Now this is music! I went to buy a suit today (very not Hawkwind, I know), and the suit guys plied me down with several glasses of scotch before lunch. I left, feeling like a million drunken bucks, popped in my headphones, and walked around Manhattan for the next two hours, enjoying a glorious autumn day, propelled by Space Ritual. Far fewer ultimate scenarios exist in this life.

This is a freight train of energy, as to be expected. Like stepping back in time.

A barbershop quartet of the future. I hear the beginnings of Daft Punk here, but also vestiges of the Beatles and The Bee Gees. First track starts off strong, a real feast for the ears. After, it slows, and with the exception of some great and evocative sounds, I stopped caring until Summer and Lightning. Overall, it’s a technically strong album that doesn’t quite narratively hold together for me. It’s lacking a bit of soul and it’s all over the place, jumping around in style even within songs. I’d rather listen to similar contemporaries, although I do acknowledge this album’s influence and importance. The Simon-esque spaceship receives a thousand points in my book.

This album was recorded over a decade and a half ago now, and although it sounds very of its era, there’s something perpetually new and fresh about it. I’ve heard the singles from this album a million times, but they never get old. Perhaps it’s the liquid youth that emanates from these songs. The lost boy vibe of never wanting to grow up maybe froze time itself within its wax. Or maybe, I hate to say it, music simply hasn’t evolved as dramatically as say it did in the fifteen year gap between 1969 and 1984, so it feels newer in relation to everything else that’s come out since. Thank you Spotify algorithmic market research! The second half of this album is weaker than the first, but those first five songs are a powerhouse. 5 stars, and I’d give five more.

Like a more biblical Bob Dylan when it comes to the surrealist imagery. Otherwise, this album stands out as a unique experience. The vibe is so calming while also somehow tortured. Each moment is so perfectly calculated, even as some lines leave you in perplexity, wondering if the onslaught of images mean anything at all. It’s crazy to think that LC spent months composing some of these tracks. These songs are like manna from heaven, perfect for a rainy day or a candlelit evening.

Back when I was a dopey midwestern kid, completely devoid of culture, who thought the only music out there was what was on the radio, I went to a coffee shop in Cleveland. They were spinning Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. My mind was blown in myriad ways. First off, you’re going to sing about how she’s taking vitamins to defeat evil-natured robots? I’d never heard anything so goofy set to music. What an observation! But then other lyrics, all we have is now, do you realize, they all opened my little world just a bit. Secondly, it’s never occurred to me that anyone would sit and listen through a whole record in its entirety until that point. It was this record, and perhaps its cohesion, which sent me on my journey to listening through albums, not just the singles, and it was the coolness of that moment in the Cafè that prompted me to buy a record player and start my own collection. Needless to say, this album was pivotal to me. Returning to it now, it’s hard to be objective. The sound is still big, yoshimi’s shrieks still curdle my blood, and I still hold this album on a pedestal over the other Lips albums. Eventually, I went on to see them in Grant Park at Lollapalooza and was literally rolled over by Wayne Coyne in a bubble. I’ve never seen a show so crazy since. Thank you Yoshimi. Not to mention, as well, how fitting the theme is in today’s climate of rapid AI production. What is human, what is love, and do we fight when the moment arises? Fifth album reviewed from this site.

A total classic. Young Neil’s Helpless. Our House and Deja Vu are all astounding. There’s a song about a little thing that’d just happened the year before called Woodstock. The harmonies, as always, are impeccable. If an epic like Judy Blue Eyes had been on this, it’d be even more of a monument than it is. That said CSN seem very separate from Y on this. It’s like two bands stuffed onto one album. A friend left this record at my house like a decade ago and never came back for it. Considering I’ve only spun it once since then, I feel that shows my level of connection to it. As I said, a total classic, but its not quite my vibe, so three stars due to personal taste. Neil would go on to greater things, and CSN have better showings as well. Sixth album reviewed here.

I was born a generation after ISB’s glory days, but in my twenties I went through a hippie phase. I steeped myself in ISB for a few years, and even preformed some of their songs for friends on occasion (Chinese White at Christmas is a perfect song). Revisiting this album now though, from a sober, critical point of view, I find the first half a little grating. I hate to say it, but I was irritated. Even on the Minotaur’s Song, which I used to think was so fun and interesting, I’m just kind of over it. A Very Cellular Song takes the tactic of those before it on the album of having zero repeating structure, exploring and rambling to the point of incomprehension. My interest simply has nothing to grasp except for a poetic line here or there. I’m left wondering, what’s the point? The second half delves into very eastern-inspired sessions which reach for spiritual places, so I do feel some redemption there. But overall, I see this album as more of a snapshot of an era than an album I’d turn to for enjoyment. Maybe my opinion will change ten years on, but right now, I feel a bit curmudgeonly, like a parent forced to watch their child’s hour long self-produced play. I will say that the case of Licorice McKechnie’s disappearance is fascinating, and I’m surprised Netflix hasn’t run a deep-dive investigation documentary on her yet. I hope she’s alive out there, living a very normal life as someone’s very normal grandmother.

I’ve never loved PJ Harvey, I’ve never hated PJ Harvey. I didn’t love this album, but I didn’t hate it. It was sufficiently heavy, and she does tear it up. I’m sure she puts on a good show. At the same time, maybe because of how she tends to sing/speak, all of these songs kind of sound the same. This was her debut, and better albums do come along. I probably won’t put this on again, but I wouldn’t be upset if someone else did. 8th review.

I’d heard favorably of Fever Ray, but mentally conflated them as Sugar Ray (very different), so I never sought their music out. This appeared as my album today, and I was prepared not to care. A few seconds in, I was like, hey, this is pretty cool, definitely not like Sugar Ray. The vocals kicked in and I thought, wow, this band is really influenced by The Knife. Five seconds later, I was like hold-up, this IS The Knife!!! How did this album slip under my radar for more than a decade? Circa 2009, Silent Shout held a perpetual slot in my car’s cd changer (remember those?). I’ve always held Silent Shout as a perfect album of which I base the quality of all other albums to. My friend even went as far as to say she wanted her eventual funeral to simply be a closed casket listening party of Silent Shout, as these songs could convey to her family and friends everything that she was in life. The Knife albums after Silent Shout have all paled in comparison to me, but suddenly, dropped at my feet, is the true sequel (and equal) to SS. Less dancy and more atmospheric, this achieves everything I would’ve liked in a follow up. Thematically, I even see continuity between songs- think Concrete Walls and From Off to On, both featuring at-home ennui with TVs on at all hours. After only two listens, I know already that I’m adding this to my mental collection of baseline go-tos, right next to Silent Shout. 9th review here, and so glad to have found something so valuable to me so soon. This is the very reason I started following this list.

First thing I notice is the fluid change between Sam’s speaking voice and his singing voice. He really is one of the greatest singers who ever lived, and you can hear it right in that transition upfront. His tone is just awesome. Also, this show, his stage presence, the song list, is all so excellent. He covers most of his hits. I can imagine everyone dancing and doing the twist, not just sitting back and watching this performance. It would have been great to attend, I’m sure. I find the aside interesting when he asks guys to consider not hitting their girlfriends. He leads in like that would be the most common thing to do in the world for a man who suspected infidelity. Times have improved in some regards, it seems!

A five before even giving it a relisten. Like a lot of others here, I know this album by heart, and every movement is carved into my soul. Reminds me most of being a teenager, sneaking beer, and shooting pool in my parent’s basement. Contrary to some others here, I’ll say Battle of Evermore is one of the greatest Zep songs. Could you imagine any other song leading into Stairway? I bet you can’t. Also five stars to the old man with the lantern on the inside cover. I had him on my favorite tee shirt back in those pool shooting days.

I first listened to Horses about two years ago. Patti had once worked at the Strand Bookstore in New York, and so had I about twenty years after, so I felt some sort of arbitrary necessity to become familiar with her music based on that tenuous connection alone. I remember being really enthralled by the album, with the raw power and poetry, the transcendence of Birdland, the mashup of her own poetry with rock classics, like in Gloria. So, I was excited when this came up as my album of the day. Today, though, I must not have been in a receptive mood. What I’d interpreted as transcendence two years ago felt like forced transcendence this time around. Her voice which I’d found interesting last time, grated on me this time. I still enjoyed getting caught up in the surrealistic sweep of Horses (the song), and I understand this album’s place in punk history, but it’s certainly not an album for all occasions. Must the greatest albums be for every mood? No, of course not. But this one involves a patient mind who’s also ready to rock, and I was neither today. Maybe next listen this will be a five? Right now, it’s a three in my book.

Am I a moron? My whole life, I thought Smack My Bitch Up was Snap My Picture. Suddenly, the track seems so much more aggressive. Well, The Prodigy aren’t lyrical Wordsworths, but there are some clever play on words moments, like Mindfields, etc. None of this is really about the words though, unless it’s to deliver a brief incendiary message. It’s about mixing metal and edm and raving like it’s 1997. I was only ten when this came out, but I was immediately transported back in time vibe-wise. When I put this on, my partner was like ‘Ooh! Firestarter!’ And I had no idea what she was talking about. I felt so out of the loop. I’m more in the loop now that I’ve listened to this and read on The Prodigy, but don’t really care to be. If I put this album on again, it’ll be for background music when I want to get hifi.

Like a more boring Daft Punk. If you were in the mood for super-chill, this does offer some great textures and bass lines. It’s certainly a vibe. To me, a perfect 3.

This was weirder than I thought it’d be. At first I was tentatively into it. Solsbury Hill is a classic, for instance. Then Excuse Me came on and it might be the worst song I’ve ever heard. Nothing after redeemed the album. I was expecting more of a In Your Eyes experience, and I wish this is what we got.

Wow, this was truly awful. Who would ever listen to this on purpose? Absolutely belongs in a junkyard itself, sorry Nick Cave.

This album makes me violently want a Pepsi.

A great relief after getting Junkyard and Trout Mask Replica back to back. It’s been expressed in other reviews, but please someone get me a cocktail. I could listen to this all day! (And I did, on repeat!)

Great poetry and a perfect blend of excitement, emotion, and chill. I feel that amusement park in his memories, I feel that longing for the road, I feel that need for freedom. You can’t fake these things.

When Coldplay really had their moment twenty years ago or so, they were everywhere. My roommate played them all day long, my good friends played them in their cars. I even remember when Paradise came out years after I thought we were finished with them, and a buddy sat me down and was like ‘listen to this!’ all excited, cranking up the volume. I will always hate Coldplay. It has nothing to do with the songs themselves, some are really quite good. But it’s that voice. That grating, sickly, whiny voice, and he uses it in the worst way in every song. The only time it ever worked for me was on this album, on the song Yellow, because to me, that’s the color of his voice. His jaundiced, ear-scraping voice. That’s the only song I’ll tolerate from them, and even then, in small doses.

This is an album I’d never heard of (although I swear I’ve listened to Sacred Heart before, either as a sample, a cover, or just out in the wild). But, this is an album I’ll return to. I put it on again immediately after my first listen, which I think really says something.

This always shows up on greatest albums lists, topping rolling stone’s 500 in one edition. I’ve always thought this album was just okay. I appreciate the vibe, and I like the fluidity, where the first side is basically one continuous song. I like the overall message- like, we’ve got radiation in the ground, wtf people? And, Gaye’s world hasn’t changed much, just as he feared, cops are still out there shooting innocents. But, maybe it’s because I wasn’t born yet when this came out, I just don’t understand why this album is always cited as ‘the best.’ It doesn’t have much to tick against it, but it also doesn’t have much that brings me back to it on my own. I only listen to it when going through lists like these. What am I missing?

Track one was a banger- I definitely hear guitar sounds that Grizzly Bear would go on to rip-off verbatim. I thought immediately, oh, this one’s a strong 5. Then, despite all the proggy glory and medieval references, it lost me along the way. I gave it a second listen, and felt exactly the same about it. I’d give it a 2.5 for being meh, but I’ll up it 50 cents for how awesome track one would most definitely sound live. Can’t believe I haven’t heard this track before.

Chicago’s a great town, but their namesake band is no Boston. There were points on this album where I was into it, but overall, this is overlong and over-indulgent. I also couldn’t get out of my head a documentary I watched about this band a few years ago. They fired one of their longtime members for coming late to a rehearsal. Apparently, they were in the UK and he went to visit a castle with his wife, which made him late. The doc then showed a one on one with each of the band members bashing this guy for going to look at castles, like a loser. Methinks something deeper and unaddressed in the documentary was going on, and they were blaming one event after their storied multigenerational careers for letting this guy, who probably wrote a lot of the music they were rehearsing and could play in his sleep, go. Very fresh, considering their first hit, which is on this album, is literally about not caring what time it is. Really, think about it. You ask a guy for the time because you might be late for an important meeting, and the asswipe is like ‘does anybody really know what time it is, like philosophically, dude?’ I’d punch him in the neck. Little Nicky has this right. Chicago has a clean facade, but look deeper and you’ll find what’s really up.

Now this is music! I went to buy a suit today (very not Hawkwind, I know), and the suit guys plied me down with several glasses of scotch before lunch. I left, feeling like a million drunken bucks, popped in my headphones, and walked around Manhattan for the next two hours, enjoying a glorious autumn day, propelled by Space Ritual. Far fewer ultimate scenarios exist in this life.

There’s something very incredible about St. Elmo’s Fire. The rest of this, I wish was as enchanting. I really love Eno’s contributions on Bowie’s Warszawa, but other than that his songs are just sort of Eno-land for me.

Wow, that was annoying

Fun to learn this guy was a incestual pedo who wrecked his car into Elvis’s front gate.

I don’t trust Tom Waits fans.

The vibe takes me straight back to the 90’s, hanging out in the college town with a cup of Joe in hand.

Not a bad moment on this. Great for background music.

Finally, something brilliant.

Tres stars for tres hombres

This was a lot of fun!

The Offspring used to shoot a fire hose into the crowds of their shows on hot days, and I remember getting hit point blank by the lead singer when I’d crowd-surfed to the base of the stage. Also, I’m sure I got a majority of my teenage speeding tickets because I drove a lot with this album in the CD changer. Interesting to be reminded that I used to be young and I used to be more of an asshole than I am now.

I used to have vinyl parties. This was pretty much a nightly thing. My friends and I would go to Cincinnati’s magnificent Shake It Records, pick up something interesting, and then go spin it. As the night wore on, The Velvet Underground and Nico would inevitably be played. All of us were obsessed with this album. It’s the wildest, most entrancing collection of songs I think I’ve ever heard. An absolute classic.

Not quite as whimsical (believe it or not) as my go-to Kinks album The Village Green Preservation Society, and not quite as rockin’ as Lola Versus Powerman, Arthur sits squarely in the middle for me. It has bangers like Victoria, Drivin’, Australia, and Shangri-La, but this isn’t an album I listen to straight through like the others bookending this one. I also can’t help but notice how similar Drivin’ sounds to Picture Book on VGPS.

On a different day, or in a different era of my life, this would’ve been five stars. Nowadays, I can’t find objective access in. They don’t seem to be transmitting much value aside from a ‘we’re weird and different, therefore, we’re cool’ vibe. Although, I don’t doubt they would have been a part of a very vibrant scene and would have been very exciting to see perform. An ex of mine’s mom used to tour with Sonic Youth, and she made it sound like the ultimate. For meetups with the in-laws in those days, we’d go see Lydia Lunch speak, rather than have like a standard brunch with the folks. Jamming was always fun, and usually bled into these noise rock sound collages like heard on Evol. It is all a lifestyle and mindframe. I guess I’ve moved on.

Whoa, these Flaming Lips-adjacent vocals are like nails on a chalkboard. The songs themselves are well-played, but somewhat boring. Also, why don’t these guys just move to California already instead of writing ten songs-worth of straight fomo? Cringy.

If the middle of this album matched the beginning and the end, then it would’ve been truly epic. Instead, they fell asleep.