Almost everything here represents a solid outing and excellent performance. The production is good, but nothing too exciting. I'm more familiar with Winehouse's legend than her music, and I found her reputation as a solid vocal reader to be well earned on this debut. I found the lyrical content to be pretty immature, though sometimes legitimately fun, like on "Fuck Me Pumps." I am well aware that, as an almost 50-year-old man, I am not the target audience here. I imagine others would connect with this music much more than I did, and I am hopeful that I'll enjoy her later releases even more. Three stars.

Kickass punk album, but not as good as its legend. It IS legendary, though, so four stars.

Hurts my heart, but I'm going to give Elvis three stars. The rockabilly is solid, but I think the songs that have been done better by black artists make these versions sound bland by comparison (I've Got a Woman, Tutti Fuitti). He just isn't the King here.

This is such good classic soul. I had only heard a few of the songs before, but pretty much every song on the record is awesome. Listened to the first Elvis album yesterday, and it pales in comparison (literally). Would love to have a good vinyl pressing of this one too. Four stars.

I listened to this album at least three times today. It was amazing the first two times, but I was considering rating it as four stars because I zoned out and got distracted from it. The third time I listened to it with headphones, and there is no way I can give this album less than five stars. It deserves more. It's in the pantheon. This record is as full, textured, and layered as any Pink Floyd or Genesis record. I had to read about the production of this album because I couldn't wrap my mind around how a "singer-songwriter" could put together a project with this level of production. I love it. Five stars.

Rockin'. Excellent Rolling Stones vibes. I'll listen to this one again. The record is just about perfect for what it's trying to do, but it's so straight forward that it doesn't really excite me. Four stars.

Not much to think about here, but a lot of fun. Felt really sincere. I see why this was revolutionary when it came out, but it was so influential that everything is pretty familiar now. Four stars.

Fantastic record full of standards getting the Nelson treatment. Love the story behind this record as well, another example of a legendary artist doing what they wanted to do despite label skepticism with brilliant results...and in ten days too! There were a few times I thought a reading would get corny, but I was happily proven wrong. Each new track greeted me with an earnest reading such that many will now stand right beside their more well-known recordings by other artists. Booker T Jones deserves a lot of credit for the production and arrangement too (and that organ work, so beautifully understated!). If I had any lingering doubts that Willie Nelson is a paragon of American Music (I didn't), those doubts have now been erased forever. This will be a five star record for a lot of people. Even though it is an album of covers, it's not a novelty. It is perfect, but it doesn't speak to me on the deepest level. Four stars.

Beautiful. Peak '90s female singer-songwriter vibes, a product of it's time for sure, and I don't feel like I was ever the target audience for this recording. Still, this album is worth a repeated listen. Simple arrangements, but very pretty and well recorded. I didn't dig into the lyrics too much, but what I heard of them was also lovely. Four stars.

A lot of fun. Experimental blues. And like make experiments, there are varying levels of success. Some of the material on this record is genius, but it's too inconsistent. Three stars.

Man what a banger. One of the best debuts of the 90s. Guitars, guitars, guitars, just like I remember it. It was always obvious to me that this record was more a hard rock 70s arena revival than the grunge that grew directly out of punk. For some reason I never got into any later Pearl Jam albums, but this one is perfect. Four stars.

I remember when this record came out. My buddy David got a promo from Coconuts Records where he worked and brought it back to the dorms. My opinion now is the same as then. This is very pretty music. The arrangements and singing are soulful and have still held up all these years later. The production is lovely. The mastering and dynamic range feel open and present without being over loud, even though the disc was cut in the heat of the loudness war. But. Apple's lyrics are sometimes awkward, and I can't get over it. Two months younger than I am, she made this record at 19. At the time, everyone was very excited at her precocious musicianship. And the record IS well written for someone that young. And just imagine how we young men felt about her videos! But this is the 1001. Kate Bush, Billie Holiday, and Joni Mitchell are on this list. There are no excuses or asterisks. This record just doesn't live up to that high standard of the legends of her genre. Still, this record is a great start, and I'm now quite excited to listen to her more mature album(s) on this list. Three stars.

I loved this record when it came out. I think I had it on tape and the CD singles, at least the ones for High & Dry and My Iron Lung. I had Seven Television Commercials, a compilation of music videos from The Bends and OK Computer, on VHS. To my knowledge, this is Radiohead's only true good rock album before they went full prog with OK Computer. It was a huge step up from Pablo Honey. In fact, I was so obsessed with The Bends for so long that I didn't get into any of their other albums for years, no matter how good they were. Listening again now, it's obvious to me that this record isn't as mature as their later efforts. It rocks out, and it does that excellently, but it doesn't have sonic and musical depth of the albums that came after. It also feels that it wasn't mastered as well either. It's loud. The dynamic range is pretty limited, but it helps that this is a distorted album already. Of course it's still an awesome record and a personal favorite. I still get goosebumps when Thom harmonizes with himself on Black Star. But it's just not Radiohead's best, no matter how much I love it. Four stars.

I definitely was not allowed to listen to this one when I was growing up as a fundamentalist Southern Baptist in the eighties, but even I was aware of this force of nature, and, of course I had to learn those two licks from One (the pretty part and the rockin' part) years later. I've never considered myself a metal guy, but I have to love this early Metallica stuff, even through the Black Album. And Justice for All has a lot of crossover appeal for broader music fans. It's metal flavored metal. It's all the good stuff about thrash, delivered in a perfect package. We have the classical influenced guitars played at blistering speed, the growling vocals, double bass hits, apocalyptic lyrics. It's all here, and it was never better before or since. Four stars.

This album was on Rick Beato's 40 greatest sounding albums of all time list, and I can see why. It is subtle, insightful, and beautifully recorded. It's flawless, just not my thing. Four stars for the genius though.

I don't know why I find neotraditionalist Americana to be so boring. I love all of the genres it borrows from, old country, blues, garage, folk. But I end up feeling like these bands just rotate the same three songs between them. It sounds like Exile on Main Street being played underwater, like if The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was too depressed to roll off the couch. I've read a lot about how Jeff Tweedy is such a great song writer. Ok, but the vocals are buried under layers of haze, like they are too shy to come out to play. It sounds good, but it fails to grab my interest. Three stars

I need more time with this album. It seems like a great record to listen to with headphones. Solsbury Hill is a total banger. This album reminds me of Kate Bush, with a lot of quiet but interesting musical tidbits happening in the background. But the record isn't quite as good as The Hounds of Love. Four stars.

Ok. One listen and I've had enough. This record is pretty fun, and I think I get it. I probably won't listen again. The problem is that thumbing your nose as an artistic strategy tends to date your music. That kind of experimentation is valuable. It just doesn't tend to result in timeless music. Maybe timeless music isn't the point, and that's ok. Three stars.

I'm so happy to be reminded of how great Pink Moon is. Listened to this record over and over again yesterday. Every single song is a beautiful little piece of atmosphere despite being so simple. Nick Drake's ability to create such a deep, mellow vibe with so little is inspiring. I didn't connect with this record to the point of giving it five stars, but I will put this album back in rotation. Would love to have a good vinyl copy too. Four stars.

On YouTube, there is a video of Henry Rollins describing a years-long one-sided feud he had trying to outdo Iggy Pop on stage. In that video, he calls Funhouse one of the sexiest, most violent, genius records ever. I'm inclined to agree with him. This thing is a beast. No one would ever call this an audiophile record, but it is punchy, perfectly squeezed through the neck of a jar to that perfect point of immediacy and detail. It rocks the speakers hard; headphones reveal all of the menacing undertones. More rock than rock, more punk than punk, in the pantheon of music, Iggy Pop is the god of war. This is the beginning of his chaotic character arc. Five stars.

Killer. This was my first listen of this brilliant album, and I had a lot of fun. I heard shades of a number of prog alternative bands in this music, which almost led me to give it a five star rating. I hear Sonic Youth, Talking Heads, flavors of shoegaze, and even jam bands. Bel Air drags a bit but is a great car song. Will listen again and look for a vinyl copy. Four stars.

This concert is classic Cash, so awesome from the jump. Darlin Companion is a joy. The recording is ok but not great. His jokes for the inmates are a bit corny, but they seem to enjoy them. I'll listen to this again with pleasure, but it won't be a favorite. Four stars.

I don't think it's bad. I just didn't like it. I think I understand why people like Bruce Springsteen, but he's not for me. This music feels like how country music would feel years later. It's a collection of anthems for the working class. Very direct, no metaphor. I didn't hate it, but I listened only once and didn't feel like giving it a second go. Not interested. Three stars.

An interesting listen. It's the great Cohen, so the lyrics are brilliant, but I can't get past the 80s style arrangements. None of it sounds quite right to me. I listened twice and "liked" maybe two songs, but I'm not interested in playing this album in it's entirety again. Three stars.

So chill. So very, very chill. This is a nice session from the incomparable Jimmy Smith. It's pretty straight ahead, though. Many jazz albums from this era can work as background music but have enough detail that a critical listen is rewarded. That's not my experience here. This album is cool to listen to and very accessible, which means that it is never becomes challenging and is, frankly, kind of forgettable. I was glad to get a chance to listen to this album because I've seen it on sale from the Blue Note Classic reissue series. I haven't pulled the trigger because I feel that I already have a number of albums from that Blue Note series, including Smith's own Midnight Special from the same sessions as Back at the Chicken Shack, and I haven't seen much of a reason to add this one. My understanding is that Back at the Chicken Shack is the more important album, but I like Midnight Special better, and the Blue Note Classics reissue on vinyl sounds great. I'll probably just stick with that title from here on out. Three stars.

80s Prince through and through. Enjoyed this one but not aching to get back to it. Four stars.

What a surprise! My music knowledge is more wide than deep. I had never heard any of these songs, so I was thrilled to get an unexpected prog masterpiece. I will definitely be returning to this one. Four stars.

I think I got a vinyl copy of this record from a thrift store when I was in high school. It's big, bombastic arena rock. It is aggressive and even a bit obnoxious with the long, rocking, excessive solos, etc. The album definitely rocks, but it's too much area excess to match my tastes well. Three stars.

This is a fantastic record. Many times when I hear an album noted for how influential it is, I'll be a bit bored because so many people have copied it, that I've hear all of the jokes before. But not here. T. Rex doesn't sound like the bands it influenced. Those bands sound like T. Rex. I definitely hear some Bowie-like qualities here, but the sound is more like two artists channeling the same vibe rather than one following the other. Bang a Gong is the perfect example of an awesome song that has been totally played out. I've skipped it so many times in the past, but it sounds great on the tracklist here. Cosmic Dancer is a new surprise favorite of mine. I'm impressed with what Bolan was able to do here though I do wish the album was more consistent. Four stars.

This record was a lot of fun, unique in is blend of Irish folk music and punk attitude. Interesting for the first listen but then not nearly as exciting on subsequent plays. Good record, but it'll be rare for me to feel the need to come back. Three stars.

Slick, slick, slick. Too slick. This is alternative rock for normies. A little bit rockin' but with lyrics safe for sorority pledges and teenyboppers. It's totally cool to be as poppy as you want. I have nothing against it. But the super poppy "rock," especially alternative rock, does not do it for me. A delicious pile of plain white rice. The music is good as in well-performed and produced. Three stars.

Oh wow, what did I just hear? When I started collecting vinyl, I jokingly wished I liked certain artists more because their albums were so well regarded on LP. Neil Young is at the top of that list. But I had never heard this masterpiece before. And it's odd too because I am very familiar with the singles from this album, Old Man, Heart of Gold, Needle and the Damage Done. I've never considered myself a Young fan, but, of course, these tracks are canon classic rock, and I always thought they were great. What's unfortunate is that I wasn't aware that they were from this album or that they even were from the same album. When listened to together as part of a full album project, their magic opens up. I've only experienced this one other time, with Marvin Gaye's What's Goin On, and while Harvest didn't quite capture my heart the way that album did, it's still a masterpiece that I plan to get on vinyl and listen to over and over. Five stars.

Synchronicity is kind of a weird album. Stephen Thomas Erlewine described it as two EPs, "one filled with first-rate pop, and one an exercise in self-indulgence." I don't wholly agree with the "self-indulgence" label for the first half of the album, at least not in a pejorative sense. But it's true that the album feels disjointed with the first half being fairly experimental and the second packed with absolute bangers. "Every Breath You Take" is a certified classic of modern pop, and "King of Pain" gets better every time I listen to it (and, of course, the older I get). Three stars for the first half, five for the second, four for my rating here.

Except for maybe Abbey Road, I doubt that I have listened to any album on this list more than Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins. This was one of my stone cold favorites in college. I knew some of the songs, especially "Today" and "Disarm," but I really got into the Pumpkins and this album when Mellon Collie came out. I saw them twice on that tour, late '96 and early '97. There were a few amazing singles off of this record, but many of the tracks aren't just songs. They are spacey, anthemic, prog-rock compositions produced from the context of a 90s alternative ethos. So much of my music taste was introduced to me by this band and this album. Creativity must have been just pouring from Billy Corgan during this period. Every song ebs, flows, changes, spaces out, and dive bombs back in. I love this record. I have always loved this record. I will always love this record. Five stars.

Oh so good. This dude's voice is so warm, and his readings of these songs is just excellent. The music is deceptively morose despite the seemingly happy singing cowboy overtones. And the tales are mostly DARK AF. I've already ordered the vinyl and can't wait to hear this over and over. Four stars.

Could be nostalgia, as this record came out my junior year of high school and the singles were all over MTV for years afterward, but this album is brilliant. Like much of the best rock n' roll, it sounds completely of its time without sounding dated. Plus, Regina loves it, so there's that...

Well-executed psychedelic blues in same the vein of early Grateful Dead, but nothing that made me stand up and pay close attention.

Just fantastic blues rock from the '60s. The singles from this record are so instantly recognizable that I think I forgot how good they really are. Everything else was a very pleasant surprise.

Wow these are great songs. Bob Dylan is the master of the American folk ballad, and he shows it here. I wouldn't want to listen to The Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands every day, but it was epic this first time through.

Great '90s breakbeat.

Really beautiful acoustic/harmony classic rock. Some of the instrumentals almost reminded me of dark new age, almost like Dead Can Dance.

I've never listened to this record before, and I probably won't again. I don't really get its appeal. To me, it sounds like an album from a third-rate local band that won studio time with a talented producer. And Sheryl Crow can't sing! I don't understand how people could listen to "Leaving Las Vegas," with its tortured vocals, over and over again on 90s radio. I'm old enough to remember it. Most people can't sing, and that's ok. I'm a huge fan of early Smashing Pumpkins, for example, and Billy Corgan famously can't sing very well. But he uses his voice in a fitting way. Sheryl Crow can't sing but tries to sing like someone who can. I will grant that some of the harmonies are pretty good. I love the brief "lie to me" moment on "Strong Enough," and the harmony on the chorus of "No One Said It Would Be Easy" is nice too. And, ok, the last two songs "We Do What We Can" and "I Shall Believe" are pretty. I still don't like the lyrics, and Crow's vocals are deceptively good except for the parts where they definitely aren't. This record isn't so much a bad record as one that is solidly not good. The music isn't awful (other than the singing). And it sucks too. The album actually sounds like the people who made it worked really hard. The writing and singing seem earnest. I just don't think it's very good. There is some solid studio work from the musicians, but it's all an exercise in super safe paint by numbers. This album is so boring and stale that I can't even hate it properly. A quick Google search reveals that the album has sold more than seven million copies, so, clearly, Tuesday Night Music Club had some sort of mass appeal. It won three Grammys including Best Album and (gasp and shock!) Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. I just don't get it. Two stars.

I remember the first time I saw the video for Human Behavior. I was a teenager shopping in the young men's area of a famous department store at the mall. It might have been Belk or JCPenney. I don't even think the music was on, just the images of super cute Bjork sitting at a table in the red-shaded belly of a giant stuffed bear. I remember thinking that it was weird and interesting. I wouldn't hear the music until later, which was in line with how I discovered a lot of new music in the 90s, when there was still a lot of mystery surrounding enigmatic artists and no easily accessible way to learn about them. Post was a much bigger deal on MTV than Debut was, and my first college roommate was a big Björk fan, so we listened to her first two albums a lot. He even had her live performance on VHS. All of that is to say that I've heard this album many times over the years and have always found it appealing as an attractively raw first effort from an artist who was on an obvious trajectory of maturity from making poppy Icelandic alternative music with the Sugarcubes to creating some of the most unique music of the 90s. Even though I connect less with her output over the last twenty years than I did with her first three bangers from the 90s (Debut, Post, and Homogenic), I had become convinced that the woman is a genius who, in middle age, has come into her full power. I don't know if it was my teenage ears, my crappy stereo systems, or potentially poor 90s loudness war mastering of any album with a danceable beat, but I have a renewed and stronger appreciation for Debut after listening to it on a high-quality track streamed through my much-improved stereo system. A good master through a good stereo reveals this album to be far more nuanced and layered than I ever realized. For example, the environmental and incidental sounds that permeate most of the tracks and link them together were always there, but are now much more apparent and create an atmosphere of presence and immediacy that render some of the more fun, but gimmicky moments, such as the bathroom stall segment of "There's More to Life Than This," as more of a consistent artistic statement. Debut might actually be a low-key concept record detailing a wild, yet intimate party scene in a European city. Even her always deliberate vocal squeaks seem more purposeful now. No matter what her image in the media was in the 90s, I've always known that Björk was more than just a quirky manic pixie, but this listen brought into focus the impression that she wasn't a talented artist who grew into a genius. She was always a genius, expressing herself in a way that was authentic at any given moment. A critical listen to this album put me in the mindset of Kate Bush's The Hounds of Love, which, to me, is the bar for female-centered progressive pop-music-as-artistic achievement and studio wizardry. And while I don't think Debut quite reaches that level of brilliance, it's still a top-tier statement, and one that still has surprises more than three decades on. Five stars.

This is a good album from a band that was destined for bigger and better things. I missed this one because, by 1998, heavy rock in the grunge vein had mainly fallen off for me. I was actually working at an independent record store at the time, but I guess we were into other stuff. Until hearing this record, I had only listened to Songs for the Deaf after getting a vinyl copy on sale. I liked it, but I didn't love it. The same can be said for Queens of the Stone Age. It's cool, but I didn't really connect with it on first listen. Three stars.

This record is so hippy-dippy, flower-power. It is corny and naive. But I love it for that. Can't we love something because it makes us happy? I can. Four stars.

This is a beautiful, well-engineered album that didn't appeal to me personally on the first listen. I'm still going to add it to the collection. Maybe repeated listens will help me connect to the music.

Lush and mysterious, Dusty Springfield's opus has aged like wine. The orchestration is excellent too. This is solid A-tier vocal reading, though it doesn't quite reach the legendary S-tier status of a Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, or Aretha Franklin. Four enthusiastic stars.

I was so impressed by this record, an absolutely gorgeous example of British folkish prog rock. I listened to it twice in a row, beautiful on the hi-fi and powerful in the headphones. The creative power of this band is on full display here. I read online that the band wasn't happy with the original production, but I streamed the 2007 stereo mix, and the production and mastering sounded borderline perfect to me. Some purists online complain that the original mix is the way to go, but I don't have a history with this record, so I wouldn't know the difference. This record's legendary status is fully deserved, and this is one I plan to come back to again. Five stars.

This is one of the best albums in the history of rock by one of the best bands in the history of rock. Of course, it's a bit pompous. Of course, it takes me back to off-campus college housing, a room full of guys, knocked back on the couch, listening, mesmerized, or late nights, falling asleep to it after partying. I liked it then because it's perfect. I like it now because it's still perfect. Five stars.

I'm a solid Xenial. A few years ago, I had a girlfriend who was a youngish Millennial. I used to play downtempo music like this in the background when we were hanging out. She called it 90s coffee shop music, and she did not mean that in a good way. Even though this is an album from 2001, I think it would have certainly fit into that category. I enjoyed it, but it's best for the background, and maybe don't play it for anyone under 40. Three stars.

This album has such a fun, creepy, witchy vibe. I love it. I have a good version of this record on vinyl, but I listed to a high quality digital file with headphones for this session, and there was a lot of new-to-me detail that was revealed this time. I almost want to give this record five stars for its uniqueness, but I'm going to have to go with four. This record scratches a very particular itch, but it just isn't a legendary recording on par with something like Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, or Songs in the Key of Life. Four stars.

This record is a strong Alt Country showing. Folks who are into that style of music will probably connect to it much more than I did, and I wouldn't argue with a four or even five-star ratings for those who are into this genre. It has some excellent moments, but I don't plan to listen to it again. Three stars.

This record was chaotic fun, but not really for me. I might listen to it again someday, but it didn't grab me after today's listen. Three stars.

Almost everything here represents a solid outing and excellent performance. The production is good, but nothing too exciting. I'm more familiar with Winehouse's legend than her music, and I found her reputation as a solid vocal reader to be well earned on this debut. I found the lyrical content to be pretty immature, though sometimes legitimately fun, like on "Fuck Me Pumps." I am well aware that, as an almost 50-year-old man, I am not the target audience here. I imagine others would connect with this music much more than I did, and I am hopeful that I'll enjoy her later releases even more. Three stars.

It's always difficult to rate a legendary album on its own merits. The Rolling Stones Aftermath contains several absolute classics (e.g, "Paint it Black" and "Under My Thumb"). It's obvious that The Rolling Stones were branching out both in their songwriting and their use of the studio for creative expression, though they are nowhere close to where they would be six years later when they released Exile on Main Street, which is a true masterpiece album rather than a collection of loosely related tunes. I listened to this record twice in a row. It sounds great, and the songs are all solid, but Aftermath doesn't quite reach the level top tier. Four stars.

There are some interesting tracks on this record, and I enjoyed listening to it, but it sounds a bit disjointed, like a compilation. Nothing made me stand at attention, but I do hear shades of bands that came before (Sonic Youth) and after (Hum, Smashing Pumpkins), and nothing sounds derivative here. I would probably have liked this record more if I had heard it when I was in high school, which makes me want to enjoy it more than I do now. It sounds like the indie rock that the slightly older guys I knew in college listened to. It sounds super 90s hip and cool college radio, and I was only ever super 90s hip and cool college radio adjacent. Three stars.

Scratching the itch of weird, experimental, low-fi, high-concept, garage execution of post-punk. A lot of jangly but druggy, ska/skank influence in the arrangements. B52s/Ono-like squealing sometimes. Production is quite muddy. Sounds like the bass is turned up. Reminds me of the dub production on the first Bad Brains album, which wouldn't come out for three or four years after this. I wonder if I could get a better copy on vinyl. I don't know why I like this album so much. Lots of post-punk creativity packed into short attention span, rough but poppy songs, much like the Ramones did. In the 90s, punk covers of old songs were a trend, and the slits contribute here with an awesome dubby version of "I Heard it from the Grapevine" that's not just a novelty. Unique, belongs in the rotation. Four stars.

I've been listening to this one for a long time. There was a time when Led Zeppelin was my favorite band, and this was my favorite album by them. I've always been a little disappointed in Page's production, especially on the opening lick for Immigrant song, which I've always felt was too weak for the tone of the song and needed much more chunky punch. I still feel that way, but I was surprised at the deep level of detail on the rest of the album when I listened to a good mix on a good system and then through good headphones. There's a lot more there than was evident on the speakers in the 1988 Datsun on which I used to listen to this record. Any way I slice it, this is an unappreciated banger. Five stars.

This record might be so weird that I have to like it just for the mental stimulation alone. I am deliberately not reading anything about it before listening to it, but I'm going to assume it's German (turns out the band is Slovenian and Yugoslav, but there's a lot of German language). The eyes on the cover image remind me of a Terry Gilliam cartoon from an animated Monty Python segment. The album opens with chants that segue into (is that blues?) guitar, followed by some Kajagoogoo-reminiscent 80s keyboard and then straight into early (or was it proto in 1987?) industrial beats, then horror organ into circus organ. It's a bit of a confusing mix to think about, but somehow it still works, and the songs always have melody. It's never just noise or aggression for their own sakes. There's a lot of cinema here, horns and driving rhythms which sometimes cross into the sublime. Is this a dark German celebration of life? There's even a brief reading of Churchill's "Never Surrender" speech. That speech was about fighting the Germans, and I can only speculate why it's used here. It's all a bit ridiculous, but I can't help but take it seriously in an absurd kind of way. I can't think of a time when I would choose to listen to this record again, but I kind of love it. Four stars.

This album is a personal favorite. From what I can tell, it's a bit divisive; people either love it as a '90s dark-pop masterpiece from a tortured personality or see it as corny fluff from an annoying drug addict. I tend to lean toward the former, but I'm prejudiced here. My friends and I listened to this album constantly when I was in high school. We even called each other "Drug Buddy," even though we were just quirky theater kids who never did any drugs and didn't realize that the song was about heroin. And our misunderstanding is indicative of how this album gets overlooked for the brilliant work it is. The songs have clear pop sensibilities that could easily appeal to high schoolers, but closer listens reveal a depth that isn't immediately obvious. The songs on this record express a deep sadness in the most mundane way, the way many of us experience it in daily life. Take the lyric "Guess I don't wanna die" from "Rudderless"; the whole of a man's will to continue to live, the sum of his entire existence, is reduced to a shrug. Life moves on. It can be a meaningless slog, but we don't want it to end. I like this juxtaposition between simple, happy-sounding songs that reveal a darkness beneath. I also like Juliana Hatfield's contributions on this album, too, especially her backing vocals, which lend a further innocence and sweetness to Dando's voice. She is by turns a companion, a literary foil, and a conscience. One more point. I don't like the latter addition of the cover of "Mrs. Robinson." I know it ended up being the biggest single from the record and probably helped sell more copies than any other song, but it was never meant to be part of the album, and it sounds tacked on, which, of course, it was. This album is not a masterpiece, but it holds a unique place in my heart and has stuck with me for decades. Four stars.

I was excited when I saw this album pop up, not because I have a personal connection to the music, but because I love the cultural background behind this release and, more broadly, the two-tone movement. My understanding is that two-tone refers to the connection between black and white working-class youths in housing projects in postcolonial UK. In the late 70s to early 80s, these kids had every social motivation to be racist against each other, but they chose to love the people they grew up with and, by extension, their music. Also, these kids looked super slick in their mod-revival suits! Even though the movement was ultimately small and short-lived, it represents one of the best things about cultural connections between groups: the immense creativity that comes from blending styles and influences. The music itself is inconsistent. Sometimes, it is really exciting; other times, it drags. A few of the tunes, especially those that address young marriage, while fun, can be too specific to their particular time and place to hit home with me. Ultimately, I had a lot of fun with this release. Four stars.

I have only a passing knowledge of Sigur Ros. I think I had listened to this record before, but I can't say for sure. I first played it on my hi-fi, which tempted me to call it the loudest quiet record I'd ever heard. Some of the bass notes went so low that they created standing waves that muddied some of the detail that form the textures that characterize Ágætis Byrjun. It was a bit of an uncomfortable experience. Figuring that there was more to this album than I could hear in the room, I listened again with headphones (streamed on my phone through a wired DAC), and the experience was completely different. Ágætis Byrjun is a beautiful album, beautifully executed. I'm curious, but I don't need to know what the lyrics say. I'm looking forward to listening again to a high-quality file, which I hope will reveal even more detail. This is a record that rewards critical listening. Four stars.

There is a reason that this is the best-selling album of all time. It's a masterpiece from start to finish. Every single song is perfect, though I don't like that one weird random key change in "Baby Be Mine." That brief moment is my only criticism of this record. If anyone reads this, please listen to the MFSL one-step master of Thriller, which opens up the compression and turns the compressed dance record into a detailed listener's record. Even an uploaded version on YouTube will reveal the biggest differences. Some don't like that the MFSL version naturally loses some of the original's punch. That's true, but I believe that both mixes have their place. Five stars.

This is a great post punk record that I'd never heard. There are elements of psych and county and 90s indie all over this thing. Really liked this one. Four stars.

The blessings from OAD continue with the Violent Femmes' first record. I've loved this one for years. I was six when it came out, and I probably only heard of "Blister in the Sun" when the song's appearance on the Gross Pointe Blank soundtrack created a short-lived revival of the Femmes' popularity. No, no wait, I think I first heard of the Femmes when Ethan Hawke sang "Add it Up" at Winona Ryder in Reality Bites. To me, this album, more than any other, captures the frustrated aggression, depression, and sexual frustration of older adolescent young men. Gordon Gano is not cool in the conventional rock star sense. Any swagger on this record bursts through in a messy wave of unmanaged testosterone. What else would we expect from an acoustic punk record written by a Milwaukee high schooler with arrangements hashed out by the band while busking? At least, that's the legend I'm allowing myself to believe. This is not the most artistic, important, uplifting, creative, or beautiful album in my collection, not by a long shot. Still, this is the one I wish I had written. Five stars. Side note: the Craft Records vinyl of this album, sold on Amazon, is fantastic. When you get your copy, make sure that it has an internal, thin black border on the red hype sticker.

For two years in the late 90s, I had the privilege of being one of the last people to work in the coolest used record store in the small North Carolina city where I grew up. It's hard to describe the pleasure of being twenty years old and having a job where people constantly ask for (and even respect!) your opinion on music. Even though we sold this album, I was aware of it, and I was listening to a lot of electronic music at the time, I have never listened to Homework. As I opened the OAD app this morning, I wondered how I missed it. Then I remembered how I thought the single "Around the World" was obnoxious and repetitive, which turned me off to this album. Knowing what I know now about Daft Punk, especially the fantastic Random Access Memories, I thought that maybe I had missed an opportunity. Unfortunately, no, I was right to skip this one the first time around, and I almost didn't finish it today. Mostly, I found it obnoxious and repetitive. There were plenty of times when the rhythms and production had me bobbing my head, but even those moments were driven into the ground, with little variety to carry me through the tracks, much less the entire record. I thought I might catch hints of embryonic development of the group that Daft Punk would become, but honestly, I didn't even get that. This album disappointed me, and I probably won't return to it. I'm not sure if Discovery is on the list too, but I promise to keep an open mind if and when it pops up. Three stars.

Today, Peter Gabriel's album So was the right record at the right time for me, and I was deeply moved by the time I spent with it, listening for the OAD journey we all share. I've heard it before, and, of course, I am familiar with the singles, but I wasn't aware of the record's popularity or cultural impact. One Discogs review I read said something along the lines of, "Every house has this album, and if you don't think you do, you should look again." I was nine when this album came out, from a small southern city with deep military and Bible-Belt influences. I was not listening to Peter Gabriel albums. In 1989, I was not watching Cameron Crowe films. Elementary age me did think that the video for Sledgehammer was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen (mostly in short clips from other shows or commercials. Remember, Bible Belt). Today was not the first time I've listened to this album, but it was the first time I listened to it critically. 67 albums in, and this is the best example of Artistic or Progressive Pop I may have ever heard, even surpassing other masterpieces such as Hounds of Love and The Joshua Tree. The music is layered and mastered beautifully. I listened to the YouTube Music-streamed version of the Deluxe Edition (including the live additions) and FLAC files of the SACD. I listened with earbuds, headphones, in my car, and on my hi-fi. The SACD files through a plug-in DAC from my phone over headphones were the best experience, but each version was a joy. The music is perfect, as are the vocal performances. Kate Bush's contributions are meaningful, made even better as she adapts her talents to Peter Gabriel's vision. I needed to hear her sing "Don't give up" today. In fact, today I was probably most impressed with the lyrical content of these songs, as wonderful and engaging as the music is. Of course, the massive hits are exceptionally catchy while showcasing both artistic ability and pop sensibility in a wonderful balance, especially "In Your Eyes." Many of you have known that for years, but I feel like I only appreciated the song for what it is today. But, sandwiched between the giangic bangers of "Sledgehammer" and "Big Time," is the triptych of inspirational, uplifting songs: "Don't Give Up," That Voice Again," and "Mercy Street." They each represent a unique dimension of an intimate personal struggle, written in a way that allows the listener to relate their own trials to those described here and, even more importantly, to feel emotional relief through the uplifting catharsis effected by the resolutions in the lyrics. The ultimate resolution to these three is the album's eruption into "Big Time," which I'm convinced, with no evidence and probable projection, is about Gabriel purging egotistical tendencies he observes in himself. This track progression is what elevates the album from a collection of great tunes to a cohesive experience. This is what provides the journey that we lovers of the album format crave. And it does it all in a package that is immediately accessible with a runtime of under 50 minutes. Peter Gabriel's So is as good an introduction to close, critical listening as any other record I can think of. It's up there with What's Going On, Rumours, Abbey Road, and Exodus. Finally, a brief plug for the live content on the deluxe edition. The concert's overall journey doesn't match the album's, but the readings of the individual cuts rival the studio versions in emotional impact. Youssou N'Dour appears on stage for his part in "In Your Eyes." You must hear it at least once. I was knocked on my ass by this album. Whatever hard times you are facing, consider spending 46 minutes listening closely to this record as a form of self-care. Five stars.

I had never even heard of Joan Armatrading before today. The strongest first impression I got was that this woman knows how to write a song. Every track on this record is catchy and easy to listen to while still being a confessional of an awkward woman who just can't seem to fall in love (at least not for long, but she still had fun) and kind of doesn't like people. She's like if Carol King and Bill Withers had a lightly misanthropic love child. Nothing on this album blew me away musically, but I was bobbing my head throughout most of my listens, and I was impressed with the consistency of the writing and arrangements. It helps that this album was also produced well. It's space and airyness lent it to a nice experience on both hi-fi and headphones (even though a couple of moments of strong stereo were a little jarring with the latter). Overall, this one won't change lives, but it was still super nice. Listen to it closely or put it in the background; either way it won't disappoint. Four stars.

When I started my OAD project, I decided that I'd use this review space more as a personal listening journal. I think critically about my impressions and try to give good reasons for them, but I don't pretend to be objective. And so it goes with this album. I can't be objective about anything released by the Wailers or Bob Marley and the Wailers. I have too much history with these records. In the 90s, Bob Marley was the artist who crossed most bridges in the southern multi-racial, conservative, Bible-belt, military town where I grew up. He was the first artist that I became a fan of in junior high, independently of my parents. I mostly listened to the semi-bootlegged tapes of old, pre-Island, Jamaican recordings I could get cheaply at Walmart or Roses. I didn't hear Catch a Fire until I was in college. I was already aware of it from the VHS of Caribbean Nights: The Bob Marley Story that I used to have. From that documentary, I learned how Chris Blackwell signed the Wailers and decided to produce and promote them like a rock band. Apparently, that meant mixing the music more like rock and less like dub and giving the release of Catch a Fire a promotional novelty cover of a Zippo lighter. I still want one. I don't remember which one of us bought it or where, but I do remember getting this CD and rushing back home with one of my roommates to listen to it. We had heard most of these songs before, either from Legend or from earlier releases, so we were especially struck by two songs that we hadn't: "Baby, We've Got a Date" and "Midnight Ravers." Yesterday, I listened to this album on my random vinyl copy and the MOFI original master recordings release. Both versions are fantastic, and this album is as potent as ever. There was something very special about the original Wailers; Marley's emotional and very human leadership was bolstered by Tosh's revolutionary attitude and Bunny's spiritual bent. Their follow-up, Burnin', went into a completely different, more traditional direction, and future iterations of Bob Marley and the Wailers would make "better" records, but this is as rough and ready as the Wailers would ever be. And they are revolutionary here. Look at the track list: two-thirds of the songs directly address racism, oppression, and revolt. It has a punk-rock feel with an island groove. There's nothing else quite like it. I encourage anyone who reads this to seek out the clips of this era of the Wailers playing on The Old Grey Whistle Test. Then listen to the radio performances on the album Talkin' Blues. The music is blistering and passionate, capturing a transitional moment in the career of one of the most important musicians in the world history of pop music. Five stars.

I'd never listened to this album from start to finish before, but I did have the CD in the collection. This is an outstanding record that everyone should listen to. The writing is a little too on-the-nose for me, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it preachy, mainly because it feels so sincere. Every song is a protest song in its own way; they all present personal stories of poverty, abuse, and materialism. It's striking that a record that is so emotionally impactful has sold upwards of twenty million copies. Chapman's execution of her lyrics is also top-notch. The arrangements are straightforward and low-key, but they always feel appropriate for the music. This album deserves every accolade it has ever received, as does Chapman herself. For me, the real standout here is the recording and production itself. It was released in 1988, before the loudness war was in full swing. It is a digital recording in an era focused on taking advantage of the CD medium for the benefit of the music, rather than as an excuse to compress everything and jack the levels to the max. This album is wonderfully engineered. Chapman's guitar and vocals are given plenty of room to breathe, and she is always the highlight of the recording. I would say it feels like she's in the room with you, but nobody's room is this quiet. If I was being objective, I would give this record five stars, but it's a personal four stars.

I think I'm starting to get Earth, Wind, and Fire. I'm not too familiar with their music beyond the radio hits, but what I've heard seemed a bit thin. The vocals feel too far forward, robbing the disco of any punch. That seems backwards for what I've always assumed was intended to be 70s dance funk, which I usually like. Unfortunately, I'm still not a fan of EW&F. But I now understand that their vocals are a cut above most disco faire. Their music is more like funky R&B, and I see the appeal there when if it creates a bit of dissonance for me personally. I was even moved in places. I look forward to hearing more EW&F, but right now it's cool but not for me. Three stars

I wasn't familiar with this album before listening yesterday. I need more time with it, and, frankly, I just want my next album today. I listened twice. My initial impression is that the album has two halves. The first has more conventional songs, in David Bowie terms, of course. It was ok. Heroes is a great tune. I keep thinking about a documentary I once saw (on Trash Theory, maybe?) cited the song as a primary influence and touchstone of the New Romantic movement. The second half of the record is quite experimental. It was awesome, bordering the work of Eno, etc. I was impressed by how weird but accessible Bowie was in these tracks. Bowie rocks, but I'm more of a Ziggy Stardust guy myself. Four stars.

I had never even seen the cover of this album, no recognition whatsoever. My first thought was, "Is that a white light HAL 9000 eye inside of a shark jaw"? I guessed that this was some kind of progressive metal. No matter how good this record is, if it's prog metal, it might have easily slipped through the cracks during the mid-'90s grunge/alternative obsession. Turns out, I was wrong. I don't know the specific term for it, but I'd call the music hard or deep house. It's fair that some people find that music repetitive or even obnoxious, but have an affinity for it, left over from the club nights and Beyond raves at the Millennium Center. Raves used to be dark, dirty affairs in warehouses with people dancing in the middle of the room and tweaking on the sides. They were a far cry from the colorful festivals of today. This album contains some of the best-executed music in that genre that I've ever heard. It has an exciting, celebratory vibe that had me dancing around the living room like no one was watching. Thankfully, no one was. There is both continuity and variety here, much like a great DJ set.. I still know nothing about the origins of this record. I don't know anything about Leftfield, and I still think the album cover is poorly designed. But this music rocks and is a lot of fun. Four stars.

There's some really cool trip hop here, but the album's too inconsistent to make a lasting impact on me. Some of it is great. Sitar was already played out when this record was released, but the Indian instruments and singing feel much more authentic here than in most songs that use them. I didn't read anything about this album, but I assume artist is a Brit of Indian origin, and that would make sense for the successful blending of styles. I think I like the use of piano in some tracks even more. Still, much of this record sounds dated, especially the Massive Attack style coffee-shop rapping that is taken too seriously here as if it were the highlight of a track instead of texture added to a track, which is why I think Massive Attack's use of it holds up, but it doesn't hold up here. There are some gems on this record that I'd like to hear again, but I'm not into the album as a whole. My OAD project is about celebrating the full album format, and this record just doesn't do it for me. It's not bad by any means. I just don't care. Three stars.

Holy god this is a good record. KIWANUKA is the very definition of standing on the shoulders of giants. Kiwanuka and his production team (Dangermouse and Inflo) wear their influences on their sleeves, yet make music that sounds totally new, never succumbing to imitation or even to attempts at revitalizing previous eras. I've heard a few people online refer to Kiwanuka's sound as 21st-century psychedelic soul. That is a fair categorization as long as we keep in mind that the phrase "21st-century" comes first. Yes, the most obvious influences here are Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes, and later-career Marvin Gaye, but other, most recent influences shine through too...Portishead, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Seal, and even earlier Dangermouse himself. The album sounds immediate and familiar but never derivative. KIWANUKA is truly a masterwork. Except for one major, glaring problem. In many places, this thing is mastered hotter than a ghost pepper. It's clear that this album was made with great care, so I'm assuming the choice to add high-level distortion and even some vocal wobbles was deliberate, kind of like how many classic hip-hop recordings in the '90s deliberately left in or even inserted '70s-era vinyl noise for atmosphere. Much of the record sounds like it was force-fed through an old transistor radio. This album is full of introspective yet celebratory jams that make me crave volume, but the mastering had me turning the music down rather than up due to instant ear fatigue. Seriously, you can look it up on the Dynamic Range database. The DR on the CD and download versions is six of a possible fourteen. Electronic albums can get away with a score that low, but a layered, orchestral soul album can't. This piece begs for and deserves a remaster. The vinyl version scores a nine, which gives me hope that the original recordings weren't pushed so hard. I almost docked this album a star for the mastering. It is hard to give five stars to a record that physically hurt me to listen to. However, subsequent listens opened the music up a bit. Once I got used to it, I was able to keep the volume low and listen to the layers. I was especially impressed with this record through headphones. KIWANUKA deserves every accolade it has earned, and I am excited to dig into the rest of Kiwanuka's catalog. I'll never really be satisfied with this album until it gets the remaster it deserves, but the music's genius pushes past all my complaints to earn full marks here. Five stars.

How do you rate a certified real-life folk hero, warts and all? The mythology surrounding Fela Kuti is stronger and stranger than even Bob Marley, the only other artist who could approach the revolutionary acts and art of Fela. We have to be cautious when judging art through the lens of the character of the person who made it. But in Fela's case, there is no separation. His art was a revolution project as much as his revolution was an art project. Even his clothes were an act of protest. He often appeared in either badass, skin-tight jumpsuits, which I would describe as African glam, or in only his underwear, a shirtless counterpoint to Africans who adopted Western dress; "Africa hot," he jeered sarcastically to these "gentlemen." Is it any surprise that every track he made sounds like sex and war? And so it is with "Zombie," the lyrics a direct satire of the individuality-suppressing ways that Nigerian soldiers, in Fela's view, lined up and did exactly as they were told. "Mister Follow Follow" continues the theme of viciously criticizing those who sacrifice their individuality to the will of others. The lyrics to these songs are clearly situated in Fela's time and place, but they apply to any historical context in which the listeners find themselves, the proto-authoritarian United States in 2025, for example. The price he paid for releasing these songs, the raiding and burning of his compound, the Kalakuta Republic, and the murder of his mother, strengthens my feeling that we can't separate the songs themselves from the context in which they were recorded. Fela's response to the invasion, documented in "Coffin for Head of State," drives his history into the truly legendary. I actually love Fela's music on its own terms. He is credited with inventing Afro-beat, and no label has ever so accurately and succinctly described a musical genre. I remember how I learned about Fela. In the very early 2000s, my friend Griffin introduced me to Antibalas, a band she accidentally stumbled upon while they were playing in a small club in Brooklyn. I was immediately in love with their first album, Liberation Afrobeat Vol. 1. A year or so later, I found myself stoned out of my gourd, sitting on the living room floor of some white Rastas I knew from work at a local organic bakery. Too baked to socialize and with no family dog in sight, I noticed a random reggae mag under their coffee table with an Antibalas article advertised on the cover. Throughout the article, one name was mentioned repeatedly as the progenitor and primary influence on the band's style: Fela Kuti. I kept that name in the back of my mind (can't imagine how I remember anything from that day) until I could learn more about him. When I finally heard his music, I was floored. I had never heard anything so raw and hypnotic. Twenty-five years later, and I still haven't. Personally, I think Zombie is A-tier Fela, not quite the best of his catalog, but still representative of his legendary status. Five stars.

This record is a noise record. I didn't get into it on first listen, but I didn't have much desire to listen again. I'll check it out again later to see if it opens for me, but right now, nothing struck me as something I'd like to listen to regularly. Admittedly, I didn't listen very closely, so I may be missing out. We'll see. Three stars.

I'm trying to understand Tom Waits with some limited success. Is he a singer songwriter? Maybe he's a songwriter singer. I don't mind gravel or dissonance, and it's clear that Waits is an incredible and prolific songwriter. The arrangements on this record are beautiful and funky in an accessible way. I could easily see my mother grooving to the music. I can only speak to Heartattack and Vine, but I'm getting the sense that the juxtaposition of the pretty music and Waits's gravely, loud, passionate singing reminds us that life is messy, emotions are messy. The problem for me is that I can't sink into Waits's music like I can with my favorite singers. His voice, even in this relatively early recording is too abrasive for me to relax. It's entirely possible that this is the point, that Waits doesn't want us to relax. He might want his listeners to stay alert. But the OAD is a celebration of the album format, and this level of alert for an extended period is a bit much for me. I enjoyed my time with this record, and I'm happy to come back to it. There is some fantastic music and stunning lyrics here, but Waits's voice continues to be a barrier for me. Four stars.

This is my favorite album of the '90s. I was 18 when it came out during my first semester in college. I bought it on double tape. No other album matches the way I felt at that time. Like many great recordings of the past, it both captures and shapes the experience of the audience, usually young people. Some accuse this record of being bloated and self-indulgent. At the time Pitchfork said something along the lines of this record's lyrics being adolescent at it's arena-rocking worst. Like we didn't know! I saw the Pumpkins twice, in arenas, during the tour for Mellon Collie. I was very aware that while we were sneering at the outside world, the joke was on us. I was young and stupid, and I knew I was young and stupid. Self-awareness doesn't automatically convey wisdom, so I was just stuck waiting it out. Just because we knew the line "God is empty just like me" is corny doesn't mean it didn't represent us. At one of the shows I saw, the band brought out Jimmy Frog, who walked across the floor dressed as a frog and carrying balloons. At the other, Billy played a extended guitar solo after the lights came up, the whole time wearing a shit eating grin. The entire project was absurd. In 1995, many Gen Xers felt that our lives were absurd. We knew! And bloated? Self-indulgent? What double album isn't? You don't have to listen to every B-side or rejected track to know that Billy and the Pumpkins exercised restraint by releasing a double album instead of a triple. If I was in the throws of the creative burst that Corgan was experiencing during that time, I'd be full of myself too. Filler? There's not one song in this album I would cut. How would YOU trim this thing down to one disc or tape? OAD projects side, no one has to listen to this thing all at once. Guns and Roses named their album Use Your Illusion vols. 1 and 2. To me that always indicated that it was a double release of two albums, not the release of a double album. Mellon Collie's two albums even have different names! Look at the iconography around this album, at once overly sincere and romantic, joyous and depressing. A few years prior, we were all "Losers." In 1995, Zero was a label, not an accusation. What would you expect from a generation of kids who raised themselves? Except for criticisms of the length, every negative thing anyone says about this record is true. I'm not sure why I've chosen to express my love of this great record through finger-pointing. That doesn't give anyone a reason to listen to the thing. The music on Mellon Collie is as diverse as any other album in rock n roll. Arena rock, grunge, metal, new-wave, and electronic music all coexist here, often on the same song. Every human emotion is represented here, even the embarrassing ones. It is sweet and angry and beautiful and loud. It's a record for young people and those who connected to it when we were young. I could never listen to a mature Billy Corgan if he wrote them as a grown man who should know better. But Mellon Collie is a messy masterpiece, just like Gen X itself. Five stars.

Even though it's not for me, this is a good record. My understanding is that this is the first record by Sepultura that significantly deviates from their earlier death metal/thrash, here including South American musical styles, especially in the rhythms. Unsurprisingly, the incorporation of South American rhythm instruments is my favorite part of this record. I just don't enjoy death metal style singing. I liked the chunky metal grooves of many of these songs, but they were driven into the ground. There were several times when my interest was piqued, but no track made me want to pay close enough attention for me to check out it's name. Though I wouldn't call this record nu-metal, there were a few times that the hip-hop influenced nu-metal style dated this album a bit. I've been meaning to listen to this album for a while, and I found my listens today rewarding. I love the concept of blending metal with South American drums. I know Sepultura has its fans, and the band has my respect, but I doubt I will ever seek out this album on my own. Three stars.

I do not like this album art. Busy to the point of confusion and absurdity. It makes me want to primal scream. It was radically simplified for later rereleases, which makes me think others felt the same way. The music is better than the album art. It was even cool at times if kind of dated, run-of-the-mill trip-hop. I liked it, but I was never excited by it. It definitely had a '90s coffee shop vibe. Again, I had a lot of fun in coffee shops in the '90s! It even sounds fairly unique. But this music does not feel fresh, unlike electronic releases by Portishead, Tricky, Bjork, Massive Attack, Aphex Twin, Squarepusher, and Radiohead, released in the same period. This record is good; I just don't care. Three stars.

First thoughts: What the hell is this? If this record isn't at least interesting, I'll be disappointed. This album art looks strange, lo-fi, and very cool. I hope the music reflects the art style. I'm excited. This one will grow on me, I think. Its genre is right up the post-punk avenue, which I'm naturally drawn to. My first casual listen gave me the impression that this record is a pretty straightforward, though energetic, garage rock album. No problem. Garage rock is cool; it just doesn't tend to hold my attention for long. A second listen revealed much more creativity and depth than I had heard the first time through. That alone will have me coming back for more because I'm always looking for new post-punk to get into. I didn't know enough about this record to understand why it was on the 1001 list, but a little bit of reading informed me that it was a progenitor of '80s garage rock resurgence and one of the first records to incorporate country rock into punk. For the OAD project, I try to approach bands that are totally unknown to me with as little research as possible. Just their inclusion on this list is enough motivation for me to give most records a few spins. However, knowing a little bit about what to listen for helped me appreciate this album more. A quick note about the album art. I admit that I was hoping for a black interpretation of post-punk here, maybe a revelation similar to what many of us experienced when the 1975 recorded, 2009 released, album "...For the Whole World to See" by Death got a resurgence 15 years ago. You should listen to that one if you haven't already. It's awesome. I had to look up some opinions on the album art because my attitude toward it changed when I realized the band's members were (mostly) white. I understand that the album art was changed for the releases of this album after The Gun Club moved over to Blondie's label. I also saw a lot of praise for the pink "voodoo" cover. And I have to admit the original cover grabbed my attention right away. But these images being used by a white band feels exploitative in 2025. I lean toward not being mad at it because it was made in 1981, and from what I read, these images were chosen out of genuine interest. And, of course, I'm not a member of one of the groups represented here, so I'm sure that makes it easier for me to swallow, but this album cover would be inexcusable by my standards if it were released today. Fire of Love got my attention, and I'll put it in rotation. Four stars.

The first album I ever bought with my own money was the Temptations' All the Million Sellers on tape. My dad said that as long as it had "My Girl" on it, it was probably good. I don't remember how old I was, but I do remember listening to that tape as I played with tinker toys and getting super freaked out by the tales of a lost runaway begging for his mom on "Runaway Child" and a father dying and leaving his family destitute on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." Cloud Nine is a classic psychedelic soul album, a transitional form of the genre, as some of the tracks still sit in the old-school Motown/Tamla vein. And look at that smokin' late sixties album art! This record cover wouldn't look out of place if it were shown behind a classic Velvet Underground performance at an art installation. Even though the Temptations were pushing the boundaries of their classic soul sound here, the record is remarkably easy to listen to, both for better and for worse. Except for the extended "Run Away Child, Running Wild" jam at nine and a half minutes, no song goes over three and a half minutes, and the album clocks in at less than forty overall. That makes the record easy to digest, but it also belies the safety of the Temptations branching out in their experiments. This observation is not meant as a criticism. I happily listened to this record three times today. Every listen was enjoyable, but nothing really gripped me except for the killer title track. The only misstep here is the performance of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." The Temptations' version isn't bad by any means, but Marvin Gaye had a massive hit with the tune just one year prior, and time has only deepened the perception that it is his song. I know there were a couple of Motown versions before Gaye's, so maybe it was considered a semi-standard in the late sixties, but it sounds like an unnecessary cover today. Overall, I enjoyed this record and will be looking to pick it up on vinyl or CD if the opportunity arises. Four stars.

I had never heard of this album or even this band before opening my OAD today. I am not mad at a fun-sounding electronic album, and this one went from strength to strength. I got some pretty obvious Future Islands / Bibio's Ambivalence Avenue, modern new wave vibes right off the bat. From time to time, I even hear a distinct early Depeche Mode influence, which was a pleasant surprise. Even with these clear connections, I don't get the feeling that the record is derivative in any way. I especially like the way Hot Chip uses their synths to create a very warm sound on many of their songs. The writing is even good! I was into each track until "Night and Day," halfway through the album, which I could have skipped, but then the record picked back up and finished strong. "Let Me Be Him" was a standout for its seamless flow of natural sounds and acoustic piano into synths, reverb, and back again. The final track, "Always Been Your Love," was a sweet, elegant closer with some understated '60s psych wah-wah guitar. I enjoyed my time with In Our Heads and will listen again. Four stars.

Sometimes this project makes me feel stupid. Today is one of those times. Of course, I'm aware of the band Bad Brains. Everyone knows the iconic lightning bolt cover of their self-titled debut. I had a copy of that album on CD in the '90s. I enjoyed it, but the blistering energy of the early hardcore, along with H.R.'s fairly erratic vocals, kept me from loving the album. I might have even enjoyed the dub elements more than the hardcore. Basically, I appreciated the ROIR album as an influential recording but not an essential one. That's probably why I didn't pay much attention to their later recordings. In my defense, I was only nine or so when this album was released, so I wouldn't have had much of a chance to listen to it until it was already a decade old. At nineteen, I had a lot of classic music to learn about, in addition to the '90s alternative and golden-age rap coming out at the time. Even with those caveats, I really missed out by sleeping on this album. It appears that Bad Brains had a similar trajectory to punk bands that came just a few years earlier: they started out relying on pure energy, improved their playing over time, and matured as artists, leading to greater creative depth in the music. In retrospect, it's a total no-brainer that Bad Brains would follow this track, since ROIR had both high-speed hardcore and dub reggae. We'll call I Against I post-hardcore since that label is available, but it feels like it has that post-punk ethos to me. I Against I hits just right. It's still hard and energetic and entertaining, but the songs have much more creative structure and depth. There are no purely dub tracks here, but there are dub elements all over the record. The post-punk (even new wave!) influences shine through. Take the track "Secret 77." It starts out with a spacy instrumental reminiscent of the texture of The Cure's Pornography album, transitioning into guitar lines that sound as if "Hungry Like the Wolf" raw-dogged a shot of bottom-shelf whiskey. Awesome. H.R. has his vocals under control here, too. They still feel different and dangerous, but he has learned how to use his weapon rather than letting it get away from him. If this album has one flaw it's that it's too short. My ADHD having ass loves short records, but twice now I've experienced I Against I ending too early, before I had my fill of it. This is a record that I'll put in rotation and enjoy over and over again. Four stars.

If you haven't seen it, I recommend watching the Police's performance on the British show Rock Goes to College from 1979 during which they played much of this album. It's fantastic. This album is also great, but can't maintain the energy or interest to be a masterpiece. The Police are best when they are writing New Wave pop songs. And there are some excellent pop songs on this record. "Message in a Bottle" is a standard. "Walking on the Moon" is a stellar example of how the Police are able to fold their dub interests into a great pop song that holds interest for a full five minutes. However, many of the instrumentals and/or experimental songs overstay their welcome, even if they are built around some great ideas. The title track works as an instrumental, but others, such as "Deathwish" run out of steam far too early to justify their runtimes. Others, like "On Any Other Day" are cool, but I have no desire to listen to them over and over through the years. My assumption, especially considering the excellent dub selections from the Rock Goes to College performance, is that the Police just couldn't capture the energy of their live performances in the studio. They just didn't translate well. Where this album shines, it really shines. It contains several stone cold new wave classics, but the record is too patchy for full marks. Four stars.