I can imagine this will be a pretty devisive album. For money - this is as much a piece art - a true display of intention and expression - as anything I have heard on this list. Garage-prog, art punk. There are songs that feel like the could be talking heads that then veer in a wildly different direction. Kids music not for kids. There is real raw email under the chaos. And the bass lines. A one of one band for sure.

The less said the better about a man who has said so much. I would rather let him do the talking. The quiet power of the album is undeniable. While I wouldn't call this album joyous - there is plenty of light amidst the shadows. The production is minimal but sublime - matching the tone of the music. Single violins and subtle choirs add beauty. It's only with the final reprise that the true sadness comes and you feel the full weight of a life fading.

What an absolute joyful surprise. And a Kool Keith cameo to boot. Best commute I've had in weeks.

Intricate instrumentation that seems to be not just free of a distinct emotion but at times disconnected from the song itself. The modern sounding sonic elements in Peg seem like the could be used to create a better song in someone else's hands. Much ado about what I'm not sure.

Listening to this album with fresh ears - my main take is - Damn this album sounds good. The beats make this album shine. The high points are so very high. Never liked Heartbreaker and still dont but everything else is a gem.

Splitting the difference between recent past and distant past (only 10 years but this is already the third phase for the boys of radiohead). Nods to the recent past won out with backdrifts, there there and the gloaming being the most interesting endeavors. The songs with more standard instrumentation played by humans are good but don't reach the heights of phase one...still a good listen of an album I didn't fully absorb upon its release.

Take Me Out was ubiquitous - even i heard it with some frequency - and liked it. But not enough to ever check out the rest of the album. So now - 20 years on - this 39 minutes of early aughts post punk reprise sounds pretty damn good. I actually like the back half better. The first 5 songs - previously noted banger aside - drift together a bit. The latter songs have the same elements just mixed up a little better. Certainly worth a listen.

I have an episodic relationship with this album. I was 12 when this album came out. I heard the singles - everywhere. And what singles they are. Our lips are sealed is an all time debut album lead off track. The bridge still gives chills. And we got the beat - does that not take you to a place even if you've never been. But I was a kid just getting my musical legs and those adolescent legs were drifting in the direction of Def Leppard. Cut to college. One of my housemates was a bass player and he was obsessed with this album. Especially the bass playing. We listened often and he was spot on. Kathy Valentine really lays an axing foundation that provides energy to the great songwriting and harmonies. Really everything works on this album. And lest we forget - 1981. How Much More is two years before REM is murmuring. Tonite, This Town, You Can't Walk..., Skidmarks. Ultimately - this album feels like a centerpiece that extends back to 60s girls groups and (just a hint of) surf guitar and well into the future as new wave was just breaking. A genuine classic and sounds even better as summer is just breaking.

I mean. What can be said really. I think my biggest take away from listening on this format - the filler - by that I mean the non hits and future concert staples - are what makes this album truly great... I want to see his face, Turd on the Run , ventilator blues, stop breaking down. All sonically sublime.

This is a weird one. Not as vital as what came before and after but maybe that's why it works. It borders on fun. Or at least there are moments of humor as well as some straight ahead rocking. Good not great but definitely something everyone should hear - Sob Story seems like a song from our times. Boo f*#!in who...

The long term influence of the first two Band albums can't be overstated - even reaching modern bands that I adore. But... but...for some reason I have never been able to find a way in. Sounds weird to say for a band like this but I just don't connect emotionally. I appreciate it. I respect it. I see why it's good. I know it's good. I just don't love it. That being said - When You Awake and Jemina Surrender are great tunes so maybe some day...

Holy moly. Better yet...santo deus. I have hit a few random points on Jorge Ben timeline but for some reason never made it here. I'm a little slack jawed. It's just so creative. It's like a wilder Esquivel with the kitsch turned down. Weird, expressively weird with undercurrents of pop, traditional samba and latin jazz. Excellent musicianship. And get up and dance funky. I have a mild curiosity for the lyrics but why mess with perfection. What an absolute great ride.

An album I am very familiar with from a band that I am very familiar with. Everybody's Been Burned was my entree into truly understanding the band - and all that is good and bad. See the problem with the Byrds is that - while being highly influential - arguably more influential than bands that are held in much higher esteem - they are a bit goofy. A pitfall of the psychedelic era that counted them as but one among many who had similar missteps. But even looking at them in context of the era - I give you Mind Gardens as uniquely bad. CTA - really? I know aliens were big as was turning knobs just for the sake of turning them but...it's just silly. I feel like you could make an album of all there wacky experiments across this 3-4 year period and it might actually work. Similarly - if you gather up the remaining actually songs you have some unmitigated classics. Maybe you do anyway but at least they would have less caveats. And the Byrds are all about caveats. Taking this album at face value - some of my favorite Byrds songs are included (EBB, My Back Pages) and one of my all time faves - like from any band - Lady Friend - didn't make they cut and was only released on the reissues. Apparently that decision lead to David Crosby's leaving the Byrds - again - you put Mind Gardens on there but couldn't find a way to release this splendid rush of emotion. I say all this at someone who loves the Byrds and loves this album - with some caveats...

So many great, undeniable tunes. A ridiculous collection for a first album. Sounds great as well.

Is there a more inviting opening riff. Probably. But this one is still damn good. And that sense of invitation permeates the album. Even when the news isn't good. They keep it simple in the best possible way.

I was really enjoying the shorter albums. So another double album from an artist I think of as a singles artist. While this one has a lot to give. Better than I thought. I still think the signs are the high points. It doesn't really do anything truly interesting and reach in a double album sort of way. Just more ballads. Enjoyed it more than expected but less is more for me...

I have seen this album often compared to Kid A. Close but it's really closer to OK Computer. The essence of the band remains fully intact buts it's expanded and exploded. Jeff tweedy can't help but let his inner Beatle shine no matter what sort of cacophony envelops him all while Dylaning his way down the uncertain streets. This is a pivot and a reaction while still very much building on their first three albums. Top notch songwriting. Great playing. Fun noises. Sad when they're happy. Happy when sad. A gem. Kamera, Jesus Etc., Heavy Metal Drummer. That's a whole career for most.

Wow. Wasn't expecting this. At all. First track plays like a pleasant mash up of Crowded House and Oasis. But as the album progresses it goes much much deeper and farther back. There are moments that fit into the British 60s revival of the early 90s. But never lingers there and ultimately transcends through excellent songwriting, thoughtful arrangements and some exquisite musicianship. Ultimately though all that means nothing with the melodies - the melodies and harmonies - I'm just blown away. An album and band I have absolutely no recollection of even hearing a mention of that is this damn good. Dismiss as a random forgotten britpop artifact at your own peril. This has a lot more to offer than appears at first glance.

I must admit - I have heard plenty of Simon and Garfunkel over the years going back as far as I can remember - but I don't think I have ever heard an actual S&G album. My experience has always been either on the radio or through the lens of a greatest hits collection. A much different way to experience them. While I know half the songs on the album they feel different when presented as they are in a song cycle about aging (at least the first half of the album) and this all kicks off - after the bookends theme - with Save the Life of My Child. Let's just say - not what I have come to expect from S&G. And that trend continues with the aptly titled voice collage Voices of Old People. Ultimately this plays a bit like two sides - the first side song cycle and the what feels more like a hodgepodge on side two. A good hodgepodge - Hazy Shade..., Mrs Robinson and At the Zoo - all great tracks. But I may go back to the greatest hits...

Taken at Its most elemental - it's like Black Sabbath covering Astronomy Domine for...forever. but when you add in saxophone -then it really scrambles the old noggin. Full on jams with periods of spoken word and musical interludes. There are moments that veer dangerously close (if not ramming right into) Stonehenge. It all feels as if painted by a single musical brush. A spacey rocking brush...

It pretty much impossible to come this album with a fresh set of ears. I was a fan of the Cure - especially the previous two releases. I bought it the week it came out. And - to be honest - I didn't get it on first listen. So many songs that seemed to be one forever. I liked ethereal music but what I was looking for in the Cure was the sharp edges and manic energy of the previous album - with the occasional shift in pace. But here - 72 minutes of dirge. It took me a few weeks to really appreciate that. And slowly this became a personal favorite. So coming to his album 35 year later and listening to it start to finish for the first time in probably a quarter century - its pretty much perfect. The album clearly states it's intentions from the opening notes of Plainsong. Picture of You is about as magical a single as me Smith and Co ever created. Lullaby and Lovesong both ubiquitous back in the day sound especially after not hearing them with such regularly. The groove of Fascination Street. My all time fave cure song - Disintegration - still scintillates even as it never swerves during it 8 min runtime. Feeling the bass on Prayers for Rain (this is a song much better heard on speakers.). And finishing the Untitled - I like to think of the as trending positive in acceptance rather than regret with a long outro to ponder... My big takeaways: it's 72 min runtime is one of the first albums I remember really using the enhanced CD runtime to its benefit. The bass on the album and the way it is produced are a revelation. These songs have real heft without sounding muddy. The rhythm section is really the star of this album. Songwriting songwriting and songwriting. Some of the mans best. I remember reviews for this tour - never have some many people had such a good time having so little fun... I believe that stands for the album as well.

I respect it all. The songs. The process. The sound. The look. The energy. I just can't seem love it. I know the White Stripes. I recall downloading many of these songs from Napster or a similar platform upon its release. Hearing the songs on that ala carte "singles" format enhanced the feeling I get from listening to this album. And why I never loved it. It's not that they play this minimal rock n roll that still manages to sound huge. Its that in various songs they reduce various bands - the Yardbirds Zeppelin, Stones, Black Sabbath, even the already bare bones Kinks - to their bare essence. It's amazing they are able to generate so much sound while capturing the essence. But I respect it more than love it. Happy they exist. The music word is pretty bably better for it. But I just don't connect in a way I feel I should.

I don't know. Is this what the world needed/needs? Prog folk? I did the first two tracks - especially Buzzin Fly. But then the album really just feels like too much more of the same. Where as a comparable album - astral weeks - I am able to get swept up this album just drones. I have tried to engage with Tim Buckley at several points over my life and have never been able to get into it. This time is no different.

I heard a Little Richard's Good Golly Miss Molly on the radio today and I was taken by how good it sounded. Even with all the advancements made in recording and the evolution of musical styles over the last 60+ years - that song as well as a lot of music of the era still sound good. I can't necessarily say the same this about Run DMCs debut. Important as a cultural artifact - Rock Box does not have the same affect now as it did back in the 80s as an actual song. Fun as nostalgia but impossible to separate from the era.

Great album. The Who really come alive in this live setting. Especially the drums . While spellbinding - I could use perhaps 10 percent less. Great album nonetheless. Id give it 4.5 if I could...

Man. Machine. This album blurs the line. This album feels a bit like prince - especially Sigh it the Times. It is meticulous. Contained. Except when it is allowed for boil over. The slow descent that wraps out the album - Eraser to Reptile to TDS to Hurt. It truly is the sound of coming undone...

The less said the better about a man who has said so much. I would rather let him do the talking. The quiet power of the album is undeniable. While I wouldn't call this album joyous - there is plenty of light amidst the shadows. The production is minimal but sublime - matching the tone of the music. Single violins and subtle choirs add beauty. It's only with the final reprise that the true sadness comes and you feel the full weight of a life fading.

Damn. That is some funky *ss soul music. 4.5/5

An album that is impossible to not be impressed by. So many notes. So styles. The varied instrumentation. Anyone of a certain age knows this album for its opening section. The impact of that theme on scoring for the horror genre cannot be understated - even today. There are other great ideas here but to what end. I have no idea what I am ultimately suppose to feel.

A lot of great songs but it suffers a bit from the plight of many 90s albums - too damn long. Theres a certain charm to the brevity of so many classic albums - 8 to 10 songs, 30 to 40 minutes. Sometimes less is more. In the end - this album has a high batting average is much better than I remember.

I feel there two way to make a great album - one is to challenge listeners by taking them in all different directions. The other...capture a mood and stay with it. Adding just enough to move things along and keep it interesting. This is definitely the latter. Thee establish a mood and stick with it - and it's a great mood.

This album tends to overshadowed by its production. I used to think of it as harsh - the sound not the assessment - but I have come to understand it through a different lense. There are some great rides on here that really cut. It's at times closer to Ministry than metal. Some songs go on too long for my taste. But it's definitely a statement.

Kicking off with a simple announcement, this album slowly builds until it hits its groove and then sets off like raging bull and rarely lets up - the chanting of "a love supreme" in Acknowledgement provides a brief respite that is still positively exhilarating and surprising - until the long outro of Psalm. Spiritual, emotional, confessional, expressive, singular.

Influential. Sure. Also a little repetitive not only on its sound but in the subject matter (including too much misogyny for my delicate sensibilities). I get it. The streets are tough the there are needs to be settled. I much prefer the Pharcyde's debut released the same year which adds humor in to its view of growing up in LA. Heck - even NWA had a touch of humor mixed with the rage. That being said - great beats and production throughout. Some skilled delivery. I was a just a list alienated after 60 minutes.

Funny this comes on the heels of the Chronic. Both albums mix myth with reality (this one is certainly more myth). Scores are settled. Violence lionized. Gats swapped for 44s. But his time around the music is warm and inviting. Taking you back to another time. Not just to the time this album was recorded but a time long ago. I enjoy the western flavors. Voice and instrumental. El Paso is an all timer.

Fine for a while. Her vocal talent is undeniable but the production wears a little thin. Nothing terribly memorable.

I have revisited this album many times over the years. From a first listen in a Tower Records listening booth back in the mid 90s to my son's discovery of unique offerings over a decade later - there is just nothing quite like this album. Experimental but highly listenable. Of its time but only because it was released today it would still be of its time. Though not without precedent it is a wholly unique offering. Crate digging pushed to a spiritual level. You feel this album. Not a weak track in the bunch. All have unexpected turns even as they settle into a groove that feels like it could go on forever. It is a great concept that is expertly delivered. An album that would be difficult to produce today feels unfathomable in 1996. But that wouldn't matter if the songs didn't deliver. A true master class.

The Smiths. Just wanted to get that out of the way cause it's on my mind. How can it not be. So onto the album at hand...as good an album that a solo Morrissey has produced. Well produced. His usual lyrical flair aimed familiar targets. Overall a great listen - the best moments rising to the level of the aforementioned but now unnamed band...

I can imagine this will be a pretty devisive album. For money - this is as much a piece art - a true display of intention and expression - as anything I have heard on this list. Garage-prog, art punk. There are songs that feel like the could be talking heads that then veer in a wildly different direction. Kids music not for kids. There is real raw email under the chaos. And the bass lines. A one of one band for sure.

Hate is a strong word. But that isy general feeling about Eric Clapton. This album - I don't hate it as purely as other Eric Clapton albums. Progress. I would say that this album has - at times - good vibes. It's like a better version of the Band. Still - it never really hurts out like his purported heroes. But decent vibes. Sometimes.

To state to the obvious...that voice. Finally it is matched with an excellent slate of songs, a great band and pitch perfect production. I prefer Aretha to swing rather that straight ballad as such - this albums dips a bit in the middle but overall - music of the highest order. And that voice. 4.5/5.

One all timer surrounded by a lot rocking tunes. Excellent guitar playing throughout - dynamic, creative riffs. Overall - powerhouse vocal performances - it's like chrissy hynde, pj harvey and janis joplin thrown into a blender. In a good way.

Never been a fan. I think it goes back to the guitar tone. It's just everywhere. It cuts through to the point of almost feels like it belongs in another band altogether. If you remove that you have a pretty proggy band. Maybe that's the point. In the end - I just don't really care about the various queens and ogres that populate this album.

This album - all about moving from place to place, person to person - is itself transportive. From the opening chords of Coyote you are taken to a world that is uniquely Joni Mitchell. This was my entry into Joni and continues to be my favorite. Listening now I feel like this is music outside of genre - not exactly folk or jazz or rock - it's just music. Musical portraits expertly drawn one of one.

Similar to some other albums on this list - the influence is undeniable. Twenty years on this album would still be feel relevant. Unfortunately it does it's job a bit too well. What they did has been absorbed by so many artist and and influenced a variety of genres and done much better. Or at least more effectively. The title track is an obvious standout.

An album split between grand statements - Mother and Child Reunion, armistice day, Me and Julio... - and smaller simpler singer songwriter fare - Duncan, papa hobo, Everything Put together - this album hit harder on second listen. Masterful for it's genre hopping and shere song craft after the relative restraint of S&G. This opened up the full array of possibilities he would explore through his career.

What an absolute triumph of an album. Indebted to the past but far from a mere update. Sonically rich. Quite a journey. Ravers, ballads and everything in between all presented in a unique pallette. Soul, psychedelia with enough of a modern touch to make it would timeless. An album I will return to.

"Rejection is one thing but rejection from a fool is cruel." Musically - sounds different than I remember. Spikier. Stranger. Lyrically- the Morrissey we know and love.

Masterful. One of a number of 60s live albums that are not just excellent but often represent the best of an artist - ie - Dusty Springfield, James Brown, Johnny Cash, Grateful Dead - displaying what truly makes them unique. Live at the Regal shows what BB King does in a way that no one else does it. The blues have never sounded so joyous.

What an absolute joyful surprise. And a Kool Keith cameo to boot. Best commute I've had in weeks.

This one is tricky. If they are they to blame for the many ill advised double albums released in its wake then perhaps the White Album deserves to be docked a star. But upon relistening it is a clear - most people didn't really listen - or at least they didn't take notes ok what make a great double album. It's not just more songs. It's the diversity of the songwriting. The genres. The throw aways that become meaningful because it is a double album. There are clearly 10-12 standouts here that are classics (aka a full album). Of the remaining songs they swerve all over the place. But every attempt/experiment/exercise has something to offer. From Don't Pass Me By to Savoy Truffle to Everyone's For Something...maybe not perfectly crafted songs but offer a unique flavor. And when Dear Prudence returns you are reminded just how good music can be.

Another great live album from the 60s. I have realized that where BB King Live at the Regal pulled a more traditional blues artist into R&B - Sam Cooke - better known for pop/R&B - let's his blues shine through. And shine it does. Bring it on Home is an absolute master class - teasing You Send Me to remind you where he came from but not where he is...or was - but moving the audience inab different direction. And wrapping things up with Having a Party - not sure if that bringing church to the party or bringing the party to church. Either way - the energy in the room is palpable. 4.5/5.

Many of these long unheard songs sound pretty good after going a long time unheard. And the never heard songs would have been better left that way.

The white stripes add some different instruments this time out but the same methodology is deployed. Minimal. Expressive. A little wobbly.

Interesting production. Moments of excellent playing. But no real charisma and a lack of notable songs. Better than expected but not memorable.

Strangely - the perfect album to listen to while chopping vegetables on a late summer afternoon. No idea why. Some things just are. This album just is.

Some gnarly grooves accompany his best songwriting, an eye toward the future in terms of instrumentation and hooks galore. And only 22 years old. This is what happens when you give a musical savant a new set of toys. He doesn't just knock down the door - the entire building is blown up. A classic.

Starts off as well as any LZ album. Some great moments throughout but does not hit as many high points throughout. It sort of feels like elements they would expand on later - or reprises of what they had already done. But the riffs when they appear are u deniable.

Another album that suffers from too damn many songs. At 9/10 songs this album approaches great - probably the high water mark for the band and the modern blues rock genre. At 15 songs it gets a little stale and has no real arc - just lots of music - a lot of it quite good. I would call it 3.5/5.

Milk. Cereal. Milk. Cereal. Milk. Cereal. Milk... This is the end of a era. The close of the 1980s. Certainly the 90s aesthetic was already bubbling under the surface - NWAs debut drops 2 years prior - but this was a big shiny rap album that had a lightness soon to be all but forgotten. Bragadoccio with a sense of humor. And a distinct lack at gat talk. Not a judgement - just an assessment. That LL Cool J could be looked at with sense of innocent nostalgia. Much more than the title track though that is still very much the high point.

Thrilling. But Purple Rain is better.

Uh. Yeah. I just don't really get the premise of why you would make music like this. It's a good version of what it is I suppose. I'm happy I made the journey but I'll not be returning - forthwith

Some good moments but not her finest moment overall. Some songs go on too long and there is a sameness as the album progresses. The previous album would be a much more worthy addition to the list. Good not great.

This album is done no favors coming up shortly after Thriller. So many MJisms without the substance. Glossy sheen with a dearth of hooks. A few moments of inspiration on the funkier (not actually funky) tracks but the ballads - audio terrorism. This is the first album I genuinely don't understand why it's on the list. Pablum.

Feels a little dated to me. Something about the energy is lacking when compared to Sabbath of Zeppelin. But the organ's fun. Opener and closer are the high points.

Got to give credit where it's due...Take is Easy starts things off well enough and I might even go as far to say - great - with an assist by Jackson browne. And then i'm reminded of all things I bring to the table regarding my dislike of the Eagles. most of us are sad...John prine could maybe pull a song with that title off but the eagles do not have the chops. I liked some later tracks instrumentally - when the get off the beaten path - but overall songs are underwritten. A begrudging 3

Suffers from 90s bloat the the killer tracks are killer and oddities like Half underscore how these guys were more like Led Zeppelin than any of their Emerald City piers - though there is still plenty of Sabbath/Stooges here. A better listen than expected. Amazing production. And with a little editing...

3 stars for Papa was a rolling stone alone. Another star for the opener everything else is pretty middling. Papa warrants the price for admission.

Songs. So many great songs. Some would become classics and continue to grow for years to come. Others capture a moment in time.

Not what I anticipated based onu previous exposure to War. Of a piece with recent Marvin/Curtis releases but also Fela - find a groove and settle in and throw in instrumental and vocal flourishes.

Side one is as rip roaring as the Rolling Stones get. Side two slows things down a bit. But there's no fat here at all. As consistent as any Stones album with some outright gems in both the rager and ballad camps.

This has aged far better than expected. A few less inspired moments but overall this is a far more solid record that i remember. It really seems to predict the transition to what comes next in the British music scene - for better or worse. Guitar histrionics are tamped doesn't but the much production is excellent and sounds great to my ears all these years later. i came in thinking 3 but going to give this a 4...

Aww yeah. Another one that sounds incredible 30 years later. Not as hazy - musical or lyrically- as previous releases. It's got some tracks. there is some amazing playing here (theresa's sound world), sounds that resemble singable if not quite sing along tunes (sugar cane/purr) and then some Kim Gordon tracks (maybe one too many, maybe...). Much more organized but still enough breakdowns to scratch the itch.

An enjoyable if ultimately forgettable album. the singer is probably the week link. There's something very American. A freedom in the playing and genre hopping. You can feel the joy in their love to just playing music. Whatever comes to mind. Nothing wrong with that.

This is a tough one. I think I can say I have never listened to more music by an artist of which I don't really like much less owned an album. So many songs are just in the ether for as long as I can remember consciously hearing music. I am trying to open my heart to any and all artists - especially ones on this realm (my realm - not the general public). I can say this - Joel is at his best when he stays within himself and try to say too much about about the world and focuses on the whims of the heart. This album does the latter - and quite well. It's like a greatest hits album. Sturdy songs. Quality arrangements. I heard most of them but hearing them together I have to tip my hat - not that he needs my support.

The power and influence of side one - war pigs through iron man - cannot be overstated. Side two meanders a bit before a strong finish. Their bleak and cynical vision of the world still seems all too relevant. But they deliver that outlook with energy and vitality. And riffs...so many riffs.

Accomplishes the difficult task of being both transitional and a great album. Excellent grooves throughout. From art to pop with a little croon. Another step towards the becoming the Bowie that would endure...

Whimsy. Or more accurately British whimsy. Well recorded British whimsy. Roots of Robyn Hitchcock, Love and Rockets and the wanderings of Alex Chilton. Not so much an album as capturing a moment of someone before they disappear.

That voice. I have always wanted more of that voice. And this album offers a surplus. It comes in many strange shapes and colors. Certainly any semblance of pop music has long since left building. At this point she is making art. As such - it is somethings beautiful and engaging and other times confounding and alienating. I'm not sure by what standard to rate this album - especially next to something by the Stones, the Who or even Joni Mitchell or Coltrane. It seems more like it belongs in a museum.

Representative but not necessarily special to my ears. First half fares better. Elixir is my high point. Ultimately an album that will definitely up your spirits.

If one could excise Guinevere and it's renaissance fair trappings it would elevate an otherwise formidable album. David Crosby - great voice. He could hit some home runs but also some misguided musical views. The three standouts from this album - Stills Judy, Nashs Marrakesh and crosbys cowriten (don't leave him to his own devices unchecked) wooden ships - all stand way out. Prog folk? Whatever it is - great musicianship, creative arrangements and the harmonies are top class. Everything else is solid with the exception of the aforementioned indignity. Enjoyed way bemore than I would like to admit.

I ridiculous bounty of riches. Six absolutely bangers. It's like a Beatles album for a new generation - classic rock with keyboards and hooks galore. Songwriting and production are top notch. And it has Moving in Stereo...

A little mixed on this one. Definitely of a moment on time. But there are a lot of interesting choices that have aged better than other albums of the era. I think I would revisit though I didn't love it on the first pass.

Do these guys have two albums on here? This one is interesting but lacks the innocent and wondrous spirit that would inform the next album and beyond. A soundtrack to an unproduced film the be watched on a rainy day

Say what you will about the doors - they started as well as anybody. Is there a better first album/first track in rock history. Break on Through is certainly in the running in terms of song quality, raw energy as well as mission statement. great songs throughout and the only indulgence - something that the doors would have plenty of in the years to come - The End at ease delivers on its promise. Say what you will about the song lyrically - the musicianship is transcendent and thar holds true throughout the album. There were plenty of missteps to come - this one is lean.

Vocals have never been clearer but this is ultimately Pete Bucks day. This album rocks and rolls and has riffs galore. The summation of their half decade rise - five albums in five years is such a different era - each album pushing them forward. The harmonies are still there the guitars are out front. Not a misstep from the Finest Worksong through Fireplace but then gets lost in the last quarter. S

So many musical idea are served up here at break neck speed with such exuberance - it's impossible to deny the sheer energy that radiates from this album. Both of a moment and completely out of time because of it's many cultural touch points. I feel like if released today it could find an audience.

I prefer funkier - Ray Charles but you can't argue with the feeling I'm that voice. Definitely transports to a different place.

An album that just SOUNDS great - start to finish. Before the fall from grace - Rod Stewart really was a treasure. And the guitar playing of Ronnie Wood is impeccable - acoustic, electric, pedal steel - he does it all with equal measures of technique and vibe. A great listen.

The connective tissue between New York Dolls and GnR. This represents the alternative path 80s metal could have taken. Less solos and shredding, more glam, less shouts to the devil - and even some straight up nods to 50s RnR. Better than most of their piers but in the end still an 80s metal album.

Happy Feelin pretty much as up this album. Even slower songs have feel the uplift when the exuberant break in. And when the party's already going on the horns take it into the stratosphere. Not a weak moment here.

While not as expressive as some other works in the genre - it sure does go down easy while also moving the ball forward. Immaculately recorded.

At moments they are like a pumped up Byrds. The Band with actual motion. A fractured take on the original classic (the 50s) rock. Harmonies. Guitar lines galore. Wrongfully lumped in with their psychedelic SF brothers and sisters. This one's a grower.

Green day emerged just past the party it where I could really engage with them. I appreciate what they do - they at times display Kinks level simplicity in all the best ways. This album obviously stretches far beyond that in scope and scale but in reality - the 9 minute song suites are just a bunch of two minute songs together. But ultimately - for the most part - it works. A little pedestrian but you can't begrudge the pop chops. They know a good vocal/guitar hook. And I like a lot of 60 minute play albums I never like this got dirgy. The W era seems pretty quaint by 2024 standards.

A total mind scrambler upon release. The heir apparent to Endtroducing but this one is all joy no tension. Like childhood - real, imagined and remembered - writ large. Feels old and new all at once. Slows a little in the later half but Live at Dominoes brings the party back to life.

Voices, rhythms, rhymes, wit, joy, and pain all bundled into a hilariously genuine and human package. Full of inside jokes and pop culture references in both lyrics and samples. A dynamic ride.

An unstoppable roar this one. Not my fave but the energy of a performer capturing his full voice in the studio is undeniable.

Cool punk reminds me of what maybe Bjork was listening to before she started the sugarcubes

In her late 20s and already having been a key ingredient in the two masterful Gram Parsons solo albums - this debut is confident and well executed in every way. The playing. Song choices. That voice. She would continue to evolve and change in the years to come but this album established her as a masterful interpreter of a wide range of songs.

This is a debut album by a 21 year old kid but it has a world weary quality that I struggle to grasp even now. His music exists both of a time and outside of any particular space. Definitely not upbeat but it never gets too ponderous. In addition to finding his voice at such a young age, the songwriting is singular and presented with exquisite production. Cello Song is an all time fave for me but about half this album are true classics. Always a treat to spend some time with mr drake.

This album hasn't aged a day. The sound seems to exist out of space and time. It checks all the boxes you want in an album. The songs. The playing. The craft. Unique. Singular. Endlessly singable.

Not really benefitting form this being the third album from TWS. Liked it more than I expected. You can't argue with the talent these guys possess. In moments it comes off as a more rockin Exile on Main Street and strains of Jimmy Page. I like it but still can't love it. It's a 3+

I can't imagine the amount of ink that has been spilled over this album. In that vein - I have little to offer other than - not my favorite beatles album. Far from it. Probably comes in 6 or 7 for me. But that just me. A mild 4.

Ren fair Genesis. I just can't get into it. I occasionally respect the instrumentation. But the songs I do not find engaging. They at least leave the forest next time out. I just need a little more rock in my prog rock.

I first heard this album when I was 15. Pretty early on I came to understand that while I loved it - it was not for everyone. I shared a love of this little secret with a few friends. But more importantly it helped me through the challenges of my high school years - and beyond. It was emotionally unrestrained and expressive in a way that few albums i have encountered dare to be. It paints beautiful pictures and transports you. If nothing else let Tinseltown sweep you away and get lost in the world of Heatwave.

I have always thought this was my least favorite Nick Drake album but I was reminded yet again how great this man is. Certainly rooted in the British folk of the time and featuring many of the key players but just outside of that. In the end - it' the voice that sets the tone and the songs that set him apart. Northern Sky is a career high that is full of them in just 4 years of recording.

The energy and effect of the title track alone warrants a listen - and repeated listens - to this album. A song that is truly larger than music. Even when he pulls the tempo down the energy is mesmerizing.

I understand why this was not one of my faves growing up. Not an easy record. Not so much depressing as just dark and a bit difficult. Save maybe The Hanging Garden - nothing ventures anywhere near the pop sensibilities that shine through on pretty much every Cure album. But I understand this as a valuable building block for where they were headed. The bears - an underappreciated aspect of the band - are generally excellent if a bit menacing. They guitars are bigger. Just not one to pull out too often.

In what world is this the JSBE album you pick?

Punky poppy peppy positive. How can you not smile. Ol Feargul's voice may deal breaker for some. But if you're in then this is pre teenage symphonies to God Beach Boys relocated to Northern Ireland. Heartbreak and teen angst never sounded so fun fun fun.

One of the best 1-2 punches in the rock era - hanging on the telephone into one way or another start things off with two bangers. Because of that they can then go anywhere. And they do. Punky. Proggy. 60s girl group. Disco. So many ideas on this album.

An absolute culmination. So many ideas - all funky with a touch of nasty. Stellar musicianship abounds and allow grooves to truly fly.

Everything stripped away but voice and guitar (save the stray piano). A singular album by a singular artist. I infer strings base and drums on some songs. That's part of the beauty of great music and all art really. Leaving space for the listener/viewer - and visions abound. The perfect album for today - election day '24. An album that transports you somewhere outside of time and space. Something we can all use.

An opening track that is undeniable followed by fun 30 min. It's akin to an early b52s album updated for 2k. It's a blast for sure. Good but not great.

At the damn is the psychedelic rock movement - this is an album that doesn't forget the rock part. Fun, weird, adventurous, primal. This avoids the many pitfalls of psychedelia because it was made before those tropes of psychedelia we firmly ensconced This is the exact type became cliches. It's baked into the cake and not just piping added later by twisting some knows in the studio. Perhaps because of their Texas origins - away from SF/LA. And I'm no small part to the recurring roll of the electric jug. It runs out of steam by the end but it comes raging out of the gate and there are great songs and ideas throughout. A unique voice for sure. Guitars look back and forward. Excellent drumming. This album is the epitome of why this book/list exists.

All too aware of this band having been alive and near various radios in the 90s. They were not a "change the channel" band but never thought too much of them. So until about halfway through my inaugural trip of this album I was preparing my one word review - "garbage!". I thought the first half was a mess - overproduced mid level dreck. But from Vow I was onboard. In the end - I think a lot of people do this vibe much better. But vow, stupid and and milk are all standouts.

I try to go in with an open mind - even for albums I know well. Than being said - this was never going to be anything other than a 5 star rating. It's not perfect - I still don't care for Computer Blue and Baby I'm a Star has earned it pre closer placement. So that leaves three all timer singles that rival the best of anyone's catalog, my personal favorite (I Would Die 4 U), whatever Darling Nikki is, another killer - Take Mr With You and one of the most powerful performances the ever be waxed - The Beautiful Ones - just stunning beyond words.

Excellent musicianship. Well crafted songs. Creative arrangements. There are inspired moments throughout. Wholly inoffensive. "My Mistakes Were made..." is a banger. But in the end I just don't care. Not sure why this in on the list.

Not an easy listen but the talent is undeniable. Both of a moment and completely outside of it. A soundtrack in search of a movie that is doesn't actually need. Not all atmospheric music is beautiful. Some is more like the city that birthed Adamson - to reprise another native - Manchester, so much to answer for.

You can't overstate the influence SATB had on the music world. This is a pretty radical album for '78 but they got so much better. So much more dynamic. So much more themselves. Unless there are at least 2 other Siouxsie albums on the list not sure why you would include this. It's a moment in time but their best song of this era - Hong Kong Garden - isn't even on the album.