I have many hazy high school memories of being packed in a smoke filled car “going on a run” listening to albums like Cypress Hill’s “Black Sunday”, Tool’s “Undertow”, Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head”, Dr Dre’s “The Chronic” and of course this perfectly executed masterpiece by Rage Against the Machine. All four musicians complement each other sonically in the tradition of Zeppelin, Sabbath and the Stones and just like those bands they established that connection on their debut album. These guys appeared out of nowhere with a new sound that feels like they’ve been developing it for 10 years yet this genre bending album came out only a year after the band formed. As a young musician, I idolized everything this band could do as a four piece. They kept the formula simple and the musical parameters narrow so they could focus all their creative energy on bringing the angriest and funkiest blend of hip hop and rock that made you think while simultaneously dancing in the fire they ignited. Each band member was incredible but as a unit they were untouchable. I was so mad that I missed their recent tour when it came around because as much as I loved this band I never got to see them live and now it’s looking like they’ll never tour again.

I had only listened to this album a couple of times prior to this but I added 3 solid listens since Friday. I get a very “On the Road” feel from the lyrics, like I’m traveling in another country and these songs are the caricatures of interesting people I’ve encountered along the way. I really love the minimal instrumentation with the occasional wide panned new layer that gives it just enough depth to keep your ears from getting bored while maintaining simplicity so you stay focused on the stories being told. All around an incredible folk album.

Excellent electro-funk pop record. I wore this one out pretty quickly when it came out and then I kind of forgot about it mainly because it was released around the same time as Robyn’s classic, Honey and for me this album got overshadowed by it. I’m glad this project got me to revisit it though. With the exception of DāM FunK’s additional production on “Girlfriend” this album was self produced remarkably by Chris. There’s plenty of nostalgia sprinkled in the music but it doesn’t feel like a cheap gimmick and it’s balanced with modern pop elements giving it a timeless sound. Chris’ emotive, theatrical and heartfelt vocal delivery demonstrates precision and control while his lyrics show a poetic defiance against the typical pop parameters. On this listen I picked up on some phrasing similarities with Caroline Polachek and Michael Jackson, something I didn’t notice before. Every nuance in his performance seems meticulously calculated and deliberate, yielding huge pay offs for the listener. Definitely a must listen for anyone who loves pop music like I do. I’m leaning 3.75 on this one.

I’m really glad this project got me to revisit this album and subsequently the bands four album catalog as well as Richard Ashcrofts solo work. I’ve heard the two well known singles “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Lucky Man” from Urban Hymns to great extent thanks to them being overplayed on radio back when radio was a thing people actively listened to, as well as on MTV. I know I’ve given this entire album a listen before I just don’t remember any of the songs or even if I liked it. So coming at it with a fresh musical perspective, I gotta say, it really hit me. I love Richard Ashcroft’s voice and songwriting, I hear hints of Scott Walker mixed with Bono and Liam Gallagher in his voice on a few songs. The entire band also sounds incredible on this album, their sound is somewhere between The Stone Roses, Spiritualized and Oasis. Really the only song I’d skip on future listens is “Bittersweet Symphony” and that’s just due to fatigue from it being overplayed. Over the weekend I’ve enjoyed listening to The Verve’s other three albums almost as much as Urban Hymns, I only wish I gave this band more of a chance before now.

I think this was the album that introduced me to drum and bass or it was the most impactful for me at the time. I saw the video for Brown Paper Bag late one night on MTV and got the album the next day. Not a bad album to start on considering it’s now revered as one of the best of all time. I still throw it on from time to time all though I don’t usually make it through the whole thing. Taking this album on is a pretty big commitment unless it’s a background thing. Like most songs in the electronic world from this time there’s a lot of repetition through out the lengthy tracks, at times that’s the one thing that sets this album back a bit unless you’re looking for something meditative. Roni Size gets a lot of credit on this album but I feel like DJ Krust is a pretty major contributor too, earning production credits as part of Reprazent. I stumbled upon Krust’s music not long after discovering this album and I loved that he had a similar sound but really pushed his songs further with a more cinematic approach. Aside from having a stellar collective of producers, there’s also some talented vocalists, rappers and musicians featured through out as well. You can tell this collective really poured everything into this album without it feeling overstuffed, it still holds up and I was happy to revisit it.

I had only listened to this album a couple of times prior to this but I added 3 solid listens since Friday. I get a very “On the Road” feel from the lyrics, like I’m traveling in another country and these songs are the caricatures of interesting people I’ve encountered along the way. I really love the minimal instrumentation with the occasional wide panned new layer that gives it just enough depth to keep your ears from getting bored while maintaining simplicity so you stay focused on the stories being told. All around an incredible folk album.

I was pretty excited to see this one pop up for today. This one’s an easy 5 for me. I’d probably have 5 albums tied for my favorite Bowie album and this is one of those 5. Hunky Dory is the first installment of a four album run from the production team of Bowie and Ken Scott. I feel like Ken Scott took what he learned engineering Beatles albums and really pushed the bounds of what Bowie and camp could do sonically here on Hunky Dory. The production duo continued this trend over the next three Bowie albums. The phenomenal musicianship from the soon-to-be-named Spiders From Mars, as well as Rick Wakeman’s beautiful piano playing on this album are very impressive. Then there’s Bowie’s stellar vocals and lyrics. His versatility is on full display on this album. The quieter soulful moments force you to lean in until the powerful and emotional performances hit you over the head. The song arrangements and instrumentation lend themselves perfectly to these dynamics which shows how well the band connected to Bowie’s vision and how well he could pull the best out of musicians. To me the album is perfectly sequenced to highlight the ebb and flow of the material. Hunky Dory is cohesive and every idea feels fleshed out to the best possible outcome while still feeling fresh and not over produced. The 70’s might be my favorite decade of music and this album is a shining example of why.

Wow what a difference a mix can make. I have probably heard the Bowie mix every time I’ve listened to Raw Power and it always seemed too thin and lacked clarity. For this reason I never really enjoyed Raw Power, I always understood its significance but it just never really connected with me. So the link on here pulled up the Iggy mix and I figured I’d give it a try. Oddly enough as I sit down to pick apart all the things I’ve always thought were weak about this album I find myself locked in to a clunky old wooden rollercoaster that throws you around and feels like it’s about to fly of the track and I absolutely love it! “Search and Destroy”, and “Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell” are the big drops that keep this ride in motion while “Gimme Danger” coasts through some turns in between showing me this album has more dynamics than I remember. “Penetration” is surprisingly chill for the most part, feels like the band is struggling to hold that energy back which makes it even more intriguing. The title track “Raw Power” did start to drag a bit for me and had me looking ahead on the track to see if there was a surprise coming up. Then “I Need Somebody” comes on and once again shows that this album isn’t the one trick pony I always thought it was. As a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs I now see how this record informed a lot of Karen O’s vocal delivery. “Shake Appeal” is a highlight for me on this listen and it really illustrates the influence between the Stooges and bands like Queens of the Stone Age. “Death Trip” is another one that feels like it goes on a bit too long although Iggy’s screams on this song are phenomenal. This final song feels like those last couple hills and turns as the momentum wears off and you begin to catch your breath. All that being said after this listen I went back and forth between the Bowie mix and the Iggy mix and I gotta say for me, Iggy is the clear winner here. The Iggy mix is warmer and the low end is much more present, there’s better separation of the instruments so you can make out what’s being played. I’ve read a lot of why this happened and how there has been criticism for both mixes but I won’t go into that. Before I would’ve given this album a 3, with the Iggy mix I’ll give it a 4.

This is the first time hearing this band. This album seems to have all the ingredients of a solid early 80’s album but to me it was lacking memorable or catchy songs. As I listened through the first time I kept waiting for that one song to come on that made me go “oh I have heard this song!” and that moment never came. A quick wiki investigation revealed this band only lasted 4 years and the first album came out only a year after they formed. I guess to have some notoriety in such a short period of time is pretty impressive. And given the year of this albums release (1979) it must’ve been influential to the many bands that seemed to have a similar sound for years to come. But for me the songs just never impressed me, at first I liked the singers voice and delivery but very quickly he seemed to have little to offer in variety. The drummer also stood out as a weakest link, he wasn’t terrible I just felt like he was barely holding on for most of the album. The guitars had some pretty cool moments and to me were the most interesting element on this album but still, nothing mind blowing. I give this one a 2.

Since I’ve listened to this album countless times in my life and had many discussions ad nauseum with musicians and music lovers about it, I decided to try something I haven’t tried - syncing it up with The Wizard of Oz and report my experience. After finding some Reddit threads with instructions on when to hit play on the album I was off! For the most part the tone at the beginning was way off, I mean you’re in outer space musically but on a farm visually. Really the part that seemed to sync up the best was when Clare Tony’s insane lead vocal on The Great Gig in the Sky matched the psychedelic intensity of tornado scene. “Money” seemed to kick in right when the movie switches from sepia tone to color so that was cool. After that there were a couple moments where lyrics seemed to reflect what was happening on screen. Like when the lyric “the lunatic is on the grass” comes on while the straw man was dancing, you know, shit that would blow your mind on acid! When the album started over the heart beat at the end and the beginning matched up to when the tin man was talking about needing a heart. The second time around on the album things seemed to line up more with the visuals at least for the first couple songs, then I got bored with this science project and went on with my day. In the end The Wizard of Oz was just a cool visual to accompany one of the greatest recorded and mixed albums of all time and really any visual would be cool while listening to it.

This album was in constant rotation for me back in the 2010’s, especially “Lost” and “Pyramids”. I was already a fan of Franks mixtape but when Channel Orange was released I was blown away. The strings on “Sierra Leone” are beautiful and give this album the first bit of magic, a hint at the surreal introspection to come. “Sweet Life” is the first highlight for me on this album. I love the interplay between the bass and keys and that chorus is huge! On “Pilot Jones” Frank really flexes his Psychedelic muscle, much the way Miguel did on Kalaidescope Dream and Wildheart. The reversed synth in the background gives me Radiohead vibes. “Crack Rock” has DJ Shadow, almost trip-hop type drums over chilled keys which takes me to the late 90’s. Then there’s “Pyramid”. This song is epic. It seems to travel through time to many points in history while sounding futuristic at the same time. The transition at the half way point is crazy and John Mayer’s guitar sounds other worldly at the end. “Lost” has that cool Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas sample hidden in the background on second verse that seems very fitting for the nature of the album. John Mayer makes another stellar guitar appearance on “White”. I also love Andre 3000’s verse and guitar contributions on “Pink Matter”. Channel Orange is full of heartbreak while living life through the lens of excess that comes with fame. It feels like a movie more than an album. Intense moments are in slow motion allowing you to take in the emotion just as much as the spectacle. I give this one a 4.5.

I was so late to the party with The Smiths. I had given their music many chances through my life and while I enjoyed what I heard, they just never stayed with me. It took a scene in the 2017 movie Bumblebee where a high school kid in the 80’s is jamming out to “Bigmouth Strikes Again” while getting ready for school for it to click. I was that kid at some point a long time ago but for me it was with 90’s music. That movie helped me to transpose that feeling down a decade I guess. Doesn’t hurt that it’s a pretty fun movie that captures the nostalgia of the 80’s really well. Anyways, given my somewhat new appreciation for The Smiths and the fact that Strangeways was their one album I never intently listened to, I was excited to give it a go. Immediately on the first listen I feel like this is The Smiths album I wish I would have started with all this time. All the elements that I’ve always known about this band are here but it seems like those elements are elevated to new height's and the mix sounds incredible. While none of the songs were recognizable to me the more I listen the more I feel like this album might be their best. Johnny Marr’s guitars were an expected stand out given his reputation as a inspiring musician and songwriter and he doesn’t disappoint on this album at all. I also feel like Morrissey’s hauntingly beautiful voice and quirky songwriting are in top form here. The dreamy opener “A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours” has a solid groove, some really cool marimba melodies, interesting keyboard parts along with Morrissey doing a little growl on the chorus. Marr breaks out the distortion on “I Started Something I couldn’t finish” and it sounds incredible! This song almost sounds like a Bowie tune at times. Morrissey’s piano freak out that flows into the drum room mics being cranked at 4:05 of “Death of a Disco Dancer” gave me immediate stank face once it all came together. “Girlfriend in a Coma” is the first song on this album that shows the another side of Marr’s guitar abilities. I love how the high end of the panned multitracked guitars really float above everything in the mix, almost gives them a harpsichord type feel. This approach continues on the next 3 songs, layered with various synths creating the depth of an ocean. “Death at One’s Elbow” is the only song that feels out of place with it’s country/western/rockabilly leanings. It’s still a great song just stylistically different from the rest of the album, but I don’t mind the variety. “I Won’t Share You” is the perfect choice for album closer. Multiple listens really peels back the subtle layers on this album and I feel like that’s where the appreciation of Johnny Marr’s musicianship really shows, at least for me. I’ll happily add this to my pile of new favorites. I give it a strong to quite strong 4.

I was recommended this album by a friend, along with a couple other Sparks albums, at the beginning of 2020. A year later the documentary The Sparks Brothers came out, which solidified my admiration for these eclectic minds. I had heard the name and seen some of the album covers before but never gave them a listen for whatever reason. Once I started listening I quickly figured out that the Sparks rabbit hole goes deep, there’s so much music that these two brothers have been at the helm for. Not to mention the endless number of musicians they’ve gone through to help their vision come to fruition for each album. They’re like the art pop Steely Dan. The first time I heard this album I immediately could hear how Sparks influenced artists I’ve loved like Of Montreal. It’s filled with so much creative energy and I love all the twists and turns they make in a single song. I was glad to revisit this under appreciated classic and look forward to continuing the constant digging into their immense catalog. I give this one a 4.5.

I was so happy when I heard De La Soul’s music was finally coming to streaming services after a long battle with their former label over sample clearing issues. Then the sad news that Dave aka Trugoy the Dove had died just before those albums were rereleased to the world which made for bittersweet times for fans like myself after that. My favorite De La album is “Stakes Is High” but “3 Feet High and Rising” is the one that started it all. When this album came out I was too young to understand the art form of sampling, turntablism, beat production, lyricism and the craft and culture that went into hip hop, all I knew is that “Me, Myself and I” gave me a warm fuzzy feeling every time the video came on MTV. Even now when that song comes on I feel instantly connected to the kid bewildered by the sounds being produced and the stories being told. So listening to this album is always like an instant jolt back in time. Prince Paul’s production is so lush and intricate and really helped De La Soul to distinguish themselves from other hip hop artists from that time. Every song has so many layers to explore yielding new discoveries with each listen. All three MC’s aka Plugs One, Two and Three are in top form through out the entire album. Using their unique vocal delivery and rhyme schemes to tell quirky stories that no one else was telling in hip hop at that time. De La Soul’s lyrics were fun on the surface but made you feel like there’s more being said in the subtext, and usually there was. It’s funny to hear them take stabs at other hip hop artists and styles from that time. I also love that they included some of the other artists from the Native Tongues, it’s always good to hear “the Tribe the Jungle and De La Soul” on the same song. I feel like this was De La’s most psychedelic album, both musically and lyrically. While I may love Stakes Is High a little more for the darker tone and more serious content, this one is still just so much fun to listen to. I give it a 4.5.

This is a solid jazz album with some blues leanings, I don’t think I’ve heard this one but it seems like you usually can’t go wrong with Blue Note in the 60’s. Bonus points for the epic album cover! Jimmy Smith’s name sounds familiar but I can’t say I know much about him. Either way it sounded great pulled up on the big speakers. One thing I love about a good jazz recording is you can hear all the things you’re not usually supposed to, like the shuffling around of the musicians and instruments. Everyone recording in the same room at the same time exposes these imperfections and I love it! Such a simple set up, drums, organ, and sax with the occasional guitar, phenomenal performances and pristine recording, I don’t have a lot to say beyond that. I added this to my ever growing playlist of jazz albums that I need to familiarize myself with and I look forward to revisiting it on a lazy day. A solid 3.5.

I’m really glad this project got me to revisit this album and subsequently the bands four album catalog as well as Richard Ashcrofts solo work. I’ve heard the two well known singles “Bittersweet Symphony” and “Lucky Man” from Urban Hymns to great extent thanks to them being overplayed on radio back when radio was a thing people actively listened to, as well as on MTV. I know I’ve given this entire album a listen before I just don’t remember any of the songs or even if I liked it. So coming at it with a fresh musical perspective, I gotta say, it really hit me. I love Richard Ashcroft’s voice and songwriting, I hear hints of Scott Walker mixed with Bono and Liam Gallagher in his voice on a few songs. The entire band also sounds incredible on this album, their sound is somewhere between The Stone Roses, Spiritualized and Oasis. Really the only song I’d skip on future listens is “Bittersweet Symphony” and that’s just due to fatigue from it being overplayed. Over the weekend I’ve enjoyed listening to The Verve’s other three albums almost as much as Urban Hymns, I only wish I gave this band more of a chance before now.

I still enjoy Strangeways, Here We Come more than this album, but there’s some great songs on here. Stand outs for me are “The Queen Is Dead”, “Never Had No One Ever”, “Bigmouth Strikes Again”, and my favorite on the album “There is a Light That Never Goes Out”. All the songs here are great and I wouldn’t skip any, except maybe “Vicar in a Tutu”. The first three Smiths albums have a rawness to them that I can completely understand why people might favor them but for me I love how they refined their songwriting, performances and production for their final album Strangeways. For that reason I give this one a 3.5.

Such a powerful voice, so dynamic in expression and control as she goes from belting with such intensity to a smooth soft delivery in a matter of seconds, quite impressive. The first thing I thought about stylistically was Harry Belafonte, then a short search and I see they’ve collaborated together on many occasions. I should know a lot more about Miriam Makeba, I’m ashamed to say I don’t, especially as I read of all her accomplishments and struggles. As I listen to her sing I’m reminded of the power of music and performance over lyrics, even the songs that I don’t know the language I’m still moved and understand the emotions being conveyed for the most part thanks to Miriam’s insane vocal abilities. For me this is a perfect end of the day wind down album. I give it a solid 4.

This album grew on me the second time listening to it. I couldn’t get into it the first time through and almost didn’t give it a second chance. But some albums are just better headphone albums and this was the case for me. I had to delete all the criticisms I had on the first listen because I had none on the second. Once everything felt a little more intimate with some ear buds I completely got the albums vibe. There’s some cool synth and guitars throughout the album, nothing mind blowing from a technical performance point of view but some great choices as a band that knows they’re there to provide support and atmosphere for Marianne. The bass gives the most movement for most of the album while the drums did just enough to keep time. There’s some subtle mixing techniques that were a little ahead of the times on here too. The second time through I paid more attention to the lyrics and I do like the darker themes presented which definitely align with the tone of the album. There’s an instrumental bridge on “Guilt” about half way through the song that I really liked. Almost sounded like Pink Floyd for a minute there. Another thing that was a stark contrast between first and second listen is, I hated her take on John Lennon’s “Working Class Hero” on the first listen yet the second time around I loved it. “Why’d Ya do It” is my stand out track. I feel like Marianne’s delivery works the best on this song, she leans more into the attitude on this one. And it makes for a great closer. I listened to her earlier popular songs and it really showed how much she evolved over time. I’m interested in hearing more of her catalog now.

My favorite Led Zeppelin album is Physical Graffiti, it wasn’t always, but it is at the moment. Really any of their first 6 albums have been a favorite at some point, they’re all just so good. They had three phases each consisting of three albums, I-III, IV-Physical Graffiti, and Presence-In Through the Out Door. I was always the middle phase fan. I was getting tired of hearing “Immigrant Song” but then the opening scene in Thor Ragnorok completely revitalized how I hear that song. It was such a perfect pairing of old and new, still gives me chills when I watch that movie. I’m sure more Zeppelin albums will be on here, I love them all and I don’t really have any cool stories about my life long enjoyment of their music but I’ll try harder when we get to the middle three.

The whole loud-quiet-loud formula that was so prevalent in 90’s alternative was created by The Pixies but perfected by The Smashing Pumpkins on this album. So many moments that go from a whisper to a roar in a matter of seconds on this album, something they didn’t really use with such intensity after this album. Billy is quoted as saying that Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness was meant to be that generations The Wall, if that’s the case then Siamese Dream is their Dark Side Of the Moon. Not just because it predates it but also because of its technical merit in its recording and mixing. Billy has said it was his wall of guitars technique that Butch Vig stole, after recording The Pumpkins on Gish, that was used on Nirvana’s Nevermind. Every “heavy” guitar sound I’ve recorded has at some point has chased this albums guitar tone, unsuccessfully of course. The other highlight on this album is of course the drums. Jimmy Chamberlain laid down some of the best rock drum takes of all time on these first 3 pumpkins albums but I’d say his best were on this album. He’s such a dynamic player, even the louder songs have varying levels to that loud thanks to Jimmy’s playing. He approaches rock drumming almost like a jazz drummer, but without playing strait up jazz beats. To say this album has been a major influence on me as a musician would be an understatement, but this album also had huge impact me during my emotional teenage years. Adore was the last Pumpkins album that I truly enjoyed. With each album I grew more annoyed with Billy’s voice. Going back to this one now it’s very surprising to me that his voice even made it to radio in the 90’s.

How many movies used “Green Onions” in it? I guess this is a pretty fun album to listen to once, not sure if it’s something you have to hear before you die though. I don’t think I’ve ever really listened to the whole thing beyond the title track, or if I have I don’t remember. First off I’m glad they included “Mo Onions” cause after two songs I was really missing “Green Onions”. There’s some great musicianship on here but just not my thing for more than a song. Glad this album is only 35mins, I was getting bored with it pretty quickly. On to the next one!

I have many hazy high school memories of being packed in a smoke filled car “going on a run” listening to albums like Cypress Hill’s “Black Sunday”, Tool’s “Undertow”, Beastie Boys’ “Check Your Head”, Dr Dre’s “The Chronic” and of course this perfectly executed masterpiece by Rage Against the Machine. All four musicians complement each other sonically in the tradition of Zeppelin, Sabbath and the Stones and just like those bands they established that connection on their debut album. These guys appeared out of nowhere with a new sound that feels like they’ve been developing it for 10 years yet this genre bending album came out only a year after the band formed. As a young musician, I idolized everything this band could do as a four piece. They kept the formula simple and the musical parameters narrow so they could focus all their creative energy on bringing the angriest and funkiest blend of hip hop and rock that made you think while simultaneously dancing in the fire they ignited. Each band member was incredible but as a unit they were untouchable. I was so mad that I missed their recent tour when it came around because as much as I loved this band I never got to see them live and now it’s looking like they’ll never tour again.

I didn’t start listening to LCD Soundsystem until 2010 when This Is Happening was released. By many fans standards I was significantly late to the party. Either way, I immediately fell in love with their sound and of course I had to go back and listen to their previous releases, their self titled debut and this album, Sound Of Silver. LCD Soundsystem were part of a movement in the early 2000’s New York underground that included The Strokes, Interpol and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and this album really transports you to the scene of that era. I’ve romanticized how cool it must’ve been to be in the middle of that collective. As for this album I love the dirty classic synths, the driving beats, the distorted bass and the relaxed almost punk inspired vocals over it all. The songs lull you into a hypnotic state of movement and keep you there as long as the band deemed necessary. The music is down to a sonic science tested and proven in an underground lab using dirty, rusted equipment, and I mean all of that as a major compliment to the sound. Singer James Murphy is the driving force behind the band and the more I learned his life story the more inspired I was by his musical output. James was terrified of failure through out his 20’s to the point where he didn’t go after the things he wanted. As he approached his 30’s he made a goal with the help of his therapist to break him out of this paralysis and depression and in turn ended up doing the work and becoming a well known DJ in New York. He then turned his sights to putting together a band and making music that combined all of his favorite records he’d been spinning into something brand new, thus LCD Soundsystem was born and has had much success since. I love all their albums but this one has the perfect amount of ingredients that have defined the band and is definitely the best album of theirs to start with.

Pixies tapes and CD’s were heavily rotated amongst my friends and I. At this time they were traded along with bands like R.E.M., Fugazi, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Violent Femmes and Janes Addiction. This was around the time for me as a new guitar player and music lover that I began opening up to new artists. I was transitioning from hair metal and “guitar gods” to music that had deeper layers and went against the status quo of that era. Also these bands created music that seemed more tangible for my friends and I to learn and emulate. Pixies, and this album in particular, fully embodied these qualities. On the technical side, which is something I’m drawn to now going back to all these familiar albums, there’s producer/engineer Steve Albini, who the music world lost just recently. Steve’s distinct drum sound is on full display on this album, as well as his ability to capture the raw energy of the band, warts and all. I love how this album really pulls you into the recording process. The banter between members made into song transitions invited the audience to hang out in the studio. Vocals were recorded in the studio bathroom just to get the perfect room sound since Steve wasn’t happy with the ambiance of the vocal booths. The sound of the session being recorded was a major feature of the album and it created a more detailed documentation of where and how it was made. For better or worse this was all Steve’s influence. For instance the tape ran out at the end of “Where Is My Mind” so Steve recorded Kim’s reverb track at the end to mask the studio blunder, and it just makes it all the more haunting. The songs on Surfer Rosa sound like the band had been playing them out for good period of time giving the band more time to really dial in the tones and performances rather than hashing out song structures and lyric writing on studio time. All of this makes for a solid album from top to bottom, no skips.

Hip hop has come a long way from 1989 and in that year the Beastie Boys had come a long way from their debut album with their second offering, Paul’s Boutique. Some of that evolution came from lyrics that were starting to move away from misogyny and homophobia and the whole frat boy rap sound they had on the first album, there’s still hints of it here but it’s still oceans away from where they were. The other major change was the involvement of the Dust Brothers as producers replacing Rick Rubin. This resulted in a more lush sound than the previous release. The funny thing is this was originally going to be a Dust Brothers instrumental album but the Beasties convinced them otherwise. This is was once the album containing the most samples ever, only to be eclipsed later by DJ Shadow’s Endtroducing and The Avalanches’ Since I Left You, both incredible albums that are pretty high on my all time favorites. I have a lot of memories attached to this album but it’s not my favorite Beasties album, that would probably go to one of the following 2 albums Check Your Head or Ill Communication. I would really like to hear Paul’s Boutique as an instrumental Dust Brothers release since the music is my favorite element. Otherwise a great moment in the constantly evolving world of Hip Hop.

I remember hearing She Don’t Use Jelly back in 1993 on the radio a lot. It was one of those songs that was fun when it came on but never prompted me to buy the album. They were like Ween to me at that time, funny to hear on the radio but I wasn’t interested enough to explore what all they had to offer beyond a single. Then I forgot all about Flaming Lips. I’d see new album covers show up as I browsed record stores and I kept thinking “wow those guys making funny songs are still at it, good for them!”. Fast forward to 2002 when I first hear Do You Realize?? either on radio or MTV. This time the song piqued my interest enough to check out their latest release Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots. From the very start of the album I was floored, I recognized Wayne Coyne’s signature vocal style but the music surrounding him was nothing like what I remember from She Don’t Use Jelly. This album was an immediate perspective shift for me as far as what albums could sound like, the boundaries that could be pushed and the rules that could be broken. I’ve loved this band ever since. Going back to previous releases I discovered The Soft Bulletin, Yet another perfect album from a band I had naively written off. I have for the most part enjoyed all their albums since but these two are the stand outs in their catalogue. Revisiting this album was still transformative even after all these years of being familiar with it. I always feel like I’m in the middle of some kind of grand epiphany as the music pulls me in all directions, it just really effects me in a powerful and positive way. Musically, lyrically and concept wise there’s so many big swings being taken here and they all stick.

More of an archive than an album. “Maybe I’m Amazed” is the gem that resulted from this creative isolation post Beatles. Overall there’s a few glimmering moments among many incomplete ideas. But that’s the point I suppose. Throughout the album I can hear Paul trying to figure out how he can go on without the Beatles, I guess it’s like finding a sketch book of a famous artist. Most songs don’t feel complete but given the context and the timing it’s ok. It’s interesting to listen to knowing all that now but I would’ve been pretty disappointed if I spent money on this with high expectations back in 1970. I’ve always loved the album cover though.

Great Beatles album for sure. While this isn’t my favorite period of Beatles music, that would start with Rubber Soul and Revolver, I still really I enjoy listening to any of their albums so this was fun. Some of their biggest hits are on this one and that iconic chord at the top of the title/opening track is such a lighting bolt to start thing off! A favorite for me on this one has always been And I Loved Her, it’s the more stripped down-folky song on this album but it’s so haunting and perfectly conveys the desperation of young love. Looking forward to getting to my favorite Beatles albums but this was a good teaser!

I remember this album was heavily talked about when it came out and “Red Eyes” was playing everywhere. I’m definitely a fan of this band but I have to be of a certain mindset to dive in to this ocean of reverbs, synth pads and lush delays, it’s just such a great album to get lost in the wall of sound. There’s so many layers of synths and guitars that it can almost seem like white noise if you don’t lean in and find those intricate melodies and leads below it all. Singer Adam Granduciel always reminded me of a cross between Don Henley and Bruce Springsteen. His songwriting is steeped in nostalgia, loss and isolation. I’m happy to dive back into this one, and looking forward to revisiting their other releases.

Such an incredible documentation of music history. Not only does B.B. King and his band play flawlessly for the entire performance but the audience that B.B. commands is just as much a part of the show. The recording perfectly captures all of these electric elements and puts you in the middle of it all. I’ve seen some pretty impressive blues bands perform at small clubs and festivals before and I feel like this album really defines what those bands were chasing. As for B.B. King studio albums I love Indianola Mississippi Seeds and Completely Well but this may be on my short list of favorite live albums.

This is the Pixies album I’m most familiar with. Debaser, Her Comes Your Man, Monkey Gone To Heaven, La La Love You, Hey and especially Gouge Away were consistent repeats in my teenage years but over time I have found a greater appreciation for the wilder tracks like Dead, Mr Grieves, and Crackity Jones. This is a much slicker record than the previous, whether that’s a good thing is subjective to the listener. I like the raw sound of Surfer Rosa but I think this album has their best songs and needed the more polished recording that was achieved here. The drums are my only complaint as far as the mixing goes. Im not a fan of the gated reverb that replaced the massive drum room sound of Surfer Rosa. I would have preferred something more natural although for this collection of songs I could understand dialing it back some. I love the step up in vocal and instrumentation production and mixing. Kim Deal’s distinct bass playing and vocals really start to shine on this album, perfectly setting her up to be up front in The Breeders. Frank Black’s sometimes frantic vocals and songwriting seems to have paved the way for singers like Jack White and Isaac Brock. There are plenty of examples of the massive influence this album had in the music world and that became even more apparent to me on this listen. I give this one a 4.5!

This is a band whose name has come up in conversations before but I don’t think I’ve ever actually listened to their music. Singer Kurt Warner’s vocals are impressive and all over the place dynamically. Im a fan of his quickly lyrics too. The orchestral arrangements are beautiful and really well thought out. Nothing on this album seems unnecessarily placed just for the sake of having layers, it all has a musical purpose. The production, engineering and mixing are all top notch on this album. I’m excited to explore Lambchop’s weird world some more with future listens.

Excellent electro-funk pop record. I wore this one out pretty quickly when it came out and then I kind of forgot about it mainly because it was released around the same time as Robyn’s classic, Honey and for me this album got overshadowed by it. I’m glad this project got me to revisit it though. With the exception of DāM FunK’s additional production on “Girlfriend” this album was self produced remarkably by Chris. There’s plenty of nostalgia sprinkled in the music but it doesn’t feel like a cheap gimmick and it’s balanced with modern pop elements giving it a timeless sound. Chris’ emotive, theatrical and heartfelt vocal delivery demonstrates precision and control while his lyrics show a poetic defiance against the typical pop parameters. On this listen I picked up on some phrasing similarities with Caroline Polachek and Michael Jackson, something I didn’t notice before. Every nuance in his performance seems meticulously calculated and deliberate, yielding huge pay offs for the listener. Definitely a must listen for anyone who loves pop music like I do. I’m leaning 3.75 on this one.

Ok, Serge meets Melody Nelson. Serge professes his love for Melody despite just meeting her. Melody’s not seriously interested but enjoys a good flirt regardless. Serge gets kind of obsessive towards Melody. This pushes Melody away. Melody falls for her dentist. Serge falls into a deep depression and decides to stalk Melody and her new dentist husband. Serge starts living in a tree next to Melody and the dentist’s house. One night while watching Melody eat dinner with her family Serge slips and falls out of the tree he’s living in. Melody hears the crash and runs out to see what happened. She doesn’t remember this guy Serge. He wakes up with her over him but the blow to the head erased all memory of her. He’s once again enamored with her, asks her name, she says “Melody Nelson”. This time around she falls for him and leaves her dentist husband/father to her 6 children to run off with some weirdo named Serge. I gotta brush up on my French but I think that’s the gist of it.

For most of my life my only exposer to Thin Lizzy was the singles from Jailbreak. I liked what I heard but not enough to buy any albums. A few years back thanks to music streaming I started digging further into their extensive catalog. Through that digging Bad Reputation, Black Rose and Johnny The Fox quickly became favorites for me. Live And Dangerous only made me mad that I was born too late to see this band perform in their prime. It had to be awe inspiring to hear those iconic harmonizing guitar leads cranked in an arena. I’m not usually a live album fan but it’s hard to deny how phenomenal the band sounds here. Phil Lynott’s one-of-a-kind vocals absolutely soar throughout the entire performance. And let’s be honest Phil’s name really should be at the top of more greatest bass player lists. Brian Downey’s drumming is tight and in the pocket while still making things feel like things could go off the rails at any moment. Of course Brian Robertson and Scott Gorham’s face melting guitars are insane. No songs are rushed or dragging and all the musicians are just perfectly locked in together. I know this was recorded over multiple performances and there were studio sessions after, I don’t care how they made it sound so good and like your front row I’m just glad they did.

A solid funk album from a solid funk band. I really respect the musicianship displayed on this album and enjoyed the listen but I found myself getting easily distracted with this one.

A pretty decent 60’s album. I’m not a big fan of Traffic but this was an enjoyable listen. I like 80’s Steve Winwood more but that’s probably due to nostalgia than better songs.

Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson’s piano and rhodes work prove what a great team they are and warrants their continued collaboration for the multiple albums after. The pairs vocals sound so raw and exposed and really fits the narrative of the lyrical/poetic output. The Bottle is a stand out for me. 3.75

Paul’s voice and songwriting are incredible. I’ve gotten used to his voice on Still Crazy After All These Years and Graceland so my first thought on this listen was how his voice sounds so much younger on this album than I remember. It’s hard for me to pick a favorites, it’s just such a perfect collection of songs.

The frequent use of slap back delay on John’s Forgey’s distorted vocals always seemed to emulate a speaker shouting into a P.A. to a crowd of Vietnam war protesters. This is the visual I get immediately when I start listening to a Creedence album, that or helicopters flying in the jungles of Nam, the later is thanks to the many war movie soundtracks this band is on. After that initial visual I then begin to reminisce about how this band was properly introduced to me. A friend in high school had some cool hippy parents who always played music loud in the house, I’m pretty sure CCR was a constant as was Pink Floyd and Neil Young. I once asked my friend if I could borrow a cd for a couple days. He asked me if I ever listened to CCR. I told him other than when his parents played them I had only heard their songs in movies and on the radio but never really listened to their albums. He gave me Chronicle as a starter and said I need to be more familiar with this band. For those couple days I had that cd on repeat and completely fell in love with the sound of this band. The simplicity of CCR’s set up, songs and recordings makes you feel like you’re in garage with this band hearing them work out the details in front of you. Great album, no skips for me. The Dude abides.

When Pablo Honey came out I bought the album for Creep, like most people did at the time. I was slightly disappointed in the rest of the album but I still liked it. A couple years later when the video came out for Fake Plastic Trees started its rotation on MTV I was locked in, I went out and bought the cd immediately. Radiohead leveled up on all fronts from its debut and I couldn’t get enough of this collection of classics. Since then I have been excited every time this band puts anything out including side projects, solo projects and film scores, I love it all. But this album really was a musical perspective shift for me, it opened me up to a new lane of artists that I may not have given a chance if not for this band and this album in particular. This is Radiohead at their most accessible, before they started making every left turn they felt the wind direct them while keeping fans on their toes. Johnny’s guitar work is always inspiring and while he may not push the bounds on this album as much as he does on future albums he really was breaking new ground for the time this album was released. Tom’s emotional vocal delivery and lyrics through out this album still give me chills even after all these years, especially on Bulletproof and Street Spirit. The whole band sounds great here but the other guys start really shining on the next album OK Computer. This one’s an easy 5 for me.

I have so many fond memories of all these early R.E.M. albums. I was in a high school band around the time Out Of Time was released and I remember our bass player being obsessed with R.E.M. to the point to where he’s the first person I think of every time I listen to them. I particularly remember a time when I walked out to our drummer's garage/rehearsal space and there was our bass player playing R.E.M. songs that he’d been learning. In that moment it struck me how memorable those bass lines are. They have so many songs that you can hear the bass line and immediately know what song it is. Obviously this is true for really all four musicians in this band. Since then I’ve really come to admire Michael Stipe for his take on being an artist and his political activism. Recently I was listening to his interview on the Smartless podcast and was really struck by how much this band was just trying to figure things out for those first 3 albums. I mean the first song on their first album was a radio hit immediately and they kinda had no idea what they were doing. Obviously by the time this album came out they had things figured out and it shows here. This is a collection of perfectly crafted pop rock songs that on their own could stand the test of time, but it’s Michael’s heartfelt vocal delivery that send these songs over the top. The Sidewinder Sleeps At Night, Man On The Moon and Nightswimming are my favorites from this one.

This is not my favorite Nightmares On Wax album but I do enjoy revisiting it. I feel like George Evelyn really honed his craft on Mind Elevation and In A Space Outta Sound, adding more sophistication, layers and variation but I get why this album always makes the top of many lists in the genre. Smokers Delight broke new ground in the lounge/trip hop world in 95. It’s his most consistent album, what you get at the top is what you get through out. Also it’s hard to deny this album makes for a good summer cook/smoke out choice or even a late night chill album. A great companion to Massive Attack, Portishead, Air, etc.

The legendary band and album that is credited for influencing so many bands for decades following. It’s easy to hear how bands like At The Drive In/Mars Volta and Fugazi have MC5 in their musical DNA. There’s so much raw energy in this performance and it’s always been amazing to me that something this wild was captured in 1968. Starship is a favorite for me.

I felt a little burnt out on this particular project today. Since I can remember most of my life I’ve spent every day checking out multiple new and “new to me” albums, sometimes sharing whatever I discovered with friends or checking out music they’ve discovered. This is nothing new to me, the writing about that experience is new to me, I’m not one to think people give a shit about my thoughts toward music or anything really. It’s just something personal to me that gets me through the day. A obsession? Maybe. I’m not a fierce critic on music because I know what a challenge it is to not only create something but to then in turn finish that creation and put it out for people to hear only to then in turn praise or abuse it. Another reason I’m not a good critic is because I’m not by any means a good writer so the writing part is always a challenge for me and my imposter syndrome/inferiority complex was in full bloom this morning so yeah, fuck me right? I say all this because that’s where my head was at when I pulled this album up and began my morning run. I was familiar with Victoria so my first thought was ok I’ve checked out this album before. That’s where the familiarity stopped. Obviously I know The Kinks from the songs everyone else knows but I’m not as familiar with this one. As the album played and my run began releasing much needed endorphins my mood picked up as did my appreciation for The Kinks. The production on this album is lush and expansive but at its core there’s just some excellent song writing and musical performances. Is it going too far to say this album could rival a few Beatles albums given the similarities in sound? I mean there’s no Ringo songs here to skip. I know, probably not. The Beatles are god. I still think this was an excellent attempt at pulling those gods down from their golden thrones and made for an enjoyable listening experience as well. Anyway there’s my honest take on where I’m at today and how this album was the soundtrack to my morning thoughts. Big surprise, another 4 for me! I fucking love music!

To this day I still regularly throw this album on from time to time and enjoy it. It’s a classic in my eyes. The energy that they bring through out the album is incredible especially given the precision of their playing. Of course it’s a lot of punk standard chord progressions but I always felt like this was more of a strait forward rock album more than a punk album. Mike Dirnt’s bass lines were always impressive to me, so memorable and catchy. Tré Cool’s ADHD drumming keeps things locked while still staying busy enough for a three piece to stay interesting. Billie Joe’s brain worm melodies are catchy as hell and delivered with urgency. I feel like American Idiot is their masterpiece but this is a close second. For that reason I give it a 4.5.

This album marked a massive change in rock production to come. Sure the name Hybrid Theory could mean many things referring to the many genres represented here but to me it was the hybrid of a rock band and the newest (at that time) pro recording technology. Producer Don Gilmore and team utilized everything Pro Tools had to offer. Beat Detective and Sound Replacer are heavily used here on drummer Rob Bourdon getting that almost programmed sound on the drums. Autotune was already an industry standard at this time and is used tastefully here. All the boy band vocal stutter edits are all over this album too. The guitar mutes that are perfectly aligned on the grid, along with all the synths, samplers, drum programming, all of this gives it such an electronic feel. Yet because of all the human elements involved it still has an organic feel too. Sure these plug ins and editing techniques were available for years but they were never used so extensively on a rock/metal record until this album. If you don’t realize what an impact this album had, listen to newer alternative metal/metalcore bands like Bring Me The Horizon or Architechs and you will hear every one of the elements I just listed as well as many sonic similarities, minus the rapping. 25 years later and this album still reverberates in the contemporary respective genres. I put this album on today with every intention of dragging it through the mud given the negative connotation of the rap metal element that is now so divisive basically becoming the disco of my generation. But I couldn’t do it, this album was ground breaking on so many levels and the amount of work that was put into these songs is undeniable and if you listen with an open mind you’ll hear it’s relevance today. 4.5

Of the “big four” of thrash Slayer is king for me. That’s my stance now but at one time it would’ve been Metallica. Megadeth has always been a close second or third, I’m just not a huge Anthrax fan so they stay at forth. That being said Rust In Peace has always been a favorite of mine by Megadeth. I remember being a teenager trying to learn the riffs from this album. When I was younger this album felt so mechanical, listening to it now with the context of modern day recordings it feels so raw, especially the drums. This was a fun album to revisit, it hasn’t been that long since I’ve listened to it but it’s the first time in a while I have it a focused listen all the way through. Now I’m looking forward to the Slayer albums that are on this list.

Yet another example of why the 70’s was such an important decade for music. One thing I love about Genesis over the other prog bands of that time was the attention to melody. As impressive as the music is for most of this album nothing seems to get in the way of the lead vocal or instrument and it all serves to support them. Sometimes prog albums have so many left turns and challenging musical parts that it can seem forced, that doesn’t seem to happen here, just incredible musicians letting their creativity flow. A solid 4.5 for me.

I miss the old Kanye. A classic record from a very divisive celebrity. As time has gone on it’s been harder to separate the artist from the art with Kanye. As someone who used to be a fan of his music I got used to ignoring his antics outside of his releases for a long time. Of course that all stopped once he got into the Nazi/MAGA bullshit. His music started going downhill and into overly religious territory too for my taste so he no longer had anything that I could connect to anymore. The last Kanye West album I truly enjoyed was Yeesus. Every album before that was phenomenal with the highlight for me being My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. The College Dropout was the “backpacker determined to prove himself as a rapper and producer” era of Mr West. I remember seeing the MTV thing that aired talking about Kanye as an emerging artist. That was where I heard about his car accident and rapping through his mouth being wired shut for Through The Wire. Pretty incredible story and showed his determination. His trademark production style that he honed for Jay Z and other rappers shines here on this debut.

I loved trying to draw Eddie from these covers as a kid before I even listened to the band. When I finally did I was surprised at how not scary their music was. The “satanic panic” of the 80’s made music fun and I kinda miss the fear mongering from Christians, although now they do the same thing to Taylor Swift and Beyoncé which cracks me up even more. The more I’ve heard this album over the years the more I’ve grown to love it. The crushing guitars are a prime example of cranked up Marshall amps multi tracked for that massive wall of sound. The galloping bass locked in with the frantic drums give the songs so much raw energy. There’s almost a punk element to this album mixed with that classic metal sound. Bruce’s operatic vocal style and interesting melodic choices give Iron Maiden their theatrical boost making it impossible to sing along without doing some sort of dramatic pose. All these elements mixed together made for a great run of eighties albums from these guys.

Another one from the Native Tongues! Personally I would recommend Strait Out The Jungle over this one mainly because I feel like the beat production and mix is more gritty which I prefer but it’s the Jungle Brothers, you can’t really go wrong. All in all another great hip hop classic. 3.5

Insane debut album from a band that continued to put out stellar albums for 4 short years to come. I’ve grown to love all of the albums in that time span, constantly switching out favorites every few years. This is a band I tell myself I’m tired of and can’t listen to anymore and then the second I throw on one of their albums I’m immediately mesmerized like it’s the first time hearing them.

I’ve always heard great things about Ozomatli but have never sat down and really listened to them. I love the horns and strings. Really fun blend of Latin grooves, hip hop, funk and rock. Great recording and mix, I can see why it won some Latin Grammys. Chali 2na from J5 on Who’s To Blame?!? Awesome! My only complaint musically is the genres represented here seem a little generic, although the performances captured are really well played. Other than that I really enjoyed my first dip into the Ozomatli world, definitely gonna do some deep dives into their catalog. 3.5

This was the album that made me a Taylor Swift fan. The album prior, Red had some songs that captured my attention but this album really hit me when it was released, and still does for that matter. It’s a perfect pop record. The 80’s nostalgia is all over this record, mainly in the synths, but also in the melody choices and even the lyrical style. These are songs about young love and a world full of possibilities. At the time of its release my wife and I just had our first child and while we were in a different phase of our life than Taylor, these themes still ran parallel to the feelings I was experiencing as a new dad. Flash forward to a few months back when we were watching The Eras Tour on Disney as a family movie night, seeing my kids sing along to those same songs with such excitement was just a full circle moment emotionally. Another parallel. My wife and I’s “first date” back in 2009 was a 3 day trip to New York in which we handed out cds promoting the band I was in at the time preparing for upcoming shows in NYC. We connected with a lot of people, saw a Friendly Fires concert, went to a Jimmy Fallon taping and went out one night with a DJ who took us to many underground bars and we had an insane time. The point being that was a huge life moment for me, new love, a city with infinite possibilities, these are the nostalgic emotions and memories that washed over me as I first listened to 1989, especially the opening track Welcome To New York. I guess maybe I was also primed with the emotions of being a new dad. Taylor enlisted some greats from the world of production on here, I was pretty excited for Jack Antonoff’s contribution since I was a fan of his work already. This album started Taylor and Jack’s ongoing working relationship, my second favorite album from her, Folklore features this team up with the addition of The National’s Aaron Dessner, I’d recommend a focused listen on that one if you like this one at all. This is an easy 5 for me.

As much as I’ve heard the singles from this album I don’t think I’ve really listened to the album. I got what I was expecting to hear until I got to Lust To Love. There’s some really cool melodic choices on that one and it has a lot of early Cure vibes. Feels like the album shifts there and I’m happy with the shift it makes. I love the simplicity of this record, short and sweet, made for a fun listen but I don’t think it’ll be one that I revisit frequently. A solid 3.5 for me.

I think this was the album that introduced me to drum and bass or it was the most impactful for me at the time. I saw the video for Brown Paper Bag late one night on MTV and got the album the next day. Not a bad album to start on considering it’s now revered as one of the best of all time. I still throw it on from time to time all though I don’t usually make it through the whole thing. Taking this album on is a pretty big commitment unless it’s a background thing. Like most songs in the electronic world from this time there’s a lot of repetition through out the lengthy tracks, at times that’s the one thing that sets this album back a bit unless you’re looking for something meditative. Roni Size gets a lot of credit on this album but I feel like DJ Krust is a pretty major contributor too, earning production credits as part of Reprazent. I stumbled upon Krust’s music not long after discovering this album and I loved that he had a similar sound but really pushed his songs further with a more cinematic approach. Aside from having a stellar collective of producers, there’s also some talented vocalists, rappers and musicians featured through out as well. You can tell this collective really poured everything into this album without it feeling overstuffed, it still holds up and I was happy to revisit it.

Such a classic punk album, although I feel like the Dead Kennedys always came with enough variety to make them feel like they transcend the confines of punk. Jello Biafra is both wild and intelligent thanks to heavy doses of sarcasm and seriousness in his lyrics and performances. His voice is one of a kind and his influence on singers to come is very apparent. The band is really tight for the genre too, still maintaining a raw sound but with levels of precision in the intensity that few other punk bands could reach. I completely agree to this being an album everyone should experience at least once, even if it’s not your thing.

I really like Sananda’s voice. That’s the one thing I always remember taking away from the many times I heard Wishing Well on the radio. This being my first listen to the rest of the songs outside of the heavily rotated single I can see why he gets the one hit wonder title, not cause the songs aren’t good but more because the rest of the songs are more mature and less catchy. I enjoyed getting to hear these songs for the first time from a singer whose voice I was very familiar with due to radio saturation. 3.5

At first I just wasn’t in the mood to revisit this album. This is a common thing for me and The Rolling Stones. It took me until the age of 30 to truly appreciate their music. Until then it always felt like homework to take on a full album of theirs, still does sometimes. But sometimes I’m in the right headspace for this band and then it’s like they can do no wrong, every song is essential. This is especially true for this album. It’s a perfect end of day album and similarly every song sounds like it would fit nicely at the end of a movie as the credits go up.

One thing I noticed on this listen is, Of Wolf And Man, Fuel, Sad But True and Hero Of The Day sound surprisingly incredible with the orchestral accompaniment, all the songs do really, these just stood out for me as the most improved. Overall the 90’s Metallica works best with the orchestra in my opinion and these aren’t even my favorite Metallica songs. There’s more room in those songs for big movements from the strings and brass and all the instruments seem to blend with the band more. Unsurprisingly, One is a major highlight, it’s already a masterpiece but the orchestra just makes this song into a full blown movie. This might be the coolest thing Metallica has done conceptually, it’s been a while since I listened to this and I’m glad I got to today.

This was a much needed surprise. Chaotic and unpredictable. How have I never heard this before? I can see how Mr Bungle and more specifically Mike Patton was heavily influenced by the intensity of this band. The way the guitars are sampled and manipulated is really creative and at times they reminds me of The Refused or NIN. The hybrid approach of live drummer verses programmed drum machine is an entertaining battle to hear play out. The synths and samples used are so menacing as they bubble up from sporadically placed orchestral string runs to a full on distorted and warped symphony. Even though I don’t understand the language I still love the vocals here. The growls and screams show hints of Tom Waits. Overall I really enjoyed this one.

The first album by Little Simz I heard was Sometimes I Might Be An Introvert and I was very impressed but I never went back and listened to this album and now I wish I had. GREY Area is incredible. The production is so meticulously crafted by Inflo utilizing some insane instrumentation, samples and drums. If you’re a fan of this album you should check out Inflo’s other project Sault which I’m also a fan of. Little Simz has some amazing flows and lyrics that kept me locked in for the whole ride. Always good to see Little Dragon getting a feature as well as Cleo Soul and Michael Kiwanuka, all phenomenal artists. The only downside to this album is that’s it’s over so quickly but it’s very effective to have 10 bangers at 35 minutes as opposed to a more overstuffed project. I’ll be repeating this one for a couple days.

I’ve tried many times to get into this band cause they’re on a lot of lists but it’s just not my thing. It’s an interesting concept I guess, but a double album? I gave it more of a try this time than I have in the past but still.. not hitting me. 2 points for them committing to the concept though.

The Temptations' All Directions is a quintessential example of 70s funk and soul at its finest. This album marks a notable shift towards a more funky sound for the group, featuring the long jams, dry "in the pocket" drumming, and upfront bass that define the era's groove. The musicianship throughout the record is impeccable, with standout contributions from the brass and strings adding rich layers to the sound. The vocal performances are, as always, top-notch, showcasing the seasoned expertise of The Temptations. Among the standout tracks, "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" shines as an epic masterpiece, embodying the essence of the album, while "Mother Nature" also emerges as a personal favorite, perfectly capturing the album’s vibe.

This is an album that I didn’t fully appreciate till I was in my late 20’s, I always enjoyed this bands singles when I was younger but didn’t start diving into their albums till later. Once I started exploring the music beyond the radio singles the importance of this band quickly became apparent. Oddly enough, one of the album’s standout features to me is its rich "ear candy," which, due to the minimalism of the songs, feels particularly pronounced. This is something I notice on their other albums too, it just sounds like something this band had a lot of fun with in the studio. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones's intricate guitar layers are crucial to the rhythms more than any added percussion would be, as a guitar player I was heavily influenced by this approach. Strummer’s raw vocals have influenced many singers for years to come, I keep thinking of Rancid’s Tim Armstrong in particular as I listen. The album is filled with catchy, anthemic choruses that stick in your head for hours after listening. The Clash explore a variety of genres, including reggae and new wave, with impressive -tight yet aggressive- drum work by Topper Headon and memorable, dynamic bass lines by Paul Simonon. The horns contribute significantly to its sound providing another layer of excitement and energy when utilized. I really enjoyed revisiting this essential album as it’s been a while. Favorite tracks include "London Calling," "Jimmy Jazz," “Hateful,” "Lost in the Supermarket," "Clampdown," "I’m Not Down," "Revolution Rock," and "Train in Vain (Stand by Me)."

American Music Club’s album California presents a fascinating blend of melancholic rock and introspective lyrics. It took me a few tracks to fully appreciate the band's sound, but songs like “Laughing Stock,” “Pale Skin Girl,” “Blue and Grey Shirt,” “Jenny,” “Western Sky,” and “Highway 5” stood out as particularly engaging. The album shines in its slower tracks, where the guitar work adds a compelling depth that enhances the mood. There's a noticeable resemblance to the early styles of Counting Crows and Bruce Springsteen, though I personally find both of those influences more appealing. Despite these strengths, the album falls short for me due to my mixed feelings about Mark Eitzel’s vocals. While there are moments where his voice complements the music, overall, it often felt out of sync with the instrumental backdrop. Although California is not an album I’d place on my top lists, it certainly has its moments of merit and would appeal to fans of introspective rock.

Morrison Hotel has frequently risen to the top of my list of favorite Doors albums, even though choosing a definitive favorite among their catalog is always a challenge. This album stands out for its bluesier edge, yet it remains quintessentially Doors with its eclectic mix of styles. It might be difficult to determine which album features their best songs, but sonically, Morrison Hotel is undeniably their most polished and impressive work. The performances are robust, and the recording and mixing are top-notch. The band's dynamic range is on full display, with seamless transitions that showcase their stylistic versatility. Tracks like "Waiting for the Sun," "Ship of Fools," and "Queen of the Highway" flirt with progressive rock elements, incorporating intricate changes that highlight their musical complexity. Particularly striking is the smooth segue from "Peace Frog" to "Blue Sunday," which never fails to surprise me. "Indian Summer" exemplifies the Doors' ability to craft meditative, psychedelic tracks that feel otherworldly. Overall, Morrison Hotel is a testament to the band's enduring creativity and skill, presenting a blend of blues, rock, and psychedelia that resonates deeply.

The musicians play really well (+2 stars). That becomes less impressive when they play the same chord structure for 10 mins (-1 star). They lack that certain je ne sais quoi (-1 star). The music closely resembles the album cover (+2 stars).

Red Headed Stranger is a captivating album that stands out even if you’re not traditionally a country fan. The album's minimalist approach, featuring Willie Nelson's signature classical guitar and his warm, comforting voice, places him at the center of the music. For me, this album holds a special place, coming in as a close second to “Stardust”, which remains my favorite Willie Nelson album. This record has a unique ability to transport me back to my dad’s family's mountain home in Virginia. Listening to it evokes memories of playing on old porches surrounded by dense woods—a place that felt both enchanting and intimidating. The haunting beauty of the music resonates with the eerie, yet magical atmosphere of those childhood nights. Willie Nelson’s songs manage to capture that sense of wonder and fear, only to remind me that there’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s a profound testament to his ability to evoke emotion and nostalgia through his music. 4.5

OutKast’s “Stankonia” is a groundbreaking album that not only redefined hip hop but also became a personal touchstone for me. Having had the incredible opportunity to work at Stankonia Studios alongside many of the creators of this album, I can say that its significance transcends mere musical achievement; it’s a deeply personal experience. When “Stankonia” was released, its innovative approach to hip hop was immediately apparent. While “Aquemini” had already pushed boundaries, “Stankonia” took this experimental spirit to new heights, fueled by the freedom and creativity afforded by the newly purchased studio. The album's embrace of emerging technology, particularly the shift from tape to ProTools, was emblematic of the era's evolving soundscape. This technological evolution is captured in Warren Bletcher aka Dub’s interlude, where he says “They say a computer can do my job better than I can damn do it.” There was a harsh truth in this comedic skit. For me, this album was a revelation. It was the first time I heard elements similar to those I was experimenting with at home incorporated into a major studio release. This connection between my own budding production work and the cutting-edge sounds of “Stankonia” provided a sense of hope and possibility. Little did I know that this hope would materialize into reality, as I eventually found myself working with artists I once admired from afar. The stories and experiences shared by those who worked on “Stankonia” have deepened my appreciation for the album. Each listen now brings back vivid memories of walking the halls of Stankonia Studios, with the scent of purple and the taste of yak almost palpable in the music. OutKast’s “Stankonia” is not just a reflection of Atlanta’s vibrant culture but also a cherished part of my own journey in music.

This album has always felt like a dreamscape to me. It's the perfect album for moments of reflection, offering a rich, immersive experience despite its minimal instrumentation. The lush sound is largely attributed to the beautiful vocal harmonies and the use of reverb, which creates a grand, resonant atmosphere. The lyrics are vividly descriptive yet retain a poetic sense of observation, enhancing the reflective quality of the music. Listening to this album invariably lifts my mood, making it a gratifying choice for today’s soundtrack.

Happy Trails is a mesmerizing journey through psychedelic rock, highlighted by its sprawling jams and inventive guitar interplay. As someone unfamiliar with this album prior to this listen, I was struck immediately by the interplay between the two guitarists. The guitars often reminded me of early Santana albums, with intricate solos and melodic phrasing that feel both adventurous and familiar. One notable feature of the album is the way vocals are mixed—mostly subdued, a byproduct of its live recording at the Fillmores or just a creative decision made during mixing. The sparse vocal presence shifts the focus to the instrumental prowess of the band, allowing the extended guitar solos and improvisational jams to take center stage. The “zone-out” noisy sections are particularly compelling, drawing listeners into a trance-like state with their hypnotic quality. The crowd noise is mostly buried, a decision that might seem odd at first. However, this choice makes a key moment when audience interaction on “Where Do You Love” is brought to the forefront even more striking. The ambient mics capture the crowd’s energy on this section, adding an engaging layer to the live experience. The album’s centerpiece is the epic rendition of Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love,” which spans an entire side of the LP divided into six movements. This track showcases the band's ability to stretch out a song into a prolonged jam, filled with dynamic guitar interplay and a captivating bass solo that provides much-needed variety. Following this with another Bo Diddley song, “Mona,” which mirrors the exact same chord progression and jam format of “Who Do You Love,” which cracked me up. The slight variation in approach between the two tracks demonstrates the band’s ability to experiment within a consistent framework. “Calvary” stands out with its choir-like vocal sections that, although difficult to hear clearly, add a cinematic depth to the song. This ethereal quality might make it my favorite track on the album, adding a unique and evocative element to the overall experience. Overall, Happy Trails is a fascinating exploration of live psychedelic rock that successfully blends long jams, innovative musicianship, and trippy atmospheric experimentation. The album piques interest in Quicksilver Messenger Service’s broader discography, leaving me eager to delve further into their music. 3.5

One of the earliest songs that left a deep mark on me was "West End Girls" by The Pet Shop Boys. I was just nine years old when I first encountered it, and the profound emotional reaction it elicited from me was nothing short of transformative. To this day, the lush synth pads that open the track hit me with the same intensity, striking a chord in my gut. The blend of Chris Lowe's evolving dance production and Neil Tennant’s distinct vocals creates a synergy that seems almost magical. They are, without a doubt, a perfect duo. Their music feels like a celebration of melancholy, almost as if they pioneered the genre of epic cry dancing. This particular album embodies the essence of ‘90s house music. It might take me a couple of tracks to fully immerse myself in its vibe, but once I do, I'm invariably hooked. The Pet Shop Boys' unique blend of melancholy and dance beats remains a testament to their unparalleled artistry.

The Pretenders' debut album is a raw and straightforward rock and roll affair with minimal studio embellishments. Initially, it didn't excite me much, but I’ve grown to appreciate it for its unvarnished approach. The vocals are prominently mixed, which sometimes overshadows the band’s collective impact, but the songs themselves are solid. While the mixing can feel a bit rough, it aligns with the punk aesthetic where less can be more and benefits from loud listening. Despite several attempts to connect with the band in the past, this recent listen surprisingly won me over by the end. "Brass in Pocket" stands out, partly due to its memorable use in one of my favorite movies, Lost in Translation. “Mystery Achievement” is a banger of a closer with it’s building intensity and crushing added layers.

Listening to The Black Keys' “Brothers” brings me back to a significant time in my life—my wife and I's first apartment together in 2010. Our place was in a historic chair factory converted into lofts, right off the city square. The building’s past was palpable, with remnants of its old self peeking through the renovations. This sense of history juxtaposed with the new made for a unique living experience that mirrors my connection with this album. Released during that time, “Brothers” was on heavy rotation in our apartment. As a longtime fan of The Black Keys, having enjoyed their previous work like “Rubber Factory”—which was recorded in an old rubber factory—I couldn’t help but notice the parallel between the settings of their recordings and my living space. “Brothers” was originally recorded in the abandoned Muscle Shoals Studios before its renovation, much like our loft had remnants of its past. The band’s ability to capture something historic and transform it into something fresh resonates deeply with me. The Black Keys' dynamic is beautifully complementary: Patrick Carney’s drums are bold and thunderous, while Dan Auerbach’s guitar, bass, and vocals provide the soulful core of their sound. The music feels raw and almost on the verge of disintegration, yet it always remains cohesive and moving forward. This quality gives “Brothers” its distinctive, human touch. Standout tracks for me include “Howlin’ for You,” “Too Afraid to Love You,” “Sinister Kid,” “I’m Not the One,” and “These Days.” Each song encapsulates that blend of historic grit and modern energy, much like the environment in which I first experienced the album. “Brothers” is a testament to The Black Keys' ability to breathe new life into old spaces, both literally and metaphorically.

Joni Mitchell's Court and Spark is an album that, while newer to me compared to her acclaimed Blue, has proven to be a deeply enriching experience. When listening to it with my daughter just the other day she said to me “she has such a beautiful voice, how does she sing like that?” I could only agree and guess at the years of practice that contributed to her ability to deliver such honest and emotive performances. As a fan of Blue, I initially approached Court and Spark with a sense of familiarity but found the more complex songwriting style to be a fresh challenge. In my younger years, I struggled with the seemingly rambling nature of singer-songwriter lyrics, feeling they sometimes took a circuitous route to their points. However, as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate and even revel in the poetry and nuance of Mitchell's writing. The album's instrumentation, particularly the orchestral elements, adds a rich layer to the listening experience. Tracks like "Down To You" stand out with their lush arrangements, demonstrating Mitchell's ability to blend intricate music with her profound lyrics seamlessly. Overall, Court and Spark is a testament to Joni Mitchell's extraordinary talent and evolution as an artist. Its sophisticated artistry and emotional depth make it a compelling listen that continues to reveal its layers with each spin.

While Oracular Spectacular isn’t my favorite MGMT album—that would be Little Dark Age—it remains a standout release from the inventive duo. MGMT was a key player in what felt like a mini indie psych renaissance from 2006 to 2012, alongside bands like Animal Collective, Of Montreal, Grizzly Bear, Neon Indian, Wolf Parade, and TV on the Radio, all of which frequently graced my playlists during that creative period. The album brims with youthful revelations and existential musings, offering psychedelic insights into a world of cosmic possibilities, though sometimes wrapped in abstract encoding. Whether it’s profound or just playful, it’s packed with vibrant, danceable tracks that invite both movement and mental exploration. Andrew and Ben excel at making these songs feel as though they were crafted by a full band rather than just two multi-instrumentalists. They achieve this through skillful layering, well-thought-out transitions, and engaging song structures. This intuitive approach is reminiscent of solo artist Kevin Parker (aka Tame Impala), whose albums should also be on this list. Revisiting this mind-bending debut inspired me to check out a few more of their albums, including their latest release. I’m pleased to see MGMT continue to create and share their art.

I first encountered Thundercat in 2010 through his work on Flying Lotus’ Cosmogramma, where his bass playing left a lasting impression on me. His standout performance continued to captivate me on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly, prompting me to explore his solo work. I was once again blown away by his unique sound, which blends elements of Earth, Wind & Fire, Steely Dan, and J Dilla into something entirely new. Delving into his background revealed an impressive list of collaborations, from playing live with Erykah Badu to Suicidal Tendencies. His album Drunk is a testament to his brilliance. The lyrics, whether exploring quirky ways to navigate feeling weird or the coolness of being a cat, are playful yet introspective, addressing relationship struggles and feelings of being overlooked from a nerd's perspective. But the real highlight is his bass playing, inventive song structures, and that airy, soulful voice. It's a voice that could be described as a blend of Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, with the latter two even featuring on the track “Show You The Way”—genius. Exploring the musicians associated with Kendrick Lamar, Flying Lotus, and Thundercat led me down a fascinating rabbit hole. Brilliant artists like Mono/Poly, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Kamasi Washington, Deantoni Parks, Terrace Martin, and Robert Glasper all contribute to this unofficial collective, reminiscent of the Soulquarians of the late 90s and early 2000s. Ultimately, Drunk showcases Thundercat’s prowess as a solo artist, highlighting his exceptional talent beyond his role as a sought-after collaborator.

Stevie Wonder is an incredibly inspiring and prolific artist, I love his challenging yet memorable songwriting, soulful vocals, and mind blowing work on the keys. While his drumming on Innervisions is a bit distracting for me—an unusual critique as it's the only album where it stands out negatively—I recognize that this is a minor quibble in the context of his multi-instrumental brilliance. When it comes to the songs overall I like Fullfilingness’ First Finale or Songs in the Key of Life better, they would be on my must listen albums list before this one. That being said there’s some bangers on here, personal favorites being “Visions,” “Golden lady,” “Higher ground” and “All in Love is Fair.” After listening to this album I also enjoyed revisiting some of his catalog again and even went back to some of his 60’s albums that I’m not as familiar with, Down To Earth is a stand out from that era for me. Despite my reservations about the drumming, Innervisions remains an undeniable classic, deserving a solid 4.5 rating.

Tommy is a landmark album that clearly demonstrates the band's ambition and scope and is a significant milestone that helped establish The Who’s reputation. While I’m more inclined towards Quadrophenia and The Who Sell Out, I can't overlook the impact Tommy had on the band's career and its impressive craftsmanship. The recording quality is excellent, reflecting the era's technological advancements and The Who’s dedication to their craft. There are certainly standout tracks that highlight Pete Townshend’s remarkable songwriting and Roger Daltrey’s compelling vocals. Keith Moon’s drumming, despite his reputation as the "wild man" of rock, is surprisingly disciplined and fitting for the album's highly focused concept. However, I do feel that the album includes a fair amount of filler, which slightly detracts from its overall coherence. Despite this, the concept and the way the story unfolds is quite impressive, showcasing Townshend’s ambition and creative vision. My recent, more focused listen has deepened my appreciation for Tommy, though I still prefer the energy and innovation of Quadrophenia and The Who Sell Out. Overall, Tommy is a bold and influential work that deserves recognition for its artistic achievement and its role in shaping The Who’s legacy.

Patti Smith’s Horses is a compelling testament to raw emotion and musical authenticity. Despite Patti Smith’s unconventional vocal style, which might not be technically perfect, her expressiveness and engaging lyrics command attention. The band’s performance shines throughout and the walls and signal flows of Electric Lady Studios treat them well. The track “Redondo Beach” stands out with its ska/reggae rhythm, adding a dynamic layer to the album. “Birdland” offers a droning, meditative exploration of a simple idea, emerging as a personal highlight with its introspective storytelling. “Free Money” impresses with its Velvet Underground-meets-Neil Young vibe, driven by a chugging three-chord progression that builds to a crescendo. “Kimberly” showcases a more intricate chord structure and benefits from the subtle addition of organ, giving it a thoughtful, well-crafted feel. Richard Sohl’s piano work on “Elegie” is another album highlight, demonstrating impressive skill and emotional depth. Overall, Horses remains a significant and influential work. While it may not be an album I frequently revisit, it continues to offer a profound listening experience and a valuable place in musical history.

The 1950s isn't my favorite decade for recorded music, as I often struggle to connect with the era's songs despite being familiar with many of them. That being said these are great songs from a songwriting standpoint point and the recordings sound great considering the limited technology of the time. Buddy Holly's talent as a singer is undeniable, and I can appreciate the lasting impact he and this album have had on music. “Not Fade Away” is a standout for me because the drums sound like it’s a suitcase and hi hats which gives an interesting texture. I kept waiting for “All I Have To Do Is Dream” then once I looked it up I realized that’s The Everly Brothers, I always thought it was a Buddy Holly song.

I love early Santana, the first three albums being my favorites. These records feature some of the era's most compelling album cover art and showcase Santana's profound influence on music long before the pop-rock era of Supernatural. There are many moments in the original trilogy of Santana albums that were obviously influential to 90’s and 2000’s bands like 311 and The Mars Volta. The musicianship displayed on Abraxas is incredible, the rhythm section is so tight and in the pocket and I could listen to them jam all day. Santana was still at a point to where his abilities were fresh to him, I feel like over time this is something that faded as he grew more comfortable in his role. Here he’s delivering with intensity and conviction and general excitement to be a part of this extremely talented band. All the songs here are highlights for me and this album will continue to be a regular in my music rotation.

Otis Redding has been tied with Björk as my all-time favorite singer for a long time. No matter how many times I’ve listened to their songs, they still give me chills. While I’m grateful to have seen Björk live a few times, going back in time to see Otis perform would be the ultimate fantasy. He wasn’t just a phenomenal performer; he was also an incredible songwriter. From Otis Blue, tracks like "Ole Man Trouble," "Respect," and "I’ve Been Loving You Too Long" showcase his songwriting prowess, and they’re all standout hits. Otis’s vocal delivery is masterful—always controlled yet seemingly on the verge of losing that control, with a dynamic range that allows him to be both powerful and tender. My favorite song of his is "I’ve Got Dreams to Remember," but from this album, "I’ve Been Loving You Too Long" stands out. The way Otis conveys heartache feels like he can reach into your core and pull those emotions out. Redding’s band is exceptional, providing a solid foundation that allows Otis to explore the songs fully. As a fellow guitar player, I’ve been deeply influenced by Steve Cropper’s guitar work. Overall, Otis Redding’s work deserves nothing less than a 5, and that’s exactly what I’m giving him.

Jeff Buckley’s beautiful voice is one of many good reasons for this album to continue to top so many lists after all these years. His silky falsetto, haunting operatic vibrato and his insane ability to belt high notes are all on full display on Grace. The last assignment I spoke about Otis Redding and Bjork being my all time favorite singers, Jeff Buckley is high on that list too. His death was tragic on its own but I can’t help but wonder how his voice and songwriting would have progressed had he not died so young. I imagine he would have had an incredible late phase as his voice began to show signs of wear and tear and his writing grew more reflective and introspective. Jeff was also an incredible guitar player and has some really impressive playing on Grace and the band compliments him perfectly. There’s plenty of peaks and valleys on this album and some songs take their time to build which makes the eventual impact all the more intense and explosive. There’s also a fairly wide variety of styles here, the biggest contrast being between songs “Corpus Christi Carol” which has a soft angelic sound and flows nicely into what almost sounds like a Red Hot Chili Peppers rocker “Eternal Life”. The variety in the compositions, emotive songwriting and vocal execution keeps me coming back to Grace after all these years and I was happy to revisit it today.

War is an incredibly powerful album. Its songs are anthemic, capturing the era in which they were released while retaining a timeless quality. As a kid, U2 felt almost magical to me. I didn't fully grasp the meaning of their songs, but I loved their music and the emotions it evoked. Now, as an adult, the themes are clearer, yet the same enigmatic feeling still washes over me. While the impact of the band members on the music world is well-documented, every listen to this album reveals something new to appreciate. This time, I found myself drawn to lesser-known tracks like "Seconds" and "Drowning Man," while still being captivated by the iconic hits "Sunday Bloody Sunday" and "New Year's Day." The trumpet work and backing vocals on "Red Light" add a unique dimension to the album that continues to surprise me. "Surrender" and "40" provide a perfect, powerful conclusion to the album. I'm consistently impressed by the roomy drum sound and gritty recording, which I wouldn’t change for anything. Steve Lillywhite’s production captures U2’s youthful energy brilliantly, cementing his reputation as a legendary producer. This is another album I’m glad is on the list, and even though I'm familiar with it, I feel a deeper connection to it today. 4.5

I remember watching a documentary on Fela Kuti a few years back and was fascinated by his life, struggles and activism. While the music he and Afrika 70 made was incredible without this knowledge, it definitely didn’t hurt to have some backstory. For me Fela’s music makes for inspired background listening but I find myself stopping what I’m doing and admiring whatever groove the band gets stuck on, it’s hypnotizing. Glad to revisit this one.

Halcyon Digest is another album that brings back all the nostalgia of the early 2010’s for me due to its heavy rotation back then. It ranks as my second favorite from Deerhunter, my favorite being 2008’s Microcastle. Singer, Bradford Cox, suffers from Marfan Syndrome, which is a genetic connective tissue disorder that I recently discovered I may have a mild case of. I can’t help but think about this every time I listen to Deerhunter or Bradford’s other project Atlas Sound now. I also remember when this band was somewhat of a local Atlanta band on the rise and we would see them at shows around the city supporting other local bands in the many small bars and venues we frequented. There’s many influences that come to mind for this album, artists like Bowie, Velvet Underground, Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and many others given the diverse styles presented here. The fear, heartbreak and loneliness present through out the album’s lyrics are sometimes so raw and personal that they can be a little uncomfortable. But that honesty is one of the things I love most about this band. I am also drawn in by the droning hypnotic states the band evokes through out. The first line in “Basement Scene” is an obvious nod to The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have To Do Is Dream” which is also a big influence on this band and a fitting reference given the album’s dream-like atmosphere. I recently mentioned how I always mistook that as a Buddy Holly song a couple reviews back, strange coincidence. I remember reading somewhere that all the pitched up direct to board guitars were inspired by Fleetwood Mac’s approach for tracks like “Landslide.” Songs like “Earthquake,” “Helicopter” and “He Would Have Laughed” showcase this harpsichord type guitar style beautifully. Overall, I’m a fan of all of the Deerhunter albums and I would agree that Halcyon Digest to be among the best, alongside Microcastle.

It’s the Beatles, and it’s a mind blowing listen even today. I started listening to this album today after watching the movie Kinds Of Kindness, I’d definitely recommend by the way, so I was already in a weird headspace as that movie has heavy philosophical themes and strange scenarios throughout. At one point I ended up at the grocery store when “Within You Without You” came on and I immediately felt as though I was in dream. Watching people do the most mundane things while a song about human connection, or lack there of, was playing in my head. It was just one of those moments that’s hard to explain it’s significance to someone, much like the difficulty of explaining a dream to someone can be. Either way it made my assignment for today even more interesting and I’m glad I got to revisit this classic.

The Avalanches’ Since I Left You is a groundbreaking testament to the art of sample-based instramental music, standing proudly alongside DJ Shadow’s Entroducing and J Dilla’s Donuts as masterclasses in the genre. I first encountered this gem as a promo CD while interning at a publishing company in 2000, and it instantly captivated me. Its plunderphonic brilliance is undeniable, weaving a rich tapestry of samples into a seamless auditory experience. The album’s strength lies in its ability to continuously evolve and shift grooves, creating an effect akin to transitioning through ever-changing dreamscapes. Each listen reveals new layers and nuances, thanks to the intricate and swirling soundscapes that The Avalanches craft so effortlessly. This constant evolution, paired with an irresistible groove, ensures that Since I Left You remains engaging and fresh, making it a crucial influence on my work as a music producer. Despite the lengthy wait for a follow-up and the departure of a founding member, The Avalanches' debut remains a timeless piece of art. Its impact on the genre and on me personally is profound, cementing its place as a true classic.

Another classic album captured by Steve Albini. As per his style it’s raw and the drums are punchy and roomy. Pj Harvey is so bold in her vocal and lyrical expression, it’s easy to see why she is such an inspiration to so many artists. The bands dynamic approach sounds great on this album too. I didn’t appreciate this album as much when I was younger but I’ve grown to love it and some of her other albums over time.

Mark Lanegan sounds incredible as always. He has one of those voices that’s instantly recognizable, road worn and soulful. If you love his voice then no need to worry he has a seemingly endless amount of solo projects and repeated features for bands like Mad Season and Queens of the Stone Age, and almost all of them are great. But as far as Screaming Trees goes Sweet Oblivion is my favorite with Dust not far behind.

Hmm I’ve given this album a chance a couple times before and couldn’t get into it. Since it was assigned this time I tried harder and still wasn’t feeling it. I’ve enjoyed his album This Years Model a little more but I can’t say I’m becoming an Elvis Costello fan any time soon. Definitely not feeling the racial slurs either no matter what the context.

Good Kid, m.A.A.d City is a cinematic concept album that keeps you engaged with atmosphere and masterful storytelling. This album and To Pimp A Butterfly are absolute masterpieces. I remember first hearing this album when it was released and I knew right away it was destined to be an instant classic. Kendrick is one of those artists that has such a clear vision for the narrative that goes into the provocative statements made on his albums. His videos and live performances showcase this cinematic approach to music creation. Even the skits/interludes have great acting and are integral to the story being told. Now that he’s been announced as the next Super Bowl headliner I’m really looking forward to see what he does with that format, and I can only hope he announces a new album as well. I had the opportunity to meet Kendrick after Section 80 came out when he stopped by Stankonia to use the A room to listen through some beats. I can only assume that session went toward the making of Good Kid, m.A.A.d City given the timing. He was a kind, extremely focused and humble underground artist that was about to become an international star. This album is not only one of the best in hip hop but for me one of my favorites of all genres, alongside To Pimp A Butterfly of course.

When it comes to the Steely Dan classics, Aja is my favorite with Pretzel Logic and The Royal Scam right behind it. I feel like Aja is their Dark side Of The Moon given its high production value and beautiful mix. I’ve always loved the idea of the band being basically two individuals with many extremely talented musicians at their disposal. Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are notoriously known for being demanding of the musicians. Having multiple musicians audition each part until the pair were happy with the result, it’s madness but it really did yield some amazing songs. A fun game to play is “can you hear Michael McDonald’s distinct voice in the backing vocals?” A friend and I used to cover “Ricky Don’t Lose That Number” and I gained so much appreciation for the craft that went into the complex chord structures and leads. I have always been impressed with how they wrote such quirky and complex lyrics that were also so catchy. Overall, Steely Dan wasn’t in the business of making mediocre albums, they’re all top notch and Pretzel Logic is no exception, any major dude with tell you.

Wild wood was a pleasant surprise this morning. I love the guitar and drum tones on this record. Nice warm vocals and clear bass tones are complementary to the sound as well. Great songs and musical performances worthy of repeated listens.

Neil Young is an artist that took time to grow on me, but by my late twenties, I had become a fan of much of his work. Harvest was the first album I embraced and remains a favorite of mine. From there I explored After The Goldrush and eventually reached this classic Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere. “Cinnamon Girl” is the hit off this one and the one I remember most from classic rock stations from my youth. “Round & Round (It Won’t Be Long)” is a favorite of mine. Young’s jangly acoustic guitar on this track puts me in a trance while his story unfolds with rich harmonies and heartfelt vocal delivery. He’s got one of those distinct voices that I didn’t appreciate when I was a kid and now I absolutely love. This album definitely deserves to be on this list, and I was thrilled to revisit it.

This is definitely an album of its time. Even the songs I didn’t know had a nostalgic feel just from the style of musical accompaniments and production approach, it feels very Nellee Hopper. I wouldn’t say those qualities warranted it as a must listen before you die for me but I can see how this could be considered an impactful album. The more I listened the more I gained appreciation for it and the innovation it had for that particular era. Of course Back To Life is a classic that I remember hearing everywhere that year, I especially remember hearing it in the mall. I started out the first couple songs giving this one 2 stars but as I got acclimated to the production that bumped up to 3.

Another incredible Bowie album containing amazing performances from all the musicians involved. I feel Ike this is one of his more strait forward and cohesive albums. Sonically this might be my favorite album of his, up there with Blackstar. It’s less experimental than is usually expected but the songwriting really shines more because of it. Top tier Bowie for sure.

I don’t know what to say about this album that I didn’t say about the other Stones album we were assigned before. I love this era of Stones music and this is a top tier album from this legendary band.

This is the perfect Zeppelin album in my opinion. While it ties with Physical Graffiti as my favorite, because it’s the shorter of the two, I’ll give it a slight lead. Ok maybe I should give it a little more of a lead since every song on here is essential listening for anyone who hasn’t listened to this band yet. I have two distinct memories of this album that come to mind when I think back to my lifetime of enjoyment from it. One is, I don’t know why, but this was the album I had to listen to when mowing the lawn as a teenager. Every single time I mowed I had to have my Sony Discman in my lap with this cd loaded up. Maybe it was the cover image, a dude doing some yard work, that influenced my grass cutting ritual. Maybe it was Jimmy Page’s black magic taking control of me. I guess we’ll never know. Anyway, another memorable moment was when we listened to “Going To California” as we left Portland Oregon headed to L.A. while on tour. The song perfectly matched the mood and landscape to the point that it felt like it was written just for us in that moment, or maybe it was Jimmy Page’s black magic influencing us. Other than that I’ve logged countless hours listening and learning how to play this album, yet I never grow tired of it, even “Stairway To Heaven” still captivates me. Easy 5 stars.

I’ve never listened to this album, I only know “Karma Chameleon” from its heavy radio and Mtv rotation. Boy George has a smooth voice and he writes some really catchy songs. The music is fun and mostly upbeat with the exception of some soulful ballads. I’m really impressed with the band too, all components are firing at 100%. I found Roy Hayes’ intricate guitar and piano work really impressive and performed really well. The rhythm section of Mike Craig and Jon Moss is really tight with a lot of interesting change ups. Mike Craig’s bass playing is a stand out for me, with some really impressive bass lines through out. I think “Miss Me Blind” might be my favorite for my first listen but really every song kept me captivated. Overall a great 80’s classic that makes me want to listen to more their albums as well as revisit this one more in the future.

While Midnight Marauders and Low End Theory are my favs from these innovators of hip hop this is still a genius debut from my favorite group from the Native Tongue collective. The production of Q-tip and Ali is mind blowing. While the other groups from the Native Tongue had incorporated jazz samples already ATCQ really pushed the boundaries what could be done. It’s impossible to listen to this album without nodding your head. Lyrically, Q-Tip and occasionally Phife, came out swinging on this debut. Phife wasn’t in the studio much for the recording of this album and his lack verses reflect that absence, something he’d make up for on future albums. I’m always happy to revisit this classic.

Funky and soulful, this album from the Temptations doesn’t disappoint. All the musicians involved sound phenomenal and you get what you expect from the Motown sound. This was the Temptations adapting to the funkier world going on around them which they pull off naturally.

The only thing that’s ever bothered me about this amazing recording is the use of a fake audience track. The times you can hear the actual inmates without the arena track being faded in makes for an even more intimate experience. Other than that this is an incredible performance from Cash Money and his funky band of Millionaires. I love the banter going back and forth with inmates and the odd times someone laughs or applauds at the scenarios presented in these classic songs of murder and mayhem. Cash’s road-worn baritone voice sounds great as he proves he’s the king of storytellers. Listening to this album given the context of its recording location is the perfect set up for a movie. If only someone would make a Biopic that starts with someone like Joaquin Phoenix preparing for this performance by sitting alone and thinking about his whole life first. That would make for a funny parody scene too. Overall, this album proves why Johnny is the Cash Money Millionaires most gifted country rapper and also why Folsom Prison has the best acoustics for recording and should be utilized more often. Easy 4.5 for me.

I’m more familiar with #1 Record and Radio City so I’m glad this project got me to focus on this album. For a pop record this album is so dark and at times noisy, a midway point between folk and glam. Definitely in the vein of Velvet Underground, Bowie and T-Rex. I can see how this band is an influence for bands like R.E.M. and Wilco. Singer Alex Chilton’s vulnerable vocal performances are honest and powerful. The use of the orchestral strings through out the album is very tasteful and complimentary to the impressive guitar work. The drums at times remind me of a tame Keith Moon. The haunting vibe highlighted in songs like “Big Black Car” and “Holocost” proved to be my favorite element of this album. Overall this album takes you through a bit of a manic ride and I loved every moment of it.

Anthrax is my least favorite of the Big 4 of thrash, Slayer being the top for me. That being said they do hold their own in this genre. The guitar work of Scott Ian and Dan Spitz is solid and Charlie Benante’s drums are quite impressive. The one element that makes Anthrax a hard band for me to get into is Joey Belladonna’s vocals. He’s a good singer, his tone just always seems out of place in the band. Really he’s a much better singer than Dave Mustane and yet I’d rather hear Megadeth. Sometimes it works but most of the time for me it doesn’t. I still enjoy an occasional revisit to these classic thrash albums from Anthrax but it always reaffirms my thoughts going in, Slayer fucking rules.

The Next Day is the perfect companion to Blackstar and both albums make for an emotional send off to one of the greatest to ever do it. All the musicians involved knew the task at hand and helped craft some incredible Bowie songs. Bowie sounds great as always despite his health issues and age.

Classic Dylan album that showcases his uncanny ability to create a captivating snapshot of the time of the recording. As the weather cools off a bit with the nostalgic feeling of fall creeping in, this album hits me at the right time. I was more than happy to revisit it.

Leonard Cohen’s ability to fuse vivid poetry and moody music is unmatched. This recording and mix puts Leonard right in front of you, making every word shake your soul to its core. The music is subtle yet vital for conveying the emotion contained in Leonard’s poetic declarations. Very little to no reverbs or delays give this warm mix even more of a “classic analog” feel and wraps around you like a heavy blanket. All the musicians sound incredible, the background choir is a highlight for me other than Leonard’s haunting age-worn voice and storytelling. I didn’t give this one a focused listen when it was released so I’m glad this project gave me another opportunity to experience it.

Every time I revisit Tusk I find myself repeating the same thing, “This album sounds so fucking good.” The mix on this album just blows me away. I always hear about how engineers used to tune studios to Dark Side of The Moon or Aja, I bet this album has been on that list at some point too. It doesn’t hurt that these are some incredible songs too. This album gives me more appreciation for Lindsey Buckinghams vocals. As for most people, Stevie Nicks is my favorite singer of the band but, yet it’s easy to hear how Lindsey paved the way for some great singers. Bands like Modest Mouse, Yeasayer and Animal Collective have benefited from his stylings. This album feels a bit overstuffed and has a couple weaker songs but overall I still enjoy this one.

I can see how this album may have influenced bands like Mr Bungle. Chaotic and expressive, a beautiful mess. It’s something worth experiencing for sure but it’s not something I’d give multiple listens to.

I always loved that Minor Threat was a little more technical than most punk bands while maintaining the attitude and energy of the genre. I’m a fan of Ian MacKay’s next band Fugazi and it’s always good to hear where it all started. I always felt like the transition from Minor Threat to Fugazi parallels At The Drive In to Mars Volta.

In many ways this is Radiohead’s loosest albums, often times feeling like a jam that hasn’t quite evolved to a finished song. But that’s a quality that I enjoy on this album given this bands tendency towards meticulous songwriting. At certain moments this is also the closest thing to what feels like a Radiohead folk album then it goes right back into an electronic freak out. Overall, there are many chances being taken through out the album, some land beautifully and some not as much. But that’s the nature of taking big swings. That being said none of the songs are bad too me and really, a less than perfect Radiohead song is still a great song in the context of other bands that have lasted as long as they have. Johnny Greenwood leans more into chaotic dirty guitars on this album which really gives the songs more life and personality. The “raindrops” section at the end of “Sit Down. Stand Up” is one of my favorite moments in a Radiohead song. That song, “Where I End and You Begin,” “There, There,” “A Punch Up at a Wedding,” “Myoxmatosis,” and “A Wolf at the Door” are all highlights from this album. Always a pleasure revisiting this one.

Outstanding album. I’ve listened to this one a few times and I’m always captivated by it. I love the guitar work by Charlie Byrd and of course Stan Getz’s sax playing.

Kala is great but the previous album, Arular is a superior album in my opinion. I wore both of these albums out when they were released yet they still hold up after old these years. The beat production was like nothing I had heard, sure there’s elements of music from around the world but the creative exploration displayed was unique to M.I.A. This was a period when artists like M.I.A., Major Lazer and Santigold were pushing the bounds of independent music production, a very inspirational time indeed.

Boom bap at its finest. The Renaissance has a great mix of sample based and live instrumentation. Q-Tip’s lush production yields some melodic and funky head-nodders with additional production on “Move” provided by the late great J.Dilla serving as a cherry on top. As time has gone on I have grown to love this album more than Amplified, which still holds a lot of nostalgic value for me. “Life Is Better” makes me wish there was a Q-Tip produced Norah Jones album. D’Angelo sounds silky smooth as usual on “Believe” and blends in beautifully with the Rhodes. Top to bottom this is a hip hop classic worthy of its praise.

For some reason only four songs from this album were available on Spotify, two of which I was familiar with since they were huge singles from the 80’s. I was enjoying all four songs and I’ll give the full album a listen in the future but for now I’ll rate what I’ve heard as a 3.5.

If I could only take one artist’s catalog to a desert island, it would be Björk’s. Despite having favorites and least favorites across her 30-plus years as a solo artist, I find everything she’s released to be incredible. Debut embodies a sense of wonder and discovery that transforms everyday life into a fantastical experience. This wonder arises from Björk’s fearless and honest exploration of new musical territory, a hallmark of her work throughout the years. One standout moment for me is the “verse from a bathroom at a club” in “There’s More to Life Than This.” That kind of innovative sound design is a constant in her records. There are no skips on this album for me, making it hard to choose favorites. If I were to introduce a new listener, I’d recommend the singles “Human Behavior,” “Venus as a Boy,” and “Big Time Sensuality.” But these club-centric tracks, along with “Crying,” only scratch the surface of the magic in her repertoire. Songs like “Aeroplane,” “Like Someone in Love,” and “The Anchor Song” showcase her orchestral and jazzy inclinations. “Come to Me” is a trip-hop gem with strings and a vocal performance that perfectly captures the feeling of infatuation, while “Violently Happy” celebrates the manic joy that often accompanies it. Revisiting this album for the millionth time hasn’t revealed anything new—I’ve always known Björk is a creative force like no other. My admiration for her has only grown since 1993 as she continues to explore new worlds. Having attended two of her shows, one at the Fox in Atlanta, and one front row at Roseland Ballroom in NYC, I can say she’s just as captivating and mind blowing live as on her records. Hopefully there’s more of her albums on this list.

The Killers owe a lot to Bruce and this album in particular. As a kid my only reference to Springsteen was the song “Born In The U.S.A.” The repetitive nature of it didn’t appeal to me so I didn’t give Bruce much of a chance for most of my youth. During that time I did like “Dancing In The Dark” more but it still wasn’t enough to engage my young A.D.D. mind. A few years later I got turned on to the previous album Nebraska. It was at that point that I understood the reason why so many adored him. As time has gone on I’ve listened to more of his work and really I’ve enjoyed most of what I’ve listened to. The times I’ve come back to this album I still gotta say the repetition in the title track still wears on me but the rest of the album is brilliant. “Downbound Train,” “I’m On Fire” and “Dancing In The Dark” are standouts for me but really it’s a solid album the whole way through.

After recently being assigned Pet Shop Boys' album Very for review, I revisited their earlier works but somehow overlooked Behaviour. I have to say, this might now be my favorite album of theirs. The use of classic analog synths, along with the TR808 and TR909, creates a much warmer sound compared to the digital synths of their first three albums. This shift to a more analog approach really resonates with me. While Pet Shop Boys have always embraced melancholy, Behaviour takes it to another level, steeped in heartbreak, and I love it. As with all their albums, Behaviour is impressively consistent, making it difficult to choose standout tracks. I’d rate this album a solid 4.5.

I’ve been a part of some intoxicated jams where everyone switches instruments while some random friend who doesn’t sing gets on the mic and just gets weird, definitely some fun memories. I’m glad most of those jams weren’t recorded cause I’m sure they sounded terrible. This album reminds me of what I imagine those jams sounded like. That being said there’s some pretty interesting moments scattered through out the ten songs. There’s plenty of risks being taken through out and that freedom yields some really cool exploration. I wouldn’t say there’s anything here that I will revisit but I can appreciate what the band was going for. I guess I’d give it a 2.5.

Another one of my favorites from The Doors. “Love Her Madly,” “L.A Woman” and “Riders On The Storm” are all essentials to the discography but really this whole album has some of their more genre pushing almost prog sounding songs like “The Changeling,” “L’America,” “Hyacinth House” and “The WASP”. The rest of the songs maintain The Doors’ love affair with the blues. Hard to give this one anything less than a 5 for me.

I thought I hadn’t heard this album from this legendary band until “Alright” came on and I instantly recognized it from the classic movie Clueless. Other than that this was new for me. Love the energy through out and I can hear so many bands that were influenced by them. I’ve only heard a few songs from this band prior but this listen piqued my interest and I’m gonna dive into some more of their releases.

This album and its predecessor, Mellow Gold, really opened my mind up musically in high school. One thing that always captivated me was Beck’s ability to explore numerous musical styles while maintaining his distinct sound. “The New Pollution,” “Derelict,” “Jack-Ass” and “Ramshackle” are favorites of mine from this classic. Sea Change, Mutations and Modern Guilt are my favorite Beck albums but this one is right behind those so I’ll give it a 4.

This is Bjork’s exploration of the human voice. While that exploration doesn’t yield my favorite collection of her songs, the exception being “Desired Constellation” which in my opinion is a masterpiece, it is still a journey that I’ll happily and repeatedly take with her at the helm. Rahzel, Mike Patton, Dokaka and Tonya Tagaq’s contributions are phenomenal and to hear all of these talented musicians making music together is the selling point to this album. The choir’s also sound incredible through out. Highlights for me are “Where Is The Line,” “Pleasure Is All Mine” “Who Is It…” “Desired Constellation” and “Triumph Of A Heart”. Overall I think this album works best with headphones or some high quality speakers turned up so you are fully immersed in the many vocal layers. Singling out certain performances and being able to focus on them is a challenge at times but when you do it’s always like finding a hidden gem within a cavern of sound. This may not be my favorite Bjork album, it’s still worth a 5 for me. I really hope Vespertine is on this list.

I’ve tried to get into this album before, I guess I’m not into country enough, although Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter got me into a little country kick when it was released, this album just doesn’t do it for me. I get the appeal of this album though so I’ll give it a 2.5.

John Taylor is such an underrated bass player. I’ve watched live videos of Duran Duran and I’m always captivated by John’s high energy and catchy bass playing. Really every musician on this album is top notch, the bass just really stands out for me. Simon Le Bon’s writing really encapsulates the trappings and excitement of a band on the rise and his voice sounds incredible. He really is the perfect front person for a band. Every song on this album is worth your time, there’s no skips. The singles are undeniable for sure but every time I listen to this album I’m amazed at how good the album cuts are. Easy 5 for me.

Nick Drake's Pink Moon is a tragic testament to a talent that never saw its own success. I first encountered Drake’s music in 1999 when “Pink Moon” featured in a Volkswagen commercial, more than 25 years after his passing. Working at a music store at the time, I began receiving inquiries about the song, prompting me to explore his work. Years later, I still can’t choose a favorite among his three albums; it always depends on whether I’m in the mood for the intimacy of Pink Moon or the richer arrangements of his other two records. Each album is exceptional and deserves repeated listening. On Pink Moon, Nick’s drop-tuned acoustic guitars resonate with warmth and depth. The stripped-down production creates an intimate atmosphere, as if you’re sharing a quiet moment in a cabin—only the absence of a crackling fire reminds you that it’s just music, although the tape hiss makes for a worthy substitute. His haunting voice, soft yet expressive, could make even the simplest lyrics feel profoundly moving. Listening with a good pair of headphones enhances this immersive experience. With each listen, Pink Moon has climbed higher on my list of all-time favorites. It’s an album that gradually embeds itself in your musical consciousness. For me, it’s an easy 5 out of 5.

I have always loved this album cover. There’s a great documentary on Hipgnosis, an English art design group responsible for many classic album covers for artists such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and Peter Gabriel including this album cover. It’s worth a watch and gives a peak into the thought that went into the visual side of this album. Peter Gabriel is an incredible artist and this album is well celebrated for good reason. All the musicians he assembles to bring his vision to life on here are insanely talented, I mean come on, Robert Fripp and Tony Levin from King Crimson?! Legendary stuff for sure. These songs are so lush, layered and oddly structured, and I mean that in the best way. Gabriel and crew explore many styles while maintaining a genuine sound throughout. I’d give this one a 4.

This is top tier Springsteen, the title track alone is worth the price of admission. The band is on fire through out the whole album, so much raw energy. This one along with Nebraska and Darkness On The Edge Of Town are my favorite Bruce albums. 4.5

An analog masterpiece in a digital world. This one always feels like a cryptic “found footage” type of experience. Like you’re given a piece of degraded audio that reveals a mystery for you to solve using only the encoded messages within. The warbly synths give an old VHS lofi feel, while the distorted drum loops, glitchy sound fx and eerie dialog samples dig their way into your subconscious. This mysterious duo did everything the opposite of what popular electronic music was doing at the time. Instead of pushing new digital technology to seemingly boundless extremes they dove into the limited nostalgic world of analog. While I feel like Geogaddi is a more accessible album, Music Has The Right To Children is deserving of being called one of the best electronic albums of all time. This album reveals something new every time I immerse myself into it so I was happy to revisit it.

The title track “Lust For Life” and “The Passenger” are the obvious highlights of this album given their popularity. While none of the other songs quite live up to that greatness, it’s still a fun album to revisit. I can see how this album and Iggy in general are a major influence on bands like The Strokes. This album has always been a 3 for me so I’ll keep it there.

Chad and Pharrell were always fun to keep up with back when these N.E.R.D. albums were coming out. Plenty of nostalgia when going back and listening to the first three ground breaking albums. As time has gone on Pharrell seemed to embrace Curtis Mayfield’s vocal delivery and songwriting style, there’s only hints of that on here. These songs have plenty of originality and forward thinking creatively while wearing their influences on their sleeve. A lot of Pharrell’s production style is on full display here. He always chooses dryer mixes reminiscent of Stevie Wonders albums. Tight drums, dynamic bass, guitar and keys with lots of movement. Rarely are his songs anywhere close to being overly lush or ambient or beaten up with compression. 4.5

I’ve always loved the creative freedom in White Stripes albums. The only constraints are that it’s gotta be played live by the two members in the band. These songs aren’t over analyzed or over produced. They’re recorded as they’re realized. All the excitement of a newly written song is captured and presented to the listener. Jack and Meg always defied convention and just went in whatever direction the creative winds took them. This is all very inspiring to me. It took a road trip listen to this album back in 2008 for me to fully appreciate this album. It feels more like watching a documentary on the process of two highly creative individuals rather than listening to a collection of songs. Despite all of that these songs are great and stick in your head instantly.

The flute sounding synth in “What’s Love Got To Do With It” instantly connects me to my 7 year old self. This album is very much steeped in the 80’s synth world. Tina shines above it all with some incredible vocal performances. I give this one a 3.5.

Definitely my favorite Dire Straits album. Mark Knopfler is a beast and his signature sound is really showcased on this one. His brother and the rest of the band sound great here too. Sultans Of Swing is such a well written song and is the highlight but really the whole album has no skips or filler.

Not my favorite Cure album but it’s still a good one. If Pornography, Disintigration, Kiss Me Kiss Me Miss Me or even Wish isn’t on this list then I have some serious questions for the curators.

Yep, still sounds incredible!

I’m only familiar with Screamadelica and XTRMNTR, by Primal Scream so this was new to me. This one seems a little more laid back than what I’m used to from this band, leaning into that late nighties down tempo electronic sound. Even though it’s a chill album there’s plenty of knob turning ear candy and noisey guitar playing to keep the mind busy. I’ll be adding this one to a playlist or two.

I actually own this on Vinyl, great album by an extremely creative artist. I haven’t revisited this one in a while so it has some nostalgic value to it now which was unexpected.

Off The Wall and Thriller are the most important albums from Michael Jackson but this was a fun one when it came out of course. Plenty of bops on this album. I think the only thing that pulls it down a notch for me is the late 80’s synth and drum selection. Other than it’s a classic. 4.5

“Just What I Needed” was one of the first cover songs my first band played in high school. It was always our favorite one to play along with “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” by the Beatles. Every song on here is so catchy and fun. The Cars had it all figured out from the jump and never backed down from the formula. They really never made a bad album and had hit singles their entire run together. Easy 4.5 for me.

Classic killer Queen. Insane guitar work from Brian May and of course stellar performances from Freddie Mercury. The whole band sounds great too of course, those are just the standouts. This one is always fun to revisit.

My favorite Lorde album. Great songwriting, production and performances. Green Light, Supercut and Perfect Places are highlights for me.

Cool jazz rock experimental long form jams. I really enjoyed this one. I feel like I’ve listened to Soft Parade before but I don’t remember to what capacity. All the musicians laid down some stellar performances and the recording sounds incredible too. The half way point on “Slightly All The Time” is pretty heavy while the second half of “Out-Bloody-Rageous” and it’s outro take you to outer space. All around a cool experience.

Over time, Band Of Gypsys has become my favorite Hendrix album but this one is a close second. Lots of studio experimentation here and of course great performances from the band. This album showcases Jimi pushing the boundaries of guitar and rock music while giving the world some of the most iconic songs in his catalog. Easy 5 for me.

Classic Jack White, can’t believe this one is 12 years old! Still sounds incredible! I’ve always been inspired by White’s brilliant songwriting and wild guitar experimentation which this album perfectly highlights. Another easy 5 for me.

Such a great album, funk at it’s finest by one of the best bands to ever do it! Sprinkle in some remnants of 60’s pop and Motown to the funk and you have this amazing record.

This album ticks so many boxes as far as the type of bands that I was listening to from this time period. I can’t believe I haven’t heard this before. The band is reminiscent of bands like Local Natives or Arcade Fire while the singer gives me ANOHHI vibes. The guitars are a standout through out these songs. I immediately added this album to some playlists and will be getting many listens out of this.

This album still holds up after all these years. I have vivid memories of the first time I really heard this album in a smoked out 85 Monte Carlo with a massive speaker system. I had listened to the album before that but that was the first time I felt that album. This was 1994 and my perspective of music had experienced a massive shift thanks to Snoop, Dre, that tricked out Monte Carlo… and a fat joint that had been passed around. The bass was beautifully dialed in while the music was both menacing and laid back all while Snoop and company schooled us suburban kids from the south about life in the L.B.C. I can still listen to this album from top to bottom, no skips, skits and all after all these years and countless listens. Easy 5 for me.

I still throw this one on from time to time and it instantly connects me to my awkward and angsty high school self. It’s a sing (or shout) a long classic filled with undeniable hooks and nervous energy.

I don’t think I’ve heard Gene Clark before. This was a great introduction to his music. At times it felt like a precursor to Tom Petty’s Wildflowers or Beck’s Sea Change which are two of my favorite albums of all time. That being said now I wanna dive into more of Clark’s catalog and see if this was a fluke or if he had more to offer.

There isn’t much I can say about this Jazz classic other than it’s worthy of all the praise it has received over the years. Miles Davis was a trailblazer and a true artist and will forever be studied for his contributions to the music world.

Another amazing record from Karen O and Co. This is one that was on constant replay for me when it was released. Really all of their albums are great and I’ve enjoyed keeping up with them over the years as well as Karen O’s solo and side project offerings, make sure you check out Lux Prima with Danger Mouse after diving back into the back catalog. Over recent years the single Heads Will Roll has become a Halloween playlist staple and I’m here for it.

This album was huge for me, as for a lot of people, when it came out. I haven’t revisited it in a while and it still holds up so well. Ready to Start and Sprawl II were on constant replay for me back in 2010 and my favorite tracks from this indie classic. Overall Arcade Fire had a solid 10 year run of incredible albums from Funeral (2004) all the way up to Reflektor (2014). I wasn’t as into the releases after that but this listen made me want to give those albums another chance.