362
Albums Rated
3.16
Average Rating
33%
Complete
727 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Psychedelic-rock
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
64
5-Star Albums
25
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yeezus | 5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
| Arc Of A Diver | 5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
| Future Days | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Buffalo Springfield Again | 5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
| Pink Flag | 5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
| Sweet Baby James | 5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
| The Yes Album | 5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
| Hot Rats | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| Music From Big Pink | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| The Band | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rio | 1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
| Urban Hymns | 1 | 3.35 | -2.35 |
| Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus | 1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
| Daydream Nation | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| S&M | 1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
| Hysteria | 1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
| Modern Life Is Rubbish | 1 | 3.13 | -2.13 |
| Woodface | 1 | 3.1 | -2.1 |
| The Lexicon Of Love | 1 | 3.08 | -2.08 |
| Sister | 1 | 3.02 | -2.02 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 4 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 3 | 4.67 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 2 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 2 | 5 |
| The Band | 2 | 5 |
| Kanye West | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Sonic Youth | 3 | 1.33 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 2 | 1 |
| k.d. lang | 2 | 1.5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Nirvana | 2, 5 |
| Pink Floyd | 5, 5, 2 |
| David Bowie | 2, 5, 4 |
5-Star Albums (64)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
White Denim
4/5
Was told about these guys by a drummer who was telling me about them because of the guitar playing. His point was they have a sort of blend between lead/solos and rhythm parts, not quite either and creates a pretty great and unique sound. These guys have a lot of live recordings and they’re better in that format. Kind of a jam band but really tight and structured. 3.75 and rounding up.
1 likes
Brian Eno
3/5
This was easier to digest than the other Eno we got. Clearly influential. First track sounds a LOT like LCD soundsystem.
I was playing "King's Lead Hat" and asked my wife "this sounds a lot like the Tallking Heads right?" and she responded "maybe? a shittier version." Turns out the title is an anagram for "Talking Heads"
Nailed it.
Read they recorded 100!!!! tracks and these are the 10 that made the cut. Eno sounds like a real music sicko.
1 likes
Steve Winwood
5/5
Loved this. What a surprise. Highlights were Night Train and Arc of a Diver. Hope we get more Winwood and Winwood projects.
1 likes
David Bowie
5/5
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!
1 likes
The Beta Band
2/5
Went down a rabbit hole on this Squares song. Daydream is the original, where they pulled the hook from. Isaac Hayes did a version which was then pulled by Portishead, then a few years later this. I don’t think the song justifies this many rip offs, and I think the Beta Boys added the least? Was not a fan of this, and it’s hard to say how much of it is because my growing resentment of Brit Pop and this guys forcing it on us. The effect I kept hearing that’s hard to describe, I think it’s the sound of a cymbal reversed. The stereotypical DJ sound. You know the one. Anyway, don’t love that!
Ending with Eclipse and their very irritating and overly simplistic ideas about the haves and have nots left me feeling mostly annoyed. There was some interesting stuff here but overall not for me.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (25)
All Ratings
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Big Bob Marley guy. One of my all time favorites.
Iron Maiden
2/5
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.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
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.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Can
5/5
Let's go! First time listening to CAN and I can't believe how much I enjoyed this. Have not done a re-listen or read the wiki etc. so maybe I'll find some faults but damn... I have a feeling I'll be listening to this one for a while.
One thing that stood out was "Spray" sounded like Bitches Brew to me.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I think the chemistry is a key ingredient, which I don’t have. A couple fun moments but overall not good.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
The Replacements
4/5
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.
Robbie Williams
1/5
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.
Peter Tosh
2/5
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.
Nick Drake
4/5
Excellent. Hazy Jane ll stands out. Initial reaction was a bit of annoyance, but the more I listen the better it is.
The Cardigans
3/5
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.
Nirvana
2/5
Consider myself a Nirvana fan but this album sucks. Some good songs but some horrific ones too.
Soundgarden
3/5
Very well made. Cornell’s vocals stand out on every track. Quintessential ROCK singer.
Alice In Chains
2/5
A couple good songs and an interest cross between hair metal and grunge, but not for me.
B.B. King
4/5
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.
Ray Price
2/5
Cool glimpse into a different time and genre I’ve never sought out. That said, not for me.
Funkadelic
5/5
I love everything about this album.
Elliott Smith
2/5
Im sure he’s a genius etc but it’s not my bag baby
Duran Duran
1/5
Beach House
2/5
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.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
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.
Elvis Presley
4/5
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.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
Will come back for a few of these. Two hours is way too long.
Green Day
2/5
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.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
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.
The Teardrop Explodes
1/5
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.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
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!
David Bowie
2/5
George Michael
2/5
Talk Talk
2/5
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.
Fugees
4/5
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.
Metallica
1/5
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.
The White Stripes
3/5
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.
Sonic Youth
1/5
There were very brief moments where I thought I was getting it, but mostly I didn't get it.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
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.
The Jam
3/5
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.
Fela Kuti
4/5
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.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
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 Dogg
4/5
Snoop sounds like George Clinton’s really badly behaved baby. The hits hit. A couple I’d skip.
Koffi Olomide
3/5
May need another couple listens to develop a strong opinion. At first pass I can say it was very pleasant.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
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.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Definitely a challenging album. I don't seek out this style of music out but I'm glad I listened to it.
Al Green
4/5
I'm not wearing any panties, but if I was they'd be on the floor.
Korn
1/5
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.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
Peter Gabriel
4/5
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.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
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.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
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.
Brian Eno
2/5
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.
King Crimson
3/5
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.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
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.
Common
2/5
Best part of this album is Kanye. Great album etc but unfortunately I have an aversion to Common.
David Bowie
5/5
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!
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
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
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
I can’t go from Kollaps to this.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Favorite guitarist by far and one of my favorite artists. I will never not enjoy listening to Hendrix.
Songhoy Blues
2/5
Cool story. Good execution. Not particularly engaging or interesting music to me.
Dr. Dre
4/5
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
Meat Puppets
4/5
Really good! First time listening to these guys.
Neneh Cherry
1/5
Really really bad. Gave me more appreciation for the good ones.
PJ Harvey
3/5
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”
Steely Dan
5/5
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 >>>>
The Smiths
4/5
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.
George Jones
3/5
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.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
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.
Eagles
2/5
Very polished but very boring. Take it Easy is good.
Van Halen
2/5
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!
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
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.
Sheryl Crow
2/5
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.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
Pink Floyd
5/5
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!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
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.
Johnny Cash
4/5
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...
The Rolling Stones
5/5
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.
Beastie Boys
3/5
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.
The Only Ones
3/5
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.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
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 Domino
3/5
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.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
Pere Ubu
1/5
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)
Led Zeppelin
5/5
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.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
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.
Pretenders
3/5
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.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
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.
Keith Jarrett
4/5
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.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
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.
The White Stripes
2/5
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.
Dire Straits
3/5
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.
Steve Winwood
5/5
Loved this. What a surprise. Highlights were Night Train and Arc of a Diver. Hope we get more Winwood and Winwood projects.
Beck
2/5
I really enjoyed the first 3 songs. Felt like it fell off a cliff after that. Read Jack White played bass on a track.
Van Halen
2/5
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.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
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.
R.E.M.
5/5
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.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
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.
Mariah Carey
3/5
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.
OutKast
4/5
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.
Fela Kuti
5/5
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.
Ray Charles
3/5
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.
Red Snapper
2/5
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 Mamas & The Papas
5/5
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.
Stan Getz
5/5
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.
The Beach Boys
5/5
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.
Steely Dan
5/5
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.
Carole King
4/5
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.
Bill Callahan
2/5
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.
The Avalanches
2/5
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.
Lorde
2/5
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.
2/5
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.
Beastie Boys
4/5
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.
Various Artists
3/5
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.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
I think I made it an hour. It sounds nice but I can’t do 2 more hours.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
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.
Beastie Boys
4/5
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.
Meat Loaf
3/5
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.
Alice Cooper
4/5
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.
Prince
3/5
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.
Norah Jones
2/5
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.
3/5
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.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
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.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
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.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
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.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
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.
The Verve
1/5
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.
The Cars
4/5
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.
R.E.M.
3/5
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.
Haircut 100
3/5
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.
Beatles
4/5
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.
2/5
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.
5/5
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.
Screaming Trees
2/5
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.
Sonic Youth
2/5
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.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
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.
The Cure
2/5
Goths! I forgot all about goths. Enjoyed the title track.
Doves
2/5
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
I’m hungry Mr album generator!! Ah… slop again. Ok, thank you sir.
Jacques Brel
3/5
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.
Metallica
3/5
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.
Steely Dan
4/5
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?
The Velvet Underground
3/5
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.
Stereo MC's
2/5
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.
1/5
Fuck this album!
Prince
5/5
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!
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
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).
Buffalo Springfield
5/5
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 >>>
Cocteau Twins
3/5
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.
The Monkees
2/5
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.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
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.
Sade
4/5
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.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Incomplete. N/A. Sounds nice and I want more African music in my life, but need to hear more.
Steve Earle
4/5
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.
Genesis
3/5
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.
Elton John
4/5
Solid 4. Good deep dive, very iconic music in here. I don't think I ever seek out Elton John but every time I hear it I'm impressed.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
My first real experience with Blue. I've always dabbled in Joni and was more drawn to Court and Spark, I think because of the bigger and jazzier arrangements. Digging into this was pretty cool. I was not aware of the Graham Nash/Joni/James Taylor love triangle. **I read Old Man was about Nash, so I take it to mean her man or bf**
I think you really need to emerse yourself in this music to enjoy it. A little painful/sad at moments. Other times I felt a little disconnected (to a famous woman traveling Europe with boy problems). Nevertheless - incredibly vulnerable. Goes without saying she is one of one and that comes across in her arrangements, harmonies and singing voice.
Gererally I think I'll always lean towards the bigger varied arrangements on Court and Spark, but when I want to get real emo I'll throw on Blue. My 2 y/o was into it too.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
1/5
Either he's too depressed or I'm too depressed. Maybe both. Regardless I can't stomach this.
Sonic Youth
1/5
No mas.... waving the white flag. 1001 you've made your point. I'll do whatever you ask just please, please no more Sonic Youth.
I stand by the guitar sounds are good.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
They’re on pot….
Wish we got more of that synth in save the life of a child. Fucking love S&G.
Also, props to Patrick for giving SY a shot. My frustration is misguided, I just wish the algorithm would space those out.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
How the hell have I not heard of Joan?! Extremely puzzled by this.
Great sound, songwriting and production. According to wiki Glyn John’s said this was the best album he’s been a part of… sounds like he had a few drinks maybe, but still interesting.
Glad to have Armatrading in my musical universe now.
Björk
2/5
Because it’s Oscar’s season, this reminds me of the cinematic achievement that you don’t want to see. Now I know more about Bjork, as advertised.
N.E.R.D
2/5
I've always been skeptical of Pharrell. He seems like a pretty big phony. Very smug. This music hits the same chords. Just learned Pharrell is Timbalands cousin.
Pavement
3/5
I'm not sure if this is unique to me, but this music makes me very uneasy. I suppose that's what they're trying to convey. It also makes me feel very much like a Dad... I want to slap these guys and tell them to speak up, apply themselves and contribute to society. If you're gonna do anything do it well god damn it! Obviously this is not resonating with me but I do appreciate what they're doing. A sloppier Replacements/Wilco.
All this boils down to the fact I have a blind spot for 90's alternative/grunge music (unless you're REM or Nirvana).
Nick Drake
3/5
This one is pretty sad. Between the lyrics and the minimalist recording seems like he was pretty low. Sort of a tough listen. Nice sounding but not as strong as Bryter Layter.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
I was tempted to go 4/5 because of some of these misses, but the highs are so high. Everybody Knows This is Nowhere is one of my all time favorite songs.
Huge album in my life. Down By The River was one of the first songs my Dad taught me and I’ve probably “jammed” playing over those chords 100 hours. Em….7th!? Revolutionary. To be fair, I also have vivid memories desperately changing the song when Round and Round, Losing End or Running Dry hit. Round and Round is...inexplicable.
Been thinking about my critiques of Pavement, that they were sloppy, when listening to this. At first glance some of this may seem "sloppy" as well, but in my mind this playing style is free / instinctual vs. careless / sloppy. I think its a fine line.
An imperfect album for sure, but one of my favorites.
U2
3/5
Great stuff here for sure, but U2 isn’t doing it for me. The different things they’re doing to define their sound and make them unique start feeling pretty hallow after a few tunes. Bono wailing, Edge syncopated rhythm, SMASHING the offbeat snare, reverb etc.
Looking back at some of the records we’ve had like Joni and Neil, they have a unique sound that feels more authentic.
Frank Zappa
5/5
This album is like a musical blitzkrieg. Pretty fucking sick.
It has moments of musical genius (Peaches in Regalia and Son of Mr. GG) and also has some completely deranged chaos. Haven’t read other reviews so this may have been said, but if you were to make Rock Jazz I think this is what you’d make?
Sounds very pretentious but this album is incredibly rich. Constant weird and interesting turns.
I’ve listened to peaches en regalia and son of mr gg many times but it must be a camel was my favorite new discovery. I heard son of Mr. Green Genes described as regal by a friend and I think that’s a perfect description.
Also just the right amount of Cpt Beefheart. I hope we get Trout Mask Replica (for the discourse)
I’m on a business trip and this album reminded me that life is and can be strange and interesting (unlike meetings in NJ OR
Queen Latifah
2/5
I returned my rental car and the guy started it up to check the gas and Queen Latifah was blaring through bluetooth. Really hard to explain that.
I like her vibe but this didn’t do much for me.
James Taylor
5/5
Sweet, sweet baby James. Silkyyy smooth. I don’t want to keep giving everyone a 5 but I really can’t find a fault on here. Maybe too many blues tunes? Didn’t bother me though. Took a walk through the woods and this couldn’t have been a better soundtrack.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Second Almost Famous reference in a few weeks… but Lester Bangs declares Rock and Roll dead but says “at least you’re here for the death rattle, last gasp, last grope”. This feels like a serious death rattle of rock. 87 and people are thirsty for some straight ahead rock, meanwhile grunge is taking off and hip hop is about to replace rock as the most relevant genre. Another album that at the time probably felt refreshing, pure rock and roll, but almost 40 years later it just sounds like recycled garbage. At times fun garbage. Slash is good, and I’ve heard good things about Adler. The hits are good. Sweet Child of Mine has… 2.1 BILLION streams.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. I also didn’t really notice the lack of bass, I think because they mixed in the synth? Need to spend more time investigating 2000’s NY rock. The attitude landed for me, whereas for bands like this if it doesn’t it can result in the worst shit imaginable. Will be checking out more YYY’s.
The Beta Band
2/5
Went down a rabbit hole on this Squares song. Daydream is the original, where they pulled the hook from. Isaac Hayes did a version which was then pulled by Portishead, then a few years later this. I don’t think the song justifies this many rip offs, and I think the Beta Boys added the least? Was not a fan of this, and it’s hard to say how much of it is because my growing resentment of Brit Pop and this guys forcing it on us. The effect I kept hearing that’s hard to describe, I think it’s the sound of a cymbal reversed. The stereotypical DJ sound. You know the one. Anyway, don’t love that!
Ending with Eclipse and their very irritating and overly simplistic ideas about the haves and have nots left me feeling mostly annoyed. There was some interesting stuff here but overall not for me.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
4/5
Not my first time with this one but definitely the first really active listening experience. Love the sound of this in the same way I love Exile. Rock/Psychedlic/Country with some R&B covers. Feels like a 5 but I'm going to play it safe.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I have had Beyond Belief on the rotation for a while and legit love that song. The rest of the album Elvis has his head way too far up his ass. The same tonality that works so well when he's doing his punk/cool nerd thing comes across as incredibly self-important and smug when hes doing slow burns and weird vaudeville (?) sounding tunes. I particularly hated the Shabby Doll / The Long Honeymoon duo.
There are a few other bright spots on here. Man Out of Time, but to my ear it sounds like this Dion song, Only You Know (great song). You Little Fool was good too.
Rush
3/5
I listened to this all weekend and tried harded to get into this than maybe any album we've had to date. On paper I should love it, but I just don't. It is a cool and enjoyable experience listening to this on headphones, so glad I did that (several times), but I don't think I'll be coming back for more.
Super high quality sound and production, technically impressive, but there were very few moments where I was really hooked. I was also listening to a bit of The Royal Scam this weekend and it occurred to me both Rush and Steely Dan are elevating above the genre in a finer class. Prog rock and yact rock doesn't really desribe it properly.
There is a lot to like about the technically sound and ambitious arrangements, but IMO its gotta have a groove, something to latch on to. Not sure about this take but I was struck by how quickly I was consumed by "Haitan Divorce" maybe the 7th or 8th best song on the Dan album and how I just never got a fraction of that level of engagement from the Rush songs. Will hang up and listen.
Deep Purple
3/5
Cartoonish and over-the-top 70's ROCK and I don't hate it.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
It feels very odd and sort of depressing to review an album about the loss of a child on a scale of 1-5. Its unthinkable and any art that results from it surely has merit. If this helped Cave deal with that loss, then that's a great thing.
That being said I will do my duty.
1. Not a Nick Cave fan - do not get it.
2. This album offers something I am not seeking. That may be immaturity, but I don't seek music about loss. I also don't seek spoken word poetry music. I think I primarily listen to music to feel better about life. I'll work on expanding what I get from music, but I won't start with Nick Cave.
Lambchop
2/5
This could have been dramatically improved with a different singer/singing style. Subdued is one thing but this is a hair above spoken word, which I think is more irritating. Listening to this album by Drugdealer, which occupies a similar soft rock space and in comparison the energy levels are through the roof. Tried to figure out where these guys live in the music ecosystem and it seems they are pretty much outsiders, which is not typical of this list.
It also occurred to me last night that the Cave album was from 2019, which means we should be seeing a lot more contemporary shit. Don’t think this, or that, should be in the top 1001 (or however many there are)
Pink Floyd
2/5
I was very excited to see this one because the last time I listened to it was in HS and at the time I remember thinking it was trash, and maybe my evolved mind was now ready to appreciate it. Nope. Still bad.
Hints of what was to come from PF, but nothing of value here. Seeing this live, in 1967 on acid would be great experience I'm sure, but it does not translate for a sober Dad while at work. Adding a point for innovation/originality.
The Stooges
3/5
Some great moments but a lot of mediocre stuff too. The mix is bad, which I now know is a notorious feature of this album. Penetration was a favorite going in and I hadn't really considered what it was about, despite the... name. Search and Destroy is great but the whisper vocals feels like a miss. If he was just belting that out I think its a better song.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!!!!!! FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!!!!!! FUCK YOU, I WON'T DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!!!!!!
LOVE Rage Against The Machine. On paper this might be Nu Metal and in my mind is not in the same stratosphere and I can't really explain why its not. Everything here works so well together and its starts with De La Rocha's zeal. He dials it up to 11 and it works. Tom Morello obviously plays a key part here too blending the classic pentatonic riffs with the bizzare bridge to hip hop with the whammy pedals.
All these years later and I still don't care what they're actually raging against, all I care about is how this music makes me feel, which is fucking jacked up.
Def Leppard
1/5
Hysteria sounds like every musical idea and recording they had was fed back into a machine and sythesized so many times that the end result is a blur of 80's hair rock, with no clear definition, thoughtfullness or soul. Hysteria is everything that sucks about 80's music and a lot of 80's pop culture. If anyone listens to Sonic Youth and asks "why?!" I'll show them Hysteria.
White Denim
4/5
Was told about these guys by a drummer who was telling me about them because of the guitar playing. His point was they have a sort of blend between lead/solos and rhythm parts, not quite either and creates a pretty great and unique sound. These guys have a lot of live recordings and they’re better in that format. Kind of a jam band but really tight and structured. 3.75 and rounding up.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
This might be the more responsible cousin of Kollaps. Still unhinged, but tethered to reality. I feel like I’ll need a lot more time to process this one. My initial reaction is the white noise distortion, down the hall reverb and train screeching may be too much for me. These guys are authentic and very talented, not hiding behind these effects and recording styles but using them to make what they want. Right now it’s a 3 but u have a feeling it’ll grow into a 4.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
As good as hip hop gets I think? Creating a musical world by blending hard core rap with the sounds of martial arts movies is pretty innovative and works really well. Through a full listen I do wonder if it’s all really dumb though. Who cares if all these guys are tough? Went through a phase with Wu Tang and still come back to GZA’s Liquid Swords.
Joy Division
3/5
I played in a band where the primary song writer was a bassist. He would write the songs using his bass, play it to us then ask me to figure out which chords should go over the bass line. In some cases it was obvious, but in others it could be either a minor key or major, and others fitting chords on top of those bass lines just didn't make sense. In that case I may have to play single note melodies or riffs etc. I have a strong sense this is what Joy Division was doing. It can work, and a lot of these songs do, but it also makes the arrangements feel a little thin. That aside, this was better than i thought it would be. I'm sure very influential. Shadowplay was a highlight.
Pixies
4/5
Really good. Not really sure what I would change and what's keep this from being a 5/5, maybe just personal preference. Protecting the 5 spot for all time greats. This was surprising to me though. I've always wanted to do a Pixies deep dive and don't think I've heard any of these, aside from Where is my mind.
On another note - I've already realized I underrated Jesus and MC... Hit me on the Hardest Walk. Great song. Def a 4 or 5 album. My b.
LL Cool J
2/5
Title track rocks.
Spiritualized
4/5
I enjoyed this. Hard to tell if im over reacting to how bad I thought it was going to be. Might not fit neatly into the brit pop category, but if we put it there its definitely my favorite from the genre so far. Production is very good. Pulling from a lot of the classics without sounding like hacks. Only Fools Rush In was borderline. Super emotional tracks too. Lyrics seem to be lacking but haven't read through them. Prob a 3.5 and rounding up.
Louis Prima
3/5
Fun. Love the harmonies. Will have to be a very specific circumstance if I come back to this.
Neil Young
5/5
Neil Young is going to come out of this exercise the big winner. Whether it’s CSNY, Buffalo Springfield or his early solo career, it’s all as good as it gets. This one might be his peak. It’s more cogent than his previous record, none of the valleys, also fewer high highs. Neil’s style is all very soft and easy while always maintaining an edge. His edge is what separates him from James Taylor or other soft rock/folk singers. Love Neil Young!
Neu!
4/5
This album was completely NEU to me and after a couple times through I'm feeling like I'll need several more to really form a strong opinion. After two times through I'm pretty high on it though. I read that these two guys couldn't agree on a direction - the ambient style or rock so they split the album. I enjoyed both sides and although the second half is very different I think there is enough of a throughline to make it work. I may prefer the front half. The sound quality stands out throughout. Some good rocking on the second half but slightly less interesting than the front, probably because of my familiarity with rock.
Burning Spear
2/5
Reggae is great but what makes it a genre is also limiting, which leads to a lot of bad/boring reggae. For me, this falls into that category. Some of the best reggae is raw, funky and soulful (Toots) and then there's Marley who does that and also writes great songs. This album lacks creativity in song writing and boring instrumentation. Interesting reading about Marcus Garvey though.
Liz Phair
3/5
Cool to learn about Liz Phair - heard the name many times but hadn't heard any of this. The homage to Exile is cool too. Not really for me but did enjoy Soap Star Joe, reminded me the most of Exile.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
If there was ever a weekend album this is it. Lot to think about here, which speaks to what makes Kendrick special and how he’s elevated the genre. If you didn’t do the deep dive, this is a concept album with each song representing a scene over the course of days (with some exception for some introspection/reflections). In a way, this is the Compton version of Bat Out of Hell. Kendrick is trying to get laid and things go sideways.
When it comes to KL I’ve always struggled with whether or not I listen to music for storytelling. The stories and subject matter are no doubt more interesting than almost all other rap, but what makes music music is not the words but the emotions a given song or album invokes. The ability to communicate thoughts and feelings without explicitly saying anything, or maybe it’s a phrase you ponder for years (I.e. Eating up the scum).
Either way, credit where credit is due. 1. Without knowing anything about the concept some of these songs are hits and have been in the rotation for a decade (money trees, bitch don’t kill my vibe, Compton etc.) Making music that is both meaningful and slaps is an accomplishment. 2. Elevating a genre.
Why it’s not a 5. I sense absolutely no joy or really passion. Obviously this is not a joyous topic, but usually you can sense the joy in making music. Kendrick is bummed out and even the breakthrough on the final two tracks didn’t showcase that feeling of happiness he no doubt had (when he found god and started working with Dr Dre). I think this album could have used a “Memory Lane” like track on the front to show what about life he enjoyed and was worth saving. The best we got was Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe…
I also had the same feeling on a few tracks when you’re about 75% of the way through a non-fiction book “I get it… it was bad”
High level, very happy someone is spending time to really make meaningful music and take the Hip Hop genre new places. Probably the best rapper of our generation.
OutKast
5/5
How the fuck have I not listened to this? Hey Ya has been in my life for 2 decades and I never considered listening to the album it was on? I gotta believe I tried and it just didn't resonate and I blocked it out.
In any case, this album, mostly the Love Below side, really makes me love Outkast and in particular Andre3000. I complained about Kendrick not expressing any kind of joy....welp here's the antidote. This dude is a fucking star and obviously LOVES music (Prince in particular). Some of the influences are too apparent at times, but 90% it works well and they put their own stamp on it.
A lot of this album just sounds like a blast. This is speculation but on Behold a Lady when he says "clap clap" I bet it was a direction to whoever was on the drum machine and he just liked how it sounded.
I saw the album was 2 hours and was immediately annoyed, threw it on and didn't once wish it would stop. It seemed like each time a song was in a rut they make a chord change, the song ends, a new instrument layers in etc. and it keeps your interest.
40 songs and 2+ hours obviously there are some misses, but strangely here it adds to the charm. A lot of good clean fun.
Roses and Hey Ya are all time great songs.
I gave Stankonia 4 and I like this one so much more so gotta go 5. Impressed! LFG Outkast.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Got 80% through. I can't really say what I didn't like about it. Maybe its just a preference? Felt over produced and the songs didn't do anything for me. Talented singer for sure.
1/5
Cockney accent, brit pop, 2+ hours. Three strikes.
Outkast can be the exception for the 2 hour album, generally it should be at least a 1 star deduction.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Creepy little bastard. Out on this guy.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Interesting listen. What stood out to me was the variance of styles, clearly trying to either play to the trendy sounds or find his voice. I don't think it stands well on its own.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Loved this. Love country. Maybe too short?
Bee Gees
2/5
Reminds me of brit pop, or are thoses albums last week haunting me?
Generally a BG's fan but this sucks. The fact this was their NINTH album and we're still not close to fallsetto BG's is shocking. Crazy second act.
The Fall
3/5
Was really intrigued after the first track. Reminds me of the elevated production punk you hear on London Calling. Did not deliver too much beyond that but overall a good experience.
The Kinks
4/5
I’d consider myself a pretty casual Kinks fan. A few songs have really stuck with me but no full albums, haven’t done deep dives etc. Excited to see more Kinks albums.
This is very good but where I’ve landed on this is it falls just short of a GREAT album. The song writing is definitely the strongest feature, but the overall songs, production, vocals, instrumentation etc. I think the roughness is a feature more than a detriment for the Kinks heads. The crooning I could do without.
Overall I like the originality, thoughtfulness and a few songs stood out.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
Difficult to fairly grade music from a genre I have so little knowledge of, but I will say I really enjoyed this. I remember hearing a lot about this maybe 10 years ago, I'm not sure if there was a rerelease of the doc or they performed in Boston or what, but it was on my radar and I enjoyed it then too. Do not mean this in a disrespectful way, but its perfect cooking/hanging background music. Great vibes. Sounds great. Without having a single complaint I feel guilty putting it at 3, but that's where it's going. I just can't say how this stacks up against other all time greats, can't comment on the lyrics etc etc. Maybe its a 4 or a 5.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I want to like this band, and this concept album, but the songs i do enjoy are so few are far. On this one I was consistently annoyed, primarily with instruments and sounds that were just distracting. They definitely didn't mail it in, which I appreciate, but not for me.
The La's
2/5
So these are the mother fuckers that I have to thank for Brit Pop!!!!
Looking glass was cool.
Cypress Hill
3/5
Pretty charming for some guys threatening to kill me. Reminds me of Eazy E, but a little higher and less angry. Really like CH in doses, all the hits that have been mentioned. A full album of this tho is too much.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Stop and Been Caught Stealing are cool. Vocal effect and style are notable. But what I’m realizing is I just don’t like 90’s rock (with Nirvana and RATM as exceptions) At its absolute best I’m vaguely interested. Might not be a brit pop thing after all and just a 90’s rock thing. It feels like they recycling what has been done hundreds of times and adding some aimless rebellion and angst. Makes me appreciate RHCP a bit more, compared to their contemporaries.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
The song on here that I've been playing on repeat is also the most unique to the record (Lil Darlin). All the other tracks I mostly appreciate for the sound or the novelty of "big band", but generally not my taste. Lil Darlin tho... god damn! Throw that on, light a cigar on the back porch and live life. Reminds me a lot of the horn sections on Pet Sounds.
AC/DC
4/5
If your life depended on rocking and rocking hard for 3.5 minutes I'd hit you with some AC/DC. They get right to the essence of rocking. That's about all they do though. A one a tool player that fucking crushes that one tool.
Feel like this is a 3 but giving an honorary 4 because I'm not sure how much AC/DC we'll get. I'm a Bon Scott guy and frequently listen to "Jailbreak" and for some reason his cadence at the beginning of the song make me laugh every time.
Laura Nyro
2/5
Worth a listen but not my speed. I think its the over-singing. Lot of Carol King in here. Did not know she wrote Stoned Soul Picnic.
Orbital
1/5
Couldn't do the entire album. If any genre is susceptible to becoming obsolete its electronica/techno. These synth they're using just sound fucking awful. Its also not old enough to justify IMO. They definitely had access to better shit and just chose these cheap sounds and made boring songs with them.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
The cover of the album is from riots that resulted from a 7 YEAR!!! prison sentence given to the guy that assassinated Harvey Milk and the then Mayor of SF. His defense was he was depressed and was eating too much junk food. I think the stupidity of that is important context for this album. This guy sings like an idiot because the world is a dumb place. Maybe?
I like the tone but not sure I'll come back to this. Happy to have heard it and finally have some idea of what the Dead Kennedys were about.
Charles Mingus
4/5
Two of the things I most like about Jazz are 1. The tension that is built and the resolutions and 2. The unpredictability. This has a lot of that and maybe too much tension. That said, this is more of an art piece than something to throw on for the enjoyment of music. It would be a great score for a sort of unhinged noir movie. Maybe the detective is high on heroin 90% of the movie. Happy to finally do a full Mingus listen, hope we get more of his stuff. Cool as hell. Quite weird. Reminds me a bit of Zappa.
Tough call but rounding up to 4.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
I have always had disdain for this type of ethereal indie music. Some if it definitely has to do with being 18 when this was released and being resistent to anything not 90's rap or classic rock. I do think the general sound is a bit pretentious - while we're down here on earth groveling they're floating above the rest of us with flutes and just the right amount of reverb. I think Noah Kahan is the new version of this.
All that being said - it does sound pretty nice. "He Doesn't Know Why" bops. I think for my personal taste its a 2 but adding a point as a counterweight for my repressed teenage angst.
Q-Tip
4/5
I just love Q-Tip. I think for the Tribe review someone here said you could listen to Q-Tip read a phonebook and I co-sign that. I've had "Won't Trade" and "Move" on the rotation for a while and the rest of these aren't as good but not offensive at all.
For the X time in a row I'm going 4 for a rap album. The floor is high and the ceiling is low for classic rap.
k.d. lang
1/5
I really hated this. Whiny and dull. A terrible combination.
Oasis
2/5
Brit Pops final boss is here. I’m a hater. I’ve been hating on Oasis my whole life and now I’m committed to the belief they are one of, if not the most, overrated band in history.
Here’s my case:
The main reason people like them is because they conjure nostalgia for British Invasion music, primarily and unapologetically The Beatles. A band being heavily influenced by a genre or band is fine if the output is strong, but IMO it’s not. The over the top British accents is also irritating, but wouldn’t be so if they didn’t insist on holding those notes “rock and roll stahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” or “maybaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy”
The overall bullshit rocker attitude doesn’t work for me either. You’re a Beatles wanna be hack! Get your own sunglass/haircut combo.
Being a hack is fine. When I was 16 I aspired to be a rock and roll hack. I just don’t think they deserve to be considered “great”.
Something nice I’ll say is they are clearly the best brit pop band…
Muddy Waters
3/5
Wasn't that a man!? Fitting to have this followed by The Band. I rewatched The Last Waltz on repeat as a kid and it started by (literally) fast forwarding over most of the The Band songs and finding the guest performances. Muddy Waters 'Manish Boy' was one of those. In that performance they have Paul Butterfield playing one continuous droning note on the harmonica (which is fucking sick). The song was originally written and recorded in 1955 but this version is the lasting one. Its burned into my mind in the downfall sequence of Goodfellas. I've heard a lot of "this was the first rap song" but IMO this is it. Closing thought on this song - it is fucking GREAT.
That said - the rest of the album did not do it for me. Blues really is just too limiting compared to other genres and to make it work everything else has to be perfect. In this case it fell short. Some of the guitars i thought were pretty weak. Either way, Muddy Waters was more man than I'll ever be and props to him for that.
The Band
5/5
In my last review I mentioned initially skipping over The Band’s solo songs on The Last Waltz (if you haven’t seen it run to a TV now) Over time that dynamic shifted and I became a massive fan of The Band. I think I prefer Music From Big Pink but this isn’t far behind. The genre “Americana” is usually pretty vague, but in this case it’s the perfect descriptor. A collection of American music genres and stories, with a unique sound and astonishing song writing. Can’t go wrong with these guys.
Baaba Maal
2/5
I don’t know, man. Not offensive. Good variety and a couple nice grooves.
4/5
Ah ha. The lads are back with a vengeance. Big bad Oasis. Trying to dunk on me and my takes. Well don’t worry….I’m not gonna doooooooo what everyone thinks I’m gonna doooooo. I’m not gonna freak out man!
As you can plainly see - I have been defeated. Beat into submission by the almighty list, this Brit pop simp.
Saying Oasis was the most overrated band ever may have been a bad take, but it wasn’t my first bad take and it won’t be the last. It also wasn’t my worst. I thought The Hives were the world’s next great band. I thought Dogpile.com was superior to Google. I thought Belichick was more valuable than Brady etc etc
This album is significantly better than “Definitely Maybe”. Much more confident and original. Better instrumentation and varied arrangements. Not leaning on the tropes and British Invasion nostalgia I slammed them for in the debut. It’s still not something I would voluntarily listen to, but I may be ready to hang up my animosity towards Oasis. They aren’t hacks… my b.
Calexico
2/5
Some cool stuff here, but not for me. Favorite track was Crumble and it had no vocals, so maybe its the lead singer i didn't enjoy. Original sound.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
This was a staple in my house growing up, or maybe it just stands out compared to the others. This one, Tears for Fears, lotta REM. For that reason I have a soft spot for it. I also fucking love Doo Wop That Thing. I think its one of the best songs ever. Listening to the rest of the album though, the other songs feel a little flat and one dimensional. LH always delivers, meaning her vocal performances, but the dynamics on those other songs just dont touch the energy from That Thing. Just learned about the connection to the Marley family and now it makes a lot more sense. The horns in That Thing are sensational.
I thought I wanted more original instrumentation in rap records, but it occured to me listening to this that samples can add a lot of depth to a song and a termendous amount of variety. You can't really replicate blending the recordings from 50 years of pop music, the instruments they used, the recording equipment etc. Here is works well, but it also feels a little too clean and boring at times.
Queen
5/5
If this only had Bohemian Rhapsody on it I’d still go 5/5. That song is so good. Trying not to always be hyperbolic but it might be the best song ever. The rest is cool, but not something I’ll regularly go back to. That drop tho in BH…. Sheesh
Kanye West
5/5
Feel like I could analyze this one for a week, which is a credit to the album. When you throw music on at the house, this isn’t what you’re playing, but it’s perfect for this exercise.
I’ve thought a lot about this album. When this came out a friend played Bound 2 for me and I just thought it was Kanye being intentionally provocative and it wasn’t “real” music. My friend’s response was that I was talking about it, which I think was my point. Over time though that song specifically has really stood out as a great song on its own. In the context of the entire album it’s even better.
I don’t know what KW is doing these days and I don’t support etc etc but the dude is a genius. I think he might be our Bowie? A mentally ill Bowie.
One of the cooler music moments I’ve heard is on the first track. You’re immediately on your heels with that dissonant aggressive beat, and it cuts to a “sample” (which I’ve learned was recreated because they couldn’t get the rights) that sounds like the best thing you’ve ever heard “he’ll give us what we need, it may not be what we want” How it sounds sonically is an accomplishment, not sure I’ve ever heard that kind of contrast before, but him saying “yea I know this is fucking insane, it’s not the hit you want but it’s what you need to hear” is pretty fucking sick. He can make beautiful music if he wants but that’s not what we “need”. Not sure that we “need” it but I greatly prefer to be challenged that to hear recycled shit we’ve heard a million times.
I’ll continue thinking about Yeezus for a while. More music that pushes boundaries please.
Gil Scott-Heron
3/5
I like the grooves of GSH songs (the bottle) but he’s a poet turned musician, so I think he can sometimes fall short as well.
Kate Bush
3/5
3/5 for this album but 4/5 for Kate Bush and her overall weird vibe. Great moments here but a little off the rails. May grow on me over time.
Nick Drake
2/5
Enough!!! I’m sick of this guys shit.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Wow that ended with some really dumb shit. Generally like this STYLE of the RHCP better than Californiacation, but 75 min of this is too much.
Morrissey
3/5
Not bad! I think his song writing is what’s holding him back. Also, no ones asking (me) but my moneys on Morrisey being gay.
Turbonegro
3/5
Really dumb but kinda loved it. Cant really place it but the vocals remind me of very contemporary music. I think Kurt Vile? Somewhere between a 3 and 4. Going to be conservative but I think these guys may grow on me.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Big BB fan but this song didn’t do it for me. Not sure about the full catalog but in this one they definitely leaned on the harmonies more than I would like. It sounded like a cappella group with some backing bands. It was interesting to hear which areas Wilson would bring to Pet Sounds, particularly the horns and some of the Spector Ronnettes stuff. That said, I’ll never be mad with this on.
Public Enemy
2/5
Don’t believe the hype! Lolz
One star for the activism, but I do not enjoy listening to this. The mixing in the live concert intros was cool.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Voice of an angel. One of my go-to’s. Love everything about it.
Ravi Shankar
3/5
Not sure what to do with this. Is this our 3rd Shankar family project? 4th if you include Norah Jones? If I’m going to listen to Ravi I think it’ll be this, traditional Indian music. That said, I don’t think I will be. 3 stars?
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Damn close to a 4. A lot of the makings. Pretty original sound, right amount of weirdness, good progressions and quality. I just don’t see myself coming back to this based on personal taste. Nice work Super Furry Animals.
Ice T
1/5
Trash
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
Biggie is my GOAT and this album is really good. Biggies vocals are one of a kind, raw power, and he can tell a story. Light years ahead of some of his peers (cough.. ICE T). Broken record but could have done without some of the skits, although some worked.
5/5
Pretty damn good! Frank told me to listen to this a few weeks ago so feeling particularly prepared, and a second and third time through i feel like i truly "get" it. The tone of Ray Davies is a little confusing but the story on Arthur is pretty clear. He loves Britain, its time to let go of the past. Telling the story through the lense of his brother in law works incredibly well, and is just the kind of stange humor that defines The Kinks. The story, concept, humor works and so does the instrumentation and song writing. I generally associate the Kinks with below average production/instrumentation, possibly by design, but the production here sounded great. I was pretty stunned by some of these songs, in particular the horns throughout.
A year ago I bought a house that needs a lot of work, and spend a significant amount of time stressing, thinking, working on this piece of shit. Because of that, Shangri La hit a little too close to home (no pun intended).
I gotta believe this is The Kinks best work?
Spacemen 3
2/5
Out on these guys. One star for the synths.
Solid classic rock. Down the middle. Favorite thing about Faces is the guitar, especially on Stay With Me. Little burnt out in Rod Stewart’s voice. Overall take is this is a very average 70’s rock album, which big picture is pretty good.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
Went through this maybe 2.5 times and don’t really get it. I can see why it would be acclaimed, but the music is very grating to me. The constant minor progressions and aggressive accent. I do wonder if I have some deep seated disdain for the Brit’s, or it’s that these 2000’s groups ramp up the accent. Moments I enjoyed but I probably won’t be back.
Rush
4/5
Somewhere between 3-4. When i listen to Rush it sounds more like an exhibition than anything. As if they are just showing off what they are capable, which is no doubt sick. I'm hoping the more I listen and can latch on to the structure of the songs I'll enjoy it more. It's a 3 today but think it'll be a 4 in the future.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Ted!!!!! I know you like this! Give it up.
Not much that needs to be said but this time through Babe I’m Gonna Leave You fucking ROCKED. And between Plant and Bonham the sound is so huge it sounds like literal rock giants are playing. Decent debut album… Top 2 or 3 Zep albums maybe?
Air
2/5
May work as a score but just the album is pretty lifeless.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
What a ride. A very gay ride. It’s so menacing in the funnest possible way. If you’re not careful they’re gonna party! And there’s nothing you can do about it! Welcome to the Pleasuredome baby. Feels like a 2 for my personal taste but adding a star for the very bizarre style/MO. May grow to a 4.
Adele
3/5
My wife tells me Beyoncé got robbed of a Grammy because of this one and after 30 seconds of hearing Lemonade I agreed. The uber seriousness of this album made it all feel one note and flat. Obviously unbelievable singer, but basically everything else sucked. Two songs were good. The piano sound throughout sounded like shit. 2 stars and an extra for the pipes.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Title track is an all timer, but I don’t think I needed the rest of this.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
Difficult to analyze this one having heard most of these so many times. A lot to like here obviously, but the different "sounds" throughout I've maybe taken for granted. The lead guitar on Suite Judy, the combination of instruments that make that strange and awesome groove to start Long Time Gone, what ever the hell that instrument is on Marrakesh. Helplessly Hoping sounds incredibly clean to me, though I couldn't even get through it it's so heart wrenching. A lot of these I hadn't heard, at least in a while and were probably the low points (Song with No Words, Lady of the Island etc.) The best point of reference for this album is Deja Vu which is an unrealistic standard. Amazing debut, all time great songs, a few I don't need, not as good as Deja Vu but pretty damn good.
The xx
3/5
The cover rules, 10/10. Happy to have heard this. I think this high quality atmospheric music is pleasant but doesn't have staying power. Like a Netflix series with a big budget, but ultimately after you watch it you'll forget you ever saw it. I could be wrong. Particularly liked the Hall and Oates (I Can't Go For That) sample. Gonna go listen to that.
The Velvet Underground
5/5
Listented to this maybe 4 times in the last two days and have a lot of thoughts. I'm spending too much time on this...
Where I've landed is this is cool as hell.
Many bands try to develop mystique and Velvet Undergound, no doubt with some intention, did it effortlessly. The world they bring you into with this album is unlike any other. Lou Reed and Nico carry the day here - coming off as cool and weird as ever. They deliver on being the seedy underbelly of all the flower power movement at the time and I'm sure was refreshing, and maybe distrurbing, to many.
Reading up on this one I did not know the Warhol was the actual Band Manager. I also had not heard of the Plastic Exploding Inevitable (a multi-media experience with Warhol movies and the Velvet Underground etc.) which sounds awesome.
I like all the tracks, or at least aspects of them, but this time I'll Be Your Mirror stood out. I've always loved Nico and I don't know why. I think its because she seems so out of place, but happy with that? Very nice sounding voice too. Listening through the first time I thought the premise was she was singing this to a dirtbag and showing them what a piece of shit they are. Second time through I realized thats not what it is, but i like that version better.
Black Angel Death Song might be my only hang up. IMO its a Dylan rip off and doesn't make sense.
Lou Reed is great. I want to know more about Warhol and this Plastic Exploding business. Gotta to back and compare to the first VU we got.
PJ Harvey
2/5
So much PJ Harvey in my life the last year. Too much. I feel like this one best explains her significance but it’s still not for me. I appreciate she’s a woman rocker, but I don’t think it’s particularly interesting and I don’t like listening to it.
Kanye West
5/5
On Yeezus Kanye told us “he’ll give us what we need, it may not be what we want” Well this is what the people want. HITS and dramaaaaa.
Fans: (Get mad that Kanye made fun of T Swift)
Kanye: I’m gonna fucking kill myself!!!!!
Amazing achievement. Will be listening to a lot of the “Dissect” season on this. That may sway me, but right now I can’t get over how dumb the catalyst to this was. Making a scene at an award show over a MUSIC VIDEO! For that to be his rock bottom is just plain dumb. We now know that would not be his rock bottom, but hearing about how he triumphs over making fun of Taylor Swift is hard to get past. I’m sure I’m glossing over the nuance and how he’s a complicated person etc. Still dumb.
Been listening to “Power” a lot after my friend Alex mentioned the King Crimson sample. Very cool. Echo what everyone else has said, bravo you crazy bastard.
Letting the T Swift thing slide because I also think she’s overrated.
Michael Jackson
4/5
First 6 songs are bangerzzz. Some of my favorite MJ songs. Falls off after that.
Should be said that the pedo stuff is pretty fucked up.
Kate Bush
3/5
Starts strong and fades on the second half. Kate Bush is so unique it makes for a pretty challenging listen. No points of reference, which is good but again, challenging. Might be a fan of her but maybe not an active listener. About to fire up "The Sensual World".
Kate Bush
3/5
Thats enough of Kate Bush for today. Again, felt it started strong and fell off. I'd like to hear minimalist version of her stuff. Mhhhhhhmmmmm yesssss.
TLC
2/5
Cool look back, I remember TLC being huge. I think they got Wally Pipp’d by Destinys Child. Found this pretty boring though, mostly the generic production and repetition of the beats.
The White Stripes
2/5
This one felt pretty mailed in. Either he wrote this in a couple weeks or the well ran dry. I do enjoy the arrangements more so than on their earlier records. As I've said, I felt they leaned on the novelty of not having a bass or other instruments a bit. On the first few tracks having the piano and bass is additive. He's got a pretty good guitar sound on a lot of this.
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
The first song is sick, definitely got my attention. Love everything about it. It ties the energy and realness of soul, maybe Afro soul?, to modern highly produced music. Plus it’s upbeat and catchy, interesting cadence, good hook etc. great song.
As I went through the rest I realized this guy sang the opening song for Big Little Lies and this very specific brand of soul felt a little too manufactured. I’ve Been Dazed sounds like a progression you’d teach a 12 year old, and the dressing all over it irritated me more than it masked anything. Piano Joint is basically a Marvin Gaye rip off, I feel like they legit pulled Inner City Blues.
Overall it’s pristine and beautiful sounding but that’s not why I like soul music. May be putting Michael in a box he doesn’t want to be in. But this Leon Bridges clean soul singing isn’t for me.
Spent some time thinking about Aretha this week. My kids love the movie Sing and they do “Say a little prayer” and their version is soulless, so listened to Aretha to see what she did differently. She has insane rhythm and dynamics, it reminds me of Hendrix guitar playing. So locked in and in control, he can make a major scale sound other worldly, and so can Aretha. Not trying to hold this guy to that standard, but what makes music engaging has a lot more to it than hitting the notes.
Impressed by MK, will be on the lookout for more of his stuff, but other than Track 1 won’t come back to this one.
Suicide
3/5
Let’s hear it for Frankieeeee 😬
That was something I won’t forget! I really enjoyed the sound throughout and placed that first riff (Born Free - MIA). Of course enjoyed the bizzaro vibe. Between a 3 and 4 and going conservative. Will be revisiting this.
It does make later records sort of less impressive. People have been going pretty strange places for a while now.
Black Sabbath
5/5
FUCK YEA! How did I miss this album? I think I had only ever listened to the first 3, but this might be the best one.
Sounds shitty, but after Ozzy died I started the day saying Black Sabbath might be a bit overrated. I've always been a fan but where he/they sit in Rock lore seemed a bit overblown. After listening to this I take it back. Black Sabbath fucking rocks.
At work I've been dealing with the most corporate political bullshit for a year, went to the gym and put this on and it was the PERFECT antidote. Snowblind instantly made me want to smash my laptop and rob a convenience store.
The off speed stuff on here is perfectly placed too. What a fucking album! RIP Ozzy!
Massive Attack
2/5
Damn close to a 1. I couldn’t really get through, skimmed the second half, and I think that should be a consideration. If I can’t listen to it then how could it be worse? I liked the vocals on “Lately”.
Garbage
2/5
Starts at stops on track 1 are sweet. Couple good moments but overall the dark cloud sound of the 90's makes me sick. It seems we were very lost as a society in the 90's. Both forcing various technical effects into music and expressing a general sense of discontentment. Probably popular opinion but worst decade for music IMO.
Elliott Smith
3/5
Nick Drake 2.0
I respect this, more so than the previous album, but it’s still not for me. Still listening to Black Sabbath. I concur that if I get divorced I’ll be crying playing this on repeat. One point for the 90’s. Deserves better but m hiding this is the 3’s.
Television
3/5
Joan Baez
3/5
Always heard her name and never knew what she was about. Played a big role in the Dylan movie and then watched the Rolling Thunder Revue and she’s in that too. Seems like a pretty cool lady. Good to do a full listen of an album. As for this album, all these songs are beautiful, but pretty darn similar. I think I’ll add Silver Dagger and keep a lookout for more Baez.
Slipknot
2/5
These guys remind me of my 3 and 5 year old daughters. When things aren’t going their way they always turn to anger, which is a very freeing feeling. Letting go of any kind of responsibility for a situation and blaming the world instead. Slipknot didn’t come to their senses though, as my children often do. Instead they put on masks and screamed…..a lot.
Curious to know each of these guys commitment to the bit. Who thought the outfits were dumb and who thought they weren’t spooky enough.
This brings me back to a pivotal moment in my life, around 2000. 10 years old and finding my musical footing. Exploring classic rock but also hiding in a crawl space in the basement listening to Insane Clown Posse. My friend showed me the new Disturbed album, The Sickness, which has a grotesque looking creature on the cover. Another had just showed me an AC/DC album. I chose AC/DC, the light, opting to not be disturbed. I haven’t looked back!
As for the music, I didn’t hate it. Cannot do a full album, but about 3 songs in was sort of impressed.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Held up better than I would have guessed. Innovative. Main takeaway is that they should have pulled the samples etc from Walk This Way masters and not re-recorded. New riff sounds like shit compared to original. Also, realizing Aerosmith did this 10 years after Toys in the Attic is kinda sad. Feels like a desperate move from an aging rock band, but it worked out.
The Clash
5/5
I love The Clash, particularly Joe Strummer. In my mind there are two versions of this band - the raw punk version and the refined version that went on to make London Calling. I suppose there is a third version that would make some straight up pop songs, that I enjoy too. The London Calling version really didn't seem to care what genre they were put in, just made the best possible album with the various rock, punk and reggae influences they most enjoyed. This early album has some hints of what they would later become but overall it's pretty straight forward, pretty great, punk. Some stuff on here reminds me of the Sex Pistols (White Riot), a version of The Clash that I think really only shows up here. Very happy to have this album, but my preference is the LC version.
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
I don’t know, man. Sounds cool, feel like without knowing French I really can’t experience this. This dude is soooo French.
Small Faces
3/5
Pretty silly. Ambitious with some nice moments but doesn’t totally work. Pretty fun rock/family tree on the wiki. Probably 2 but going 3 because they were trying something and for the few highlights.
k.d. lang
2/5
Well executed but not my style. I couldn’t get past the feeling she was imitating older genres instead of being herself or making something new. Very performative. Great voice and production, just not for me.
The Killers
3/5
I see the videos of people singing Mr. Brightside or The Killers in concert with the crowd singing the anthems and feel I totally missed the boat. These anthems feel like songs you had to listen to while with friends, getting drunk, when you were a teenager. For whatever reason this just wasn’t what we listened to in those days and I don’t think I can retrospectively get into it. When I listen now I only think “I don’t get it”. Respect it but a blind spot for me. Disco beat always works. Does he have a fake British accent?
Solomon Burke
3/5
Very nice. Knew the name but didn’t know his was the King of Rock and Soul. Good tunes, will come back for more.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Grew on me throughout - a cool new (to me) version of folk music. There were spots in the first listen where I was cursing the all powerful LIST, but as it went on I enjoyed it. Morrisey vibes on vocals. I think 3 for my personal taste but deserves a 4 and feeling generous today.
The Zombies
3/5
Is it gay to say Time of The Season is sexy? I don’t want to bang this dude, but someone surely does. Feels like an appropriate descriptor. All time song.
Anyway, immediately regretting giving Billy 4 stars, because I gotta go 3 here and I’d rather listen to this I think. Main reason it falls flat is because when psychedelia misses the mark it misses big. Interesting that this sound/movement had already jumped the shark by ‘68. Some great songs in here for sure though.
Alanis Morissette
3/5
I woke up at 6 am Saturday to drive an hour to a bus transport from Falmouth Center to Woods Hole to run a road race. Got to the bus area and there was no parking, so dropped my wife and went looking for parking. Found a spot and ran back to the bus. Dozens of empty school buses, hundreds lined up to get on. Unfortunately the narc race volunteers turned me away because I missed the “check in time”. No way to get to the start line, no road race for me and a couple hours to kill. I was completely enraged. I decided to go for my own “protest run” and immediately went to my album of the day. First song that came up was You Oughta Know. As soon as I heard Alanis as irate as I was I started laughing like a maniac. It’s not fair, to deny meeeeee!!! Logistical nightmare but a lovely protest run.
A full album of this is pretty grating. The hits are very good, although I think the drum machines were a mistake. Head Over Feet was my favorite re-listen. Still feel bad for the dude from Full
house every time I hear YOK.
Sigur Rós
2/5
Some cool moments and sounds but did not grab me.
The Doors
5/5
4 years after their debut and then he’s gone. Crazy rise and fall. Went through a big phase in HS school but as I realized Morrison was basically full of shit and stopped being romantic about the idea of being a drunk dirt bag I dialed it back. I still love The Doors and have come to really appreciate the lunacy of it all.
There’s a lot to like here but what stood out to me was the snarl. This may be peak Morrison snarl. Fat and burnt out and belting out tunes with pure testosterone and charisma. The hits are tremendous and of course a couple obligatory Doors nonsense songs mixed in. I was surprised to see on Spotify Riders OTS is their #1 song. Manzarek crushing the keys/midi. JM’s voice ……so damn good. Shocking.
Last thought on this, Frank and I were discussing how hard it must be to be an imposter but still get extreme praise. Knowing you’re not what they think you are. Morrison is an electric front man and singer, but he’s not a (good?) intellectual or a poet. I do wonder if he was just a drunk front man he’d have been better off, but then we wouldn’t get the high highs of the big swings they took.
He was 27! 23 when they started. Imagine meeting a 23 year old with that voice.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Frank really fucked up my MJ listening experience. Was it really a Liberian... boy? Blocking all that out - I like Off The Wall and Thriller, everything else I could do without. That said, some of these songs rip. Smooth Criminal.... i don't care how many b.... nevermind. It's a great song!
Pearl Jam
3/5
Impressive debut for sure. Pearl Jam falls into the same camp as Oasis for me, extremely popular bands that I don't really get. I think its the serious/moodiness but mostly its Vedders singing style. To validate this feeling I went and listened to Nevermind. The essence of that album is basically the opposite of seriousness, and that may be what I want out of grunge. (Just did a quick check on Spotify and this may not be a fair comparison - it appears Nirvana may be 2X as popular) They aren't grunge, but I don't know how to square this with RATM. They could not be more serious and I love it. My history teacher in HS, who i respected at the time, said Pearl Jam was better than The Beatles, which may have poisoned my mind.
Either way, good stuff here certainly. Not for me. Not really a grunge guy, unless it's Nirvana.
The Style Council
2/5
Some of these performances could work in isolation, but something about the way this album was constructed feels like a car crash. A car crash of crooning brits, up-tempo piano jigs, string sections and bad rap. Strange album!
Ray Charles
3/5
Still struggle with the big band stuff, but mostly enjoyed this. Decent kitchen music. Bold title.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Over these last two Sabbath albums I have become passionate about Sabbath grooves. I've always been drawn to these songs, on this album it's the wizard, but I think now that this is what makes them special. On Vol 4 there are a handful. At times sounds like a funk influence and I think its because of Bill Ward on drums. Aside from The Wizard nothing really stood out. Good debut
Cream
4/5
First Clapton appearance? Lately I feel Clapton has fallen out of favor, but I’ll always be a fan of his music. Probably overrated by some, but still one of the best.
One of the first albums I owned, I want to go 5 but I acknowledge faults. Starting with the good stuff, Clapton rules. The opening to Sunshine of Your Love is a great music moment. Particularly the third time through that riff, one of the sickest guitar sounds I’ve ever heard. Apparently called the “woman tone”. I really like most of these songs, one that grew on me is “We’re Going Wrong”. I recall a clip of Ginger Baker complaining he didn’t get a writing credit because the entire song is really driven by the beat.
One of the Producers called it “psychedelic hogwash” and there is definitely some of that. Song writing is a little weak. Overall it works.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Masterpiece. Some albums feel too good to review and this is one of those for me. I've always liked Dylan but lately I've been more and more impressed. A lot of these songs have worked there way into my life at different times, but listening to this front to back is truly jarring.
Lately I've been listening to Simple Twist of Fate and Idiot Wind. The first verse in Idiot Wind brings me great joy. The punch line "I can't help it if I'm luckyyyyy", but the incredibly bizzare cadence "when they will I can ONly guUUEEssss".
In Rolling Thunder Revue I saw him perform Simple Twist of Fate at a retirement home it looks like, and he completly changed the vibe to an upbeat soulful song (would be a great version to cover). But that totally changed my view of the song (On Netflix at the 1 hour 9 minute mark - its sick).
Maybe TMI but when my first daughter was born and we finally got home I was playing various songs and Shelter From the Storm came on and my wife started crying tears of joy/relief/gratitude. One of the great moments of my life. That song also plays a pretty crucial role in the album as a relief from a lot of the sorrow and negativity.
Dylan brings the charisma, obviously feeling a burst of inspiration from the divorce. One knock on this is that its a divorce album, which can be a bit of a grind. We get it man, its sad. Comparing this to the Marvin divorce album - making a wild assumption but it appears Dylan does his best work under these stressful circumstances and Marvin maybe did a lot of coke and did not.
I'm sure you could write an essay on each of these songs so I'll stop here but god damn, thats one great fucking album. I wonder if there is a precedent for such a succesful artist to do their (arguably) best work 15 albums in. I'm going to say there is not. Bravo.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
Cool moments. Very little else to say after I don’t know how many times through. Maybe a few more hooks?
The Black Keys
3/5
Meh. Pretty fun at times, irritating at others. Found the sound and stuck with it. Muscle Shoals recording, kinda cool.
AC/DC
4/5
Took at 2 hour bike ride yesterday (nbd) but started with Arhitecture and Morality, then Brothers and closed with Back in Black. For the last album I felt like I could bike 1000 miles at 100 mph. ROCKING out. Fun as fuck. I think I prefer Bon Scotts voice and general vibe, but these may be AC/DC's best all around songs. They have ONE speed and its rockin.
How do they lose their singer then sell 50M records? Was Johnson contributing significantly to the song writing?
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Pop music may not get better. Production is on another level. Crazy good on every track but Dreams is a marvel, they turned two chords into one of the best songs ever. Lottaaaa mega hits. A+
Coldcut
1/5
I hope this can serve as a reminder for all mankind that Mashups may fool your dumb lizard brain for a minute, but ultimately they will not bring you joy.
Gorillaz
2/5
Rock musicians trying to get in on the rap revolution led to a lot of bad music. Nu-Metal the biggest loser, RATM a rare exception. This is most apparent when bands like this forcefully include the table scratch sound. I remember this quickly became a sign of a bad song. It barely works in actual rap! My memories of this album and specifically Clint Eastwood are all tied to the music video, and that brings me to my next point: aesthetics in the early 2000’s were at an all time low. Album covers, music videos, clothes everything was in a weird new digital age and the transition was clunky as hell. I’m sure I’m forgetting a few things that worked well and it could be some function of thinking the world sucked 25 years ago, but this whole cartoon universe they created sucks.
All that said, some of this impressed me. 5/4 was my favorite. Overall though, didn’t need this.
Also what the hell was Del rapping about? I read the lyrics in Clint Eastwood a few times and could not follow.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
I’ve been going back and forth on this one and landed on 4. I sounds so damn good. I’ve had his song “Riot” on a rotation but had never done a deep dive. Little slow at times but that’s fine. Traditionally releasing covers so song writing is maybe a little weak, or maybe it’s fine to take a couple tracks off. Whatever man. Home is where the fuckin music is.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Not much more to say in Aretha. The greatest ever.
The Damned
3/5
Pretty cool. Kind of stadium punk? Some interesting decisions. Glad to have heard it.
Dagmar Krause
1/5
The Byrds
2/5
"Why" sounds like an REM song. A lot of this seems like it could have been influential for 1966. I also have the same feeling I'm sure most of my teachers had about my effort levels: minimal and half assed. Learned Gram Parsons didn't join until the 6th album.
The Band
5/5
In the first few seconds of this album The Band demonstrate their signature skill - the ability to make something completely new and make it sound so familiar and natural. On Tears of Rage, Robbie's guitar effect sounds unlike anything I've heard before and, despite hearing the song 1000 times had never asked myself, until yesterday, "what instrument is that? how did he get that effect?"
Another stunning debut, no blemishes. I will hear arguments against their cover of I Shall Be Released. Hard to be objective on this one but what stood out is Danko was basically the lead singer. I've always thought of Danko as the sort of goofy, off speed pitch, and Helm as the true great vocalist. Helms talent definitely pops when the Weight hits.
Apologies for another Sean/Frank story - we went to a party in Providence when we were probably 19. After a long night of partying we played The Weight in a small room to roaring applause (from two guys) and I looked down and the guitar I was borrowing was covered in blood from not using a pick. The next morning we left early and shortly after our departure the house got robbed at gun point.
Great album!
The Beach Boys
3/5
Some moments of brilliance for sure (Feel Flows). Interested to see Brian Wilson was becoming less involved here, especially in production. Long Promised Road feels like it could be so much better but something about the production is holding it back. A lot of those songs, plus one or two that are just bad. Need to go through the discography from Pet Sounds to this.
Elton John
5/5
Every now and then i come across an album like this, where I've listened to the hits (Tiny Dancer, Levon) countless times and never considered listening front to back. Why am I the way that I am?
Very very good. Richhhhhh arrangements. The sitar solo works in Holiday Inn (also love the Boston shout out). Somewhat hesitant to give EJ his roses, maybe because hes so insanely popular, something manufactured about the sound I have always been a little put off by, but in this case I gotta give it up. Not a perfect album but the great moments are life-affirming. New adds for me will be Razor Face and Holiday Inn.
Daft Punk
3/5
Enjoyed this but a little too much filler. I think if they cut a few tracks it could have been 4. “Alive” is a good live album by DP.
Depeche Mode
2/5
The exceptionally high rating (3.69) tells me a lot about the age and location of many 1001’ers. We gotta have 40 year old Brit’s crawling all over this site.
Did not like this one bit. A couple moments saved it from a 1, but barely made it. Out on Depeche.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Fun Wiki page on the lead singer. “In early September 1976, the Bromley Contingent followed the Sex Pistols to France, where Siouxsie was beaten up for wearing a cupless bra and a black armband with a swastika on it.” I’m sure it was the bra they took issue with. FTR she’s not a Nazi just wanted to freak people out, which she definitely did.
This was great deep dive on a band I knew nothing about. First half of the album felt like a 4, will be some songs I add. Second half fell off. So many familiar sounds to great indie bands. Siouxsie sounds like a more punk Chrissie Hynde (pretenders) maybe.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Classic. One of the several albums on in my house growing up. I've always enjoyed it, usually only came back for the hits so the deeper cuts sounded fresh this time. I never really fell in love with this the way I have for other 5/5 albums and I think its because it lacks a little soul. "Shout" never makes me want to shout - by comparison listen to Shout by the Isley Bros. This is not a soul album, but it does lack something. Head Over Heels is the exception - that one gives me chills.
Erykah Badu
2/5
Good to know something about Badu, but didn’t enjoy this much. I think every song was two chords in the same time? Nice voice etc. but this was aimless and boring.
Pixies
5/5
I’m behind so I can’t really absorb this the way I want to but through 1 listen it’s clearly very good. Feels like these guys are pretty underrated. Not an alt rock expert but The Strokes seemed to have pulled a lot of this guitar work. My favorite parts are when the lead singer really lets loose claiming to be an unchained dog. Love unchained dog energy from my front men, kinda wish he’d look the part a little more. Hard to picture a fat suburban looking dude in a flannel doing any of this convincingly.
Crowded House
1/5
Between 1 and 2 and feeling mean.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Not as high on this as I thought I'd be. Definitely enjoyed the hits when they came out, but feels a bit hollow this time through. Beautiful exterior, some great melodies, great production etc. but not really conjuring much. Will have to go back and read the review to see what the hype was about. I think in 2010 we were searching for a great rock album.
My Dad chooses random bands to loathe, which is usually funny because hes a very kind man. HATES Arcade Fire - something about the number of people in the band. Florence and the Machine makes him physically ill. I don't have that ire, but not going out of my way to listen to AF either.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Deserves a 5 but getting a 4. Nothing I would change just not quiteee my tempo.
Yes
5/5
Sick. If CSN and Rush had a baby. I used to skip to the outro of Starship Trooper and a kid, still rocks. Tons of great moments, only skip would be The Clap.
Missy Elliott
3/5
Came across this in the last year and really liked Sock It To Me. Sent that song to my friend Pat, who also likes rap, and have been self conscious about it ever since. Hyper sexual song about Missy Elliot getting fucked, maybe should have sent some kind of qualifier. Great song, but I don’t identify with it HAHA!
Fun album, couple saves, but pretty limited in the same ways a lot of these 90’s rap albums are. Big personality on Missy.
Make it hot, aight? I’m out.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
If you want Bongo Rock, this is where you should go. Had a little run in with this on my quest for more soul music 10 years ago, Last Bongo in Belgium is great. A full album of this is not tolerable. But again, for what it is, not bad.
Prince
3/5
Went from irritated to intrigued and finally entertained throughout this. Last few tracks stand out, specifically O Could Never Replace Your Man and It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night. One thing Prince does that kinda bothers me is where other artists would lean into a melody and make it stand out he uses the most timid imaginable synth, where you almost have to strain to latch on. A kink of his I’m sure. Good album.
Tracy Chapman
2/5
Ended where I started with Tracy on this. It’s fine! Don’t love it, don’t hate it.
Hawkwind
2/5
I like the spunk of the drummer. Generally, not a fan of this music. Pretty unimaginative and repetitive.
It has got me thinking a lot about space though. Is it interesting? Can't help but feel there is more on earth these guys could have been exploring. SPACE IS DEEP. There's no reverb in space fellas. NO SOUND at all. Space may suck.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Agree with Frank, great concert and brought a lot of energy, which is 90% of the battle of a live show. That said, the energy might be crucial for these songs because on the album it sounds like a bit of a drag. Style points for sure, unique sound, unique vocal layering etc.
R.E.M.
4/5
Holy fuck i love upbeat REM. The driving bass grooves, tight af, just the right amount of distortion. On this one its Pop Song 89, Get Up, Stand and Orange Crush. Mandolin REM I am less interested in, but its still good. First time through this album in prob 10 years and it was a delight.
My Dad claims to know every word to every REM song, I texted him the alubum cover saying "so good" and he just hit me with a thumbs up emoji. Sick.
T. Rex
4/5
Strangely comforting music. Glamourous yet comforting. Always liked T Rex but never did this kind of active listening and realized there is a lot going on. Background vocals, horns everywhere, piano, but all of it fits pretty seemlessly. The lead guitars way up front with 0 reverb sounds great and I wonder if its a glam rock signature. Bolan seems like a fun/interesting 70's rock character too. Watched an interview with him and on the question of being bi-sexual he said "I've had a lot of experiences" and "Bowie and I almost got married one night". Banging David Bowie is as glam rock as it gets.
Linkin Park
2/5
Prior to this I would have said Linkin Park was one of the all time worst bands. Nickleback before Nickleback. After this listen I realize I was wrong. Definitely a legit band with some good ideas. That being said - everything beyond the bones of these songs is dated or ill advised. The music video for In The End summarized this well - the aesthetics are BAD. The hair, the clothes, the green screen EVERYTHING. When i was a kid I was repulsed by this and I still am.
Then there is the production. For Gorillaz I called out the DJ record scratch - LP loves this sound. I do not understand it. I weak attempt to glob onto rap culture maybe, although the rappers of the day seemed to embrace these guys.
There are also the obvious things about this I do not enjoy - which is the genre and the uber seriousness.
Not for me, BUT definitely earned my respect. Linkin Park NOT the worst band of all time - maybe elevated nu-metal?
Lets get AI to go back and erase all the record scratch sounds off nu-metal records.
Richard Hawley
2/5
Listened to most of this while food shopping, and when passively listening wasn't a terrible experience. Feels like another brit bias pick. Not for me.
Tito Puente
4/5
Loved this. Anticipate having this on a lot.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Loved the horns and the backing vocals and sounds like a very fun live band. A couple songs I’ll come back to (Liars A to E) but generally didn’t grab me. Don’t love the crooning weirdo vocals.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Firmly a 3 for me. Impressed with the lane she created, the dap tones and talent, but I don’t enjoy listening to it. To me it has the same vibe as Moulin Rouge? Very sassy and theatrical, hitting a lot of melodies that are not pleasing to me.
The Who
4/5
“I don't think anyone can really explain rock 'n' roll... maybe Pete Townshend,"
Another apt Almost Famous quote. This movie may have been a little too influential for me.
The second half rules. The first half lacks I think because it’s their earlier songs and the song writing wasn’t really there. Always been a big The Who fan, but here it became clear to me how well they work together. Townshend leaving a lot of room for Moons fills, Entwhistle carrying the tune and distorting the bass to make the sound massive, despite Townshend having to lay back at times. Daltry always crushing. The guitar sound in these live performances is fucking sick too, watched the Woodstock one last night and he’s playing a sweet SG. Must have some kind of reverb. I’m rambling but all this is to say I’m a big fan. 4 studs.
Going 4/5 because I think they low key may suck at writing lyrics and some of these songs on the front could be skipped. I also don’t want to be too much of a classic rock simp.
Highlight is A Quick One While He’s Away. If you have not seen it, they did a live performance for a variety show with the stones (I think), and it’s fucking awesome. If you don’t have 7 minutes watch the last few, someone pours water on Moons drums and it looks awesome. I aspire to do ANYTHING as enthusiastically as he played drums.
https://youtu.be/RJv2-_--EY4?si=L0BHZ3mvhQJ2GrEF
Kings of Leon
3/5
I feel like if I saw them in person, maybe a small venue, they’d blow my dick off. Clearly have some chops. But on this record it comes across as mass produced and uninspired. Probably a result of the fact we’ve heard the hits a billion times, but I did go back on Pats rec and their older stuff was real. The vocals are where it sounds like a feigned attempt at soulfulness that irks me. Again, if this dude were singing this live I’m sure I’d be impressed. 2.5ish
The Streets
1/5
This British fuck! Couldn’t do it.
Eminem
4/5
A lot funnier than I would have thought. Shouldn't surprise me that the jokes of a 27 year old went over my head at 9... Incredibly honest, in a way most art is not. Reminds me of Peep Show. Some of it is also just really juvenile and silly.
Really enjoyed and only thing holding it back from a 5/5 is personal taste, and not even that I don't like it, just a vibe I'm never seeking.
"I Got The" by Labi Siffre is where they got the sample for My Name Is. Worth a listen. About 2 minutes the song stops and its as if they dropped the sample right there, totally out of place, but awesome.
The Temptations
3/5
Listened to this a few times and each time it could not keep my attention. Fine music.
David Bowie
4/5
Death is a tough subject. Shout out Frank who loves Death. Very impressed with this and as is often the case with Art Rock, will need more time to digest. Tis a Pity She Was a Whore was a highlight. Two whores in one review! Horns and drums also stood out. If it wasn’t Bowie I may go 3, but it is.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Bordering on offensive, but when I wasn’t contemplating how I would bash this album I caught myself enjoying a few moments. The rock whore in me. For that it gets two stars. Still feels like something that didn’t need to be made and parody of rock.
Brian Eno
3/5
This was easier to digest than the other Eno we got. Clearly influential. First track sounds a LOT like LCD soundsystem.
I was playing "King's Lead Hat" and asked my wife "this sounds a lot like the Tallking Heads right?" and she responded "maybe? a shittier version." Turns out the title is an anagram for "Talking Heads"
Nailed it.
Read they recorded 100!!!! tracks and these are the 10 that made the cut. Eno sounds like a real music sicko.
Roxy Music
4/5
Gun shy on this one... after a lot of consideration I've landed on 4. So often you can put an album in some box - this is X genre or a precursor to Y and with this one I really struggled to place it. What the fuck is this? What were they going for? For those reasons it went from a 3 to a 4. I have been thinking about this album a LOT over the last several days. Is it good? Are they totally full of shit? Time will tell but at this moment I'm leaning "its good". Still don't know what their deal is but I'll figure it out. I keep coming back, especially to the early tracks. Sorta like post punk / glam rock with a touch of Talking Heads. It's weird and fun despite at times being a bit irritating.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Curtis rules. Not a moment on this I didn't enjoy, but does not hit the same highs as Superfly.
Hard Times was originally written by Curtis for Baby Huey and recorded 5 years earlier. That version is good if you want to check it out. While you're there listen to Running by Baby Huey (sick song). Album was produced by Curtis. Titled "The Living Legend" even though Bay Huey died before it was release, will never understand that.
Radiohead
4/5
It goes without saying that I'm a music nerd, but I am especially interested in song structure and music theory wizardy. For that reason I have always wanted to like Radiohead more than I do. The problem is, they are a fucking BUMMER. This album for some reason is a little less grimy than others, very cohesive too. Another that would be well suited as a soundtrack/score. Technically very impressive. WAY better than most of what was being released in 2001. I think I'll save my 5/5 for OK Computer.
Highlights on this one are You and Whose Army and I Might Be Wrong. Like Spinning Plates really got my music nerd juices flowing back in the day. They recoreded it in reverse?!
Portishead
2/5
Not vibing with this
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Knee jerk is 4 but I think I’m mostly stunned this sounds good and was recorded late in his career. Also cool I’ve never heard this. Country rock? Great vibes. Not quite Dad rock, but close. That classic Young harmony working well. Prob won’t come back so gonna go 3. I could be wrong.
Julian Cope
3/5
Better than I would have thought from the Exploding Teardrops guy! Prob won’t come back but my ears will perk up if I hear Julian Cope.
Queen
3/5
Prettyyy disjointed. Queen not really a full album listen kinda band maybe. Glimpses of greatness.
Nirvana
5/5
If you’re about to die and you haven’t listened to Nevermind, I’m comfortable saying it is a MUST listen. GREAT album. Puzzling to me how these minor miracles come to be. They didn’t reinvent the wheel, these chords were always there, they just happened to hit just the right note(s).
You’d think landing on these classics would be boring or pointless, but I definitely listen more intently as if for the first time and it’s enjoyable af.
To me this is on the all time list. I can’t think of a better rock album since.
Territorial Pissings is a fine song in the scheme of this, but gotta call out the vocal veracity to close that out. Not sure I’ve heard someone go that hard. Sounds like his voice is dying.
Grohl fucks on drums.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
First impression was not good. This is my intro to Lucinda, but I’m drawn to come back. Will slot in the 3 spot and see if this grows on me. A down and dirty Sheryl Crowe? Not bad.
Wilco
4/5
I’ve been waiting for this one. My Dad is obsessed with Wilco, says Tweedy is a Dylan level song writer. I’ve always listened to various Wilco songs, I think A Ghost is Born is more my speed. A little proggier. This one came across as a little too cute. Tweedys vocal style comes across as obnoxiously passive. Not sure what the Wilco heads will say but I love the Star Wars album. If I’m honest it’s 3/5 but going 4 out of respect for my Dad.
The The
3/5
Once through but didn’t hate this. Feels like a lot of good stuff going on and the vocals kinda bolted on. Interested in learning more. Shitty band name.
Johnny Cash
3/5
One prison album is enough. Frank started his anti JC campaign and his seeds of doubt are starting to sprout. Is Johnny full of shit? Might be. I don't think you can argue he has a great voice, presence and found an interesting lane. More interesting than most. He can tell a story. Had to compare this to San Quentin and the first track "Wanted Man" jumps out as better than what's on here. More energy and some cool backing vocals.
Janis Joplin
4/5
Very good. Love Janis. Keeping it at 4 because it is a little grating after a while and doesn't have the song writing to put it over the top. A very good blues album would by my comp.
Completely unrelated: I have been listening to a song from several albums ago "It's Gonna be a Beautiful Night" by Prince from Sign of the Times. The song rules, but it's obviously not entirely "live", audience etc but edited, so went looking for the live version and came across an A++++ concert film. I would strongly encourage watching a lot of this but labeling minutes 12 and 58.5 as MUST WATCH. I have been converted to a full blown Prince guy. He is incredible and so is the band etc. I don't understand how I am just now seeing this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDPX_GZ-0R0&list=RDnDPX_GZ-0R0&start_radio=1&t=3638s
Venom
1/5
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
Not what I was expecting. Cool to be able to trace the origins of various genres through this exercise, but I won't voluntarily go back to this one. The Message is cool and Genius of Love is great, but not sure they added a lot to that one.
Miles Davis
3/5
Very pleasant. I'm sure at the time it was "cool" as hell, but now it sounds like something I'd hear at a steakhouse or an upscale mall. Potentially decent music for the holidays? Don't want to make any statements though - look at Sean, so sophisticated playing jazzZzZzZ. We'll see.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Gross Pointe Blank is a movie I have seen maybe 100 times and for some reason in my mind was one of the great movies ever made. If you have not seen it, John Cusak plays a hired killer and decides to go back to his 10 year HS reunion, where he strikes up an old fling with his ex-gf Mini Driver. As the years went on I realized the rest of the world did not hold this movie in the same regard. I now realize one of the reasons I loved this movie was the music andddd Blister in The Sun is one of those songs (along with many other classics). All this to say - great song, way to go Violent Femmes. The rest of the album was pretty whiny. I like the idea of folk punk and it works here and there, overall they didnt really land the plane on most of these songs. Nailed the first track though!
ZZ Top
3/5
STRICTLY PENTATONIC!!! I like a ZZ Top as much as the next guy, but over the course of an album it's a little boring. As a kid this was all i wanted - fuzzy guitars, no bullshit (I hated songs with piano in them), never got the beard thing but generally was on board with ZZ Top. Now as a MATURE man I find it a little vapid. I'm a douche.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Highlight was I’m That Type of… and Oh Shit. The overall vibe made me want to make music with my friends. It’s also shocking how far the boundaries were pushed in the early years of Hip Hop and how infrequently it seems to have happened since. Overall I think I’m saying 4 instead of 5 because of the silliness? A little too silly for a 5. That’s a new arbitrary rule.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
Very good. Peter Gabriel is emerging as one of the winners from this list, slept on him a little bit. I think I've only heard one song from this and there are really no misses. Feels like a potential 5 but going 4.
The Fall
2/5
This may be obvious and possibly intentional, but if you've listened to 10 seconds of a song on this album you've heard the entire song. These are fragments of songs, which can work sparingly, but for EVERY track on a 60 min album to be this way does not work. If the song writing there this could have been a good album.
De La Soul
3/5
Fun at moments, impressive for the time, obviously influential. I did read they popularized skits (should penalize them for that). I can understand a 4/5 rating based on the accomplishment and overall positive message etc, but I don't really like listening to it so gotta go 3. Love the samples, second time we've heard the "I Can't Go For That" Hall and Oates sampled. Steely Dan sample also stood out. Hearing Q Tip was refreshing.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
Got a take here I’m unsure of. First of all, love this record and some of these songs are some of my all time favorites. Can’t You Hear Me Knocking at the top at the moment, may have heard Wild Horses too many times.
The take is that this album is depressing. Not because of the lyrics and subject matter, though that doesn’t help, but a very subtle undefinable vibe. I’ve always felt that way about Sway, but now I hear it on most of the songs. The sounds of a band who is strung out on drugs and just lost their friend, but are soldiering up for another hit album.
Curious if others will notice this or if it’s just December in Boston and life is about to suck for 4 months.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Here's my review from previous album we had "Loved the horns and the backing vocals and sounds like a very fun live band. A couple songs I’ll come back to (Liars A to E) but generally didn’t grab me. Don’t love the crooning weirdo vocals." Feel the same now, but the horns are better on this one. Makes me want to go watch some live ska/reggae and maybe learn to play the trombone. This one is inching closer to a 4, but ultimately keeping it at 3 because instead of wanting to listen to this it's making we want to go listen to actual ska/reggae. Worth the listen though.
Pixies
3/5
Sounds great, loved rock and roll, not as catchy or maybe distinctive as the others. Glad to have a pretty comprehensive view of The Pixies now, will prob take some time with this one.
Wire
5/5
Fuck yea. How does this album sound this good? It sounds perfect. I love what they've taken from punk and what they left behind, as well as what they added. Totally unique and great on its own. Art punk maybe. Full listen is fun and you can't get bored (35 min and 21 songs...), but some individual songs stand out on their own. Very excited for this.
Dire Straits
4/5
Such a specific sound. Great guitar playing and sultans of swing rips every time. I think most of these songs are pretty one dimensional and repetitive, even though they all sound good. Sultans is the exception, that's just a great song. Six Blade Knife another one that stands out.
Coldplay
4/5
I think I would consider myself a Coldplay hater, but that has softened lately. This was my first time actively listening to a Coldplay record and I'm impressed. Sounds great, original, maybe a little dull at times but Martins vocals shine throughout. Nice work fellas. My daughter loves In My Place and whenever we can agree on a song we like it always raises the stock of the band.
Metallica
3/5
Hard not to think “this is really dumb” as you listen to this, but in between those thoughts there’s some good rockin. A new find for me is Orion, kinda been playing it on repeat. Title track also rocks.
Brian Eno
3/5
A lot of cool moments throughout - loved Dead Finks Don't Talk. The man is a soundsmith. He makes very cool sounds that don't necessarily translate to good songs or records. Really like the album cover too.