My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Miriam Makeba	5	3.19	+1.81
S&M	5	3.26	+1.74
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector	5	3.28	+1.72
Chirping Crickets	5	3.3	+1.7
The College Dropout	5	3.32	+1.68
The Chronic	5	3.33	+1.67
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs	5	3.34	+1.66
Debut	5	3.36	+1.64
Doggystyle	5	3.37	+1.63
Rio	5	3.49	+1.51

Album	You	Global	Diff
Out of Step	1	2.92	-1.92
Channel Orange	2	3.31	-1.31
1989	2	3.27	-1.27
Winter In America	2	3.25	-1.25
I'm Your Man	2	3.1	-1.1
Hunky Dory	3	4	-1

Artist	Albums	Avg	Score
Beatles	3	5	4
The Doors	3	5	4
Pink Floyd	2	5	3.8
Nirvana	2	5	3.8
Radiohead	4	4.25	3.71

Radiohead

4/5

Perfect for wallowing in the impotent melancholy of the digital age.

1984

Van Halen

3/5

I wish I could experience the level of exuberance these songs express even one day in my life. To feel so alive, so cocky, vamping and strutting along, karate kicking the air in my animal print spandex, mugging for the camera. Alas, these emotions are apparently beyond my scope, so the effect of witnessing such a display, as someone who can't really relate, is like hearing a jubilant trumpet blasting its cheerful herald right into my face. This album is like aural cocaine. I'm trying not to be a hater, but to me this is the embodiment of Dad Rock, of the white American Boomer male. I can't shake the memories of my father listening to Van Halen when I was a kid; this was one of "his" bands. And I was happy to leave these bands to him in favor of my own bands, many of which he probably thought of as aural heroin. Much like my dad himself, I find this album full of energy and talent, fun, happy and arrogant, often veering into the obnoxious and exhausting. I'm too young to really view this in the context of its own time, although God knows I remember watching the videos for "Jump" and "Hot for Teacher" dozens of times on MTV as a kid (I can still hear David Lee Roth's voice: "Awww man, I think the clock is slowwww..."). No one can deny that Eddie was an amazing guitarist, and the obvious theskill of the band, especially musically, is the main redeeming factor for me. Although I find the artistry lacking in sensitivity and nuance, and the overall vibe a bit cheesy and try-hard, I have to question my own Gen x ethos and ask myself if trying hard is such a bad thing. Van Halen definitely tried hard to entertain us and push themselves to go bigger, faster, and louder...maybe even all the way to 11.

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

3/5

The lyrics are the main focus here, the musings, narrations, and confessions of a sensitive and intellectual poet. The music seems merely an extension of the poetry. Many memorable turns of phrase, notable religious imagery (Jesus, Joseph, angels, nuns). Simple production, intimate coffee house vibes. A few waltzy numbers; most tracks have a downtempo feel. These songs call for a quiet and contemplative mood. Favorite track: “So Long, Marianne.” I liked the female vocal paired with his low, gravely voice.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

3/5

I'm always going to be happy to see David Bowie on this list. This is early 1970's Bowie, and it feels like a Bowie not fully formed, still exploring and finding his way, with the best of his work ahead of him. I see shades of what's to come, with Bowie exploring themes found in his other work (youth and pop culture, art, politics, philosophy) with the sense of individuality and surrealism/absurdity that became his hallmarks. Many of the songs here feature piano, but a couple of the later tracks show glimpses of glam rock and punk. The songs vary a lot in subject matter and feel, so I don't find it to be a very cohesive album, and there are a few tracks that, while not horrible by any means, I would probably seldom reach for as a Bowie fan, just because there are so many others that I love more. Obviously “Changes” and “Life on Mars?” are classics. I'm glad for the opportunity to hear him in his earlier career even if I consider it before his peak. 3.5 Lyric of note, from “Quicksand”: "I'm not a prophet or a stone age man Just a mortal with potential of a superman, I'm living on I'm tethered to the logic of homo sapien Can't take my eyes from the great salvation of bullshit faith If I don't explain what you ought to know You can tell me all about it on the next bardo I'm sinking in the quicksand of my thought I ain't got the power anymore Don't believe in yourself Don't deceive with believe Knowledge comes with death's release”

Raw Power

The Stooges

4/5

Testosterone is a hell of a drug. This is a bad boy manifesto: sweaty, shirtless, wild, inebriated, dangerous. Sex, drugs, and rock and roll. “Don't you try, don't you try to tell me what to do.” The music matches the brash, dirty, explosive energy of the braggadocios lyrics. The production is unrefined, uncontained, and immediate. Prowling, howling, growling. Raw and powerful. I never listened much to The Stooges, but it's immediately clear that many other artists did; their influence is obvious and wide. Some LOL’s: The title “Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell” …It just makes me laugh. In the official lyrics listed for “Penetration”: “[gibberish]” Was that a burp opening the titular “Raw Power”? Kind of sums up the vibe.

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

3/5

A post-punk mental health crisis. I went into this completely ignorant, never having so much as even heard of this band. Tracks range from driving, disco-y to more atmospheric and experimental. Trying to discern which musical constellation it resides in, I got a little Talking Heads, shades of Blondie... Maybe the Smiths? Yes, definitely. There's a flourishy bit in "Brave Boys Keep Their Promises" that reminds me of a similar part in "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now." "Strange House In The Snow" is a straight-up Kate Bush song, full stop, which I was amazed to discover. Interestingly, this album came out 4 and 6 years, respectively, before those other two. How influential was this album to other artists in its time and place? I don't know the answer, but I'm guessing this album was seminal in influencing a lot of post-punk and new wave, because a lot of the trademark elements are here, the layered shimmering guitars, the sampling and heavy use of synthesizers. I discerned many intriguing musical elements the further I got into it, but for me, the lyrics often came across as unsophisticated and repetitive, sometimes seemingly ad-libbed in that “Jim Morrison wandering around the stage on acid” sort of way, although it's clear they were earnestly trying to express a sea of emotion. Spotify has this album as including some bonus tracks, and I went ahead and listened to those as well, even though I guess it was just the original album alone that lead to it being included on this list.

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

You already know what it is. Inspired. Transcendent. Universal. Iconic. I only regret that unlike hearing some other albums on this list, I cannot listen to this for the first time. To have that experience again. This album begs for a great set of headphones and a beanbag chair, and I tried to get as close to that as I could for this listen through. I've heard the songs so many times before, but like an old friend, you can still find new layers and things to ponder with every encounter. Everything about this album flows so confidently, deliberate and fully articulated, and everything strikes me as "as it should be", not a hair out of place, never too much or too little. Every aspect from vocals, lyrics, instrumentation and production. Hell, even the album cover is pure perfection on the graphic design front. I don't know a lot about the inspiration or story behind these tracks, and I don't think I want to know; I like to let this work speak for itself and take me on a journey through its story. I'll pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

2/5

Frank Ocean, son of Billy Ocean (probably), is a new listen for me. This album takes familiar R&B, soul, and hip hop vernacular and dissects and reassembles it into an experimental and diffuse collage. Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" is stripped down, slowed down, and stretched out like Dali's melting clocks, in "Super Rich Kids" for example. Some interesting moments are here in the abstract soundscapes, but I couldn't really immerse myself in the material and connect emotionally. Maybe that's a "me" problem; I think I've aged out of the target demographic. I leave it to the children.

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

4/5

Classic Morrissey, a detached, crooning baritone delivering clever, ironic lyrics like a sigh that's at turns bored, wry, wistful, and smirking. Classic Johnny Marr, taking a three-minute pop song to layered, mesmerizing, emotional, cinematic heights. All in all, a classic Smiths album, if you like that sort of thing. I do. Very British Moments: "The death of a disco dancer? Well I'd rather not get involved I never talk to my neighbour I'd rather not get involved" "And so I drank one It became four And when I fell on the floor I drank more"

Kimono My House

Sparks

4/5

This project is yielding so many rewards, and today I was rewarded with learning about Sparks. Upon seeing the cover, I was skeptical, but as I listened and followed along with the lyrics, I had the biggest smile on my face. I've always been drawn to camp, and it was immediately clear that this band is bonkers and wouldn't be out of place amid John Waters, Robert Crumb, Pee-Wee Herman, and Rocky Horror Picture Show. This album is like if Queen and They Might Be Giants had a baby. Bold, glam rock multi-part song structures, witty lyrics and a kitschy attitude. I had to get some help from Wikipedia to even realize it was a man singing, as I tried to process what I was hearing. I'm trying to imagine how this was received when it first came out 50 years ago. I am thoroughly intrigued and look forward to checking out their other work.

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

I've never sat and listened to this album before, but I am slightly familiar with them. I had the kids with me all day yesterday, driving far out to a garden center and back. If I'd been alone it would have been the perfect time to listen to this album, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be suitable for young ears, so I had to wait until later in the evening to start listening. I listen to it while at the gym, but even still, I didn't get a chance to finish it. So many interstitials! I was feeling like I was running behind and as fun as they are, I was getting annoyed with those interludes that reminded me of boys clowning around in school. Get on with it! Suffice to say, being in a rush is no way to really listen to or evaluate an album. I probably could have listened to it even with the kids present, because references to baseheads and gardening tools wouldn't have meant much to them. Except when I was peeling out of the gym parking lot in my minivan blasting sounds of an orgy, well I guess I made the right call after all. I LOVE all of the sampling and mixing, and the energy and fun. It transported me to another world, late 80's New York. I expected to see Spike Lee pop out from around the corner, with, I don't know, Rosie Perez wearing giant gold door-knocker earrings and bike shorts. Even though I was pretty young at the time, I feel like late 80s/early 90s was such a special and exciting time for music and hip hop. Listening to this makes me feel young, remembering hearing stuff like this from my childhood, but also old, realizing that mainstream music isn't often like this anymore. I'd be happy to hear some of this come on at a party, and I'm interested to hear more of their catalog.

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

3/5

I had no idea what to expect with this and the album cover wasn't any help either. "Chicken Shack" made me think blues... Okay, I was kinda right. Blues meets jazz, maybe a little gospel-tinged organ thrown in. It was...jazz? I don't really know much about jazz and therefore can't really discuss it or deconstruct it. Some jazz I really love, though, despite my relative ignorance of the genre. This was pretty good but not among my personal jazz faves.

Urban Hymns

The Verve

3/5

Daydreaming under cold, grey skies. This album owes a lot to later Beatles and other acts of that milieu. Lush production, good use of sampling on the absolutely inescapable single, “Bittersweet Symphony.” Acoustic guitar strumming at the center, embellished with textures of soul, psychedelia, trip hop, and even old-school country & western at moments. Heavily layered yet somehow subdued. All sharp edges have been smoothed. Very consistent feel throughout the album, but by the end, I was craving a change of pace. Surprised this is in the top 20 top-selling albums of all time in UK – illustrates some of the deep differences in taste between the UK and the US. Perhaps this entry also helps to reveal the alleged bias this list has toward British acts and Britpop. I didn't find this album bad, but for whatever reason, I personally found it hard to truly connect to.

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

4/5

Did anyone else ever hear the rumor that Morrissey had castrated himself? I don't know how widespread this little urban legend was, which I heard as a teenager, but I think it must have been someone mistakenly–or purposely–embellishing Morrissey's self-professed voluntary celibacy. I was only reminded of this because he used the word “castration” in the jumping anti-monarchy first track. I think it's funny that someone who constantly asserted to generally not really be attracted to others could thoroughly imbue a song with such convincing tortured longing, particularly of the adolescent romantic variety. He's practically the poster boy for it! This is well illustrated in, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.” Then again, in the following track come the lines, “From the ice-age to the dole-age, There is but one concern, I have just discovered, Some girls are bigger than others” Huh?? Hmm. Oh! But the longing soon returns, “send me your pillow, the one that you dream on, and I'll send you mine…” Anyway, enough about Morrissey. Let's talk about Johnny Marr and this music. I just love it! It's pop-y rock, yet without any hint of plasticity, emotionally expressive and creative without becoming self-indulgent, varied enough to not become stale, but never losing its sense of self. Top tune: “Bigmouth Strikes Again,” especially that energetic breakaway 2/3 into the song. But really I enjoyed them all.

Miriam Makeba

5/5

I was excited to see this album today. Of course I know about the legendary Miriam Makeba but never sat down to listen to an album front to back. The tracks were mostly traditional songs; I was somewhat familiar with a few, but with most I was not. Since presumably she didn't write these songs, I won't evaluate the songs themselves as works of art, only her vocal performance of them, and the production. I find no fault with either. I feel this album’s aim was to simply showcase the voice of a gifted singer. The instrumentation and production simply had to give her a platform and not get in her way, let her do her thing and shine. Compared to some of the other albums on this list using a lot of ambitious songwriting and sonic experimentation, this is was a simpler goal to achieve (though no less worthwhile) and I think they did achieve it. The instrumentation was so spare, sometimes non-existent, and the recording was so simple and clear, giving Miriam nowhere to hide, not that she needed to, showing easy virtuosity with her beautiful, dynamic voice. I can't remember the last time I listened to an a cappella recording, and I found it to be an interesting and rewarding experience, just experiencing the excellency of a lovely human voice singing a traditional song. I often like to ponder musical family trees, and how various musical influences get passed down through time. I thought it was neat to hear so many shades of American music in some of these songs, like some of the melodies sounded so bluesy, or some of the arrangements evoked doo-wop style, stuff like the Four Seasons. American music clearly owes so much to African music. Miriam is one of those generational and cultural icons, like Edith Piaf, who both represent and transcend their time and place. My kids enjoyed listening to this with me and I could see having this type of music on as a pleasant backdrop for daily life.

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

3/5

Beyond her Rolling Stones days (“As Tears Go By”) and that time she did a song with Metallica, I never paid a lot of attention to Marianne Faithfull. I'm guessing she's a lot more culturally relevant in the UK. I kind of fell down a rabbit hole reading about her today. For this album, gone is the 17-year-old rock and roll muse, and here she is, older, battle-worn, the previous decade and a half of tumult coming through her low, cracking voice. A lot of the songs reminded me of Stevie Nicks with a slight punk edge. The album was overall quite moody in that way. There was a song written by Shel Silverstein?! And I wasn't at all prepared for that last track.

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

3/5

This is somewhere between three and four stars for me. I enjoyed this, with Immigrant Song being the obvious standout; that song never fails to get me hyped up. I listened to it while going hard on the Stairmaster, and I was glad it was under two-and-a-half minutes in length. The rest of the songs, while not "low energy" were not as hard hitting. A lot of blues. I quite enjoyed "Since I've Been Loving You" which is longer and unfolds and builds slowly into a blusey crescendo, and "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp," bringing a galloping, twangy energy setting it apart from the rest of the tracks. This music doesn't seem like 1970 to me somehow. It doesn't feel newer, nor older than that either. And it doesn't feel British. It's like they mined the best in American blues and country/bluegrass, put those influences in a blender, and came up with something familiar but still it's own separate thing and still of them.

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

If you were to ask me my favorite music, somehow Smashing Pumpkins would not be at the top of my mind. I've never seen them in concert. And yet when I saw this album here today, I knew it would be an instant five stars for me. This is one of the first albums I owned; my mom gave it to me as a gift for my 12th birthday, and she thought it was funny when I began opening it and I cheered when only the smallest bit of paper was torn off. I could sufficiently see a tiny bit of that iconic cover peeking through. I've got so many core memories associated with this album, which I'll keep for myself, and which inevitably happens when you listen to something so heavily in your youth. But I'm confident in saying that this album deserves five stars for reasons that have nothing to do with my nostalgia, and are based purely on the merits of the album itself. Somehow this album retains a sense of rawness despite the laborious high level of production. It rocks hard but can be gentle, beautiful, and sweet. Sometimes it's thick and sludgy and other times it's effervescent and shimmery. So much is packed in, and it's so layered, but it feels like all the parts are there for a reason, and the album is cohesive and there are no extraneous songs here. For me, this is truly an album I can listen to from beginning to end. This is peak Smashing Pumpkins. Faves: Today, Soma, Mayonaise.

Green Onions

Booker T. & The MG's

3/5

This was a fun, easy listen. I was familiar of course with the title track since forever, but I enjoyed listening to mo'. At times I wondered if the organ would be better with a sustain pedal, more soulful, but then I think it would lose its jittery staccato melisma that gives it so much of its character. This album is mostly covers, and while their original, Green Onions, is probably my fave, I enjoyed hearing the band's signature sound applied to various songs of that era.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

3/5

The songs here I like, such as "Gigantic" and "Where Is My Mind?", I really love and play often. Most of the others here I would never typically reach for specifically, although I wouldn't mind at all having the album on. This band is like a lot of others in this project where it's hard to appreciate the impact it had for its time because so many other bands are influenced by them; we live in a world of Pixies derivatives. You hear this and are reminded of so many other bands that sounds similar to this. But I think a lot of these particular elements coming together in this particular way, the Pixies were seminal.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

3/5

Pros: 1) The sampling, beats, and mixing is off the chain--kaleidescopic! 2) They "got more rhymes than Jamaica got mango." (Speaking of Jamaica, it's easy to see how much West Indian influence there is in early Hip Hop via this album.) 3) They are moving away from their bratty immature frat boy image that was so prevalent on Licensed to Ill. Cons: 1) The flow and delivery is, shall we say, of its time, reflecting the rap style of that era. But I feel like they kind of held on to that over the years and it's part of their signature. 2) Their voices can be a bit shrill and grating (okay, not Yauch). But it is what it is; they are young, Jewish Brooklynites. This also kind of became their signature. 3) They haven't quite moved away *enough* from their immature vibe. A lot of "cutie with a booty" "ya wife" "ya girl," etc. This is before they had Kathleen Hanna and Free Tibet come into their lives and it shows. But the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, and I feel like this album is that first step to where they would eventually go. All the awesome sampling and everything that's good about this album (all done pre-digitally!) overrides any flaws. 3.5

Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots

The Flaming Lips

3/5

Mellow, muted, Burt Bacharach melodies combine with glitchy trip hop beats, laser zorps and robot farts. Soft, yearning, sad boi. Cinematic and orchestral, retro-futuristic. Could be the score to a film…a Wes Anderson film where the robots are evil-natured but also wear hand-knitted hats made from the fleece of alpacas gently raised on a lunar pasture. I am surprised this came out in 2002. My mind can't seem to work it into my memories of that timeline; I would have guessed closer to 2008. 3.5

McCartney

Paul McCartney

3/5

This sounded like you'd expect, the logical next step coming off of the Beatles' last work. I liked the instrumental songs, just the Idea of having some rock instrumentals interspersed there. Paul's lyrics as often as not seem kind of "filler" not having much to really say, like they really are secondary to the music. Of course there are a few silly love songs, his specialty. I love how much he loved Linda, fitting that the opener was one about her. I was surprised to read about what was happening when this was created. John had already unofficially left, so Paul used that time to make this. I think this was Paul realizing he didn't want to stop making music and him trying to figure out how to move forward on his own.

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

5/5

"Everybody's born knowing all the Beatles lyrics instinctively. They're passed into the fetus subconsciously along with all the amniotic stuff. In fact, they should be called 'The Fetals.'" --Sliding Doors My dad was a mega Beatles guy and so this music was woven throughout my childhood. The Beatles have somehow just always been there, as if part of the natural world. The eras I know and like the best are their earlier and mid periods. This album exemplifies their early sound when they first broke into the US, spreading Beatlemania in their wake. I feel like there's nothing that I could possibly say that hasn't already been said about this band. It's cliché to laud the Beatles, it's popular among many to say they are overrated, but I can't help but to praise this album; for the genre, it is full of absolute bangers! Lennon/McCartney were songwriting masters who were able to absorb the great American rock and roll and R&B of the 50's, incorporate other influences, and somehow distill it into 60's pop-rock perfection. These early songs are melodic as hell, like most--if not all--Beatles tunes, but this album also gives sort of a nod to Latin jazz (or something) instrumentation on many songs, subtly incorporating things like hand drums and claves. It gives this album a cool, sophisticated, yet highly danceable, straightforward, unpretentious rock vibe that I love. I know these songs well but enjoyed listening to them again today, together with my kids, singing along joyfully while dancing around the house. This is a timeless classic; those screaming girls were right.

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

3/5

I listened to this while cooking and it made a pleasant enough background. Nothing jumped out and grabbed me, rather it was a textured, layered haze that shuffled and chugged along. I heard hints of Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, and Bruce Springsteen at various moments. I could imagine this growing on me with subsequent listens. I wouldn't mind listening to more from them.

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

3/5

Blues icon that influenced all the 60's rock guitar gods. I never really choose to listen to blues much, but I don't mind it and I have had some fun nights out at blues bars in the past. The blues is kind of like my grandpa: rooted in the South, often repetitive, and sometimes old-fashioned and hard to relate to. Yet I, like the music I love, literally wouldn't be here without it/him. Since the blues is such an influential genre, historically, and since B.B. King is one of the most accomplished and renowned bluesmen, I agree that it was indeed worthwhile to listen to this album before I die, to hear him sing and play "Lucille" to appreciative fans in Chicago. Many of the standard blues topics are represented here: despair, loneliness, abandonment, domestic turbulence, loathing, violence. Clearly there was a shortage of mental health resources in the Mississippi Delta. Actually, maybe for some, writing and singing and listening to the blues *was* the therapy. "How Blue Can You Get?" - I recognize this one from it being sampled in that Primitive Radio Gods song from the 90s. The band sounded good and the recording was clear. I got a kick out of hearing the audience on this one. Their enthusiasm and participation reminded me of the audiences at the Apollo theater in Harlem. That and Mr. King's banter between and during songs brought out the live atmosphere and made me feel like I was part of the crowd. 3.5

Doolittle

Pixies

4/5

Nixon

Lambchop

3/5

I liked the retro vibe and arrangement of the instrumentation.

Chris

Christine and the Queens

3/5

80's inspired electro-funk/r&b...often en français! I imagine this is huge in France. Musically, it fits in with a lot of radio-friendly r&b pop I have heard in the last ten years or so. Admittedly that is not my go-to genre, but I feel this kept my interest a little more than the average act of that type. There was more than a little taken from the MJ playbook here, but there was enough newer mixed in with the retro. Impressive indeed if everything done to create the album was done by just one person. 3.5

Histoire De Melody Nelson

Serge Gainsbourg

3/5

Sigh. We're really doing this? Fine. Sonically, I could enjoy this. I quite like the music, and I don't even mind the spoken word and whispering. Trés French, mellow, cool. But, and I hate to be that person to get hung up on this, am I really going to just listen to some old pervy Frenchman rhapsodize about fucking a teenager? Some of these lyrics? I just can't. "Aimable petite conne" "si delicieuse enfant" 🤢 Way to live up to national stereotypes, Serge! When I was younger, a teenager, I read Nabakov’s “Lolita,” and the subject matter didn't phase me too much. Maybe it's just where I am in life right now, or where we are in society, that I see more ways that the world is fucked up, and my tolerance for this sort of thing is lower. Maybe it's because I'm female and was also a 14-year-old girl having to deal with lecherous old men that I find it hard to care about the story's narrator and instead wonder what things were like from Melody's point of view. I was never into slasher films either, and I guess this is similar to that. Maybe those films are good in a technical aspect and feature great acting, but at the end of the day I just don't want to see a bunch of gore and watch the worst of humanity depicted for my entertainment. Sometimes I can appreciate art that explorers darker social and psychological themes, but I guess this album veered too close to glorifying predatory behavior for my comfort. Anyway, if I challenge myself to set all of THAT aside (and this subject matter does challenge me, clearly), I guess I enjoyed the other aspects of this album as they were done well. I can appreciate the clever wordplay on, for example, “Ah, Melody,” and the lyrics in general are poetic and evocative. I like the idea of a shorter focused album which tells a story through the songs. This would have probably been a four from me, but I think I have to deduct a star for the creepy subject matter.

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

4/5

Thin Lizzy, let's gooo! I put on my "Jailbreak" T-shirt for the occasion today, my go-to St. Paddy's Day attire. I have an inexplicable soft spot for this band, considering I'm largely indifferent to many of their contemporaries in this "straightforward hard classic rock" genre. I think their music is solid; I like the twin-guitar sound they pioneered. But probably a lot of the appeal for me is down to Phil Lynott's charisma (RIP). I find his backstory fascinating and he brings a tough yet sensitive persona to the songs--some heart to the typical rock posturing. On this live album, as he talks to the crowd, I get to hear his Oirish accent, which never fails to charm me. Despite being fans of theirs, I never sat to listen to this album before today. I thought they sounded good live! Part of me wonders if this live album was a way to circumvent the list's own rule about not including compilation albums. With a live album you get songs from many studio records. I had been wondering if Thin Lizzy was going to make an appearance on this list at all, and I would guess that this will be the only work included from them, so maybe including the live album to represent them is a way of showcasing their work from a greater span of their career. I guess this list simply doesn't have room to include more than one Thin Lizzy studio album when we have to feature NINE things by Neil Young! Compared to the studio albums, which I'm more used to listening to, I have to say that it seems to me that some of the levels and clarity weren't as good, making it hard to showcase some of the features of the music as well as I'm used to hearing, especially with the guitars. Certain things weren't hitting as hard as I was used to. I guess it's more challenging than I would know, trying to convey studio music in a live setting while recording it well. But all in all, I don't think this effort was bad, and I like that they tried to bottle the lightening. Even though this offering covered a lot of their material, there are several songs of theirs I really like that were absent, such as "Bad Reputation" or "Wild One," so since it's the weekend and I have more time, I may go ahead and revisit their other albums, especially from the "Fighting" album onward. ("Fighting" as an album title always makes me laugh. Once again, way to live up to national stereotypes, guys!) 4.something stars

The World is a Ghetto

War

3/5

Funky soul jams with some Latin spice. I can dig it! Faves: "City, Country, City" and "Beetles In The Bog."

Traffic

3/5

When I first started listening to this, I thought this band was (at least partly) Black American. Clearly I missed the album cover. I just thought some of the songs really had a "Sanford and Son theme song" vibe that was hitting a lot of the features of Black 70's music. I was like, "Ok, what we have here is some perfectly serviceable funk/soul." That was my thought listening to it with no context, because I had never heard of anything by Traffic...or so I thought. Turns out I was familiar with one song, "Feeling Alright," although I could have sworn it was a different band's song. And turns out they're British, which I guess does actually explain the Black American sound lol. Anyway, as the album played on, the songs began reflecting many more genres and styles. I noticed all the unusual instrumentation and was intrigued. I said to myself, I said, "This is a band with a lot of ideas they want to get out." A lot of styles, a lot of instruments, a lot of songs. After listening, I read that it was Steve Winwood's band. Neat! I do recognize his voice now that I know that. I enjoyed the woodwinds here--I love a breathy jazz flute--and Winwood on the organ/keyboard; that really helped set it apart from other songs in this milieu. Also, "Medicated Goo" was cool because I could imagine Jack Black singing it with that cadence. Overall, my appreciation of this album grew the more of it I heard. 3.5

Winter In America

Gil Scott-Heron

2/5

The album started off kinda dragging for me, quite contemplative and melancholy. They were working out their troubles, but I couldn't stay engaged. Unfortunately I found the music a bit boring and repetitive at times, and the vocals were not that interesting either. Every line seemed to end with a word containing extra syllables added, like smile became smah-ha-hile, girl became guh-huh-hurl. But I was craving something more lively and melodic, less droning music and meandering melisma. “The Bottle” brought some energy, finally, with its bouncy bass line and funky flute. a dolla-nine, get a bottle o’ wine! a dolla-nine, get a bottle o’ wine! a dolla-nine, get a bottle o’ wine! a dolla-nine, get a bottle o’ wine! Then we were back to another soporific number after it ended. The only other one that grabbed me is “H2O Gate Blues”, which I quite enjoyed. The more things change…

Paul Simon

3/5

This sounded like what I'd expect a Paul Simon album to sound like. It wasn't my favorite album by him (I really only knew "Julio" before today, and nothing else took my breath away), but it's perfectly fine. It shows his interest in folk, and also with world music with the Jamaican and Brazilian elements. 3.5

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

The Dude abides, man! Of course, I've heard CCR's songs about a million times on Classic Rock radio, including several songs from this album. John Fogerty's voice is unmistakable and is for me heart of the band's sound. But in listening to the tracks here I was unfamiliar with, I was surprised to hear so much 50's Rockabilly and Little Richard-style stuff. I always think of CCR as kinda straight forward, middle of the road rock, but not in a bad way. It seemed to be the perfect accompaniment as I drove around today in the summer heat with the windows down. I especially enjoyed "Ramble Tamble."

The Bends

Radiohead

5/5

Accessable Radiohead that I wouldn't be surprised to hear sung along to by a crowd in a pub. On its face, 90's alternative rock, but with some traces of Brit Pop as well as seeds of the experimentation that the band would further explore in their later work. I wore this album out in high school. I can't believe it's almost thirty years old. It still sounds good to me and I had fun revisiting it.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

3/5

I never listened to this album straight through before, so this was interesting. Overall I found it to be a tad somber and pensive in tone, sometimes a bit sparse but creative with the instrumentation, not your standard rock sound. The songs I enjoyed the most were the ones I was already familiar with, the singles, but I appreciated the full listen-through nonetheless. R E.M. always struck me as a rather thoughtful, literary band, which I appreciate representing Georgia, as a change of pace from most of the other popular music from here. I do think I enjoy songs of theirs from some of their other albums more, though. 3.5

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

2/5

Chill and pleasant enough... Kinda bland though for the genre. Why this one? Was something particularly groundbreaking about it for its time? I'm sure there are better examples of this type of music that didn't get included on this list...

Kick Out The Jams (Live)

MC5

3/5

Proto-punk, lotsa distortion and explosive attitude, ahead of its time, clearly influential.

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

4/5

I only knew a few songs by the Kinks before this, so this was a rather delightful discovery–quite different to what I was familiar with. Only \"Victoria\" sounds somehow familiar...Have I heard it before in an ad or something? Sonically this is a very full, rich recording. A late-’60s post Sgt. Pepper sound with elements of blues and psychedelia. Creative and varied instrumentation. Between “Victoria” and “Yes Sir, No Sir,” it's immediately clear that this is a British album through and through, musically lyrically, thematically. The theme of “Yes Sir, No Sir” perfectly portrays the timid, sniveling, “know your place, don't question, mustn't grumble” attitude of the military, the attitude of a culture with a strong hierarchical class and social system. Oh, the noble longsuffering! The impotent smallness of an individual lifetime. “Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.” These can be rather bleak themes to explore, but the tone of the album is not morose. Indeed, there is an element of absurdity infused throughout. I've seen this before, this combination of cheeky irreverence and lyrical sketches of ordinary British people used to expose the foibles of the larger culture. It totally reminds me of Blur! I would be willing to put good money on this album being highly influential to Blur; they seem to have followed its blueprint exactly. Funny to discover this connection since I listened to a lot of Blur but had no idea this album existed. I guess there never is anything new under the sun. Other themes here involve Britain during the two world wars and the post-war period, trying to make a successful life in often empty, bland modern society while still yearning for the good old days of the past, even being tempted away by promises of future glories in far away lands. “Some Mother's Son” is a great anti-war song that, like one of my other favorite anti-war songs, “Army Dreamers” by Kate Bush, uses the perspective of the mother-son relationship to illustrate the stupidity of dying in war. I remember looking at my own first newborn baby and realizing that every asshole on Earth was some mom's baby at some point. To be a mother's son is to be the highest version of yourself, the most beautiful, innocent, eternal. And yet there they are in their hundreds, fallen in some field, bleeding out, rubbish. What a silly waste. A few other notable songs: The song “Brainwashed” rocked. More than an ode to the actual country, “Australia” is a celebration of persuasive advertising and hype, climbing to ecstatic heights and jamming out by the end. I like the Beach Boys-esque vocals during the part about how they'll have surfing like they do in the U.S.A. Shangri-La paints a vivid picture of suburban monotony set to peppy, danceable music. All in all, this is a well-thought out, well executed album that is tight and cohesive yet varied and interesting. It inspires further dives into The Kinks’s catalog. 4.5

Dookie

Green Day

3/5

How funny that I have never given this a listen-through until today. This was released when I was 12, and as I had a lot of male friends at the time, I remember this being popular among my seventh -grade friend group. Of course there were a lot of singles that I heard all the time, but even those I hadn't heard in quite a while, so this was part nostalgia, part discovery for me today. All in all, not bad. Tight, energetic power-punk. Fifteen songs, 38 minutes, lol. I was bopping along when before I knew it I'd arrived at the closing song... As soon as the Adam Sandler-like ditty hit my ears, I was flooded with a wave of remembering boys singing this. Oh to be young, when masturbation apparently still *hadn't* lost its fun! 3.5

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

3/5

I've got a 3-year-old who's really got a set of lungs on him. From the moment I open my eyes each day to the moment he closes his at night, I'm likely to hear him screaming about one thing or another. These days, I live for those fleeting moments in the evening after everyone is in bed and the house is finally quiet. Maybe I can decompress with a nice cocktail and even have a conversation with my husband. Ahh...peace at last. So the last thing I'm looking for these days is a bunch of harsh screaming, and yet that's what this album gave me, in spades! With lyrics like: Shut up!! Shut up!! 🤬😠💢 SHUT!! UP!! 💢😠🤬 ... I felt like I had really been put through the wringer after this listen-through. This is another band from my youth that sort of passed me by, other than their singles that were everywhere. Maybe if I had been a few years younger when this came out I would have gotten into it at the time. At this point it's hard for me to really relate to the themes much, but I can imagine this album providing some much needed catharsis for some. Musically it is very slickly produced, with a ton of elements packed in. It's almost so perfectly crafted that it loses the human element a bit somehow despite all of the emotion it's trying to convey; it feels very "digital" in every sense--calling to mind that cold, empty, futuristic Y2K vibe. It's explosive but not in a wild, unbridled way--it feels very controlled, which adds to the tension. The tracks are heavily layered and there are a lot of interesting electronic and hip hop textures, but the density of it all paired with anger and melancholy just feels like an onslaught at times. I need a little room to breaaaathe. A song like "In The End" shows how beautiful Chester's voice can be, delivering a solid melody with a bit more space, and it is these moments I find myself favoring. These guys are clearly talented. I like the dual-frontman format, and similar to Nick Hexum/S.A. Martinez, Chester and Mike compliment each other by contrasting melody to rap, higher pitch to lower pitch. Despite any misgivings, I think it is a hell of a debut album; they sound like seasoned pros, fully developed in style and delivery, and I can see why this album made a big impact. 3.5

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

3/5

I don't really know how to take this. When I started listening to it, a huge grin broke out across my face. It's so over the top, it's amusing to me. It almost seems comical, fun somehow. Is that what Megadeth were going for? Do they have a good sense of humor? I honestly don't know. This type of music obviously shreds and shows off the skillz, but I think I'd have to be in a hyper, manic state to reach for it. "Lucretia" is a standout to me; I liked the groove.

Selling England By The Pound

Genesis

3/5

Prog-rock Genesis, Peter Gabriel Genesis! Interesting to see what Genesis (and Peter Gabriel) were getting up to before I knew them. Worlds apart from the versions of them I'm familiar with. This album was interesting, but none of it really particularly grabbed me.

The College Dropout

Kanye West

5/5

Wow! I'm just blown away by this. This is the first time I've ever listened to any Kanye album - - I can't even say there's a particular reason why, and I feel silly admitting it. Of course I've caught the stray single here and there, but I never sat down and really gave ol' Kanye a chance. I'm 20 years late to this and I missed out! This doesn't really seem dated to me. Okay maybe what's popular these days has a different sound, so in that sense it may. But it doesn't feel inaccessible, shrouded by the mists of time. It still sounds very fresh and interesting and innovative to me. I think every aspect of this album was on point. I felt thoroughly entertained and mentally stimulated. The lyrics especially are so good, incisive, dripping with wit and cleverness. This is one of the few, if not the only so far, albums where I was completely unfamiliar with everything on it and gave it five stars, an easy five stars. A hidden gem, if only hidden to me. I will definitely revisit this album and check out his other stuff. PS. Seeing Kanye at the top of his game like this makes me sad in light of his ongoing mental health struggles. He's clearly very gifted.

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

4/5

Straight away the cover makes me laugh, just like with Megadeth (maybe Tenacious D just primed me to see the funny side of metal, especially in light of my lack of direct experience in engaging with the genre to counteract that). It's so cartoonish and reminds me of the “satanic panic” from the '80s. Imagine actually clutching your pearls at this and taking it seriously in any way, hahaha. Musically, it was also over the top, especially the vocals, which captured the soaring operatic grandiosity they seemed to be going for. Yet there was somehow a warmth there, some emotional chord progressions that seemed to me missing from some other metal I've heard before. It somehow struck me as bridging the gap between straight up classic rock and metal. It seemed accessible in that way. I didn't get the impression that when they were writing the songs they were just trying to throw in as many notes as possible and play as fast as possible, and throw every trick they had at it, although to be fair, it was still plenty busy. The songs seemed more dynamic than that, even in their epicness, and I actually found myself enjoying it a bit! Hallowed Be Thy Name was one that stood out to me. There was a part in it where it kind of dropped into a groove for a second, which I enjoyed (it made me imagine a metal-disco fusion genre…yes, please!). I'm learning that I'm quite partial to those moments in songs. I don't want to hear about ancient battles and Satan, I just want to dance!

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

4/5

I knew nothing of the Jungle Brothers except their name, but this was a delightful listen. It takes me back to an era I was really too young to ever experience, but I can appreciate it now. Lyrically the album centers a lot around black power, black history...even black women. The messages are empowering and uplifting. I remember afrocentrism having such a moment in hip hop at that time. Do American rappers ever still rap about Africa these days? I loved all the sampling, really well done and from such very sources. It kind of seemed to blend hip hop into jazz and even dance music. Well written lyrics, even though the delivery has that old school cadence to it that places it firmly in the late 80s/early 90s (I don't mind it). Good energy and vibes overall.

The Doors

5/5

When I was a younger teen, I read a Jim Morrison biography and pored over a giant tome of his poetry, lying in my bedroom, cocooned by the glow of my black light and lava lamp. Jim was a fascinating figure to me at that time in my life, and listening to this album reignited that fascination today. The Doors sound so different than most other bands from their era; the combination of elements they brought together made such a unique style. At their most iconic, it's like a mystical experience with the trance-inducing music pulling you under its spell, with Jim as your high priest guiding you with his brooding voice and evocative lyrics, building and swelling in passion until it seems like Jim is going to completely come unhinged. You drank the Kool-Aid and this charismatic prophet helped you glimpse the mysteries of the universe…before obliteration. This is music in service of poetry in service of philosophy in service of spirituality. It's clear that the Doors had lofty ambitions with their music/art, if you are willing to take the ride (ride the snake!).

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

Pretty good Latin fusion. I first heard these guys via my oldest kid on PBS Kids; they'd done a series of songs and videos that got played between the shows. Cool to hear them when they aren't singing about math or the five senses. 3.5

1989

Taylor Swift

2/5

I pointed out the dearth of female artists on this list so far, averaging only about 1/25. Then, as if in response, the list gave me a female artist this week! But because God has a sense of humor, it was Taylor Swift. Be careful what you wish for. I guess I'll just go ahead and get this out of my system now, for this, the first Taylor Swift album I'm encountering on this list. Because apparently there will be others. The thing about Taylor Swift as a cultural phenomenon is that she is absolutely inescapable, and her ubiquity only grew even stronger these last two years (2023-2024). Everything I know about her I know against my will. Her marketing team must be just about the best on earth, to be able to forge a legion of such parasocial followers on the back of such basic pop music. Some people lose their damn minds over Taylor Swift. I detect a social pressure to like her music, like I'm always being nudged toward it somehow. I never felt like anyone was wrong for liking her, but I somehow feel “wrong” for not being a fan. My sister, who is younger and more firmly in the millennial cohort, has a harder time. We've talked a few times about this, and we joke about it, but it's hard for her to forge female friendships without Taylor Swift being brought up at some point in the early stages, by the other gal, as a potential bonding point. And woe betide any young woman or girl, like my sister, who is less than enthusiastic about Taylor Swift. She may be viewed suspiciously or even hostilely by her peers. She may be seen as a “Pick Me,” her dedication to feminism may be called into question, she may be seen as suffering from internalized misogyny! All because she is less than enamored of some middle-of-the-road pop music seemingly designed in a Nashville lab to be as appealing as possible to as many people as possible. So Taylor Swift the cultural phenomenon sort of exhausts me, and her fans baffle me with their extreme passion over something so (imo) bland. This was the baggage I carried into this review. But since I had never sat down and listened to one of her albums, I was actually quite eager to see what it would be like. I've heard a lot of her singles, just by being out and about in the world, and they always seemed to just exist in the background, not something I could muster up love or hate for. But I feel like I genuinely came into this album listen with an open and curious mind. However, it was soon clear that I was vindicated in my initial feelings about her music. And as I continued throughout the album, my disappointment and exasperation grew. I was so hoping to be surprised and delighted by something, but it was pretty much all in the vein of the things I had already heard. Insipid. Flat. Monotone. Childish. Tweaked to perfection but lacking a soul. Undeserving of the hype. Oh, well. I love a great pop song, but there are other pop artists who can do what she is trying to do much better. The fact that there are multiple Taylor Swift albums on this list and not one Whitney Houston album, for example, is a travesty. I'm beginning to understand why Kanye, who can't always control his impulses, intercepted her award.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

3/5

Upbeat power pop with tinges of new wave, punk, post-punk, bubble gum, and surf. A trailblazing all-girl group that was probably the template for all those fictional '80s girl bands of my youth - - Barbie and the Rockers, Jem and the Holograms, etc. Never veering too far into the sex, drugs, and rock and roll realm like, say, The Runaways, the vibe is mostly sunny and outgoing. Reminds me a bit of Blondie, although I much prefer Blondie. At times the sound somehow felt a little thin.

New Forms

Roni Size

3/5

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

3/5

Sneering lyrics railing against war, classism, capitalism, environmental destruction. Sticking it to the Man and squares everywhere with random acts of postal theft. This is the link between Buddy Holly and System of a Down. But this didn't measure up to either of those, for me. Jello Biafra's messy and frantic vocals are backed up by simple yet energetic, crunchy instrumentals. I know Jello has plenty to say, but I couldn't help but feel like he was the weak link in the overall sound. I know sounding pleasing isn't exactly the point of this, but there were plenty of songs that I enjoyed the riffs but couldn't get into the vocals. If I must choose highlights, it might be Holiday in Cambodia and that psychobilly cover of Viva Las Vegas.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

3/5

What the what? Sir Terrance Trent of D’arby? On this list? What next, Fine Young Cannibals? I'm pretty surprised to see this blast from the past here, but I only really know “Wishing Well,” so maybe there's some other cool stuff that I've been sleeping on. Okay, first two songs definitely sound like late '80s R&B, nothing too surprising. Then here comes “Wishing Well,” with its heavy drums and that doot-doot-deet, doodoot-deet, doot-doot deedoot-deet. What an earworm! It goes harder than it has any business to…but the lyrics are perplexing. The rest of the album yielded more R&B typical of the era–with lots of love songs; (the artist formerly known as) TTD is a romantic! I was reminded of a handful of other R&B artists of that time, so I'm not sure that anything was particularly groundbreaking here, but by the end of the album I had been won over. The last two songs especially seemed to showcase his vocals. He can sang! I wouldn't mind hearing this play in a grocery store.

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

3/5

This album felt very loose and carefree, with a sort of party atmosphere throughout the whole thing, which was pretty cool. It sounds like Mick and the band got together with 20 of their closest friends, boozed it up, and had the time of their lives recording a southern rock album. I love that for them, but I just couldn't really get into it. I've never been a big Stones fan, and this album didn't add any new layers to help me change my feeling about them. I've spent a lot of time and several conversations trying to figure out why I just can't get into the Stones, and I still don't think I have an answer I can articulate. I can see why others might like them, but most of their stuff just isn't for me, and I guess that's all I can say about that. I do think it's kind of strange that this is considered one of their most critically acclaimed albums, but I only recognized the single “Tumbling Dice.” if this album is their best, I would have thought I would have heard more from it over the years.

S&M

Metallica

5/5

I really enjoyed this and thought the orchestra complimented the band well. It elevated the music to even more epic heights. It was fun to hear the enthusiastic audience and everyone sounded great live. I could see myself revisiting this.

L'Eau Rouge

The Young Gods

3/5

The vocals remind me of the diabolic guy in the Enigma song "Sadeness" in vibe and subject matter (from what I could tell with my basic French)... But maybe mixed with a hint of James Hatfield in the phrasing at times? Maybe I'm biased because we just got Metallica, but I swear I heard him say something like "Crierrrrr les chiennnns-hyeah!" So yeah, this is francophone Metallica mixed with the diabolic guy from Enigma, mixed with some industrial music? And I don't know, theatrical circus music? And traditional European elements? Quite different, that's for sure. I don't foresee me listening to this much if ever again, but I imagine it could have made us flash in Europe at the time it came out. 3.5

GREY Area

Little Simz

3/5

This exceeded my very low expectations. Yes, my expectations were low, sorry to say. Because there were dozens and dozens of "Lil" rappers for a while there, and that was not my favorite era of rap, as a rule. But yeah, my low expectations allowed me to be pleasantly surprised. I didn't mind this. As the British say, I rated it! What did I rate it, exactly? Somewhere between a 3 and a 4, I reckon. Lyrically and flow wise, it was decent. The subject matter is coming from the perspective of a young woman figuring out who she is and navigating interpersonal relationships, so it stands out from a lot of other rap in that way. The production was good and the album didn't drag. I would check out more from her.

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

3/5

Well, even though I'm Southern, I guess, and even though I grew up listening to a lot of music courtesy of my musician father, I never really listened to Southern Rock, and I don't have a very strong Southern identity, at least compared to some other Southerners I have seen, so I'm probably not the target audience for this. I didn't mind it too much, though. The music was pretty straightforward "bar rock," but the lyrical concept was kind of intriguing, all of these Southern Gothic vignettes intertwined with...Lynyrd Skynyrd lore?! Speaking of Skynyrd, I was never much into them, so it might have helped me enjoy this album if I was. However, after listening to this entire album and paying attention to the lyrics, I feel like I learned a lot about the band, whether I was curious to know or not. But I thought it was interesting how the overarching theme used Skynyrd as a device to contemplate, even wrestle with Southern identity. Can you like Skynyrd, can you be Southern, without being a racist asshole? I get the feeling that the band needs the answer to be yes, and they (like many younger Southerners) are trying to forge a way forward in the shadow of all of these horrific historical events while holding on to the good things about being Southern, letting the rest stay in the past.

All Directions

The Temptations

3/5

I guess I'm more familiar with the "My Girl" era of this band, but this was a pretty good mix of funk, soul, and R&B that exemplified the direction that music was heading in the early '70s. I never knew "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" was almost 12 minutes long. That was probably the standout for me here. The intro reminded me of French duo Air.

London Calling

The Clash

4/5

This is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind when I began this project, checking out more from a band I already enjoyed a few songs from. So I enjoyed this listen. Punk music that's a little more chill, and you can dance to it. A lot of the songs had a real rhythmic quality to them that went beyond the drums. This album hit that sweet spot between raw and polished--not as raw as some punk, but still raw enough to be kind of punkish. I was vaguely aware that they had a lot of reggae & ska influence like a lot of other British bands from that time, so that was cool to hear, and also the rockabilly elements.

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

5/5

So I was pretty much unfamiliar with this album, having gained only a small awareness of it just about an hour before seeing it as our album of the day on this list, but I really enjoyed listening to it! I was familiar with the song Roadhouse Blues, but unlike a lot of albums where the song I already know is the one I end up liking the best, a lot of songs here really grabbed me more than that one ever has. There was a lot of blues on this album in addition to that song, but there was so much else going on, it's like the band was following whatever creative whim they had to see where it took them. I feel like compared to their debut, this album shows that they had really expanded their sound. But it wasn't a mess or a mishmash. There was a consistent thread throughout, and though there were lots of forays in many directions, and at times more energy, everything worked really well. I keep coming back to Peace Frog. I love the energy of it and it makes me want to go-go dance like Goldie Hawn. But then that droning, moody, Jim vocal is there in parts, too. Blue Sunday, Ship of Fools and Indian Summer also stood out to me. The focus is always on Jim when it comes to the Doors--the man, the myth, the legend--but I don't think the rest of the guys in the band get enough credit for their creativity and virtuosity.

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

2/5

This was…kinda rough. I wish I could see whatever quality landed this on the list in the first place. As it is, I think the author of the book figured out a brilliant way to subject the world to his peculiar music taste. Or maybe he's just having a laugh. Look, I can overlook a lot of non-traditional, quirky vocal performances. Billy Corgan, Geddy Lee, Kate Bush, Björk. What are often viewed as flaws, I can see as adding unique qualities. But I can't get past this guy's vocals. I remember years ago seeing by chance a video on YouTube of this band performing. It was one of the most painful musical performances I've ever seen. The singer was struggling, bombing, dying out there. I could barely watch it. I thought it was a one-off bad night. But that memory came flooding back listening to this album. I think the band is perfectly cromulent, and this would probably be a three from me if not for the singer. Apparently there are two more albums on the list from this band. Sigh.

Red Headed Stranger

Willie Nelson

4/5

Country served with a side of Western. Country isn't my favorite genre or my way of life, but I've always got time for a bit of Willie Nelson and his ilk. There is something about him and those older country singers that I can surprisingly stand compared to the stadium country or pop country that was prevalent in my youth. Sometimes they sing about lurid things from the Old West days, but with such calm stoicism, like of course you needed to shoot that yellow-haired lady; she was trying to steal the horse your dead wife rode. It is what it is. For me, this is entertaining in its unrelatability. The music is straight forward, with clean, sometimes sparse instrumentation, with structures, melodies and storytelling steeped in old folk traditions. They're just singing it straight, so that you really get to know all of the qualities of their voices, their phrasings, their idiolects. There's no place for anything to hide, just them staring you right in the face. After years of hearing these unique voices here and there, you get to know them well, and they become warm and familiar, like old friends, like grandparently figures dispensing advice and tales from eras gone by. Willie is our outlaw country granddad, and I enjoyed my visit with him.

Stankonia

OutKast

5/5

We're bouncing... We're bouncing! This was the perfect album for me to revisit today as I was cruisin' in the ATL. When this came out, it was clear Andre 3000 and Big Boi were indeed some of the coolest muthafunkers on the planet. They brought a creativity and southern flair that really stood out against the rest. If they say that a compruter can do your job better than you can damn do, or if he got hiiiis but you ain't get yourrrrs....Whatever you're going through, even today, almost 25 years later, this will help you take your mind off things and entertain ya. Humble Mumble slaps even more than I remembered, and Tisha's mama made me get all emotional in the YDFM parking lot. Lots of classic gems here from ATL's hometown heroes.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

Turtleneck era Paul Simon.. and Garfunkel too! This music is as soft and warm as the morning sun beaming through lace curtains, gentle as a butterfly landing on your shoulder, fuzzy as the fur on the bridge of a kitten's nose. Everything is mellow and sunny and clear. The poetic sensitivity is evident in lyrics and music. This is pretty music, pretty voices, harmonies, guitar. I'm feelin' so groovy, I'm feeling like the mayor of Drugachusetts. Then, what's this? Has the album already ended and another band begun to play on Spotify? Oh, it's Bob Dylan? Wait a minute, he just sang about Dylan...Dylan Thomas...? Let me check my phone to see what's going on. Oh, it's still Simon and Garfunkel! Too funny. Okay, the last track with the news about Vietnam sung against (a quite beautiful) Silent Night is a little heavy-handed for me. But Scarborough Fair, Homeward Bound, and Feelin' Groovy are all still crazy good after all these years.

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

4/5

I've heard of the band name Quicksilver Messenger Service before, and for some reason I always thought it was a 90s indie band. Maybe I was thinking of the Quicksilver clothing brand from the 90s LOL. In any case, I feel like this kind of music could fit in with some of the indie noise rock Sonic Youth type distortion-heavy stuff I heard on college radio in the 90’s. Sprawling, freeform soundscapes, abstract psychedelic jazz, with a little riffing on Bo Diddly as well. It was an interesting listen. But I'm left wondering one thing: WHY you love.

Very

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

One day, when my daughter was probably 5 years old, she declared the Pet Shop Boys her favorite musical performers. Cue a single tear shed by me. She's quite a lady-ist, always expressing a strong inclination toward anything feminine, and she said, "I'm really surprised that the Pet Shop Boys is my favorite band because I usually like girl singers!" Now I have certainly been a fan of Pet Shop Boys since I was a little kid in the '80s. Their music caught me in its web and, I never outgrew it. But I never explored it as much as when my daughter began liking them. When she and I were out alone together she would always request listening to it in the car, and through her I explored a lot more from them than I'd ever heard before. I think what she found appealing was its danceability paired with its emotionality. But whereas some of their earlier stuff is emotional songs with a hint of danciness, this is dance music first and foremost, but emotional dance music, for those times when you might need to shed a tear it two on the dancefloor. This album really embraces the whole '90s club vibe, but they bring their own twist to it. I love these guys. Neil's unique boyish, expressive, yet wry voice is used effectively. And I love Chris's production; they complement each other well. I'm glad they have stayed together for decades, and I hope there are other albums from them on this list. P.S. Last year, ahead of me seeing the Cure live, I was playing some music from them, and my daughter proclaimed that the Pet Shop Boys' number one position in her heart had been usurped by the Cure! Cue another single tear shed by me. Faves are Liberation and Go West.

Pretenders

4/5

When you are in need of conjuring up Chrissie Hynde levels of confidence and badassery, cast this simple spell: gaze into a mirror, and use the following: ✅ Arms ✅ Legs ✅ Style ✅ Sidestep ✅ Fingers ✅ Imagination At the very least, you will feel special, so special. This was a fun listen, and exactly the sort of thing I had in mind when beginning this project, diving deeper into a band I was somewhat familiar with. Probably my new fave here is "Mystery Achievement."

Brothers

The Black Keys

4/5

I never listened to the Black keys before but a few songs in and I'm like, yeah, I've heard this before. In like, a whole bunch of commercials? I'll have to look it up to be sure, but it seems like some of this has been licensed a lot. Anyway, it grew on me. I love how they took elements of old soul, blues, r&b and 60s rock, and put a new spin on it. Their sound is consistent and unique to them. Now I'll be able to recognize who it is when I hear their stuff. And I wouldn't mind listening to more from them.

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

4/5

This one really took me by surprise. Believe it or not, I, Miss Where-Are-The-Female-Artists-On-This-List, have never actively listened to Joni Mitchell. I've gleaned bits of knowledge of her over the years, understanding that she was an important and influential artist. I had brushed up against a handful of her songs, namely Big Yellow Taxi, and through that, I thought I had an idea about who she was as an artist. But listening to this made me realize that there's a lot more to her than I was expecting. There's one song on here, "Down to You" that pretty well exemplifies what I was expecting to hear. More of a stripped down "girl and piano" or "girl and guitar" kind of sound. Maybe there was more of that in her early career, more folk influence and coffeehouse vibes, and that's what I had come to associate her with. I just didn't know there were other sides to her. Apparently this album was a step in a new direction for her, and I really like it! Some of the production sounded so delightfully 70s to me, and there were lots of unexpected interesting musical things happening on many of the tracks. I'm still thinking about some of the songs a day later, which is a sign that I will probably return to this album for subsequent listens. Also, she released music into the 2000s, so there is a lot of material for me to explore, should I make the time. She has a clear, beautiful voice, and she was able to do lots of more challenging runs, even getting into some jazz phrasing, seemingly without effort. As interesting as the music was on this album, I always gathered that one of the main strengths of Joni Mitchell was her lyrics. She paved the way for scores of other female singer-songwriters to bring their perspectives to the music industry, and that is evident here with lyrics that are vividly personal and introspective, exploring emotions and human relationships. This album is at least a four for me, but I could imagine it being a five if I had more time to get acquainted with it.

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

4/5

A great album from a great time period, both musically and personally for me. Highly danceable psychedelia that is energetic and rich in layers and textures. Sometimes reminding me a little bit of Flaming Lips mixed with some French EDM. The song Electric Feel alone is worth the price of admission and I never tire of it. Fat bass, airy vocals, weird little flute, sensual, lush, soaring, funky. That song along with Kids and 4th Dimensional Transition is probably my favorite span of the album, but every track yields treasure. 4.5 rars

Drunk

Thundercat

3/5

I knew nothing at all about this artist. The album cover is pretty funny. Listening to it I thought, "This has a real Yacht Rock feel," and then as if on cue, the next song that played featured two Yacht Rock titans. Some of the songs didn't seem quite developed enough to be songs but rather more loose sketches of ideas. Some of the vocals and melodies somehow reminded me of commercial jingles. Dude has a nice voice, though. I didn't sit and follow along with the lyrics, but I would catch snippets of them and chuckle and say, "Wait, what?" It's like he just took his chaotic inner voice and let it run amok on the tracks. A lot of it reminded me of something Issa Rae's character on insecure would say, that combination of awkward, smart, funny, struggling, frustrated, and flippant. A lot of it was delivered in contemporary language that will probably sound dated soon, so I don't know if this will ever rise to the level of an enduring classic, but maybe there's some universality in its specificity? Musically, toward the end of the album, it was all starting to seem a little repetitive and I therefore wasn't able to maintain as much attention to it.

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

4/5

Everything I've ever seen of Stevie Wonder, his music and appearances, seem infused with a certain I-don't-know-what, like even if he's singing about something negative, he has this irrepressible spirit and energy that just shines through, this creativity and impishness. So I was really listening forward (hat tip to JB) to hearing this album. There is a good amount of variety on here, genre-wise, but everything is a consistent high quality in all aspects, and Stevie just makes it look easy. Top tracks: Too High, Living For The Citayyy, Higher Ground, Golden Lady.

Tommy

The Who

4/5

Listening to this is a big undertaking for me. It's hard for me to muster up the length of time and amount of attention it requires to give it a fair evaluation. I had to break up listening into several sessions. I guess the main lasting impact of this album is that it was a double album built around a single narrative, using contemporary hard rock music to tell a story--all innovative and ambitious for its era. On that basis, it's kind of hard for me to evaluate it, because I don't know if I was able to really get the intricacies of the "plot" by just listening to the music. I can get the main points, of course. Because the album is so long, I would be inclined to say that The Who could have trimmed some fat here and tightened up the offerings. But since all of the songs are telling part of the story, I guess they might all be needed. If you set aside the whole rock opera aspect, and just listen to it as any other collection of songs, there are clearly songs that are more listenable than others. But I don't guess you can really look at this album that way. The sound quality is great, and The Who display all the elements that they are loved for, so all in all, it is still a solid entry on this list.

Horses

Patti Smith

3/5

Well this was sort of challenging. I know I'm supposed to appreciate this, but did I really enjoy it? There were some songs that I enjoyed more than others, like Free Money. When I followed along to the lyrics, I could appreciate the poetry of them. She's an evocative writer. The band was good. Her energy and spirit was punk, kind of wild and feverish, even if the music didn't have a lot in the way of established punk conventions. I suppose in 1975, punk conventions hadn't been well established yet. I didn't enjoy a lot of her singing, although there were times where I didn't mind it. I've heard other songs from her's that I also didn't mind the singing, so I feel like when she pulls back a bit on the vamping and just sings it straight, it's better for me. All in all, I'm glad I made the time to listen to it, because I know this was groundbreaking for its time, and highly influential, so now I have it as a reference point.

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

5/5

Aww man, I love Buddy Holly. So going into this I'm already leaning towards giving it a 5, barring anything egregious. A while back I fell into an internet rabbit hole reading about his biography. Since he and his bandmates all look like door-to-door globe salesmen, it's sometimes hard for me to remember how young he was. He was so prolific and contributed a lot despite his short time here. Even though that plane crash happened long before I was born, after reading about him I truly felt a sense of sadness that he had died so soon. I love his whole deal: his nerdy glasses, his shy smile and unassuming vibe, his hiccupy singing style, the way he helped to bridge country music and R&B. He helped solidify rock and roll vernacular, a true OG. And with 12 songs clocking in at a little over 25 minutes long, this is music that doesn't make a lot of demands of me. It's easy to enjoy. And I guess where I am in my life now, that's a factor. There are songs I favor over others when it comes to his music, but his music is fairly consistent enough to where I baseline pretty much like everything he does, and this album solidly supports that.

Abraxas

Santana

4/5

I was pretty excited to listen to this. Everything I've heard from Santana until this point has been cool, so I was eager to hear more from them. I really liked it! I could hear a lot of different ingredients in this musical mélange; I was surprised to hear so much jazz. Maybe unsurprising if you know much about Santana (I don't). I always thought it was kind of unusual for a rock band to be named after someone other than the singer. Indeed, a lot of these songs don't have any singing at all, but listening, I realized that Carlos's guitar does the singing, rising above those undeniably compelling Latin rhythms and drifting and curling like incense, all working together to send you into a trance. I can fit this music into my life, and yet it doesn't just fade into the background. It's interesting and engaging. I definitely want to hear more! 4.5

Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul

Otis Redding

4/5

Can't go wrong with Otis. Such a singular dynamic voice that expresses so many shades of emotion, going from sweet soulful gentleness to full-chested growl effortlessly. This was a nice collection of songs that showed off his voice well. Band sounded really tight, too. It's kind of funny to have so many cover songs on an album, but this seems like it was really common to do back in the '60s; I see it a lot with other artists of that era.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

4/5

I'm getting a lot of Zeppelin, but with the famed Leonard Cohen cover and what sounds to be a medieval hymn, there seems to be an intriguing mix of influences here. These songs are personal, romantic, and emotional. Jeff Buckley has an interesting voice, a lot of falsetto, a lot of almost operatic intensity. Some of the songs are a little meandering, but he's wearing his heart on his sleeve, and song structure takes a back seat to expression. I particularly liked "So Real." 4

War

U2

4/5

As soon as I saw the cover, in my head I began hearing the machine gun snare followed by the keening, dissonant strains of the opening song--a classic intro that sets the mood perfectly for the subject of the song. (Side note, in looking up my following recommendation I discovered that John Lennon did a song also by the name of Sunday Bloody Sunday, worth a listen. But my recommendation is: if you haven't yet heard Richard Cheese's version of U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday, and you are in the mood to laugh while feeling like a bad person, check it out). This is a younger, more energetic U2, reminiscent of the Clash in that danceable punky sound, but with prettier singing. I already knew and liked several songs from the album and enjoyed hearing the others.

Zombie

Fela Kuti

4/5

I'm not a connoisseur by any means, but anytime an African jazz or afrobeat song has filtered its way to me, there's like a 90% chance I really enjoy it. And I enjoyed this album. I'm always going on about how I wish more pop music had horns, and again this album made me have that thought. The songs were quite long, but I was vibing to the instrumentals. The singing, well, I didn't understand much of what was said, so I can't really comment on the lyrical comment. I would have been happy with just all instrumental. Also, after this album ended, Spotify began playing similar music from other artists, and I have to say that I liked some of them even better. So is Fela the best in this genre? Was he the first? Or was he the most important because of his political activism? Either way, glad to have listened to this today and been reminded about this cool genre.

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

3/5

I listened to this on a long drive. Not sure if that was the best way to experience this album, but I felt like all the layered fuzziness and buried or echo-y vocals blended into the background noise and had a trance-inducing effect. There was an homage to late 50s/early 60s music running through the album, which I enjoyed.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Beatles

5/5

I tried to listen to this yesterday with fresh ears, which is difficult (impossible?) considering the influence of this album and the amount of times I've already heard it. I won't try to do a definitive write-up, because scores of people much more informed than I have already done it. I carried out the listening of this album on my factory-issued minivan speakers, and I felt like the levels of everything were really off somehow. My dad, being an enormous Beatles disciple, had all of their albums, so while growing up I would spend a lot of time listening to them with headphones. I know this album makes extensive use of stereo mixing, where you'd often hear John in one ear and Paul and the other, or whatever, and things would fade back and forth or be isolated on one side or the other, and I really lost all of that in the minivan, which changes the listening experience completely. But also my perception of entire melodies seemed to change listening to it without headphones because I guess I was only getting some parts of the harmony while others were subdued, and the overall effect wasn't matching up with my memory of how the song should sound, so it was a little disconcerting. I guess this album continued some of the aspects present on Revolver, the moving away from songs about romantic love, the influence of psychedelia and Indian music, Edwardian vaudeville and brass band. All of that deepened and became more firmly presented on this album. A lot of the songs have an air of sunny, childlike simplicity with their major chords and sing-song choruses, but on closer listen, the lyrics have meaning beyond fluff and rainbows. Like in "Getting Better," which so exemplifies that McCartney/Lennon duality: the bouncy optimism of "it's getting better all the time" undercut with Lennon's wry "can't get no worse" preventing it from going full-on saccharine, the verse from Lennon explaining how he used to be an asshole to his woman but he's trying to change "Man, I was mean, but I'm changing my scene..." Probably the song that stands out the most on this album, not blending in with the others, maybe standing out the most from their entire body of work, is "Within You, Without You," so somber and earnest and, well, Indian, in the midst of the vaudeville and circus vibes permeating the rest of the album. It's a really beautifully-written song that encapsulates the 60’s when the West was trying to search beyond pervasive shallow marketing and constricting conformity to find hope and meaning in ancient exotic spiritual philosophies. Another thing that this listen made me consider is the secret mini-track of noise and gibberish at the end of the album. Is this the first instance of such a thing? It's got to be one of the first, or one of the first on such a high selling album. Maybe this could be considered an early form of the concept album, but I don't think all songs adhere closely to the Sergeant Pepper aspect that begins and ends the album. If there is a common thread among all songs, maybe it could be "nostalgia." There seems to be a lot of looking back and reflecting on this album, remembering childhood (expressed musically in the Edwardian, brass band, vaudevillian elements), or contemplating crossing over from youth to adulthood and how best to live out that second half of life. It's an easy five stars for me, because of the influence this album has had on the music industry, and that the songs are all enduring classics in their own right.

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

3/5

This is like the album equivalent of a Baz Luhrmann film, kaleidoscopic, full of mashed up references, a gazillion textures crammed into every frame... Something was in the air in Australia at the time, it seems. I was not at all familiar with this artist, but I read about their creation process, which sounds ambitious and extensive. What they made here seems well done. However, it didn't really grab me, and I found it hard to truly get into it. It didn't have a lot in the way of hooks or emotional depth. It would be good background music, I guess. That's not necessarily a bad thing. But I feel like when it comes to electronic music, I can think of many more albums I would prefer to hear than this.

Rid Of Me

PJ Harvey

3/5

Raw, stripped down, intense, brooding, fragile...with the beguiling danger of a female grasshopper. 3.5

Dust

Screaming Trees

4/5

Even though I kind of hate the cover, I liked this more than I was expecting to for not knowing much about them other than that song from the Singles soundtrack. I kept finding myself doing that raised-eyebrow cocked-head nod as if to say, "Not bad, not bad at all." I grew up on grunge in the early days of me forming my own independent musical taste, and I embraced the scene with the ardent fervor of a cult convert. I mostly embraced it from a distance since I was too young (and apparently too female) to really go to concerts or be exposed to more underground figures. But it all was so integral to my nascent self-identity at the time. And like a cult that builds in intensity before its leader self-destructs in some horrible, dramatic way, the Seattle music scene itself seemed to explode in ubiquity before exploding in a shotgun blast that fragmented it, never to feel quite the same again. The spell was broken, and it was honestly kind of emotionally painful for me to really engage with that music with the same intensity I had before. I was twelve in April '94, a baby. I thought of all of this as I listened to this album. How much music from that era have I never heard? Screaming Trees was a Washington band through and through, right in the middle of the grunge phenomenon, and yet I'm mostly ignorant of them. Yet I think that early exposure to music of that era sort of primed me to find this music comfortable and accessible. Yet there was enough interesting stuff, like the Indian elements, to keep it from sounding horribly stale to me. It seemed to have an air of maturity. Or maybe it's just that I'm more mature now.

Armed Forces

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

This is my first listen-through of any Elvis Costello album, although I'm a bit familiar with him from hearing some singles over the years. I like the cover art. With the title it makes me think of Colonel Hathi from The Jungle Book. This music is kind of hard for me to categorize neatly in one specific genre; I detect so many influences but they are all well-blended like a stew that's been simmering all day. It's really its own distinct thing, especially Elvis Costello's voice, unmistakable. I was trying to think of how to characterize it. I detect shades of Buddy Holly's phrasing, but there is something in the timbre that reminds me of Woody Allen's voice, or at least people's impressions of Woody Allen (without the Brooklyn accent of course). After an entire album it really starts to sound repetitive to me, but it's definitely distinctive. And what the voice is singing is kind of reminiscent of Woody Allen, too, in its nerdy, intellectual, yet vaguely disdainful critique of relationships and society at large. I can see why he is known for being a lyrics guy; the writing is clever, wordy, and has a lot to say. His band sounded good, but I feel like some of the songs could've been mixed better. A three feels too low for this and a four feels too high. I've been rounding down, so I guess I'll stick with three.

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

3/5

This was my first time listening to any Kendrick Lamar (to my knowledge). Honestly, I mildly dreaded listening to this album--I didn't think I would enjoy it and wasn't in the mood to take it on. I finally listened to it while working out/driving/sitting in my car. It was kind of a roller coaster of reactions. I know I'm far from the target demographic, and sure enough, there were plenty of moments early in the album where I was like, "Nah, not into this, not for me." I noticed that several songs I found the chorus annoying. So I started with thinking to give 3 stars, then dipped down to 2.5 for a while, then I started finding little things to appreciate, and I rose to 3.5. The last several songs of the album, I was able to sit and focus more while listening, and I found that it was slowly growing on me. I enjoyed the guests, I feel like overall he's a good lyricist with a good delivery (except for some of the choruses which sounded juvenile and repetitive at times), and the production was good. Some of the beats/production stood out as being pretty different from what I've heard before elsewhere, which I appreciated. The lyrical subject matter was kind of grim, but sometimes touching. Mathematically, I don't know whether to give this a three or four. I guess I'll go with three-point-something and round down, curmudgeon that I am.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

4/5

I'm mostly only familiar with the "Can't Buy a Thrill" album from them. There have been a few times over the years I have enjoyed a song on the radio and wondered who it was only for it to end up being Steely Dan, so even though I'm mostly unfamiliar with them, I have liked what I've heard, and this album continued that.

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

4/5

I'd never heard of this guy until this listen. I was shocked to hear that he is English, and it turns out, a pretty big deal in the UK. I really want to look up an interview so that I can hear his speaking voice. He definitely did his homework for this album, which has shades of blues, country, Southern rock, funk, folk. A very American sound. None of those genres are what I usually listen to, but I can appreciate them, and this album was a solid offering. Definitely got me tapping my toe. Top track: 5th Season

Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

Ah, the first of what I understand will be a copious amount of Neil Young albums on this list. I've never sat down to listen to stuff by him, so luckily for me this was from earlier in his career, so I can start near the beginning. I only knew Cinnamon Girl, which I sometimes sing as Homer Simpson while making cinnamon toast: "I wanna eat some cinnamon toast, I could be happy, something something, with my cinnamon toast." I enjoyed listening to this, but I feel like I don't have a lot of insights other than it was a pleasant listen. It put me in a cozy and mellow mood. I'm glad he decided to put his stuff back on Spotify so I could access it easily. 3.5

Club Classics Vol. One

Soul II Soul

3/5

I was pretty excited to see this on here. I like a lot of those old club/house singles from this era, and I do consider many of them to be, well, classics. I can never remember which artists go with which songs, so in the filing cabinet of my mind, Soul II Soul exists in a jumble along with Black Box, La Bouche, SNAP!, and the artists who did 1989's Belgium techno anthem "Pump Up The Jam." I knew I would get at least one of those club hits on this album but I couldn't remember which one. I felt a little disappointed after listening, to be honest. Other than the instrumental "African Dance," which was flautistically cool, I didn't really find most of these songs measuring up to "Back To Life," the only song I really knew and liked from the album. Even when Back To Life came on, I was confused at the stripped down vocals-only track that didn't have any drums kick in until the 2:39 second mark of a 3:39 song. I found the remix I was used to later on the album, along with a second remix I'd never heard before. Overall, I'm not sure the album was strong enough to merit inclusion here.

Young Americans

David Bowie

4/5

I love David Bowie so. He just has an effect on me that's hard to explain. So seeing this album over the weekend was like a little treat. I was able to set sometime aside to listen to it with attention. I had just heard the song Young Americans about an hour before being assigned this album, but when I sat down to listen through the album, I went ahead and listened to it again, because I love the song. The intro is so boisterous and bouncy and swaggy, with that hot sax, and it always fills me with joy and excitement. I just watched the first episode of SNL, from 1975, the year of this album, and this intro calls to mind 1970s New York–you can just see the steam coming up from the grates in the sidewalk. But the singing begins, and there are some cleverly written lines about our hapless couple–is this what it is to be a young American navigating courtship? Full of enthusiasm and bravado but ultimately naive and desperately clinging to an old fashioned script? Doomed? He kissed her then and there She took his ring, took his babies It took him minutes, took her nowhere Heaven knows she'd have taken anything The backup singers’ voices are rich and vivacious, summoning that R&B world for Bowie to inhabit. Bowie sounds peak Bowie with his distinctive warble, and he's letting it serve the song whether with a series of grunts as if he were doing air karate in the second chorus, or some falsetto in a later verse when he gets meta and sings about “you and your idol singing falsetto.” By the time he gets to the “you ain't a pimp…” bridge, he sounds sweaty, with his sleeves rolled up and his tie loosened, like a middle manager going too hard at happy hour. What sounds like such a bright and optimistic song is imbued with irony and critique, using a typical love story arc to talk about American society in general, full of promise and energy but ultimately disappointing. There's ambitious artistic intention, and it works so well with the music, yet the music stands on its own even without engaging with the message. These “Plastic Soul” musical elements are present throughout the rest of the album on songs that evoke many different moods (there's even a Beatles cover!), and the album ends strong with the funk banger, Fame. All in all, a pretty good offering from 1970s David Bowie.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

3/5

This album is certainly the Rolling Stones.

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

5/5

This is the first Led Zeppelin *album* I listened to in entirety, when my aunt pulled out her collection of records to find something to entertain us in a town full of nothing to do, and a few years later, via the CD of my best friend at church camp. I listened to it again tonight, and it still hits so hard. There's variety among the songs but the album feels very cohesive. I tried to type out a bunch of adjectives that describe their sound on this album, and it all inadvertently ended up sounding like I was talking about sex.¯\_(ツ)_/¯ So I deleted that, but suffice to say, five stars!

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

3/5

I like a lot of music from the '80s, generally, and I was familiar with three or four songs from this album, but I never thought about going any deeper with Culture Club, because for me, even though they are so quintessentially 80s, their music is not anything that I ever felt too strongly about. Boy George and the whole androgyny thing was such a big component of the visual arts of '80s pop culture, though. Well, now I can say but I've listened to a full album. All in all, I think I'm good with just staying with the singles. Although I was kind of surprised and intrigued to hear a little bossa nova flavor on one song, there were too many sleepy slow jams for my taste. The female backup vocalist was quite powerful and at times rather overshadowed the main vocals. Seemed like kind of a "light" album overall-- nothing too heavy going on.

People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm

A Tribe Called Quest

4/5

Creative, cool use of sampling and production, an enjoyable listen. I could have listened to this around the kids -- I think "jimmy hat" is as blue as it gets here.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

3/5

There was nothing that I recognized from this edgier collection from the Temptations. Good funk/soul numbers about hard times and troubled relationships. 3.5

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

5/5

I couldn't ask for anything more from this album. Peak Johnny Cash, in fine form, playing to an enthusiastically appreciative crowd. Glad I didn't listen to this around the kids--Johnny knew his audience and brought songs the convicts would relate to. He didn't seem at all intimidated to entertain a crowd of inmates. He was as smooth and charismatic as ever. The songs were simple in structure, but he and the band served the songs capably, effortlessly, naturally, hitting that perfect point between polished and spontaneous. The setting and crowd brought a lot of character to this live recording. The entire prison concert concept fascinated me and made me want to learn more about how this project came to be. I have a vague memory of seeing some video footage from this performance long ago; I'll have to track it down (if I'm not confusing it with something else).

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

4/5

I've never heard of these guys before and I skipped listening to them because they weren't on Spotify, and then it just took forever for me to circle back around. I'm glad I finally listened. There was a lot to enjoy here, many different ideas presented, and the production was really good. On at least one song they reminded me of proto-Radiohead.

Among The Living

Anthrax

3/5

What can I say about this? I've never listened to Anthrax but have heard about them over the years and Scott Ian seemed to be on TV a lot back in the day. It's pretty over the top, and they did their thing, but it's hard for me to find much here that I can vibe with. At least now I know what Anthrax sounds like?

The Next Day

David Bowie

4/5

I really enjoyed this new-to-me Bowie, still so creative here in his later years. So many flavors and styles were interwoven throughout, all anchored by that unique voice I've grown to love. Will revisit.

Bringing It All Back Home

Bob Dylan

3/5

Hmm...I always feel like with Dylan, I have an inability to appreciate him the way I should, in accordance with how influential he was to so many artists I love. But maybe this album got me a little closer. I have a feeling if I listen to this again while concentrating on the lyrics more (I couldn't do that this time), I'd get closer still.

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

3/5

A conversation with my daughter: -I have to listen to the rest of that Leonard Cohen. -Aww, not him… -You know him? -Yeah...?! He's that really weird guy. -What's weird about him? -He doesn't sing. He just talks about stuff like blood, and stars, and love. -Yeah, you know him. This is a fascinating album considering that it was released just a couple ofweeks before Cohen passed away. Thematically he seems to be directly dealing with his impending mortality. In one song, the chorus chants הִנֵּנִי (hineni - "behold, G-d, I am here and ready"). I always think that Leonard Cohen is poetry first and foremost, just set to music. And I like it as poetry. This revisits his well-explored heavy themes of religion, spirituality, love, lust, etc. Musically, for most artists this would be considered stripped down, but for him it is more production than I have heard on other of his albums. His voice is old and creaky and weathered. Respect to him for creating his art to the very end. 3.5

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

3/5

Interesting album. I'm a fan of the band, but I never listened to this before, although I was familiar with the live version of Tusk from their awesome 1997 live concert/album "The Dance," performed with the USC Trojans marching band. This album's original version could not top that! I could definitely hear the three distinctly different styles of Christine, Lindsay, and Stevie, and maybe moreso than on their other albums, this one felt kind of disjointed with the differing styles. Some of Lindsay's songs here struck me as kind of wild and wacky, but I didn't mind it. I'm sure I'll revisit this one. 3.5

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

2/5

I watched "Whiplash," so I know how insane these people are. I'm glad someone out there is doing this kind of thing, but I don't want to have to listen to it. I read another review which said this is music for masochists. I agree, but, well, I'm no masochist. I like to enjoy my music as well as be challenged by it. This is the kind of jazz that makes me feel stupid for not liking it. Like I'm too much of a rube to appreciate it. Well, fuck you, free jazz! If you're so great, then why are you so terrible?! Two stars for technical merit only.

Out of Step

Minor Threat

1/5

Was this technically good music and singing? No. But did I personally enjoy it? Also no. It's hard to know how to approach music, like this type of punk, that absolutely isn't trying to be "good" in any traditional sense. Maybe they achieved exactly what they wanted to with this album. As I listened, I tried to find something that I could grab a hold of, to appreciate. It was very challenging. I didn't find it very engaging, personally, and it was repetitive, loud, sweary, and the singer sometimes sounded like Sam Kinison. I guess the main point of it is to serve as emotional expression, and I imagine that this sort of thing could be really useful to some people in certain situations, but it just wasn't for me. Now the question of how many stars to give it. I was wavering between one and two, so I'll split the difference and go with one and a half. But I round down, bitch!

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

4/5

Dense, yet sprawling. Claustrophobic. A lot of a lot going on. Heavy. A feeling of sinking. Redemption is still possible.

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

I've been a long time casual fan of Bossa Nova, and you can't go wrong with Stan Getz and Charlie Bird. There's no smoke and mirrors here, just simple excellent musicianship with interest, fluidity, and warmth. Bossa Nova kind of became the cliche elevator music or hold music in (US) popular culture, but this does make for a really nice background soundtrack for those pleasant and mellow vibes, and I don't think that's a bad thing.

Kala

M.I.A.

4/5

I enjoyed this. I'd heard most of this album before, but not in a long while. I feel like this sonically captures the essence of modern youth culture of London, where South Asians, West Indians, Africans and more all grow up together. It's a well-produced, creative blend of kaleidoscopic global influences, but the rapping delivery reminds me of a yobbish teenager writing lyrics in a notebook and performing it for her mates after school, which helps keeps it feeling more immediate and not overly slick.

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

4/5

I love Q-Tip's voice--it's so distinctive...brainy and chill--as well as his signature flow. It has such a quirky yet calming, hypnotic quality, and so it went with this album. Sort of an updated old school vibe.

The Rise & Fall

Madness

4/5

I was new to most of the material here, and while I feel like it was less Ska-flavored than I was expecting for a 2 Tone artist, it was still pretty enjoyable. As cliché as it is, the highlight for me was still "Our House." The energy of that intro can't be denied, and even though I've heard it a gazillion times, it's still a banger. This band was far, far bigger in the UK than they became in the us, and it was nice to have an opportunity for me to hear more from them.

Debut

Björk

5/5

This beautiful weirdo. Iceland's own manic pixie dream girl. I was enthralled when this came out; it was so unlike anything else going on at the time. I think my very first Amazon purchase was Gling-Gló, her jazz album with an Icelandic jazz trio; I had worn out Debut and I needed moar! I have a nice memory of going to the Matisse exhibit with my high school art class and listening to this album on my Discman as I walked through the museum, instead of the audio tour headphones they handed out to us. Some of the housey elements do seem of their era, but overall, this album still holds up and remains special to me.

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

This is my first time listening through this whole album, but I'm familiar with a handful of songs here. If you looked up "Dad Rock" in the dictionary, there'd be a picture of this album, provided the dad in question was an American Boomer. I always thought it was funny that the title track is held up as a song of unwavering patriotism when the lyrics are actually kind of cynical, talking about getting in trouble in his hometown, so having to get shipped to Vietnam to shoot Asians, and not being able to find work when he returned. It's in a category of misunderstood songs, with "Little Pink Houses" and "In the Air Tonight" where people didn't make it past the title. Some of these songs sounded like they were sung through a megaphone--some vocal dynamics might have improved them. Several of the songs I like, and I was already familiar with all of those: Cover Me, which sounds somehow vaguely ska/reggae, Glory Days, a megaphone song, but saved by familiarity, Dancing in the Dark (Courtney Cox!). There's a song I truly love, I'm On Fire, perfectly capturing that moody Roy Orbison plaintive longing. My only quibble is the oxymoronic lyric about the knife that was "edgy and dull." Anyway, most of these songs I could take or leave, but 4 good and 1 great is not too shabby.

Shaka Zulu

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

4/5

I want a Lifesaver real bad. No instruments, but who needs instruments when you have voices like this? Brrrrrrrrrrrt!

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

4/5

A down tempo, emotional PSB album for gazing out a rain-streaked window, perhaps, or for feeling the weight of the changing season's gloom when the accursed sun begins setting at five fucking thirty. Still electronic and clever, but pensive and less dancey.

The Modern Dance

Pere Ubu

2/5

I'd never heard of this artist before and based on the name, I was guessing it was an older African guy, lol (Père being the French word for father). How wrong I was! Like thinking you're about to drink water, but it's actually flat Sprite. This was pretty unhinged and felt quite experimental. I appreciate that they felt free to explore and take risks, and there were many cool and interesting moments, but the vocals often impeded my enjoyment. I'll give it a 2.5.

L.A. Woman

The Doors

5/5

Several quintessential Doors songs here, but the ones I'm less familiar with are just as solid, as Jim and the band let the spirit of blues and American myth and ethos inhabit them and transform into something creative and spiritual that flows effortlessly.

I Should Coco

Supergrass

4/5

Takes me back to highschool with the 90's Brit pop era, which I was a casual fan of much of. Though cheeky and energetic, Supergrass didn't seem to get a huge foothold in the American market (aside from the ever-catchy "Alright") and that's too bad, but I think they helped shape a certain type of sound that exploded a few years later.

Odelay

Beck

4/5

It would be fun to write a song like Beck. *hits blunt* *Drum machine and dial-up modem sounds begin* Slipshod ragamuffin tumbleweed Buckshot toilet paper killer bees Defcon one inside mi cabeza Por favor güey, leggo my Eggo *Theremin solo* This irreverent Mad-Libs style of lyrics doesn't bother me from Beck, though it might from someone else. On his early albums, it quickly became established that this was basically his whole deal. Don't look to this album for lyrical insights. But this is still a fun album that pulls from a lot of different sources to end up with something pretty inventive and cool.

Medúlla

Björk

4/5

I appreciate the vision and creativity of this album and what she was reaching for, creating these soundscapes purely with human voices. Just the audacity of the attempt is refreshing and worth a lot. Having said that, it's often a challenging album, especially compared to some of her previous works. The song structures are so...unstructured or, I don't know, symphonic at times? There was even a moment where a song began and all of these voices started layering in and it reminded me so much of an orchestra warming up before a performance. And I think most listeners are really not used to listening to symphonic music these days, so this is an album that might demand more from the listener. It really requires you to take the time and space to engage with it. I also find a lot of its themes to be rather somber. For these reasons, I don't enjoy it as much as some of her other works, even though I have big respect for it as art.

Sweetheart Of The Rodeo

The Byrds

3/5

When I saw "the Byrds" I really didn't expect anything like this, although the title tried to tell me. I'm not super into most country, but this was pretty good for what it is, I guess. 3.5

Rio

Duran Duran

5/5

This album comes to me in a gray suit with the sleeves pushed up and seduces me away to frolic on its yacht in Saint-Tropez while paparazzi snap pics of us from a helicopter. Duran Duran captured all the glamour, energy and biggness of the 80’s right from the intro to the title track, with its syncopated synth, busy, funky bass line, and sultry saxophone overlaid with growling and roaring at the climax. What a rush! I was struck by “New Religion,” how much it reminded me of RHCP–that bass! The album is consistently strong, but the other two classics here are “Hungry Like the Wolf” and “Save a Prayer.” I'll just take this moment to put it out in the universe somewhere how much I love “Save a Prayer.” I just can't get enough of this song; it thrills and mesmerizes me still, though I have heard it loads of times. This is one of those kinds of songs that, as I've learned over the years, is like catnip to me. Moody, minor keys, sort of mysterious, sensual, melodic but with a little dissonance, rhythmic and grounded with that bass. Sometimes I mention songs like these and Joel will say, “Oh yeah, Chino covered that.” So apparently Chino Moreno shares this specific taste. He should cover “Save a Prayer!”

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

4/5

This was a nice album to explore. I do remember hearing Pink Moon on that car commercial which has apparently been etched into my memory despite being aired so long ago...but nothing else from him. His soft voice is warm and comforting like being wrapped in your grandma's quilt after coming in from the cold. A lot of artists were probably influenced by him.

Peter Gabriel

3/5

There have been several albums lately that have had a moment where there's a slide whistle or similar, like "Excuse Me" on this album, and it kills me every time. I can't believe so many artists threw a slide whistle onto their tracks. This album is really varied, and often pretty quirky, but like a basic bitch, my favorite here is predictably "Solsbury Hill." 3.5

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Big, romantic, shooting for the stars with every track. There’s a heavy dose of homage to '50s and early '60s rock and roll, with wall-of-sound production, some doo-wop flair, and that teenage yearning. The E Street Band is in full force here, energetic and totally committed, complete with a soulful saxophone and a twinkly glockenspiel. What really stands out is how Springsteen takes everyday people and casts them in these sweeping, cinematic epics. It reminds me a bit of Billy Joel’s “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” with regular folks turned into legends of their own little tragedies and triumphs. For all their differences, both artists channel the spirit of their generation and are full of nostalgia, grit, and big-hearted storytelling. And both have what strike!as very Northeastern energy (New Jersey and New York) which carries into their work giving it a distinct sense of place. The title track is a classic. I didn't connect with everything here, but Springsteen is wearing his heart on his sleeve and is taking big swings. 3.5

Music Has The Right To Children

Boards of Canada

3/5

Reminds me of when I was a kid, spending the night with my grandparents and had to share a room with my little sister. I would tune the clock radio in our room to album 88, he college station, to listen to while I fell asleep, and I guess this is the sort of music that they had programmed for late Friday nights. There was a lot of stuff similar to this, ambient soundscapes, often surreal or eerie, like you are walking down a foggy alleyway at night, shadows creeping across the walls, then our of nowhere a synthesizer comes tumbling down a flight of stairs. My little sister found it really creepy and hated it lol. I can appreciate this sort of hazy impressionist low-fi. I would have appreciated a bit more song structure or variety on this album, maybe something a bit more dynamic, because it did seem a bit repetitive at times, but maybe that's just the nature of ambient music like this. I did enjoy the concept of the incorporated found recordings and the way it all evoked nostalgia, like wandering around a thrift store, sifting through a box of memorabilia, or watching home movies on Super 8...distant memories receding away.

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

4/5

This just clicks for me, the vibe and energy. In fact, it seems almost entirely compromised of vibes and energy, but it feels so unplanned and from the gut that there's something infectiously exhilarating in it.

Different Class

Pulp

4/5

I remember reading a short review of this album when it first came out, but I never listened to it until now, although I did know "Common People." Nevertheless, this album sounded basically exactly like I was expecting it to. Extremely British in musical and lyrical references as well as subject matter, it's not that surprising that this album never made us splash in the US. I think it's a huge cultural touchstone in the UK, though--another point of cultural differentiation that this list has shown me. As the album's title suggests, a lot of the themes surround class differences, which don't exist exactly in the same way or to the same extent in the US as they do in the UK. The first few songs give us a definitely anthem for the working class, a portrait of a posh girl trying to slum it, and a revenge fantasy by way of adultery with a rich man's wife. The songs are sprawling with a sometimes epic quality (the Kinks - Arthur), the lyrics are wordy and clever (Morrissey), delivered in a warbled or hushed croon (Bowie). This is an album where, for me, the music takes a bit of a back seat to the lyrics and vocals. On the first listen, I felt like I could take it or leave it, but on subsequent listens where I focused on the lyrics more, I felt the album growing on me. I can see why it helped usher in the Britpop era of the '90s. 3.5

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

4/5

Eclectic, energetic, fun, party music. Strikes a balance between creative and slick.

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

4/5

Jack White is such a student of all the Americana-adjacent genres, like blues, country, gospel, and those elements are here, but the great thing is that the reverence doesn't restrain his creativity. He can travel in these well-trod spaces but still bring out new dimensions. For instance, The Nurse pricked up my ears with that unusual marimba (I'm a lover of retro Exotica like that of Martin Denny and Les Baxter), but then those oddly timed crunches came in and made me feel like I was taking crazy pills. All in all I found this offering varied, engaging, and solid.

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

4/5

I'm here for this '80s Mom-Rock! Yes, it definitely sounds of its time, but what can I say, I love the 80s, cheese and all. And especially with Tina Turner, a great singer and all around performer. Her voice is so warm but world-weary, and she brings so much depth of feeling to these songs about triumph over bad times in love. Glad she went on to have a happy ending IRL. RIP!

Dire Straits

4/5

A pleasant listen. Dad rock. Mature, thoughtful, capable. Always loved Sultans of Swing; still a great song.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

This is not my favorite Cure album, but it helps set the stage for what is to come later with this band and others: dark, chilly post-punk attitude set within watercolor washes of moody texture, for when you want to cry but also maybe dance. "A Forest" is the classic stand out here (I could listen to it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and).

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

5/5

A solid album from beginning to end, this was in heavy rotation for me back in the day, being a fan of this sort of 60s sound. In retrospect, it's pretty sad to hear so many lyrics about drinking and crying on the kitchen floor. Hope she's at peace now.

LP1

FKA twigs

3/5

I went on a huge journey of feelings with this album. The first track, I'm just trying to suss out the lay of the land. What is this? Kind of weird. Pretty abstract. Second song, Lights On, I'm still trying to work out what I'm dealing with. Kind of sounding more r&b? The lyrics are talking about doing it with the lights on, so okay...it's like some kind of artsy slow jam? But it was the third track that brought the epiphany. I've heard this song before, but where? Oh, yes! That Burberry perfume commercial starring Adam Driver swimming with a horse. Who the hell could ever forget that!? I focus on the lyrics, which are both poetically hazy and straightforward in their mix of sex and drug imagery as she tries to convince someone to dump their girl and get with her instead. The next song, Hours, continues in this vein, with stripped down beats providing the backing for more sexual imagery. But like, a very specific type of sexual imagery. A drug-fueled sex fog to numb out in for "hours." It was at this point that I started to feel like I was in some kind of a horror movie, the part where you look around and notice a sinister element to everything surrounding you. The album continued with this theme for its entirety. I said before that I don't watch horror films. I don't need to seek out such material: my own anxiety and vivid imagination do a fine enough job for me. So I was getting a lot of imagery from this album and the imagery was mostly unsettling: a girl who passes out at a party then wakes up with a strange man on top of her, but she can't see his face in the black light. A porcelain doll that comes to life in the night. A drugged up succubus. A dissociating party girl. But also an angelic choir boy. There was extensive use of falsetto. The vocals were fragile, breathy, airy, like a chirping songbird or a trilling piccolo. Every yelp, moan, coo, and sigh in my ear painted a picture of feminine vulnerability and intimacy. It was sexy baby-voice layered over foreboding horror music. It was exploring the line between female vocalizations of pleasure and distress. For all its eerieness, it was produced well and was as intriguing as it was off-putting. It was distinctive and made me feel some type of way, after having heard several other albums here where I didn't have much to say about them, so I can appreciate the artistry in that. Having said all of that, I'm not sure what to rate this album. Probably a three or four on the basis of it being so different to other stuff I've heard and seeming to have a clear artistic vision. I'm actually curious if her later work is similar to this or if she branches out thematically and vocally.

Bad

Michael Jackson

4/5

Not much I can say about this other than it was era-defining pop music for good reason. It's chock full of hits, and although I can't possibly listen to it with fresh ears today, for me, it still holds up. I give it four shamones and a hee-hee.

The Cars

3/5

I don't love every song here, in fact Let The Good Times Roll has always been annoying to me and I feel disappointed when I randomly hear it on the radio (the one song by them I feel that way about). But I like this band a lot. They seem to have a lot of reverence to music from the 50s, and they have perfected that short and sweet melodic pop song format, bringing it into a new era. They certainly had their own distinct sound going for the late 70s and early 80s. A song I really love by them is Drive, and looking that up I realize that probably every album of theirs has a few songs I really enjoy, including this one. Solid. 3.5

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

4/5

Everything that makes Queen great is on full display here.

Melodrama

Lorde

3/5

I've never heard anything from her except for Royals, but this one grew on me as I progressed through it. I was initially put off by her vocal style, which I'm not sure I can describe, but it's a certain type of singing that seems to have been trendy among her cohort for a while. And I was like, "Why does she have American YouTuber voice," or whatever we're going to call it, "she's Kiwi!" It struck me as self-conscious and trying to hard to fit an artsy, quirky aesthetic. But as the album went on, I was struck by the intelligence and maturity in the lyrics. I remembered that she was really young when she first got famous, so I looked up her age when this came out--still pretty young. Maybe there was real substance here after all. By the end of the album I found myself invested and enjoying it. I look forward to checking out her other stuff to see how she evolves. 3.5

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

4/5

This album feels loose and experimental, but at times it's simply transcendent, like he's channeling something cosmic that he absorbs from the universe and pushes out of his amp. He really seemed "one" with his music. He took old blues and alchemy'd it into something that would change rock 'n' roll forever. Shout-out to Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell for their contributions to the sound, too.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

I enjoy the big band sound, impressive and cool to hear live. The live format with the emcee and Ellington speaking between numbers made the listening experience a little disjointed, but the talking was somewhat interesting from an historical perspective. It was cool to hear Ellington speak, as all I knew of his voice before this came from Jordan Peele's impersonation on Big Mouth lol

Blunderbuss

Jack White

4/5

Solid and enjoyable solo debut from Jack White, continuing what he became known for in the White Stripes: blending his influences from various American genres and serving up something both familiar yet innovative, old-timey yet modern, authentically and without pretentions.

Stand!

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

Powerful and influential funk!

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

2/5

The intro to the first song got me excited and I thought I'd come across something I was really going to be into, but then that feeling quickly fizzled. It's very theatrical. Don't love the voice. All told, not the worst, but not for me. 2.5

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

5/5

Solid album in every aspect, even down to the iconic cover art. So specific to its time and place, yet timeless. A perfect manifesto and introduction from Snoop and Dr. Dre.

Violent Femmes

5/5

I listened to this a lot in Middle School. I adored the goofy irreverence mixed with earnest emotionality, which perfectly sums up adolescence for a lot of us. I was surprised when I learned the year this album came out because it seemed so 90s to me at the time. It felt like it was recorded off the cuff and like it could veer off the rails any second, and the vocal delivery was so wordy and talky that I knew Gordon Gano must be a Gemini. This remains an odd little gem.

White Light

Gene Clark

3/5

Super mellow and smooth. In the vein of James Taylor. The perfect thing to listen to on this overcast day as my 4-year old naps in the van on the way home.

Fred Neil

2/5

I wasn’t really a fan of this one. It didn’t feel like it brought anything especially new or exciting to the music of that era—just kind of blended into the background for me. His vocals didn’t really land either; they lacked the kind of presence or emotional pull that might’ve made up for the otherwise unremarkable arrangements. That said, the final track surprised me; it felt like a blend of Appalachian and Indian music, which I didn’t expect at all.

Mothership Connection

Parliament

5/5

"Ain't nothin' but a party, y'all." And I'm a sucker for a good party band. This album funk'd me up. I've heard a few of these songs before, but not the entire album--a rediscovered treasure for me. I listen to this at the gym. I started off with Gene Clark, and apologies to Gene, but I don't like to work out and I really need my gym music to bring the dopamine. This album did the trick and made me smile a lot. It was fun recognizing the moments that 90's artists referenced.

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

Like everyone else, I always dismissed ABBA as pop fluff, fun enough, but not to be taken seriously. Then one day I took Joel to see Mamma Mia musical, and damned if I wasn't still singing those songs hours later, songs I had never heard before that night. My respect and fondness for the group has grown over the years. Some of my favorite songs are not on this album, but there are still several classics here.

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

3/5

This was certainly jazz. 3.5

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

3/5

Frank's silky smooth croon is front and center here, supported by orchestral arrangements sometimes cool and jazzy and sometimes lush and sweeping. The album truly does evoke a late night feeling, sitting up in the dark with a cigarette, wondering where it all went wrong, or debating whether to dial up the 1950's version of a booty call.

Synchronicity

The Police

4/5

I feel like the second half is stronger than the first, but all in all a solid offering.

American Beauty

Grateful Dead

3/5

As I listened to this, I thought of the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which extolls the virtues of and finds beauty and merit in that which is imperfect, broken, and worn. Because every element of this album seemed imperfect somehow, with flaws (for lack of a better term) that jumped out at me in vocal delivery, instrument playing, and production technique. Now I can sometimes find overly produced music off-putting, but ideally there's a sweet spot between competency and feeling natural. I feel like this weird more towards the "feeling natural" side of the spectrum because there was just something about it that seemed a little less polished, and it was almost becoming distracting but I decided that this was "vibes music" and so I should just focus on the vibes. I feel like they're similar to the Rolling Stones in that they just get together and have fun playing and don't aim for precision, so that's nice for them, I guess. The songs were pleasant enough but there was nothing that felt super groundbreaking or timeless, so it's a solid 3 for me.

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

Me gusto. Karen O's voice reminds me of Dale Bozzio.

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

3/5

I can't help but be impressed by this balls to the wall album. It seems ahead of its time for 1970, and I'm curious to hear what their earlier stuff sounded like. Great drumming. I enjoyed the wah-wah interlude on "Flight of the Rat" among many various other cool moments. 3.5

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

4/5

This album really has a specific nostalgic mood to it, and I enjoyed getting immersed in it, probably because I have long disliked the suburbs, and I can really identify with the feeling of being a teenager in such a boring dystopia. Sprawl II is my favorite song on this album, and my favorite by the band in general, I guess. Probably because I also had the experience of having the cops shoo me away while I was in a park trying to kiss Joel in the dark ("Campus is cloooosed, folks."). Yeah, the suburbs blow. In the city, cops would have bigger problems to deal with, and in the country, you could more easily find solitude. I got some Springsteen vibes from this album. I liked a lot of the songs, but I probably the first half and then the ending tracks the most. I've never listened to this band much, but I've seen them perform on SNL several times, and all 27 members seem like they are always having a lot of fun. I like to see Régine play the hurdy-gurdy in her fingerless lace gloves.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

3/5

I'm generally a big fan of 80's synth pop, but this album served as father for contemplation about why I enjoy some of it and don't others. Had never heard of these guys before and I feel like it doesn't stand shoulder to shoulder with some of my favorites from this genre. It a'ight.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

5/5

The vibe of this album reminded me of those songs from old Disney movies with the chorus of session singers - - I guess coming out of the same era there are certain common hallmarks of the songwriting, arrangement or production, and it's all delivered in Mary's warm, rich baritone croon. The effect is that even when Marty is singing about putting notches on a pistol, casually taking a bullet to the chest, or describing the charms of Mexican women, everything sounds sort of smooth and sanitized and jaunty to my modern ears, which is kind of amusing. This album delivered exactly what the title promised: musical storytelling about the Old West. Everything here was perfectly executed, and I can't find fault with any aspect of this album, which clearly comes from that era when musicians had to have overt raw talent and ability. I just want to know what Felina did to be continually called wicked. God forbid a girl have dark eyes and dance in cantinas! 💃

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

3/5

I like this. I've heard Bang a Gong, of course, but I also recently heard Cosmic Dancer on a commercial (why am I getting introduced to music primarily via commercials now? 😭), and it caught my attention enough to look up who it was, so I was happy to encounter it again tonight. Something about that song pulls me in. I like the lyrics: "I danced myself right out the womb... I danced myself into the tomb." I got hints of Bowie, Weird Beatles, and I could see the roots of later Britpop in the cool, unruffled vibe. 3.5

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

5/5

For me, this perfectly exemplifies what the blues is. I know that the blues can differ from this in a lot of different ways and still be blues, but this album is something I would show someone who had no idea what the blues was, to introduce the genre. I've enjoyed many a night out listening to live blues, but I almost never think of listening to blues when I want to put music on. I feel like in a lot of ways, the blues is best experienced live, in a dingy little hole in the wall late at night, preferably while drunk, sweaty, and dancing with some poor soul who is as unattractive, miserable, and desperate--but horny--as you are. The blues, as seen here, can take such basic riffs and lyrics, and such a simple template, and riff and expand it and make something so full and enveloping. It can be really impressive with its soulful virtuosity, but it never gets too highfalutin for its own good. The blues is quintessentially bawdy and swaggering, earthy and lowbrow, in a good way. His voice and phrasing here reminded me of Jimi Hendrix, and I was again reminded of how despite being thought of as a rock god, Jimi was really just a kid who came up among these old blues men. I had heard the classic "Mannish Boy" before but never knew it was called that. The title makes me smile as I think of my own almost 5-year-old mannish boy. Many of the lyrics made me smile for its intentional or unintentional humor, like this one: All you little girls, sittin' out at that line I can make love to you, woman In five minutes time Who's gonna tell him? Sir, that ain't no flex! haha

Dare!

The Human League

3/5

I guess my favorite song here was, unsurprisingly, Don't You Want Me. It had more energy than the others, and I really don't think I liked it the most just because it's the only one here I'd heard before--dozens of times throughout my life. That song led me to think that there was always a male and female singer in this band, but I think it was only this song that featured the female vocalist here. This album was pure synthetastic '80s, but it felt very straightforward and controlled, sometimes dare(!) I say, flat? cold? but not without its merits.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

5/5

I have long loved this album. It's got some of my all-time favorite Christmas songs, capturing the brightness and festivity of the season. It's a shame Phil Spector was such a horrible person despite his genius at producing--I can't help but think of that when I see this album, but I try to focus instead on all of the brilliant performances by the artists.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

Unfamiliar songs from a band I've heard a lot from. I knew nothing about this album, but I could immediately tell this was at least late 60’s if not later. Reminded me of many other bubblegum-hippy offerings of the era (ex. Mamas and Papas, Cowsills) but got a little more loose and jazzy as the album progressed. But it didn't seem to have that quintessential Beach Boys feel. I later read Brian Wilson wasn't very involved in production, so maybe that's the reason for the change in sound and vibe. I really like the album cover.

Live!

Fela Kuti

3/5

Lively, jazzy, rockin' Afro-funk. 3.5

Stardust

Willie Nelson

3/5

This is a collection of old standards, Johnny Mercer type songs, covered in a fairly straightforward way by Willie Nelson, with respectful yet slightly country-fied arrangements. The vibe is smooth and calm, the perfect accompaniment for pleasant, chill moments at home. I generally like Willy's playing, honest way of singing, but for me there were a few times on this album that I couldn't help but compare his version to an older version I was more familiar with, especially with Unchained Melody and Georgia On My Mind. The Righteous Brothers and Ray Charles did such iconic versions of those, that, to me, it's almost like setting yourself up to fail by comparison, like those kids that go on American Idol and audition with a Whitney Houston song. I wasn't as distracted for the songs I didn't have as strong of an association with a previous version.

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

4/5

A lot of more abstract jazz is hard for me to get my arms around. It can seem impressive and interesting, but it's about as fun to listen to as doing trigonometry. This album walked that line at times but was usually rooted in something, maybe a funky groove like that in "Inner Crisis, " that helped hold things together for me.

Elephant

The White Stripes

4/5

Some classic tracks here. I never got super into the White Stripes/Jack White other than what filtered out to me through radio play, but this project is giving me a chance to listen to a lot from them, and I am becoming more and more of a fan. Their stripped down raucous sound is on full display here.

Slayed?

Slade

2/5

Some of this album, I couldn't wait for the song to be over; the vocals in particular could be grating at times. Still, there were other moments that weren't so bad, although nothing surprised me or blew me away or made me ponder. Some of it sounded like they were definitely going for a Led Zeppelin sound, but then it seemed like this band is also a bridge to those '80s LA hair bands, which I generally don't like and find to be corny. All in all, this one didn't do too much for me. 2.5

The Yes Album

Yes

3/5

Sprawling prog. Virtuosic musicianship. This is music that really needs to be listened to on a good system with full attention to fully appreciate. It feels cerebral. It was a little hard to connect to on a core level for me. There's no booty.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

What an album! This is exactly the type of album that is a good fit for this project for me, because believe it or not, I never actually sat down and listened to this as an album, front to back. This project gives me the push to do just that, long overdue. Granted, just about every song here was a single, so I've heard at least 80% of it many times before, but there were a few songs here I had never heard before, or at least don't remember having heard before. And also, I think there is something to be said about listening to a song and it's original context. For instance, I had no idea that human nature was from this album. The fact that so many absolute bangers are all together in one album is so impressive. Listening to them all back to back, I couldn't help but be awed by what was accomplished here. I was contemplating how much of these tracks' success was down to Michael and how much was down to Quincy, not to mention all the other talented musicians involved (including Paul McCartney and Eddie Van Halen?!). I think in the end I can only conclude that the combination of Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones was magic. Quincy Jones was a genius at composing and producing, and Michael was a genius at performing--how awesome that they collaborated so much. These songs still hit hard. I listened to this in the gym, and when "Beat It" came on, it gave me renewed energy to attack my nemesis, the lateral shoulder machine. Despite having heard this song so many times before (and also Weird Al's "Eat It" lol), it was just pure dopamine, as I was the star in my very own '80s movie exercise montage. All-time classic!

Henry's Dream

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

3/5

Will appeal to theater kids, especially if they're also into stuff like taxidermy and carnival freak shows and true crime. Wordy narrative melodrama delivered in a baritone both growly and crooning, with lush, emotive musical backing. It's not exactly my thing, but it isn't bad. 3.5

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

3/5

Folk-y music with a country twang, kind of reminiscent of Bob Dylan, especially when the harmonica breaks out. Not the kind of music I'm super into, but not bad. Some of the first music I ever knew were folk songs, those classics we all learned in school, so maybe the ubiquitousness of folk music and the way it's sort of a baseline for everything else makes me take it for granted as a genre. "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" was kind of repetitive, but it was probably my favorite song here for the harmonies, the sweet nostalgia and humor, and, well, the minor key. 3.5

Honky Tonk Heroes

Waylon Jennings

3/5

I didn't mind this. It was easy to listen to and didn't have a lot of the corniness that older country sometimes has. The vocals were smooth and natural and the lyrics were often clever in that way that country song writing tends to be ("The devil made me do it the first time; the second time I done it on my own"). 3.5

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

5/5

Love Nina Simone and was glad for the push to discover more from her. Her voice is like a force of nature and while it's technically impressive, the thing that really gets me is that she's so incredibly emotionally expressive; at times she seems like a conduit to transport all of these themes of the human experience right into the listener via her singing and playing, conveying these big themes with so much nuance and power. I feel like she must have been emotionally tired after a performance, but the audience was certainly enriched. There's a real gravitas and intelligence that carries through this album.

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

4/5

I got this after seeing the captivating video for Closer. I had to have it, and I run-don't-walk’d to get it. I was 12 when this album came out, which is so weird to think about. I remember playing it through for the first time on my bedroom stereo, being jarred on the first track's into by the asynchronous thumps sounding like someone punching a wall or using a nail gun. But I was fascinated, and even though the material was sort of difficult for me to engage with, I remember feeling sort of determined to figure out a way to like it. This wasn't one I wore out, although I developed an appreciation for it, which remains.

I’m a Lonesome Fugitive

Merle Haggard

3/5

Props to Merle for writing his own songs. He's an outlaw country guy, and sure enough the songs are about prison and such, but compared to some of the others I've heard in this genre, something about these songs are really clean, the arrangements are kind of predictable and perfectly executed, like songs from an old Disney film. It comes off incongruous and a bit hokey given the subjects of the songs. I think a lot of it is due to the simple bass lines (boomp..bomp..boomp..bomp), but I guess that was typical of honkey tonk in the 60s. The songs here get in and get out, though, so that's a plus.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

3/5

I'll be honest. I listened to this album for this project sometime ago and made the mistake of not reviewing it right away. Days passed, then weeks. I saw it here on my list with no review but the thing is, I cannot summon any memory of this album in order to describe it. As I recall, it was neither offensive to my ears nor memorably pleasing. It was just sort of there. Good enough. Satisfactory. Perfunctory, like these listening notes I'm writing now. I could go back and give it another listen to jog my memory, but I've got a backlog of like 80 albums at this point, so ain't nobody got time for that.

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Is this project making Nick Cave grow on me? I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. The music is really solid. He sounded less theatrical and lurid (?) than he did on Henry's Dream, but those elements are still present. The storytelling and the drama and his crooning delivery give the feeling of show tunes.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

I think I'm going to break down and use one of my precious five-stars on this one, because it meets my criteria of the album being solid from front to back. (I like how I'm pretending that my rating scale is coherent or logical in any way.) This album doesn't "speak" directly to me, per se. It really feels like it belongs to a generation above mine; Brenda and Eddie are clearly Boomers. The whole album makes me imagine striving or well off yuppie types in the 70s, shipping at Paramus, the bridge and tunnel crowd going into Manhattan for fun at the clubs on the weekends, doing some coke, but still having their shit together enough to be on track for making partner at the firm. I can't personally relate to any of that, yet I can still appreciate the album. It's very solid all around. I knew almost every song here, except for maybe two or three, and even those, I liked them upon hearing them. I had never stopped to listen to the lyrics of "Only the Good Die Young" before, and I was quite surprised to hear what the song was about. I'm not Catholic, but I was thinking, "Wait, aren't those confirmation kids like nine?" Cut to me concern-googling, "what age is typical for confirmation" and being relieved that it could possibly go up to 16 years old. Phew, Virginia is safe.

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

4/5

One of my earlier core memories is being in Kindergarten, 1986-7, and a kid talking about the Beastie Boys and how their brother liked them, and me being confused and saying, "Do you mean the Beach Boys?" I was the oldest kid in my family, so I didn't have that boost that y'all kids with older siblings got. This album takes us back to the '80s, a time of porno mags, Spanish Fly and...Abe Vigoda? The Beastie Boys were in their early twenties when this came out, but all the themes and lyrics are very adolescent. You can hear the pimples. All the juvenile braggadociousness, talking about, "I had a gun 🫢😏" and listing all the people they shot...like, sit all the way down, your goofy ass could never! Or basically singing about wanting a girl to be their bangmaid in "Girls." But I won't front like I didn't enjoy this foolishness. I was (?) also immature, so nothing seemed amiss! I didn't need to dissect it, just let it entertain me. This is when rap (and society?) didn't take itself so seriously, for better or for worse. Yet the production was still on point and helped push things sonically in a good direction. I had a lot of fun listening to it today. 4.5

Immigrés

Youssou N'Dour

3/5

I don't speak Wolof and I know next to nothing about Senegalese culture or music, so I'm evaluating this with pretty much zero context. But taking it at face value, I can say I enjoyed listening to it, precisely because it is different from the usual music I'm exposed to. There's a whole world of music out there, all with their own traditions and innovations, and it's fun to travel the globe through my headphones. On this album, the rhythms are captivating and energetic, and the vocals remind me a little bit of that melismatic vocal style of Middle Eastern/North African music, expressive even though I don't understand the language.

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

4/5

"Yeah, muthafucka, this is Stefanie..." I've obviously heard a lot of songs on this album, but this project was the first time I'd sat down and listened to the whole thing front to back. I hadn't really listened to anything from him in a long time, so I was struck by the grittiness, listening to it all straight through. The '90s was such an era for this sort of dark humor and unflinching portrayal of life's lows; this album was able to plunge me into a world that's so different from my own. There was also a surprising thread of sadness throughout the album, with emotionally honest references to low self-esteem and suicidal ideation. The production had that East Coast 90’s feel that’s heavy yet smooth, and the raw storytelling and flow was unmatched. A powerful debut.

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

4/5

I didn't know what to expect going into this, but I liked it a lot! It's like it pulled together a lot of my favorite music and put it in a blender. Vocals are the weak link for me, but not so bad for punk, I suppose.

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

3/5

I always loved Talking Heads, but to sit down and try to critically listen to this album made me feel like, "Are these guys even good?"I guess not in the classical sense, but I'm sure that wasn't the aim anyway. It's an oddball band for sure, and that's probably what I like most about them. Somehow the whole becomes greater than the sum of its various parts. On this album, I think Tina's buoyant basslines were the ingredient that stood out to me the most. 3.79 stars.

2112

Rush

3/5

I'm not that familiar with Rush beyond their well known hits, but I was glad for the opportunity here to explore them more. I enjoyed this more than I thought I would; I appreciate all the interesting moments and expert execution throughout. 3.5

Hot Fuss

The Killers

3/5

This is one of those albums that’s solid, occasionally catchy, but doesn’t totally blow me away. It’s got a polished, synthy indie-rock sound that was definitely of its time, but outside of the big singles, a lot of it sort of blends together for me. The singer has a distinct voice, but depending on the song, it either works or starts to grate a little. Overall, it’s a decent listen and fun in spots. 3.5

Close To The Edge

Yes

3/5

I ended up listening to the much longer remastered version of this album by mistake. I feel like this album demands more of me than I can give to it. It's so dense that it begs to be explored with full attention, and that's hard for me to muster these days. Mom's be multitasking. But I feel like with subsequent lessons I would be finding cool new things each time. Compared to the last album, “The Yes Album,” this one had more funky grooves (at moments). You can't exactly dance to it with all the weird time changes, but I appreciated how it balances its high-minded prog ambitions with some earthy, kinetic playing, just delivered with English art-rock precision instead of for the dancefloor. 3.5

Pink Flag

Wire

4/5

This was a happy discovery today. While this album didn't speak to me on a deep level or anything like that, for a punk album, I enjoyed it quite a bit. There was a good bit of melody mixed in with the chaos and distortion, which helped the time fly by. One drawback for me is that the runtime on individual tracks could be so short that the song sometimes felt unfinished, giving the album a disjointed feel. There were certain songs where I really would have appreciated them being longer and more developed. It's rare that I wish a song was longer. I can't say that I understood much of anything that was being sung on this album, between their accents, their delivery, and the aforementioned distortion. And I was driving while I listened to it so I couldn't follow along with the lyrics. But the music itself was compelling enough to keep my interest, and I would listen to these guys again. I definitely heard their influence in some later stuff, especially "Three Girl Rhumba" in that Elastica song.

Moondance

Van Morrison

3/5

I don't know how to feel about this. The title song, Moondance, I was familiar with, but I never knew who sang it. Surprisingly the entire album is similar in tone to that, so I'll use that as an example to talk about the album. I don't know if he's being truly earnest with this music, but something about it sort of verges into corniness for me, the lounge-y swing of it all...in 1970 no less, when his contemporaries were getting heavy and psychedelic. And yet it has jazz flute, which I inexplicably love. So I'm torn. It's nice enough music I guess. Kind of chill with a steady energy, never doing anything too unexpected. Kids of safe feeling.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

4/5

An intriguing mix of retro and modern vibes. Soulful, heartfelt, atmospheric. I feel like I've been taken on a journey.

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

Hmm. This was okay. It seems like there is a lot of Elvis Costello on this list. I feel like he really honed his specific style and sound, and it seems like he stayed within that. This is quite similar to the other stuff I've heard from him.

Maverick A Strike

Finley Quaye

2/5

Hmm. I'm not super knowledgeable about reggae and other types of music but there is a good bit of it that I like. More than anything, listening to this album makes me wonder if some of these other artists I'm thinking of are going to be represented on this list, and made me realize that we haven't been given a lot from this genre so far. I've never heard of this guy before, so I had no context going into the listen. I think some of the tracks were definitely better than others. On the low end of the albums scale, the songs seem sort of plodding or meandering, like he went into the studio and was just jamming or riffing. Yet I know sometimes that comes with reggae. But I also felt like lyrically and vocally I've heard better--the lyrics here were often shallow and repetitive, and just not super engaging. The obvious benchmark for reggae is Bob Marley, and Bob brings such emotional expressiveness and warmth, and the lyrics are often profound in their simplicity. I know not all reggae could be or should be similar to Bob Marley, but using that as an obvious point of comparison, I couldn't help but find this album a bit lacking. 2.5

Mama Said Knock You Out

LL Cool J

3/5

Fun listen with a lot of energy. LL Cool J is going to steal your girl. 3.5

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

5/5

Mother. This is desert island album material for me. Kate Bush walked so countless dramatic quirky-girl musicians could run. I listened to this afresh for this project, but I have heard this album many times before. And while probably most albums could benefit from multiple listenings, it really took me a while to fully come to an appreciation of this album. I first encountered Kate Bush through “Running Up That Hill” which was on an 80s compilation CD I had when I was a teenager. I loved that song and sought out the album. There were several other songs that I instantly liked from that album, from the first half. The second half of that album was so challenging to me, and it took a while for me to come around to it. But when I did, I was rewarded. During that time I'm sure I had read about Kate Bush and what she was trying to achieve with the album. I read about the concept of it, and that helped a lot with me putting it into context and appreciating it. This album tells a fictional story about a lady who crashes into the ocean and finds herself clinging to a life preserver waiting for help to come rescue her, her fighting to stay alive and her drifting thoughts and hallucinations as the hours go by. Not exactly something most people want to listen to on the drive into work. But nonetheless, I respect Kate Bush a lot as an artist and love her weirdness and flair for storytelling through pop music.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

4/5

This album could be played at a party but it could also be fodder for quiet contemplation. A lot of the messages are still relevant today. comes off as smooth and effortless, but compelling.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

4/5

I'm beginning to get the feeling that police officers are not always on the up and up. I love the hard hitting production on this. Musically it's got quite an abrasive, aggressive tone that matches the lyrical vibe. There's definitely a lot of misogyny here, as well as other themes that would go against most people's modern sensibilities, but sometimes I was finding myself chuckling despite this (or because of it, of how unexpected it is to hear these days that it surprises you into laughter?), it's just so in your face and like, damn, okay. He really just said that. Ice Cube especially has this humorous undertone despite what he is saying ("I Ain't Tha 1").

Marquee Moon

Television

3/5

I knew nothing about this band, but this was a cool listen. It was intricate with a lot of elements weaving in and out, but it had a punk spontaneity and looseness. It felt intelligent and experimental but not snobby...maybe a bit indulgent, but I was along for the ride to explore these soundscapes. The singer's voice was kinda odd but it seemed to fit for me. This doesn't seem to fall neatly within any genre, but I can hear a lot of other genres' influences. 3.5

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

3/5

The best thing about this album is Annie's voice, and it's easy to see why she had the solo career. I felt like they were trying lots of things on this album and had many interesting moments and vibes throughout, but most of these I wouldn't consider to be strong, memorable songs, save the title track, of course. Still glad to have heard it.

Led Zeppelin

4/5

I was really impressed with this for a debit album. But then Joel told me a fact I didn't know before: they were all in other bands before LZ. Makes sense because this doesn't seem like works of novices, like they knew what they wanted to do and did it. Very bluesy.

The Gershwin Songbook

Ella Fitzgerald

5/5

Wow, what an enjoyable listen! I'm not sure I've listened to much if anything from Ella Fitzgerald, but what a great voice, one that fits perfectly with the equally fantastic material on this album–a vintage time capsule but timeless all the same. I listened to the first half of this on headphones while leisurely shopping in Target, an experience I highly recommend! It made me feel like I was in a musical, and I couldn't help but have a little zing in my step as I moved down the aisles. These show tunes were cute, full of clever wordplay and slant rhymes, giving them a light-hearted air. I was thoroughly charmed, by Ella’s classy, expressive jazz delivery, and by the delightful arrangements that supported her throughout. Some of my favorites were: “Just Another Rhumba,” “The Real American Folk Song,” and “My Cousin In Milwaukee.” —-- I know that this is a really long album, over three hours’ worth. The crazier thing is that this album is just one of many like it she did as part of an even more ambitious project with other composers to sing the complete “American Songbook.” To buy this album at the time it came out would have been at considerable expense; how lucky we can access it so easily today. I did have to break the listening up into several sessions over three days, but I honestly don't think this collection should have been made any shorter. I like that there is so much material here, even though the treatment of each track is pretty much the same as the next. I could totally see myself listening to these songs again and again. They feel easy to incorporate into my daily life for an instant dose of whimsy.

S.F. Sorrow

The Pretty Things

4/5

I've never heard of these guys or this album, but I enjoyed listening to it. Sonically it felt experimental and ahead of its time, and there were some really cool moments and effects throughout. It was a trip with taking, and I'd definitely listen again.

The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway

Genesis

4/5

I grew up knowing a very different version of Genesis than this one, and it was so surprising to me when I first learned about the sort of music they were doing earlier on in the band's history. This is super theatrical and eclectic prog rock drawing from rock, funk, classical, jazz, ambient soundscapes, and baroque keyboards. No hooks or bangers here; this isn't an album with radio-friendly hits, but rather a sprawling, flowing narrative with everything and the kitchen sink thrown at it to bring it to life. It feels like they used every possible recording technique available at the time (or maybe even invented some new ones) to conjure up every mood and texture imaginable. Song structures are complex, and repeating motifs are woven throughout. The keyboard is a big focus here, with guitar and drums adding interesting elements and Peter Gabriel's vocals delivered as though he were embodying different characters on a stage. I didn't realize how long this was when I began listening to it, and it took me several days to finish. Ultimately, it's so dense that, although I made it through to the end, I didn't completely take in all there is to explore here. I would need to listen to it several more times to fully appreciate everything offered within its complexities.

#1 Record

Big Star

4/5

Apparently today, Wednesday June 25th, 2025 is Global Beatles Day, whatever that means. Maybe I was still pondering that when I listened to this album, because even though this is from the early seventies, it struck me as having more of a mid-late sixties feel to me, like they were trying to capture some of that previous era's spark of bands like the Beatles, with their jangly tones and sweet harmonies. Yet there also seemed to be a soft melancholy under the surface, reinforcing that feeling of nostalgia. I didn't find this album to be as groundbreaking as some others on this list, but it was solid, smooth, melodic pop-rock that went down easy. And hey, there's the theme song from "That 70's Show." Neat-o! 4

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

Part folk, part garage rock, with some glimpses of country, punk, and what would go on to become grunge. Starts off mostly acoustic and introspective, then cranks it up for the second half. My favorite track was the scrappy “Sedan Delivery.” I liked hearing the two different versions of “My My, Hey Hey.” I recognize the lyrics from Kurt Cobain's suicide note (“It's better to burn out than to fade away”). I was 12 when I read Kurt's suicide note. Kurt was 12 when this album came out. 3.5

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

3/5

This felt a little long and drawn out, like it could have been enough material for two different albums. The guitar work is wild in spots, especially on “Layla,” and there’s a raw, emotional edge to a lot of it, but some of the blues jams dragged for me, and Clapton’s vocals sometimes got a little repetitive. There's a lot of homage to the blues and 1950s rock and roll. The highlight for me is Layla. The piano coda from Layla is beautiful but always felt a little incongruous to me after the raucous, driving energy of the first part. It always seemed weird that it's longer than the first part of the song, and like it could have been fleshed out into its own track. It does transition nicely into the next quieter track on the album, though. Side note, I heard that this coda was actually written by Rita Coolidge, and stolen with no credit given by the drummer, her boyfriend at the time. 👎🏻 Little Wing is one of my favorite Hendrick songs if not my favorite, so it was interesting to hear this version, but it kind of lost the delicate sweetness that I love about the original.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

3/5

The perfect soundtrack to the Summer of Love, where sunny pop optimism begins to seem cliche ("So You Want to Be a Rock ’n’ Roll Star"--love the girl-screaming layered in) and gives way to Eastern-tinged psychedelic experimentation (“Mind Gardens”). ✌️ ❤️ 🙂 3.5

Time (The Revelator)

Gillian Welch

4/5

This quiet little album surprised me. I found it spare, unadorned, but effective. The songs have a hazy, meditative quality that draws you in without trying to impress. It feels honest, real, and timeless, never reaching for more than it needs. Though it was quite minimalist, it was very evocative and moody. It all seemed carefully crafted yet not fussy, and it's a big change from a lot of the '70s prog rock I've been getting in the past few days, so it was like a breath of fresh air. Overall I really enjoyed it, though the final track dragged a bit for me at 14 minutes long. Still, the album made a strong impression.

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

4/5

Political and poetic. PJ Harvey has a higher, almost keening vocal tone on this album, unlike on others I've heard from her. That along with the stark arrangements, old-world folk ballad vibes and often sorrowful tone give this album a fragile, haunted feel. Wraithcore.

Superunknown

Soundgarden

4/5

Muddy and melodic. Heavy and hypnotic. And vocals so fire it's almost idiotic.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

4/5

Clever, confident, unbothered, and wise, especially for how young they were here. I especially love Q-Tip's brainy-cool verses and vocals: sharp but with a smooth flow. I don't think I had ever heard any of these tracks before, and I found the listening experience delightful. 4.5

Smash

The Offspring

3/5

I didn't own this, yet somehow I must have heard the album before because there were a few things here (other than the many radio hits) that sounded familiar. Maybe I borrowed the CD from a friend once? In any case I have a clear memory of liking these aforementioned radio hits when I was in middle school. 3.5

Tidal

Fiona Apple

3/5

Languid and jazzy, sometimes meandering and low-every. My favorite new-to me track was The First Taste--Sade vibes. The greatest strength is her poetic, emotive, lyrics.

Document

R.E.M.

4/5

Pretty classic R.E.M. here: tight, kinda cerebral, a little emotionally detached. It’s exactly the sound I picture when I think of them. But then “Lightnin’ Hopkins” comes outta nowhere with this wild RHCP energy?? Totally caught me off guard in a good way.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

5/5

I think it's obvious to say hip hop would not be the same without this landmark album. These tracks haven't aged at all, and the production holds up and remains impressive. Everything feels fully realized. And it's cool to see Snoop starting out--he was so young but seems born to do this.

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

5/5

I've written before about how much Nirvana meant to me when I was a kid. I started getting into them when I was around 11. I guess at that age everything feels so intense because everything is new. I certainly wasn't the only kid of my generation to love Nirvana, but at the time, when I crawled down that rabbit hole of my first parasocial celebrity relationship, I only had my friend, Susan, there with me. My ardor for this band felt unique to me, a special world within my own psyche I could retreat to. Then Kurt died. I was 12. That emotionally devastating experience encapsulated what it was like to be a teenager in the 90s as much as anything else could. After Kurt’s death, I didn't really listen to Nirvana that much. Sometimes their songs would come on the radio and I would turn it off. It was too heavy. So even the prospect of listening to this album now made my heart sink a little. I skipped ahead on the list a bit to listen to some other albums instead. I didn't feel in the mood to be transported back to my adolescence. But then I thought, fuck it. Let's rip the Band-Aid off. And hey, instead of just listening to the album, let's watch the concert footage on YouTube. In for a penny, in for a pound. And that way I can hear the songs interspersed with ads, which I'm sure we can all agree is what Kurt would have wanted! As much as MTV started to suck in the mid-to-late-90s, the Unplugged series is one great thing they achieved. And Nirvana Unplugged is, for my money, the best concert to result from that format. The stripped down (if not 100% unplugged) instrumentation let us see these songs in a new light. A lot of them really took on a lush new dimension with the addition of the cello. We got to hear a variety of Nirvana material interspersed with some of Kurt's favorite influences. And while Kurt wasn't technically flawless here (sometimes he was flat or would hit a wrong chord), the rawness added so much. It still hurts a little to listen. But damn if it isn't beautiful.

Bitte Orca

Dirty Projectors

3/5

If David Byrne had a baby with Vespertine-era Björk. 3.5

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

3/5

I know Bob Dylan is seen as such an important artist, but I can rarely get into his stuff, and this album was no exception. I do think the lyrics were great on this collection of traditional-blues-inspired numbers. He reminds me of Leonard Cohen: poet first, singer/musician afterward.

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

3/5

Pretty decent overall. A lot of the singles are super familiar, of course, but I’ve never really felt emotionally connected to them. That said, the melodies are fairly strong. Vocals were a little whiny or bored-sounding at times (maybe just peak Brit attitude lol). I’d probably land somewhere around 3.5

Dusty In Memphis

Dusty Springfield

4/5

I love Dusty Springfield, and her soulful voice is made for this Memphis sound.

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

4/5

I don't think of myself as a fan of jam bands, but I couldn't help but be impressed with the awesome skillz on display here. It's like if jazz was southern blues rock.

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

I listened to this late at night, in bed with headphones, in the dark. I probably shouldn't have because it was so late; I should have been sleeping. I figured I'd listen to a little before I nodding off, but once the album started, I was enthralled and made it through to the end, and I'm glad. This really is a complete and cohesive album that deserves to be listened to in its entirety. The songs flowed into each other with seamless, quirky transitions, kind of like Monty Python sketches linking one into the next. And I'm glad I got to listen to it so attentively, in bed, with my eyes closed. It was an incredible experience, and I could really focus on the simple lyrics that hit so hard on multiple levels. And I could focus on each little detail of sound, recorded so cleanly and clearly--yet still with human warmth--as it sparked feelings and images in my mind. It felt like a musical painting, with all sorts of sounds expertly evoking colors, shadings, dimensions, coming together not in the usual drums, bass, and guitar way, the usual verse-chorus-verse way, but in something more abstract yet vivid, precise, and deliberate. The creation of mood and atmosphere, the moments of beauty undercut with tension, and the often surprising audio techniques at times gave me chills. Is this because of the music itself or because I wasn't trying to listen to it while washing dishes or following GPS something, like I often do? Probably both. In any case, it is inspiring me to try to slow down and carve out some quieter time for some of these albums when I can.

Only By The Night

Kings of Leon

3/5

This was pretty okay, but the sound is dominated by the singer, who sounds like he's singing through that lump in your throat you get before you cry. I was distracted worrying about the long-term health of his vocal cords.

Ace of Spades

Motörhead

3/5

This was a collection of high-energy songs about taking chances, winning, being tough, pursuing sexual targets (including the obligatory song about fucking a teenager--skipped it--release the Epstein files!)--basically the whole "live fast" rock and roll manifesto. Easy to listen to. 12 songs in 36 minutes. I just wrote in a different review about a singer whose voice sounded uncomfortably strained, and I guess it makes me a bit inconsistent, but somehow the gruff and ragged vocals here work perfectly with everything else going on.

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Sublime, powerful voice. Some absolute classics here, as well as some tracks that were new to me. Not a bad song in the bunch.

Disintegration

The Cure

5/5

Shimmering, sparkling, soaring, swelling, bursting open with delicate beauty and intense emotion, then falling gently back to earth like petals on a breeze. Moody atmosphere, layers and textures galore, synth washes over driving drums, yearning melodies, plaintive vocals. Songs for romantics who love love, beauty, dreams, memories, fragility, poetry, darkness, kissing, and emoting in general. This is a gorgeous, gloomy masterpiece. Kyle Broflovski to Robert Smith: "Disintegration is the best album EVER!"

Berlin

Lou Reed

3/5

Lou Reed is funny. I don't quite know what to make of him. I kept going back and forth while listening to this, thinking, "he can't be serious" then, "of course he isn't serious--it's ironic; that's the whole point." His flat, almost bored delivery of rather jarring lyrics, which must have been especially shocking back then, over raw, glam-tinged rock, creates such a specific mood. It feels like the musical embodiment of that unfazed-but-weary New Yorker stereotype, cool, detached, with a dark undercurrent. That tension between irony and authenticity is maybe what makes it work. One thing is for sure: there's only one Lou Reed (and one is plenty).

Purple Rain

Prince

5/5

I mean, it's Prince. Prahhhnsss. My kids enjoyed hearing his vocal freakouts that came at the end of just about every song on this album.

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

4/5

Complex arrangements, intricate harmonies. Some beautiful melodies. Getting more experimental. Moving beyond the upbeat teenybopper attitude of "Fun Fun Fun" and "Surfin' U.S.A." to something more introspective and at times even melancholy. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "Sloop John B" and especially "God Only Knows" are standouts.

Metallica

4/5

I remember my cousin having this album when it first came out (we were ten); that was the first time I had ever heard of Metallica. A bunch of classic bangers on this album.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

3/5

Musical Xanex. Dentist office music. Decent singing. Very breathy.

Vulnicura

Björk

3/5

A Björk breakup album. Musical expressionism rather than straight-up songs. Sad, cold vibes. Layers of strings and short vocal phrases swell, growing in tension, passing from emotional breakdown to full panic attack. Sonically interesting but not a world most will want to visit often. 3.5

16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens

3/5

Never heard of these guys before. They're Australian. And as they might say in Australia, "Nah, yeah, they're alright." Nothing blew me away, but it's solid Smiths-esque indie fare.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

2/5

Leonard Cohen, we met again. Much to my daughter's chagrin. Look, I see why don't people don't like LC, but I also get why plenty do like him. This album's production sounded really dated (I could tell the albums are before checking the release date) and the backup singers sounded too strong and polished against Cohen's vocal style. So of all his albums we've heard so far this one is the weakest one for me. 2.5

Crosby, Stills & Nash

3/5

This is like the quintessential 60's California mellow hippie vibe. Judy Blue Eyes Suite and Teach Your Children are the two big standout tracks here, but I prefer the Teach Your Children version from CSN and Young that features the steel guitar.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

4/5

Wow, first off I'll say that I really liked this one. The first track had me right away; it was such a vibe. I've never listened to any Frank Zappa, but I've heard about him throughout the years. I recall my dad mentioning him a few times, and from that I got a certain impression of what his music was, but this isn't at all what I would have expected it to be like. Is this like a jam band? Kinda, but not really. Jazz rock? Whatever it is, I found it fascinating!

Dog Man Star

Suede

3/5

New band for me. Kind of a bridge between the Smiths and early Radiohead with some David Bowie thrown in. Not bad, but upon first listen nothing super grabbed me, either. The singer was sometimes a little yodelly for me. There was one song, "Stay Together (Long Version)" that I had to tap out before the end. I guess what made it the long version was the extended sequence of layers upon layers of distorted cacophony. Interesting, but very grating. Fuck that (literal) noise. 3.5

Autobahn

Kraftwerk

3/5

Cool to see Kraftwerk on here. Best track is the title track; I like the driving nature of it (😏); the others are also cool and evoke different moods and ambiances.

Space Ritual

Hawkwind

4/5

This was pretty cool! I was unfamiliar with these guys before, but I guess it turns out they are fairly well known. There was a lot going on here. A busy, driving, heavy sound with the bass and drums, with a lot of abstract, soaring, shredding guitars blasting you out to the stratosphere, and then occasionally Stewie Griffin would talk about space. Druggie party music.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

4/5

I once read a discussion about American things that British people just can't get into, and some Brit offered the suggestion "Tom Petty," saying that to their ears it's just so very American and hard to relate to. I thought that was interesting because I never thought of his music in those terms, but I suppose he is pretty solidly American, stylistically and thematically (okay, "American Girl" is making this easier to see). Somehow, the British editor of this list must have seen fit to include some Tom Petty anyway, and I'm glad to have listened to this album. The standout for me was the opening track, other than the two hit singles. It had a kind of rockabilly energy that made it a great opener. There was a good amount of variety sonically here. The album came and went so quickly, though. Solid debut, and I hope there are some more albums from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on this list.

25

Adele

4/5

This album has a lot of themes of relationship regret and transitioning from a simpler youth to a more complicated adulthood. All in all, I thought this was a pretty solid pop album. Reminded me a little of Dusty Springfield in that the songs have a vintage or timeless aspect to them while still being emotional with powerful vocals. Adele's voice kind of sounds like she's going to be hoarse, despite her ability to belt it out. I wonder if she uses the best vocal technique, especially in the quieter parts. I found it a little distracting, but then again, I'm easily distracted.

Kid A

Radiohead

4/5

Music for sad, drunk robots. Music for anemic, overwhelmed men.

Parallel Lines

Blondie

4/5

Love Blondie. Drummer Clem Burke just passed away. RIP. Faves on this album are "Hanging On The Telephone," "Fade Away and Radiate," and "Sunday Girl."

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

Some of my favorite songs from this band are on other albums, but this is an undeniably great collection from a group of talented artists--individually, but even more so collectively. My top tracks: Go Your Own Way, The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, Gold Dust Woman. Coolest moment: the haunted wailing at the end of Gold Dust Woman. Funniest moment: the Muppet jamboree vibe of Second Hand News.

C'est Chic

CHIC

4/5

Smooth and sexy Disco and R & B.

Nevermind

Nirvana

5/5

I listened to this so much, on my Sony Diskman or on my mom's 1970s stereo in our basement, with the 3 ft tall speakers that sat on the floor. I knew every note and word. It was probably the first album I consumed to that extent. I loved the distortion and grungy angst paired with the poppy hooks and melodies. I loved the cryptic lyrics, the emotional undercurrent, and the punk immediacy. I loved Dave's drums and Krist's bass and Kurt's everything. When I listened to it afresh yesterday, my son was around for some of it, and I explained that this was my favorite band and album when I was his age. He seemed surprised and listened to it with a detached interest, wondering aloud why some bands like to scream their songs. It's funny because when I heard it for the first time over 30 years ago, it all just inherently made sense and spoke to me on some deep level. "Yes, yes, yes...Mhmm. Yes." But removed from its original context and presented to my son, it was a strange curiosity. I had to explain to him the concept of hidden tracks and how they could surprise an unprepared listener, and then together we listened to the final track, the very song this group album-listening project is named for. Still a time machine to my childhood, but now I can share the ride.

New York Dolls

3/5

I've got this specific musical thing I can't really describe articulately, that I hear in (older) rock and roll sometimes --a thing I dislike strongly, and that is present in a lot of these songs on this album. It's a thing that I find really corny: a derpy walking bass line coupled with a really narrow, stabby, repetitive guitar part played with an off-the rails energy. It conjures up 1950's rock and roll, but it doesn't bother me when it's from the '50's, yet it kind of grates when bands from later eras use it as a "rock and roll" shorthand. So there was a lot of that here, and my initial reaction was an eye roll, but then the more I listened I gathered they were trying to do the messiest, sloppiest version of that, and, I guess, lean into it in a campy way? Maybe this is one of those bands I would benefit from having more context to appreciate them. There were some parts I liked better than others, so it wasn't all bad.

Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine

Cee Lo Green

3/5

Because of the title, and not knowing what to expect, I thought there would be even more of a Soul emphasis on this album, but there was a lot of variety that touched a lot of genres. A lot of ATL on this album. I remember once seeing Cee-Lo and his lady at Burlington Coat Factory. She was pregnant and they were looking at baby gear. The timing is right for the kid on the intro to have been that baby...cute. 3.5

Bummed

Happy Mondays

3/5

First listen to these guys. I know they are well known in the UK, but this failed to make any sort of impression on me. It was just...there?

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

I love me some Dusty Springfield, and this album is chock full of her hits. This is solid 1960s pop, with great vocals belting out the melodrama, great arrangements, and great songwriting from the likes of Burt Bacharach and Carole King. It's always kind of amusing to me how records back then featured so many covers. Faves here are Wishin' and Hopin', I Only Want To Be With You, and Will You Love Me Tomorrow (can't top The Shirelles' version, but this one is also great). 4.5

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

4/5

I see this as kind of a companion album to the Folsom Prison live album. I liked that one better, but this one is pretty good too. It's clear that Johnny Cash really likes this milieu and feels comfortable among the prisoners. But this was only half an hour long! Surprised this didn't start a riot in there for how short it was. I guess they had no choice but to take what they could get.

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

4/5

Sounding like if a bunch of Tim Burton characters met at a psychedelic parade and decided to form an indie rock band, this album was an unexpected delight. I had never heard of these guys before, and the album title and cover really gave no good clues what to expect, but there was plenty here for me to enjoy, and I'm glad I got the opportunity to discover these guys. This combination of interesting layered musical textures and moments, danceability, and whimsy (Bring back whimsy! We could all use some these days) just does it for me. The orchestral swells, glittering guitars, and ghostly falsettos give a dream-like feeling of melancholy and innocence. The band reminded me a bit of Flaming Lips in their sound, and I do see that they are indeed directly connected to that band through shared history. Like them, this was weird and wonderful! 4.5

Survivor

Destiny's Child

3/5

This definitely sounded of its era to me in terms of production, and Beyonce's voice also sounded younger. Listening to this transported me to my late teens when this album was everywhere. Listening today, I felt the production seemed unfocused some of the time with the vocals getting buried under the beats. Beyonce has a good voice, but a lot of what she does here is vocal vamping and runs, while the backup singers are more so holding down the melodies. There were a lot of memorable anthems on here--none of which ever really spoke to me on a deep level. But I can appreciate the themes of empowerment and resilience and see that they could hit deeply for others. On the other hand songs like Nasty Girl and Fancy are critical of women so seem out of place with the theme.

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

3/5

Like almost everyone else, I knew a few songs from this album thanks to Nirvana’s Unplugged set, and I knew “Backwater,” but that’s where my familiarity ended. This album isn’t at all what I expected, though I’m not sure what I was expecting. I certainly wasn’t imagining this punk-Americana hybrid, or whatever we’re calling it. It doesn’t sound anything like the early ’80s I have in my head; it doesn’t even feel tied to a specific era. The record is full of ideas, each one explored just long enough to capture it before it flits away. Nothing feels refined or polished, especially the singer’s warbly tenor, yelping freely without much concern for pitch. And yet I can’t imagine any other voice fitting here. Despite the technical imperfections, you get the sense these guys are capable musicians who know exactly what they’re doing. The lyrics are clever and strange and conjure vivid little worlds. It felt like I was able to crawl into someone else's mind and see everything from their quirky perspective. I came away fascinated, and I think the album is worth spending more time with. I'm giving this a 3.5 now, but I feel like I could grow to really love this.

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

3/5

My first thought upon hearing it is “feather wisp.” The hushed tones make it hard to discern what I can tell are wordy, story-driven lyrics as I barrel down the road. This is sensitive, this is soothing, this is music for donators to NPR. Then out of nowhere comes that John Wayne Gacy song…wtf? You guys are “basically just the same?” Hhhwat? “They are night zombies!!” provided a nice change of musical pace. Some of the other songs are very pretty, like “To The Workers…” and “Prairie Fire.” 3.5

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

3/5

What a strong string of first tracks. I definitely vividly remember seeing these guys "play the git-tar on the MTV" on that iconic "Money For Nothing" video when I was a little kid, so there's a lot of nostalgia here. The rest of the album was good, too. 3.5

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

3/5

Smooth, sensual, and flowing like honey, warm and sweet. A break up album, I guess. More meandering and "Quiet Storm" than "What's Going On" was. Great Soul/RnB singer. 3.5

Get Rich Or Die Tryin'

50 Cent

3/5

Well I've never really been very drawn to 50 Cent, even during the time when he was more ubiquitous. But I'll say that this was better than I was expecting. I especially like hearing Eminem a little bit. I forgot he "discovered" 50 Cent. 3.5

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

5/5

Now I am convinced that whoever is running this website has the ability to push out specific albums on certain days. I've seen a few other well-timed albums like this occur here, but getting assigned this album right after Ozzy's passing probably isn't a coincidence. Today was Ozzy's funeral, and after watching some footage of his procession, I was inspired to jump way ahead in my backlog of assigned albums and listen to Vol. 4 today. I've never listened to this album and haven't ever heard the songs, except for Changes, but that was mostly as the awesome Charles Bradley cover used as the Big Mouth theme song. I found this album really easy to like. It strikes me as well balanced, containing some looser jams, but it's still structured enough to be cohesive. Heavy riffs, rock grooves, and yet also some moments of real beauty. It's full of energy, and I love that it retains some rawness to the production. Drums, guitars, every part has their moments to shine here. And soaring above it all like a banshee, cutting through the haze, delivering the simple yet poetic lyrics is Ozzy's unmistakable, piercing voice, which brings a lot of emotional expression to the mix with his instinct for phrasing and melody. I listened to this album twice today, which I almost never do, and I could already feel it growing on me. I would definitely listen to it again. I'm so stingy with 5's, but I feel like this could grow into a 5 for me, so why not?

Fleet Foxes

4/5

I'd never heard this band before, and what it sounds like came out of left field for me--in a good way. They really committed to the chamber-folk-choral harmonies thing, and I don't know if this is a very saturated genre or not, but it feels pretty unique to me. The music felt pastoral, peaceful and earthy...and yet evocative of a cathedral or temple, uplifting and inspiring me with its many layered, ethereal harmonies.

Rubber Soul

Beatles

5/5

I don’t think I’ll ever stop being in awe of the pace and consistency of the Beatles’ output during their short run. Here we are in the so-called “middle period,” but this album is anything but mid! They sound so different from earlier offerings like A Hard Day’s Night--more mature, more adventurous, breaking out of their boy-band mold. The moods vary and it’s not the most cohesive listen, but it’s solid from start to finish, all songs great in their own ways. One song here, “Norwegian Wood,” is especially nostalgic for me--as a kid I loved this song, and I always thought the lyrics were cryptic yet funny: no chairs to sit on, crawling off to sleep in the bath, setting a fire in the morning. Still makes me smile.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

4/5

There's something fun and simple about these classic songs that still make me smile and want to bop around. Fats sounds warm, playful, and laid-back, and his piano style is effortless and joyful. The arrangements were uncluttered and effective and it feels like this is a bridge between jazz and rock'n'roll.

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

5/5

This album truly lives up to its title, bursting with unbridled, joyful energy. The band sounds fantastic, tight yet spontaneous, and the chemistry between Louis Prima and Keely Smith adds plenty of charm and cheekiness. My favorite track might be "Banana Split For My Baby"--it’s pure fun, and the whole album radiates that same playful, larger-than-life personality. Also, I thought that David Lee Roth was kinda just doing his own thing on "Just a Gigalo" and only now realized what a faithful recreation of the original he was actually doing. Bullzeebop.

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