May 20 2024
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Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Cool and atmospheric. Definitely 80s. Kind of musical and experimental too. Liked it.
4
May 21 2024
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Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Understand the importance but most renditions are just ok
3
May 22 2024
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L.A. Woman
The Doors
Enjoyed this one, blues are not the most straightforward genre but there's some bangers. Riders on the storm is awesome. L'America was grating af
4
May 23 2024
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
The question comes now as to whether I rate based on whether I think the album is good or whether I liked it. I think it's good, I don't love the music.
2
May 24 2024
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Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
I enjoyed that a lot more than I was expecting. Definitely one to revisit.
4
May 25 2024
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Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Perfectly pleasant, perfectly forgettable. Perhaps I don't really understand the significance, all I can think of is that Simon and Garfunkel did this better. Songs very samey. Not keeping any for a playlist.
3
May 26 2024
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Tank Battles
Dagmar Krause
Listened to a couple song on YouTube, definitely not for me. Weird intersection with post war classical music.
1
May 27 2024
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Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
I knew BC from only one song, "The Mackenzies" which I loved. This album has delivered a lot more. And I love that it works as a whole, something not so often seen in the selection I've had so far. Doubted between the 4 and 5 stars - 4 because of a couple of weird turns in the music that I didn't love. Other than this, a whole universe in itself - we are all soothed into it by Bill's honey baritone.
4
May 28 2024
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Green
R.E.M.
2
May 29 2024
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A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse
Faces
Pleasant listen, but nothing really to keep from here!
3
May 30 2024
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Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
#11 - Very chill, makes for good vibes background music. No earworms or songs kept for any playlist.
3
May 31 2024
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Legalize It
Peter Tosh
Just chill background music
3
Jun 01 2024
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Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
Absolute classic, but I don't want to let the nostalgia tint my ratings!
4
Jun 02 2024
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The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan
3
Jun 03 2024
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Remain In Light
Talking Heads
From the description I had high hopes. Definitely unique and funky, but even after listening to it on background for the whole afternoon I couldn't make it stick!
3
Jun 04 2024
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The College Dropout
Kanye West
Once again, one to see without the rose tinted nostalgia glasses. "sounds like Kanye West" was the first thought on my mind upon first listen. But then again by reading I understand that this was his first album and that it formed a massive building block on top of which this genre has continued building. Even the "BBL DRIZZY" Tiktok latest owes the "chipmunk soul" to this album. Fascinating! One to come back to - cannot give it 5 because it hasn't haunted me, but perhaps it's one of those that I wish I could've voted 5 on...
4
Jun 05 2024
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All Directions
The Temptations
#16 - I found myself vibing to the funk but even after listening to the album 4 times I could not make any of the tunes stick! Not keeping any for a playlist. Still a good listen.
3
Jun 06 2024
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Untitled (Black Is)
SAULT
#17 - I feel that the inclusion of this album in the list and most likely the whole album itself was a response to the events of 2020. And it shows - to me it lacks the depth of music that's made because it comes out, as opposed to a response to events and a political statement. That being said it's not a bad listen I enjoyed the sways from Afrobeats to Reggae. Not denying this must have been important and urgent to a lot of people, but as far as the music in isolation goes it does not shine.
2
Jun 07 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
I can't believe I have never given The Doors the attention they deserve. The space they found at the intersection of prog rock and blues needed to be filled, and boy do they excel at it. My first 5⭐ rating 18 albums in!
5
Jun 08 2024
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The Wall
Pink Floyd
#19 - An awesome Album which I had never spent time on before (hearing Vs listening anyone?). Grandiose in its ambition and execution, and indeed an achievement (with some bangers to boot!). 4.5/5, rounding down to 4 as I find some of the middle tracks a bit tedious.
4
Jun 09 2024
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Madman Across The Water
Elton John
#20 - First time I've listened to an Elton John album back to back. And I feel I add this disclaimer to many of my reviews - having grown up relatively sheltered from pop culture, I feel like I can approach this objectively. It's nice to listen to, it has it's own brand that we are now very used to but back in the day it must've been huge. Almost cinematic Disney film qualities. Agree with other reviewers that it's mostly however a version of the same song. I find Elton's plonky piano a bit grating and I'm extremely annoyed by how he pronounces words (Jaysus!). This being said, I was pleasantly surprised by some daring instrumentation and cannot deny some songs are bangers. I've never particularly loved Tiny Dancer but Levon was a straight favourite after hearing it.
3
Jun 11 2024
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In Utero
Nirvana
#22 - For the first two songs I was not convinced, grating and abrasive sounds almost like if they did not want me to listen to the rest of the album. But I powered through and it was worth it - Kurt's broken voice is unique and they definitely have their own sound. This album deals with a lot of negative emotions that perhaps I'm not familiar with but it brings them out in a very raw and powerful way. My favourite song was "Dumb".
3
Jun 12 2024
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D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
#22 - What an interesting album; what I like about it is that it made me question what music actually is. I have no doubt that it's been fundamental for the development of certain other styles. Reminded me of some of the more contemporary / niche realms of classical music, particularly Musique Concrete. Again, the question here is whether we like the album. It's not made to be liked but to make us question and explore the reaches of expression through sound. Music for the sake of music (is it even music? Perhaps sound for the sake of sound?); in the same way that Malevich's black square painting is painting for the sake of painting. Art for it's own sake, not for critical acclaim and free from aesthetic pleasure goals. Hearing this makes me a better, more educated listener. And isn't this the goal of this exercise?
2
Jun 14 2024
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Night Life
Ray Price
#25 - Cool music, liked the intro and the violin. Just not my jam.
2
Jun 15 2024
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Van Halen
Van Halen
#26 - impressive command on the guitar but not my jam, they have their own sound and its not one for me!
2
Jun 16 2024
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High Violet
The National
One of the albums I listen to often. I discovered it because "sorrow" was used in a Ragnar Kjartansson art film, where he asked the band to play the same song for 6 hours straight. It was amazing; and the album is too. To this day the only The National album I've listened too but I should explore more!
5
Jun 17 2024
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NEU! 75
Neu!
#28 - I expected little when I saw the tag krautrock but the first half of the album positively impressed me. The second half I didn't love as much, due to the annoying vocals that do not add much to anything.
3
Jun 19 2024
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The Coral
The Coral
#30 - Decent early Brit rock with quite original layers
3
Jun 20 2024
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The White Room
The KLF
I've actually quite enjoyed this. Very easy listening, danceable but not grating. It's a vibe! And the songs have great vocals
4
Jun 21 2024
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Larks' Tongues In Aspic
King Crimson
I really wanted to like it - clearly quite musical, but it's too "hard" for me. I much rather prefer softer things like Focus.
2
Jun 22 2024
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At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
#33 - I can hear where The Doors (a revelation from this project) we're coming from! Nice album
3
Jun 23 2024
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The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
#34 - God this is pretty grating. Not my jam at all, and the music is invaded by an overwhelming negativity.
1
Jun 26 2024
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The Bends
Radiohead
#37 - incredible how many songs in this album have become classics. Radiohead's angst defined a generation!
4
Jun 28 2024
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Fragile
Yes
I thought I'd like this more, it's good music but a bit tedious
3
Jun 29 2024
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Back In Black
AC/DC
This band has never hit the spot for me, but it's not bad music!
3
Jun 30 2024
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Venus Luxure No. 1 Baby
Girls Against Boys
#41 - not really my jam but not bad music either, quite noisy and negative but in a musical way
3
Jul 01 2024
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Kimono My House
Sparks
#42 - quite strange and not my thing at all.
2
Jul 02 2024
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Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
#43 - Huge for its time I'm sure, still some of the songs in here are bangers. Wouldn't call it a favourite but definitely a good listen.
3
Jul 03 2024
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Reign In Blood
Slayer
#44 - Was fully expecting to hate it, and I feel like I've been put through a washing machine, but I kind of enjoyed it. I see how thrash is the next step to hardcore Punk. Lyrics are disgusting but at least not satanic. Top musicianship tho - both performance and composition.
3
Jul 04 2024
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good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
#45 - I am sure that this album has made a lot of waves in its particular genres, but I feel I am too far from the whole genre to appreciate. This does nothing for me.
2
Jul 05 2024
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Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
#46 - Mellow and pleasant, but didn't particularly speak to me
2
Jul 06 2024
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Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
#47 - many of these are classics now, and it is objectively good music. Not my favourite tho.
3
Jul 10 2024
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Live / Dead
Grateful Dead
#48 - I definitely want to return to this. Feedback was a slog but the rest is quite special, unhurried, in the moment. Musicians playing for themselves. I liked it.
4
Jul 11 2024
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3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
#49 - I enjoyed some of the songs in the album, and the positive vibes. Might want to revisit.
3
Jul 12 2024
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Microshift
Hookworms
#50 - I quite enjoyed this, I think the album is extremely well produced. I'd like to come back to it and pay more attention to the lyrics. Reminded me a bit of Hot Chip.
4
Jul 13 2024
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Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
#51 - Legendary voice and decent songs!
3
Jul 23 2024
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Pearl
Janis Joplin
#52 - wasn't expecting to live this as much as I did. Perfect vibes, incredible voice, amazing band (those keys!!). Did not know much about her so could come into this without context. Perfect capture of its time. Amazing album.
5
Jul 24 2024
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Foxbase Alpha
Saint Etienne
#53 - nice easy listening 90s
3
Jul 25 2024
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Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
#54 - Vivey but I don't think the music really stands up on its own without the context. Not a big fan of her voice either.
3
Jul 26 2024
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Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
#55 - Amazing Miles as usual marking a before and after in the evolution of jazz. Very good but it doesn't tickle me as much as Kind of Blue.
3
Jul 27 2024
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(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)
Lynyrd Skynyrd
#56 - Dad rock supreme
3
Jul 28 2024
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Garbage
Garbage
#57 - no real takeaways from this
2
Jul 29 2024
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A Walk Across The Rooftops
The Blue Nile
#58 - Nice background atmospheric music but I didn't find it very exciting when I paid close attention to it.
3
Jul 30 2024
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We Are Family
Sister Sledge
#59 - Very good vibes! Chill disco, quite enjoyed it. And of course the couple bangers we all know.
4
Aug 30 2024
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Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
#60 - A good one, very vibey. Also perhaps the origin of some famous modelling. Love the different moods it cycles through. Also some kickass bass solos and love that they added a vibraphone / glockenspiel!
4
Aug 31 2024
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
#61 - Not trying to rate the impact that this had or the influence. Just on my enjoyment of the music alone. It captures its era.
3
Sep 01 2024
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Tragic Songs of Life
The Louvin Brothers
#62 - Wow, one of the few I've heard so far where I couldn't wait for it to be done. It has it's niche but it's definitely not mine.
1
Sep 02 2024
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Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
#63 - Some good songs in here but the overall vibe is quite experimental and unfortunately grating.
2