Bowie was an alien, sent to earth to make records like this. Only he could make a soul album, have it sound nothing like soul, but instead create something this unique and generally awesome. I’ve read a lot of the criticisms of this, which are basically that it’s not soul? Who the fuck cares! We have plenty of soul - we need more Bowie! The Beatles liked Elvis, but as great as Elvis was I’m glad their music didn’t sound like his. Personally this album has grown on me over the years. I wrote off the title track as “too poppy” and on the day I got married heard it in a convenience store in VT and was overcome with gratitude and joy. Since then I’ve been borderline obsessed. Last night I was listening to it with my 4yo daughter. Pretty cool!! This time through Win, Fascination and Right stood out. Certain songs you “need to listen to with headphones” and that is exactly how I’d describe “Somebody up There Likes Me”. Hearing it today I was shocked by the number of layered tracks. The hand clap at 4 mins in, Bowie doing 3 or 4 different backing vocals to close the song, the guitar fills. Sick sick sick. Also sick, having John Lennon feature on your album. This does make me feel guilty for being critical of The Next Day. This man can do no wrong and it’s surely my dumb ears that couldn’t handle The Next Day. Bravo!

Big Bob Marley guy. One of my all time favorites.

First time listening to Iron Maiden and man was this a crazy era for rock. Not my style but pretty fun. A lot more pop than I would have imagined. May come back to this closer to Halloween.

Shockingly good. First album I had on my first MP3 player, have not come back for a full relisten in a while, and it’s better than I remember.

Been hearing about The Replacements my entire life, on of my Dads favorite bands. For whatever reason never gave them a shot - I dont think I'm a big alt rock guy. Glad to have listened to this one though. Some awesome songs I'll come back to a lot and really love Westerbergs voice. Sounds a lot like Cobain to me.

I like Peter Tosh but I don’t think he had enough material to warrant a solo album. The album sounds great, there’s just not a lot there. Really enjoyed Burial.

Excellent. Hazy Jane ll stands out. Initial reaction was a bit of annoyance, but the more I listen the better it is.

The first 4 songs are very good but it fades slowly after that. Very happy to have listened to this. Sounds like it could have been released today. Would go 3.5.

Consider myself a Nirvana fan but this album sucks. Some good songs but some horrific ones too.

Very well made. Cornell’s vocals stand out on every track. Quintessential ROCK singer.

A couple good songs and an interest cross between hair metal and grunge, but not for me.

Perfect for what it is—a live blues album. Initially, I thought B.B. King was overrated, but after learning to play some of his riffs, I realized their brilliance. Though not complex, they are perfectly crafted and have been imitated countless times. His guitar sound is incredible. The only reason I’m not giving this a 5/5 is that the album can feel repetitive, with the songs following a similar format and the lyrics revolving around the same themes. However, that's more of a critique of blues music in general.

Cool glimpse into a different time and genre I’ve never sought out. That said, not for me.

I love everything about this album.

Im sure he’s a genius etc but it’s not my bag baby

Very nice sounding but would have benefited from some variety, feels like a lot of the same to me. I like reverb as much as the next guy, but when bands over do it (Tame Impala) it loses its effect and ends up making everything sound washed out.

Having a hard time with this one. Well done, some cool stuff here but at times feels rudderless. Right when you think it'll resolve or a big chorus should break, it doesn't.

His intention seems to have been to keep up with all the new music of the late 60’s but stay Elvis and the result was pretty great. Particularly Suspicious Minds, which is one of the greatest songs ever. The southern soul sound is my favorite Elvis. That said, can’t shake the feeling that he’s impersonating other genres and performing other people’s songs (which he was), like an extremely good cover band.

Will come back for a few of these. Two hours is way too long.

As a life long Green Day hater I’d love to give this a 1/5 but some of these surprised me. Not enough to go back but more respect for them now.

As far as true ROCK bands are concerned Led Zeppelin is the pinnacle, and this is their best work. This is the type of music you can’t possibly play loud enough. I became obsessed with Led Zeppelin when I was about 10 and of all their records this is the one that aged the best. There are endless moments on here that will make you feel stuff. Houses of the Holy might go harder than any other rock song. Kashmir rules. Jon Bonham is a a fucking beast and makes the overall sound massive. Enough straight forward rock tunes, mixing in some “prog”’rock songs like “In The Light”, and zero misses. These guys were just all around monsters. Best straight up ROCK album ever. PS - I hear your complaints about nonsense and troublesome (Sick Again) lyrics and have taken those under advisement.

There’s a lot here that I wanted to like. New wave, punk, reggae influence and a cool sound and aesthetic, but the bones of these songs are not good.

90% of this album did not land the way it did when I was a lad. However, Free Bird solo is worth 2 stars. It RIPS!

A couple nice moments, liked the percussion throughout. Overall felt like a lot of window dressing. Layering in dozens of instruments to make the album seem more interesting than it is.

What’s really unique about The Score is the production quality. On top of the super clean production you have Lauryn Hill, who is a master of both rap and singing/melodies and adds to the overall super high quality album. I’m not sure the other aspects of the album are as revolutionary as they appear 30 years later (content of the songs, female rapper/singer). Overall it holds up, and I’m sure at the time pushed the genre forward. The template of creating a 10 second loop and rapping/singing over it for 3 minutes feels tired now, but at the time may not have been played out. I wish they would have explored other structures and arrangements. Skits are also something I could do without, but obviously were/are popular on Rap albums. Would go somewhere between 3.5 and 4.

Couldn’t get through it. Ecstasy of Gold got me amped and it was all downhill from there. Don’t think the symphony was additive.

Love rock and roll but this sound is grating to me, mostly the guitar, and it doesn’t let up. Some songs I enjoy but wont play this front to back.

There were very brief moments where I thought I was getting it, but mostly I didn't get it.

I had not heard this and loved it. Never been a huge Bruce guy but over the years have grown to really enjoy some of his stuff. This one really landed for me. Seems insane that at the height of his power he released a folk album with tracks about serial killers. No percussion? Somehow works.

I like the upbeat power pop with the treble bass. Reminds me of Joe Jackson or early Police. You can hear a lot of of the sounds from this era. That said, the lyrics are super whiny and a lot of these songs are forgettable.

I love Fela. Unique music with roots in american genres I love (funk and soul). High energy, charasmatic and interesting. All that said, I don't think this is his best work, but its still good. I would say 3/5 but bumping a point because of the political implications of this album. "The album criticised the Nigerian government; and it is thought to have resulted in the murder of Kuti's mother Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, and the destruction of his commune by the military." One of my favorite albums ever is "Live!" performed with Ginger Baker.

In an interview with Mac Demarco he mentioned that a friend had compared Thin Lizzy to The Beatles, which was shocking to him and me. After that I started exploring a bit more and I wouldn’t say they’re in the same stratosphere as The Beatles, they are very underrated. This live album, albeit dubbed, rocks. The live performance of Rosalie is on YouTube and it’s fucking sick.

Snoop sounds like George Clinton’s really badly behaved baby. The hits hit. A couple I’d skip.

May need another couple listens to develop a strong opinion. At first pass I can say it was very pleasant.

Favorite rap/hip-hop group and this is a hell of a debut album. So many interesting samples, and great moments in the album. The songs sampled span a wide range of genre's and are also great songs in their own right. Listening to this makes we wonder why more rap artists didn't explore more outside of the box song structures and samples. Held up incredibly well after 34 years, adding a point for innovation and all around love for TCQ.

Definitely a challenging album. I don't seek out this style of music out but I'm glad I listened to it.

I'm not wearing any panties, but if I was they'd be on the floor.

What a horrible weird roller coaster ride that was. After three songs I was queueing up texts to friends “Korn is good!” I was RIGHT to like them in 5th grade. But that jubilation was short lived. The remainder of this album is an abomination. I have many questions about this album and nu metal in general. My primary question is why would my parents let me listen to this when I was 10? “All In The Family”, the homophobic battle rap between Jonathan Davis and Fred Durst, may be the worst song ever made. There is a small chance this is some kind of comment on homophobia? The song starts with back and forth insults about each being a "faggot", but the song ultimately devolves into Fred and Jon exchanging "threats" of fucking one another. Truly bizzare. I'm officially OUT on Korn.

Sledgehammer might be the perfect song. Every component of the song fits together perfectly. The funk guitar holding the rhythm, the horns, the background vocals, the ascending volume on the horns during the chorus. Lead vocals rip, etc. Plus, it gets me fucking amped. The entire album feels like a fine suit, sometimes flashy and sometimes understated. The composition of the songs is super clean, high-quality production without adding superfluous instruments/solos. That said, some of the songs may be filler (This is the Picture/Mercy Street). The highlight (aside from Sledgehammer) was Big Time. IM ON MY WAY, IM MAKING IT!!! I need to revisit why I love Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins but don't like Genesis.

I've gone through this album three times now, and I'm still having a hard time deciding where I land on it. With each listen I enjoy it more, which I think is a trait of the best albums. Reading up on Illinois I came across this quote from Sufjan: "I think now I listen more as a technician and a researcher. I'm always hearing music in terms of what I can take out of it, and I think I've always listened like that. I have a hard time just listening for pleasure." This sums up much of the album. Incredibly orchestrated and dense and feels like someone spent a lot of time writing, arranging, and recording it. Like a work of art in a museum, not to be touched, but beautiful to look at and think about. It's hard to criticize this album, but if I had to... I'm mildly annoyed by his singing style - just cut loose once! Also, I think music is generally meant to be instinctual and enjoyed without thinking TOO much, and I wish there were more moments like that on this record. Overall, I'm very impressed with Sufjan and will be spending a lot more time digesting this one.

Because I don’t have a lot to say other than this is one of the best albums here are some random thoughts. Quincy Jones version of BOTW from Gula Matari is so good. Not sure if this is true but heard Hendrix was going to play on it but was too intimidated, which makes sense if you hear some of the guitar on there. Apparently Art didn’t like BOTW which is sick. BOTW is a very fun progression to play on guitar and often the first thing I play when I pickup a guitar. I’m very interested in Art and Simon’s relationship. Apparently both So Long Frank Lloyd Wright and Only Living Boy in NY are basically love songs Simon wrote for Art.

Experimenting and pushing boundaries is good, but shouldn’t always be packaged and sold as music. Some of this is legit good, but I think they front loaded the album. Highlight was the bass line in Regiment.

Very cool stuff. My high level take on this is they aren't great song writers, but everything else is top notch. As many epic moments as there are confounding moments. I don't understand the purpose of the diddling on Moonchild that lasts 10 minutes. It does make the intro to "The Court of the Crimson King" pop, but 10 minutes of random sounds feels excessive. At moments I’m definitely engaged and enjoying parts, but there are also moments where it sounds like Spinal Tap with a music degree.

Prob 3.5. Lot of funs tracks. The only JB track i knew was Doing Our Own Dang, and just learned Q-Tip, Queen Latifah and De La Soul are all on it.

Best part of this album is Kanye. Great album etc but unfortunately I have an aversion to Common.

Bowie was an alien, sent to earth to make records like this. Only he could make a soul album, have it sound nothing like soul, but instead create something this unique and generally awesome. I’ve read a lot of the criticisms of this, which are basically that it’s not soul? Who the fuck cares! We have plenty of soul - we need more Bowie! The Beatles liked Elvis, but as great as Elvis was I’m glad their music didn’t sound like his. Personally this album has grown on me over the years. I wrote off the title track as “too poppy” and on the day I got married heard it in a convenience store in VT and was overcome with gratitude and joy. Since then I’ve been borderline obsessed. Last night I was listening to it with my 4yo daughter. Pretty cool!! This time through Win, Fascination and Right stood out. Certain songs you “need to listen to with headphones” and that is exactly how I’d describe “Somebody up There Likes Me”. Hearing it today I was shocked by the number of layered tracks. The hand clap at 4 mins in, Bowie doing 3 or 4 different backing vocals to close the song, the guitar fills. Sick sick sick. Also sick, having John Lennon feature on your album. This does make me feel guilty for being critical of The Next Day. This man can do no wrong and it’s surely my dumb ears that couldn’t handle The Next Day. Bravo!

Why metal and machinery? I think I’d rather listen to water music. Splashing for 3 minutes followed by spraying. 3 more minutes of dripping. Wood clanging would certainly sound better. Maybe just beat my head against a wall for an hour. The fact I’ve actually considered the plausibility of a water sounds record may mean they achieved their goal... +1 for originality

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz I can’t go from Kollaps to this.

Favorite guitarist by far and one of my favorite artists. I will never not enjoy listening to Hendrix.

Cool story. Good execution. Not particularly engaging or interesting music to me.

I went through a Chronic phase. One time was blaring this, sitting in traffic and heard loud honking, turn around to see an expressionless person... continue jamming out... another honk. Now i turn the music down, throw my hands up, expressing frustration with the person behind me etc. Realized I was the one leaning on the horn, honking at myself. Overall, i've always enjoyed the overall sound of this album. "Let Me Ride" is the best example, with great samples from Parliament and James Brown. Super west coast rap sound. What ever that weird organ sound is all over the album. Some other highlights: the first 10 seconds of Rat-Tat-Tat, Nuthin but a G Thang and Snoop in general, sick album cover, the intro to the album and launching a record label "Welcome to Death Row" In it's entirety I'm not sure it's held up. In hindsight I think a lot of the success of The Chronic was based on marketing - selling Dr Dre and Snoop as characters (they smoke weed!) and the intrigue of the overall bad blood with NWA etc. prob 3.5

Really good! First time listening to these guys.

Really really bad. Gave me more appreciation for the good ones.

I think the group summed this up well. A lot of good here but felt like it never quite made it off the ground. I also agree we may be missing the context. If Nebraska was your intro to Bruce you’d be pretty confused about the hype. Feel like there’s more here. I’ll come back for “The Words That Maketh Murder”

Grew up loving early Steely Dan and not understanding the more prog albums like Aja, but have grown to love this and other later year Steely Dan. I’m sure it’s a common story. Like all my favorite albums, this one grows on you the more you hear it. I do wonder if we should be critical of Steely Dan for their clinical approach. Obviously precision/perfection is their thing, but would it have killed them to let their hair down in spots? Either way, one of the great records. Not a drum solo guy but the outro to Aja is so fucking sick. Steve Gadd >>>>

First time listening to a full Smiths album and I was pleasantly surprised. Morrisey's singing is the signature of this band, but I found listening to this that it also distracted from the great progressions and instrumentation in general. Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This Before rocks and I've been playing it on repeat.

Initial review: Nice, but not for me. Starting to consider this type of country for certain situations though. Sunny fall day, some George Jones for ambiance. We’ll see. Second review: It took me a while to get into the pace of this, but now I’m fearing I could get into country. It’s very comforting, makes life feel a lot simpler. Something is nice about not having to seek anything from this and just listen. Less is sometimes more? Getting into country would be a dramatic transformation.

Sounds like Marvins ex was possessive and needy! Let the man live. He wants custody of his kid but still wants to do coke and fuck “midnight ho’s” And the nerve to make him pay alimony! I had heard some songs but had not done a deep dive on this, and man is it sad. The ill advised cover art kind of tells the story. Marvin is lost and that comes across in his music in both positive and negative ways. At times it feels like a meandering bitch-fest and others he hits some truly transcendent grooves (Is That Enough) Marvin Gaye is probably my favorite male singer. Rating this is tough because the bar is What’s Going On, but I’ll just hit him with 4. Probably a 3 but idgaf. Also - noticed the Sippin on Some Syrup sample for the first time on Is That Enough. Pretty good call by Three Six Mafia.

Very polished but very boring. Take it Easy is good.

I don't know if I've ever actually liked Van Halen, but I definitely have wanted to like them. They seem fun, EVH is obviously a great guitar player, certain songs are legit good, but in my heart I just don't like this band. David Lee Roth is too damn obnoxious. Through this listen I enjoyed "I'll Wait". Panama is good but i think ive just heard it too many times, also the chorus just being PA-NA-MA! struck me as dumb this time. May be too old for VH!

This album hits all the marks for me. Making loops is very fun, but after so many times you find the loop, no matter how many layers you create, ends up feeling hollow. That's why its more fun playing in a band with other people. Murphy took the benefits of loops, technology, endless instruments etc but didn't let that limit the songs. He still created something with substance and variety. It does sound a bit lonely at times, but it works. Uniquely LCD Soundsystem.

I think Sheryl is boom or bust. Generally a big fan of the hits but there are some bad ones in here. Also, it occured to me "All I Wanna Do" is its very similar to Stuck In The Middle With You. Pro-Sheryl, but this one had too many weak songs.

A+ listen. I think I have zero negative criticisms.. I think some of these bands over time get so hyped that you end up only hearing negative shit - its not interesting to say Pink Floyd rules... But they do! Of course I know these songs, but i can't say I've listened to the album front to back, maybe since I was a kid. It really creates a world that is both dystopian and cold but for some reason you want to stay longer. The structure is tremendous as well, bookending with Shine On... Iconic album cover. Just noticed Welcome to Machine has no drums! Props to Pink Floyd for making the music they wanted to. Fucking sick album!

While I appreciate Cave’s zeal and originality, I really hate this. I really try to listen to each album through but this one I’m bailing on.

I like Johnny Cash! He does come off as a bit of a phony, but so do a lot of people. He found a lane and committed to it. Great voice/charisma/delivery. It also has me pondering the ethics of this. On the one hand he's humanizing these people, which is good... I think? What did they do? How did their victims feel about all this banter? This prison sucks LOLZ... Would Doggystyle be better if it was recorded in a prison? Would we say Snoop is more or less phony? Wanted Man was by far my favorite track and of course it was written by Bob Dylan...

Between this, Sticky Fingers and Exile the Stones really hit their stride. As good as it gets. I don't know the details of any kind of rivalry or faux rivalary but the naming feels like little brother to me. If they really did feel like they were competing with the Beatles I think they make it clear during this stretch of albums they were something completely different and thank god they leaned into blues/rock and away from whatever psychedlic shit they were trying. I think I prefer the live versions on Love in Vain and Live With Me from Get Yer Ya Ya's Out, but nice to hear the studio versions.

Some good stuff but feels like the beta version of Beastie Boys. Generally a fan but also wonder if they’re better in small doses. Maybe not suited for the full listen through.

Solidly a 3 for me. Some moments where it felt like they were teasing taking it to another level. A definite willingness to stretch boundaries. Will come back for Immortal Story.

I bet if you analyzed this album, it’s flawless, but it’s just not hitting the way other SW albums do. Depending on the day I could get really into this or truly not enjoy it. Glad to have listened to it (several times) but won’t be in the regular rotation…. I don’t think? It’s a 3 or 4 but as I’m writing this is a 3. Feel like I’ll regret this.

Fats was printing money! "The Associated Press estimates that during his career, Domino "sold more than 110 million records"." I had no idea he was this popular or really his significance to rock music. I enjoyed this and will come back to it on occasion. Predictably it sounds rudimentary 60 years later, which would be my only critique. I think it deserves a 4 but it’ll be a 3 for me.

Alternate title could be "I don't even want to be about anymore". These aging rockers reflecting on the meaning of life and death is a real drag! Second listen through it was more enjoyable and his lyrics are interesting as always. The Nick Cave/creepy swamp blues sound on a couple tracks isn't for me. Not sure how to feel about the mix - it sounds bad but it works for the overall depressing vibe. It was thought provoking, but getting someone to comtemplate how fleeting life can be feels like low hanging fruit. Dylan was this down in '97.... I wonder what the last 30 years have been like.

This is throwing shit against the wall and nothing sticking. At least half this band was disgusted by what they were playing. But that's the cost of trying to do something new - it might be ground breaking but likely it's going to sound terrible. (I was too easy on Dylan and I'm taking it out on Pere Ubu)

Spoiler: Led Zeppelin 1-4, Houses of the Holy and PG are all 5/5 for me. This is the second LZ album we’ve had and this one falls a little short of Physical Graffiti. Reading this was received with some hesitation from critics because they started branching away from strictly hard rock, which hadn’t occurred to me having consumed all this music in no particular order. I think as a result of adding the new genres this one in particular did feel a little disjointed at times. Led Zeppelin rules.

This is a classic. Watermelon Man blew my mind when i first heard it and remains one of my favorites. Chameleon is closely behind. Very approachable Jazz and for someone who was/is a Jazz novice that loves funk I really appreciated this. This time through I did find aspects of it boring, but I think thats because I'm maybe less of a jazz novice now? Or maybe I've just heard it too many times. Either way, classic album 5 stars.

I dont knowwwwwwww. I'm impressed but not blown away. Cool to blend these genres and make something main stream. Great sound, great vocals etc. I think i listened to this 4 times and only a couple songs really stand out (Space Invaders and Brass in Pocket). At times it feels very faceless. I'm sure there are strong arguments for 4+, which I respect. 3 for me.

This could have been a 4 or 5 album but this mix is terrible. I thought my speakers were broken at first. WIll have to do more digging on Dino Jr. because I liked what I heard, it just sounded like i had ear muffs on or something.

To date this might be the most "jam band" album we've heard, and its one guy playing piano and not singing (a few moans here and there). As a jam band sympathizer, I enjoyed this. Some of my favorite moments listening to or playing music are the unexpected ones, where you hear or play a melody/rhythm that makes you feel like you've just seen a puzzle come together. There are downsides to endless "jams" of course, which this album has some of. Cool story too - drove all night to West Germany to play a concert an 18 y/o arranged, but no piano available so had to tune up the shitty rehearsal piano and make the most out of the lower registers. Pretty crafty. The range of genres covered is also pretty sick. I think given the circumstances he deserves a 5, but it is limited (to one guy playing paino) so I'll go 4.

Somewhere I heard you are either a Sly and The Family Stone fan or an Earth Wind and Fire fan, and I fall in the Sly camp. There were many moments in here I enjoyed. Obviously these guys are masters I appreciate the prog/jazz stuff. That said, with EW&F I always feel like I'm not quite getting it. This listen I kept thinking about that term "Plastic Soul" that worked so well for Bowie but for some reason here feels like a kitchy tourist trap or something. I reserve the right to become a huge Earth, Wind and Fire guy at some point, but that day is not today.

I'll give it up to them for Fell in Love With a Girl and We're Going to Be Friends. Great songs. That said, I don't like The White Stripes. Sad! I pondered why I'm hating for a while this weekend. I think we got off on the wrong foot (but my critiques are also still valid). When I was deep into classic rock in my pre-teens they blew up and I felt it was a sub-par rip off of my favorite bands. Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground sounded like a worse version of Dear Mr. Fantasy to me. My main issue is the decisions they made to stand out were just that, and not artistic decisions to create better music. Not having a bass guitar makes this record worse. I hear a lot of music that is derivative of classic rock songs and some power chord/riff hacks. I also enjoy those songs MORE than the truly original ones (The Union Forever). The red and white theme is also off putting. I want to like this band and compared to their contemporaries, they are objectively good. I'll try to keep an open mind.

Only recently started listening to Dire Straits. A friend shared a video of a performance from 1979 and it’s pretty sick. Simple arrangements with Mark Knopfler grooving/shredding and stealing the show. This album feels over produced to me and a little disjointed. Money for Nothing is a great song, 10/10 and I liked the first few tracks a lot. Feels like karma, bashing the White Stripes for being too bare bones, immediately getting hit with this.

Loved this. What a surprise. Highlights were Night Train and Arc of a Diver. Hope we get more Winwood and Winwood projects.

I really enjoyed the first 3 songs. Felt like it fell off a cliff after that. Read Jack White played bass on a track.

When we had 1984 I started contemplating my thoughts on Van Halen, which was maybe I’ve never liked Van Halen. After this all I know is i don’t like listening to them. Also wondering if EVH actually is a good guitar player. He can do a lot but to my ears it sounds awful. I think “I’m the One” was where that clicked. They have a decent harmony in the chorus and after each line he plays insane fills that add nothing to the song. Give me some slow yet tasteful JJ Cale (or a hundred other guitarists) over this garble. Jamie’s Cryin is the best version of this band. Adding a star for that song.

Another dramatic shift, this time from Van Halen and thoughtless rock to this poetry album. Again making me feel I need to be more appreciative of what I’m listening to that day. I’ve had Suzanne on the “liked” playlist for a while, and that song is very nice sounding and evokes some interesting thoughts. That said, the full album listen made me feel like I was completely ill-equipped to appreciate this. I’m missing two major prerequisites - I’ve never read the Bible/didn’t go to church and I don’t fundamentally understand poetry. Is good poetry like a puzzle with no clear answer? Highlight was Master Song - the accents from the horns and violin were very cool. Low rating but it’s not you, Leonard, it’s me.

This one was a staple in my house growing up. Parents were big time REM fans. Hard for me to listen to this objectively. First thing that I noticed this time through was the bass, and shocking I didn’t think of this before. It’s way up in the mix, in some cases the intro to the song, treble up and used more like a guitar or piano are used. The bass/drums are in a way what really creates this REM sound and then everything else on top of that. Big fan of this album. There really isn’t a bad song on here. Production is also pretty great. I may just have Steely Dan on my mind, but REM is the Steely Dan of alt/indie music? Very ambitious/serious and setting the bar a generation musicians.

Impressive to make such timeless and generally great music that is fairly simple. Back to basics. The Band and Exile come to mind. I think it’s their energy and talent plus avoiding any bullshit. Heard It Through the Grapevine must be one of the most “coverable” songs. “The Slits” have a great version too.

Puffy Daddy said it… “Mariah, you’re on fi-re!” My brain may be rotten from spending a week in Vegas but I genuinely enjoyed this. I’ve always had a strong distaste for MC and the over singing, could be that Christmas song, but I was really taken with her voice and her ability to use it as an instrument here. I can’t say I’ve listened to a lot of music like this, so there may be others like this, but her ability is awesome. The instrumentation sounds cheap and manufactured to me but I think this is the just the style of 90’s R&B. Was very surprised to hear the Mobb Deep Shook Ones sample (who sampled Herbie Hancock for that song) but enjoyed that as well as the other features. The Roof, Breakdown and Fly Away (reprise) stood out. I really wanna go 4 but gonna play it safe. Might get into divas.

Let the record show I like Outkast. Going 4 because of 3 exceptionally good songs... but there are 24 tracks. Feel a bit nit-picky because this is in theory everything I should want in a band... interesting music, lyrics, funny, spanning genres, certified hits. BUTTTTTT I wish they would have been a littleee more focused. They eliminated a lot of constraints which led to some great music, but some of these tracks could have been a lot better. Still a lot of the old school 5 second loops with some dressing on top. I feel like Andre was super into Prince, Hendrix and George Clinton, mixed that with Atlanta rap and made that his personality. It is cool how commercially successful this was, looking back this is dramatically different and endlessly more interesting than the popular songs in 2000. Glanced and names like Destiny's Child, Matchbox 20, Train stood out (all due respect). The song ATLiens is worth listening to if you're still in an Outkast mood.

One of my favorite albums (aside from the 12 min drum duet). Can't really explain why I enjoy it as much as I do. I think part of it is the same reason I didn't enjoy Leonard Cohen as much as others. Some of the best song writers are story tellers and if one of the primary features of a song/album is the story then I might get sick of it after X# listens. With this style of music I can just listen and enjoy.

Bye Bye Love rocks. I read on the wiki this was groundbreaking because he blended country and soul at the height of the civil rights movement. That is cool, but it still sounds sleepy to my 2024 ears. This surely deserves 5 stars for the times and American history but it’ll be 3 stars for my records. If someone ever scrutinizes my 1001 ratings I’m going to have a tough time justifying how I gave this a lesser rating than OutKast. Curious about big band music, feels like it’d be sick to see in person. Either way, bravo Ray. I’m a fan.

I imagine this is what Tyler Durden listens to. Very early 2000's. As thrilling as dishing out a 1 star is I'm elevating to 2. I think a 1 star has to be truly insulting - this is borderline but some cool stuff here. They were trying something for sure.

The uniqueness of the M&P's sound reminds me of Pet Sounds. Not because they’re from the same era in LA, but because they both create an alluring world. Both were complete fabrications and the reality was a lot more drug fueld and generally fucked up, but still a fun listen! Overall love the Mama's and the Papa's and this record. Straight Shooter is a good encapsulation of the paradox of the hippie movement. Its all fun and games/peace and love until you're addicted to heroin. Not so fun fact: Mama Cass died in the same apartment (Harry Nilsson’s) that Keith Moon would die in 4 years later.

Relatively new to Bossa Nova but have been listening to it quite a bit. Maybe the most calming music I’ve come across. While cruising for more Bossa Nova the names Getz, Gilberto and Jobim come up a lot. These guys are the OG’s of the genre and you can see why. Perfectly crafted arrangements and performances. I can’t get enough. What’s most intriguing to me are the progressions. Totally fresh to me, and pretty far outside my understanding of music theory. Obviously the iconic rhythm stands out as well, but the progressions are what really interest me.

Masterpiece. WALL OF SOUND. One of my all time favorites and thinking about it this weekend, it occurred to me there is a lot of contradiction in Pet Sounds. Epic/docile, approachable/complex, happy/sad, avant- garde/pop. Approachable enough that my toddlers listened to it constantly (not that they were requesting it), but too complex for me to really understand. I think that’s the key and why I always come back to it. It sounds insanely good, which is probably its lasting legacy, but every time I play it some new instrument or harmony or whatever stands out like it’s the first time I’m hearing it. The record opens with a key shift in the first 6 seconds! Another contradiction is the fact that it’s so meticulously crafted but is also very emotional. Aja is comparable from a production standpoint but still feels distant or cold at times. The fact that I’m a concept album guy is really hitting home now, and I think these albums benefit from a full listen through. I greatly prefer consistent themes to an eclectic mix of songs. I love to sink into an album and this one specifically takes you somewhere. Dreamlike. Pet Sounds is also incredibly unique. It profoundly influenced popular music 60 years ago but as far as I can tell no one has made anything similar to it since. This time through my favorites were Let's Go Away for Awhile, Here Today, I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times, Caroline, No. The horns in the pre chorus in Here Today fucking rule. P.s. Phil Spector seems to be the primary influence for this, and this led to The Beatles response in Sgt Peppers. Crazy how much that creep Spector changed the landscape of popular music.

Take that Ananda Shankar! That’s a sitar solo if I’ve ever heard one. I don’t have a ton to say about this one, it feels a little like wallpaper in my life. Over time certain songs have stood out to me over different stretches. Kings was one I loved for a while, lately it’s been Only a Fool Would Say That. I’ll try not to avoid hyperbole because we have been on a 1001 heater, but this is probably my favorite Steely Dan song. I had always loved it and then I learned it’s about John Lennon and that gave the song a lot more life. Something about “peers” of legends criticizing each other that really fires me up. The only version we hear 50 years later is that he was the greatest, altruistic rock god, not that he was an obnoxious and at times naive idealist. I love John Lennon ftr (where are the Beatles records?) That plus it being flawlessly written and recorded makes it special. Overall this is a crazy debut record. Definitely where a lot of Steely Dan fans begin I’m sure. Lately I’ve been more drawn to their later stuff (The Royal Scam and Aja) but this will always show up on the rotation. My Dad was always playing “Everything Must Go” I think the final boss of Dad life. Dropped the “did you know Dirty Work was about a dildo? And so was the band name” this summer. Got hit with a “no shit, who doesn’t know that?” AND a “wait, really?” so I guess it still plays.

I knew the record but i was not aware of the song writting achievement. I did NOT know she wrote You've Got a Friend, (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and Will You Love Me Tomorrow. I also had not heard this soulful side of her. Very torn on a rating. For my personal taste i want to give it a 3, but for what she accomplished it is definitely deserving of a 4 or 5. Gonna flip a coin....heads, 4 stars.

Lotta bird talk. Bill was fighting an uphill battle from the jump with that title/album cover combo. I think I could make space in my mind for something like this, but it would take an investment of energy I'm not willing to make. Bill sounds like a modern Leonard Cohen, and I struggle with this for the same reasons I struggled with that one.

Just find a groove!!!!!! This gives me the same terrible feeling I have when I’m brainlessly scrolling twitter, checking email, news, anything for some kind of breaking information for that endorphin hit. Let’s just pick a few samples and make something. I’ll give them another star because from what I read they were trying to create some kind of concept album, where it sounds like someone traveling following a girl. So fairly ambitious but they also abandoned that plan.