Some of the production techniques here are a little dated, but still mostly enjoyable. Some interesting blending of styles here too, overall pretty solid.
I can see what Beck was trying to do here and i admire that creativity but a fair few songs here didn't do it for me.
A smooth voice and great arrangements make for easy listening but it starts to outstay its welcome after a bit.
Artists need to do more coke.
Just a short, solid live performance with a great atmosphere, nothing that blows me away though. Also, the album art is cool.
Groovy rhythm and the tracks are well produced. Somewhat enjoyable, but a little generic and too long.
Hating this album is not a personality trait.
Inconsistent but still great.
Just enough twang to not be too annoying. Pleasant country record.
A couple filler tracks but doesn't outstay its welcome with short, catchy tracks and some punchy riffs. Solid record.
It's minimalist, moody and intimate. Tracks feature spindly guitars and wispy vocals that give credence to the sparse soundscape.
Unfortunately, that's most of what it has going for it and the record begins to feel like it's repeating the same ideas over and over again, insofar that it starts to go in one ear and out the other.
The A-side is the stronger of the two but definitely not perfect by any means. "Walking In Your Footsteps" right after the high energy opener "Synchronicity I" makes no sense. I also didn't think "Mother" was as bad as some try to make it seem, but it really feels out of place in this album.
The B-side begins with "Every Breath You Take" which has been so overplayed to the point that it's kind of annoying to listen to (but not that bad, it is a classic after all). The rest of the B-side, sans "King Of Pain" which is a great Pop Rock track, fall a little flat.
Good, but uneven record.
Honestly quite boring. Not really culturally relevant or even anything that new stylistically. Not sure why this is supposed to be considered "essential".
Not the worst but honestly quite boring.
Obviously carried by Adele's vocal performances but becomes way too repetitive, making it a little annoying to get through.
The singles are great but the rest of the songs are just like the singles, except not as good.
There are some great tracks here, namely Spinning Wheel and God Bless the Child, but they are surrounded by mediocrity. Also, some of the vocals on these tracks are really ill fitting.
Metallic guitar sounds and cold, mechanical bass-lines permeate this record. The vocals drone on with intensity and relentlessness that bring you into the dark sonic world that has been constructed. It is disorienting and unsettling but at the same time hypnotic and groovy thanks to the incredible bass slinking all across the record. Definitely will be too abrasive for many, but for me, the atmosphere this record brings is undeniable.
It's not something you'd throw on all the time, but when you do, it WILL drag you into its distorted world, whether you like it or not.
Second side is better than the first. Good record, but doesn't come close to their best.
Great, consistent Folk Pop record that's chock full of the duo's heaviest hitters.
Unique vocal style makes this a little interesting but the uninspired instrumentals don't do very well to accompany it.
Short, raw and catchy punk ragers. It's a classic for it's influence on the genre and it's ability to display a mainstream sensibility while still maintaining a "punk image", even IF that image was a bit of a front.
For the time, this record had other factors to propel it forward. Nowadays however, it feels a bit too basic and doesn't really match up to their later efforts.
Extremely milquetoast country record with nothing special worth paying attention to. In fact, the few awful tracks in-between the bland, mediocrity are the only ones that stood out at all.
Inoffensive to bad / 5
The beginning of the end for Metallica...?
An exaggeration to some and a spiteful declaration to many. This is the record where Metallica opt for trying to make radio hits because they were either bored of their sound and wanted to head in a new direction or they wanted money and mainstream success, or perhaps a bit of both. With that being said, they definitely ended up succeeding. The songwriting overall is solid and the tracks are all expertly produced, the hits here really are worthy of their renown.
The divisiveness that this record is (in)famous for seems to arise mostly from the divergence of their original sound (and the deluge of mediocrity that followed). This 'divergence' is certainly felt at times, the album is on the whole less creative and much safer than what came before. On its own however, the record still manages to stand on its own two feet.
Sure, It's definitely not mind-blowing. It certainly lacks some depth and can be basic at times, but it accomplishes what it set out to do; make bangers that'll enter the mainstream, much to the chagrin of those who would bestow upon them the title of sell-out.
Should be a 3 but the amount of times multiple drunk Individuals and I have belted out "Mr. Brightside" at a karaoke together elevates this on principle.
The melancholic atmosphere that surround these tracks feel like a bittersweet memory that one looks back on with both a soft smile and a tinge of regret. Very mellow, nostalgia inducing sound.
Great Chamber Pop record, quite enjoyed this.
Nick Drake's music comes from such a pure, deep place and on this record that purity is felt more than ever. On some tracks, you are presented with a subtle yet noticeable undercurrent of anxiety while on others you can feel that perhaps he performed with a slight smile on his lips and a tinge of hopefulness.
This album is relaxing, yet melancholic. There is a hint of uneasiness, but at times it coalesces into a feeling that maybe things won't be so bad; maybe it will no longer be a drudgery to live another day.
But life always finds a way to surprise us.
Like a messy relationship that's impossible to walk away from. An abrasive and distorted edge, yet melodic and ethereal. A melancholic atmosphere, yet saccharine all the same. A deep, profound sense of longing lingers. Then you realise; this is a dream, and through the haziness of the dream you lie in temporary permanence, not wanting it to end.
"When I look at you... oh, I don't know what's real"
Music that plays over an establishing shot of an Indian city before a British guy starts talking in a documentary/travel show.
The best thing the album's got going for it is its energy.
This is the album that boomers point to and say "They don't make 'em like they use to!!" for a good reason.
Some of the tracks here drone on for too long, without any interesting variation. I feel like I would enjoy some of these songs on their own, but put together as a full experience, it all kinda blends into a reverb soaked heap.
I wanna dance to me! I wanna dance to A. G.!! I don't wanna dance to Soul II Soul!!!
More introspective and coherent than what i expected from an ABBA album. Pleasantly Surprised.
Camp and cheese all over this one, but strangely enough I didn't mind that at all. Would have enjoyed it more if it was a tad shorter.
This one was quite a slog to get through.
What a pleasant surprise! Such a chill, relaxing album.
Not as good as their debut, but still sweetly dissonant.
Feels like it's trying way too hard to drum up controversy but I take it that was kinda the point. Either way, I'm pretty sure the commentary could have been delivered without all the needless edge, but then again, maybe it wouldn't have made its point as well as it did without the absolute hysteria that arose from it.
Honestly though, the album kinda bangs. Probably because of the Reznor influence and production on it. Get rid of some of the filler and it would be even better.
Brb, gonna go remove my ribs.
This was quite good. Very consistent and each track flows well into the next.
First few tracks are amazing, then it starts to slowly become more and more repetitive. More of the beginning of the album and cutting out some of the filler would make this a lot better.
Great vocals paired with great songwriting is a surefire recipe for success. And this record definitely succeeds.
Not gonna lie, I went in thinking this would be an hour of consistently mediocre Blues Rock that people overrate for its status as a "classic". But, I ended up enjoying this more than I thought I would. Would rate it higher if it wasn't mixed so poorly.
Beatles before they hit their stride musically, and it shows.
Kinda boring...? There are a few fantastic tracks here, but quite a few of them really do drag on. It doesn't help that Morrison's vocals can be sleep inducing sometimes too.
Shits so 80's and prominently features both the good and the bad that come with that association.
Am i missing something? It's literally just repetitive percussion over grating vocals. It's groovy sometimes, but an entire album of this? Just annoying to listen to.
The album can feel a bit one-note at times, but it makes up for what it lacks in atmosphere and texture.
For what it's worth, he could definitely perform.
She has a nice voice, the arrangements are smooth, simple and do well to compliment Holiday's vocals. From what I am to understand, this album is sort of a swan song for her as she was withering away from alcohol and drug abuse which certainly adds an emotional undertone to some of the lyricism and music. The album itself probably goes on for a tad bit too long but it does manage to be a relaxing listen.
Having said all that though, personally, this album just doesn't really do much for me, as smooth and relaxing as it is. I'm probably just not into vocal jazz enough to fully appreciate it.
Enjoyed a few songs here and there, but it's nothing special (heh).
The Bowie-esque theatrics are nice, but this album felt kinda bland to me, not sure why either. Think this one needs a re-listen for me to appreciate it further.
Was nice enough, but nothing here really stood out to me.
Looked at the genre and length of this record and expected a bit of a slog but, I was pleasantly surprised. Very atmospheric and textured with a good variety too. While it does become a little bloated towards the end of the record it still ends up feeling like a journey throughout the soundscape.
This record is pretty good. Yes it's long, like many others have complained about but not so long that it starts to seriously drag (only a little). It's overall fairly cohesive and the variety of superb guitar work on some of the tracks contrasted with soft vocals helps you keep your ears perked and erases some of the fatigue that might start to set in.
Starts to feel pretty samey after the first few songs. Still manages to be a fun listen despite that.
Listened to the UK Version which is longer and doesn't have "Paint it Black" on it.
I think overall it is a mediocre to boring album. This album is 52 minutes of similar sounding blues rock that one could expect of an early Stones record, which is surprising to me because this album is generally referred to as some of their first good output which confuses me a little.
Other than the first side, which features a few good tracks, it really doesn't take long for it to start to drone on. By the end of it, I was quite done with Jagger's lethargic vocals after the amusement of the offbeat instrumentation wore off.
Production feels bland and dated aside from a few tracks. The album is mainly carried by Cubes performances however lyrically, it's not very subtle. Although I do grant that the lyrics probably hit way harder at the time of its release.
Some good production is held back by repetitive vocals and the "throw shit at the wall and hope it sticks" method of crafting an album. It doesn't feel very cohesive at all, despite having some good tracks scattered throughout. Unfortunately, there is more bad standing out here than there is good, the second side in particular has some real stinkers.
I can only take so much of this vocal style before it begins to grate, HARD. It's seriously baffling someone signed off on 80 minutes of this, why wasn't this split into 2 separate releases??? (To be honest just don't release the second side at all, thanks).
Futuristic bleeps and bloops compliment post-punkish vocals that convey a cold, unfeeling future world. Consistent throughout although lacks something that makes it really pop.
Peak Billy Joel before he plagued the world with We Didn't Start the Fire.
Pretty fun listen with great storytelling. Obligatory Aussie point for a great rendition of And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda.
Cult of Personality is absolutely the highlight, but the rest was a lot better than expected.
Menacing guitars and cold synths. Second half is killer and so is the opener. There is some repetitive filler in the gaps throughout but regardless, overall pretty solid Post-Punk.
Favourite song was "Exit" because I was dying to exit the album at that point. Bit of a slog to be honest. ("Exit" was actually decent though)
This album is raw in both a good and bad way. His lyrics convey the broken state he was in at the time, hurt, heartbreak, struggles with children and all. On the other hand, he also whines about paying attorney fees. I can easily see why someone might hate this record, it can get quite a bit repetitive at times and it isn't very subtle, I felt the same way at some points while listening to this.
However, the music is good and the vocals are great, it goes down easy and smooth even with that underlying unease that can come through with the themes. Could do with some trimming of the fat though, too much filler.
Solid album. Compared to later releases, the songwriting is not as intricate and you can tell they're still finding they're footing. It's a little basic at times but the captivating groove and energy in tracks like "Psycho Killer" still make it a very enjoyable listen.
A great, well made, energetic debut (which is the beginning of an insane 5 album run).
The music on this can be short and simple at times but it's direct and hits hard. I honestly don't see or hear the self-centered, pretentious accusation that some are throwing out. To me, this album feels the opposite of such a characterisation. Lennon genuinely airs out his pain and his emotions are imprinted on every track.
I do wish some of the music had a bit more to it, but then again it might also be the case that doing so would lose some of that rawness which makes it hard to say. This album is sobering, raw and personal, which makes it pretty good in my book.
An hour of anaemic, monotonous vocals narrating surface level social commentary over the most boring beats you've ever heard AND also having the gall to be so preachy about it.
Uhhh I mean: holy fvckkkkk bros... society is... le bad...
This is a consistent album, so consistent that not a single song on this record is even remotely close to being "bad".
Every tightly segmented division played on this record is done so cerebrally and with purpose. The riffs and melodies are spectacular and highlight the tracks magnificently; the instruments are played masterfully.
This is a pretty incredible, almost transcendental album and an absolutely bonkers debut.
Obviously dated, but still energetic, catchy and most importantly fun. Not nearly as tedious to listen to as some of the other older albums on this list.
Pretty good, some real toe tappers on this one.
There's a bit of filler, but the sheer amount of great tracks this record has more than makes up for that. Fantastic song-writing and superstar talent make this an excellent album.
Clearly there is a lot of talent on display here but the album itself feels like it's lacking. The complex and innovative composition falls flat for me when nothing else is really driving the music.
That's not to say that it isn't enjoyable to listen to, it definitely is. Perhaps a few more listens would help me in appreciating it more.
Amazingly consistent throughout. You can clearly hear how this album influences the future of music. Crazy to think about how modern his song-writing is here for '65.
Also, Bob Dylan made me like the harmonica so kudos to him.
Its alright. It just doesn't offer anything special among the many many more sophisti-pop works that do just about everything else better.
More interesting than I thought it would be. Really solid Acid-House.
No amount of mediocre Wonderwall covers by "guy who picks up an acoustic guitar at a party™" can downplay how solid this album is. Banger after banger, yes even Wonderwall, especially Wonderwall.
Shame they made absolute sloppa after this.
Super smooth and catchy tunes all over this. Enjoyed.
Was already tired of it by the second track honestly. Maybe its just fatigue from having to listen to 2 disco adjacent albums back to back; but besides a few tracks here and there, something about the dated disco rap style here just didn't click for me.
You really can't go wrong with most of Simon & Garfunkel's discography and the same sentiment holds true for this album. Blissful harmonies, a variety of instrumentation and meaningful lyricism. Simple, yet beautiful.
I'll admit, I groaned when I saw another Country Rock album come up but I ended up thinking it wasn't so bad a few tracks in, then I saw Gram Parsons was on this and it all clicked. I enjoyed his inclusion on this list so it made sense that I enjoyed this too.
Good songwriting, vocal performances and goofy band name make this a solid, but nothing too special, country rock record.
The fact that it was recorded through a tin can actually helps the album.
Opening track is seriously amazing, one of the best prog tracks of all time in my eyes. The rest of the record is great too but that opener still manages to blow them away, which makes this album a fantastic listen.
Sex music but its actually good
Production is nice but the beats are boring. The lyricism is supposedly the selling point but it feels a bit basic. Overly long, but there are definitely some standout tracks that I enjoyed.
An important debut obviously, but the vocal performances are the only thing impressive here. Elvis showcases his talent on some simple (and boring) Rock & Roll tunes.
Sounds samey the whole way through and even features a few covers on it to boot. Doesn't help that the recording quality is pretty bad on a few of the tracks as well.
In totality, the album doesn't have a lot going for it. It all kind of sounds the same and it's lyrical content leaves much to be desired.
What it does have going for it however is great guitar work. So much so that even when I was zoning out while listening to this, the melodies would be there to guide me back in.
I like this type of music, but this album doesn't strike me as a standout in anyway, sadly.
Amongst the filler, Dusty's intimate voice entices you and draws you in to a warm and moody soundscape. A little more consistency would do this album wonders but nevertheless, it was still a good listen.
It isn't hard to see why some consider this a masterpiece but it probably doesn't reach the pedestal some claim to place it upon. Damn close though.
Ye Ye it doesnt smell that bad
Zappa chads won... They fucking won....
I miss early 2000's unashamed edge. They actually thought this shit was unironically cool back then. AND THEY WERE RIGHT. (8 year old me thought so)
It was alright, enjoyed a few tracks here and there but it didn't pull me in as much as I thought it might.
There really isn't anything to pull me in here, nor is there anything that is unlistenable. Not good but not unlistenable.
From the first track, it's easy to see why so many consider this a masterpiece. The production, instrumentation, vocals, composition and experimentation on display here are near perfection and all coalesce into one fantastic album befitting of the status that it is given.
The album's staggering length of 104 minutes doesn't hold it back at all, in fact the time flew by and the tracks pulled me in instantly. I wasn't bored for a second with this album, it really is that good and deserves the recognition it gets.
Some nice vocals and decent guitarwork present a minimalist Americana that's a bit too straightforward and simple for its own good.
Sounds like a worse version of stuff that I should like. Enjoyed some tracks though.
Some fun and enjoyable tracks but it all kinda blends together into one uninspiring R&B puddle.
His vocals are clean, his flow is good and the storytelling is all there. His talent really shines through on this record, way too many skits though.
The mix of Folk Pop and Power Pop tracks on this are quite charming. Fairly enjoyable (#1) record.
Innovative and influential, but did I enjoy listening to it? Yes, actually.
It can be a tad too repetitive which is standard fair for a lot of electronic music but it lacks some variation, which is of course understandable for the time period but nevertheless, it felt a bit too samey at some points. Neonlicht suffers heavily from this problem.
Despite these drawbacks however, the tracks are quite enjoyable and have a somewhat warm atmosphere to them. These robots certainly have a soul.
The slick beats are well produced and the performances here are good too. Unfortunately there is too much filler that end up making the album blend together in a not great way.
The sombre, ghostly atmosphere carried throughout the album is one that I enjoy. I liked the lyricism a lot, every track explored their themes and painted a vivid picture of its sentiment.
They made the same song 12 times.
I actually quite like her soft vocal delivery here, although it can feel a bit bland on some tracks. That rare blandness combined with the skilled, yet boring instrumentation hold the album back from being as good as it could be.
I haven't really listened to anything like this album before but that doesn't make it worth listening to. Anything interesting the album presents is overshadowed by its unevenness and inability to not be all over the damn place.
The lyrics and instrumentation pair well to evoke images of the characters and stories all over the album, often seedy and sombre. I just tend to feel that there's a ton of nothing tracks that do none of that evoking all over the album as well.
The TV show unironically clears this.
I think this is a near perfect album and if you don't think so, a crack on the head is just what you get!!!!
Vocals are great, but there isn't much else here besides it's historical significance.
This could easily be a 2 if you let this play in the background but if you give it a good go and listen to it intently, it really tickles the brain just right.
