Jun 10 2024
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Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
I never really got into FF over its run, but not out of a lack of respect. Having been an 80's alt/indie kid, by the time Nirvana was done, I was retreating back into the underground, and FF just kind of got left behind. Listening to this, I hear soooooo much of it all - Husker Du to Nirvana to even power pop Big Star, and even some midwest-emo (much of which was still to come). It was very fun to listen to this again and hear everything that David Grohl loves being skillfully and respectfully turned into truly David Grohl music. This one will be revisited with a certain amount of regularity going forward.
4
Jun 11 2024
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Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
How in the hell did this band eventually build this city? I hope they are embarrassed by that one. I know I am for them. I prefer the darker sounds of this era (VU, Floyd, etc.), but I still very much get this album and understand why it is considered awesome. It's just not a part of my regular listening process.
4
Jun 12 2024
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Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
I recently just go into them. A little late to the party, esp. since I am into band like Interpol, Editors, etc. What an interesting album. It's all over the place in "sounds" but wonderfully cohesive. One moment I hear 80's synth alt disco, then Bowie, now I'm in a early Floydian joy right, but it all sounds totally contemporary. Pretty darn amazing. There's a serious Flaming Lips vibe to them, though they obviously are NOT FL-rip offs. They are just in the same space.
4
Jun 13 2024
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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
I have never listened to a full Aretha Franklin album. This is exciting!!! Looking at the songs on the album, I may have actually listened to this album -- just never in one listen. Holy cow every song is like a famous one every has heard somewhere sometime.
5
Jun 14 2024
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Hot Fuss
The Killers
I loved the post-punk revival of the early 90's, but only gave the Killers occasional listens and generally only on playlists. I don't think I've listened to an album from start to finish. What a mistake that was! This album is right up there with the best of Interpol, the Strokes, Editors, and so on. It's a bit more "diverse" in showing its influences, making it more unique than many of its brethren in the movement. Great album!
4
Jun 15 2024
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We Are Family
Sister Sledge
First, I can only think of the '79 Pirates before I listen to this. That was a fun time in my childhood and memories are vivid. As I listen, I swear I'm listening to every 90's Hip-Hop album ever made. Looking up Sister Sledge though, they aren't nearly as sampled as I thought. I'm a 70's funkateer, so this album resonates hard with me, even though it's more disco/soul than pure funk. Love it! Didn't realize the album was so complete from beginning to end.
4
Jun 16 2024
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Solid Air
John Martyn
This is completely new to me! It is insanely rare I'm unaware of an artist or band. Wow. First song is a great acoustic jazz, Floydian-keyboard song. Hmm. Very interesting. This is a very cool, eclectic album, that is hard to explain. Way more Floydian than I thought it would be. It also has a small hint of Krautrock, but is certainly in the mellowish acoustic rock of this time period. What the heck?! Some trippy funk!?!?! This this is wonderfully crazy, but cohesive. Wow.
4
Jun 17 2024
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Roger the Engineer
The Yardbirds
Was into the YB's when I was exploring Zep, Hendrix, and Cream. It was some random greatest hits cassette, so to listen to a complete album should be interesting. Meh. These guys are guitar players, not song writers. The guitar stuff is cool, but largely this is kinda boring with nothing that really excites me. There's more interesting music from this time period than this album.
2
Jun 18 2024
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Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
How many 100 hours of listening have I put into this one?!?!? Who hasn't? What an amazing album, and I say that from someone who is a RHCP OG, not an RHCP BSSM hipster forward. This is an amazing album. Came out the same day as Nirvana's "Nevermind" - isn't that amazing! This rivals that album in greatest. Truly a 5 star album if there has ever been one.
5
Jun 19 2024
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Third
Portishead
Hmmm..... surprised the ST debut isn't the one on this list. Maybe it is later. I've never listened to this one, but LOVE their OG work back in the 90's. I mean LOVE! so let's see if this holds up to that bar. Huh. More experimental than previous works for sure. Maybe on more listens I'd figure it out, but on first listen it's pretty boring. Not much to hear here.
3
Jun 20 2024
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Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
Not the biggest fan of the white soul from Britain in the 80's. Not sure why, cuz it's not like it's bad. I'm guessing cuz I was so deep in punk and Indie music at that time, it felt "wimpy" to me. But as I listen to this, I almost feel as if I was right. This is pretty wimpy and I like my soul a bit more intense. Though, to be fair, it is kinda growing on me, maybe not in away that this will be on my playlists, but something I can tolerate if it is on.
3
Jun 21 2024
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The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
oh my! one of the greatest albums EVER, let alone in hip-hop, or the late 90's! Amazing!
5
Jun 22 2024
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This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Not sure why I don't listen to EC more. This is really good, but I think it lacks a certain "edge" I want to my music. It's power poppy, but not enough?! Does that make sense? Great lyrics and cool sounds, but not something I'm going to go to on a regular basis.
3
Jun 23 2024
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Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
Totally something new and unheard of for me. Not at all what I expected! African blues - wtf! First song is great!!! Really feels like the classic afro rock from the early 70's, but with a bluesyier sound. The guitar playing is amazing - very dexterious and interesting. Seriously good album!!! Amazing work.
4
Jun 24 2024
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Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
There is not much to say here. Obviously, one the greatest and most important hip-hop albums ever, but also one of the greatest in music period. World-changing!
5
Jun 25 2024
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Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
4
Jun 26 2024
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Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
Yeah, this one was hard. I did not get through all of it. It was a weird cross on socially conscious 60's and 50's standards. Hard to explain, but ultimately to my ears pretty boring and uninteresting. Musicianship was obviously good, but that wasn't enough to draw me in.
2
Jun 27 2024
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Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
This was way better than I thought, as of course, What's Goin On is one of the ultimate albums. How can you possibly come close to that again? Whelp, reasonably close! Much more of the 70's smooth soul feel to it than the 60's civil right feel of What's Goin On, but it works sooo well. There is still some "experimental" sounds and the focus on marriage is genuine and soulful through out. This will for sure be another listen.
4
Jun 28 2024
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Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Yus!!!!! His second album in the return to the fuzzy hard crunch sound. Who knew it would be even better in the late 80's early 90's?
4
Jun 29 2024
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Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
Jun 30 2024
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Viva Hate
Morrissey
There was a time when the Smiths and then the first few Morrissey albums were in constant play for me. Then I really drifted from them, not really enjoying them anymore. In fact, they kind of irritated me. In the last year, I've gone back and relistened to most of them and it's a weird mix of love and annoyance. I used to love this album. I still think I do, but the music annoys me. Weird eh?
3
Jul 01 2024
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Screamadelica
Primal Scream
There was a time when I really appreciated and enjoyed all this Britpop stuff, but now that piano sound grates on me. EVERYONE was banging away on it like a drunken cowboy in an old west saloon, and now, woof, not as fun as it used to be. Take some of that out, though, and this is a wonderful electronic stoner album that really helped shape some cool electronica in the coming decade. For that, I can forgive the piano parts.
3
Jul 04 2024
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Crazysexycool
TLC
This album is beyond amazing.
5
Jul 05 2024
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Emperor Tomato Ketchup
Stereolab
This is very cool. I have no idea why I never listened to this. It's like in between my Portishead and Pavement of that time. Gah!
4
Jul 06 2024
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Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Yup. That is all my friends. Yup.
5
Jul 09 2024
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Live At Leeds
The Who
4
Jul 10 2024
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Tommy
The Who
5
Jul 11 2024
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The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
There are some retro type bands I dig, but for some reason this one just does not click with me. Not sure why, cuz I like a lot of Bowie-esque "retro" bands. Oh well. Many more albums to go.
2
Jul 12 2024
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Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
Wow. The first song sounds like a mellow Neubauten tune! A few pieces that are Genesissy, but by and far are progressing nicely into what will be a huge solo career. A nice balance of his weirdness and experimental nature with his pop music chops, and the early forays into "world music" are awesome. A really really nice album.
5
Jul 13 2024
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At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
I listen to Vaughan all the time on KCCK, but have never listened to a complete album. Maybe the best live, vocal jazz album ever. Seriously!!
5
Jul 14 2024
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Country Life
Roxy Music
4
Jul 15 2024
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Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
Always on the edge of listening to Yoakam as he was a little to "big" more alt. country tastes. But he is good. Real good.
4
Jul 16 2024
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Play
Moby
Moby! An amazing album.
5
Jul 17 2024
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Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
I liked this. It borders on my dream pop addiction, but is less dreamy than poppy. This is something I would really get into if it popped up on the radio, but it won't find it's way onto my playlists. Still, a very enjoyable modern album.
3
Jul 18 2024
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Rio
Duran Duran
oh my. I hated this as a teen, but as I aged, I do appreciate this album quite a bit. It boggles me that this came out in 1982. I always thought it was in the heart of the 80's, but it was actually the beginning! This is a very good album and I will listen to it more. They are way more "artistic" than I think people give them credit for - yes, great pop songs, all the songs are well-done with thoughtful and purposeful creation beyond simply "selling singles".
4
Jul 19 2024
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First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
Not the biggest fan of the pop alt music of the 90's. I mean, lets be fair, I wasn't a fan of any alt music that was "popular" post-Nirvana. Not sure if it was just hipster elitism and the "underground" was still way cooler, but this particular music in not interesting to me. Feels like a bunch of high school choir kids saw how the music winds were going and they wanted to make it. Wimpy, boring, stuff.
1
Jul 20 2024
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One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
oh wow! how many hundreds of times have I listened to this! P-Funk is a top 5 on my all-time list. I own everything!!!! I will be way to biased to rate this fairly. Easy ass 5 for me!
5
Jul 21 2024
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McCartney
Paul McCartney
Obviously I have heard the post-Beatles McCartney, but largely just Wings (pretty sure I had an album). Not sure I recognize any of the songs on this. Not sure if this is an album. Feels more like a bunch of short cuts of potential songs. Kind of a well-recorded demo with songs, if fully formed, would make an album. It's a weird album to me.
2
Jul 22 2024
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xx
The xx
Hmmm... be curious if this is in my retro-post punk phase and I just missed it. Kinda missed me.
3
Jul 23 2024
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Ramones
Ramones
Might be the most listened to album in my life.
5
Jul 24 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
4
Jul 26 2024
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Nixon
Lambchop
A really nice mellow album that I actually really like. Hmmmmm.... I'm getting old. It's a super nice 70's mellow soul feel with some "countryish" sounds mixed in. Lover it!
5
Jul 27 2024
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
Another one I have listened to 100's if not a thousand times. What can you say about this one? One of the most important albums ever.
5
Jul 28 2024
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Disraeli Gears
Cream
I get it. I had it. It's fine.
3
Jul 29 2024
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Selling England By The Pound
Genesis
My mistake was avoiding these early works due to the 80's "hit machine" of Genesis - all of them, even Phil and Peter. Didn't explore these until much much later when I hit a total prog phase.
4
Jul 31 2024
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Opus Dei
Laibach
Awesome! Finally something from the "underground"! Holy, industrial classic that I'm sure very few have heard.
4
Aug 01 2024
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Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
I'm listening to this and I know I would love this normally. I'm just not in the mood for it right now. Has that The Fall like post-punky vibe with a mean take on country music now and again. The politics are super lefty (which I love), but for some reason I'm just not into it now. I am adding them to my british alt playlist though.
3
Aug 02 2024
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Is This It
The Strokes
5
Aug 03 2024
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Deja Vu
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4
Aug 04 2024
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Palo Congo
Sabu
Just not my cup of tea. Thought it might be a jazz album, but it really is drum and chant music. Early precursor to world music maybe.
1
Aug 05 2024
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Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
5
Aug 07 2024
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Bad
Michael Jackson
5
Aug 08 2024
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We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
I know how much this influenced some of my favorite bands (esp. Butthole Surfers), but I can't get into it. Not sure why.
2
Aug 09 2024
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So
Peter Gabriel
Love this album. Was my first foray into PG back in his school. I never kept up with him, but later went back through his Genesis catalog and then solo work up to this album. I need to spend more time on Gabriel.
5
Aug 10 2024
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Paranoid
Black Sabbath
OMG! The birth of heavy metal! Still out metals most metal even today.
5
Aug 11 2024
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Olympia 64
Jacques Brel
I can really appreciate this. I have a soft spot for "songwriters" like this. I'd love to know French as I listen to this. His voice is so impassioned that'd I'd love to know what he is singing about. There is a mix of standards from that time period (Sinatra) with the future of some of the music to come in the 60's. Very interesting.
3
Aug 12 2024
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Trio
Dolly Parton
I never listed to this! OMG 3 of the best and I do love a more traditional country. When it first came out, I'd have avoided this, though secretly it would appeal to my formative years of these 3 artists on our family turn table. After a full exploration of Alt. Country in the 90's and becoming reborn in "true" and "outlaw" country, I love this album!!!
5
Aug 14 2024
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Mothership Connection
Parliament
Another one that I have listened to 100's of times. Parliament/Funkadelic is a top 3 all-time favorite band. I am very biased in a positive way to all of their work.
5
Aug 17 2024
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Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Oh my!!! A beyond classic!!
5
Aug 18 2024
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Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
4
Aug 19 2024
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Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
Digging this and I'm only 60 seconds in!! Totally in my 70's mellow, soul, funk wheelhouse. Maybe a little to "soft" for me, but still a very very enjoyable album. Has a nice mix of some mellow funk-psych that I do like.
4
Aug 20 2024
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Highway to Hell
AC/DC
THE best AC/DC album. Nothing against Brian Johnson, cuz he was perhaps the greatest replacement in musical history.
5
Aug 22 2024
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1999
Prince
Holy greatness!! If it was the top 10 albums only, this one makes it.
5
Aug 23 2024
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Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
3
Aug 24 2024
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Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
3
Aug 25 2024
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Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
4
Aug 26 2024
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
3
Aug 27 2024
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Hard Again
Muddy Waters
3
Aug 29 2024
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Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
I missed out on the OG release and Mirage is my first entry point into the MP. You can hear some of the future Grateful Dead vibe here, but certainly more "edgy" than later releases.
4
Aug 30 2024
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Odessa
Bee Gees
This is terrible. And it's not because I prefer later Bee Gees. It's a confused mess of Beatles, meets soft rock, meets very unadventurous prog rock. Not good.
1
Aug 31 2024
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Pretenders
Pretenders
3
Sep 01 2024
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Scum
Napalm Death
An album that is actually not an album! Still this thing is one of the best things ever.
5
Sep 03 2024
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...And Justice For All
Metallica
Ha! One of my first "free" CD's from Columbia House. Absolutely love this album (first 3 are still better). I just wish they didn't clean out the bass lines. "One" is one of the coolest metal songs ever.
4
Sep 04 2024
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Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
5