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!

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

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.

Committed to getting through the albums I missed, which has lead me to skewering this guy on a random Sunday. About 40 minutes into this I started questioning if I actually liked music. Never heard of this fella, but saw his name in the news lately for making a biopic where he’s played by a CGI monkey. Based on this album alone I’m going to say that Robbie Williams is a douche. Jim Jeffries of music maybe, his brand is that he’s a wild rocker. At times the vibe is a 16 year old with a Clash T-shirt. I was particularly bothered by the Elton John impression on his ballad “Angels”. It doesn’t help matters that what he’s going for is Brit Pop, which I’m not learning I don’t enjoy. Two thumbs down on Life Through a Lense.

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.

This was my introduction to Lorde. FTR I'm also somwhat out of the loop on modern pop music. My main takeaway from this was that Jack Antonoff has an even more distict sound that I had thought. This sounds like a Taylor Swift album with a different singer. Because of that, to me Melodrama was fast food pop music or something. A giant machine spit this out, along with all the Tswift records and what ever else. The reality may be that Jack Antonoff is insanely successful and the reason this sounds tired is because we've all heard all of his hit songs on repeat for 10 years. Lorde does seem talented and nothing about this is offensive, but I didn't connect with anything on here. Highlight was "Loveless" which was basically an outro. Cool we're getting records from 2017 - I could use more awareness of fairly recent hit albums.

I’m happy for U2 and all their fans. Bono seems cool, his stock went up considerably with her performance as Clay Callaway. Edge is great blah blah blah. All that being said… I wouldn’t mind if I never heard U2 again. Just the most boring stuff I’ve ever heard. Kollaps > Joshua Tree. U2 = The Irish Eagles.

Frank must have been on the naughty list, getting B-Boys album on Christmas. Since Licensed to Ill I’ve had to take a long look in the mirror and reflect on my positive feelings towards the Beastie Boys. I will not be bullied into not liking the Beastie Boys, but I can acknowledge they may be not-serious people and potentially hacks when it comes to actual rhyming. On this record it’s clear they want to be taken serious, and one tactic they’ve used is to distort their vocals so you can’t hear what they’re saying (smart). Sabotage is the best thing they’ve probably made and listening to this full album gives context for how and why they made it. Overall, I like their non serious attitude and their sound, but if you were to take a long look at them, like this exercise would encourage you to do, you may think they’re terrible. Not me! I’m going down with the ship.

Apparently Brian Wilson’s favorite album. I’m a bit of a grinch, but this sounds as good as any Christmas music I’ve heard.

I think I made it an hour. It sounds nice but I can’t do 2 more hours.

I like this stuff. Great voice. Love the bass drums but really wish all the strings sections would be replaced with horns. Those strings really didn't age well and borderline ruin some of these for me.

Lotttta B Boys. Kind of cool to listen to these so close to one another - one of the more impressive progressions of a band we've seen. This is the rawest/most intesnse album of the three. Feels more like art compared to the other two. Considerable improvement over their first album and feels like the purest form of the their sound. It is impressive this was made in 1989 and it really shows the possibilities of hip-hop. It also makes we wonder why more artist didn't push the boundaries . We have a few, but compared to this 90% of hip-hop feels lazy. As much as I've enjoyed our Beastie Boys journey I'm ready for a new deep dive.

As a recently declared ‘concept album guy’ I am conflicted with Bat Out of Hell. I may not like operatic concept albums? Or maybe the concept is too dumb? This was a worthwhile listen and Meatloaf has a lot more to offer than I would have guessed. Cool story behind it as well. My immediate thought was this sounds A LOT like Thunder Road, which I’ve learned is a common thought, although one the Steinman was (somehow) confused by. Overall, happy to have listened but probably won’t be back.

Love Alice Coopers moxie. Was very familiar with a few of these but had never done the full listen. I think my favorite new track was Raped and Freezin… Elected was also new to me and apparently a single. To my ear it sounds like the descending scale/melody towards the end of the song and the chord progression are completely clashing. Pretty sure they are in completely different keys. I will investigate. Overall, I’m a fan of the vibe and the sound. I would probably skip the fucking dead people song, but that comes with the territory I suppose.

I'm walking down the street and I can hear a commotion. It's a party in a giant purple mansion. Loud music playing, people fucking everywhere. Everyone is screaming and crying for Prince. PRINCE, PRINCE, PRINCE!!!! Prince sees me and seductively asks if I'd like to come in. I do. I want to be in the Prince party. I've always wanted to be in the Prince party! But I just can't. Too buttoned up maybe? Not horny enough? I get that Prince is great but for some reason I have never fully understood or connected to the music. There will be a song here or there I keep in the rotation, I think mainly from his self titled album. I asked my Mom what they thought of him when he was coming up and her answer was simple, "Pervert". After hearing "I want to fuck the taste out of your mouth" I get it. I'm glad that Prince existed and maybe some day I'll make it to the party.

Coffee house Jazz may be near the bottom of my genre preferences, and this is the epitome of that genre. Can't explain why. I was very excited to learn shes Ravi Shankar kid, not sure how I'm just learning that now.

Always been intrigued by WAR and truly love some of their hit songs. Cisco Kid has always been the rotation but had never done the full listen through. Really enjoyed it but nothing jumped out at me. Would not have guessed this was a #1 album just based on the genre but they must have blended funk and soul with pop pretty effectively. Borderline but i think i need more stand outs for a 4. Good album, no complaints. Boring review.

What a strange delight! Totally original sound (a touch of the cranberries on one song). Had no expectations but listened to this one a few times through. I could barely understand a word they were saying and it’s unclear to me if that’s the Scottish accent or another language? Ahead of their time, sounds like modern indie.

I really disliked this. The overwrought singing style reminds me of some combination of Hunter, Jan from the Offices former assistant, and the kid on the stairs in Animal House who has his guitar destroyed by Bluto. The progressions and melodies aren't particularly interesting, the production sounds good. Wouldn't say this offended me - i could understand how someone may enjoy it. Despite all this, I'm not sure i can argue with Michael Stipe saying it was the best album of 1993... pretty rough year for music.

Great opening track, showcasing my favorite aspects of the RHCP (punk funk?). For reference, Give it Away is my favorite song of theirs. What i don't like about RHCP are the songs that really put them over the top and are the hits off this album. Something about those minor key's and sad lyrics I can't latch onto. Shutting down emotionally when i know the artist wants me to reflect. Like Will Hunting resisting Robin Williams... it's not your fault!!! I wasn't abused, I just don't like sad feelings. I also do feel a lot of these songs are structured in a very similar way - many starting with a distinct minor chord riff or chord on guitar. Another thought I keep coming back to in this exercise is that many of these bands and albums stand out because they are blending genre's - in this case there are a few but I would say hip-hop, rock and funk stand out. I've been contemplating the future of music as we run out of distict genres. A lot less low hanging fruit to create a unique sound. Has anyone blended blue grass and metal? There are many HITS on this album, but a lot of dead weight on the second half. As is often the case, deserving of more stars but two for my taste.

When I graduated college I moved into a place with my cousin and some friends. We all had similar musical tastes and at some point we went into a collective manic obsession with 70’s R&B and Soul and Curtis Mayfield was our North Star. We were constantly exchanging songs and the closer we could get to Mayfield, the better. We had a gigantic Superfly poster on the wall, which we didn’t contemplate the optics of (4 white guys with a blaxploitation movie poster) I still don’t think I know if that’s cool? Looking back I’m not sure exactly how we all landed at the same conclusion at the same time: Curtis Mayfield rules and was cool as hell. This time through I’m really astounded with how great this album is. There really isn’t a bad moment. This time through Little Child Running Wild and the instrumentals stood out. I also hadn't contemplated how seriously he took this, but in many ways its a lot like What's Going On. Mayfields concept album (concept album boys stand up!) I just learned Mayfield wrote the music largely as a critique to the film (glorifying drug use and culture). I'm less interested in that and more so just appreciative of how great his songs and this album sounds. It starts with the grooves (Pusherman for example) but it goes beyond that to consistently engaging songs and moments that are incredibly "cool". Curtis was a wise choice for a movie called "Super Fly". One of my favorite Impressions songs is "It's Alright" and I wouldn't say that's cool, but it does make you feel good and has a great groove. Quick retraction on RHCP: I said I don't like music that makes me feel sad, which is too broad. I just don't like RHCP and trying to understand why.

I remember loving Bittersweet Symphony as a kid, so I'm sure its just been overplayed... but god damn it did I hate this. I spent a few minutes trying to find a review that explained what is good about this but could not find anything analytical just that they were taking the Brit Pop scene to a new level (via a hijacked sample). I don't like Oasis and from what i gather this is a less interesting Oasis? I do feel bad for them, sounds like they got screwed with the royalties on BSS, but theres no feelings in 1001 world, only harsh truths. And in this case the truth is The Verve suck.

Boston's own! I was surprised how well I knew all but two of these songs. Growing up MA I think we had an unusual amount of The Cars played on our only good radio station (ZLX). Very unique sound - super clean production. Only comp I could think of was Joe Jackson, maybe Devo for some of the vocals, Boston for some of the bigger solo's. Despite having a very unique sound theres a lot of variance in the songs. Never really sought out the Cars, despite hearing all these songs 1000 times, and probobaly won't seek them out going forward, but when I hear a Cars song I'll turn it up.

The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite in a great song, which has me wondering what the differece is between that song and the rest of the album. I chose Drive as a comp. Sidewinder... - Interesting progression that keeps you guessing. - Soulful - Its a bop - the snare is driving things - rythym guitar playing the off-beat - Stipes delivering the vocals with conviction - His vocal delivery is also adding to the overall rythm of the song, occasionally aligning to the driving organ. - Somewhat vague but song about loss - Perfect bridge Drive (fucking awful song) - Downer finger picking minor chords - Lame halfway spoken word lyrics (echo to pick them up a bit) - Boring predictable chord changes - When it does resolve to an upbeat "chorus" it immediately fades back into nothing - Could be the theme music to True Detective - Extremely vague meaning In my review of Murmur I noted that the drums and bass combo were key to the REM sound, and this album is a departure from that, with the exception of The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite. I think you can make a downer, minor chord, finger picking, predictable song but something needs to carry it. Most times it's really compelling lyrics or maybe a couple of chord changes that throw you. R.E.M were making an effort to move away from their alt rock sound and get more serious and introspective with this record, but in the case of Drive, and most of the other songs, it didn't work. Everybody Hurts and Nightswimming are hits, and at one point in my life I liked them so I need to give them credit for those. Frank and I played in a HS band and at some point added Everybody Hurts, a terrible decision I'm blaming on our temp keyboard player Pat, though I could very well be the culprit.

Pretty fun listen. First time through it was sort of a blur, somewhat indistinguishable songs. Second time through the production stood out, a few songs and moments. The intro to Milk Film was pretty cool, like Vampire Weekend. The outro to King Size was pretty sick too. It sounds like these guys were into jamming and they had to sort of work to get their songs organized. I bet they were great live in a small bar. Some British terms and lyrics that can take you out of the groove, like “you’re my little fab one” Some pretty bad tunes as well. 35 minutes would have been more appropriate.

I’ve been a Beatles stan since the day I brought Rubber Soul to show and tell in 2nd grade. This being the first Beatles album we’ve gotten has put me in a bit of a spot. On the one hand, I believe The Beatles were sent from God and are by a significant margin the best band ever. On the other, I can see how this album can come across as fairly rudimentary and irritating to some. Their raw talent does shine through but it’s only a glimpse of their potential, which was realized at lightspeed. A few things stand out: - John’s vocals and charisma - The Beatles ability to arrange a simple song with a small but unconventional change or section that elevates it above any normal pop song. - Till There Was You is a crazy cover for a 22 year old. A show tune they composed in a bossa nova style. - Some of the covers are bad, by their standards, and the Beatles playing 50’s rock is not good. At this age it’s already clear they’re music fanatics and phenoms. What I’ve never understood is how they did all this without any kind of formal musical training. I think they all must have had a freakish ear and poured over records trying to figure out changes and melodies. That’s neither here nor there. Giving a 4 here, even though I feel all Beatles records deserve a 5. I think I’m making a new Beatles scale. On the Beatles scale it’s a 2 or 3 but adding 1-2 because it’s the Beatles.

Oh PJ you’re sOoOoO cool. That album cover is atrocious! I see that lady I’m walking the other direction. The Patti Smith thing is irritating when it comes from Patti, never mind PJ Harvey. I think I preferred Let England Shake.

The lack of commitment to the concept here has always bothered me. Obviously this is one of the all time great albums so any complaint is nitpicking. I’ve considered Sgt Pepper somewhere in the middle of the pack of Beatles albums. I greatly prefer the edge of a Lennon song, as well as his vocals to Paul’s, and this feels like 75% Paul. A Day In The Life might be the best song ever recorded. One unexpected outcome of this exercise is that I now resent the Shankar family. Last note is this listen through I noticed the bass is way up in the mix.

There’s that fucking sitar again! Shankar!!!!! I don’t think I need anymore straightforward rock/grunge. There may have been more of an appetite for this in 1996, but I’m good. They mixed it up a bit on the second half. Cool reading up on the band and their other projects. Heard a little Queens of the Stone Age and turns out one of these guys, Lanegan, was in the band for 15 years. Also collaborated with… PJ Harvey.

This has been said, but I think this music and a lot of grunge was a direct response to pop music in the 80’s. Without that context it’s hard to appreciate. The noise rock is kinda cool at moments. The guitar sound and variance in how it’s used is very good. I liked Sugar Kane for that reason. Most of this is unlistenable though.

Black Dog is what led me to learn the guitar. I would listen to that song on repeat before middle school, as if to internalize it or satiate myself enough to get through the day and get back to LZ4. 6/5.

Goths! I forgot all about goths. Enjoyed the title track.

I’m hungry Mr album generator!! Ah… slop again. Ok, thank you sir.

Look at that french looking mf. Might be a N/A. I'm reading this genre is lyric driven and I don't speak french. I do appreciate getting some foreign language albums though.

Just wrote a long review and lost it. Summary - my uncle listened to this in his nice car and it sounded great. Great production on this. Not into depressed rocking or spooky/death themes. Angry works (see RATM). Classic Rock generally is my kind of rock. Metallica is good gym music in spots. Throw a dumbell at someone in a heavy metal frenzy. I may have been wrong about Sitar on Screaming Trees, but there is for sure one here on Where I May Roam.

Strange collection of songs - some that define the Dan (gonna try to make this abbrevation work) sound, and some others that sound heavily influenced by their contemporaries (Zappa, CSN, Big Star). Probably a 5 by almost any other abnds standards, but I think feels like a 4 by Dan's standards, still trying to find their sound, breaking away from the down the middle classic rock. I think Dan might be America's greatest band?

Lou is a fun character. I always assumed a lot of these phychedlic art rock bands were actually on to something and were enlightened in someway. Looking back now it's clear they were just fucked up. It's still fun to listen to though! This album in particular reminds me of summer/having a good time. Not the worst images to conjure.

Extremely frustrating listen. This could have been so much better without that god awful drum track. I'm not saying it could get to the heights or a 4 or 5 but man, it could have been better. Similar to a lot of early hip hop groups they weren't constrained in the way later hip hop tends to be, with the backing vocals and general jam band vibe, but they sewered all of it with those fucking drums. No more brit pop! I hate it.

Fuck this album!

Don’t love the title track for some reason, but other than that this album fucking rips. I probably listened to it 5-6 times this weekend. At first I was frustrated with the strange arrangements, feeling like a lot of the effects and instrumentation were not additive. Now I’m starting to see more clearly the genius in Prince. I Would Die 4 U into Baby I’m a Star…. Sheesh! An example of the strange arrangements (credit to Frank for pointing out to me) When Doves Cry has no bass, instead the bass notes are played in the drums? I think the drum line also carries the progression. I’m not sure I totally understand why he made these choices but the results are hard to argue with. This album was seen as the most “pop” version of Prince to date, which IMO works well. We get hooks, normal length songs but also the Prince weirdness. I was also happy to hear him sending it on vocals and on guitar. Someday I need to watch the movie to see how this all ties together. I still don’t connect with this music the way I do with my all time favorites, but I have a feeling this album will be one that I listen to many more times over the years. Might be on my way to becoming a full blown Prince guy!

I don't like the idea of music being deemed obsolete, but if there was ever an example this may be it. I like Buddy, but this sounds too simplistic to me (70 years later).

Amazing. Love the variety, specifically with Good Time Boy. I don’t know how I’d never listened to this front to back. Young and Stills >>>

Didn’t enjoy as much as Heaven or Las Vegas. Still appreciate what they were going for and I think they landed the plane on HoLV. Glad we got the other album first, this one could have been a bad initial introduction.

Not offensive. I have memories of watching the Monkees show and thinking they were cool as hell. Maybe on Nick at Night? Goin Down is a cool Monkees songs.

All time great album. Hendrix remains my favorite guitarist. Frank and I and our band (Easy Steps or Lesbian Make Out Party - not sure what era that was) performed Foxy Lady at our 8th grade talent show to all of our stone faced classmates. I remember being upset with Frank for insisting on doing the Fox ears mime in the chorus. We also refused to stop playing until the teachers attempted to unplug our amps. Rock n Roll baby! Pretty cool 13 year olds though, for real. Hey Joe later became a staple in the cover lineup. For Hendrix on the full album listens you see the gap between his freakish artistic talent and his song writing ability. The good songs are transcendent and the others pale in comparison. Alex has gotten in my head with this stereo/mono thing. The stereo on a few tracks is standing out negatively.

Had not heard of Sade until a couple years ago. Got an Uber to the airport at 3am in Savanah, and the driver had some intense Taxi Driver vibes. Telling me about all the terrible people he gives ride to. He played Sade the entire time and really sold me. Went on to listen to this album and enjoyed it. Still haven’t really figured Sade out but I think that’s her thing. Mysterious. Frankie’s First Affair has been on the regular rotation since.

Incomplete. N/A. Sounds nice and I want more African music in my life, but need to hear more.

Liked this way more than i thought i would! Need to listen a few more times to figure out exactly what works, but the clean sound stands out. I think country is a blind spot for me I need to explore.

Enjoyed this a good deal more than Alex and Ted, want to go 4 but Battle of Epping Forest is a parody of prog rock. I think a good producer could cut 30 minutes of this and make it a legitimately great album. Maybe drop the vocals for some of the obnoxious medieval imagery. Left this feeling intrigued by Genesis and wanting them to chill out like 15% on the constant changes. Instrumentation rips, some songs are great as is, vocals are good minus the words. Maybe when Frank’s kid learns AI he can make me a stripped down version of this. Selling England by the Ounce? We can workshop that.