501
Albums Rated
3.22
Average Rating
46%
Complete
588 albums remaining
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2010s
Favorite Decade
Jazz
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Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
24
5-Star Albums
1
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ys | 5 | 2.8 | +2.2 |
| The Dreaming | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Third | 5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
| The Sensual World | 5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
| Vespertine | 5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
| Bad Company | 5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
| Kenya | 5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
| Since I Left You | 5 | 3.28 | +1.72 |
| Haunted Dancehall | 4 | 2.37 | +1.63 |
| Music for the Masses | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who's Next | 2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
| Darkness on the Edge of Town | 2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
| It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back | 2 | 3.37 | -1.37 |
| Smash | 2 | 3.37 | -1.37 |
| Led Zeppelin IV | 3 | 4.36 | -1.36 |
| I Should Coco | 2 | 3.35 | -1.35 |
| Deep Purple In Rock | 2 | 3.33 | -1.33 |
| Ace of Spades | 2 | 3.29 | -1.29 |
| Risque | 2 | 3.27 | -1.27 |
| Rust In Peace | 2 | 3.24 | -1.24 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Kate Bush | 3 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 |
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.67 |
| Depeche Mode | 2 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (24)
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Popular Reviews
Hüsker Dü
3/5
-this feels a bit like R.E.M with a punk rock twist to me, I’m surprised they didn’t get more popular. Definitely quite a few solid songs on here (Ice Cold Ice is great) but it felt a little bloated especially near the end when it felt like I was listening to the same song over and over. Not bad at all tho
-Favorites are Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope and Ice Cold Ice
1 likes
Sister Sledge
3/5
-now I’m getting flashbacks to singing We Are Family in elementary school choir… complete with interpretive dancing…
-the first song got me really hyped because i liked it, but none of the other tracks lived up to it much imo. still pretty good though, lovely vocals and one of the higher quality r&b / disco adjacent albums of the 70s ive heard
-Favorites are He’s the Greatest Dancer and Somebody Loves Me
1 likes
Amy Winehouse
4/5
-Amy Winehouse my beloved.. I didn’t realize she took inspo from Frank Sinatra! Makes sense though. Her voice is phenomenal in this album
-Favorites are Stronger Than Me, Fuck Me Pumps, and I Heard Love Is Blind
1 likes
Eagles
4/5
-Came and stayed for Hotel California the song, but this was very consistently good and catchy
-The first half of the album specifically is so majestic
-Favorites are Hotel California, Life In The Fast Lane, and Victim Of Love
1 likes
Blur
4/5
-waow this is awesome… I have only really listened to the Gorillaz before this and put off p much all of Damon Albarn’s earlier stuff. The self-titled album is absolutely badass though. As an additional note I’ve been looking for Song 2 for like years without knowing what it’s called.. now i know
-Favorites are Beetlebum, Song 2, and Movin’ On
1 likes
1-Star Albums (1)
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OutKast
4/5
-IM SORRY MS JACKSON.. I AM FOR REAL..
-Good classic hip hop feel with a lot of aggressive elements and different vocal styles being experimented with, kind of reminds me of Cypress Hill and Tyler at parts
-I feel like they were able to fit so many different kinds of rap into this it’s cool
-So Fresh So Clean, Ms. Jackson, BOB, and Spaghetti Junction are my favorites
Jeff Buckley
4/5
-This man has the voice of an angel. his soul is bleeding out of this album
-I am going to cry
-Integration of folk elements and covers of classic songs with more “modern” rock gives it sort of a timeless feel? His voice transcends time and space fr
-Favorites are Mojo Pin, Hallelujah, Corpus Christi Carol, and Dream Brother
Marvin Gaye
3/5
-I was not expecting Marvin Gaye to send me into an existential crisis about the world and its future
-We love a good “we live in a society” album but with a positive spin
-I really like the background drumming a lot of the songs have and the way they melt into each other, it gives it a very cohesive feel
-Favorites are What’s Happening Brother and Inner City Blues
Public Enemy
2/5
-YEAH BOIIIIIIII
-80s rap feels prehistoric to me, I can’t say I’ve listened to much
-Admittedly not really my thing but I really like the political commentary and experimental sampling
-Favorite is Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos
Talking Heads
4/5
-I have put off listening to Talking Heads for too long
-It’s interesting, it has a very “80s new wave” feel despite being a bit earlier than stuff like Tears For Fears
-As always I like the world music influence
-Favorites are New Feeling, Psycho Killer, and Pulled Up
Neil Young
3/5
-I definitely like the rock elements best
-Another good album for pondering and yearning
-Imma be real I can’t stand his voice in some of these songs but it’s cool in some others
-Favorites are Southern Man and When You Dance I Can Really Love
Emmylou Harris
3/5
-I’m not a huge fan of country folk stuff but she has a really nice voice
-Sort of reminds me of Enya at some parts, specifically the “exotic” world music influence in some songs
-Favorites are The Pearl and J’ai fait tout
Happy Mondays
2/5
-It’s like The Smiths if they were slightly more deranged and went on a party drug bender
-Some of these lyrics are genuinely hilarious and baffling to me but I fw them
-Not a huge fan of all the music but it gets a lot of points for creativity
-Favorites are Moving In With, Bring A Friend, and Lazyitis
George Harrison
4/5
-jfc george ts is so long what were you trying to prove
-That being said I really like it, it reminds me of a lot of later Beatles stuff
-I like the diversity of the instrumentation especially
-Favorites are I’d Have You Anytime, My Sweet Lord, and Art Of Dying
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
-this is very very smooth… I’ve never really listened to much vocal jazz other than Billie Holiday but it’s captivating
-Live albums are a lost art, I felt like I was there listening to her sing at a fancy cafe surrounded by rich 50s geezers
-Favorites are Just One Of Those Things, Honeysuckle Rose, and How High The Moon
The Verve
2/5
-this is britpop at its most britpop i think…
-Personally not a fan of a lot of this, I think some songs go on too long and my god his voice in some of the songs….
-I like the darker, angsty aspects of it best
-Favorites are On Your Own, History, and Life’s An Ocean
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
-I do enjoy some good rockabilly… it’s a lot like Elvis but crazier ig?
-i can see why the teens of the 50s and 60s were so blown away by this stuff because by their standards it had to have been like listening to Miley in 2013
-Favorites are Money and Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
-FUCK YEA ELECTRIC GUITAR IN EARLY 70S FOLK ROCK
-The vocal harmonies and stuff are really cool, and it has a bit more of an energetic feel to it while also having some nice slow songs
-Favorites are Carry On, Woodstock, and 4 + 20
k.d. lang
3/5
-Her voice is really nice! I’ve heard of Constant Craving but never really listened to it until now
-Aside from the vocals I really liked some of the percussion, it gave the album kind of an exotic/wistful feel
-Favorites are Season Of Hollow Soul and Constant Craving
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
4/5
-THIS IS SO COOL I love long chaotic instrumental intros
-THE WEAVER IN THE WEB THAT HE MADE!!!
-The instrumentation def takes center stage in pretty much all of these songs, specifically the keyboard. Kind of reminds me of Tago Mago at parts
-Favorites are Tarkus (Eruption and Mass) and Bitches Crystal
Solomon Burke
3/5
-damn who broke this man’s heart i just wanna talk to them. i wanna fall in love again now…
-The Spanish-sounding guitar toward the end of the album was an interesting feature and kept it from getting stagnant
-Favorites are Can’t Nobody Love You and He’ll Have To Go
Raekwon
3/5
-pretty interesting early rap feel
-Favorites are Guillotine, Can It Be All So Simple, and Spot Rusherz
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
-Great vocals and interesting for a live album. I really like the classic rock and blues influences, although some of the songs dragged on a bit too long for my liking
-Favorites are Done Somebody Wrong
Gang Starr
3/5
-Not too bad… the flow is a little corny for my taste in some of these songs though. Idk if that’s a time period thing though
-The second half of the album was somehow better, I love the fun old-school energy and mixing
-Favorites are Step In The Arena, Take A Rest, and The Meaning Of The Name
The Verve
3/5
-I definitely like it a lot more than the other Verve album, there seems to have been an improvement in direction and sound
-I loved the more experimental ambient-esque stuff on Neon Wilderness and Deep Freeze
-Favorites are Bitter Sweet Symphony, The Drugs Don’t Work, and Weeping Willow
Elvis Costello
3/5
-A lot of these songs sound like anime theme songs but like in a good way… it’s very catchy and high-energy which I always like
-Kind of started to fall off toward the end of the album in my opinion but the start and middle parts were really good
-Favorites are Kinder Murder, Clown Strike, and London’s Brilliant Parade
The Pogues
3/5
-well this is… interesting… it sounds kinda like old sea shanties. I do like the Irish/Celtic influence and the entertaining lyrics
-I wouldn’t exactly listen to most of these songs in my free time but it’s still pretty cool to hear
-Favorites are I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day and Sally MacLennane
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
-Idk his voice annoys me in some of these songs
-It definitely felt easy for me to separate the good songs from the bad ones but overall not really my thing
-Favorites are Badlands and The Promised Land
Kate Bush
5/5
-AHHH ONE OF MY FAVORITE ALBUMS OF ALL TIME… Kate at her absolute most daring and creative. The storytelling aspects are incredible and every song feels like a whole new world. I wish she did more like this
-Favorites are uhh all of them this album has zero flops. But if I had to choose, Sat In Your Lap, Suspended In Gaffa, Night Of The Swallow, Houdini, and Get Out Of My House
Billy Joel
4/5
-Okay so I actually ended up liking this a lot more than I thought I would. Very catchy and soulful, and there’s something about his voice I really like
-It honestly had no bad songs too so it was hard to choose standouts
-Favorites are Movin’ Out, The Stranger, and Vienna
Napalm Death
1/5
-Wow this is definitely one of the albums of all time!
-First of all I’m not gonna be one of those people who blindly shits on “hardcore” music or claims it isn’t music but… yeah. Get these men some lozenges! Props to making the world’s shortest song and some cool guitar/drum work though
-Favorites are Instinct Of Survival and Scum
Supertramp
4/5
-Okay so I have definitely been converted into the cult of prog rock, and this album solidified it
-I really like the unique instrumentation and variation between the songs, so I’ll give it a soft 4. Bloody Well Right is probably one of my new favorite songs
-Favorites are Bloody Well Right, Hide In Your Shell, and Rudy
The Divine Comedy
3/5
-Liked this a bit more than I thought I would. The lyrics are really funny and I love the variety in genre and vocal style
-def playing this at the tiktok rizz party
-Favorites are Something For The Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie, and A Woman Of The World
Stevie Wonder
5/5
-this is fantastic. Even for such a long album, there was never a dull moment. Some really interesting and progressive social commentary which I appreciated too
-I like the groovy and electronic-sounding songs best
-Favorites are Sir Duke, I Wish, Isn’t She Lovely, and Black Man
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
-Maybe a bit slow for my liking but I do like the lyrics and instrumentation! Generally very reminiscent of Marvin Gaye but I suppose that’s just the style
-Favorites are Billy Jack and Love To The People
R.E.M.
4/5
-I wasn’t a huge fan at first but I got more into it during the second half of the album, his voice is good
-Favorites are Drive, Monty Got A Raw Deal, and Star Me Kitten
GZA
3/5
-not too bad. sort of similar to the raekwon album I guess, but with its own unique style
-Favorites are Duel Of The Iron Mic, Gold, and 4th Chamber
Laibach
3/5
-now this is music you listen to if you’re a knight going on a crusade. we must reclaim the holy land
-i liked the ominous industrial songs toward the end a lot!
-Favorites are Trans-National and Jägerspiel
Fela Kuti
4/5
-yes!! yes!! finally a jazz / jazz-adjacent album! The guitar is splendid
-Apparently the guy who made this had his mom killed because of the social commentary?? The Nigerian Hail To The Thief
-Favorite is Zombie
Scott Walker
3/5
-I’ve listened to a few songs from his album The Drift and was expecting this to be more like that. It’s still pretty cool though, I love his voice
-Favorites are The Seventh Seal and The Old Man’s Back Again
Eagles
4/5
-Came and stayed for Hotel California the song, but this was very consistently good and catchy
-The first half of the album specifically is so majestic
-Favorites are Hotel California, Life In The Fast Lane, and Victim Of Love
Harry Nilsson
4/5
-My mom is obsessed with this album apparently but I’d never listened to it. It’s actually really good, I fw the random Caribbean influence
-Favorites are Early In The Morning, Coconut, and Jump Into The Fire
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
-I’d heard a few songs from this album but never listened to it in full. It’s very good and consistent in quality, felt a lot like a concept album
-Seeing the Drake collab gave me whiplash
-Favorites are Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe, Backseat Freestyle, and m.A.A.d city
Willie Nelson
3/5
-not too bad. not really my kinda music and a little boring and repetitive at parts, but still nice to listen to
-I cannot tell if this is country music
-Favorites are Stardust, September Song, and On The Sunny Side Of The Street
David Bowie
3/5
-Not necessarily my favorite of his work but it’s not too bad, I really like the three ambient tracks toward the end
-Favorites are Beauty And The Beast, Sense Of Doubt, and Moss Garden
Oasis
3/5
-This is definitely a solid 3.5 just because it went on a little long but I actually like this! Most of the Britpop stuff I’ve heard before sounded cheesy but this is significantly more interesting
-Favorites are Rock n’ Roll Star, Shakermaker, and Columbia
Van Halen
3/5
-now this is classic 80s dad rock. i very much enjoy the guitar shredding and high energy, though a lot of the lyrics and vocals could get pretty corny
-Favorites are Jump, Panama, and I’ll Wait
Machito
5/5
-this is so delightful omg. I listened to this album a couple years ago before I was really interested in jazz but holy shit I love it sm. The high energy, the cultural fusion, every single song on here is exciting af
-Favorites are Wild Jungle, Congo Mulence, Kenya, and Tin Tin Deo
The Isley Brothers
3/5
-sort of reminds me of songs in the key of life at times. Very smooth and groovy I approve
-Favorites are That Lady Pts. 1 and 2, Listen To The Music, and Summer Breeze Pts. 1 and 2
Ryan Adams
3/5
-I’m not a huge fan of country / country-adjacent music maybe because I haven’t listened to it much but this was decent. i like the rock and country blending
-Favorites are To Be Young, Amy, and Shakedown on 9th Street
James Taylor
3/5
-Not really my kinda music at all but had some good songs. I guess I’d give it 2.5?
-Favorites are Sunny Skies, Steam Roller Blues, and Suite For 20 G
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
-This is pretty interesting, has a sort of darkwave vibe to it
-Anything experimental I’m all for but it definitely dragged on a bit long in some songs
-Favorites are Careering and Socialist
Hugh Masekela
4/5
-This is very nice jazz, I liked the afrobeats in some of the songs. Was good to have on as sort of background music too
-Favorites are Minawa, The Big Apple, Inner Crisis, and Ingoo Pow-Pow
Neneh Cherry
4/5
-He’ll yeah bubblegummy Europop/ rap… 6th grade me would’ve eaten this up
-I still really like it actually, the energy is so fun and it has some surprisingly poignant social commentary lul
-Favorites are Manchild, The Next Generation, and Heart
Nanci Griffith
3/5
-Sort of reminds me of Emmylou Harris. Not really my kind of music but some of the songs are actually really good
-Favorites are The Last Of The True Believers, Love At The Five & Dime, and Fly By Night
Dolly Parton
3/5
-I have never listened to a single Dolly Parton song before this album I don’t think but she sorta cooked here. It’s very reminiscent of the album I got the day before too
-Favorites are Coat Of Many Colors, Traveling Man, and She Never Met A Man
The United States Of America
3/5
-ok so this is a very interesting album. def a little disorganized and harder to listen to at times but I think it aged suuuper well especially for something that came out in the 60s. Cool electronic experimentation
-Favorites are Hard Coming Love, Cloud Song, and The Garden Of Earthly Delights
Billy Bragg
4/5
-This is really really good, I love it. Idk why because it isn’t even a genre of music I usually like, although I do really like Wilco. I also didn’t realize it was all Woodie Guthrie lyrics either which is cool!
-Favorites are California Stars, Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key, Hoodoo Voodoo, and One By One
Boards of Canada
4/5
-Omg Boards of Canada.. I listened to Geogaddi a few months ago and it’s honestly one of my favorite “IDM” albums of all time but hadn’t really heard much else by then
-I def prefer Geogaddi but this is also really good. Has a very dreamlike vibe
-Favorites are Telephasic Workshop, Sixtyten, and Roygbiv
Pixies
3/5
-pretty cool! I definitely like their more rhythmic songs like Gigantic above the shorter, more abstract ones. But still an enjoyable listen and a very cohesive album
-Favorites are Break My Body, Gigantic, and River Euphrates
Amy Winehouse
4/5
-Amy Winehouse my beloved.. I didn’t realize she took inspo from Frank Sinatra! Makes sense though. Her voice is phenomenal in this album
-Favorites are Stronger Than Me, Fuck Me Pumps, and I Heard Love Is Blind
The Youngbloods
3/5
-This is pretty nice! Wasn’t expecting folk rock combined with some cool elevator-music-type instrumentals. It’s very unique and feels timeless
-Favorites are Darkness, Darkness, Sunlight, and Quicksand
Daft Punk
3/5
-“vintage” techno let’s go… some of the songs on here are really good while others are sort of boring. Overall has a really fun vibe though, would go so hard at a club or rave
-Favorites are Phoenix, Around The World, and Alive
Elliott Smith
4/5
-I love his voice and the guitar combination… was a great album to listen to while wistfully lying in bed in the dark and making myself increasingly sad and angry
-Favorites are Speed Trials, Alameda, Between The Bars, and Angeles
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
-Pretty cool omg. Damon Albarn and Fela Kuti drummer guy together was not something I knew existed but I’m glad does. Some songs def very reminiscent of Gorillaz which I actually prefer to Blur
-Favorites are History Song, Herculean, and The Bunting Song
Os Mutantes
4/5
-I LOVE THIS SM! Tropicalia is a very interesting genre. this album specifically kind of reminds me of Thievery Corporation in a lot of songs. The crazy instrumentation is my favorite part
-Favorites are A Minha Menina, Adeus Maria Fulô, Bat Macumba, and Le Premier Bonheur Du Jour
Sigur Rós
4/5
-I heard about this band from Björk and didn’t really know what to expect. It’s extremely interesting, soothing at some parts and very intense/disorienting. Icelandic Pink Floyd vibes
-Favorites are Svefn-g-englar, Starálfur, and Olsen olsen
Arcade Fire
3/5
-I’d say I like it. Started off pretty strong and kind of meandered a little toward the end, but it has some very interesting lyrics/themes and instrumentation. The female vocals are awesome and I wish there were more of them
-Favorites are Black Mirror, Black Wave / Vibrations, and Ocean of Noise
Bad Company
5/5
-I love this sm!! Honestly has no bad songs (the closer may be the weakest in my opinion but is still good). The energy is awesome. Makes me want to ride a motorcycle while smoking a cigarette and wearing aviator sunglasses and a leather jacket
-Favorites are Can’t Get Enough, Rock Steady, Ready For Love, Bad Company, and Movin’ On
Lauryn Hill
4/5
-for some reason this feels like a sister album to Songs In The Key Of Life. Very consistently good and innovative, especially with the fusion of soul and hip hop. Can def see why it was number one on the Apple Music Top 100 Albums chart thing
-Favorites are Lost Ones, Ex-Factor, Doo Wop (That Thing), and I Used To Love Him
Bert Jansch
3/5
-I’ve found that this whole project has given me a new appreciation for “simpler” and folkier music which I definitely didn’t have before. This is a pretty solid debut, I’d say - the guitar work is really nice, and the instrumental at the end of the album is phenomenally beautiful.
-Favorites are Strolling Down The Highway, I Have No Time, and Angie
Adele
4/5
-I saw a tweet yesterday which called Adele the number one white woman of all time… while listening to this album I found myself starting to agree. I have heard a few songs from here before but the deep cuts are good too. A definitive 4.5, I just wish I could do half-stars
-Favorites are Rolling In The Deep, Rumour Has It, He Won’t Go, and I’ll Be Waiting
Sex Pistols
3/5
-my mom apparently really likes this album, didn’t know it was their only one. it’s pretty good, I really like the themes and energy though it gets a bit repetitive at points. Would probably give it a 3.5
-Favorites are Problems and God Save the Queen
Miles Davis
5/5
-An absolutely PHENOMENAL album. Definitely one of Miles’ best. I’ve listened to it before but only noticed how amazing John McLaughlin is on the guitar this time around. Never gets boring, great music to slink around an alleyway in the city at night to
-Favorite is Shhh / Peaceful
R.E.M.
3/5
-I really liked the first half of this specifically, the second was maybe a bit weaker but still pretty good? this is the second REM album ive had on here so far and i think I liked the first one better but I’m glad I’ve discovered them
-Favorites are Finest Worksong, Welcome To The Occupation, and The One I Love
Common
4/5
-I can definitely see the Kanye production all over this. The first half or so in particular has some amazing songs that build a great momentum, I’m surprised I’ve never heard anything by this artist before
-Favorites are Be (Intro), The Corner, GO! and Testify
Otis Redding
3/5
-I’ve gotten a lot more interested in soul music lately. This is really solid, although the production and sound is understandably a bit dated. the Satisfaction cover is legitimately amazing and so catchy
-Favorites are Down In The Valley, Shake, and I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)
Blondie
4/5
-damn i love this, it’s so fun. One Way Or Another is of course an instant classic and a standout on this album, but there are some other really good songs here too. feels a bit ahead of its time even
-Favorites are Hanging On The Telephone, One Way Or Another, 11:59, and Heart Of Glass
The Go-Go's
4/5
-I got Parallel Lines by Blondie the previous day and this reminds me a lot of that. I fw it heavy, We Got The Beat reminds me of my own childhood because I used to listen to it a lot as a kid. I think Fading Fast might actually be my favorite song on the record though. Pretty definitive 4
-Favorites are Our Lips Are Sealed, We Got The Beat, and Fading Fast
Ride
3/5
-One of the first definitive shoegaze albums I think I’ve listened to. Not bad, but maybe not super suited to my taste? I should def listen to it again I think. The guitar effects are all super cool though
-Favorites are Kaleidoscope, Decay, and Vapour Trail
Blur
4/5
-waow this is awesome… I have only really listened to the Gorillaz before this and put off p much all of Damon Albarn’s earlier stuff. The self-titled album is absolutely badass though. As an additional note I’ve been looking for Song 2 for like years without knowing what it’s called.. now i know
-Favorites are Beetlebum, Song 2, and Movin’ On
Orange Juice
3/5
-kind of reminds me of a slightly more antiquated Depeche Mode? I like the instrumentation / slight world music influence, the first few songs were especially good even tho it fell off a little with some songs
-Favorites are Rip It Up, A Million Pleading Faces, and I Can’t Help Myself
Kate Bush
5/5
-YES another toe-curling five star number from Kate bush. It’s a lot more conventional and mature than The Dreaming but almost as good. I went through a period just about a year ago where I was absolutely obsessed with this album so it’s nice to revisit it
-Favorites are The Sensual World, Love and Anger, The Fog, Heads We’re Dancing, and Rocket’s Tail
Black Sabbath
3/5
-I come from a long lineage of Black Sabbath enjoyers (my dad) so I’m pretty familiar with the style even though I haven’t listened to one of their albums in full before this. it’s pretty cool tho, the guitar makes the entire album
-Favorites are Wheels Of Confusion, Snowblind, and Under the Sun
The Prodigy
4/5
-it’s like Aphex Twin if he spent his nights doing coke and molly in Manchester. This is very solid rave music that made me bop my head and want to get up and dance while doing my psychology homework. Lots of variety
-Favorites are Break & Enter, Voodoo People, 3 Kilos, and Skylined
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
-Appropriately, I was very drunk and high while listening to this so maybe my review is biased?? but damn this hits hard. the first few songs don’t do it for me quite as much but the second half or so is godly. amazing rhythm
-Favorites are Slave Driver, Stir It Up, No More Trouble, Midnight Ravers, and All Day All Night
Madonna
3/5
-i never knew madonna made a trip hop / electronica album.. pretty solid I guess? though im surprised i dont like it more considering this is like one of my favorite genres. the instrumentation is absolutely amazing in a lot of the songs though
-Favorites are Swim, Ray Of Light, and The Power of Good-Bye
Stevie Wonder
3/5
-has a lot of structural similarities to Songs In The Key Of Life. I def like SITKOL better but this is really good too, the quirky synthesizers are a neat addition. Superstition is a fucking amazing song
-Favorites are Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, and Superstition
The Darkness
2/5
-first of all i highly commend these guys for reproducing such classic sounds. i could probably be made to believe this came out in the 80s. has some cool arena rock vibes. that being said a lot of it was corny and repetitive imo. Maybe like 2.5 stars
-Favorites are Black Shuck, Get Your Hands Off My Woman, and Love Is Only a Feeling
Paul Simon
4/5
-according to rateyourmusic this is not really even a fan favorite Paul Simon album. Interestingly enough I thought it was super good. I love the variety in style and influences between the tracks, it never really got boring for me
-Favorites are Allergies, Think Too Much (b) and Song About the Moon
Bob Dylan
3/5
-not the biggest Bob Dylan fan I don’t think, but the songwriting and lyricism is super good. listening to this when it came out in 1963 must have hit different
-Favorites are Blowin’ In The Wind, Masters Of War, and Down the Highway
Brian Wilson
4/5
-very interesting… I’ve never really heard anything quite like this and I haven’t even listened to The Beach Boys. I would not have expected an album with a cappella and farm animal noises to appeal to me this much but I indeed really like it
-Favorites are Heroes and Villains, Roll Plymouth Rock, and Good Vibrations
Cream
3/5
-interesting, has sort of an early arena rock feel to it. The first few songs are especially good. kind of lost my interest toward the end but damn Outside Woman Blues is awesome. Solid 3.5 probably
-Favorites are Strange Brew, Sunshine Of Your Love, and Outside Woman Blues
The Beau Brummels
2/5
-didn’t really like it much at first but some songs sort of grew on me? Nine Pound Hammer specifically is really good but the rest isn’t quite as appealing to me. would give 2.5 if I could
-Favorites are Nine Pound Hammer and Old Kentucky Home
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
-damn I actually love 70s Brazilian music sm. thank you os mutantes and Jorge Ben Jor for introducing me to this and the cuica drum
-holy shit Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado is so good
-Favorites are Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro, Xica Da Silva, and Cavaleiro Do Cavalo Imaculado
The Velvet Underground
3/5
-Velvet Underground is decent for me, I’ve heard their album with Nico and I think I like it better than this one. This one took me a little while to warm up to I like the b-side a lot
-Favorites are Beginning To See The Light, That’s The Story Of My Life, and The Murder Mystery
The Monkees
3/5
-this is definitely better than I imagined it to be when I saw the cover somehow. Did kind of feel like Beatles Lite (to be fair quite a bit of 60s music does) but it had a few very enjoyable songs
-Favorites are Forget That Girl, Mr. Webster, and Randy Scouse Git
4/5
-I love this! can’t believe I’ve never heard this especially considering it has Thom Yorke in it… i will try my best not to talk about him. PJ Harvey has a REALLY good voice and I like the sort of classic rock influence, I was actually very surprised to learn it came out in 2000
-Favorites are Good Fortune, Beautiful Feeling, and Kamikaze
Suede
3/5
-this is definitely at the better end of the Britpop spectrum I’d say. Not sure why Suede didn’t do better in America at least for a little while because this is pretty strong for a debut, I actually really like Brett Anderson’s voice
-Favorites are Animal Nitrate, Breakdown, and Animal Lover
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
-from everything ive heard about nick cave and the bad seeds I was not expecting this to be so… peaceful? comforting? sort of? the piano was very nice. it definitely felt a little drawn out but it was great to listen to on a walk through town at night
-Favorites are People Ain’t No Good and West Country Girl
Orbital
4/5
-this is grade a techno. Repetitive enough to put you in a sort of mental trance, but layered and exciting enough to not be boring. some of the songs were definitely better than others but it was pretty consistently good
-Favorites are Planet Of The Shapes, Lush 3-1, and Halcyon and On and On
U2
4/5
-this is really solid. i honestly don’t think any of the songs were bad or even uninteresting. I don’t really know that much about U2 but this makes me want to listen to more of their 80s albums at the very least
-Favorites are Sunday Bloody Sunday, Drowning Man, and The Refugee
Elton John
3/5
-well I’ll just start by saying that Tiny Dancer is definitely the best song on here and my favorite Elton John song period (though I haven’t exactly heard that many). The prog rock style is interesting and not what I was expecting. Overall a pretty solid album though maybe a bit too “samey” with some songs
-Favorites are Tiny Dancer and Razor Face
-Favorites are
R.E.M.
3/5
-this is the THIRD REM album ive gotten and it’s been less than 100 days, idk how many there are in here… this one’s decent but markedly less enjoyable than Document and AFTP. none of the tracks really gripped me as much but it held together pretty well
-Favorites are Pop Song 89 and World Leader Pretend
Stevie Wonder
4/5
-this is amazing. I will try not to compare it to the other Stevie Wonder albums I’ve gotten on here so far. But my mom used to play some of these songs in the car when I was little and I’m hearing them for the first time again in years. The synths are immaculate. 4.5 stars
-Favorites are Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away, Boogie On Reggae Woman, and You Haven’t Done Nothin’
The Stone Roses
4/5
-I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as I did. there’s a lot of variety and uniqueness especially in the last track which is amazing. I really wanna listen to this again, I feel like there’s something new to discover in the songs every time I listen to them
-Favorites are Waterfall, Made Of Stone, and Fools Gold
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
-I’ve listened to this album before and really enjoy it. A lot of the songs definitely fall flat especially toward the end, but the vintage r&b groove is very easy to get into and hook you throughout. Rinky Dink is a very fun and underrated song
-Favorites are Green Onions, Rinky Dink, and Mo’ Onions
Fever Ray
4/5
-this is quintessential European gay culture and one of the most unique albums I think I’ve seen on here. can’t really put it into a single genre category but it somehow feels a lot more recent than 2009. The electronic instrumentals scratch my brain really well
-Favorites are When I Grow Up, Seven, and Now’s the Only Time I Know
Coldplay
3/5
-this is solid for a first album. Everyone loves making fun of Coldplay and I’m only closely familiar with their more recent songs, but there’s not much I can say that’s bad about this one. My mom used to play High Speed for me and it’s fucking transcendent
-Favorites are Don’t Panic, Shiver, and High Speed
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
-I already listened to Metal Box and don’t remember much about it other than the repetitive guitar and cold vocals. This is… about the same, I guess, maybe a little less enjoyable. Some of the songs have some cool parts but overall it’s just kinda hard to listen to
-Favorites are Annalisa and Public Image
The Byrds
3/5
-well it’s nothing completely groundbreaking for folk rock but I kinda like it. it definitely feels sort of repetitive and one-note but has some good vocals. sort of undecided between 3 and 3.5
-Favorites are Mr. Spaceman and Hey Joe (Where You Gonna Go)
The White Stripes
3/5
-Went into this expecting it to be like Seven Nation Army, but I was pleased by some of the variety in these songs. Even some of the shortest ones packed quite a punch, largely due to Jack White’s voice I think. There were quite a few forgettable songs in my opinion though, so I’d give it like a 3.5
-Favorites are Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Fell In Love With a Girl, and We’re Going to Be Friends
Hüsker Dü
3/5
-this feels a bit like R.E.M with a punk rock twist to me, I’m surprised they didn’t get more popular. Definitely quite a few solid songs on here (Ice Cold Ice is great) but it felt a little bloated especially near the end when it felt like I was listening to the same song over and over. Not bad at all tho
-Favorites are Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope and Ice Cold Ice
Frank Sinatra
3/5
-god damn my man Frank Sinatra was down bad. how many people were these songs about??
-anyway it’s a pretty solid album if not a bit boring and dated at moments. Strongly reminds me of my childhood during the holidays, I feel sophisticated listening to it
-Favorites are You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me, Too Marvelous For Words, and Old Devil Moon
Eels
3/5
-not bad but not too many of the songs really stood out to me. I like the cool effects (samplings? idk?) though, and Guest List is a very very beautiful song. I wouldn’t really define any of the songs as “bad” though so that’s a win
-Favorites are Beautiful Freak, Guest List, and Your Lucky Day In Hell
Steely Dan
4/5
-he’ll yea I love Steely Dan! I’ve listened to a few songs from this album but not the whole thing. The jazz / big band influence is great and gives the whole album a really smooth and cohesive feel. Never a dull moment. 4.5 stars
-Favorites are Do It Again, Only A Fool Would Say That, and Reelin’ In The Years
Everything But The Girl
4/5
-This is honestly a huge vibe, I loved Tracey Thorn’s work with Massive Attack (her voice is beautiful) and this is solid too if not a bit dated. Nevertheless I don’t play about the cheesy 80s corporate lounge vibe and this album encapsulates it perfectly
-Favorites are Love Is Here Where I Live, These Early Days, and Goodbye Sunday
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
-I read about this album in a book and it’s definitely interesting, though think I prefer the other Elvis Costello album on here. The lyricism and vocal style is really cool, but the songs do definitely blend together and go on really long at some points
-Favorites are I Hope You’re Happy Now and I Want You
David Bowie
5/5
-This is amazing, definitely my favorite release by Bowie I’ve heard so far. Something very alien and gripping about all the sounds, especially Eno’s ambient textures in the second half. This is my second full listen and it sounds even better
-Favorites are What In The World, Weeping Wall, and Subterraneans
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
-liked this a LOT more than I thought I would knowing only Sweet Home Alabama tbh. Pretty much every song is super catchy and made me feel cool as shit
-Some of the songs def went on a long time but they were still consistently good so I didn’t mind
-Favorites are I Ain’t The One and Gimme Three Steps
Television
3/5
-never been a massive fan of this genre but this is definitely one of the better / more cohesive punk-adjacent albums I’ve heard. Interesting vocals and experimentation, I was under the impression this came out in the 80s at first. Feels ahead of its time
-Favorites are See No Evil, Friction, and Torn Curtain
The Last Shadow Puppets
4/5
-love this actually, never really listened to Arctic Monkeys or anything but the vocals are a standout on here. Every song sounded like an entire new experience due to the genre blending, which is good because a lot of pop rock albums are guilty of sounding too “samey” imo
-Favorites are The Age Of The Understatement, Only The Truth, and My Mistakes Were Made For You
4/5
-I think I like this more than Definitely Maybe, it’s a bit more pleasant to listen to. Some really interesting subtle instrumental effects I like too! Wonderwall is of course a very high highlight, as is the second half of the album in my opinion. Thank you Liam Gallagher you strange strange man
-Favorites are Wonderwall, Cast No Shadow, and Morning Glory
Incubus
3/5
-i had genuinely no idea what to expect when I put this on other than “possibly corny”. it’s not too bad at all I don’t think, though not really something I would choose to listen to. The range of songs and instrumentation are definitely the highlights here, I’d give it a 3.5 maybe
-Favorites are Nowhere Fast and Clean
Gene Clark
4/5
-I like this a lot, it kinda feels like a more trippy version of Gerry Rafferty. surprised it didn’t do better commercially when it came out as it seems to fit the early 70s Zeitgeist really well. Some decent variety in sounds
-The title track is absolutely amazing and blessed by god
-Favorites are Silver Raven, No Other, and Strength of Strings
De La Soul
3/5
-yaay this is a fun one. Some really catchy beats in here, though some of the filler and skits got on my nerves. Oh well so was the style of 80s (90s)? hip hop
-Aside from feeling a little long this was very well-made and enjoyable so no other complaints
-Favorites are Jenifa Taught Me, Tread Water, and Me Myself and I
Spacemen 3
2/5
-well it’s… sort of interesting, sort of not? Some of the songs just felt like King Crimson lite. It did have some really cool instrumental parts sprinkled in which I enjoyed
-I was listening to Animal Collective all day when I heard this and the first song did kinda remind me of them! as a side note
-Favorites are Let Me Down Gently, So Hot, and Lord Can You Hear Me
John Lee Hooker
4/5
-this is pretty good I think. Seems to be an unpopular opinion but I do like the Santana guitar on the first track. This album has some legendary artist features that keep it interesting
-i actually prefer the first half or so, after that the songs sorta blended together
-Favorites are The Healer, I’m In The Mood, and Baby Lee
Pulp
3/5
-interesting! I haven’t heard anything else by Pulp so im not too familiar with their genre specialties or whatever, but I wasn’t expecting the Bowie-esque glam rock stuff. It did feel a little on the slow side at parts but I really liked the variety especially in the second half
-Favorites are Dishes, Party Hard, and Seductive Berry
Janis Joplin
4/5
-interesting and very innovative for its time! Janis Joplin seemed like a really fascinating person and maybe the first big “female rockstar”. Her voice is kind of an acquired taste to some ig, but she has some amazing range which is shown off as early as the first two tracks
-Favorites are Move Over, Cry Baby, and Half Moon
Peter Frampton
3/5
-not too bad especially for a live album. Had some enjoyable songs, though a bit of it was corny and blended together. Could’ve done with some major cutting down but hey it was pretty enjoyable to listen to while drunk and doing my psychology homework
-Favorites are It’s A Plain Shame, I Wanna Go To The Sun, and (I’ll Give You) Money
The Offspring
2/5
-it’s not horrendous but it’s not.. really that good. My therapist was telling me how much she hated this band one time and now I can understand why
-That being said it does have some highlights! The energy is badass in some songs and I LOVE the little Egyptian scale hidden track thing at the end of the album
-Favorites are Come Out And Play and What Happened To You?
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
-this is decent, has some really catchy songs on it. Most notably of course It’s Tricky, which is one of my favorite pre-00s rap songs of all time. None of the other tracks quite lived up to the hype in my opinion but it never got too terrible
-Favorites are It’s Tricky, Walk This Way, and You Be Illin’
Big Black
3/5
-I liked this more than I thought I would. Not a huge fan of all the instrumentals but the vocals and lyrics fuck hard. Definitely better enjoyed as a cohesive album experience since some of the songs blend together but gave me some decent appreciation for a genre I’m not crazy about
-Favorites are Passing Complexion and Stinking Drunk
Tears For Fears
4/5
-i had of course heard the orgasm beauty that is EBWTRTW before, and was not disappointed by the rest of the album. I’m a fan of Depeche Mode and was surprised how much a lot of it reminded me of them. Every track has a great atmosphere and it never gets majorly boring
-Favorites are Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, and Mothers Talk
George Jones
3/5
-now THIS is music for old men if I’ve ever heard it… not even to say it’s bad. It’s a pretty nice vibe and more or less consistent in quality all the way through
-it is absolutely NOT helping to beat the “all country music sounds the same” allegations honestly though
-Favorites are The Grand Tour, Darlin’, and Our Private Life
Talking Heads
4/5
-Ended up liking this even more than their first album. It really leans into the funky and genre-defying sound they started to introduce in their debut which I really liked. And holy shit I can’t stop playing Take Me To The River, it’s soo good
-Favorites are The Girl Wants To Be With The Girls, Found A Job, and Take Me To The River
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
-well it’s quirky… and unique… but idk it just was not really cohesive or interesting enough to keep my attention all the way through. most of the songs were corny and completely blended together, so not really my ideal album experience! had a few fun numbers though
-Favorites are Wail and Rocketship
Paul Simon
4/5
-I like this one, I’ve had two Paul Simon records on here so far and they both seem pretty consistently good. It took me through a pretty wide range of moods, too. Some songs were definitely more interesting than others but none of it was definitively “bad” in my opinion
-Favorites are Mother and Child Reunion and Run That Body Down
Aretha Franklin
4/5
-her voice is majestic as hell and none of the songs really stood out to me as bad. I’m glad this challenge/project thing has turned me on to 1960s soul and jazz because they’ve been some of the most consistently enjoyable genres for me. RIP Aretha
-Favorites are Chain Of Fools, Niki Hoeky, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman, and Come Back Baby
Miles Davis
4/5
-ah yes delightful. Not my absolute favorite by Miles but still really good. I’ve listened to it a few times already now and appreciate what jt did for cool jazz as a genre though
-Definitely best enjoyed as a cohesive album experience rather than as individual tracks imo
-Favorites are Move, Rocker, and Israel
Bee Gees
3/5
-wow well this was.. VERY much not what I expected to be listening to when I saw I got an album from The Bee Gees. The voice was unrecognizable from the one in the orgasmic disco hits I’d been so used to hearing
-it was lowkey boring in several parts but never horrible
-Favorites are The Greatest Man In The World and Trafalgar
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
- gay theater kid music nice! It’s not too bad. I had no idea who Rufus Wainwright was but he has a really really good voice so I’m not complaining. That being said the album started to fall victim to the “all tracks sound kind of the same and it’s getting dull” up until the end when ANOHNI came in
-Favorites are Agnus Dei, Peach Trees, and Old Whore’s Diet
Snoop Dogg
4/5
-ah this album… I listened to a bunch of songs from it back in elementary school for some reason. Good times. Some were better than others but over all it was solid, I forgot how funny Snoop could be. Ain’t No Fun is probably his best song
-Favorites are Gin And Juice, Ain’t No Fun, and Pump Pump
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
-was a little unremarkable at times but had a few hard hitters. The genre and music style is really interesting, kind of post-punk but also synth pop? Definitely a solid 3.5
-Also as an album from 2017 I think this is the latest one I’ve gotten on here so far
-Favorites are how do you sleep?, tonite, and emotional haircut
Bobby Womack
3/5
-what is there to say… it’s a nice album with some really good songs. Feels a bit like Stevie Wonder but maybe slightly late to the party? It was consistent in quality across the board though I preferred the second half I guess
-Favorites are Stand Up, Games, and If You Think You’re Lonely Now
Willie Nelson
3/5
-more Willie Nelson. I think I like this album more than the other one. I’ve never been a huge country music / Willie Nelson-type of person but I can appreciate the quality and legacy. I found myself actually wishing a few of the songs were longer so I could have more to go off of though
-Favorites are Time Of The Preacher, Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, and Red Headed Stranger
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
-has some moments of artistry and aesthetic appeal but overall… yea… not beating the “country music all sounds the same” allegations even though ik it’s not true. Saw someone on RYM say it sounds like a stereotype about how bad country music is and i can see it
-Favorite is Let Her Go, God Bless Her
The Yardbirds
3/5
-I wasn’t sure what to expect other than knowing Jimmy Page would be on here. I think it’s a solid listen tho. It stayed interesting throughout and had some interesting experimentation with psychedelic music / fun instrumentals. Nothing earth-shattering but pretty enjoyable
-Favorites are Psycho Daisies, Over Under Sideways Down, and Ever Since The World Began
The Streets
3/5
-well at first I thought this absolutely sucked, but it really started to grow on me a few songs in. Idk how self-aware it is exactly but it was really funny and unique. This is definitely the closest I’ll ever come to enjoying UK drill rap, even if that isn’t what this is supposed to be
-Favorites are Blinded By The Lights, Get Out of My House, Fit But You Know It, and What Is He Thinking?
Radiohead
5/5
-here it is. the moment I’ve been waiting for. first radiohead album to get on here
-every time I listen to this album it just gets better. some of the most dreamy and beautiful rock music I’ve ever heard. thematically interesting and super consistent in quality. ik im a glazer but this album absolutely deserves the insane praise it gets
-Favorites are Paranoid Android, Let Down, Electioneering, and Lucky
Lightning Bolt
3/5
-quite an interesting album for sure… not exactly the kind of thing I would listen to for pleasure, but still glad to have heard it. It’s very very overstimulating, but kind of in a fun, cool way. Always down for experimentation with noise and texture in music
-Favorites are Assassins, Dracula Mountain, and Longstockings
Gram Parsons
3/5
-wow I have suddenly been listening to a lot of country music because of this project thing… never thought I’d see the day
-this is pretty good, Emmylou Harris was a nice touch for the most part. The second half was probably my favorite
-Favorites are I Can’t Dance, $1000 Wedding, and Medley Live from Northern Quebec
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
-not bad at all! I think this is my favorite instance of Neil Young’s voice I’ve heard so far (compared with After the Gold Rush and the CSNY album). The gradual transition into heavier rock was cool. I hope Neil got his dream of becoming a Native American
-Favorites are My My, Hey Hey, Pocahontas, and Sail Away
Morrissey
3/5
-wow hard to believe this was a 2004 album. It stays very true to 80s synthpop and that’s not a bad thing, even if it feels a little forced. Most of these songs are pretty good if not a bit cheesy, I guess I’d rate it somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars?
-Favorites are America Is Not The World, Let Me Kiss You, and All The Lazy Dykes
ZZ Top
3/5
-I had never listened to ZZ Top before this but apparently my dad and his friend once dressed up as them for Halloween at school lol
-I do like it tho. Sort of started to blend together by the second half but the blues rock elements add for a nice touch
-Favorites are Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers and Sheikh
The Auteurs
3/5
-some seemingly more obscure 90s British pop rock (I dare not say Britpop even though I think that’s what this is). I’d never heard of this band before and at first I was annoyed by the kitschy vocals, but it had a few good songs and kept it interesting with the instrumentation. I’ve heard much worse
-Favorites are Starstruck and How Could I Be Wrong
David Bowie
3/5
-ok so i think i like this one more than Heroes but definitely less than Low. Wasn’t exactly sure what to expect after the other two but it seems to offer a slightly more traditionally ‘70s’ classic rock vibe. I liked some songs a bit more than others but overall enjoyed it. Queen Bitch is so good. 3.5 stars
-Favorites are Changes, Life On Mars?, and Queen Bitch
King Crimson
4/5
-wow this is really cool. I’ve heard both In The Court of the Crimson King and Red, and I really like King Crimson’s focus on texture and sound. It was especially apparent in this record which has a sort of medieval vibe to it
-The percussion stands out to me, especially in The Talking Drum. Such a good song holy shit
-Favorites are Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I), Easy Money, and The Talking Drum
Frank Ocean
4/5
-I’ve listened to a bunch of songs from Blond before but hadn’t actually heard too many songs from this album. It’s really good even if I do prefer what I’ve heard of Blond. Feels kind of like a reincarnation of early soul
-Pyramids is one of the best R&B-adjacent songs I think ever
-Favorites are Pilot Jones, Pyramids, and Lost
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
-This is cool, makes me want to grow my hair really long and protest the Vietnam War or something. I would honestly like to give it another listen sometime because I feel like I missed some stuff. Solid 3.5 probably?
-The guitar and rhythms are definitely the best part imo, but he has a really good voice
-Favorites are Wait Until Tomorrow and Ain’t No Telling
Meat Loaf
3/5
-this record was not exactly what I expected it to be. Felt kind of like a weird crossroads between 70s prog stuff and more commercial 80s rock? some of it was corny and blended together but overall it was decent
-I enjoyed the longer tracks speeding up and slowing down
-Favorites are Bat Out Of Hell and Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Parliament
3/5
-wow it’s so… funky…
-I was unfamiliar with Parliament’s non-Funkadelic work, but I think I like it. It’s an insane fuckin vibe and accomplishes its goal of making me feel like I’m riding on a spaceship in the 70s. Maybe a little bit same at parts but what more could I ask for
-Favorites are Unfunky UFO, Handcuffs, and Give Up The Funk
Grateful Dead
3/5
-I had never really listened to the Grateful Dead before now but had heard Many Things about them and their adoring fans… this is sure as hell not what I was expecting
-but I liked it, for the most part. it had a sort of peaceful and comforting vibe which I enjoyed after a long stressful day
-Favorites are Friend Of The Devil, Ripple, and Truckin’
Black Sabbath
4/5
-okk i like this. this is good
-I honestly think I like it more than Vol 4 which is the only other album I’ve heard by them in full. Felt like there was a bit more variety which gave me a better understanding of their skill… I recognized some of the songs from my dad having played them when I was younger which was fun too
-Favorites are Paranoid, Planet Caravan, and Hand Of Doom
Tom Waits
4/5
-this is so interesting damn. Not at all what I was expecting but I really liked it, it makes me feel like an Italian-American gangster in New York
-The variety and the sort of quirky instrumentation and vocal styles keep this feeling consistent and never boring. I fw it
-Favorites are Clap Hands, Jockey Full Of Bourbon, and Gun Street Girl
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
-not the most thrilling listen of my life but this is really pleasant. I love getting to listen to early big band and recorded jazz, I don’t think I would’ve ever listened to something this early on in recorded music if not through this website
-Favorites are Double-O and Lil’ Darlin’
Thelonious Monk
4/5
-wow this was a fun listen! as much as I’ve been getting into jazz lately I hadn’t heard Thelonious Monk yet and had been waiting for the chance. Stays true to the fun hard bop sound of the 50s/60s(?) that I like but also had some cool unique sounds
-Favorites are Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are, Pannonica, and Bemsha Swing
Air
4/5
-okay so upon learning this was a film score, I decided to also watch the movie, which I’d heard of but not seen. The score is really fitting and unique especially for the movie it was made to accompany
-I absolutely love the “twinkling” electronic effect Air use in their songs, it’s so fun
-Favorites are Playground Love, Cemetery Party, Dirty Trip, and Dead Bodies
Talking Heads
5/5
-houly shit ok this is definitely the best Talking Heads album I’ve heard so far. Every song feels sort of like it’s from a completely new album, or maybe even completely new universe. Both the vocals and instrumentation are so fun and interesting… The Great Curve feels like the absolute highlight. Time to binge their entire discography
-Favorites are Born Under Punches, Crosseyed and Painless, The Great Curve, and Listening Wind
Brian Eno
3/5
-I was kind of back and forth on how I wanted to rate this but I’m gonna go 3.5 stars. It’s pretty interesting, reminds me a lot of Another Green World and his work with David Bowie on the Berlin Trilogy
-some of the songs were a bit more memorable than others just on a first listen but damnn I really love the instrumentation
-Favorites are Kurt’s Rejoinder, King’s Lead Hat, and Through Hollow Lands
Aretha Franklin
3/5
-I think I prefer Lady Soul to this, maybe just a little bit because they’re both really good… her voice is super powerful and captivating, which makes up for the sort of dated audio quality and instrumentation. still so interesting to hear
-Favorites are Respect, Drown In My Own Tears, and Soul Serenade
Carole King
4/5
-I had seen this album cover circulating for a while but had never actually listened to it or anything by Carole King, so had no idea what to expect. It’s absolutely lovely though. Her voice is really good and i like the range of style and structure, it kept it from feeling boring or slogging together
-Favorites are I Feel The Earth Move, So Far Away, and Way Over Yonder
Lucinda Williams
3/5
-ended up liking this so much more than I thought I would. It makes me wanna romanticize the hell out of America, even some place like Oklahoma
-I love her voice so much, especially on Can’t Let Go which I’ve listened to like 1000 times. Some of the songs were a little less exciting but it was still pretty nice throughout
-Favorites are Drunken Angel and Can’t Let Go
Yes
3/5
-hm it’s not bad. maybe not my favorite from Yes but then again I haven’t heard too much of their stuff
-follows the sort of “long” format of a lot of early 70s prog rock records, where it all feels a bit like one long song. The vaguely Spanish acoustic guitar was a nice touch
-Favorites are Yours Is No Disgrace and I’ve Seen All Good People
Spiritualized
4/5
-ok so I’ve been meaning to listen to this for a while, actually, I didn’t even realize it was on here… wow it was NOT what I was expecting. Lots of variety and interesting genre mixing, most notably for me probably the jazz and gospel music. Stayed enjoyable throughout, I fw it
-Favorites are Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space, Come Together, and I Think I’m In Love
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
-well this was a lovely listen for a cold November night. Also this is officially the first album I’ve gotten on here that I couldn’t find on Spotify
-maybe not the most thrilling work I’ve ever listened to but it had a lot of nice and cool moments. The spoken word America diss track was a unique touch
-Favorites are Peace Go With You, Brother, and Rivers Of My Fathers
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
-whatever this is, it is so very Philadelphia-core. I will forever appreciate that
-now as for the actual music itself… has some fun moments but overall not super fun. I do like the blues/rap influence, it gave it a unique feel. But few of the songs stood out too strongly to me and more or less melted together honestly
-Favorites are Blues Music, Baby’s Got Sauce, and This Ain’t Living
Jimmy Smith
3/5
-this sort of reminds me of Green Onions, with all the Hammond synth and R&B feel. I liked the way it fused all that with a slightly more traditional jazz sound.
-this guy seems pretty underrated, apparently he worked with Wes Montgomery
-Favorites are When I Grow Too Old To Dream and Minor Chant
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
-wow this is actually lovely, she has a great voice! wasn’t really expecting to find something like this on here tbh. Kind of a mixture between contemporary pop and country maybe? A bit inoffensive but I still like it
-fun fact the song High Horse would play CONSTANTLY at my old job and I hated it so much but never knew what it was… now I’ve heard it properly I actually kinda like it
-Favorites are Slow Burn, Wonder Woman, and High Horse
Sonic Youth
4/5
-this is really interesting I’d actually been meaning to listen to Sonic Youth for the first time just the day before I got this album
-it didn’t disappoint! I love the cold and dense atmosphere, it made me feel like badass while I was folding my laundry
-Favorites are Shadow Of A Doubt, In The Kingdom #19, and Bubblegum
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
-surprisingly I hadn’t actually listened to RHCP before, like not a single one. This album feels sort of long but is very consistent in quality imo! Flea’s guitar work is honestly phenomenal especially in Around the World
-Favorites are Around The World, Otherside, and Californication
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
-this was maybe a little uneventful / generic by the standards of most soul music, but it was still nice to listen to. idk who this guy is, apparently he has a different name now? his voice is really beautiful though, and I like the wide variety of sound and genre used throughout
-Favorites are Dance Little Sister, Rain, and Who’s Loving You
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
-lol two Red Hot Chili Peppers albums in the span of two days on here… that’s crazy I haven’t had anything happen like that
-This seems not to be the general consensus but I do think I prefer Californication… BSSM feels a bit bloated, but it does have some super fun and interesting sounds. I like the white guy rap influence tbh
-Favorites are If You Have To Ask, Suck My Kiss, and Under The Bridge
Al Green
3/5
-this was a very pleasant listen… a lot of passion and emotion in his voice that made it stand out from a lot of the more generic and well, soulless soul I’ve listened to in the past and on here
-Favorites are Let’s Stay Together, Old Time Lovin’, and Judy
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
-oh wow this is actually really good.. I’ve never been a huge huge fan of old school American grandpa rock or anything, but I was blown away by how much i enjoyed this. Maybe it went on a little long at some points but it was so consistently good
-i wanted to break into song and dance during like every track
-Favorites are Ramble Tamble, Travelin’ Band, and Long As I Can See The Light
3/5
-i like this quite a bit more than the other Yes album I got last week (?). I’m still a bit divided on prog rock as a concept, I have kind of a love-hate relationship with it… but this was really interesting. maybe didn’t appeal to me as much as it did to some but def some of the best work I’ve heard from Yes
-Favorites are Close To The Edge (The Solid Time Of Change) and Siberian Khatru
Ryan Adams
3/5
-meh it’s whatever I guess? very bloated but certainly not bad, even though I’m not a big fan of his voice. I liked Heartbreaker a lot better, though I did enjoy some of the creative improvements with the instrumentation and backing vocals
-Favorites are When The Stars Go Blue, Enemy Fire, and Touch, Feel and Lose
Rush
3/5
-hell yea this was awesome to listen to… perfect dadcore music honestly. It’s one of the more enjoyable prog rock albums I’ve listened to all the way through (maybe even better than Close to the Edge)
-still maybe a little harder to get through at some parts though, and his voice is an acquired taste… all in all ended up liking it more than I thought I would though
-Favorites are 2112 (The Temples of Syrinx) and A Passage to Bangkok
The Cure
4/5
-woww holy shit okay I really like this… it’s expansive and heavy, but doesn’t feel overlong at all. the tracks sort of just fuse together and they’re all really beautiful
-the instrumentation is sooo good, especially the really cold guitar tones. will need to listen to this again at some point
-Favorites are Plainsong, Lullaby, and Praying For Rain
Randy Newman
3/5
-started this one feeling a little iffy but it grew on me by the end. short and concise with no frill, which I like
-though not entirely suited to my taste it‘s a really good addition to its genre I’d say… thank you for your work on the Toy Story and Cars soundtracks Randy Newman
-Favorites are Rednecks, Louisiana 1927, and Back On My Feet Again
The Sabres Of Paradise
4/5
-I love fun shit like this omg… they did a perfect job naming this album. Sounds exactly like a quirky haunted dancehall, maybe from like a Nintendo game or something even. Warp Records always delivers
-got a little bloated and less enjoyable toward the end but omg I love the first half so much
-Favorites are Bubble and Slide II, Duke of Earlsfield, and Wilmot
Fugees
4/5
-this is probably one of the most enjoyable hip hop albums I’ve ever heard, to be honest. Lauryn Hill is probably the best part, absolutely phenomenal
-The rhythms and sampling is sooo good in every song, especially in the first half (Boadicea my beloved…). Would want to listen again
-Favorites are Ready Or Not, Zealots, and Fu-Gee-La
Supergrass
3/5
-not too shabby. I was somehow expecting something different when I looked at the album cover el oh el… it was a sort of interesting blend between Britpop and miscellaneous 90s rock. I did really like the vocals and it had some great tracks so I’m not complaining! plus it was my birthday
-Favorites are In It For The Money, G-Song, and Cheapskate
John Martyn
3/5
-wow this was an interesting listen. he has such a unique voice and it absolutely made the songs in my opinion, especially the first one. felt like drifting aimlessly through the sky in the evening somewhere in the countryside
-enjoyed most of the songs but some of them did feel a little long ig
-Favorites are Solid Air, Don’t Want To Know, and I’d Rather Be The Devil
The Band
3/5
-I definitely liked a lot of these songs… though it’s not all really my kind of music if im being honest, so im not a good source for giving it an accurate review. but it was really cool, it’s always nice to hear old roots rock and see how it inspired other acts I listen to regularly
-Favorites are Rag Mama Rag, The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down, and Up On Cripple Creek
Beatles
4/5
-this is really phenomenal, I haven’t heard as much Beatles stuff as I would like to but this is some of the most interesting music I have heard from them. I love the variety between tracks, the oddly fitting Hindustani classical influence, and holyshit Tomorrow Never Knows has got to be the coolest shit I’ve heard from them. love it
-Favorites are Taxman, Love You To, and Tomorrow Never Knows
Megadeth
2/5
-well it’s… not really my kind of music so I feel it just felt sort of corny and over the top. don’t get me wrong I can appreciate corny and over the top music but I wasn’t really connecting with this one very much
-had some really cool guitar riffs though
-Favorites are Hangar 18 and Take No Prisoners
Queen Latifah
3/5
-she has some really good flow actually. the album kind of reminds me of a non-European Neneh Cherry- Raw Like Sushi
-not sure if I’d want to listen to every song on here again since a lot of them kind of blended together. nevertheless she did a good job and the strong points are very strong
-Favorites are The Pros and Ladies First
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
-NIN on 1001 album challenge… here we go… I listened to Pretty Hate Machine a few months ago and it was alright. I think I like this more. even if it’s not all really my kind of music it had some awesome songs that hit really hard
-the vocal affects and lyrics are really really fun, shits tough
-Favorites are Heresy, Closer, and Reptile
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
-this was surprisingly really really enjoyable. something inherently fascinating about this album to me, though i can’t really put my finger on what it is?
-not my usual type of music but made for a cool listen, especially in the first half. the last song was really interesting too
-Favorites are Do You Compute, New Math, and Sinews
Beastie Boys
3/5
-well I really like the blending of rap and rock. it’s creative, especially for white guys in 1994. there’s a lot of other cool variety in genre-mixing throughout this album. you never really knew what you were gonna listen to next
-that being said, definitely felt a bit bloated. they could’ve shaved it down a little toward the end but oh well, still pretty cool
-Favorites are Sure Shot, Sabotage, and Get It Together
Dr. Dre
3/5
-waow it is Dr. Dre… I don’t think I’ve ever really sat down and listened to a single song by him. that all changed now. I liked it I think… maybe more enjoyable as a full album experience, with some exceptions there weren’t many tracks I picked out that I could play as standalones. some were REALLY good though holy shit
-Favorites are The Day The Niggaz Took Over, A Nigga Witta Gun, and Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat
Depeche Mode
5/5
-ouUU MY god another favorite… forgot how good this was.. I was obsessed with this album in Summer 2023, I remember listening to it on the beach during my Senior Week trip
-some of Depeche Mode’s best work. not a single boring song on here. the deluxe tracks are really cool and underrated too
-Favorites are The Things You Said, Strangelove, Behind The Wheel, and Nothing
Various Artists
3/5
-MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE 🎄🔥
-this was very nice to listen to. a lot of great classics anyone can recognize
-maybe it just hits hard because it’s actually Christmas and like i said most of the songs are iconic. Either way i enjoyed it
-Favorites are White Christmas, Sleigh Ride, and Winter Wonderland
Deep Purple
2/5
-well it sort of just reminds me of Rush and a lot of other prog rock music from that era to me, even though it’s technically considered metal i guess
-it’s not bad. i can’t really connect with as well though
-some of the shorter songs were interesting
-Favorites are Flight Of The Rat and Into The Fire
The Smiths
4/5
-this is SO GOOD oh my god i love it. i got really into a few songs on here about a year ago but never listened to the full album, honestly it’s a no skip. something very haunting and intriguing about the vocals too
-definitive 4.5 stars
-Favorites are The Headmaster Ritual, Rusholme Ruffians, and I Want the One I Can’t Have
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
-maybe not the most thrilling work I’ve heard from Astrud Gilberto but very pleasant nonetheless. 50s-70s Brazilian and inspired easy listening music has a special place in my heart
-as with most Brazilian music I absolutely love the instrumentals and tones. really beautiful stuff
-Favorites are Stay, The Face I Love, and My Foolish Heart
Holger Czukay
3/5
-ooo Holger Czukay… I didn’t realize he made any solo albums. Definitely sort of reminiscent of Can, especially their post-Damo Suzuki stuff
-couldn’t help but feel it was lacking a certain direction and charm though. I didn’t hate it though, it had some especially interesting instrumentation
-Favorites are Oh Lord, Give Us More Money and Persian Love
3/5
-this was good! wasn’t expecting it to be so unique and interesting, I guess. I really like some of the concepts and instrumentation
-the little guitar riff in the middle of Mr. Churchill Says is absolutely undefeated
-the middle section of the album was probably my favorite part interestingly
-Favorites are Brainwashed, Australia, and Mr. Churchill Says
The Associates
2/5
-well it’s always interesting getting to hear relatively obscure synth-pop and new wave that breaks away from the model of the big names
-most of the songs here didn’t really do it for me though. it coulda been shortened a whole lot. i do love the vocals though, they were kinda haunting
-Favorites are No, Gloomy Sunday, and Club Country
Supergrass
2/5
-not terrible but I think I prefer the other Supergrass album on here. they were both kind of corny (the first in a good way) but this one was kind of… too Britpoppy idk
-still had some bangers though. this band has a high energy that fits some circumstances for me
-Favorites are Alright and She’s So Loose
Marilyn Manson
2/5
-well i liked it a little more than i thought i would. that is not exactly saying much but oh well
-it absolutely sounds a bit dated and corny to me, but it also feels prototypic of later iconic 2000s-2010s emo acts like MCR and Pierce The Veil. interesting to think about. -had some cool instrumental affects
-Favorites are The Beautiful People and 1996
Guns N' Roses
3/5
-this is not really my number one choice in music. that being said. it has some very impressive vocal work and some of the songs hit sooo hard
-my god Welcome To The Jungle… phenomenal anthem. makes me want to run people over with a motorcycle
-Favorites are Welcome To The Jungle, Out Ta Get Me, and My Michelle
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
-this is actually really interesting and fun. frank zappa and his gang had some very unique ideas back in the day
-a lot of the songs were more just entertaining and fun for the novelty but some like Anyway The Wind Blows were genuinely really good. A definitive 3.5 stars
-Favorites are I Ain’t Got No Heart, Anyway The Wind Blows, and Trouble Every Day
The The
3/5
-hmm interesting, this one pushes the envelope a bit even for early 80s new wave
-the transition from the more straightforward pop songs of the first half to the darker and more instrumentally experimental stuff is cool
-felt a little directionless at times but still made for a good listen
-Favorites are I’ve Been Waitin’ For Tomorrow, The Sinking Feeling, and Soul Mining
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
-holy sshit this is probably one of my favorite hip hop albums ive ever listened to. so consistently good. the lyricism and sampling are amazing
-I don’t know why this one in particular stood out to me so much but I’ll def need to relisten, it’s a 4 right now but could probably go higher
-Favorites are Shame On A Nigga, Da Mystery of Chessboxin’, and Method Man
Donovan
3/5
-apparently this Donovan guy was an influence on the Beatles. I can definitely see that because this album sounds very Revolver imo
-I like the raga stuff and he has a nice voice idk
-maybe a little meandering/inoffensive for my taste at times but no major complaints
-Favorites are Sunshine Superman, Season Of The Witch, and The Trip
Morrissey
3/5
-honestly better than You Are The Quarry. still doesn’t really come close to any of The Smiths solo work (which I naturally must compare it to). it doesn’t have that same haunting quality I like
-that being said, there were some really good moments on here. Everyday Is Like Sunday was the standout track. and surprisingly I did enjoy the instrumental interludes
-Favorites are Everyday Is Like Sunday and Suedehead
The Human League
3/5
-I WAS WORKING AS A WAITRESS IN A COCKTAIL BAR!!
-this is very anachronistic 80s synth pop. perhaps the most anachronistic. I really enjoy the genre so maybe I’m a bit biased, but this was a really fun listen
-maybe not the “best” of the genre from a technical standpoint but I love the early experimenting with electronic instrumentation. made all the songs sound catchy and unique
-Favorites are Darkness, Love Action, and Don’t You Want Me
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
-this is giving me flashbacks to tenth grade color guard when we did an Earth, Wind and Fire themed show. they have some absolute bangers with September and Let’s Groove
-this album didn’t really do it for me quite as much as some of their other work. some of it was a little corny. good classic disco tho so I can appreciate the significance
-Favorites are Shining Star, Happy Feelin’, and Africano
John Lennon
3/5
-ah the (in?)famous Imagine album about which I have heard so much. I wasn’t completely blown away like I was with a lot of the Beatles’ main stuff, but it was decent
-turns out John needed Paul after all I guess
-I do really like some of the experimentation with sound and atmosphere on songs like I Don’t Wanna Be A Soldier Mama, it was interesting
-Favorites are Imagine, Crippled Inside, and How Do You Sleep?
Bob Dylan
3/5
-I don’t think I can ever be converted to a huge Bob Dylan fan. his voice and that loud ass harmonica are very grating for me!
-like with Freewheelin’, which I probably preferred to this, the songwriting is really interesting. by all objective means, it’s very good. just wish it was a little shorter
-Favorites are Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again and Obviously Five Believers
Thin Lizzy
3/5
-i rolled my eyes when i saw this one… oh brother a live hard rock double album, can’t wait… but i ended up kinda fucking with it
-I’m not familiar with the lead singer but he has a really good voice. though it’s not my favorite genre, i can’t help but love the hype and trademark blues rock energy present in a lot of these songs
-Favorites are Jailbreak, Rosalie / Cowgirl’s Song, and Baby Drives Me Crazy
Jane's Addiction
3/5
-I listened to this while shaving in the bath
-the first song came on and I thought I was going to hate it. I was pleasantly surprised and eventually came to like it, for the most part
-honestly kind of surprised it came out in 1990, some of the songs were very reminiscent of 2000s music. guess they were ahead of their time
-Favorites are Ain’t No Right and Been Caught Stealing
3/5
-this is apparently one of their most beloved albums. it’s pretty good but didn’t blow me away too much? something about it seemed too inoffensive, even compared to War, an album which I did really like
-was sort of hard for me to hear any of Eno’s direction here too
-still had some really amazing songs though. Bullet The Blue Sky is fucking awesome
-Favorites are Bullet The Blue Sky and Trip Through Your Wires
The Sonics
3/5
-oo this is cool! I love the 50s and 60s Elvis-adjacent hard rock sound
-apparently this is classified as “proto-punk” which is very interesting as a concept to me
-very consistent in quality and I respect the influence the Sonics had on later artists. definitive 3.5
-Favorites are The Witch, Have Love Will Travel, and Strychnine
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
-interesting. a bit different from The Boatman’s Call. some things I liked more and others I liked less
-the move toward gospel and more straightforward rock, especially on The Lyre of Orpheus was cool. Nick Cave has an excellent voice so it was easy to stay engaged
-maybe it was bc it’s a double album but def felt a bit bloated
-Favorites are There She Goes, My Beautiful World, Breathless, and Spell
The Icarus Line
2/5
-this rather obscure number from 2004 didn’t exactly blow me away. sort of like Jane’s Addiction, it sounded like they were going for that hard-to-place noise rock sound, but it got kind of boring to me after a while
-maybe it’s just a matter of taste. some of the songs hit hard tho
-Favorites are Caviar and Spike Island
Wire
3/5
-I’m very grateful to this website / book thingy for introducing me and successfully turning me onto post-punk and hardcore Never thought it could happen but the genre is really fascinating
-a lot of short songs on this one but it doesn’t make it any less immersive imo. keeps things interesting and shows off the band’s range
-Favorites are Ex Lion Tamer, Mr. Suit, and Strange
John Coltrane
4/5
-wow this is such a phenomenal jazz masterpiece.. I’ve listened to it like twice before this and honestly I like it more every time
-a lot of passion and spirituality went into this project obviously and you can really hear it! it’s so easy to lose yourself in the instrumentation. I’d give this a 4.5 with a lean toward 4
-Favorites are Part I - Acknowledgment and Part IV - Psalm
Bon Jovi
3/5
-I had never listened to any of Bon Jovi’s music besides Livin’ On A Prayer, but was aware that it’s the sort of thing people seem to either love or hate. maybe depending on their age and demographics?
-I suppose I don’t fall into either of those factions, I thought it was alright tbh. Very cheesy vocals but sometimes cheesy is good. Like a lot of high-intensity 80s rock it got me hyped so I can’t be too mad
-Favorites are You Give Love A Bad Name and Livin’ On A Prayer
The Avalanches
5/5
-I had heard about this album and had been wanting to listen to it for a while because it sounded like something I would like… and I was NOT DISAPPOINTED
-seriously can’t stop listening to this. feels like tropical paradise. such amazing work with the sampling, i notice something new and cool every time i listen to it
-def works best as a full album listen rather than a work you pick out individual songs from imo. very immersive
-Favorites are Since I Left You, Radio, Flight Tonight, and Tonight May Have To Last Me All Night
3/5
-this was a pretty fun listen, if not necessarily my first choice in music. I can really hear the primitive punk rock roots
-I’m surprised I haven’t heard of them before actually because Kick Out The Jams is a great song and apparently pretty widely covered by other musicians
-Favorites are Kick Out The Jams and Motor City Is Burning
David Bowie
3/5
-not bad but arguably the weakest Bowie album I’ve heard so far. none of the songs are necessarily “bad” imo but also there were few standouts. felt like it went on a little long
-still had some decent songs though, and I really liked the return to his 70s / early 80s sound. if you’d never told me this came out in 2013 I easily could’ve been convinced it was decades old
-Favorites are The Next Day and Love Is Lost
The Byrds
3/5
-this leaned a lot harder into the more traditional country sound than Fifth Dimension did. it was interesting seeing the versatility, this band saw a lot of talented names in the rock and country scene at the time so it’s not surprising
-not really my thing but it was still quite nice to listen to
-Favorites are You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere and You Don’t Miss Your Water
3/5
-more anachronistic 80s synthpop. the music on here isn’t exactly anything that hasn’t been done before, but it was still pretty fun to listen to
-I’ve learned about a lot of relatively obscure synthpop and new wave artists from this project, it’s cool
-Favorites are Poison Arrow and The Look Of Love, Pt.1
Elvis Presley
3/5
-finally Elvis
-apparently many people see this as his best record. makes sense, it certainly does a good job of showing off his range and experimentation with different genres
-i like his hard rock / rockabilly stuff best, there wasn’t as much of that in here unfortunately but still had some great career highlights
-Favorites are Wearin’ That Loved On Look and Power Of My Love
Burning Spear
4/5
-I may be biased because I’ve come to really enjoy reggae and it’s hard to envision a “bad” reggae album, but I thought this was super good
-Winston Rodney has a phenomenal voice, there was something very haunting about it which made the overt sociopolitical messaging even more poignant
-Favorites are Marcus Garvey, Old Marcus Garvey, and Tradition
Culture Club
3/5
-2021 me jumped for joy when this album came up, I was obsessed with Karma Chameleon then but never really listened to anything else by Culture Club
-I’m honestly ready to defend this album after listening to it, it’s a little corny but there are some very fun and even beautiful songs on here. just the right amount of campy… somewhere between 3.5 and 4 stars
-Favorites are Karma Chameleon, Miss Me Blind, and Mister Man
Joni Mitchell
3/5
-this album was my first Joni Mitchell experience, and I really enjoyed it! her voice is beautiful and i can really see how she influenced a lot of later artists i like
-maybe felt a liiiittle overlong / repetitive especially toward the end but honestly her voice and the lyricism were so nice that I didn’t mind. 3.5 - 4 stars
-Favorites are In France They Kiss On Main Street and The Hissing of Summer Lawns
Metallica
3/5
-I’ll preface this by saying I don’t think I’ll ever really be able to get THAT into heavy metal, especially the more mainstream / ever so slightly corny stuff like Megadeath (sorry)
-this has some great highlights though. Enter Sandman absolutely fucks, and the other songs are pretty consistently good across the board even if not many of them spoke to me
-Favorites are Enter Sandman, Nothing Else Matters, and My Friend of Misery
Pixies
3/5
-this has some really good songs damn… it doesn’t hit quite as hard as Surfer Rosa, it def could’ve been cut down a bit. but the highlights are all really good
-this was honestly the album that made me want to revisit the Pixies, I feel like I may have skimmed over them too much back in August idk
-Favorites are Rock Music, The Happening, and Havelina
The War On Drugs
3/5
-this wasn’t too bad. maybe a bit indie contemporary for my taste, and damnnnn some of those songs could’ve been cut down
-some of them were absolutely beautiful and captivating though. i LOVE the lead singer’s voice and the 80s / 90s rock influence
-Favorites are Suffering and An Ocean In Between The Waves
The Kinks
3/5
-hmm not bad… I think I greatly prefer Arthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire just for the stylistic decisions and concept but there was quite a bit I enjoyed on here
-a lot of it reminded me very strongly of the Beatles which was interesting… makes sense considering the time period tho
-Favorites are Picture Book and Sitting by the Riverside
The Beta Band
3/5
-this was a really interesting listen actually. I had read about The Beta Band from Radiohead but never actually listened to anything from then. it wasn’t what I expected, sounded almost chamber pop-esque at points
-generally I liked this a lot, it had some great high points. I cannot stop listening to Life and idek why. 3.5 stars
-Favorites are Dragon, Broke, and Life
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
-meh it wasn’t terrible, there were some pretty catchy songs on here and I really liked the vocal affectations
-overall it wasn’t really anything too interesting to me though… a lot of new wave and blue-eyed soul records from that period just sort of sound the same to be idk
-Favorites are Thankfully Not Living In Yorkshire It Doesn’t Apply and There There My Dear
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
-damnn i actually really liked this. these people know how to craft a song and they really showed off their range here
-I can’t even name what i like about it so much, it’s just very well-done
-honestly very few low points on this record. the upbeat ones are probably my favorites
-Favorites are She Has Funny Cars, Somebody to Love, and White Rabbit
Alice In Chains
3/5
-pretty cool! very intense and interesting, sort of reminiscent of Nine Inch Nails. surprised I haven’t heard anything by them up until now
-It wasn’t really holding my full attention by the end in the same way the opening songs gripped me. holy shit those first few songs though, insane
-Favorites are Them Bones, Dam That River, and Down In A Hole
David Bowie
3/5
-wow a fifth David Bowie album and not even 1/4 done this… they really gonna have me listen to this man’s whole catalogue
-I actually kinda liked this one even though it apparently gets a bad rap.. it’s not amazing but it’s much more interesting than The Next Day at least. it’s a different yet largely abandoned direction from Bowie, and there are some decent songs on here
-Favorites are Young Americans and Win
Duran Duran
3/5
-one of my mom’s favorite albums… a definite highlight of 80s English new wave imo. Hungry Like The Wolf is probably one of the best
-I’d definitely heard a few of these songs before but hadn’t been able to name them or the artist, so it’s fun to recognize them now
-Favorites are Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
-my dad used to play this all the time, it’s one of the albums that first inspired an interest in in jazz when I was younger
-very accessible, smooth, and well-done induction into the genre imo. maybe a little underwhelming at times but it’s completely unmatched in terms of creating a “vibe” for 50s jazz
-Favorites are Blue Rondo à la Turk, Take Five, and Kathy’s Waltz
Robert Wyatt
3/5
-funny, i was just reading up about Soft Machine and the Canterbury Scene in general the day before this
-i really like Wyatt’s work on the album Third, and i could definitely hear traces of that sound in this album. the jazz influence is really cool, and I loved the sound diversity on the first half in general. pretty cool, definite 3.5 stars
-Favorites are Heaps Of Sheeps, Maryan, and Blues In Bob Minor
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
-i got this on vinyl from my dad and have been waiting to listen to it… wow it’s really good. the guitar is so sexy
-it’s a long album but it never really gets boring or excessive, kept me pretty much hooked throughout which is rare for an 1hr+ record. psych rock classic I suppose
-Favorites are Voodoo Chile, Gypsy Eyes, and House Burning Down
N.W.A.
3/5
-wow I am officially 1/4 of the way done this whole thing. crazy
-so. the album. not bad? i think I’m more of an east coast and southern hip hop girlie at heart. I know this is an iconic album but it got a liiittle corny for me at times
-still had some great highlights though. i loved most of the beats and mixing
-Favorites are Gangsta Gangsta, If It Ain’t Ruff, and Something 2 Dance 2
Joan Armatrading
3/5
-this is really nice! had some great rhythm. I had not been familiar with Joan Armatrading as a person or artist before this but I was impressed
-the vocals and rhythm throughout the first few songs were great, and “People” was the highlight of the second half imo. some songs were sort of underwhelming but the highlights made up for it
-Favorites are Down To Zero, Join The Boys, and People
CHIC
2/5
-So it’s not terrible, but I was honestly very overwhelmed. most of the songs felt very repetitive and dull? I know the repetition was probably intentional but it was still not particularly enjoyable at times
-still had a pretty fun vibe at least… disco at its most disco
-Favorites are My Feet Keep Dancing and Can’t Stand To Love You
The Doors
3/5
-so this is the iconic Jim Morrison. I was unfamiliar with his game
-I wasn’t expecting so much blues rock influence somehow but it was really good. such an interesting range of genre and talent, it felt almost as if they were showing off on the album. 3.5
-Favorites are Soul Kitchen, Light My Fire, and The End
Fiona Apple
4/5
-ahh tidal… this was my intro to Fiona Apple last year, i got into a bunch of songs from it but never listened to the full record until now
-it’s really beautiful and well-done especially for a debut album. a perfect showcase of her talent with so many standouts… god i love Sleep To Dream
-Favorites are Sleep To Dream, Criminal, and The First Taste
808 State
3/5
-this is so fun i rather enjoy “early” electronic dance music… didn’t end up liking it QUITE as much as I thought I would after only having heard Ooops with Björk on their later album..
-some songs were a bit underwhelming, but i still fw it. Pacific 202 is such a nice song dam
-Favorites are Magical Dream, Pacific 202, and Sunrise
Small Faces
3/5
-this was an interesting experience… the concept album / spoken word aspects were a bit corny and kinda took away from the experience at times but ig that’s the point
-quite a few great songs in here though. the guitar sound and vocals compliment each other VERY well
-Favorites are Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake, Song of a Baker, and Rollin’ Over
Tim Buckley
3/5
-Tim buckley’s music is very interesting to me… I listened to this and Starsailor, both of which felt quite ahead of their time in a lot of ways
-it was maybe a little directionless for my taste at times, but his voice is absolutely beautiful and saved pretty much every song anyway
-Favorites are Strange Feelin’ and Gypsy Woman
The Black Keys
3/5
-I actually really liked this.. much more than I thought I would
-some of the songs here are absolute bangers. I may be biased because I enjoy blues rock, but I love the whole band’s sense of rhythm.
-it went on a little long and got kind of samey (only thing keeping it from 4 stars) but pretty good nonetheless
-Favorites are Everlasting Light, Tighten Up, and Sinister Kid
Django Django
3/5
-this is an album that sounds exactly like its cover. sort of like Tame Impala meets Beach Boys, but a little weirder
-honestly a lot of it didn’t blow me away. some of the individual beats and sound compositions were much more interesting than the songs themselves. but there are some definite highlights in here so it still gets 3 stars
-Favorites are Default, Love’s Dart, and WOR
Tortoise
4/5
-waiiit I love this!! I heard TNT a few months ago but didn’t really remember much of it… this honestly hits much harder. I can definitely hear the Krautrock and jazz influence
-such a good album to just lie down in bed and get completely sucked into. Listening to Djed took me to another universe. will need to listen again soon
-Favorites are Djed, The Taut and Tame, and Along the Banks of Rivers
Sister Sledge
3/5
-now I’m getting flashbacks to singing We Are Family in elementary school choir… complete with interpretive dancing…
-the first song got me really hyped because i liked it, but none of the other tracks lived up to it much imo. still pretty good though, lovely vocals and one of the higher quality r&b / disco adjacent albums of the 70s ive heard
-Favorites are He’s the Greatest Dancer and Somebody Loves Me
Cee Lo Green
3/5
-well I quite enjoy Fuck You… and CeeLo’s cover of Radiohead’s Reckoner… but tbh I was very not excited to listen to this! especially considering that god awful cover
-but I ended up…. Kind of fucking with it? substantially? it’s like, guilty pleasure music. corny but his flow was genuinely so fun on a few of these tracks. thank you for the hour of entertainment Ceelo Green, and fuck your creepy rape tweets
-Favorites are Living Again and Scrap Metal
The xx
3/5
-i need to stop judging albums without listening to them honestly… came into this expecting bland coworker music but ended up enjoying it quite a bit. such pleasant and ethereal instrumentals
-got kind of dull at moments and the vocals are more of an acquired taste, but i came to like them too. especially the female one. not bad at all
-Favorites are Islands and Heart Skipped a Beat
The Cardigans
3/5
-love me loveme say that you love me….
-this is a very nice collection of songs.. her voice reminds me of a lot of other 90s indie / trip hop artists I like. some bangers on here including of course Lovefool
-there would have been a time when I’d give this a four-star rating, though some tracks fell flat. healthy 3.5
-Favorites are Happy Meal II, Lovefool, and Iron Man
Moby
3/5
-kind of reminiscent of Since I Left You with the plunderphonics / downtempo sound, but…. Not as good imo
-had some really phenomenal moments, started off very good but ultimately couldn’t hold my attention much at the end. definitely gets 3 stars just for how catchy it is though, I was moving
-Favorites are Honey, Bodyrock, and Machete
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
-it’s what it says on the tin… murder ballads…
-This is probably my favorite of the three Nick Cave + Bad Seeds albums I’ve heard so far. I love the vibe and theme, I liked the other two but they felt more directionless compared to this one
-PJ Harvey and Kylie Minogue are such great features too omg
-Favorites are Stagger Lee, Lovely Creature, and Where the Wild Roses Grow
Pavement
3/5
-so this isn’t hugely my kind of music so I fear I’m not super qualified to give a review. it wasn’t bad! idk I would prefer to listen to this again because I feel like some of it was underwhelming to me
-there were good moments though. Jackals, False Grails was a definitive highlight. I love that guitar
-Favorites are Conduit For Sale! and Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
-so this is the fabled “post-Britpop” I’ve heard so much about
-in all my years knowing about Arctic Monkeys I hadn’t listened to a single song by them until now. I’d say this is decent. it’s a bit hard to distinguish individual songs I guess, but I like the instrumental and vocal style
-Favorites are Mardy Bum and Perhaps Vampires Is A Bit Strong But…
Joan Baez
3/5
-well, this is really nice. I’ve been wanting to listen to Joan Baez but had no idea where to start
-her voice is the highlight, easily, and if im being honest pretty much the main thing this record has going for it. it got a liiittle repetitive toward the end and it was harder for individual songs to stand out
-still glad I listened though because holyshit her voice and some of that instrumentation… lovely
-Favorites are Silver Dagger, Donna Donna, and Henry Martin
Billy Bragg
2/5
-my hopes were high because I really liked Mermaid Avenue. all I can say is that this was Not what I was expecting
-to be more specific I did not particularly enjoy it. idk there was something about his voice and the style that that was very grating. honestly the first few songs were pretty good though so it wasn’t all bad
-Favorites are Greetings to the New Brunette and Ideology
The Cure
3/5
-hmm not too bad… some very interesting instrumentation, I can understand how seminal this was for gothic rock as a genre
-honestly it didn’t hit quite the same as Disintegration for me.. probably just personal preference but few individual tracks stood out. still made for a cool listen tho
-Favorites are The Hanging Garden and Pornography
Soundgarden
4/5
-okay, so this is one of these albums where I can’t pinpoint WHY I like it so much, but I just do
-all the songs flow really well and make me feel like I could run ten miles. i truly have nothing bad to say about this, I’d love to listen to it again soon
-also today is the album’s birthday apparently! waow
-Favorites are Let Me Drown, Superunknown, and Black Hole Sun
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
-all I knew about Hanoi Rocks is that they’re Finnish and Vince Neil killed the drummer. captivating lore already
-this is admittedly sort of mediocre in a lot of ways. very annoying vocals and bad chemistry with the instruments.. but idk there were a few songs I fucked with. it’s anachronistic hair metal stuff I can only hate on it so much
-Favorites are Until I Get You and Lick Summer Love
Traffic
3/5
-i thought this was cool. classic 60s folk rock music with some interesting effects, especially in the second half of the album
-though I certainly wouldn’t say I “loved” it, I think this is a record I would like to listen to it again. there was a lot of complexity and interesting bits I think I didn’t fully register the first time
-Favorites are Pearly Queen, 40.000 Headman, and Cryin’ To Be Heard
The White Stripes
3/5
-seven nation army my beloved. wow nothing will beat the impact that song had on my childhood
-the rest of the album is decent… honestly I think I preferred White Blood Cells actually but it had some very cool numbers. I liked the intra-rock genre mixing
-Favorites are Seven Nation Army, In The Cold, Cold Night, and Ball and Biscuit
Manu Chao
3/5
-damn how many languages, how many fusion genres… I have to hand it to this guy
-the end result of this bravery? a record that is a liiiittle bit overambitious and kitschy maybe. but it has some great highlights. I will always say yes to anything involving Latin American fusion and Brazilian cuica drums
-god I cannot fucking wait for summer
-Favorites are Luna y Sol and Malegria
Mekons
2/5
-nothing about this really stood out to me or spoke to me idk. it was not bad but it was not really “good”. the whole time I was listening to it I was sorta just thinking “yup that’s definitely music”
-there are definitely worse albums, some even on this list, but I fear this one did not really leave much of an impression either way
-Favorites are Chivalry and Darkness and Doubt
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
-I like what I have heard from MBV’s album Loveless. I guess I went into this expecting it to be more like that, which threw me for a loop
-idk I don’t really think it’s for me… not a huge shoegaze guy anyway but some of the tracks on here felt especially grating. had some moments I liked but. idk
-Favorites are All I Need and Feed Me with Your Kiss
The Smiths
3/5
-hmm this was pretty good! not at all up to par with Meat Is Murder in my opinion, but still a lot of highlights and def more enjoyable than the Morissey solo albums
-it was definitely a little samey and didn’t have toooo many standouts, but still a decent enough conclusion to The Smiths’ catalogue
-Favorites are A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours and Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
Elvis Presley
3/5
-this felt like staring directly down the barrel of rock n roll history…. Elvis’s debut was definitely Seminal and Impactful, and it sure as hell wasn’t bad so I’m not gonna rag on it or anything
-that being said it really did not feel like it had too many highlights from what I’ve heard, his best work was definitely yet to come
-Favorites are Blue Suede Shoes and Blue Moon
Arrested Development
3/5
-this is some of the most polite rap I have ever heard lmao… I do rather enjoy the early 90s Southern sound buuut it’s a little underdeveloped here
-some of the songs hit very hard and I like what they did with the beats and unique sounds. I definitely didn’t dislike it! but prob wouldn’t listen to the whole thing again idk
-Favorites are Mr. Wendel, Give A Man A Fish, and Washed Away
The Temptations
3/5
-more 60s-70s Motown soul stuff… not bad at all but feels comparatively, well, soulless compared to like What’s Goin’ On I guess
-idk it didn’t really stand out to me that much. he (they?) has (have?) a very nice voice though… Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love is a banger
-Favorites are Cloud Nine and Gonna Keep Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love
TLC
3/5
-okk this is a vibe… i had actually not heard anything by TLC other than No Scrubs and I didn’t realize how melodic their stuff was. I can see the roots of a lot of modern r&b and hiphop I like coming into being here
-rip lisa lopes
-I would plug this somewhere between 3.5 and 4 tbh
-Favorites are Creep, Kick Your Game, and Waterfalls
The Gun Club
3/5
-hmm this is an interesting sound!! the post/punk rockabilly combo is certainly unlike anything I’ve ever heard… listening to it made me feel like a cowboy. or perhaps a leather daddy
-not much else to say beyond that, it left a mark and I sure as hell wouldn’t call it unexceptional but not all of it stood out to me personally… had some phenomenal tracks though
-Favorites are Sex Beat, Ghost On The Highway, and Cool Drink Of Water
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
-yaaay always nice listening to something from Africa… West Africa especially tbh
-I had never heard of mbalax music until now… I should listen to more because I do fw traditional genre fusion and stuff. I really loved the elegant vocals and instrumentals on here even if they were a bit inoffensive. definite 3.5
-Favorites are Pitche Mi and Taaw
The Clash
3/5
-different from the more straightforward 80s rock I’ve heard from The Clash (and by that I mean the Two songs I had heard by them until now)
-honestly I really liked it though! maintained a consistent energy level and held my interest pretty much all the way to the end. thank you punk rock and post rock
-Favorites are I’m So Bored With The USA and London’s Burning
Ray Charles
3/5
-i sweaaaar ive heard some of these songs before. i probably have because this is a classic sound
-interesting to see this classified as “country and Western” by Mr. Ray Charles, that is not what i would have thought to categorize it as
-it started very very strong with Bye Bye Love, maybe not quiite as interesting by the end but i still thought it was good
-Favorites are Bye Bye Love and Half As Much
John Lennon
3/5
-this was cool, much more interesting than Imagine I feel… imagine being a Beatlemaniac in 1970 hearing John Lennon writing diss tracks and saying fuck and cock in his songs
-I liked the variety. and the screaming. distinct from the Beatles but still has the familiar sound. rip John Lennon
-Favorites are Hold On, I Found Out, and God
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
-hoooly shit 3+ hours of Ella Fitzgerald. oh my god.. I experienced something like the Tetris Effect where every time I closed my eyes I would hear her voice while trying to sleep
-fun fact I “dated” her great nephew in elementary school
-despite its length I did rather enjoy this.. her voice is beautiful. I have quite an appreciation for the aesthetic of this 50s jazz + blues stuff. no complaints
-Favorites are Sam and Delilah, Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off, and They All Laughed
Basement Jaxx
2/5
-this is um. idk not much stood out to me. felt sort of like dollar store Daft Punk with an added dose of cringe?
-like most albums on here it had its fair share of highlights. started off pretty strong, but quickly fell flat and became bland at best. I am not a huge house music person so I could be biased but I will be in no rush to hear this again yea
-Favorites are Rendez-Vu and Bingo Bango
2Pac
3/5
-I finally get to listen to Tupac after my mom stopped me from doing so in elementary school
-this is good! one of the more enjoyable West Coast hip hop albums I’ve heard so far. def like him more than Dre and NWA. cool use of backing vocals
-the tracks and album itself felt a little overlong but still no major complaints.. rip Tupac
-Favorites are So Many Tears and Dear Mama
Christina Aguilera
3/5
-everyone was clowning tf out of this on RYM for some reason. I don’t know why. I thought it was quite good even though im really not big on early 2000s R&B stuff. maybe ALMOST 4 stars
-her voice is absolutely phenomenal and automatically makes songs stand out even if they’re otherwise a bit generic
-Favorites are Fighter, Loving Me 4 Me, and Make Over
Beck
3/5
-Beck always teleports me back to my childhood. my dad did not play about him!! I hadn’t actually heard this album before even though it seems to be regarded as his best, aside from Deadweight, a PHENOMENAL song which unfortunately is only on the deluxe version
-it’s pretty cool tho! i do think I prefer Guero and some songs were a bit unremarkable. but I will always enjoy listening to Beck and it was a very consistent album in terms of quality
-Favorites are The New Pollution and Derelict
Stephen Stills
3/5
-this wasn’t entirely what I expected from Stills after only hearing CSNY but i actually really liked it.. the country aspect was interesting to me
-it definitely felt a bit long especially near the end.. but damn that first half or so, lots of versatility and enjoyable songs
-Favorites are Song of Love, Fallen Eagle, and Jesus Gave Love Away for Free
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
-I did not much enjoy the previous Bruce Springsteen album I got on here, but I liked this one more than I thought I would
-has a very haunting and elegant quality I don’t usually associate with country music or any of its variants. it was a nice change from what I expected… still not my absolute favorite, but damn State Trooper had me on the edge of my seat. beautiful
-Favorites are State Trooper and Reason to Believe
Herbie Hancock
5/5
-ahhh yay Head Hunters!! i got to see Herbie Hancock in concert in September and he was phenomenal one of my favorite jazz artists
-there’s really nothing bad i can say about this album! very fun and still sounds pretty unique today. some of herbie’s best work
-Favorites are Chameleon, Watermelon Man, and Vein Melter
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
-this is interesting.. I have only been familiar with Paul Simon’s solo stuff up until now. he and Garfunkel go hard together
-I was very intrigued by the direction some of this went… synths on that first song in 1968, wow. some songs were a bit underwhelming and we could’ve done without the old people talking interlude ig, but overall I did enjoy it. Hazy Shade Of Winter is soooo fucking good ugh
-Favorites are Save The Life of My Child and A Hazy Shade of Winter
a-ha
3/5
-a-ha of Take On Me fame. here they are. I did… not go into this with super high hopes, expecting generic 80s synthpop at best and something hilariously corny at worst
-honestly, it was better than I thought it would be… nothing revolutionary or groundbreaking but I’ve heard worse. some catchy rhythms. idk it was a bop
-Favorites are Take On Me and Train Of Thought
Michael Jackson
3/5
-this was somehow my first time listening to a full Michael Jackson album despite the plethora of Michael Jackson songs I have heard
-I was not disappointed… damn the first half of this goes SO HARD. Get on the Floor is my favorite lesser known MJ find
-the second half or so kind of bored me but still wasn’t bad. definitely falls between 3.5-4 stars
-Favorites are Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough, Rock with You, and Get on the Floor
Miles Davis
5/5
-wow… this was a defining album of my childhood, my dad would always play it during dinner. one of the most nostalgic connections ive ever had to an album tbh
-absolutely lives up to its hype as THE jazz album. just perfect from beginning to end, so haunting and beautiful. Miles Davis really did everything
-Favorites are So What, Blue in Green, and Flamenco Sketches
Christina Aguilera
3/5
-more Christine Aguilera.. one week after the first album, okay
-though i liked some of the soul / older musical influence, i fear this one didn’t do it for me nearly as much as Stripped. some tracks were actually unbearable in how corny they were which i never felt while listening to Stripped
-and yes neither album had any business being as long as they were. I didn’t hate this though it certainly had its moments. her voice is amazing as usual
-Favorites are Ain’t No Other Man and Slow Down Baby
Morrissey
2/5
-I fear im not really feeling this one much. none of Morrissey’s albums have spoken to me nearly as much as The Smiths stuff ig, this is probably my least fave of the three ive heard
-I will give credit to the creativity with the exploration of American rockabilly… the first few songs had a cool vibe. idk it just kinda fell off
-Favorites are You’re Gonna Need Someone on Your Side and Glamorous Glue
Stevie Wonder
4/5
-another undisputed banger from Stevie Wonder. This one had a really beautiful and captivating quality that made it stand out to me more than Talking Book and Fulfilingness’ First Finale
-this man was just unstoppable in the 70s. seriously incredible understanding of what makes music good. Higher Ground is a such a nostalgia trip for me too
-Favorites are Visions, Living For The City, and Higher Ground
Nick Drake
4/5
-holy hell this is incredible wtf?? the string and horn arrangements were so haunting and beautiful ugggh
-I was expecting something more like Pink Moon which I had heard before ig, but I actually like this a lot more. can’t listen to Nick Drake without feeling depressed but this has a really nice awe-inspiring quality. Will listen again
-Favorites are Hazey Jane II, One Of These Things First, and Poor Boy
Laura Nyro
3/5
-I had never heard of Laura Nyro before this. she seems like an interesting character and this was an interesting album
-I can see the influence her style had on artists like Kate Bush especially her earlier work. Piano-based pop / soul adjacent music from women around this time has a really powerful feel to it
-Favorites are Luckie and Eli’s Comin’
Johnny Cash
3/5
-ok so I’ll start by mentioning this is really not my kind of music so any judgments I make are unreliable and should be taken with a grain of salt
-so I wasn’t as blown away by this as a lot of others apparently are, but it was still really cool. very powerful and emotional, kind of made me feel like a divorced Midwestern dad struggling with alcoholism. not bad
-Favorites are The Man Comes Around and Personal Jesus
Pixies
3/5
-i’ve been waiting to listen to this one for a while now.. probably my favorite of the Pixies albums I’ve heard so far. I really like Black Francis’ voice and that guitar…. holyshit…
-very impressed by the musical variety and obvious influence on alt rock. 3.5 stars for now but could prob move up to 4
-Favorites are Debaser, Here Comes Your Man, and Gouge Away
Tom Waits
3/5
-this was a very interesting idea! Fake live album set in jazz club… I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this in the list so far. Tom Waits has some cool ideas
-it was a pleasant and convincing thing to have sort of on in the background, with some great individual songs, but definitely went on a bit long. oh well I guess that was part of the bit
-Favorites are Eggs and Sausage and Better Off Without A Wife
Meat Puppets
3/5
-very interesting sound… not like anything I’ve heard before. the word “cowpunk”, the apparent genre name, describes it perfectly I guess
-I really loved the instrumentation actually! some of my favorite tracks were the guitar-driven instrumentals. maybe not the most mind-blowing thing I’ve ever heard but very cool and fun nonetheless
-Favorites are Magic Toy Missing and Aurora Borealis
U2
3/5
-I’m never going to be a giant U2 fan tbh but this was good, I def preferred it over The Joshua Tree although I think War is my favorite
-the Eno production felt very subtle here tbh…
-Mysterious Ways is a nostalgia trip for me. my mom loved this song and would always play it. I didn’t even know it was by them. nice
-Favorites are Even Better Than The Real Thing and Mysterious Ways
Talvin Singh
3/5
-this is really interesting.. like if Aphex Twin decided to start doing stuff with Hindustani classical music. can’t say I’ve really heard anything like it. that’s an automatic +1
-this is an album that always kinda had me wondering what would come next. it’s not without its tedious moments but i do like it tbh, I’d like to listen again
-Favorites are Butterfly, Sutrix, and Light
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
-I first became aware of Anohni through her collaborations with Björk, and I really like a few albums from her album Hopelessness. her voice is… definitely an acquired taste honestly, especially on this album
-despite her unique voice I found the whole thing to be a bit samey and inoffensive. still far from bad though, it is very beautiful and had some great songs
-Favorites are You Are My Sister and Fistful Of Love
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
-this is some rather inoffensive rap rock I guess. these guys are not doing much in the way of innovating the rap game but I actually enjoyed the album much more than I thought I would. every song was catchy and fun to listen to. ergo pretty good to an extent. don’t think I’d listen to again but it was super fun to listen to while passing the time
-Favorites are The Grave And The Constant and King of New York
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
-holy shit this is just. phenomenal. I am quite familiar with a couple of songs on here and I’ve been meaning to listen to the full album all the way through
-honestly exceeded expectations. every single song on here is good. some more so than others, perhaps, but I could listen to this over and over and never get bored. 4.5 or so now but I could easily see this going up to five
-Favorites are Dreams, Never Going Back Again, The Chain, and You Make Loving Fun
Korn
3/5
-…well. some of this was shockingly bad. like genuinely painful to sit through. that rap battle with Fred Durst.. oh god
-there were definitely a few good songs I think. they were best when they were trying to sound like Soundgarden. it’s nothing brilliant but i suppose I’ve heard worse and I can appreciate the aesthetics
-Favorites are It’s On! and Got The Life
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
-this was probably the most unique and emotionally moving album I’ve heard from Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as of yet. I liked the ambient direction
-there’s something to be said for music that can spark an emotional reaction of any sort from me.. it got a bit boring at some points but it was beautiful enough to stand out anyway
-Favorites are Night Raid, Leviathan, and Hollywood
Kanye West
4/5
-listening to this the day Ye hops on Twitter to reveal he used to suck his cousin’s dick… this man is uhh the gift that keeps on giving
-I had heard this album once before in high school but I appreciate it much more now. truly genius and definitely helped to shape the sound of modern hip hop. maybe a bit long but in this case it’s allowed to be
-RIP to the version of Kanye West that made this
-Favorites are All Falls Down, Jesus Walks, The New Workout Plan, and Slow Jamz
Coldcut
3/5
-the first half was promising. I had recently gotten interested in corny 80s - 90s acid house music so I figured this would be pretty fun once I heard what it is
-it definitely falls off in the second half, like a lot. just becomes very repetitive and harder to keep attention
-the first few songs were fun though so it’s saved from the 2.5 stars fate
-Favorites are People Hold On, Fat (Party and Bullshit) and My Telephone
David Bowie
3/5
-this is one of my favorite of the uhhh six David Bowie albums this website has had be listen too so far.. I am not very knowledgeable about him or his eras but it was a pretty interesting one. consistent, but also didn’t really get boring. I think I like his early glam rock stuff best tbh, I’d like to listen again
-Favorites are Watch That Man, Drive-In Sunday, and Lady Grinning Soul
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
2/5
-alright so this isn’t terrible and it’s interesting that Paul Simon worked with them. idk I just… don’t know if I can get into it? Acapella has never really been my thing
-it certainly did not help that I could not really find this on streaming and had to individually track down each song.. perhaps it soured my enjoyment
-these guys have beautiful voices though I’ll give them that
-Favorites are Golgotha and Wawusho Kubani
Songhoy Blues
3/5
-this was interesting! wasn’t sure what I was expecting to hear but there were a lot of influences I was sorta picking up on. so it never really got boring
-I guess the end struggled to hold my interest as much as the beginning and middle
-but holy shit some of these songs had a really good groove. I liked it
-Favorites are Nick and Desert Melodie
Cocteau Twins
5/5
-absolutely gorgeous album. I love the Cocteau Twins more each time I hear a song by them… this album was the beginning of my interest in them, I was super into it last year and it sounds better with every listen
-I am convinced Elizabeth Fraser is a siren. her voice brings sooo much magic to these songs I can’t even pick which one I like best rip
-Favorites are Cherry-Coloured Funk, Pitch The Baby, Fifty-Fifty Clown, and Frou-frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires
Hot Chip
3/5
-I recently heard about this band for the first time so of course it was only a matter of time before I saw them on here ig
-it was interesting, not at all what I was expecting though I’m still not sure what that was… I like the attempt at reviving that 80s synth pop sound, it was unique and done quite well
-there are a few duds on here I guess but whatev it was a fun album
-Favorites are How Do You Do? and Night And Day
Sam Cooke
3/5
-Sam Cooke has an absolutely phenomenal voice. listening to this really did make me feel like I was in a Harlem jazz club in the 60s, smoking a cigarette and ordering a whiskey or something
-it didn’t all stand out to me that much, but I would like to listen to it again because his voice gets better with every song
-Favorites are Chain Gang and Nothing Can Change This Love
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
3/5
-this was interesting. sort of rough around the edges.. it’s not bad but I can def understand why it sold so poorly with Columbia Records
-I think most of the appeal for me with this one is the atmosphere. very haunting and lonely which I guess makes sense considering the life story of the guy who made it. i like it
-Favorites are Margaret-Tiger Rug and War In Peace
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
-third Bruce Springsteen record here we go.. feels pretty different from both Nebraska and Darkness On The Edge Of Town. very high energy which I like and probably the most cohesive of the three
-not my absolute favorite type of music but it’s really good for what it is! I get why it’s so popular
-Favorites are Thunder Road and Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out
The Rolling Stones
3/5
-seems like this was a good album to lose my Rolling Stones virginity to. it was only a matter of time before I got around to it
-all in all it was about what I expected.. it’s not the type of music I would usually listen to in my free time but I still liked it! would probably like to listen to it again sometime
-Favorites are Gimme Shelter and You Can’t Always Get What You Want
Dire Straits
3/5
-i do love me some Dire Straits they’ve made some of my favorite songs in existence.. I’ve heard two of their albums and was excited to hear this one knowing how hugely popular it was
-definitely not bad! Money For Nothing is a 10/10 masterpiece. some of the songs were a little bit sluggish at parts, maybe I’d like it more with a second listen but I’ll give this a definitive 3.5
-Favorites are Money For Nothing, Walk Of Life, and Ride Across The River
Grateful Dead
3/5
-the first live album I’ve heard by them and my second Grateful Dead experience overall. it was a bit hard to get into at first, just sorta sounded like random shit with guitars. I must confess I thought some of it was a bit of an impenetrable slog and I listen to free jazz..
-had some great highlights though. I was really getting into Turn On Your Love Light… maybe not my kinda thing but still really cool
-Favorites are Turn On Your Love Light and Death Don’t Have No Mercy
Rage Against The Machine
3/5
-holy shit this is so cool, I wish I could’ve been a teenager listening to this in the early 90s
-really nothing bad to say about this album in terms of quality I think. I definitely preferred the first half but it never really deteriorated in quality. can see why this one’s so loved
-Favorites are Bombtrack, Killing In The Name, and Take The Power Back
Radiohead
5/5
-waow I didn’t know this one was even on here… ugh biased again but such a phenomenal album. probably Radiohead’s most eclectic in terms of blending their electronic and rock sensibilities. it’s always been one of my favorites to listen to in full because of how diverse it is
-maybe a 4.5 because of the infamous Rushed Mixing but it still feels like a flawless album to me
-Favorites are Sail To The Moon, Go To Sleep, Myxomatosis, and A Wolf At The Door
Dirty Projectors
3/5
-very interesting music… super anachronistic early Obama administration indie sound
-I first became aware of Dirty Projectors through their collab with Björk and a YouTuber I liked mentioning them. I thought this was really cool… some songs were better than others but overall it had a great sound. Stillness Is The Move is sooo good I will be playing it on repeat
-Favorites are Cannibal Resource, Stillness Is The Move, and Two Doves
The Flaming Lips
4/5
-been excited to listen to this one.. it did not disappoint. it’s so creative and absolutely beautiful!! perfect to listen to while the sun was setting on my walk. sort of reminds me of Gorillaz but perhaps even a bit more elegant in terms of sound and concept
-I have been strongly seized by the urge to listen to it again… my rating could definitely go up I think
-Favorites are One More Robot / Sympathy 3000-21, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1, and In The Morning of the Magicians
Merle Haggard
3/5
-this is definitely country music. not much more I can say… I honestly didn’t hate it, not at all. some of the songs were absolutely beautiful
-at the same time, very little of it stood out to me personally. I’m glad this project has given me a better appreciation of country music though, it’s good that I was able to enjoy this
-Favorites are If You Want To Be My Woman and Skid Row
Pearl Jam
3/5
-this and Soundgarden have been the beginning of my foray into grunge. I did really enjoy this album, I absolutely love the combination of the guitar and Eddie Vedder’s voice
-there were def a few tracks that were at best uninteresting and at worst a bit corny tbh. the highlights were phenomenal tho, im glad i finally got a chance to listen to this band
-Favorites are Once, Why Go, and Jeremy
Lana Del Rey
3/5
-just in time, I got quite a bit into Lana Del Rey last month. her voice never fails to affect me emotionally in a unique way pretty much no other artist has
-I hadn’t heard this one before. it’s pretty good, not necessarily her strongest work imo so I’m surprised it’s the token Lana album on here but there are some REALLY good standouts on here. elegant and beautiful
-Favorites are White Dress, Tulsa Jesus Freak, and Wild At Heart
Killing Joke
3/5
-this is a pretty interesting album. not quite what I expected, a lot of very abstract noise stuff that I really liked
-admittedly I couldn’t get into every single song on here, some of them kinda slogged on for too long
-I think the highlights for me were the abstract vocals on a few of the tracks. really cool shit
-Favorites are Requiem, Wardance, and The Wait
Coldplay
3/5
-idk what i was expecting going into this, but i think i might actually prefer this album to parachutes. the piano and drum stuff is a niiice touch
-i think i actually preferred some of the deep cuts on here to the big hits. there were undoubtedly a couple boring tracks but overall, really pretty and captivating. nice
-Favorites are God Put a Smile upon Your Face, Daylight, and A Whisper
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
-cool album!! sounds sort of an interesting middle ground between noise rock and early grunge
-maybe I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as some people just because a lot of the music wasn’t as memorable, maybe I need to relisten… some absolutely phenomenal songs on here tho, what they can do with a guitar is very impressive
-Favorites are Kracked, The Lung, and Raisans
Radiohead
5/5
-wow. just. beautiful. I have listened to this album probably like 20+ times in my life and it just gets better every time. every song on here is worthy of Radiohead hall of fame and it’s soooo perfectly cohesive. and it’s not even my fave by them. perfect album to listen to on a summer night too.. thank you
-okay I’ll stop the over the top Radiohead meatriding for now…. Until I get to Kid A
-Favorites are 15 Step, Bodysnatchers, Reckoner, House Of Cards, Jigsaw Falling Into Place
Hole
3/5
-wow this is actually really good. some seriously catchy and well-done tracks. ik everyone hates on Courtney Love for various reasons that I can Speculate About but damnnn she knows how to make a song exciting
-not a huge fan of every song on here necessarily but high points like Awful make it deserving of at least 3.5 if not 4 to me
-Favorites are Celebrity Skin, Awful, and Boys On The Radio
The Zombies
3/5
-so these guys are basically like the British Beach Boys I guess huh…. really good quality music. 60s baroque pop is super interesting to me
-not necessarily the kind of thing I would just replay in my free time or anything (with the exception of Time of the Season), and there were some parts that bored me I guess. but I’m glad I listened to it, very solid 3 stars
-Favorites are A Rose For Emily and Time of the Season
Metallica
4/5
-damn, massive step up from the other Metallica album i heard imo. ig it’s a normie opinion but this is indeed some of the best and most interesting heavy metal I’ve heard
-I’d really like to listen to this again and maybe just more thrash metal in general… it’s a genre I’m less familiar with, but this is honestly phenomenal
-Favorites are Battery, Master Of Puppets, and Leper Messiah
Joni Mitchell
3/5
-finallyyy, here’s one I’ve been waiting to listen to for such a long time
-absolutely beautiful songwriting, i felt hypnotized by some of these songs. it’s a bit harder for me to get into folk music just in general, still preventing me from giving it a higher rating just out of preference ig. love her voice though
-Favorites are My Old Man, Carey, and River
Beatles
3/5
-a classic. can’t hate. for supposedly being on the bottom half of Beatles albums, I thought it was really solid. maybe nothing groundbreaking or incredible by their standards, but it established their sound and had a few bangers
-I really wanna do a full Beatles discog run tbh, my opinion is subject to change for better or worse
-Favorites are I’m Happy Just To Dance With You and Can’t Buy Me Love
The Slits
3/5
-wow this is REALLY interesting. not at all what i was expecting to hear when I briefly skimmed the Wikipedia page for the album
-honestly never heard anything like it. female punk rock but with dub reggae and crazy vocal harmonies.. massive points just for originality
-it wasn’t all great. I def got a bit bored by the end. but I appreciate the innovation and can’t get over how catchy the whole album was
-Favorites are Instant Hit, Newtown, and Adventures Close To Home
Nina Simone
3/5
-wow this is beautiful uggh I should tap into Nina Simone more… I’ve only heard one other album by her but I was really impressed by the greater variety here, plus her vocal strength
-it was kinda a rare case of an album that got increasingly better as I listened even if it struggled to maintain my interest at some points. very solid
-Favorites are Four Women, Break Down And Let It All Out, and Black Is The Color Of My True Love’s Hair
-my patience for U2 is honestly wearing a bit thin and this is probably the least enjoyable entry on this list so far… idk it just sounds. a bit bland and corny. faaaar from the worst music in the world, and i can understand the appeal. just not really for me
-this record does have a few highlights tho… Elevation is a bop. never anything too horrendous
-Favorites are Beautiful Day and Elevation
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
-wow this one came out of nowhere, I’d never heard of this guy before but this was pretty interesting to listen to. “psychedelic soul” is indeed the perfect description for it
-his voice is beautiful, i like the genre blending, there are some very strong songs on here… it wasn’t all my cup of tea but def pretty solid
-Favorites are You Ain’t The Problem, Rolling, and Solid Ground
The Rolling Stones
4/5
-listened to this while hammered out of my mind as Jagger would have intended probably… wow I REALLY ended up liking it! i had no strong thoughts either way about Let It Bleed but this was great, kept me interested and had such incredible energy
-I would really like to listen to it again soon honestly, I’ve began to fall in love with blues rock I think
-Favorites are Rip This Joint, Ventilator Blues, and All Down The Line
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
-so this is the CSNY before CSNY I guess.. it’s really pretty! definitely not Stills’ or Young’s best work imho but I can see the development. that entire era of folk rock is so interesting to me from a historical perspective… I was blown away by some of the songs on the first half. not bad at all
-Favorites are Mr. Soul, Everydays, and Expecting to Fly
Muddy Waters
3/5
-Chicago blues music is cool as hell honestly. that harmonica feels like it’s trying to murder me in the best way… i do love the energy. impossible to hate on this really
-and yet i will kind of almost try just by saying it went on for a bit too long… like damn. very strong first half though, i’m intrigued by this guy’s over-the-top swag
-Favorites are I Want To Be Loved #2 and I Can’t Be Satisfied
Tim Buckley
3/5
-Tim Buckley is a fascinating character to me.. this is prob my fave of the three albums i’ve heard by him so far, both of which i also liked. the weird medieval music influence type shit was very out of nowhere but i didn’t mind it
-his voice and songwriting abilities really stand out here imo
-Favorites are No Man Can Find The War and Pleasant Street
Led Zeppelin
3/5
-i can’t get over how incredibly powerful this whole album is. lyrics, instrumentally, Robert’s voice. it must’ve been absolutely incredible hearing this come out in 1971… i know my dad’s a huge fan
-though it didn’t all appeal to me personally, it was still a super fun listen. gotta hear some more stuff by them someday, maybe my rating will change
-Favorites are Black Dog and When the Levee Breaks
Buzzcocks
3/5
-liked this way more than i thought i would. i wasn’t too hopeful after the first track but it quickly picked up, i love the high-energy punk sound so much
-nothing really TOO groundbreaking for power-pop / punk-adjacent stuff but it was a really fun listen nonetheless
-Favorites are No Reply, I Don’t Mind, and Moving Away From The Pulsebeat
Nirvana
4/5
-finally getting to listen to a Nirvana album properly… this day was long overdue
-yeah, this is good. really good. which i was expecting, so maybe that influenced my opinion unfairly, but idk it’s just. so good
-i am obsessed with the most popular songs on here honestly, ig they’re popular for a reason. not totally flawless i guess but an absolutely breathtaking album
-Favorites are Smells Like Teen Spirit, Breed, and On A Plain
Public Enemy
3/5
-i listened to It Takes A Nation Of Millions almost a year ago, and i feel like i was a bit harsh on the rating. this was a very similar album to me but i think ive expanded my palette over the past year enough to appreciate it much more
-not my favorite type of hip hop but still really cool. love the sampling especially
-Favorites are I Don’t Wanna Be Called Yo Niga and More News At 11
Black Sabbath
4/5
-holy shit this was just. awesome. i will need to relisten but i might even come to like it more than Paranoid someday. i really like the slow, hard doom metal stuff
-might also be a contender for some of the coolest guitar sounds i’ve heard in metal. not knowledgeable enough to describe it but damn… solid
-Favorites are Black Sabbath, The Wizard, and Warning
Violent Femmes
3/5
-really interesting.. today i learned what band made Blister In The Sun i guess. the blending of folk and punk is cool as hell, it captivated me a lot more than i thought it would
-will need to hear this one again honestly but it’s sitting at a very solid 3.5
-Favorites are Blister In The Sun and Confessions
Janelle Monáe
4/5
-waow very cool, requires another listen and soon but i’m very impressed by the versatility Janelle showed as a singer and artist just in this very first concept album
-i’ll have some of these tracks stuck in my head for days, i really liked most of the features too. glad i finally got to listen to this
-Favorites are Dance or Die, Tightrope, and Say You’ll Go
Kings of Leon
3/5
-interesting. seems like they were obviously going for a replication of the 70s garage rock sound, and i think they did a decent job at it
-aside from that, it didn’t stand out TOO much from other garage rock revival bands. with the exception of a couple extremely solid songs
-Favorites are Joe’s Head and Molly’s Chambers
Motörhead
2/5
-well to put it simply, it’s… not really my thing, i guess? a little bit corny even for heavy metal standards. and oh god the lyrics to some of these tracks
-someone else is definitely better equipped than myself to enjoy this so i’m not writing it off completely. has some good moments. but yeah not my preferred listening
-Favorites are Fire Fire and The Chase Is Better Than the Catch
Beatles
3/5
-this is the Beatles album i’ve been most looking forward to listening to… impossible to say anything bad about this one tbh, i do prefer Revolver but i really like the eclecticism. Revolution 9 is really cool too
-hard to believe they were all fighting so much when they made this because it’s cohesive as hell
-Favorites are Back In The U.S.S.R, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, and Blackbird
The Zutons
2/5
-idk it’s definitely not bad. just doesn’t really… go anywhere or do anything? the sound is a bit hard to categorize and so is the overall purpose and direction of the album
-had some decent songs at the beginning but honestly after that idk what to say
-Favorites are Zuton Fever and You Will You Won’t
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
-wow alright MORE Bruce Springsteen… uhh i wasn’t too blown away by this in comparison to some of his other stuff. went on a bit long and got downright corny at parts
-still not terrible though, there were some good songs on here, love the Hindustani music
-also i think this is my 365th album!!! can’t believe i’ve been doing this for a YEAR yaay
-Favorites are Nothing Man and Worlds Apart
Lorde
3/5
-oou i didn’t know this one was on here. I listened to it for the first time fairly recently and i do think it’s quite good, maybe just not the kind of thing i would listen to in my own time for the most part
-the songwriting and vocals are absolutely mesmerizing. she deserves her flowers there… may require an eventual third listen tbh
-Favorites are Green Light, Homemade Dynamite, and Supercut
Haircut 100
3/5
-so it’s a bit like new wave but with Masayoshi Takanaka-style lounge. very up my alley on paper.. honestly not everything on here was interesting to hold my attention but the songs I did like were phenomenal. that first track omfg
-one of the times i will give an album extra points just for being a Big Vibe
-Favorites are Favourite Shirts, Kingsize, and Fantastic Day
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
-i listened to this and Songs For The Deaf, which i’ve been meaning to get around to for a while. honestly this doesn’t even begin to hold a candle to SFTD so idk why it’s on here instead, but there are some great moments
-i love the fuzzy stoner rock guitar so much. one of my favorite “new genre i like” discoveries of this year
-Favorites are Regular John, You Would Know, and Hispanic Impressions
The Beach Boys
4/5
-damn RIP Brian Wilson. i listened to this for the first time the previous day after hearing the news and i’m endlessly fascinated by it. absolutely beautiful use of vocals and instrumentals, obviously
-i think the lyrics are my favorite part honestly. some of the themes resonate very deeply with me, and it’s quite comforting. will be bumping this
-Favorites are Wouldn’t It Be Nice, Sloop John B, and I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times
Joy Division
5/5
-i’ve listened to this album many times since i first fell in love with it in November and it just keeps getting better augh. incredible atmosphere, incredible musicianship, incredible lyricism
-i credit this album with turning me on to post-punk and certain 70s rock sounds. it’s so consistent and good idk it kinda changed my life
-Favorites are Disorder, Day of the Lords, She’s Lost Control, Wilderness, and Interzone
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
-this is such a vibe honestly. felt like being in a hookah lounge in a desert. very smooth
-interesting how impactful and unique Malian music is. didn’t realize so much of it was this good until i listened to Malian albums on here and from RYM
-it kinda went on a little too long imo but still good. the last song is absolutely transcendent
-Favorites are Soukora, Ai Du, and Diaraby
3/5
-huh this is pretty interesting. quite reminiscent of some of Radiohead’s later electronic work to me
-had a few good tracks but otherwise it was kind of a bit too meandering for my taste? idk it struggled to hold my attention but it wasn’t bad. i might like to check out some other stuff by this band
-Favorites are There’s Always Room On The Broom and Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway
The Who
2/5
-idk. i know this is an iconic album by an iconic band but it just didn’t do all that much for me… i found it to be a bit bland, very much what i’ve come to expect from the 70s rock sound but not exceptional
-maybe im being too harsh and ik i’d probably enjoy it more with a second listen but as of now it didn’t stand out. first song is pretty good though
-Favorites are Baba O’Riley and My Wife
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
-this was interesting to listen to. like most of the ‘50s country records i’ve gotten on here, however, i found it difficult to really connect with it?? idk his voice was just. grating.
-not like i listen to ‘50s country music much in my free time so i guess im not the right person to pass judgment
-Favorites are Bed Bug Blues and Dink’s Song
The Roots
4/5
-wow i actually really liked this one omg, was not expecting something so unique and abstract. the beats and use of drums are both absolutely insane on this album and got me into it immediately
-there are definitely some tracks that i wouldn’t have missed, especially toward the end. but overall this was a cool experience, im glad i gave it the chance i did
-Favorites are Sacrifice, Rolling With Heat, and The Seed (2.0)
Circle Jerks
3/5
-this was a fun one! def the shortest album ive gotten on here by far, I believe
-i’d say it’s pretty standard fare for hardcore punk. similar to Black Flag in a lot of ways but didn’t really stand out to me in the same way? it’s definitely best appreciated as a single album experience rather than for any individual track imo
-Favorites are Beverly Hills and World Up My Ass
Kate Bush
5/5
-was just listening to Kate when i generated this one… another phenomenal work of art and the album that first got me hugely into her music two years ago
-i absolutely love the story it tells, the atmosphere, the transition between songs… solid 5 stars for this one too. there’s a reason i had a poster of it hanging on my walls for two years
-Favorites are Running Up That Hill, Mother Stands For Comfort, Cloudbusting, Under Ice, and Jig Of Life
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
-thank god this site is working again i thought i was gonna have to go a day without an album 💔
-anyway this was a decent listen. not really anything groundbreaking for 60s rock but it had some really good songs, most notably I’m Not Your Stepping Stone. very definitive 3 stars
-Favorites are There’s Always Tomorrow and I’m Not Your Stepping Stone
The Velvet Underground
4/5
-another incredible classic. i think i love Nico’s influence on this one more than anything else, she has an absolutely phenomenal voice and touch
-so glad i gave this album another chance because it incites a feeling in me unlike pretty much any other i’ve heard
-Favorites are Sunday Morning, Femme Fatale, Venus In Furs, and Heroin
AC/DC
3/5
-this is iconic. i can’t bring myself to shit on AC/DC’s sound entirely, even if it’s not necessarily suited to my taste
-one of those albums that has merit simply for “going hard” honestly. far from flawless but i absolutely love the energy and impact the sound had
-Favorites are Back In Black and You Shook Me All Night Long
The Damned
3/5
-getting to listen to more hardcore / post-hardcore stuff through this project has given me a newfound appreciation for albums like these and their place in music honestly
-it’s not totally my thing but it has a lot of really cool sounds, lyrics, and ideas. not bad
-Favorites are Machine Gun Etiquette and Anti-Pope
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
-sort of reminds me of the stuff I heard by Haircut 100. very typical yet not entirely compelling new wave. there were quite a few bops and it was a great album to metaphorically shake some ass to but other than that not too much stood out
-the band does have a great sense of rhythm and stuff, i just feel they could benefit from better production perhaps? oh well, it’s not bad
-Favorites are Sleeping Gas, Second Head, and Went Crazy
Johnny Cash
3/5
-wow this was actually really cool to listen to. one of the more interesting live recordings i’ve heard, I love the way Johnny interacts with the prisoners, lol
-after only listening to American IV, it was nice to hear a more upbeat side of his music. i honestly prefer it. really good record all around, i’d say it’s coasting the line between 3.5 and 4 for me
-Favorites are Wanted Man and San Quentin
The Who
3/5
-woooww ok this really surpassed expectations for me, considering i was rather underwhelmed by Who’s Next. i liked this one way more honestly
-i’d like to give this a relisten, it wasn’t perfect but could probably make its way up to 4 stars territory at least. soo fucking catchy
-Favorites are Out In The Street, The Good’s Gone, My Generation, and The Ox
Cornershop
2/5
-this is certainly one of the more.. baffling releases i’ve seen on here. genuinely had no idea what to make of the genre or purpose most of the time
-there was very little here that was memorable imo. Brimful Of Asha is a good song, the Indian influence is cool, but other than that… just no. couldn’t see myself listening again
-Favorites are Brimful Of Asha and Butter The Soul
Funkadelic
3/5
-i’ve been OBSESSED with Maggot Brain lately so i was super excited to listen to this, having never heard any other Funkadelic albums
-not bad at all. very groovy and interesting if not a bit lacking in overall direction and purpose imho?? def not holding a candle to Maggot Brain for me but whatever i still enjoyed it
-Favorites are One Nation Under A Groove and Who Says A Funk Band Can’t Play Rock?!
The Doors
3/5
-alright second album i’ve heard from The Doors… reminds me of their debut in a lot of ways in terms of the blues rock sound
-i liked it. Jim Morrison has a cool ass voice and there are a lot of more subtle touches (such as the keyboards) that deserve appreciation too
-Favorites are Love Her Madly, L.A. Woman, and Riders on the Storm
Alice Cooper
3/5
-hm, i liked this one more than I thought i would. it’s no doubt a little corny but also kind of a vibe
-i know nothing about Alice Cooper aside from the name but i was definitely not expecting the solid blues rock sound. Blue Turk is a really good song, i had to play it a few times actually
-Favorites are Gutter Cat vs. The Jets and Blue Turk
The Byrds
3/5
-probably my favorite of the three Byrds albums i’ve listened to so far. i like their rock direction much better than their country stuff.. and the direction they eventually went with CSNY
-some songs on here were definitely a bit underwhelming but i’d go as far as to say the good ones make up for that
-Favorites are Everybody’s Been Burned and Thoughts and Words
Ian Dury
2/5
-this is really one of those albums that just makes me… seriously wonder why they’re having me listen to this. utterly no comment tbh
-it was. kind of funny at times? and i did like some of the attempts at a harder rock sound but other than that. idk just not something i would ever listen to in my own time
-Favorite is Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Stan Getz
4/5
-this was a perfect album to listen to stoned after a beach day. i’ve heard it before and i liked it even better this time
-incredibly smooth and aesthetically pleasing, makes me feel like i’m in a fancy lounge in Brazil
-Favorites are Desafinado, Samba Dees Days, and Bahia
Joanna Newsom
5/5
-absolutely mind-blowing work of art. this album hits like a truck every time
-Joanna Newsom is a strong contender for one of my favorite lyricists of all time, and it’s exemplified here perfectly. and the fucking harps and orchestra?? incredible. such an ambitious album but pulled off perfectly, has moved me to tears a few times
-Favorites are Emily, Monkey and Bear, and Sawdust and Diamonds
Ice T
3/5
-not the absolute best 90s gangsta rap by a long shot imo. kinda felt a little bit corny at times even
-that being said it was still pretty solid, better than a lot of the rap this list has had me listen to. some good rhythms + the rock influence was a nice touch
-Favorites are Mind over Matter, Fly By, and The Tower
Elton John
3/5
-i liked this much more than the other Elton John album i listened to back in September
-i could never get too huge into this type of music honestly, but there’s no doubt a lot to like here
-the cinematic piano gives the whole thing a very grandiose, positive energy i really like
-Favorites are Bennie And The Jets, Grey Seal, and I’ve Seen That Movie Too
3/5
-i liked this. perhaps more than i thought i would
-the lead vocalist is definitely ripping off Thom Yorke a little bit. but he does a very good job at it. it was hard for me to enjoy every song on here but the atmosphere and performance on a few tracks was phenomenal. yes Supermassive Black Hole slaps
-Favorites are Supermassive Black Hole, Map of the Problematique, and Assassin
Fatboy Slim
3/5
-idk this was a liiittle bland by acid house standards to me. i adore electronic music but it was sorta hard to get into at first
-i definitely warmed to it a bit by the end and it barely made 3 stars for me
-there are definitely worse albums out there. it was a fun vibe for sure i’ll give it that
-Favorites are Going Out Of My Head and 10th and Crenshaw
Beatles
3/5
-a classic. this was the first Beatles album i ever listened to back in high school, and it remains one of my favorites i’ve heard so far
-really interesting the way they were basically the first people to combine rock with pop music and get big off it in this way. extremely important and influential album
-Favorites are Drive My Car, The Word, and Michelle
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
-i first became aware of this album a couple of weeks ago when Sly Stone died. listening to it now i can 100% understand the hype and impact… it’s really not like anything else i’ve heard from this time period
-there were definitely a few songs i could go without but damn, i’d like to listen to this again soon. absolutely love the rhythms and vocals
-Favorites are I Want to Take You Higher, Somebody’s Watching You, and Sing a Simple Song
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
-meh… not bad at all but i’m not really getting the hype for this one as much as i did with Brutal Youth or even Blood and Chocolate
-had some bangers. really good diversity in vocals and instrumentation, but his voice was just very grating to me at some points. 3 stars but barely
-Favorites are This Year’s Girl and (I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea
Muddy Waters
3/5
-god damn this Muddy Waters guy was horny. i understand him
-anyway this was a decent listen. not the absolute best blues i’ve ever heard imo, something i can’t name felt missing
-nevertheless it was interesting. something i like about this guy’s style
-Favorites are I Got My Brand On You and I Got My Mojo Working
The Beach Boys
3/5
-second Beach Boys album i’ve heard. really good, i’d say it might even have more variety and range than Pet Sounds
-it did have a less cohesive feel than Pet Sounds however which made it kinda tough to connect with every song? still glad i listened, it expanded upon my Beach Boys knowledge
-Favorites are Don’t Go Near The Water, Long Promised Road, and Student Demonstration Time
Madness
2/5
-yeah, not really my thing i guess. couldn’t really connect with too many of the songs on here, though i can certainly appreciate the uniqueness and experimentation
-i had never really listened to ska before this. idk how much it counts as a ska album but hey it wasn’t what i was expecting
-obligatory “yes Our House is a banger and iconic”
-Favorites are Blue Skinned Beast, Mr. Speaker (Gets The Word) and Our House
Iron Maiden
3/5
-my first Iron Maiden experience. idk i think a lot of it is a bit corny and didn’t age too well, but other than that i liked it
-i think the strongest aspect of this whole album is the instrumentals, honestly. exciting and rather hypnotic. would be up for listening to some more stuff by them
-Favorites are The Number Of The Beast and Run to the Hills
Missy Elliott
3/5
-Missy Elliott has always occupied an interesting space in my mind where i understand she was one of the most important female rappers of the early 2000s, but also i know nothing about her or her music
-this was pretty good tho. far from my favorite hip hop album ive heard but something about it kinda charmed me
-Favorites are Bring The Pain, Gossip Folks, and Work It
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
-not at all what i was expecting, but damn this was super cool. peak late 60s psychedelic rock experience
-i absolutely loved the way the songs all sorta blended together especially during the A-side suite. aside from that i think it was sometimes a bit aimless but still really solid, could bump up to a 4 after another listen who knows
-Favorites are Who Do You Love Pt. 1 and Calvary
Charles Mingus
4/5
-second time listening to this album and i enjoyed it a lot more. it’s so fascinating and noisy and chaotic, but also really beautiful at times
-it would have been so hard for me to appreciate avant-garde jazz up until like a year ago. it’s a crazy experience and i just love it
-Favorites are Solo Dancer and Duete Solo Dancers
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
-not bad at all. maybe felt a bit.. unremarkable, especially considering what i’ve come to expect from bossa nova and MPB music
-her voice is definitely nice. it kind of reminded me of a trip hop album in some ways
-Favorites are August Day Song, Sem Contencao, and Alguem
Soft Machine
4/5
-this is a really interesting and unique album. heard it a few times and i think im only just now beginning to understand its brilliance
-i absolutely LOVE the jazz fusion elements. i think Soft Machine were really technically skilled and they showed it off best on this record.. nothing else sounds like it
-Favorites are Slightly All The Time and Moon In June
50 Cent
3/5
-found this one to be a bit middle of the road for hip hop / R&B. not bad at all honestly but it was kinda hard for me to connect with… probably just personal preference
-there are some hard ass songs on here though. the good was very good, but the rest not as much
-Favorites are In Da Club, Blood Hound, and Poor Lil Rich
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
-one of those albums that strikes me as very corny but also self-aware and therefore a vibe
-it grew on me exponentially as i listened. had some great rhythms and made me want to get up and dance, which always counts for something. the Kraftwerk samples were a nice touch
-Favorites are Planet Rock and They Made A Mistake
Roxy Music
3/5
-so this is where Brian Eno got his musical start. i can definitely hear his influence and brilliance shining somewhere through this album, though i found the work overall to feel sort of aimless and unmemorable at times
-it’s not exactly my favorite type of art rock but it was pretty cool nonetheless
-Favorites are If There Is Something and Sea Breezes
Garbage
4/5
-i was OBSESSED with several songs from this album two years ago but never actually heard the whole thing. i’m so glad i did now
-not a single bad song on here tbh, though i couldn’t get into the second half quite as much? there’s just something i love about Shirley Manson’s voice and the whole band’s style… i need to get back into Garbage now. possible 4.5 star contender
-Favorites are Supervixen, Only Happy When It Rains, As Heaven Is Wide, and Stupid Girl
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
-well this was certainly an interesting one… kinda like if Lolita was made into an album methinks
-though i loved the concept and a lot of the instrumentation, it was a bit hard for me to get into the spoken word stuff. i would probably enjoy it much more if i understood French. but alas i do not.
-Favorites are Melody and En Melody
Buck Owens
3/5
-this has a certain charm and saccharine whimsy to it. like it makes me feel like a sixty-year-old white guy smoking a pipe by a log cabin in the boonies
-little hard to take it seriously and i don’t exactly think i’d be listening to it again but it was a vibe
-Favorites are I’ve Got A Tiger By The Tail and If You Fall Out Of Love With Me
Def Leppard
3/5
-i was not thrilled to listen to this tbh. i thought it would be cheesy and gauche. i was kind of right? but i did end up enjoying a lot of it
-it’s far from the best hair metal i’ve ever heard, which i suppose isn’t the highest bar for me. but i can really appreciate the energy and cultural impact something like this would have in the 80s
-Favorites are Animal and Gods Of War
Britney Spears
3/5
-needless to say this is FAR from Britney’s best work. rather commercial and underwhelming in many ways, but we certainly don’t blame her for that
-but oh my god that title track. perfect. immaculate. iconic. regardless of anything else this is such an important album for the development of 2000s teen pop
-Favorites are …Baby One More Time, (You Drive Me) Crazy, and The Beat Goes On
Beyoncé
3/5
-this one’s pretty great, actually. my first time hearing a full Beyoncé album, i had no idea she was so good at atmosphere
-i was gonna give this a 4 but imo it’s VERY front loaded and kinda lost my interest toward the very end, so 3.5 for now. that could change ig. but my gooooddd those first six songs… chills.
-Favorites are Haunted, Blow, and Partition
Taylor Swift
4/5
-this was one of the first albums i owned as a kid. soooo many great and iconic songs, probably Taylor’s most fun and listenable album imo
-there are a few parts that are. very corny and rough. my god the Shake It Off rap verse. but i think it’s an overwhelmingly solid record and one of the most important pop albums of the 2010s
-Favorites are Style, Out Of The Woods, and All You Had To Do Was Stay
Led Zeppelin
3/5
-this is cool as hell. i liked some parts of it even more than Led Zeppelin IV, the previous LZ album i heard on here which actually piqued my interest in the band for the first time
-it kinda dragged on for a long time but i definitely would like to listen to more
-Favorites are Trampled Under Foot, Kashmir, and Night Flight
Dr. Octagon
3/5
-this is like some shit Jesse Pinkman would listen to
-the concept seemed kind of entertaining to me. and there are a lot of genuinely good boom bap songs on here, though it kind of overstayed its welcome and had some dull moments. probably wouldn’t relisten but i appreciate it
-Favorites are Real Raw and Half Shark Alligator Half Man
Baaba Maal
3/5
-i think this may be the third Senegalese album i’ve gotten on here. always glad to hear some non-Anglosphere albums
-this was decent, i had REALLY high expectations after the first song which i loved. i couldn’t get into every song here but it still made for a nice listen
-Favorites are Lam Tooro and Muudo Hormo
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
-i had heard talk of this album on musictwt for a while. i guess i was expecting something a bit more crazy?
-i’m not the hugest fan of big beat but i will certainly admit this is among the best i’ve heard of the genre. i’d like to hear more stuff from this group in the future
-Favorites are Dig Your Own Hole and Where Do I Begin
Heaven 17
3/5
-“vaguely gay British synth pop band i’ve never heard of” seems to be a very common category in this list. but it’s one i always enjoy delving into
-this was an alright listen i’d say.. not my favorite at all, sort of generic, but the opening tracks for both sides were really fun. 80s synth pop just has such a cool aesthetic
-Favorites are (We Don’t Need This) Fascist Groove Thang and Geisha Boys And Temple Girls
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
-damn this is an absolutely ancient hip hop album, one of the earliest i’ve heard. you can really hear the ways in which the genre evolved from funk and soul on here
-i’ve heard the title track and watched the video in a music culture class i took last year. it is phenomenal. the rest of the album, generally not as much but the influences are still cool to observe
-Favorites are She’s Fresh and The Message
The Prodigy
3/5
-this is an album i’ve known about for a while now and was intrigued by
-i listened to Music For The Jilted Generation nearly a year ago after having it pop up on here, and i can honestly say i prefer it to this
-once again, not a huge fan of big beat. tho it had some really good songs and must have been super exciting to listen to in the 90s specifically
-Favorites are Smack My Bitch Up and Fuel My Fire
Fairport Convention
4/5
-oh my god wait this is beautiful??? how have i never heard of this band before?
-i love when this site turns me on to incredible stuff i didn’t know existed, because this may now be a contender for my favorite folk rock album i’ve ever heard. pretty much every track stood out as gorgeous and haunting
-definite 4.5
-Favorites are Genesis Hall, Autopsy, A Sailor’s Life, and Cajun Woman
The Fall
2/5
-meh, this didn’t really do it for me. it felt pretty bland and unmemorable overall, and i wasn’t a big fan of the vocals or drums in particular
-the funky dance (?) tracks in the second half were much easier to get into. i liked that part. but this is still something i can very much take or leave
-Favorites are Service and Past Gone Mad
3/5
-i’m afraid i’ll just never really be able to get too into Bob Dylan. none of his work is “bad” but it just does nothing for me. very light 3 stars honestly
-apparently the second half had the audience jeering and heckling? that would have been interesting to hear. although i actually liked the second half better, it kinda made the album for me
-Favorites are I Don’t Believe You (She Acts Like We Never Have Met) and Baby, Let Me Follow You Down
Peter Gabriel
3/5
-wow this is some dreary shit. very fascinating music though, i’m glad i got to check it out
-that being said i feel like it just tried to go in too many directions for me to really get into it. couldn’t really figure out what he was going for, which doesn’t make it bad but i could’ve liked it more
-Favorites are No Self Control and Biko
David Bowie
5/5
-ohh my god i just listened to this album for the first time and got super into it. any excuse to listen to it again
-i was partial to Low but i think this may be my new fave Bowie work. it’s absolutely phenomenal and makes me Profoundly Sad. gotta be the best “final” album a rock star has ever created. thank you David Bowie
-Favorites are Blackstar, Lazarus, Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime) and Girl Loves Me
Dead Kennedys
4/5
-i’ve been wanting to listen to Dead Kennedys for a while now, having heard they’re one of if not the best punk band(s). i was not disappointed. this is so exciting and fun while also being really hard-hitting
-definitely stands out as a contender for one of the best hardcore punk albums i’ve heard. would like to get more into this band i think
-Favorites are Kill The Poor, When Ya Get Drafted, Ill in the Head, and Holiday in Cambodia
Minor Threat
3/5
-damn they were MAD when they made this. as they should be
-this was really interesting to listen to, i love when music gets this intense. hit especially hard after getting to listen to another rlly good punk album yesterday
-apparently it’s considered an EP so who knows why it’s on here. quite good tho, 3.5 stars
-Favorites are Think Again and Out Of Step
Portishead
5/5
-i adore this album. soo fascinating. something about the contrast of the super intense electronic rock paired with Beth Gibbons’ pleasant yet very scared-sounding vocals? it makes me feel emotions that don’t exist, and there is this underlying sense of anxiety and hopelessness that gives it a very emotional feel
-honestly Portishead’s best work imho. unforgettable and impossible to replicate
-Favorites are Silence, Hunter, The Rip, We Carry On, and Machine Gun
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
-i was expecting some extremely bland, middle-of-the-road hip hop here. and while it was definitely nothing mind-blowing, there were a few songs and ideas i enjoyed much more than i thought i would
-there are some great usages of electronic beats on here. i’m glad i didn’t end up disliking it
-Favorites are Famous And Dandy (Like Amos ‘N’ Andy) and Socio-Genetic Experiment
Destiny's Child
3/5
-so this is how Beyonce got her start… definitely not up to par with her best solo work by a long shot, and it was pretty hard for me to connect with many individual tracks.
-the rhythm and vocals are quite nice and kept the album from getting truly boring, but yea this wouldn’t be my first choice
-Favorites are Survivor and Bootylicious
Ramones
3/5
-been getting so many good punk albums lately! this is a classic and i’m glad i got to listen to it
-it was pretty good, not my absolute favorite i’ve heard of the genre but i can understand the impact a band like this had back in the day
-Favorites are Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend, and Let’s Dance
Nirvana
3/5
-damnn this was a great performance. everything sounded so Crisp, i felt like i was there
-i am finally becoming a sort-of Nirvana fan in the big year of 2025
-i wish they had played some more of my favorite material but this was still quite good. 3.5 stars
-Favorites are About A Girl, Something In The Way, and Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Duke Ellington
3/5
-this was a nice listen. definitely very safe by jazz standards, pretty much impossible to dislike i think
-i have a huge soft spot for older big band jazz that sounds like the kind of thing you’d hear in an old cafe. now that im more into the genre it’s not quite as mindblowing but i fw it
-Favorites are Newport Up and Diminuendo In Blue
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
-another random album i knew absolutely nothing about and ended up being very fascinated by. there’s a lot of emotion and eclecticism in this one. i Felt Things while listening to it
-it’s a deceptively digestible album but i still don’t think i’ve ever really heard anything like it
-Favorites are Nomadic Revery (All Around), Another Day Full Of Dread, and Madeleine-Mary
Linkin Park
3/5
-listening to this while drunk and stressed was an oddly meditative experience…
-i feel like i underestimated Linkin Park a little bit before getting to hear one of their albums in full. simply impossible to hate this, i love the energy and it fills me with a weird nostalgia somehow. 3.5 stars, could potentially be a 4 with another listen
-Favorites are Papercut, Crawling, and A Place for My Head
Scritti Politti
2/5
-yeah this one was,,, a little grating? more very generic English 80s synth pop, but ohh my god i just cannot stand the vocals tbh
-i couldn’t really tell what direction they were trying to go in. there were some good songs on here but overall it was kinda hard to remember and appreciate
-Favorites are Don’t Work That Hard and Hypnotize
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
-this definitely wasn’t bad, not by a long shot. i actually think her voice is really nice
-that being said i don’t think i would ever pick any of these songs to just listen to on my own time, very few of them actually stood out in any way, shape, or form. she’s a good musician, ig it’s just not super exciting
-Favorites are Nick Of Time and Cry On My Shoulder
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
-i listened to this shortly after being introduced to The Chemical Brothers through Dig Your Own Hole, which honestly sounded very similar to this album here. i don’t think it’s bad, but i guess it’s kinda hard for me to get into how repetitive and samey it sounds
-don’t get me wrong. tons of bops on here. it was great to have on in the background while i cleaned my room but that’s about it
-Favorites are Leave Home and Chemical Beats
Paul McCartney
3/5
-i had never actually heard of this album, i’m surprised it was in here over his more well-known solo work like Ram.
-still kinda questioning its inclusion after listening, it just felt like a watered down Beatles album to my uneducated ear. still a few good songs though
-Favorites are Momma Miss America and Maybe I’m Amazed
Super Furry Animals
2/5
-meh, not really feeling this one. it wasn’t horrible by any means (had some cool standouts like the two listed), but i think i was pretty much incapable of connecting with it. just sounded like generic Britpop to me for the most part
-maybe i’m being too harsh and i should listen again but it’s tough to get into. 2.5
-Favorites are God! Show Me Magic and Gathering Moss
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
-yooo im getting this exactly one year after Catch A Fire… nice
-this was good! for some reason it didn’t stand out to me nearly as much as Catch A Fire did, but it was still cool getting to hear a slightly more classic and warmer sound from him
-Favorites are Exodus and Three Little Birds
System Of A Down
3/5
-wow this album is LOUD and there is a lot going on
-it is officially my first System Of A Down experience. it didn’t sound like how i expected it to, honestly. a lot quirkier and weirder
-but damn it was cool as hell, especially in the first half. kinda fell off at the end but this one is worth listening to again i think. 3.5
-Favorites are Sugar, Suggestions, and P.L.U.C.K.
Lambchop
2/5
-alright, this one was just. very. bland? it kind of reminded me of Songs:Ohia, but very little about it really stuck out to me
-there needs to be a special category for albums that just make me feel nothing, because this isn’t bad i just can’t get down w it
-Favorites are You Masculine You and The Petrified Florist
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
-hmm not bad. i don’t think i’ll ever be a huuuge fan of Echo And The Bunnymen for no other reason than difficulty connecting with their music but i can understand why this is an important album
-i would like to listen to it again because i feel like it’s very hard to place some of those songs. my opinion is subject to change
-Favorites are The Yo Yo Man and The Killing Moon
Suicide
3/5
-damn this album is REALLY interesting. certainly not an easy listen but i just never knew what i was going to hear next
-i heard Frankie Teardrop when i was younger and it terrified me, and Ghost Rider is an absolute fucking banger so there’s clearly a lot of talent here. 3.5 could grow to a 4
-Favorites are Ghost Rider, Johnny, and Frankie Teardrop
Deep Purple
3/5
-went into this expecting to not particularly enjoy it as i was not huge on Deep Purple In Rock. but it goes so fucking hard i was immediately captivated and won over
-fucking love the deep nasty guitar it’s sooo good. officially not writing Deep Purple off any longer
-Favorites are Smoke On The Water and Lazy
Tori Amos
3/5
-this was beautiful… i’d heard of Tori Amos’s music for a while but never actually listened to any of it. i guess i was expecting something more like PJ Harvey but i was honestly blown away by the classical musicianship
-3.5 for now just because the second half dipped in enjoyability for me but could jump up to a 4
-Favorites are Girl, Precious Things, and Leather
Rod Stewart
2/5
-ughhg there’s something i really don’t like about this one his voice pisses me the FUCK off
-it’s definitely not all bad – especially toward the end – but i just do not have the ear to enjoy or appreciate most of it. i did like the instrumentation on a couple of the later tracks so i will give it that
-Favorites are Mandolin Wind and (I Know) I’m Losing You
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
-the day has finally come
-yeah. this is brutal and weird and terrifying and there is something seriously wrong with Captain Beefheart but damnn if it wasn’t really fun to listen to
-i think i like the idea of (and backstory behind) the album more than the music itself, for obvious reasons. but it was so good to finally hear this, it’s one of the albums of all time
-Favorites are Ella Guru and Hair Pie: Bake 1
MGMT
3/5
-OOH GIRL. SHCOK ME LIKE AN EELCTRIC EEL
-this was soo fun, certainly not MGMT’s most esteemed album but i think it’s actually a really good introduction to the band
-i feel like there were def a few mediocre / bad songs but the good ones made up for them
-Favorites are Electric Feel, Kids, and 4th Dimensional Transition
Mercury Rev
2/5
-hmm. another case of “not bad by any means but does not make me feel anything and was very difficult to connect with individual songs
-like there were certain elements i liked. the chamber pop, the vocals. but it all just kinda blended together for me in one big blob. not a huge fan
-Favorites are Holes and I Collect Coins
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
-oooo i liked this… definitely more than There’s No Place Like America Today even though i’m getting hesitant to compare artists’ albums like that
-makes me want to watch the movie cuz this is so immersive. i really did feel like an African-American cocaine dealer the whole time i was listening
-it’s not completely flawless, honestly i wasn’t a fan of some of the later songs which felt like filler in the context of the soundtrack itself but. ah well
-Favorites are Little Child Runnin’ Wild and Pusherman
Fats Domino
3/5
-always so interesting to listen to seminal old albums like this. you can hear the beginnings of today’s rock music taking shape here and see how it inspired artists like Elvis
-it’s definitely very… safe and listenable. i wasn’t blown away by much of the actual music itself but there are still some nice songs on here namely Blueberry Hill
-Favorites are Blueberry Hill and Trust In Me
Blood, Sweat & Tears
3/5
-this is fascinating and very hard to typify with one genre or sound. probably the earliest example of “jazz rock” i’ve ever heard
-it definitely felt… aimless. like a collection of random singles, didn’t stand out much. still made for a pretty enjoyable listen at least, even though it was hard to pay attention
-Favorites are Smiling Phases and Blues, Pt. 2
Germs
3/5
-not bad. very intense even by punk standards
-not my absolute favorite that i’ve heard from the genre but it’s always nice to find new interesting bands i wasn’t familiar with before
-considering this is their only album i think it’s a great legacy to leave behind
-Favorites are Communist Eyes and We Must Bleed
Ute Lemper
3/5
-wow this is the ultimate crossover episode of 90s alternative rock musicians i don’t particularly care about
-this really feels like it should be a soundtrack to something
-it’s not BAD. don’t get me wrong. this Ute Lemper lady has a really nice voice and that was probably the best part of the album. so points for that but it wasn’t thrilling… generous 3 stars
-Favorites are Streets of Berlin and Punishing Kiss
DJ Shadow
4/5
-ough hell yeah.. this is like my third time listening to this album and it gets better every time. so entertaining and creative
-makes me want to go on a long walk through a dimly-lit city in the middle of the night too bad that’s not rlly safe
-there are some genuinely beautiful and mesmerizing tracks on here too… they’re not ALL mindblowing but there’s something new to discover with every listen. 4.5 stars
-Favorites are Changeling, What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt. 4, Stem / Long Stem - Medley, and Midnight In A Perfect World
3/5
-the only thing I had ever heard from War before this album was Low Rider… great song. i think some aspects of this album are even on par with it
-this was really catchy and captivating. it kinda lost me with the meandering prog jazz tracks in the middle but i think the shorter songs in particular were all absolute bangers. 3.5 stars
-Favorites are The Cisco Kid, Where Was You At, and Beetles In The Bog
Japan
3/5
-surely Japan is the last new wave band I hadn’t heard before this. because there are So Many
-i thought this was decent… started off quite strong with the first two tracks but frankly lost my interest after that. it’s a little corny but the aesthetic has a certain charm to it, and it’s definitely better than some of the other synth pop i’ve heard from here
-Favorites are Quiet Life and Fall in Love With Me
The Hives
3/5
-i liked the way this started out as more cut-and-dry garage rock but then quickly became much more punk-oriented. i feel like i got a good glimpse into the band’s rock capabilities
-which makes sense since it’s a compilation so idek why it’s on here. it was decent tho, not the most amazing i’ve heard but i was vibing the whole time
-Favorites are Hate To Say I Told You So and Untutored Youth
Amy Winehouse
4/5
-ahhh this is gorgeous. her voice is fucking amazing and i’m so fascinated by all the influences she had
-idk if i like this better than Frank. it’s been a min since ive heard it. neither albums are my faves ever but i think she really came into her own here, even tho it makes me sad as hell to listen to. RIP Amy
-Favorites are Rehab, Back To Black, and Tears Dry On Their Own
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
-definitely a step up from the other Dexys Midnight Runners album i heard which was a bit of a nothingburger. not my absolute favorite thing but it was fun, love the genre blending
-this was my first time hearing Come On Eileen in full. shit is fire. a worthy number to become a one hit wonder for
-Favorites are Let’s Make This Precious and Come On Eileen
3/5
-more Brazilian music… this time made by a Serbian guy? the possibilities are truly endless
-this was actually really cool, i liked it even more than i thought i would. some of the most interesting songs i’ve heard from this genre. a little repetitive but in a way i vibed with
-apparently this guy died trying to rescue his studio recordings from a fire. he deserves his flowers. 3.5 stars
-Favorites are Antropofagos, Sereia, and Pecados Da Madrugada
Björk
5/5
-here it is. my favorite album of all time. to me, it’s the absolute best on this list and it genuinely changed my life and how i listened to music when i first found it years ago. crazy to finally get to it
-i just fucking adore the themes and concept behind the whole album. hits soooo much harder now that there is someone i am devastatingly attracted to and getting to know. Björk is the coolest woman ever
-Favorites are Hidden Place, Cocoon, Pagan Poetry, Aurora, and Unison
Femi Kuti
3/5
-this was definitely not my favorite of the Afrobeat albums i’ve heard and doesn’t hold a candle to Fela Kuti’s work. it’s not bad by any means, just kinda. long, repetitive and uninteresting? idk
-it gets three stars just because some of the instrumentation was reaaaally good especially the bass and guitar
-Favorites are Survival and Stubbor Problems
Sade
4/5
-Sade Adu is fucking incredible. i’m so glad this album reminded me to listen to more of her stuff
-i listened to it twice and it hit sooo fucking hard the second time. Cherry Pie is one of the most mesmerizing songs i’ve heard in a minute and Smooth Operator is one of my all time faves.. i may even enjoy this more than Love Deluxe
-Favorites are Smooth Operator, Hang On to Your Love, and Cherry Pie
Aerosmith
3/5
-not as horrible as i thought it was going to be tbh. def prefer something like this to AC/DC or Guns N’ Roses
-the kind of thing i can enjoy listening to once for its hype moments and aura but wouldn’t just go back to unprompted. decent 3
-Favorites are Last Child and Get The Lead Out
Jamiroquai
3/5
-this was cool! been meaning to listen to something by Jamiroquai but wasn’t quite sure what to expect
-it was a fun vibe first and foremost. made me want to dance. i was pretty high so maybe not 100% certain of what was going on during some of the weaker songs, they did feel a bit aimless. but i had fun, would listen again probably
-Favorites are Too Young to Die and Revolution 1993
10cc
3/5
-not at all my thing tbh. sounds kind of like The Beach Boys meet corny 80s synth pop and i honestly couldn’t listen to some of these songs without cringing
-that being said. it has a certain whimsical quality and creativity i can’t help but respect and i certainly wasn’t bored listening to it. it gets points for that i suppose
-Favorites are Silly Love and The Sacro-Iliac
Blue Cheer
3/5
-yaaay i fucking love heavy psych
-aside from being a little bit aimless and hard to pay attention to it went hard as shit, i gotta give it points for that
-definitely felt like a Hype Moments and Aura album but in a much more stimulating way than most. idk what i’m talking about i’m high as shit
-Favorites are Parchment Farm and Second Time Around
Giant Sand
3/5
-meh this is… definitely an album i guess. idk how to describe the sound, kind of reminds me of Wilco but a little wackier?? i had pretty high hopes after that second track, which i liked, but it failed to live up to that standard
-it didn’t sound bad but it did sound disorganized and forgettable imo. generous 3 stars
-Favorites are (Well) Dusted and Wolfy
Emmylou Harris
3/5
-i think my mom has this album i remember seeing the cover when i was younger and thinking she was pretty
-not bad, definitely a lot more generically country than the other album i heard from her. can be hard for stuff like that to keep my attention but she has a really nice voice
-Favorites are Bluebird Wine and Coat of Many Colors
Marvin Gaye
3/5
-i think i’ve gotten to a point in my music exploration ventures that i was able to appreciate this a lot more than What’s Goin’ On. i’d like to listen to both again
-Let’s Get It On felt very different to me. a lot more saccharine… god damn this man was horny when he made it. hard to envision myself listening to this casually so no super high ranking or anything, but i enjoyed
-Favorites are Let’s Get It On and Please Don’t Stay (Once You Go Away)
The Undertones
3/5
-took a few songs to really start enjoying this but i ended up liking it more than i thought i would
-it’s sort of fun and accessible compared to most punk (??) or punk-adjacent albums. nothing revolutionary for the genre by any means but not bad enough to shit on in any capacity
-Favorites: Wrong Way and Jump Boys
Led Zeppelin
4/5
-probably the most interesting Led Zeppelin album i’ve heard so far and the current contender for my favorite
-i absolutely love the last two songs, Moby Dick is different from anything i’ve heard from this band so far. it’s just great. would love to do a Led Zeppelin discog dive someday
-Favorites: Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker, Moby Dick, and Bring It on Home
Roxy Music
3/5
-this is def my favorite Eno-related “conventional” rock project i’ve heard so far, it’s cool as hell
-a lot more sophisticated than the other album i heard from Roxy Music, i think. could honestly use a relisten but i enjoyed it. sorry if this is nonsense i’m drunk
-Favorites: The Thrill Of It All, Triptych
The Bees
3/5
-oh hell yeah this is precisely the type of Bohemian millennial indie i like. reminds me a lot of Animal Collective and nothing revolutionary, but this band still does their own thing
-holy shit my soul left my body when they covered A Minha Menina?? any band that likes Os Mutantes is a friend of mine. great work
-Favorites: Punchbag, Binnel Bay, A Minha Menina
Dusty Springfield
3/5
-i adore Dusty Springfield’s voice. i’d only heard her version of Spooky which i have listened to religiously for years, so it was cool getting to dip my toes into her other work
-could maybe use a relisten, none of it hit me all that hard but god damn her voice is just so nice
-Favorites: Just a Little Lovin’, The Windmills of Your Mind
Led Zeppelin
3/5
-this is the second Led Zeppelin album i’ve heard from here this week and i’m not complaining bc shit’s fire. they’re a band that has seriously grown on me and this is another really cool album
-i love how Loud and Intense the whole thing is. 3.5 for now but could definitely grow on me more
-Favorites: Immigrant Song, Gallows Pole
The Who
3/5
-at first i found this whole thing to be kinda cringe but it grew on me as the songs got more compelling in the middle
-very silly goofy concept especially for the 1960s, maybe not my thing but it was decently entertaining
-Favorites: Odorono, I Can See For Miles
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
-so the biggest issue with this album for me was definitely how long it felt. just a little hard to take in and appreciate individual aspects when there’s so much goin on but it was nice
-blues rock as a holistic genre continues to grow on me more than i thought it ever could. some absolutely mesmerizing tracks on here
-Favorites: Keep On Growing, Have You Ever Loved A Woman?, Layla
The Stranglers
3/5
-decent new wave sound but i fear it really is a “genre” in which most of the projects sound the same to me. this was on the better side of things so it gets a 3, and there were some good songs like Peaches
-overall just not the most memorable. i liked a lot of tho
-Favorites: Hanging Around, Peaches
Pantera
3/5
-was expecting some corny hair metal BS but i ended up kinda fuckin with this. still far from my preferred style of metal but i enjoyed the harsh vocals and slower, more atmospheric stuff
-gets a decent 3.5
-Favorites: This Love, Hollow
Venom
3/5
-never really heard metal quite like this and it wasn’t particularly digestible at first. kinda got irked by the first song
-took an interesting turn as i kept listening tho, i think the atmosphere was pretty good at least
-Favorites: Raise The Dead, Countess Bathory
Morrissey
2/5
-lowkey stop making me listen to every single one of Morrissey’s solo albums i think i get the picture now
-pretty middle of the road by his standards, every song kinda sounded the same for the most part.
-it wasn’t all bad but it was simply not interesting enough to warrant even 3 stars idc
-Favorites: Now My Heart Is Full, I Am Hated for Loving
David Crosby
3/5
-i ended up liking this one more than i thought i would. i am a CSNY enjoyer to an extent but i hadn’t heard David Crosby’s solo stuff and
-the Joni Mitchell feature (did they call it that back then?) was really good. lot of folk juggernauts on here we love to see it
-Favorites: Music Is Love, Cowboy Movie
ABBA
3/5
-i had an ABBA phase at the end of high school but never made it to this album. with the glaring exception of Dancing Queen it doesn’t have too much of my favorite material from them but it’s decent. prob a good start for someone who isn’t into them
-Favorites: When I Kissed The Teacher, Dancing Queen, Money, Money, Money
The Libertines
3/5
-i don’t dislike this. there may be something vaguely annoying / kitschy about it but it’s fun. nothing revolutionary as far as garage rock goes imo but it kinda creates its own aesthetic
-Favorites: Don’t Be Shy, The Man Who Would Be King
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
-back from my hiatus to very formally review Cheap Thrills
-i enjoyed this!! i really like the 60s San Francisco sound. Janis Joplin ATE here, definitely some of the best vocals i’ve heard from her
-it’s not quite on the level of Jefferson Airplane and kinda lost my interest at some points, but it’s quite good. god damn that guitar on Oh, Sweet Mary
-Favorites are I Need A Man To Love and Oh, Sweet Mary
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
-synth pop with some explicit early 90s techno influence
-never heard any other Pet Shop Boys albums and i’m not sure how representative this one is of their discography, but i’d say it was more or less what i was expecting. not many standouts for me and kind of verged on corny at some points (a staple of synth pop perhaps), but it wasn’t bad. 3 stars
-Favorites: A Different Point Of View and One And One Make Five
Gorillaz
4/5
-oh my god this was such a formative album for me as a kid, my mom would play it for my brother and i all the time. so many songs on here i absolutely adore
-i’m not a huge fan of all of it and it’s probably not Gorillaz’ best work, specifically the second half (maybe bc my mom didn’t play it as much?). but it’s still a really fun album and very important to my personal history with music
-Favorites are 5/4, Tomorrow Comes Today, Clint Eastwood, Rock The House, and 19-2000
Ghostface Killah
3/5
-definitely not my favorite Wu-Tang Clan member solo project of the ones i’ve heard so far, but it holds up pretty well
-liked the flow a decent amount and the features made the album. imo it’s waaay too long but whatever
-Favorites: Shakey Dog, The Tramp, Clipse of Doom
Yes
3/5
-probably my favorite Yes album i’ve heard. the grandiose prog rock songs are awesome and also easier to get into than on the other albums i’ve heard imo
-some of the interludes / shorter songs made it feel a little lackluster but even so they were fun. pretty cool album. thank you JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure for introducing me to Roundabout at a young age
-Favorites: Roundabout, South Side Of The Sky
Tom Waits
3/5
-not the strongest work i’ve heard from Tom Waits by a long shot- some parts were actively boring. that being said i thought it was really consistent and had some great vocals, so certainly not all bad
-i find him to be a really interesting artist, i’ve enjoyed getting to listen to so many of his albums this past year
-Favorites: Heartattack and Vine, Mr. Siegal
Depeche Mode
5/5
-such an incredible album. had such a chokehold on me during my Depeche Mode phase in 2023. so many consistently amazing songs, it feels like a great closer to to the 80s synth pop era and highlights the absolute best of the genre
-Favorites: World In My Eyes, Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence, Policy Of Truth
Marvin Gaye
3/5
-listening to more Marvin Gaye as i try to catch up on the albums i missed here. not bad. maybe i just need to listen to him more bc a lot of his songs sound very similar to me
-the silver lining to this is that none of them sound bad. he has a very nice, captivating touch. bit long for my tastes but i enjoyed the listen
-Favorites: Is That Enough, Anna’s Song, You Can Leave, But It’s Going To Cost You