage rock duo that is the White Stripes, particularly for this album the sports anthem classic "Seven Nation Army" and the just as excellent "The Hardest Button to Button". Going through the rest of Elephant proper, the rest of the tunes are about the same level of quality as those two singles. I especially liked the seven-minute "Ball and Biscuit", along with the riffing deep cut "Hypnotize", "Little Acorns" with its fun little opening skit, and Meg White's ballad "In the Cold, Cold Night". It's amazing how much good song craftmanship Meg and Jack accomplished together. I don't quite think it lights my world or blows my mind away at any point, given my familiarity with their influences like Led Zeppelin and the Velvet Underground. But for what Elephant is, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and thus it comes with a solid recommendation.

.I'm finally getting to some Creedence Clearwater Revival. I've already heard about half of this album beforehand, and the rest of Green River is of the same good quality. The title track and "Commotion" are excellent openers, "Wrote a Song for Everyone" is a very potent lament, the succession from "Bad Moon Rising" to "Lodi" and "Cross-Tie Walker" is impressive, and the album ends on a good cover of Ray Charles's "The Night Time is the Right Time". I can see why John Fogerty considers this his favorite album from his time with the band; it's all killer and no filler. Check it out.

Well, I’ve already heard Adele’s album after this, 25. While I felt mixed on that follow up, here 21 ends up being overall powerful, from the singles to the deep cut ballads. The song sequencing is well structured, taking more cues from country and roots music, and consistently produced courtesy of guys like Ryan Tedder and Rick Rubin. The album follows an emotional journey that Adele went through post-breakup, with a lot of the immediacy and stakes present in the lyrics and vocal delivery. Each song hits from the opening one-two punch of “Rolling in the Deep” and “Rumour Has It” when the rage is seething in the immediate aftermath, to the complexity of the relationship painted in “Set Fire to the Rain”, to the yearning of what could have been in “He Won’t Go” and “Take It All”, and finally to the surprisingly potent cover of The Cure’s “Lovesong” that is thematically followed by such an impactful closer in “Someone Like You” in wishing the best to a now past lover. It is an amazing time capsule of such a hard time for her, and while she’s done some healing since, it’s impressive how she was able to capture what she went through. Give it a listen.

I’m already familiar with Fiona Apple as a singer-songwriter, having heard her album Fetch the Bolt Cutters when it dropped in 2020. I very much enjoyed that album, and that same amount of enjoyment can be applied to her debut album as well. This can be attributed to how Fiona is able to take emotionally complex relationship drama drawn from her fraught adolescence, and make her stories accessible with well-written hooks. Add to that Jon Brion and Patrick Warner’s contributions on various instruments like the marimba and Chamberlin organ, and you got a piano-driven album with variance. Themes explored range from sexuality with “Criminal”, temptation with “Shadowboxer”, fantasizing with “The First Taste”, and even reminiscing about an ex-lover with “Never is a Promise.” There’s also no denying the impact of the wistful closer “Carrion”, where the relationship comes to a point where there is no saving it, as her love for her partner fades amidst the tickling ivories and jaunty guitar soloing. Overall, I enjoyed Tidal very much, as it serves as a good introduction to Fiona if you haven’t checked her out.

I’ve heard of Shaft as a blaxploitation film from the 1970s, however at this point I haven’t seen the film yet. Thus, it feels weird to me that Issac Hayes’s soundtrack is on this list, given its ties to a piece of visual media. Still, there seems to be a lot of appraisal for the soundtrack, historically signified as one of the first to incorporate a more funk/soul driven sound for a film. The question is, does it hold up on its own without seeing Shaft the film? The answer for me at least is somewhat. Obviously, the “Theme from Shaft” is the standout moment right from the get-go, and it gets a nice callback with “The End Theme.” Other notable tracks in between include “Ellie’s Love Theme” which oozes this sense of mystique around what sounds like catchy xylophone motifs, “Cafe Regio’s” with its epic guitar soloing alongside the horn accompaniment, “Be Yourself” with horn riffs for days, “Soulsville” as another finely sung piece from Isaac, and the 19-minute “Do Your Thing” that comes off as an extended jam session with tempo changes amidst guitar and electric piano solos. But going back to what has been stated earlier, this is nevertheless a soundtrack for a film, and it shows in places. The rest of the album can be described as either light motifs that last no more than two minutes, or like with “Early Sunday Morning” best serves as background music for certain scenes. Overall, Issac Hayes is a good composer in his own right, and I certainly look forward to catching Shaft the film sometime based on my enjoyment of the soundtrack. Perhaps Shaft is better served on a list of “films to watch before you die” to get both the audio and visual components together, as opposed to just the album separately.

Okay, here’s the thing - I anticipated that there were going to be a few Rolling Stones albums on this list. With this debut album, each member is technically efficient in their respective right from the get-go, and on some level as a Stones fan it was cool to hear the humble beginnings of this group. But that leads us to an undeniable truth - that this is a debut album consisting mostly of cover songs of the blues artists they were influenced by early on in their career, broken up by two original songs that admittedly aren’t well remembered. Technically good and flattering, but not something worth listening to before you die given what the Stones have accomplished in the latter half of the 60s onward. I’d say this album is definitely for the diehard Stones fans - the ones who know what this band are capable of and want to further explore their roots. I know we got some true classics from them coming up on this journey, and this debut unfortunately doesn’t hold a candle to them.

I’ve heard of Norah Jones recently, specifically that time she swept a good chunk of the 2003 Grammy Awards with this debut album of hers. I get that dependent on who you are, the Grammys can be taken with a grain of salt, but still for the artist’s recognition it can be validating and Norah continued to be appreciative throughout her career. As for the album in question, it’s a pleasant acoustic pop album with touches of soul and jazz. Norah has a very sultry mezzo-soprano voice, and she seems to know her way around the ivories. The guitars and backing instrumentation provide nice compositions for the ambience, and it all makes for smooth easy-listening background music. Unfortunately, background music is about the highest praise I could give this debut. Aside from a few songs like the opening single “Don’t Know Why” and “Painter’s Song”, a lot of the songs are structured so similarly to the point where the music goes in one ear and out on the other. It’s not a bad album per se, as it’s apparent early on how good of a singer-songwriter Norah is. I certainly don’t regret listening to it, but I also don’t think it left as much of an impression as I’d have wanted it to.

It’s not often that the album is well advertised in the title. In this case, Jazz Samba is a subgenre in of itself, combining Brazilian samba with American jazz, particularly the bebop style, to create a sound that taps into both rhythm and improvisation. This album fits that description to a T. I appreciated the technical craftsmanship that saxophonist Stan Getz and guitarist Charlie Byrd accomplished with their respective solos. The manner in which they play comes off as very free flowing, near effortless. Pair that with the especially good rhythm section, where the tempo and structure evokes a range of emotions throughout this album, from danceable like with “Samba de Uma Nota Só” to somber and reflective with “Samba Triste.” I’m not sure how well this album can be retained in memory, given the improvisation side of jazz that doesn’t follow closely to set patterns. But for what it’s worth, I had a fun time with this album as it gets a solid recommendation.

I’ve heard of John Mayall and the Blues Breakers before. In fact, I discovered the opening track “All Your Love” earlier this year as part of my journey in learning to play the guitar. I enjoyed that song, and the rest of the album follows the same quality. It’s a good blues album that’s carried by Eric Clapton’s guitar work, though John, the rest of the Breakers, and the session horns also do a brilliant job with the instrumentation and delivery. There is one glaring issue I have with this album, and it’s how similarly structured the songs can be. I get that comes with the territory of blues music, but once you’ve studied the blues bars you pick up on them rather quick here. Not helping matters is that some of the riffs sound similar to other works around the late 1960s, either by coincidence or perhaps as small nods. Also, yes I’ve read the lyrics to “Little Girl” and they are a bit creepy, but I chalk that up to songwriting of the time. At least the female referred to in song is 18 years of age, it could have been worse. Still, I had a good time with this Blues Breakers album, even if Eric Clapton is a piece of shit.

Not only am I already familiar with the Stooges, but I’ve already listened to this debut album of theirs before. For what’s it worth, they were able to deliver a righteous rock sound that acts as a precursor to punk music. I’ve always enjoyed Iggy Pop’s abrasive yet controlled vocal delivery, and it’s well complemented by Scott Asheton’s punching drums, and the excellent bass and guitar work of Dave Alexander and Ron Asheton. Songs like “No Fun” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog” exemplify a simple yet aggressive approach to songwriting. The only song that doesn’t quite fit the vibes for me was the ten-minute “We Will Fall” that gets weird in movements, though I’m willing to give some slack cause it’s a debut album where the group will still defining their sound. Overall, a fun time and highly recommended.

This is the second Neil Young album on my journey, following Harvest. Plus I’ve already heard acoustic opener “My, My, Hey, Hey” before. Rust Never Sleeps is Neil’s second album with the band Crazy Horse, with half of the songs left over from writing sessions for their first collab album Zuma. The vibe I got from listening to this album was that it was meant to be a more experimental affair for Neil, particularly in how varied the lyricism can get. Some songs are statements Neil made in relation to his career and the lasting legacy of rock and roll music, like with the bookending songs “My, My, Hey, Hey” and “Hey, Hey, My, My” as well as “Thrasher”. Other songs paint well-written stories of tragedy like “Pochahontas” and “Powderfinger”. Then there’s “Ride the Llama” which is about travelling in space and rocking out with aliens. Needless to say, this album gets wild in places. Add to all that, Rust Never Sleeps is split between acoustic pieces on side A, and the fuzzy guitar-driven rockers on side B. Side B in particular has been cited as influential to the grunge movement of the early 90s. For as much as I appreciate the variation in songwriting and volume, I don’t think this album is as strong as Harvest. Not every experiment is a success if songs like “Ride the Llama” and “Sedan Delivery” are to go by. Also not helping matters is the inconsistent production quality given that some songs were recorded live and others were overdubbed. It is rather noticeable on the ears. Still for what’s it worth, I had a fun time with Rust Never Sleeps as this album gets a solid recommendation.

I’ve heard at least one album with Jack White on this journey already, as part of The White Stripes. This is his first solo album after the group’s breakup, and it becomes apparent that Jack had been greatly affected by not only his split rom former bandmate Meg White but also his divorce from Karen Elson. Throughout a fair amount of these songs, Jack makes clear that he’s not that sympathetic of a character, showcasing in the lyrics how damaged his views on love became, and characterized by the female vocals supporting him. It’s not inherently bad on the surface, but it might be uncomfortable given how frequent he plays the “evil woman” tropes here. However, even if this album is lyrically difficult, the music is still pretty good. There’s solid guitar work, tight melodic compositions, and a fair amount of genre hopping between garage, blues, folk and even touches of hip hop done well to keep it varied. In particular, I enjoyed the rocking “Sixteen Saltines” that continued the bombast of past White Stripes hits, along with well done acoustic ballads like “Love Interruption” and the title track. Overall, Blunderbuss is a hard pill to swallow lyrically, but worth checking out.

Alright, first Michael Jackson album on this journey. I’ve already heard the title track, "Dirty Diana", "The Way You Make Me Feel", "Man in the Mirror" and "Smooth Criminal" before. Surprisingly, that's only half the singles. After listening to the album as a whole, it’s apparent that Michael wanted to take certain elements from Thriller that worked and turn them up a notch - more rock, more R&B, more dance, and make the lyrics more about world issues while still including the romantic songs. It’s ambitious and for what it’s worth the album is mostly good in what it sets out to do, as there are a lot of pop bangers which is why most of this album got the single treatment. The ones that didn’t become a single simply don’t work effectively - “Speed Demon” for its lyrics about going fast can’t get out of the mid-tempo range, and “We’re Good Friends” doesn’t leave much of an impression even with Stevie Wonder on board. The other problem that does hold Bad back is the dated sound. You can tell it’s late 80s cheese with the digital synthesizers that fill up the room. I can tolerate it to an extent, but it does make the project feel fixed to a time. Still overall, Bad is a solid album and a noble attempt at trying to follow up Thriller. Give it a chance.

Alright, we got the debut album from the Notorious B.I.G., shortly before his demise. I will say after listening to Ready to Die, I do appreciate Biggie's flows and charisma, as they carry a lot of songs alongside the beats from the various producers. Songs like "Juicy", "Everyday Struggle" and "Big Poppa" carry this ethereal coolness even with the touches of dark lyricism drawn from Biggie's rough upbringing. That said, one of the problems I found throughout this album was the egregious amount of sampling used here. Almost every track has various sound effects going off that interrupt the immersion for me. I get if they were trying to add context like with the guns going off on "Machine Gun Funk" or ringtones when a pager is brought up in a verse, but those kinds of sounds could've been left to the listener's imagination. Similarly, some of the skits have not aged well. Again, it was probably meant for the context of this album, like the intro track sequencing Biggie's life from birth to gang violence or the contemplations made on "Suicidal Thoughts". But that said, I could've done without hearing Biggie getting sucked off at the end of "Respect", cause I otherwise liked that song up to that moment. Production issues aside, I get why this is an influential hip-hop record from someone in their prime gone way too soon. It is worth a listen if you're curious.

Well, I'm already familiar with Slade, having heard the two songs of theirs covered by Quiet Riot. In fact, one of those songs "Mama Weer All Crazee Now" is on this album. It's clear from listening to Slayed? that this is pure 70s hard rock bliss, where Noddy Holder delivers powerful snarly vocals while the rest of the band plays well for raunchy party anthems. It's the dumb kind of fun if the sound and misspelled song titles are to go by. If you can get into that mindset, then absolutely give it a shot.

On the surface, I hadn't heard of fIREHOSE before. But I ran a quick search and found out that this band was formed by bassist Mike Watt and drummer George Hurley after their previous band Minutemen abruptly ended with the death of their frontman D. Boon. They ended up recruiting a Minutemen fan Ed Crawford as their new frontman and guitarist after he persistently wanted to join. I already heard Minutemen's well-known album "Double Nickels on the Dime" before this journey, so I figured we would get the instrumental precision of that group with a different vocalist. While we end up with touches of the styles they usually mix with like jazz and funk, this album is not in the ballpark of hardcore punk that Minutemen were. If anything, it's more in the vein of the early experimental alternative rock that was prevalent in the underground of the late 1980s. Not only do Watt and Hurley continue to shine in the rhythm section, with Hurley getting two excellent drum solo tracks, but I was impressed by Crawford's guitar work and vocal delivery on songs like "Time With You", "Some Things" and "Understanding" where he feels in tune with everyone else especially when he gets to solo off as well. The only drawbacks to be had here stem from the experimental nature of this album where not everything works. I enjoyed parts of "If'n" but the stop-and-go nature of that song prevented any meaningful buildup. Also, I don't feel I got much of a lasting impression from the closer "The Softest Hammer" even when they were trying for a more ethereal vibe. Still, I'm genuinely amazed by fROMOHIO as this niche experimental alternative album that maintained some accessibility. This was such a good find on this list, check it out!

Well, I wasn’t expecting to be finishing all the Beck albums on this journey within the first 100. Odelay seems to be the album that got Beck widely recognized, which makes sense for the late 90s mass appeal as the sound is alternative rock with hip-hop influences, sample use, and strong beats courtesy of the Dust Brothers. I know Beck and the Dust Brothers would team up again on Guero, and my enjoyment of Odelay is about the same as that album. I will give the slight edge to Odelay for getting more varied in the style attempts from jazz fusion on "The New Pollution" with the clavinet to world music on "Derelict" with the tables and even punk on "Minus". Also, there's no denying that "Where It's At" is a bop. Overall, a solid fun album. I'm glad to wrap up my time with Beck on this one.

This is another album that I got a physical copy of and thus am familiar with. However, before I dissect right away into this, I checked the background of how Siamese Dream was made in order to help build context. This album was created out of pressure. Members of the Smashing Pumpkins were already dealing with their own problems after putting out their debut - depression, broken relationships, substance abuse, etc. Then they got moved to a major label and the public starts setting expectations for their next album after how well Nirvana did with their second album Nevermind. I can’t fathom how badly everyone must have felt during the writing and recording for this given these factors. In spite of the obstacles, they were able to craft a successful album out of it. Yet, it should be noted that despite expectations, this is not quite the same sound as Nevermind. If anything, Siamese Dream sounds closer to a mix of shoegaze and alternative rock, with hints of heavy metal in between. Sure, Billy Corgan worked alongside Bitch Vig to produce this album after the latter worked on Nevermind. But after the two cleaned up the sound and engineer Alan Moulder - who previously worked on My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless - did the mix, the resulting textures are much warmer. The instrumentation does punch when it needs to on songs like the opener “Cherub Rock” and “Quiet”, but more often than not groove back into this pleasant dreamy atmosphere such as on the closer “Luna”, “Disarm” and passages of “Silverfuck”. All of that accentuated by Billy Corgan’s whispy vocals that I know aren’t gonna please everyone, but to me toe the line on effortless yet forceful. As for the lyrics, after a bout with writer’s block, Billy penned songs that were cathartic for what he was going through. This mostly included songs about the brief breakup he went through with his girlfriend and future ex-wife Chris Fabian, though there were big exceptions to that theme. “Spaceboy” was written as a tribute to his half-brother Jesse, albeit with more abstract language that paints the anguish Billy was going through and looking to connect with family in that moment for a sense of comfort. “Today” is a rather bright song about depression and suicidal thoughts, which again he was going through at the time so in that spur of the moment it could be felt that maybe today is the greatest day, cause it can’t get much worse, right? Finally, as my favorite song on the album, “Cherub Rock” serves as a big old middle finger to the music industry, for all the needless pressure and societal expectations placed onto him and his group as they’re just looking to be let out of that discomfort and find some breathing room. Overall, there’s no denying Siamese Dream is one of the biggest albums of the ‘90s, in spite of what the band went through. At the end of the day, that’s a dream worth enjoying.

I hadn't listened to Soul II Soul before, though I found that they were nominated as Best New Artist for the Grammys in 1990. After listening to this album, I feel that their recognition made sense for the time. This debut album is easy to listen to R&B and dance, with occasional record-scratching and various vocal leads. It's not bad, as there are a couple of genuine bops like the opening single "Keep On Movin'" and "Back to Life" with how it transitions from acapella to full-on groove. However, not every track pops off well, and the production quality is inconsistent such as how "Feeling Free" was recorded live instead of in the studio. Again, it probably made sense for 1990, but decades later this Soul II Soul does not feel like it needs to be listened to before you die.

I was initially looking forward to this album, based on how much I've enjoyed listening to "I Can See For Miles." But as soon as I started playing the opening track "Armenia City in the Sky" with its laden overdubs, I realized how trippy of a psychedelic rock affair this might be. It probably wouldn't be too out of left field, given how experimental rock music in the late '60s were. Then towards the end of that song and into "Heinz Baked Beans" I realized the album title and artwork weren't just for show. The Who Sell Out is an honest-to-God concept album of songs played on a made-up station called Radio London, with adverts of real products that the band recorded and spliced between songs. Even the album version of "I Can See For Miles" has a commercial tacked on at the end for a Charles Atlas exercise program. I'm not a fan of the radio station concept album format. It's not the first time I've heard this format - The Weeknd's Dawn FM comes to mind. But this kind of framing hurts the replayability factor as the listener has to deal with the literal breaks in between to remind the audience that it's a radio station. At least with Dawn FM, the framing was a station being listened to in transition to the afterlife, which at least sounded interesting and lent itself to the narrative the songs build onto. The Radio London framing done on The Who Sell Out was done to take the piss on how big the band was getting at the time. At best, it was probably some fun jest the lads were having in the studio at the listener's expense. At worst, they faced lawsuits after the album was released, as the companies behind the real-world products they were making fun of caught wind. It sucks because outside of the framing, the rest of the album is a decent if not great psychedelic rock album for the time. I certainly enjoyed songs like "Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand" and "Sunrise" as fun one-off songs. But at the end of the day, there's no denying that The Who Sell Out may very well be near the bottom of their discography.

Alright, let's get the technical nitpicks out of the way. This is a live album where there's uncertainty with which show each song was recorded, along with how many overdubs were used to polish up the sound. I don't mind the need for a little cleanup after recording to make the final product sound good, though it does come at the expense of some audience interaction not coming through as well. That said, Live and Dangerous is still an amazing album from the Irish hard rockers. As expected, most of the songs performed live sound just as good as their studio releases, with some sporting instrumental breaks like the saxophone solo during "Dancing in the Moonlight" or the drum solo for "Sha La La". However, there are a few highlights I want to bring up to illustrate why this album is considered well-regarded. In particular, there's the live performance of "Still in Love With You" - a much slower ballad than the original from Nightlife, enhanced with the epic guitar soloing of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. Later, there's the transition from "Cowboy Song" to "The Boys are Back in Town" off the same chord, making for a one-two punch. Finally, there were two new songs at the time, "Are You Ready" and "Baby Drives Me Crazy," that were never seen in a studio release. The former is such a fast infectious rocker of a tune, while the latter features the audience chanting "Baby" along with Lynott and harmonica soloing from a young Huey Lewis. If those moments don't sell you on Live and Dangerous, I don't know what will. Because it was either this or Jailbreak making the list, and I'm glad to get some Thin Lizzy representation here.

- Yeah, I have no problem giving this album 5 stars. Alright, here we have the first album from The Boss to achieve mainstream success. I gather that it was a rather lengthy process to perfect his sound during the recording sessions. Hell, six months were spent working on just the title track. Suffice it to say, all that hard work paid off in dividends. Born to Run contains some high-caliber piano-driven rock tunes, where Bruce was able to capture the essence of working class people trying to find their escape. Credit is due to him and the E Street Band for crafting and producing some true bangers on this album, and not just the singles. Even deep cuts like “Backstreets”, “She’s the One” and the 9-minute closer “Jungleland” prove to be exceptionally constructed with a sound that’s timeless. If you haven’t already, give Born to Run a chance. I get not everyone’s fond of Springsteen’s music, but if there was at least one that deserves its place on this list, it would be this one.

Okay, I get why this album is on the list. Elvis Presley was proclaimed the "King of Rock and Roll", one of the first white males to achieve commercial success, ushering that genre to a white audience. Much's been said about race relations in popular music, which I encourage you to look into. Elvis's debut album accomplished what it set out to do - making covers of African-American tunes to present to the larger masses. It's certainly important for historical purposes, but as an album to listen to it leaves much to be desired. After all, this is a debut album consisting of mostly cover songs. There are some fun songs here like his cover of "Blue Suede Shoes" and the original song "One-Sided Love Affair". The rest either pale in comparison to the original such as with Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti", or don't bring a lot of energy like with Roy Hamilton's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)". Also, with the original songs from the respective artists being more available nowadays, Elvis's renditions are more reliant on how he was a performer. The album is not bad, and it makes sense why it's on the list. But there ain't much to revisit here.

I hadn't heard of The Charlatans prior. They seem to be another Britpop group, and this fifth studio album would be the last with their keyboardist Rob Collins, who died in a car accident partway into recording sessions. Keyboard duties were passed on to Mark Duffy to help complete the album. After listening to Tellin' Stories, I can say it's a fine album for the genre, as the Charlatans took a more bluesier approach than their contemporaries with the guitar riffs amidst the electronic loops. The singles are generally good, and they even add some interesting instrumentals with "Area 51" and the closer "Rob's Theme". Unfortunately, it does not leave much of an impression. Most songs tend to go in one ear and out the other, aside from the ones mentioned earlier and "You're a Big Girl Now" where the lyrics did not sit well with me. In particular, the line "Leaders and your disused milk/Will quietly pass you by" made me wince a bit. Overall, it's not bad as the Charlatans attempted to carve out their niche. Take it or leave it.

Finally, a Beatles album on my journey. This is not only an album I've listened to before but one of the most notable. There's been plenty said about Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band through the decades since its release, with the big takeaway being just how experimental and pivotal it was for popular music during the counterculture of the late 60s. It's hard to imagine how many mainstream groups before 1967 had songs like "A Day in the Life" with its swelling crescendo or "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite" with its Hammond organ-driven carnival madness. It's a good kind of weird, and the boys have taken full advantage of different instruments and studio techniques since they stopped touring. Other highlights include the comb and paper on the instrumental breaks of "Lovely Rita", the clarinets on "When I'm Sixty Four", the tambura and congas breakdown for the final verse of the otherwise uptempo "Getting Better", the harpsichord used throughout "Fixing a Hole", and the Indian instrumentation and overtly spiritual lyrics of "Within You Without You". That all said, my main criticism of Sgt. Pepper is the replay value. The album is bookended by interlude pieces of the boys identifying as Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band and the songs in between are performances from said band. It adds to the overall weirdness, and the opening track and reprise are well executed, though those songs do not get a lot of repeat listens out of me because they serve as loose narratives that segue into their respective next tracks. Also, while I appreciate the song construction and finality of "A Day in the Life", the high-pitched tone and spliced studio chatter at the end come off as a weird afterthought and don't meaningfully contribute to the overall track. Overall, there's a reason why this album usually gets brought up when discussing the Beatles. It's one of those records that in its drug-induced madness helped widen the landscape for popular music. Give it a chance.

Have you ever struggled to connect with an album? Because I'll admit I have struggled with this one. A Northern Soul is the second studio album from The Verve, a Britpop group I've heard of from "Bittersweet Symphony". That track is from their follow-up Urban Hymns, with other notable hits like "The Drugs Won't Work". I point this out because I'm trying to reason why this album is included on the list in addition to Urban Hymns. If I had to figure out why I can't connect, perhaps it has to do with the fact that A Northern Soul sonically makes it apparent how the band was going through chaotic turmoil during the writing and recording sessions, as they strayed away from their early psychedelic roots for more straightforward alternative rock. The genre shift is not inherently a bad fit for them, but outside of "History" as the standout single, they don't offer many hooks or melodies that could be retained in memory. As it is, this album only makes me feel like Urban Hymns should have been the one contribution from The Verve on this list, because I don't see myself coming back to this.

I've heard of Bob Marley and the Wailers before, particularly the song "Stir it Up" from this album. As a reggae staple, they're generally pleasant, and I enjoy the rollicking guitars and meaningful song construction. They sound more involved than what could be pigeonholed as background music, especially with the large lyrical depth ranging from love like "Stir it Up" to political injustice like "Slave Driver". The only problem I have is the similar sound and tempo carried across most songs, though that seems to be par for the course with the reggae genre. I will give them credit for some variance such as the slow burn intro to "No More Trouble" and the slide guitar work done on "Baby We've Got a Date (Rock it Baby)". Overall, Catch a Fire was an enjoyable listen for its style. If you are into reggae or curious about the genre, then give it a listen.

I was already familiar with Bob Dylan as a folk legend who pivoted towards rock halfway through the 1960s. I saw that this album was the third of a trilogy where he was making that rock pivot. Yet, I was unprepared for the twisted marching band sound of the opening track "Rainy Day Women". That was surprising, but still pretty good. The rest of Blonde on Blonde might not have the same initial shock value as that first track, but it's still got a lot of good folk-rock songs that occasionally dip into blues. Tracks like "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again", "Just Like a Woman" and "Obviously Five-Believers" are well executed by Dylan and the session musicians, as he delivers lyrics exploring difficult relationships and double entendres, all culminating into the 11-minute closer "Sad-Eyed Lady of the Lowlands" in dedication to his first wife Sara Lownds. There are only two contentious points to be had with the album. First is the overall length, clocking in at over 70 minutes where a break in between was necessary. Second is Dylan's vocal delivery, which is a make-or-break deal for getting into his work. I enjoyed Blonde on Blonde as a whole, and look forward to checking out the other two albums in this rock trilogy.

I'm familiar with Leonard Cohen as a poet turned folk singer-songwriter, having heard "Hallelujah" before. This is his debut album, and I must remind myself of that because it's impressive how good he was at this early stage. There's something magical about Leonard's soulful low-register delivery, as he croons his way through songs of yearning not for love but friendship or fond memories. Likewise, his acoustic guitar work is spectacular, like on "The Stranger Song" where he pulls off some nifty tremolos. There is a contentious point with Leonard Cohen's early work in that they tend to consist of minimalist compositions. That is why his debut album is largely him with his guitar save for a few tracks with drum, bass, and background vocals. Could there be more involved to engage the listener more? Perhaps. But that said, this is still impressive with just his presence alone. If you are curious, give it a chance.

I'm a little familiar with Patti Smith from her contributions to the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Blue Öyster Cult. She's a singer/songwriter/poet who's considered an influential underground artist, with Horses being her debut album. Listening to this album, Patti's style is more "art punk" than "punk rock" with the added poetry and improvisation. For example, songs like "Gloria" and "Land" are medleys with covers interlaced between free-form compositions and spoken word. They still generally rock but take a more off-the-cuff approach to how they're presented. Other songs tend to experiment with style shifts such as reggae with "Redondo Beach", proto-punk with "Free Money" and "Break it Up", jazz with "Birdland", and the somber requiem closer of "Elegie". Patti's lyrics range from past experiences with family members to dedications to deceased musicians she knew like Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix, all well penned. The only aspect of this album holding it back is how bizarre and esoteric it can get at times. It's probably a bit over-ambitious for a debut album. Also, the spoken word could have been integrated better in some tracks. Still, I enjoyed Horses overall and give it a solid recommendation for those curious.

Let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way - this album was primarily produced by a young Kanye West, save for two tracks produced by the late J Dilla. In fact, Kanye himself appears for two choruses and a verse. I’m fully aware of the fall from grace Kanye has been through over the years, where his cult of personality has gone largely unchecked as he now reps fascists and the music becomes an afterthought. That all said, I can recognize that at one point in time, the man cared about the music, and once had the ability and capacity to self-edit and produce something of good quality. That I can take away from this album. Now with that out of way, I hadn’t heard about Common before. He’s a Chicago rapper previously known for his collaborations with No ID, The Roots and Erykah Badu. Be is his fifth album, and his first under Kanye’s label GOOD Music. A fair amount of publications tend to acknowledge this album as one of his best works, and I can see why. Common’s flows are impeccable throughout this album, as he pens and weaves his way through socially conscious lyrics that deal with themes of poverty, spirituality, love, racism, and finding optimism in hard times. Occasionally, a track or two will throw in some wit, such as how he claps back against rappers who don’t offer anything meaningful to say on “Chi-City”. Overall, it’s Common finding his pocket to express what it is to “be” in the moment, in the now. All this set to a backdrop of soulful yet punctuated music, sampling R&B of the 60s and 70s recontextualized into something new. Honestly, I have only a few nitpicks for this album. John Mayer does not offer much on his guest appearance in “GO!”, where he just sings the word “go” throughout the song. At least John Legend offers the whole chorus on “They Say”. Also, the version of “The Food” that appears on this album is a live performance from the Dave Chapelle Show. While they do nicely transition from that to the next track “Real People”, they probably would have been better off using a studio version. I had a fun time in general with Be, and give it a solid recommendation.

While I am familiar with some of David Bowie’s work, I hadn’t listened to anything off of this album until now. Time to fix that. Despite how amazing Station to Station turned out, Bowie was still struggling from his cocaine addiction at the time and it took a toll on his mental health. As a result, he left Los Angeles to move back to Europe, and caught up with Brian Eno. Also tagging along on this journey was Iggy Pop, who was also looking to clean up from his drug addiction as well. Both him and Bowie ended up working together on the former’s album The Idiot, co-mixing with producer Tony Visconti over in West Berlin. Bowie was so infatuated with the area that him and Iggy decided to move there for a while to kick their drug habits, escape the spotlight and work on new material inspired by the German experimental music scene at the time. Thus, the so-called Berlin Trilogy began, with Low being the first of this string of albums. With all that background established, I can comfortably say I enjoyed this rather off-kilter record. Make no mistake in that this album is strange by Bowie’s standards up to this point. Most of Low works in how he allows the other instruments to shine. In fact, the second half is electronically-driven ambience, where Bowie lends his vocal cadence as another instrument to be painted into the scenery. Songs like “Warszawa” and “Weeping Wall” work wonders in this lane, compilmented by the synthesizer work done by Bowie and Brian Eno. There are still tracks where Bowie delivers lyrics, either contemplative about the addiction he battled on “Sound and Vision”, or as more free-form and fractured like on “What in the World” with Iggy on backing vocals. These words may not be the focus of the album, but are a welcoming touch nonetheless. The only problems here are with the first two tracks “Speed of Life” and “Breaking Glass”, which are more like fragments of songs that don’t get fully realized here. They’re not bad tracks, but they could have been fleshed out more. In fact, “Breaking Glass” would later get reworked on a subsequent tour. At the end of the day, Low is still an amazing album, and quite the pleasant surprise for me as a fan of Bowie’s other works. I can see why this album would later be considered influential to the post-rock genre, and it shows in spades. Give it a shot.

If there would ever be a Queen album for this list, it must be this one. Arguably the band's best album, A Night at the Opera is the culmination of efforts made by a group of young lads who were cutting ties with their greedy former studio Trident and abusive former manager Norman Sheffield, and making a grand statement for themselves. The recording and production of this album was the musical equivalent of putting all the chips in at the poker table, and man did they clean house. Every song on this album is amazing across various styles, time signatures, movements, and other experimental choices. From the sea shanty "'39" to the musical hall pieces "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon" and "Seaside Rendezvous", from drummer Roger Taylor singing on "I'm in Love with My Car" to guitarist Brian May singing on "Good Company", from the door-kicker "Death on Two Legs" to the grand finish "God Save the Queen", from the short and sweet "You're My Best Friend" to the 8-minute epic "The Prophet's Song", it all works wonders. Finally, there's the crown jewel of this album - "Bohemian Rhapsody". This is not only one of the best songs the band ever wrote, but quite frankly one of the greatest songs of all time. It's not simply that everyone knows it but this song transforms one's sense of what can be accomplished. Back in high school, I remember studying this track for a project - the poetic verses of a man put on trial, the various movements from acapella to full-on hard rock, the use of panning and other studio effects, the soaring yet disparate vocal delivery from Freddie Mercury. There was a lot to be learned from this song alone, and it tells a lot about how Queen wanted to make an imprint with A Night at the Opera. If you haven't already, give it a listen.

I am familiar with Tina Turner as the so-called "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll" after launching a solo career post-divorce. In fact, I've previously heard "What's Love Got to Do With It" off this album and enjoyed that. After listening, I can say that the rest of Private Dancer mostly live up to the same quality as that track. Tina showed off her pipes on this album, as her charisma and delivery carry these songs while playing across 80's rock and R&B styles. "Show Some Respect", the title track, and "Better Be Good to Me" make for an excellent showcase of what she was capable of with outside songwriters lending their hand. My only complaints are with the dated production - not helped by the multiple producers involved for inconsistent quality, and that nearly half of these songs are covers. Granted, she does pull off unique spins on the Beatles' "Help!" and David Bowie's "1984" which work, but the rest of them don't quite live up to the bar set by the original tracks. Overall, I had a fun time with Private Dancer, and give it a solid recommendation.

For this review, I'm only looking at the original LP tracklisting and not including the bonus tracks on the CD edition of the album. This is the first I’m hearing of The Fall. They’re a late 70s English post-punk group that shifted their style over the years towards alternative rock, with the sole consistent member being vocalist and lyricist Mark E. Smith. The Infotainment Scan is their fifteenth album, taking on a more accessible sound by incorporating more standard grooves and electronic elements. I will say the big hurdle I found with this album and by extension The Fall is Mark’s vocals. They’re an acquired taste to say the least; he reminded me of Iggy Pop with more slur in his delivery. Adjusting to his vocal style is a make-or-break moment for this group, and there is no blame if you can’t get into them. As for me, I was able to adjust and find the ramshackle delivery combined with the abstract lyricism to be decent if not outstanding. As for the rest of the band, they do a great job of packing a punch. In particular Craig Scanlon’s guitar riffs and Simon Wolstencroft’s drum work bring the necessary drives for these tunes, complimented by Steve Hanley’s bass work and Dave Bush’s electronic programming. Songs like “Glam-Racket”, “It’s a Curse”, “Past Gone Mad” and their cover of Steve Bent’s “Lost in Spain” have this manic energy that’s very potent and danceable. My only complaint is with the album closer “Light / Fireworks”, where Mark is given the focus for the first half of the song without much accompaniment before the song switches through different movements without any cohesion. I understand if it was keeping with the off-kilter vibe, but it didn’t leave a good final impression for me. Still, I had a mostly enjoyable time with The Infotainment Scan, which is more than what I expected initially. Go into this one with an open mind.

Not only have I listened to some of Paul McCartney’s solo work before, I remember hearing “Maybe I’m Amazed” which comes from this eponymous album. The McCartney eponymous albums have a reputation for compiling songs where Paul recorded all the instruments. In this case with the first one, aside from a few harmony vocals from his then-wife Linda, Paul hashes it out on his own. I respect the hustle, and it’s quite the achievement for how many songs turned out as well as they did. The aforementioned “Maybe I”’ Amazed”, “Junk” and its singalong counterpart, “Teddy Boy” and “Momma Miss America” are all great examples of the songwriting and commitment to the craft that Paul was capable of on his own. That said, it does feel like the second half of the album shines brightest, whereas the first half features some song fragments. Tracks such as “The Lovely Linda”, “Valentine Day” and “Hot Sun/Glasses” contain some great ideas that could have been fleshed out more for another minute or two. I understand Paul was very eager at the time to get his solo work out to the public, at the expense of competing with the release of Let it Be, but who knows what could have been had more time been dedicated to these few tracks. Still, I nevertheless commend the man on getting this album out and giving the public a taste of what Paul was capable of without the other Beatles involved. I can see how it achieved later recognition as one of the first big lo-fi records and how influential it was to indie music. Give it a spin.

For this review, I am not looking at the bonus tracks on disc one of the 2001 remaster. Also, based on George Harrison's documented intent of treating the Apple Jam as a bonus disc, it is not included in my analysis. That leaves us with a double album running about 78 minutes of material George had worked on since 1966, fleshing them out after the Beatles broke up. It says a lot that most of these tracks turned out as good as they did. There was always something magical around George's songwriting contributions to the Beatles songs he led, which naturally translates well into his solo work. Aided by the Wall of Sound production chops from Phil Spector, the result is amazing. I previously heard the title track, "My Sweet Lord", "What is Life", and "Wah-Wah" before listening to the full album, all of which I enjoyed. Now I can add the likes of "I Dig Love" with the slide guitar work, "Behind That Locked Door" as a loving ode to Bob Dylan for encouraging George to continue his craft, "Run of the Mill" as one a few songs taking aim at George's former bandmates, and the closer "Hear Me Lord" where he seeks forgiveness from whatever deity would answer him. There was a lot of growth George displayed in the lyrics, spiritually in his quest for enlightenment from a higher power and physically in the relationships he gained or lost at the time. My only problem with All Things Must Pass is the nagging feeling that some songs could have been cut, though given how most of these songs turned out it's hard to tell where to cut. The only exception to that notion is that there was no need to have two different versions of "Isn't It a Pity" here. One version would have sufficed. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this album as it gets a solid recommendation. As with other double albums, I'd recommend breaking up the listening time into two sessions with a good break in between.

I’ve heard of Curtis Mayfield before as an influential soul artist, having heard the title track to the Superfly soundtrack before. Not only is this album emblematic of that style, but it’s a slow burner as he kept the tempo slow and the space breathable for the instruments. Curtis carried a nice sultry delivery to complement his lyrics involving racial prejudice and economic disparity. The only exception is “So in Love” which was a nice funky jam. What does hold me back from outright loving this album is the slower tempo does drag the momentum by the end, and there could have been a little more variance in the songwriting. It’s not bad but songs tend to blend together in places, even for a short runtime. For what’s it worth, There’s No Place is a solid in-and-out adventure for the kind of conscious soul music Curtis was pushing at the time.

I am familiar with Joni Mitchell as an influential folk singer-songwriter and have heard a few songs from her in the past. However, I had not heard anything before from this album. Court and Spark takes the folk-rock music she had been known for before and infuses it with elements of jazz. The result makes for an overall exquisite listen. Joni got creative with the song structures, where the tracks don't always fall into the standard verse-chorus-verse structure and instead play around with bridges and refrains to give more depth and expression. This more obtuse approach to songwriting is complemented by song transitions throughout the album such as towards the end from "Trouble Child" into "Twisted" with the trumpet soloing. These kinds of structure tweaks made for an engaging listen. Lyrically, this album touches upon the pursuit of love and a simpler life, while also giving some fun caricature moments such as the prostitute's plight on the rocker "Raised on Robbery" or the experiences of Joni's music agent friend David Geffen on "Free Man in Paris". The words come off with a sense of whimsy and the stories told feel lived in. I was very impressed with Court and Spark, and give it a high recommendation.

I have been listening to Paul Simon's solo work for the first time this year, and the timing could not be better for his second studio album. I heard the reggae-leaning “Mother and Child Reunion” and “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” before the full listen. This self-titled album carries much of the same folk songwriting sensibility Paul had in Simon & Garfunkel, albeit while experimenting with some stylistic changes here and there. I already mentioned the reggae track, but there are also blues tracks towards the end, Latin music like on “Armistice Day” with the percussion switch up and saxophones, and smooth jazz like on “Run That Body Down” with the use of double bass and a vibraphone. All the while Paul sings about drugs, adolescence, and his troublesome marriage with then-wife Peggy Harper. The only complaint I had with the album is there wasn’t much variance in the folk guitar dynamics for some of the songs. It does come across as similar in the soft acoustic vibe outside of the style shifts mentioned previously. Still, I had a pleasant time with this album, and give it a solid recommendation.

Let me start with the notion that no matter what I say, this album has already cemented its place on this list. Pet Sounds is considered the definitive Beach Boys album, which is ironic given how little it has to do with their previous work's "beach" aesthetic. It is also considered one of the best rock records of the 1960s and has gone on to appear in multiple publications' best-album lists alongside the album it inspired - the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Every other music critic has and continues to praise it, including on this site. That all cannot be denied. Yet, there is a part of me that can't switch my enjoyment of Pet Sounds from a good album to an amazing album like other people have. Perhaps it's how I've just gotten into the Beach Boys this year, and do not carry the nostalgic sentiment others have. Maybe it's my gripe with this group's harmonized vocals which sound dated and cheesy, even if I can accept they were a part of their identity early on. It could even be that I've only spent one day with this record and it hasn't grown on me with time yet. Whatever the case, even if I can't go over the moon for Pet Sounds, I can still recognize it as a great record. I respect the hell out of Brian Wilson for taking over most of the lyric writing and song arrangements. His work made for a unique-for-the-time progressive pop-rock sound bolstered by Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" production, where the lyrics capture the essence of coming-of-age and the ins and outs of teenage romance, at times with a dark turn. "Wouldn't it Be Nice" is an infectious opener that I still have playing in my head as I write this review. "God Only Knows" is an amazing song for its baroque style. Their cover of the traditional "Sloop John B" fits nicely into the loose narrative. They break up the flow nicely with two instrumentals. I could keep going on, but you get the point. Pet Sounds is a great record, and I'm sure in time it will grow on me. God only knows.

I hadn’t heard of Thelonious Monk before. From what I gather, he was a jazz pianist and composer with a unique improvisational style. His compositions featured dissonance and multiple key switches, silences, and pauses in his playing. Brilliant Corners is his 11th studio album and is mostly comprised of his compositions, save for one cover. On a fundamental level, I appreciated the technical expertise of Thelonious and his backing band. Songs like "Pannonica" and "Bemsha Swing" showcase the piano and horns able to flourish and swing in a manner that's accessible yet still proficiently played. There's a certain eloquence that's evoked, and I enjoyed it for the most part on this album. The biggest hurdle to be had with Brilliant Corners is side one. The opening title track was compiled from multiple takes as it turned out to be a complex piece, and it shows as the focus hops from one instrument to another without much cohesion. Following that up with the 13-minute "Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are" added to a challenging listen from the get-go, though that piece sonically coalesced better over its movements. I had a pleasant enough time with Brilliant Corners as a hard jazz album. It was a nice experience to have it in the background and reflect. Give it a chance.

It's Boston, the debut album of the band Boston, from the town of Boston, Massachusetts. I kid, but it's funny how such a name gimmick sticks. What also helps is that this album slaps. Every song is a banger, including the non-singles "Hitch a Ride", "Something About You" and "Let Me Take You Home Tonight". What works for these songs is the excellent guitar playing from Tom Scholz and Barry Goudreau, Brad Delp’s soaring vocals and how they’re layered in the mix, the melodic song composition in how they’ve nailed the verse-chorus-verse progression to a tea, and the production which sounds pristine for being recorded in a basement. Now, there’s undoubtedly going to be some questions that need to be addressed. Starting with, has this album been overexposed due to non-stop rock radio syndication, and repeated usage of songs in licensed media such as films, TV shows, and video games? Yes, although that's an external factor and byproduct of this album's greatness. Does this album get cheesy as hell at times? Oh yes, but I consider it a part of the charm and it doesn't overstay its welcome at 37 minutes. Did this band peak with their very first album? Absolutely yes. They did have other successful singles afterward, but this was the best full album experience we ever got from Boston. With all those questions answered, if you feel this is not an album for you after listening, then that’s fine. Music is subjective, and everyone’s opinion is going to be different. All I ask is to give it a chance.

I've heard of D'Angelo as a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who helped pioneer the subgenre of neo-soul. This album as his debut will be my first listen to his work. What I will say is that most of this album is filled to the brim with smooth-sounding sex jams and ballads, with a dash of religious imagery from his Pentecostal background. The one exception is the opening title track which is a pretty clever metaphor for smoking marijuana. All these songs are well-delivered from D'Angelo's buttery vocals and paired with his excellent production chops alongside a few co-producers. He can sell the vibes akin to Prince and Smokey Robinson, even going as far as bending the latter's song "Cruisin'" in his favor. While there isn't a bad song on here, Brown Sugar can get a bit repetitive with its themes, lyrical content, and slow-tempo song structures, save for again the opening title track. Though I'm sure this album will grow on me in due time, as it's genuinely impressive for a then young and hungry D'Angelo. Give it a taste.

For this review, I'm sticking to the original LP tracklisting, and not factoring in the B-side tracks and second disc of the super deluxe edition. I hadn't heard of Adam and the Ants before, and that album artwork already gives me quite the impression. This group went through a near complete lineup change before this album, along with a style shift from post-punk to new wave, with the sole consistent member being frontman Adam Ant. Kings of the Wild Frontier gave me similar vibes to The Stranglers concerning the manic energy that Adam and the rest of this group exerted in their songs. From the get-go on "Dog Eat Dog", the Burundi drums kick in as Adam howls and belts his way through, complemented by catchy guitar hooks. It doesn't take long before lyrical themes go off the rails, from talking about the uprising of ant-people to pirates and Native American tribes. It's fun in its lack of cohesion with good riffs and percussion, though this band kept at 100% chaos and doesn't give a break to change up the style, so be aware of that. Give it a spin.

Full disclosure - this was one of those albums I needed to listen to a second time with the lyrics on hand to put my thoughts together. One of the biggest hurdles with Van Morrison is that his talk-singing delivery is very warbly, often to the point where some words sound incomprehensible and I had to double-check what he sang. That said, Astral Weeks is still gorgeous despite his singing. All the instruments coalesce under Morrison's command with his acoustic guitar for a progressive folk style that paints wonderfully with the rather impressionistic lyrics of love and spirituality. Whether it's Larry Fallon's harpsichord work on "Cypress Avenue", the brass accompanied bombast of "The Way Lovers Do", or the gentle sway alongside the string arrangements of the title track and "Madame George", the atmosphere of this album evokes a sense of wonder and curiosity that's astonishing. If you're like me and your prior experiences with Van Morrison were "Brown Eyed Girl" and his anti-lockdown antics during the COVID-19 pandemic, this album will at least be a pleasant surprise even if it takes more than one listen.

I’m familiar with Frank Zappa as an influential musician and composer, whose work tends to be either improvisational or satirical. His second studio album Hot Rats leans towards the former, as he went about writing as if it were a soundtrack for a movie. The album certainly gives that impression of a movie. Starting at the opening credits bombast of “Peaches en Regalia”, we are then introduced to our main character “Willie the Pimp”. This is followed by an action-packed sequence in “Son of Mr. Green Genes”. We have a middle act breather where revelations come about in “Little Umbrellas”, leading to the climax of “The Gumbo Variations”, and followed by the closing credits roll of “It Must be a Camel”. Not only does this album capture the whimsy and excitement of such a movie, but it’s also well executed as Zappa, Ian Underwood and the other session musicians worked wonders for a mostly instrumental jazz fusion album, save for “Willie the Pimp” with the gravelly voice of Captain Beefheart. The only complaint I have is just how long the climax went for “The Gumbo Variations”, clocking in at nearly 13 minutes. It’s certainly well composed but feels like it goes on for longer than it should. Still, I enjoyed this movie of an album and wouldn’t mind rewatching it again in my ears. Give it a chance.

I've heard a fair share of albums and songs from Willie Nelson before, and cannot deny he is one of the greatest country artists to walk this earth. Red Headed Stranger is considered one of his greatest albums, conceptually written around an earlier song from Arthur "Guitar Boogie" Smith that Nelson would cover for the centerpiece here. Throughout my listening, there is a calming and comforting nature as Willie strums away on his guitar and sings with a warm vocal delivery about a preacher who has a falling out with his wife, murders her, and then finds love elsewhere. It's amazing how he tied a few cover songs like the aforementioned "Red Headed Stranger" and Fred Rose's "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" into a rather dark narrative that works. The only problem with this album is one drawn from having listened to Willie Nelson many times - songs tend to sound the same. Save for the cover of L. Wolfe Gilbert's "Down Yonder" as performed by Willie's sister Bobbie, most of this album is the laid-back outlaw country style that folks who have heard him perform here and there would be familiar with. Not helping matters is how half of the songs here don't crack the two-minute length, and that there are two reprises of "Time of the Preacher" in the middle of the album. Still, if you're into Willie Nelson and don't mind how similar his songs are, then this is an enjoyable listen all the way through. Give it a chance.

I've heard of The xx as an electronic indie rock band comprised of guitarist/vocalist Romy Madley Croft, bassist/vocalist Oliver Sim, and drummer/producer Jamie xx. All three members have gone on to release solo efforts, some of which I've listened to prior. This would be my first listen to them as a group, checking out their debut album with former member Baria Qureshi on the keyboards. This is minimalist yet introspective indie pop music with influences from R&B that can be compelling in the right setting. From the epic intro track to cuts like "Shelter" and "Infinity", there's a melodic tightness from the instrumentation with electronic touches sprinkled throughout, as the group channels their collective shyness into a commanding yet thorough examination of relationships and losses gone through at such a young age. The only track I didn't care about much was "Fantasy". That song was primarily sung by Oliver, whose baritone vocals felt inferior to Romy's mezzo-soprano. The lyrics about an unrealized love interest don't quite strike me and the synth drone throughout the two-and-a-half minutes doesn't offer much as it ends abruptly. But that's the only blight on this solid debut. Even if I am aware that other indie pop groups would come afterward into the 2010s to muddy the style of this album, there's still a place for The xx here as they carved out quite the niche in their early 20s. Give it a listen.

For this review, I will look at the original tracklisting and not include the bonus tracks with the 2003 re-release. I had not heard of Drive Like Jehu before today. They seem to have been a short-lived post-hardcore punk band from the 90s that released only two albums, with Yank Crime being the second. Listening to it, I was blasted away by the melodic guitar hooks, Mark Trombino's pounding percussion, and Rick Froberg's commanding vocal style. Adding to that experience were odd time signatures and more complex rhythmic structures akin to math rock. Then you get into the lyrics, and Rick gets visceral in his writing as topics range from fractured relationships on "Sinews" and "Do You Compute?" to self-destruction on "Golden Brown" to ecological disasters on "Here Come the Rome Plows" and "Luau". There's a great deal of poignant angst that comes across in the words and the sonic noise that carries them. I get that this abrasive style of music is not for everyone, but Drive Like Jehu delivered in spades within the short time they had together. It's apparent how later acts like At the Drive-In and Deftones took note of these guys. Give it a spin.

After checking out the follow-up Elephant, this will be the second White Stripes album I've listened to on this journey. I've already heard the first two songs before - "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground" and "Hotel Yorba" - and between those two and "Fell in Love with a Girl", this album starts pretty strong for the garage rock revival that the pair were going for at the time. As far as the pacing goes, I think this album drags a bit toward the end, particularly the instrumental "Aluminum" which I did not care for with the distorted wordless screaming over the droning guitar riff. There are fun tracks sprinkled throughout like "The Union Forever", "Offend in Every Way" and "I Think I Smell a Rat", but at the same time, this effort could have benefited from a trimmed-down tracklist. White Blood Cells may not be as strong as Elephant would follow, but it is still a solid album and gets a light recommendation if you're curious.

For this review, I am only looking at the original LP tracklisting, and will not factor in the bonus tracks with the 2004 re-release. I've heard of the Pogues before, particularly their song "Body of an American". They represent the niche subgenre of Celtic punk, which I'm glad got representation on this list. The only other groups I've heard of before in this style are the Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. If I Should Fall from Grace with God is the Pogues' third studio album, and is often considered their best work. I can see how given the fine balance they strike between fast-tempo rollicking guitar-driven tunes with bleak lyrics related to their Irish background. They even threw in some additional styles to boot with excellence, such as the Middle Eastern vibe of "The Turkish Song of the Damned" or the Christmas folk ballad of "Fairytale of New York". That said, this album is rather long for this style of music and my enjoyment started to lower towards the end. Not helping matters is that they close out on "Worms", an arrangement of the traditional "Hearse Song" that ends on a rather odd note with its slow stomping beat, bellowing vocal delivery and the trombone alternating on two low notes. Still, I had an overall fun time with this album, and it comes with a solid recommendation.

I’ve heard of the Violent Femmes before, specifically the song “Blister in the Sun” which I consider a bop. That song happens to be the first song of their self-titled debut right here. Much like the aforementioned song, this album is filled to the brim with folk-punk tunes, where the acoustic guitars are rollicking and playful alongside well-accented percussion from Victor DeLorenzo. Gordon Gano wrote in such a manner that this album maintains a high energy throughout its runtime. The only song I didn't immediately gel with was "To the Kill", though with a second listen I came to realize that the tonal dissonance throughout song is still mildly cohesive in its structure and actually pairs well with the perverse lyrics of the narrator thinking about killing. There’s a such a twisted fun nature throughout this album, and I have no doubt in giving this one high remarks. Check it out.

I hadn't heard of Everything But the Girl before. They are the musical pair of Tracey Thorn and Ben Watt, and their style is called sophisti-pop. The subgenre emerged from the new wave of the 80s, using electronic keyboards, synthesizers, perfectionist recording, and most importantly atmosphere. Understanding what sophisti-pop is helped me understand why I enjoyed this album. The production is pristine even if dated, as Ben and Tracey trade sultry vocals as the session musicians create the necessary ambiance to make this album pleasant to the ears with just enough flourishes to keep it an engaging listen. I get that this style of music might not be as energetic for everyone, but I can walk away from meeting this album halfway and enjoying it. Give it a chance.

Well, this is the second Leonard Cohen album I've listened to on my journey, after hearing Songs of Leonard Cohen. My feelings towards this album are about the same as they were for his debut, if not more. There are some improvements from Leonard's first album. He gets more abrasive in his vocal delivery on some songs, accompanied by more female background vocals. His guitar playing has improved, incorporating more syncopated patterns such as on "Avalanche". The lyrics invoke more historical and cultural references in the context of relationships, such as the lament of Joan of Arc's burning at the stake on the closing track or the small allusions to Scientology and Christian biblical readings on "Famous Blue Raincoat". The only track that seemed a bit of an odd inclusion was "Sing Another Song, Boys" but that's only because it was recorded live at Isle of Wight Festival and was not recorded in the studio like the rest of these songs. Ultimately, Songs of Love and Hate showcased that Leonard found his pocket and refined his sound. It's certainly worth a listen if you're curious.

I’ve heard of M.I.A. before as a rapper/singer/producer, born under the name Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam. In fact, Maya’s big song “Paper Planes” is off of this album Kala. This is her second studio album, named and themed after her mother and the struggles she went through. I will say this album is very experimental, for better and worse. She plays through a variety of world music styles with a heavy amount of sampling, and the result varies for every song. Some songs are good - the aforementioned “Paper Planes” with the samples of gunshots, cash registers and The Clash’s “Straight to Hell”, “Come Around” with its sole Timbaland production credit, “Jimmy” with its electronic disco melody, and “XR2” with its rave music groove. Other songs are terrible - the first three tracks of this album spring to mind, especially “Bird Flu” with its egregious bird noise samples. Then there are songs that fall somewhere in the middle for me - “Hussel” and “Mango Pickle Down River” have solid melodies, though nowhere near as engaging as the preceding “Jimmy”. Also, I couldn’t ignore how “20 Dollar” sounded like an electronically-filtered hodgepodge between New Order’s “Blue Monday” and the Pixies’ “Where is My Mind?”. There is one unifying element throughout this album - Maya’s vocals. I’ll admit, I do not like her vocals and delivery - it’s not for me as it doesn’t come off as raw or emotionally drawn as it should. Not helping matters is that she has a very minimalist lyrical style, which combined with the experimentation can distract from whatever messaging she may have been trying to convey. At the end of the day, it’s certainly not a boring album. You will be engaged through the whole listen, regardless of track-by-track quality. But I don’t see myself returning to this anytime soon.

This is the second of two Issac Hayes albums I've listened to on this journey, having heard the Shaft film soundtrack. My enjoyment of Hot Buttered Soul is admittedly greater than that of the Shaft soundtrack, partly due to what is advertised on the tin. Issac's vocals were hot and buttery, as he worked his way around the keyboard while the session musicians played effortlessly to create this luscious psychedelic soul sound. There may be only four songs, and three of those four run over nine minutes, but it never felt long for the most part because the song construction felt meaningful, as the album ebbed and flowed with a serene audible tide. The only exception to this feeling was the eight-and-a-half-minute introduction to the cover of Jimmy Webb's "By the Time I Get to Phoenix". I understand if Issac wanted to tell the story behind that song, though it does hurt the replay value. Overall, this was a pleasant album to have going on. It's worth checking out.

Van Halen is one of those bands that don't need much of an introduction, as they were one of the biggest hard rock and heavy metal acts from the late 70s into the 80s. They had an impressive run of albums in their first stint with frontman David Lee Roth, with 1984 being the one where tensions were highest. Guitarist Eddie Van Halen wanted to incorporate more keyboards into their sound. In contrast, David and their producer Ted Templeman wanted the band to stick with their formula. Not helping matters was that the band's label had them pump out another quick album in Diver Down with a subsequent tour to boot, exhausting members. Out of all that turmoil, 1984 came out and it was surprisingly good. I can't think of a bad song off this album, as it was banger after banger in terms of the cheeky 80s hard rock they came to be known for. The synthesizers were a welcome touch on "Jump" and "I'll Wait", Alex Van Halen's drum solo opening "Hot for Teacher" is wildly impressive, and the rest of the album is filled to the brim with guitar-driven kick-ass cuts like "Top Jimmy", "Panama" and "House of Pain". Sure, there is the intro title track that noodles around with the synths, but it's only for a minute and doesn't take long before you're "Jump"-ing right into the album proper. I know Van Halen would continue onward with another singer after this, but if 1984 was a swansong album for the first David Lee Roth era then boy what a closer. Check it out!

I'm already familiar with Jeff Beck as a legendary guitarist, and this album marks his solo debut after exiting the Yardbirds. It's a solid album with a mix of original songs and covers. Jeff's guitar playing is the big highlight followed by Rod Stewart's showmanship on the mic. Ronnie Wood on bass and Micky Waller on drums provide a meaningful rhythm section. There's some fine playing here with the likes of the cover of "Shapes of Things" from Jeff's prior group, the cover of "Greensleeves" and "Beck's Bolero". The only songs that felt odd were the cover of "Ol' Man River" with the crackling stereo panning in the mix, and "Blues De Luxe" where audience reactions were overdubbed - a choice Jeff later regretted. Overall, it's a solid album from a respectable guitarist early in his career, with just enough flourish to work a bit past an average debut album from the 1960s. It's worth a listen.

I'll admit while I have heard of Elvis Costello as a singer/songwriter/producer, I've only heard one song each from his solo career ("Veronica") and with his backing band the Attractions ("Pump it Up"). This would be my first full album listen to his work. Imperial Bedroom is his sixth album with the Attractions, expanding on their new wave sound to incorporate more orchestral instrumentation and ornate production. It becomes apparent out of the gate with tracks like "Shabby Doll" and "Man Out of Time" that Elvis was striving for perfection with this album. That makes for an experience that can come off as overwhelming at times, particularly with the number of studio overdubs Elvis added such as the vocals layered on the chorus of songs like "Shabby Doll" and "The Loved Ones", the unusual piano passages spread throughout the album, and the odd instrument choices like the harpsichord and mellotron that Steve Nieve contributes. I think I only started getting into the album's groove by the end of side one with the horn-accompanied "...And in Every Home" and realized how rich of a baroque pop style Elvis went for. Imperial Bedroom is certainly an album that rewards the listener with revisiting to pick up on other added details in the mix. I'd say go into this one with an open mind.

Not only am I familiar with TV on the Radio as a post-punk and art-rock outfit, but I've already heard "Staring at the Sun" from their first EP Young Liars that shows up again here on this debut album. Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes works effectively because the group took their dark and atonal sound and transformed it into a cohesive and melodically arranged set of tunes. It might take a bit to get going on the first minute of the opening track "The Wrong Way", but once the drums kick in, the band settles into their weird sonic pocket. There's a comforting feeling from Tunde Adebimpe's laid-back vocal delivery, which made the acapella track "Ambulance" and the third verse of "Poppy" personal highlights. Pairing that with the droning guitars, Martin Perna's saxophone work and minimalist drums resulted in an eclectic and hypnotic style, culminating in the crescendoing closer "Wear You Out" with the added flutes. This was an amazing debut from TV on the Radio. It's worth checking out if you're curious.

I’ve heard of The Cure before as a pioneering post-punk outfit. In fact, I've heard the single "A Forest" before from this second album of theirs. Seventeen Seconds gets very bleak and atompspheric in its style. That much is apparent from the opening instrumental “A Reflection” with its spare piano and guitar arrangements. Then “Play for Today…” kicks in with the well-accented percussion from Lol Tolhurst. From there, the album is set in tone as driven by the drums, with Simon Gallup’s thoughtful bass lines, the occasional keyboards from Matthieu Hartley, and Robert Smith’s subdued guitar riffs and dreary yet passionate lyrics and vocal delivery. All of the members are synergied in this dark manifestation that’s well-executed. My primary complaint with this album is that the production can be uneven at times. Songs like “Secrets” and “Three” could have benefited from Robert’s vocals being pushed more front in the mix. Also “The Final Sound”, while serving as an ominous piano piece in its dissonance, is cut rather short as it sounds like the composition could have been gone on further. Still, I enjoyed Seventeen Seconds in its strange etherealness. I’d give it a solid recommendation, though with a caveat to not listen to this if you’re feeling sad or depressed as this album is not intended to make your day any brighter.

Johnny Cash does not need any introduction as a country legend, nor does his cover of Nine Inch Nails' "Hurt" which is so transformative that Trent Reznor no longer considered it his song. The rest of American IV is on par with that song - a collection of mostly covers and re-recordings from an elder statesman on the brink of death. The only newly written song included is the title track "The Man Comes Around", which would be one of his last. A lot of guest musicians make impressive contributions to this album. John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers reworked Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" on a popping acoustic guitar riff accompanied by Billy Preston's tingling piano play. Fiona Apple's backing vocals come off haunting on the chorus of Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Nick Cave shares a rather somber duet with him on Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry". Hell, even Don Henley brings out a good rendition of the Eagles' "Desperado". Of course, Johnny Cash himself brings enough dark crooning energy with his guitar to bring bravado to the likes of The Beatles' "In My Life" and the traditional "Danny Boy". Throughout the album, his son John Carter Cash, and renowned producer Rick Rubin were able to mix these songs effectively to bring out the best of everyone involved. I'll admit that I'm usually not a fan of cover albums unless the renditions transcend the original works. Johnny Cash did just that in spades. This is absolutely worth checking out.

I'm familiar with Bad Company as a '70s hard rock supergroup. The title track of this self-titled debut album is still a staple on classic rock radio stations. The rest of this album is on par with that title track. It is a collection of blues-influenced rocking tunes, carried largely by Paul Rodgers' bold tenor vocals. Sure, the lyrics aren't as deep, as is typical for this territory, but it has a charm, especially with the mellow closer "Seagull" that mixes it up at the end with the acoustic guitar. It's certainly worth a listen.

For this review, I'm not factoring the Mokran remixes for the singles "Race for the Prize" and "Waitin' for a Superman" tacked on at the end of the worldwide digital release. I've heard of The Flaming Lips as a psychedelic rock band, though mainly from a few songs from their album Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. The Soft Bulletin is the album before that when they started incorporating more catchy melodies and intricate arrangements in their sound. I can see why comparisons have been made to Pet Sounds, concerning the embellished symphonic touches the group accomplished with multiple MIDI keyboards. That's before we get into the splashes of electronic elements courtesy of Michael Ivins, paired with Steven Drozd's syncopated drum work that brings about an atmospheric sound that makes me feel like I'm on a journey through space. That said though I understand if this style of music is not for everyone. Alongside that notion, Wayne Coyne's higher-register vocal delivery can make or break your experience though to me at least it fits the progressive pop-rock style similarly to Jon Anderson's vocals for Yes. At the end of the day, it's a solid album from an experimental band refining their sound to make it more enjoyable for the masses. It's worth a listen.

I've heard of The Sonics before as a pioneering garage rock group. From this debut album, I had already heard singles "The Witch" and "Boss Hoss", along with their cover of Richard Berry's "Have Love, Will Travel." The rest of Here Are the Sonics is on par with the songs above. This is a collection of hard-rocking tunes and covers where grainy production is a feature. In particular, I want to highlight Gerry Roslie's vocals, as his conviction to belt and scream with such power won me over on most of these songs. Add to that, Gerry was also impeccable behind the piano, complimented by Rob Lind's prominent saxophone play. The only cover I didn't care for was Rufus Thomas's "Walking the Dog". Their rendition was played at a mid-tempo pace and sung by a different vocalist who did not have the same presence as Gerry did behind the mic. If you dig the later garage rock sound and style of acts like The Stooges and The White Stripes, you're in for a treat with these forebearers. Check them out.

This will be the second Bob Marley album I will have reviewed after Catch a Fire. It is also the first Bob Marley album of which "The Wailers" are in name only, after Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer left due to disagreements with their producer Chris Blackwell. I will say I enjoyed Natty Dread slightly more than Catch a Fire, if only because the lyrics feel more cohesive and poignant. The album is more politically charged because the lyrics are meant to be empowering for the general population. This includes calls for unification such as in "So Jah Seh", sparking a revolution such as in the aptly named "Revolution" and "Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock)", a profound warning about a nation's hunger issues on "Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)", and a celebration of the Rastafari religious movement Marley belonged to on the title track. The cherry on the top would be the most known track off this record "No Woman, No Cry", where there is sentiment found for one's upbringing in an impoverished community and the friendships forged in tough times. As much as I still feel new to reggae music with its slower tempos and laid-back vibes, I certainly enjoyed how good Natty Dread was. This album comes with a solid recommendation.

This is the second Beatles album I’ve gotten on this journey, after Sgt. Pepper’s. Oddly enough, Revolver is the album preceding that one. At this point, the boys were just about done performing live as a band. They started ramping up their studio production tinkering to create an innovative soundscape inspired by LSD trips, Eastern philosophy, and avant-garde music. There’s the horn section on “Got to Get You Into My Life”, the string octet for “Eleanor Rigby”, the back-masked guitar solo of “I’m Only Sleeping”, the Indian instrumentation on “Love You To”, the tape loops assembled for “Tomorrow Never Knows”, the list goes on for what they achieved. I know these tape effects and instrument choices will be used more frequently by artists in the future, but the Beatles did a lot to make well-structured music with these new-at-the-time methods. Adding to that, the song structures are a lot more varied on this album. A fair amount of tracks are idiosyncratic - the out-of-tempo count-in to “Taxman”, the switching between 4/4 and 3/4 time on “She Said She Said”, and the syncopated drum pattern of “Tomorrow Never Knows” as a few examples. These variations are complemented by more normally structured songs that serve as good palate-cleansers like “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Yellow Submarine”. As for the lyrics, Revolver largely deviates from the Beatles' prior work of mostly love songs. Instead, the themes range from isolation in "Eleanor Rigby" and "And Your Bird Can Sing", to drugs in "Got to Get You Into My Life" and "Doctor Robert", to other assorted topics like taxes and sleeping on "Taxman" and "I'm Only Sleeping". There's a great deal of variety in the emotional delivery throughout the album, whether a song evokes sadness, joy, angst, or bliss. Honestly, I couldn’t think of a bad or middling track off this album. Each song brought something unique to the table, as every band member was on their game lyrically and sonically. I know they would continue to experiment on Sgt. Pepper’s and onward, but Revolver became a high mark to surpass.

I'm well familiar with ZZ Top as southern blues-rock legends, and this album Eliminator includes some of their biggest hits - "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Got Me Under Pressure", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs". The first half of this record sandwiched by those tracks is a solid collection of bonafide rockers that keep a good generally fast tempo with delicious guitar riffs from Billy Gibbons. Even "Thug" mixes it up with a slower tempo complemented by a slapping bass solo from Busty Hill. But then comes "TV Dinners", a novelty song where the double entendres with microwavable meals are clunky at best. By the end of that track, the momentum is lost, as the rest of the second half devolves into more overt sexual lyrics that end up even dumber by comparison. The only track in this batch I'm partial to is "Dirty Dog" as it tries to get the tempo going again and the guitar riffs again come in clutch. There is another problem with this album that becomes more noticeable in the back half - the drum machines. This was a calculated approach by Gibbons, as he was informed by pre-production engineer and co-writer Linden Hudson that many hit songs at the time had a tempo of about 124 beats per minute. Thus, the decision was made to use drum machines to keep at this new pace. While it does mean the songwriting is improved as the group focused more on timing, that left Frank Beard in an awkward spot as the band's drummer who is not actually drumming on this album. Personally, I prefer live drums in hard rock music, especially regarding ZZ Top's previous material. I still generally enjoy Eliminator as an album. It's a fun guitar-driven romp that's only dated by some production and lyrical choices. Make of that as you will.

For this review, I will not include the bonus tracks from the CD version. This is one of those days where I think to myself, "I would have never sought this out if not for the album generator." Laibach is a Slovenian/Yugoslav group that are considered pioneers in the martial industrial subgenre, which is to say industrial music with a militaristic beat and politically provocative lyrics. After listening to Opus Dei, I can hear the influence these gents must have had on Rammstein and the like. Right out of the gate with their German-sung cover of Opus' "Live is Life" with the bombastic horns, I couldn't help but laugh at the sheer absurdity this was. Then they have the hutspa to go into another cover, this time of Queen's "One Vision", where with the German translated lyrics and militaristic composition it becomes clear how they approach the song from a darker angle and I dug it. Alas, the novelty started to wear thin by the time they've finished the second cover of Opus' "Live is Life". I have nothing against any member of the band; they all played pretty decent. The problem is the idea of using industrial music to focus solely on parodying authoritarianism and militarism limits the scope of what could be accomplished, at least in the case of this album. Opus Dei was a surprising listen, and certainly one of the more batshit inclusions on this list that I'm at least glad to have checked out. I don't expect this to be everyone's cup of tea given the group's image and style, but for those who dig industrial music or militaristic camp Laibach paved an interesting niche path.

Full disclosure - I used to be a Taylor Swift hater. While I was lukewarm to “You Belong to Me” and “Love Story” early on in her career, I did not enjoy her transition to full-on pop as the singles that got big were obnoxious to me (e.g. “I Knew You Were Trouble”, “We Are Never Getting Back Together”, “Shake It Off”, “Look What You Made Me Do”). For a couple of years, I never sought her out as a result of that shift. Then the COVID-19 pandemic happened. I remember switching to working from home, and after exhausting the music I usually listen to, I was itching to check out other artists and expand my horizons. That’s when I noticed Taylor decided to surprise release an indie folk album called folklore. I was curious, checked it out, and I came to realize I was wrong in dismissing her so easily. Don’t get me wrong; those aforementioned pop singles still weren’t great. But approaching Taylor’s music from a different lens and with a bit more understanding, I came to appreciate her songwriting and attention to detail. In a sense, folklore helped me come to terms with who Taylor Swift is as an artist. So color me surprised that folklore isn’t included on this list, but rather the “sister album” evermore. I put “sister album” in quotes because while the two have similarities in producers, guest collaborators and content, evermore is admittedly closer to the country/folk songs off of Red. I have to assume it’s because Aaron Dessner of The National took a more hands-on approach in the production of this album compared to folklore, with Jack Antonoff only having credits on “gold rush”. That does mean the guitars are warmer, the bass is more supple, and there’s more oomph from the keyboards, at the sacrifice of some electronic touches and swell that could have elevated this album a bit. The one really noticeable drawback though is the clattering percussion on “closure”, which does not fit with the spare piano arrangement. Another complaint I have are with the guest collaborators. The HAIM collab murder ballad "no body, no crime" should have had more detail in the danger and stakes. Also, while the collabs with Bon Iver on the title track and The National on "coney island" were solid, neither of those two tracks were anywhere near matching the gravitas of "exile" off folklore. That all said, the biggest draw for a Taylor Swift album is the writing, and she does continue the loose fictional narrative weaving from folklore. She’s able to build off old relationship drama with a keen eye on the emotional nuance for both parties involved. It’s why “champagne problems” is such an early gut punch where she abandons the boyfriend who is on the cusp of proposing to her but never quite “got” her, or why “‘tis the damn season” and “dorothea” share this conflict of the girl who chased dreams out to Los Angeles that never quite stirred her soul to the same extent versus the guy she left behind who holds the key to her heart, or why “cowboy like me” focuses on the love of two con artists paired in their unique wiliness. But then you also got the agonizing “tolerate it” where the more experienced lover withholds affection from her, which bleeds into the implied fractured relationships on “coney island” and “happiness” where there’s a real sense of vulnerability in the scenes painted, framed by Taylor’s recollection of her grandmother on “marjorie”. Sure the stakes across these songs are generally smaller like it was on Red, and the more I think about it this album is just Taylor coming back to her comfort zone of being the everywoman, but these songs do work as a necessary catharsis as she tries to close the doors on her past and move on; emphasis on “tries to” as we know she’ll continue with Midnights onward. At the end of the day, evermore is a solid album that does feel like a necessary transition period for Taylor. Some individual moments are great, and the album is consistent enough for what it is. Personally, I probably would have picked folklore for the list as the songwriting and production were much more elevated with that prior release. But still, evermore is a good album, and it will certainly be appealing to those who look for a more grounded connection in the music.

For this review, I will not be factoring in the bonus tracks included in the CD reissue. I’ve heard of Marty Robbins before as a country singer-songwriter, often cited as a pioneer in the subgenre of outlaw country. The one song I knew from him prior was “Big Iron”, which not only serves as a strong opener to this album but it has since gained a wide resurgence in popularity from its inclusion in the Fallout: New Vegas video game soundtrack. I’d say the rest of my enjoyment with Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs is about on par with that opening track. Marty had such a knack for effortlessly crooning and singing baritone whilst strumming away on his guitar, as him and his backing band run the gamut through tales of the Wild West with a fair amount of cover songs played decently. Probably the only complaint to be had is that the album is rather one-note. Most of these songs are standard tempo and sticking to the Wild West aesthetic. It’s certainly pleasant to listen to, though outside of “Big Iron”, “El Paso” and his cover of Curley Fletcher’s “The Strawberry Roan”, there’s not much else here that uniquely stands out. Still at the end of day, I had a good time with Gunfighter Ballads. If you like your country western, or need a good soundtrack for traversing a retrofuturistic nuclear wasteland, then this album comes with a strong recommendation.

I've already said my piece back on Common's "Be" about how Kanye once cared about creating and producing music, unlike these days putting the music second to repping fascism. I wanted to give this album the benefit of the doubt from when and where Kanye was. The problem is this was when Kanye started to spiral. Back at the 2009 VMA Awards, Kanye stole the microphone from a then up-and-coming Taylor Swift to instead say Beyoncé had the greatest music video. I can understand to an extent that he was still deeply affected by his mother’s passing, and had overworked himself to the point of making such a public stunt without common sense. It’s not a perfect excuse and doesn’t detract from how he was perceived as an asshole, but it is a reason. After that botch, Kanye proceeded to isolate himself to Hawaii to work on this album alongside those he felt close with, exploring what he perceived as the dark underside of fame alongside the id of his ego. In essence, Kanye wanted to show the monster he became, for better and worse. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy was a frustrating listen for me. There are elements to each of the songs that I like, but there are also enough glaring missteps and a general lack of focus to keep this album from coalescing into a meaningful theme or driving mechanism in the dissection of Kanye’s insanity. We start and end with two excerpts in Road Dahl’s rework of the Cinderella folk tale as read by Nicki Minaj with a fake British accent and the sampled Gil Scott-Heron’s “Comment #1”, without much in the way of connecting the two pieces. In between, Kanye does his best to come off as hedonistic, such as the sexual advances in “Devil in a Dress” and “Hell of a Life” along with more general musings on “Power” and “Monster”, but at best these explorations come off as hollow and token. There isn’t much in the way for someone to connect with Kanye’s purported dark side as he can’t fully embrace it. Not helping matters is that Kanye’s flow and lyrics can get choppy and distracting from what’s being conveyed. Nowhere is this more evident than “Runaway”, the song that many a Kanye fan has claimed to be his best song and the centerpiece of this album. In a way, it almost works - the spare piano motif coinciding with the industrial drum pattern and Rick James sample, the light and elegant strings that add contrast, Pusha T’s verse, and even the chorus and lead-up to Pusha T are well done. The problem with that track and by extension this album is what Kanye chooses to say and sing that can’t match the tone of his production and the general themes he tries to communicate. I understand from the chorus that the idea of “Runaway” is that he is a broken man who can’t change and that it would be better for the loved one in the relationship to keep their distance from him. Unfortunately, that message is not received well by Kanye’s verses, particularly in his enunciation of “She find pictures in my email/I sent this bitch a picture of my dick” that’s flat-out embarrassing and takes me out of my focus. Not even a three-minute piss-poor vocoder solo at the end can save that shit. That is the crux of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, where Kanye’s flow and awkward lines get in the way of his messaging. Whether it’s taking cheap shots at the writers of South Park and Saturday Night Live, or the thin connection between getting “blackballed” to his “black balls”, his words distract from and hamper what could have been otherwise decent tracks with top-notch production, potent choruses from guests, and eclectic sample choices. Kanye’s lyrical pitfalls also led to some of the rapper guests like the aforementioned Pusha T, Jay-Z, and Rick Ross outshining the man in their respective verses. Granted, not every guest was good as I once again bring up Nicki Minaj for the intro to “Dark Fantasy” and her over-the-top verse on “Monster”, as well as Cyhi the Pyrnce’s lazily written verse on “So Appalled”, but they are noticeable cracks in the frame. I’ll freely admit I haven’t felt this infuriated by an album on this journey since the Sex Pistols’ “Never Mind the Bollocks”. In no way do I see myself revisiting this anytime soon, as I await the other two albums on the list from this man. In a way, Kanye somewhat accomplished what he set out to do by showing off his inner demons. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s paid off well if history is a good indicator.

I've heard of Dizzee Rascal as a British rapper and MC, having listened to his song "Fix Up, Look Up" on this debut album. He's been credited as a pioneer of grime music which is electronic dance music with rapid syncopated breakbeats, an aggressive or jagged sound, and an emphasis on emceeing with lyrics revolving around gritty depictions of urban life. Boy in da Corner pretty much fits that description. These songs deliver fierce manic energy, as Dizzee spits bars out of necessity to shed light on the seeded underbelly of his upbringing and London neighborhood. Complementing him are the driving beats, guest performers, and electronic experimentation that give the music a heightened sense of immediacy. Sure, some of the lyrics are either dated such as bringing up the Nokia phone or Sean Diddy Combs on "Stop Dat" or tied to Dizzee's British dialect such as referring to drug dealers as "shotters" on "Brand New Day". But there's no denying he had hunger at a young age and that translated well into a commanding presence. In that regard, Boy in da Corner gets a solid recommendation for those curious.

Well, I've already heard this self-titled debut from Garbage before this journey. They're a 90s alternative group where three of the members - Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker - have had prior experience producing for various artists. The three recruited Shirley Manson for vocal duties, and together they sought to blend pop music with different genres. The result heard on this album is that each track feels unique in its mix. From the laid-back trip-hop of "Queer", to the straightforward electric grunge of "Only Happy When it Rains", to the groovy drum-and-bass of "Stupid Girl", the band built a rich soundscape of tunes off of samples and loops brought to their jam sessions. All the while, every member plays effectively; Butch with his driving beats, Steve and Duke with their good guitar hooks, and Shirley singing the lyrics the band collectively penned from shared dark experiences. I understand that not everyone may be into the genre-hopping style Garbage employs as the quality can vary track by track. I also realized by "Not My Idea" that Shirley Manson's contralto vocals are an acquired taste as she can teeter between sultry and discomforting. But make no mistake, Garbage is not "garbage", as easy a joke as it would be. They're a fun group with a bit of edge to their pop to make them stand out. This debut album of theirs is worth a listen if you're curious.

For this review, I am looking at the North American edition of the album, which swaps out the cover of Crow's "Evil Woman" with "Wicked World" in the standard tracklisting. After hearing Paranoid on this journey, I guess I'm back once to the album that proverbially rang in metal music as we know it. Starting with the pattering rain and the chiming of the bells followed by that iconic doom guitar riff to the title track, the mood of Black Sabbath's debut album settles into that sinister vibe. Indeed, this starts well with the title track and "The Wizard" which establish the doom-driven tone. Then I realized that the album could have been tighter in comparison. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "N.I.B." are strong songs individually, but a noodly bass solo from Geezer Butler loosely connects them. It's not badly played, but the songs should have been sequenced better. A similar case happens when linking "Sleeping Village" to their cover of The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's "Warning" by Tony Iommi holding onto a single guitar note. Again, not bad but it could have been more meaningful. I only have this notion because I've listened to other Sabbath albums in the past, including again Paranoid recently, and the song compositions were more compact and got to the necessary beats than the slow-burn moments on their debut. It's still getting a solid recommendation from me, and it is worth seeking out if you haven't. Given the other Sabbath albums on this list and their discography, this debut holds a more historical significance.

This is the second Prince album on my journey, after Sign 'O' the Times. I will say my enjoyment of 1999 is about the same as that album. This was the album that defined the "Minneapolis sound"—funk with an emphasis on synthesizers, loud guitars, drum machines, and faster rhythms. Suffice it to say, the sound is very much of its time. 1999 starts well with the title track leading into "Little Red Corvette" as a fine-rocking tune. Then afterward, tracks such as "Let's Pretend We're Married" and "D.M.S.R." come off as extended jam sessions, which I didn't mind. I'm certain the stretched-out duration of some of these tracks coupled with the dated sound can make the album feel its length on occasion though not to the same extent Sign 'O' the Times felt. Nevertheless, Prince wrote such wonderous sex jams with charisma and played nearly every instrument to great effect, making the experience remarkable. 1999 is another funky and sexual 80s album by the legend himself. It is certainly worth a listen.

I've heard little about Nick Drake going into this album. From what I gather, he was an acoustic guitarist who released three solo albums and sadly overdosed at 26 years old. He sounded like someone dedicated to his work, often spending long nights writing songs and experimenting with his guitar techniques. That level of commitment shined on his final album Pink Moon. With just himself and his guitar save for some spare piano on the opening title track, Nick created this inviting, intimate atmosphere as he sings softly in his baritone range. I understand if it may be easy to paint the lyrics with the foreknowledge of the bout with depression Nick was going through at the time. Still, for me, the vivid imagery evoked in these songs gives off something more whimsical and adventurous. I listen to songs like "Road" and "Things Behind the Sun" and find myself in an exploratory mood, finding what lies out there in the world with a sense of curiosity. Aiding that emotional drive is the intricate guitar picking Nick pulled off here, which is more advanced than the typical singer-songwriter. I understand if a man with his guitar isn't always the most engaging music to listen to. Not to mention, a fair amount of these songs can come off as short and could have afforded to expand the individual narratives told. Nevertheless, there is something magical that resonates with Pink Moon, and it absolutely should be listened to.

Okay, I know I do like Rod Stewart's smoky vocal delivery, and Ronnie Wood is a decent guitarist in his own right. But I have to ask - why is this album on the list? Gasoline Alley is an equal mix of cover songs and original compositions, which seems to be a recurring theme with some albums on this list. While there isn't a bad song here, and there may be some novelty in hearing Stewart play the likes of Elton John's "Country Comfort" and the Womacks' "It's All Over Now", there isn't much of an identity or uniqueness to this album in comparison to other such works of the time. What is especially egregious in hindsight is that the follow-up Every Picture Tells a Story is also on this list, which seems to me like the one Rod Stewart solo inclusion needed. This album may not be terrible, but I don't consider it an album to listen to before you die.

I am looking at the standard edition tracklisting for this review, as no deluxe editions were needed. After being underwhelmed by their proverbially titled Sell Out album, The Who wowed me with this album. Created after they tried and failed to follow up Tommy with another rock opera album Lifehouse, the group salvaged some of the leftover songs to make a project that could stand well on its own. Every band member got to shine on Who's Next. Many songs like "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" were excellent showcases of Pete Townsend playing the synthesizers, popularizing their incorporation into rock music. Keith Moon behind the drums was excellent as expected, though he allowed enough space when the atmosphere needed to be emphasized. John Entwistle played well on the bass as needed, having some standout rhythm-carrying moments such as on the bridge of "Bargain". Roger Daltrey commanded behind the mic for half the album, though Pete also shined with the likes of "The Song is Over" and "Going Mobile", and likewise John with his track "My Wife". Throughout, Glyn Johns was superb in his production role, focused on getting a good-sounding performance out of the band to breathe life into what Pete Townsend originally demoed. As a result, there is a great sense of depth and dynamics throughout the runtime making The Who's music feel more grandiose than what was expected for a hard rock sound at the time. Honestly, my only nitpick is the songs could have been rearranged in a different order for a better flow, such as placing "The Song is Over" as the closing track, which it would have been on Lifehouse. Again, that's only a nitpick on what can otherwise be argued as one of The Who's best albums alongside the likes of Tommy and Quadrophenia. Who's Next is absolutely worth your time.

I’ve been listening to Kacey Musgraves a bit this year, between “Blowin’ Smoke”, her duet with Zach Bryan “I Remember Everything”, and her recent album Deeper Well. It is only fitting that I get to check out her breakthrough album. Golden Hour is a good pop country record in its own right. I enjoyed Kacey's expressive charisma, as her vocals come out clear and layered well in the mix, with only a few touches of reverb and a bit of vocoder on "Oh, What a World" that never came off as obtrusive. The instrumental arrangements are similar to traditional country songs but with more languid grooves, which makes for an overall pleasing listen. There are some standout moments such as the stripped-down piano ballad "Rainbow", the key shift on the bridge of "Space Cowboy", and the keen touches of pedal steel, harmonica, and banjo on "Oh, What a World". I also dug that from a lyrical standpoint, while there is a fair amount of love and affection on display, there's also an underlying melancholy that lurked - the breakup on "Space Cowboy", the cold loneliness of "Lonely Weekend", the lingering feeling that the happiest moments don't last long enough on "Happy & Sad", and the acceptance of imperfections from a partner on "Wonder Woman". Yet for as much as I enjoyed Golden Hour, I don't consider it as lyrically deep or as genre-bending as it might have been marketed. I'll admit, I've been listening to indie country for a couple of years now outside of this journey, and I know other women out there who have made more compelling or experimental country music yet haven’t gotten the same amount of attention as Kacey has—Karen Jonas and Emily Scott Robinson, to name a few. Even Kacey herself has done better in the past; I think back to "Blowin' Smoke" from her debut Same Trailer, Different Park and that song had more sarcasm and wit in the lyrics that the songs on this album don't quite match. Not helping matters are certain percussive and melodic elements that are awkwardly blended, like the staccato piano and guitars that lead into "Butterflies" or the blown-out guitar solo of "Velvet Elvis". At the end of the day, I still consider Golden Hour to be an enjoyable record. Sure, there may be some missteps here and there, and it's not as ambitious as it was hyped up to be, but still a fun album that I can see myself revisiting. I'm glad for Kacey's continued success, and I hope that rings true for other up-and-coming country women out there.

I heard of Dusty Springfield as a blue-eyed soul singer with her distinct mezzo-soprano singing voice. Earlier this year, I listened to her cover of Classics IV's "Spooky" which was pretty well done. This album of hers Dusty in Memphis was about as good as that cover was. Her voice carries throughout this album, elevating the songs with the lustrous instrumentation from the session musicians while Jerry Wexler cleaned up the sound nicely. Some of my favorite tracks were the ones that took more style deviations, particularly the anthemic Southern country tune "Son of a Preacher Man", and her cover of Michel Legrand's "The Windmills of Your Mind" which kicks up the tempo towards the end, and the sitar cadence of "In the Land of Make Believe". I understand that not everyone is into this style of music, with the performance relying solely on the singer with the instruments serving as a backdrop for her not helped by the number of covers present on this album. But Dusty in Memphis was a good outing, and in some respects, I can see how this album and by extension, Dusty herself inspired later female singers such as Adele and Amy Winehouse. Give it a spin.

I have heard of the band Sade, but I have never listened to them before. They are a group whose style blends soul and sophisti-pop, formed by singer Sade Adu, saxophonist/guitarist Stuart Matthewman, and bassist Paul Denman, with Andrew Hale on keyboard duties. Diamond Life is their debut album, and I will say it is pretty good for what it is. This is the kind of sensual music where Sade Adu's sultry contralto voice carries most of the tunes, with the rest of the band providing good soul/light jazz instrumentation to neatly back her up. It does help that the band does flourish when it needs to, particularly with the saxophone solos on "Smooth Operator" and "Love is King." If I had to complain, there's not much variation in the lyrical content. This is mostly a collection of love songs, where Sade Adu plays coy with the love interest while also observing relationships that fall apart such as on the track "Frankie's Love Affair." I will say there is a nice deviation in "When Am I Going to Make a Living", wherein she sings about surviving on the fringes of a livable wage. Given that Sade Adu squatted early on in her career, this song does come off as drawn from personal experience. Overall, it's a solid debut album from a group that would go on to influence the neo-soul sound. I'll give it a solid recommendation.

I've heard of Solomon Burke before as one of the founding fathers of soul music. I've already heard "Cry to Me" from this album, which is such a powerful song about feeling down and lonesome. As much as I generally enjoyed the rest of Rock N' Soul, it's clear that "Cry to Me" was a hard track to follow up from. Throughout this album, the general style tends to be swinging soul music with lyrical themes of love and relationships. While there isn't a bad song on here, and Solomon did his best to sell each track with his belting tenor vocals, most of this album tends to feel repetitive with the instrumental structures and lyrics. There are some other personal highlights besides "Cry to Me", such as the up-tempo cover of Woody Guthrie's "Hard, Ain't it Hard", the slowed-down crooner of "Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)", and the playful guitar line of "Won't You Give Him (One More Chance)", though those standouts moments for me were few and far between. I'm still glad I listened to Rock N' Soul and enjoyed Solomon's work. This album made the list for historical significance, and as such I can live with that and cherry-pick the songs I want to revisit.

I've listened to PJ Harvey's music before, both the song "Good Fortune" and her recent album I Inside the Old Year Dying. She is a singer-songwriter who genuinely tries to make each album unique in its musical style. For example, Rid of Me takes a more aggressive approach to songwriting compared to the preceding Dry, complemented by Steve Albini on production. From the onset of the title track, PJ plays around with the intensity of the sound, teetering between the quiet storm of the verses into the loud and abrasive chorus. This experimental attitude carries throughout the rest of the album, effectively using distorted guitars, banging percussion, odd time signatures, varying dynamics, and PJ's artistic lyrics in her off-kilter delivery that blends well into the constructed madness. Even the cover of Bob Dylan's "Highway '61 Revisited" is manic in its presentation. I get that Rid of Me's abrasive nature might not be a sell for everyone, as the overall experience can come off as esoteric. Given PJ's tendency to change styles with each album and her rejection of the notion that the lyrics have much to do with her personal experiences, the mileage one can get can vary from album to album. That said, I can walk away having enjoyed this album, value its inclusion on the list, and find myself revisiting the songs here, even if I can't extrapolate meaning from every song's lyrics and structure within a day of receiving it from the generator. I'm sure this album will grow on me, but for the time being it is still getting a solid recommendation for those adventurous.

It is rather fitting that I get to check out my first album from the Pixies on this journey the day before they release their next album, The Night the Zombies Came. Their third album Bossanova, while not as much of a standout compared to the preceding Doolittle or Surfer Rosa, is still a fun and weird album in its own right. Continuing to blend elements of surfer rock into their spaced-out alternative sound, vocalist/guitarist Black Francis wrote and crafted songs with the band that illicit this sense of tempered chaos. From the opening instrumental "Cecilia Ann" into cuts like "Dig for Fire" and "Is She Weird", there is an otherworldly quality to the tracks that allowed the Pixies to have fun in their slightly bizarre ways, filtered through the reverb production of Gil Norton. While I look forward to checking out the new album from the Pixies along with their first two albums on this journey, I certainly enjoyed Bossanova in its own right. I can see this album growing on me. Give it a chance.

I will not be factoring the bonus tracks from the CD release for this review. I've listened to Depeche Mode, from singles such as "Personal Jesus" and "I Just Can't Get Enough" to their recent album Memento Mori. I generally enjoy their brand of electronic music with dark undertones, and Music for the Masses is a good representation of that style. This album will ebb and flow in its twisted madness. The first half lures in with songs that have a driving beat amidst the spare guitar riffs and lush electronic elements such as "Never Let Me Down Again" and "Strangelove" all the while David Grahan commands in his baritone voice with occasional assistance from Martin Gore's soft tenor as they wallow in their perverse views of relationships and desires. Along the way though, the beat becomes sparing as the song structures become more atypical - the subtle synth orchestration on "Little 15", the respiratory breathing used as a focal point for "I Want You Now", segueing into the dirge of "To Have and to Hold", culminating in the spare piano riff of "Pimpf" that builds into a more sinister presence with the operatic vocals, organ arpeggios and clashes of cymbals in the distance. I wouldn't call this experience bad so much as unsettling on purpose. A means to deliberately discomfort the listener and make them question what they heard, to explore deeper and find what lurks within. I enjoyed Music for the Masses in its perverse manner. I understand not everyone will enjoy it, given the reliance on dissonance and the macabre in Depeche Mode's music on display here. Nevertheless, this album is a worthwhile experiment for those curious.

While the world prepares for Oasis's reunion tour next year, this will be the first album I get from them on this journey. Of their first two albums, (What's the Story) Morning Glory is the more popular one in the Americas; an observation I have made from how many times I've heard "Some Might Say", "Champagne Supernova" and especially "Wonderwall" growing up. I will say there is some credence to the lasting popularity of this album. Sonically, the group channels their various influences—particularly the Beatles—in creating a vibrant and psychedelic Britpop sound, cranked up by the use of brick wall mastering, that feels anthemic and full of vivid imagery. Sure, some of the songs are straightforward fun rockers like "Some Might Say" and "Roll With It", but Noel Gallagher varies the songwriting to draw from personal experiences or emotions. Whether it's the somber reflection on his mate Richard Ashcroft of the Verve on "Cast No Shadow", the necessity to look forward on "Don't Look Back in Anger", or the use of words to paint a scene even if no meaning could be found on the closer "Champagne Supernova", Noel did an excellent job of penning these songs for people to connect with, propelled by Liam's well-projected vocals, Paul Arthurs's superb guitar play, and the complimenting rhythm section of Paul McGuigan and Alan White. That all said, this album is not flawless. Where the first half shows strength in composition, the second half falters. The two untitled interludes known as "The Swamp Song Excerpts" could have been combined into one instrumental blues jam session. Also, "She's Electric" does not evoke the same power and dynamic range as other tracks have, even if it tries to be cheeky by borrowing the same outro from The Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends." Still, Morning Glory is a fun album that serves as a shining example for Oasis and the Britpop sound of the 1990s. I don't expect to look back in anger at this one.

Alright, I get to check out A Tribe Called Quest's debut after the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After listening to People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, I can see how they were considered pioneers in the conscious hip hop I've come to appreciate. Ali Shaheed Muhammed worked wonders on the programming and turntable to create strong and accessible hooks amidst all the experimentation. The jazz-influenced style served as an eclectic backdrop to rap, accentuated by Q-Tip's clean production and sample choices. As for the wordplay, Q-Tip, Jarobi White, and the late Phife Dawg struck a balance in poetic wordplay that comes off as a conversation where thought and expression were valued over machismo. I am genuinely impressed with their flows early on in their career. That said, as much as I enjoyed the album, I still had in the back of my mind that this is a debut album and it shows in places. For one, this album is a bit longer than it needs to. Not that any one song was particularly bad, but the opportunity was there to tighten the overall experience. Especially where attempts were made to connect songs with short interludes led by Jarobi where it seems like they had a loose concept for the album but never coalesces into a truly meaningful or engaging narrative to tie it together outside of the funkiness. Still, I had a good time traveling through the paths of funk and rhythm for Tribe's debut. This debut gets a solid recommendation, and I look forward to checking out Low End Theory later on this journey.

I hadn't heard of The Divine Comedy before. From what I can gather, they are a chamber pop group from Northern Ireland, whose sole constant member is frontman Neil Hannon. What I will say about A Short Album About Love is that I can accept it for what it is—a farce. Think about it—Neil was able to pen seven songs with various jokes themed around the pursuit of love, with Joby Talbot's orchestral compositions ebbing and flowing in the background. I couldn't help but laugh at some of these lines like addressing the obliviousness of the partner on "Everybody Knows (Except You)" with "I told all of my friends again and again and again/I drove them 'round the bend, so now you're my only friend", or how one of the various allusions the narrator could make to show their affection on "If..." was "If you were a horse/ I'd clean the crap out of your stable/And never once complain." He's taking the piss and I can accept that as the intent. I wouldn't say this album is all that mind-blowing in its execution, given how prevalent comedy music acts have become since. Plus, I can accept that humor like music is subjective, and not every line will land well. Regardless, I had fun with this album, and it is indeed short as it does not overstay its welcome past half an hour. Give it a shot.

I remember first listening to What's Going On three years ago for the album's 40th anniversary. I can tell you from my experience then and now is that this album, even if it came from a time long before I was born, still resonates. There were protest songs here and there before Marvin Gaye and the Funk Brothers wrote and recorded in 1971 - you had the likes of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son", Buffalo Springfield "For What It's Worth", and the various acts of the Woodstock festival that protested the Vietnam war. What's Going On was also written as music in protest of that war, with the narrator as a veteran coming home to find is country in turmoil. But much like those great protest songs that have long endured, the language that Marvin and his songwriter collaborators conveyed are more universal and can be applied far beyond their time. Whether it is the pause and reflection of their surroundings on the title track, the despair at the destruction of the environment on "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", or the plead for compassion during hard times on "Right On", the narrator encourages people to be aware of the issues that are impacting the world they live in. Helping the message get across is Marvin's smooth vocal delivery that gets the word out in a manner that never felt overbearing. Pairing him with the Motown soul instrumentation that has aged like a fine wine resulted in an experience that feels timeless yet poignant. All this to say What's Going On deserves its place on this list, and I for one am glad to have revisited it. This album can be comforting during trying times, and I hope people continue to learn and spark conversation to better themselves and the people around them as music like this can inspire to.

I've listened to T. Rex before as a pioneering group for glam rock, punk, post-punk, and alternative rock. In fact, "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" from this album Electric Warrior is one of a few songs that still gets radio airplay. My enjoyment of the album as a whole is about the same as my enjoyment of that track. There's no denying that Marc Bolan was a fun guitarist, whose riffs were simple yet effective. I can point to the likes of "Bang a Gong (Get It On)", "Jeepster", and "Rip Off" as rocking tunes that were well-played. Not only that but the rest of the album varies in composition, including ballads such as "Cosmic Dancer" and "Girl", and slow-burners such as "Planet Queen" and "Monolith". The rest of the band complemented Marc's guitar playing, particularly Bill Legend's pulsating drums. Yet for as much as I enjoyed the album, I can't help but shake the feeling that there are some drawbacks to the overall experience. As much as I can compliment Marc as a guitarist, his softer singing amidst the louder instrumentation does not sit well in the mix. Not helping matters is the general slow to mid-tempo rhythm of these songs, making the experience feel longer than it is save for the rocking tunes mentioned above. Still, I enjoyed Electric Warrior for what it is as a blueprint for the glam rock movement and other such subgenres to come. It has its place on this list while still being fun in its own right.

Full disclosure - I've already listened to Radiohead's entire discography before this journey. When I checked the list of Albums to Listen to Before You Die, I was not surprised that over half of their albums were included across all editions, starting with their second album. Building on the success of Pablo Honey, the band further collaborated and refined their alternative rock sound with a greater emphasis on songwriting. The result of those sessions was The Bends, an amazing album. The Bends eases in from the get-go with "Planet Telex" with the whoosh of the processed drum loop into the layered guitars, accented percussion, and Thom Yorke's expressive delivery. That sense of vivid experimentation carries throughout the rest of The Bends, where Ed O'Brien's various effects compliment Jonny Greenwood's lead guitarwork, and the rhythm section of Colin Greenwood and Philip Selway provide the necessary grounding and driving force. All the while, the words coming out of Thom's mouth tend to use striking imagery to illicit certain emotions, whether it's the dread of plastic products and what consumerism does to people on "Fake Plastic Trees", the angst of the remarks at someone else while doubting oneself on "Just", or the quiet worry of being left behind on "High and Dry." It may not be the most profound songwriting out there but it gets the job done and carries the mood through to the solemn closer that is "Street Spirit (Fade Out)". I genuinely enjoyed The Bends front to back and highly recommend it. I know that Radiohead will continue to experiment with OK Computer onward, but this album is where the band found their sound.

I've listened to R.E.M. before as an influential band on the alternative rock scene. I've heard the singles off this album, Document, and I consider them to be the highlights. The rest of the album is good, but I'm not quite over the moon about it as I would have liked. On a technical level, everyone in the band played well. In particular, Bill Berry's kept a driving rhythm on percussion, Pete Buck's guitar hooks were catchy, and Michael Stipe's off-kilter baritone vocals were complemented at times by the harmonized background vocals on songs like "It's the End of the World As We Know It (I Feel Fine)." My hang-up with this album comes from the lyrical content. I can tell from songs like "Exhuming McCarthy" and "Welcome to the Occupation" that the band tried to provide political commentary concerning the Reagan administration at the time. The problem is the imagery of the words is just opaque enough that the messaging doesn't work effectively. There might have been an attempt at balancing out the silly and serious tones with these songs, and as a result, it only felt serious to me with "Finest Worksong" and "The One I Love". I still enjoyed Document even if the songs didn't coalesce into a more meaningful impact. Regardless, the band still played well on this album, and as such it gets a solid recommendation from me.

I hadn't heard of Robert Wyatt before this year. He started as the drummer and singer for the bands Soft Machine and Matching Mole before he broke his spine from an accidental fall. That drastic event led to him embarking on a solo career for the next 40 years, a decision that I absolutely respect him for. As for how much I like his music, that's hard to discern because Shleep being my first album to listen to from him doesn't exactly enthrall me. Shleep is a progressive, experimental, art rock affair in that the compositions are mostly improvisational, there's an influence of jazz rock and psychedelia, and the lyrics are abstract. Needless to say, this is a challenging listen. The second track "Duchess" might as well be a litmus test for the listener's enjoyment. I didn't hate this album for what it is, and there are some excellent songs towards the end such as "A Sunday in Madrid" and "Blues in Bob Minor" where there were melodic hooks, driving beats and guitar flourishes to provide some distinctiveness. But aside from those tracks and the neat guitar solo on "Alien", the rest of the album tended to go in one ear and out the other for me. Again, I don't think Shleep is a bad album, and I'm sure someone more into art rock will find pathos in it. As for me, Robert Wyatt seems like a gentleman I respect, even if I can't connect well with his music.

Given that I've already received an album from The Notorious B.I.G. on this journey, it only stands to reason that I should also receive one from 2Pac. Two sides of the same coin - up-and-coming gangsta rappers taken far too soon. The only question would be which album represented Tupac Shakur on this list. Given the enduring popularity of All Eyez on Me's title track, "How Do U Want It" and "California Love", I figured that album would have been here. Instead, we get the arguably next best one. Me Against the World was released while Tupac was incarcerated for various assaults he was involved in. There is no denying the man was far from a saint. Rather than ignoring his troubles, Tupac faced them head-on in this album. From opening on his contemplation of death to street violence in "If I Die 2Nite" and the title track, to the struggle with his inner demons on "So Many Tears", to the sensitivity and appreciation towards his mother on "Dear Mama", 2Pac tries to reconcile with himself given his rough upbringing and the injustice he bore witness at the time not just for himself but for other black Americans growing up in a gang-influenced world. In that sense, your mileage with this album will depend on how much you are willing to accept his self-reconciliation. I can accept it, acknowledging the man's flaws without being quick to dismiss him. Helping to get the messaging along is 2Pac's impeccable flow alongside the smooth production, eclectic samples, and guest appearances. The only time the music felt weak was on the flat hook of the closer "Outlaw". Otherwise, the rest of the album carried the G-funk styling of the mid-90s. Certainly a product of its time, but still well-produced in that regard. Overall, I had a reasonably good time with Me Against the World, and as such give it a solid recommendation.

Ahh, yes, the one album we got from Derek & the Dominos. This was the short-lived blues-rock side project of Eric Clapton and the people he played with in the ensemble version of Delaney & Bonnie. Of course, most people knew this group for Clapton alone after his time spent in Cream and Blind Faith, and based on the marketing and title of this album those same people largely knew the one song "Layla." To be fair, "Layla" is an iconic song. Its straightforward rocker movement segues into the lamenting piano-driven second movement, with Clapton's lyrics of unrequited love aimed toward George Harrison's then-wife, Patty Boyd, even if it was later found that he just wanted her because he wanted what George had. As for the rest of the album marketed as the "Other Assorted Love Songs", it's a pretty decent blues-rock affair, with a mix of original songs that continue the narrative of Clapton's profession of love towards Patty alongside covers of various blues standards. The group played well throughout, as each song works on its merits except for the cover of "Little Wing" which can't quite hold a candle to the serene nature of the original Hendrix version. My main problem with the album is that it is too long for its sake, clocking in at over 76 minutes. When I got to "Layla" on my listen, I was like "FINALLY!" because I knew the end was near. At that point, I didn't care about Bobby Whitlock's solo piece "Thorn Tree in the Garden" because the album was practically over for me. Suffice it to say that some songs should have been cut from the final product. Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs proved to be a decent album for me, even if it was largely known for the song and that Eric Clapton was a bit of an asshole back then. It is certainly worth a listen.

Here's a fun story: I took a "coding music" class during my senior year of college, where I learned how to make my own electronic music and the history of the genre. One of the artists talked about in that class was Kraftwerk, and I heard "The Robots" off this album, The Man Machine. I enjoy that song for its driving beat, the minimalist vocoder vocals, and the mixture of synthesizer loops and electronic keyboard strokes that interweave to create a mechanical atmosphere indicative of the titular robots. That sentiment of the electronically driven atmosphere is carried throughout the rest of the album. The song compositions expand upon various loops and rhythms to generate a sound and style that invokes the given lyrical theme, oft divided between the advancement of machinery on the title track and "Spacelab" and the glitz and glamour of city life on "Metropolis", "The Model" and "Neon Lights". I don't think I have much to complain about with The Man Machine. It's well-produced and well-executed in its intent like you would expect a machine to do, and it does not overstay its welcome at 36 minutes of runtime. Perhaps not everyone is on board with the minimalist nature of this album and electronic music in general, but I cannot deny the enjoyment I have in what it accomplishes with so little.

For this review, I will not factor in the second disc of remixes with the 20th-anniversary edition. I have heard of The Avalanches before as an electronic group. I remember listening to their third album We Will Always Love You and liking that release. However, it was only today that I learned the subgenre they belong to, called "plunderphonics". The compositions are entirely composed of samples merged and twisted together such that fragments barely resemble the original piece and create a new whole. It's a similar type of song construction that DJ Shadow implemented for Entroducing, which was my second album on this journey. In that sense, I enjoyed The Avalanches' debut album Since I Love You as much as I did Endtroducing. Drawing back to that subgenre definition, I enjoyed how the samples were used to create these new danceable sounds and atmospheres, and how the tracks interweave from one into the next. Some personal highlights include the string samples and youthful vocal snippets on the opening title track, the swaying beats, wind instruments, and electronic loops that move to a 3/4 time signature in "Two Hearts in 3/4 Time", the drums from Vaughan Mason and Crew's "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" paired with the filtered female soprano vocals and synthesizers on "Electricity", and the horns and driving percussion paired with the twisted sample of a comedy sketch on "Frontier Psychiatrist". However, as much as I enjoyed the creativity on display and the interconnected nature of the songs, the album does drag in places, particularly between "Flight Tonight" and "Electricity" where the disco styling can feel one-note in its direction. The songs in this lull may not be bad, but they are not as ambitious as those I previously highlighted. Still, I recognize why Since I Left You is a pioneering album in its niche. In that regard, it comes with a solid recommendation.

I've heard of Dr. John as a New Orleans R&B singer, songwriter, and artist. He grew up listening to jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong and King Oliver while also taking an interest in the practice of voodoo hence the stage name and concept around his debut album Gris-Gris. I will say this is an album I respect more than I like. I appreciate the boldness of mixing the swampy R&B grooves with psychedelia to create a distinct sound and Dr. John knew how to write and sell his gimmick. There are even a few songs in the middle such as "Mama Roux" and "Danse Fambeaux" that are genuine bops in their swagger. But, I can't deny the hurdle with settling into this album's oddball groove, as the first two tracks "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya" and "Danse Kalinda Ba Doom" come off as more concerned about the outlandish presentation than the execution. Thankfully, this album does not overstay its welcome at 33 minutes, and the session musicians played well enough to make the voodoo pastiche palatable. Gris-Gris was certainly an experience, and I could see why it made the list because there ain't much else sounding like it. I'd give it a listen once through and cherry-pick your favorites.

It's weird—I got Electric Warrior ten days ago, and now I have the following album from T. Rex. After listening to it, I can comfortably say that The Slider treads the same ground as Electric Warrior. It's pretty evident in the overall sound and compositional style that Marc Bolan found a formula that worked and stuck with it. For sure, there are some bonafide rockers like "Metal Guru" and "Buick MacKane" alongside a few genuinely good ballads like "Ballrooms of Mars" and "Mystic Lady". But there ain't much here that is innovative in relation to the previous album. If you enjoyed Electric Warrior or glam rock in general then you'll enjoy The Slider. That is about as reasonable of a recommendation as I can make.