Aug 20 2024
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
The Man Comes Around: Slightly upbeat but somber. Good start.
Hurt: Contender for highlight of the album.
Give My Love to Rose: Sad, classic country song.
Brigade Over Troubled Water: Has a nice 70ās vibe to it. Fiona Apple adds a nice touch.
Album has a nice variety while maintaining it somber, reflective tone. Really digging it.
I Hung My Head: Sad story, sounds a little bit like Hurt
First Time I Ever Saw Your Face: One of the slower songs on the album. Basic love song, but very emotional
Personal Jesus: Very nice Depeche Mode cover. Probably the most poppy of the album, but given the original song, thatās expected
In My Life: Great cover of this somber Beatles song. This song reminds me of a personal moment in my life and Cash captures that essence perfectly
Sam Hall: Nice country song to deflect again from the sadness for a bit. Need a little bit of a break lol
Danny Boy: One of the older covers on the album. Feels like a funeral song (it pretty much is). Is saying itās sad overkill at this point?
Desperado: Gonna be honest, never heard the original Eagles song, so this actually sounds like a country song more than a rock song. Good song though. Adding Henley as backup was a great move.
Iām So Lonesone I Could Cry: Of course thereās a sad country song. Nick Cave is good backup.
Tear Stained Letter: Such an upbeat song for such sad lyrics. Even the happy songs are sad lol
Streets of Laredo: ok there are a good chunk of sad country covers here. They can be a bit similar to each other, but Johnny Cash does a good job keeping my attention.
Weāll Meet Again: Fitting last song title, considering Cashās circumstances. Great final song to cap off a legendary artist.
Overall: Very somber album, which is no surprise given it to be the last released in Johnny Cashās lifetime. Though mostly consisting of covers, they all perfectly represent the artistās moment in time: reminiscing the past and living the last moments in the present. A great final effort.
Favorite Song: Hurt
Other highlights: The Man Comes Around, Personal Jesus, Bridge Over Troubled Water, In My Life
4
Aug 21 2024
American Idiot
Green Day
I have vague memories of seeing promotions for this album when it was coming out. ( I was really young at the time) Iām definitely aware of the hits this album after hearing them on the radio for years, specifically Wake Me Up When September Ends and Boulevard of Broken Dreams. Gotta say though after hearing the whole album for once, I really dig this one. Punk rock isnāt really my favorite rock genre (though at this point calling Green Day punk rock feels weird. Honestly I feel more inclined to think of Bad Religion or the Dead Kennedys and even that feels surface level) but this album has a great balance between punk and modern rock. I have a soft spot for the hits, but I also really liked some of the lesser know tracks like Give Me Novacaine and Letterbomb. The 9-minute songs were pretty good, not my favorites though. But overall, this was really good.
Favorite Song: Wake Me Up When September Ends
Other hits: American Idiot, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Give Me Novacaine, Sheās A Rebel, Letterbomb
5
Aug 22 2024
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
Canāt say Iām super familiar with the Kinks, but I enjoy this type of 60ās rock/pop. Some of the songs are more memorable than others. I like the minor elements of some of the songs though like the psychedelic elements in Phenomenal Cat and the subtle dark parts of Sitting by the Riverside. Overall, this was pretty good.
Favorite Song: Picture Book
Other Hits: Do You Remember Walter?, Starstruck, Phenomenal Cat, People Take Pictures of Each Other
4
Aug 23 2024
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
Iāll guiltlessly admit that my first exposure to Muse was during the hay days of the Guitar Hero fad, primarily Knights of Cydonia from Guitar Hero III. Well honestly, it was mostly me watching my brother play because I sucked at the game. We also ended up purchasing Supermassive Black Hole, but only because the song was easy to play and finish 100% without over or under strumming or as the term is, full combo (FC). I considered Knights to be one of my personal favorite tracks from that game, but I wasnāt sure if that would apply for the whole album itās on. Iām pleased to say, however, that I thoroughly enjoyed this whole album. Iām admittedly a sucker for, I guess that over-the-top grand rock and Black Holes and Revelations delivers for me. From the rapid fire of Assassin, the steady beat of Supermassive Black Hole, and the softer tunes of Starlight and Invincible, this was a rare album to hold my attention for its entire duration. Knights of Cydonia acts as the perfect cap off to the album, and seems like a personal full circle moment to me, considering it was how I even heard of Muse. I wonāt say I in particular that Muse is my favorite band or even one of my preferences, but this album feels like the peak for them to me.
Favorite track: Knights of Cydonia
Other Hits: City of Delusion, Starlight, Invincible, Supermassive Black Hole, Exo-Politics, Assassin
5
Aug 26 2024
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Iāll admit that the 50ās is certainly not my favorite decade for music. While there are exceptions, most 50ās songs to me just feel the same to me. I only occasionally listen to the āoldiesā at special family events, it seems. Despite this, I found Fats Domino to be among the exceptions. He had such a smooth voice for a big guys and it shines, whether he singing the slow blues tunes such as Blueberry Hill and Troubles of my Own, or the fast jumping jives such as La La and Honey Chile. This was a short but sweet package. Hope all the 50ās albums are like this.
Favorite Track: Troubles on my Own
Other Hits: Blueberry Hill, La La, Blue Monday, So Long, Trust in Me
4
Aug 27 2024
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
Really neat funky album. I think I heard That Lady enough times in commercials to get sick of it, but most of the other songs are bangers. I personally really love their Summer Breeze cover. I heard the original one enough times (my mom loves soft yacht rock, so it comes on a LOT), but the Isley cover keeps the vibe from the Seals and Croft version, while adding itās own funky rock elements to make it stand out. Some of the album started to blend together a bit too much for me, specially the middle. So it feels like a 3.5 to me personally. But 3 is too low, so a 4 feels better. That and I loved that funky electric guitar.
Favorite track: Summer Breeze
Other Hits: That Lady, The Highways of My Life, What It Comes Down To, You Walk Your Way
4
Aug 28 2024
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
This album seems to be important to its genre and to those that are fans of hip-hop, but I canāt say that this was an album I enjoyed much. Iām honestly not the biggest fan of hip-hop. Itās either something I can enjoy or something that can bore or even annoy me. This album kinda got boring to me at times. There were good spots, though. One of the popular singles āHow I Could Just Kill A Manā was good and I enjoyed āPsycobetabuckdownā. I appreciate the influence this album had. But for the most part, this was not exactly my cup of tea.
Favorite track: How I Could Just Kill A Man
Other Hits: Psycobetabuckdown, Hand on the Pump
3
Aug 29 2024
A Little Deeper
Ms. Dynamite
I have never heard of Ms. Dynamite in my life prior to this. Honestly just like Destinyās Child to me in some ways. This wasā¦ok I guess? Most of it is just standard early 2000ās r&b-hip-hop and for a hour-long album, it sort of drags. I liked a few of the songs, but otherwise itās an album that seem to have had its glory days. This is only here because it won a Mercury Prize, which I have no idea how meaningful that is because Iām not British.
Favorite Track: It Takes More (Bloodshy Main Mix)
Other Hits: Afraid 2 Fly, Krazy Krush, Gotta Let U Know
(also the usages of 2 and U is annoying, stop it)
2
Aug 30 2024
Moving Pictures
Rush
You know an albumās good when the instrumental song on it is a banger and not some transitional track or some forgettable portion of the album. Full transparency, Iām not even a big Rush fan (Geddy Leeās vocals can sometimes get on my nerves), but this album has some of my favorite songs, imo. As mentioned, YYZ is a wonderful instrumental song and Tom Sawyer and Limelight and classics for a reason. I like the first side better than the second side, but this album overall satisfies that Prog rock urge of mine.
Favorite track: Limelight
Other Hits: YYZ, Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta
4
Sep 02 2024
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
My father was a Beatles fan first and a Rolling Stone fan second. Itās a close relationship (I think he loves both equally), but as a child, I was mostly most exposed to the Beatles and as such, have a preference to them. With that being said, I think this list is going to have a good chunk of Rolling Stones albums. So Iāll make up for my lack of Rolling Stones experience down the road on this journey. I will say that this album was a perfect start for me personally. The amount of blues and country influences in this album surprised me, but it helped really make this album flow. I couldnāt help but to just get lost in it, even if the lyrical content was more humbler than some other Rolling Stones songs I heard. From the jumping start of Gimme Shelter to the smooth title track to the angelic and bopping You Canāt Always Get What You Want, this was a very pleasant 42 minutes.
Favorite track: You Canāt Always Get What You Want
Other hits: Gimme Shelter, Let It Bleed, Love in Vain, Country Honk, Live With Me
5
Sep 03 2024
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
I have to be honest, I was a little weary to get a second hip-hop album from 2002 very closely after getting A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite. After enduring that album for a hour of my life that Iām not getting back, I didnāt know how this album would go. Thankfully, it seems like the generator wanted to make up for giving that previous album because this was so much better. The titular five give the album a great flow while also maintain socially conscious without having too much edge. I have no idea how I never heard of these guys. The album did lose a little steam at the end (the six-minute sample song at the end just felt out of place and took me a bit out of it), but this was a very pleasant surprise.
Favorite Track: Thin Line
Other Hits: Freedom, High Fidelity, A Day at the Races, Sum Of Us, If You Only Knew
4
Sep 04 2024
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Jazz feels like a fucking hard genre to evaluate. Itās either going to be hip and cool or put me to sleep. This album was nice, but felt like background music. Like at a high-end city bar or something, this would be great. But I only have my backyard for this album today, so it just doesnāt have the same vibe, I guess. I respect the talent. The call and response from the saxophone and bass can be great, but for a little over 30 minutes, this one was just fine for me.
Favorite track: Samba de Uma Nota Só
Other hits: Desafinado, Samba Triste, Bahia
3
Sep 05 2024
Elephant
The White Stripes
I feel like describing Elephant as a Oreo cookie feels like a weird analogy for such a well-regarded album, but my stupid brain feels like it fits. It has a hard opening structure, a soft part in the middle, and ends as hard as it started. Everyone knows about it and has heard it (Seven Nation Army specifically), but youāll be hard-pressed to find much of anyone who hates it. And after listening to it, I finally get the hype. This is such a collection of bangers from just two people. It feels like this bizarre classic rock album that stays modern enough to not feel like it panders to nostalgia. And Jack White is so talented, carrying the electricity through songs like Seven Nation Army and Thereās No Home For You Here, while toning it down for You Got Her In Your Pocket. And Megās great too in In The Cold, Cold Night. Iām very glad this album is now a little more than just the Seven Nation Army album to me.
Favorite Track: Seven Nation Army (I know, basic bitch pick, but itās infectious)
Other hits: Black Math, Thereās No Home For You Here, You Got Her in Your Pocket, In the Cold, Cold Night, The Hardest Button to Button, Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine, Well It's True That We Love One Another
5
Sep 06 2024
Roxy Music
Roxy Music
What a weird bizarre surprise this album was. This is not even close what I expected, given the album cover and year of release. Honestly sounds like a proto-Talking Heads album. Itās a good mix of some soft songs with some nice guitar heavy romps. Not quite perfect, but very great.
Favorite track: Re-make/Re-model
Other hits: Virginia Plain, 2HB, The Bob (Medley), If There Is Something, Chance Meeting
4
Sep 09 2024
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Iām going to be honest. Iām not really into Elvis Presley. I like some of his songs (particularly Canāt Help Falling in Love With You), but I just canāt get into him. To be honest, Iām not a fan of 50ās rock nā roll, despite rock being my favorite music genre. To be fair, this debut album has its place in history. Obviously, it put Elvis on the map and made him the proclaimed King of Rock nā Roll. But itās honestly just ok. My biggest problem is that his voice doesnāt sound like is hit his stride yet, so he sounds a little off in some of the songs. Itās a debut, though, as his voice did get better with age. But outside of Blue Suede Shoes and Blue Moon, the album was only decent. It almost feels like 2 stars to me, but I think 3 will do. Itās mostly is a 2.5 for me personally.
Favorite track: Blue Suede Shoes
Other hits: Iām Counting on You, Blue Moon, Money Honey
3
Sep 10 2024
L.A. Woman
The Doors
I have a confession to make. I really donāt like The Doors. I donāt know what it is, but outside of a few songs, I sorta canāt stand them. Maybe itās Jim Morrisonās voice or the fact that the hits on this album are 7-8 minutes that end up on the radio and linger for 40% of my car-riding experience. Itās weird, they just piss me off. My dad likes The Doors, but my mom doesnāt, so I guess I picked up my apathy for The Doors from her, along with Tom Petty. This album doesnāt change my perspective much. As mentioned, I donāt like either of the 7-minute songs (L.A. Woman or Riders on the Storm) and the deep cuts donāt do much to change my mind. There are a few things that stop this from being a 1-star, mainly because Iām not that insane, but I canāt say I found this enjoyable. If there are more Doors albums on this venture (and Iām 99% sure there will be, ugh), I hope at least one will be at least decent to me. But this is my trash opinion and Iāll stick with it.
Favorite track I guess: Hyacinth House (it was nice and short, I actually kinda liked it.)
Other hits: The Changeling, The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)
2
Sep 11 2024
Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
(I know itās been pointed out by others, but the album shown is actually a double album, consisting of both Devotional Songs, as well as another album called Love Songs. On Spotify, only the second disc is mentioned in the actual book. This can help spare you from spending 90 minutes on one album.)
I had zero idea what I was getting into with this one. I have never heard of Nusrat before and I had no idea knowing whatever the hell Qawwali even was. Apparently, Nusrat was immensely talented and was highly regarded even to this day. And Iāll confess that I can see that through this album, as I surprisingly kind of enjoyed it. The songs are long and a tad repetitive for my tastes, but the rhythms in the tracks are enticing. Theyāre really infectious and Nusrat gives every track his all. Devotional is certainly the word for it. I canāt say this album blew me away, but it was good through and through. Itās a 3 from me, but it feels more like a 3.5. I wish we could do half stars.
Favorite track: Yaad-E-Nabi Gulshan Mehka
Other Hits: Allah Hoo Allah Hoo, Ali Maula Ali Maula Ali Dam Dam, Ni Main Jogi De Naal
3
Sep 12 2024
The Clash
The Clash
Itās about as classic as punk rock can get. A classic debut for a classic band. All the aggression, rage, and socially rebellious lyrics parceled nicely in a 35-minute package. Get in, cause havoc, leave. Iāl admit that the tracks are a tad repetitive, and Police and Thieves felt a little out of place for me. But these are very minor complaints. Punk rock albums all have similar sounding tracks and lyrically Police and Thieves fits very well. Overall, it a near perfect effort.
Favorite track: Londonās Burning
Other hits: Janie Jones, Career Opportunities, Remote Control, 48 Hours, Garageland
4
Sep 13 2024
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
The more I look at this band, the lamer they look. Thereās something about a band dressing up like revolutionaries and singing bubblegum pop that seems uncool even in the 60ās. But to be honest, that could have been way worse. The singer is a bit better than he has any right to be and I think this album feels like a guilty pleasure. The lyrics are a little lame though (wtf even is Little Girl in the 4th Row), so it was a close call between 2 and 3 stars. But in the end, Iāll give it threeā¦barely.
Favorite track: (Iām Not Your) Steppinā Stone
Other hits: Kicks, All I Really Need Is You, Melody For An Unknown Girl
3
Sep 16 2024
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
You know, I canāt tell how much of the Paul Simon songs I heard were with Garfunkel or were part of his solo efforts. Regardless, he is definitely one of the greatest singer/songwriters of all time and this album is one of the highlights of his career. It is a big collection of varying styles, from classic folk rock, to reggae, to even some Brazilian samba. Yet the album keeps a very somber, very personal tone throughout its runtime, as seen in the likes of Duncan and Run That Body Down. It does feel likes it drags near the end a little, but this is a very good album overall.
Favorite track: Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard
Other hits: Duncan, Peace Like a River, Everything Put Together Falls Apart, Paranoia Blues, Mother and Child Reunion
4
Sep 17 2024
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
Talking Heads is one of those bands that I keep hearing about, but have not really heard much of their music. Outside of Psycho Killer and Once in a Lifetime, I havenāt heard much from them. Iām hoping this list will change thatā¦assuming the generatorās nice to me. However, this album is kind of what I expected from the little of Talking Heads I heard. I admire how accepted Talking Heads is with the music world given how experimental they are. David Byrne is the perfect paranoid vocalist, as he anxiously decides on what city heāll live in, wonders why he canāt persuade people, and verbally assaults animals for thinking that are better than us.(lowkey that ridiculous track is my second favorite from the album) Always bizarre, but never ostracizing, this is Talking Heads at what they are good at: balancing the line between commercially safe and abstract.
Favorite track: Cities
Other hits: Animals, Life During Wartime, Drugs, Mind, Paper
4
Sep 18 2024
Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren
I had two questions in my head when this album popped up on my list: āWho the fuck is Todd Rundgren?ā and āWhy in godās name is a double album on this list?ā. This is a behemoth of an album, length wise, and Iāll be honest, it took me two sittings to get through this. That being said, Iām going to regurgitate what I saw on Wikipedia, and state that the album is divided into four parts, which makes the listening experience more manageable. The first part is standard pop. The songs were good, but I was nervous that it was setting the tone for the rest of the album; safe and maybe monotonous. Fortunately, the second part is more abstract and experimental (expect Marlene), which helps Todd sustain my attention to the halfway mark. Honestly, I was hoping the rest of the album would be like this. However, the third part was a bit ambiguous, as it felt more⦠rock inspired? Wikipedia says this part is where the ākid gets heavyā but it only felt like half the album was more heavy. The other half just felt like more first part rejects. Then the last part was sort of a garage section, complete with banter between Todd and his band. This part has its charm, Iāll admit.
I say this, there are plenty of good songs on this album, such as the hits like I Saw the Light, and Couldnāt I Just Tell You, along with some lesser known songs like Torch Song and Wolfman Jack. You can pick a good selection of tunes from this double album. But for a package that makes Tool albums feel short by comparison, itās only ok. And honestly, ok for a 90-minute album is not very good. The quality of the songs, however, as well as Todd Rundgrenās vocals, do save this album from being rated too low. Itās a good album, but maybe not for 90 minutes.
Favorite Track: Couldnāt I Just Tell You
Other hits: Hello Itās Me, I Saw the Light, Slut, Wolfman Jack, Torch Song, Breathless, Saving Grace
3
Sep 19 2024
Cafe Bleu
The Style Council
If you were to ask me what genre of album Cafe Bleu is, I would respond āyesā without a hint of irony. Wikipedia says it is sohisti-pop, which sounds like a bullshit genre. Just call it jazz pop or something. But this album goes so all over the place that those two genres donāt even describe half of Cafe Bleu. Itās one thing that half of the songs are instrumentals and the other half are sung. But this album goes everywhere. One minute itās the Weather Channel (Blue Cafe), then Paul Weller is serenading me with his voice (My Ever Changing Moods, The Whole Point of No Return), then itās high energy jazz(Dropping Bombs on the Whitehouse), and then Paul decides to rap (A Gospel) and I die a bit inside. I am very conflicted on this one. Obviously the albumās lack of focus kind of hurts it for me. Variety is good, but this feels a little too much. However, I did really enjoy some of the songs, mostly the slower ones. The aforementioned Weather Channel vibe hits in a good way. Mixed with Paulās vocals, I almost considered this album a guilty pleasure. I kind of wish that is was the whole album, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more (and it would have spared me from some god-awful rapping). As is, I give this a 3, but itās more of a 2.5.
Favorite track: My Ever Changing Moods
Other hits: Youāre the Best Thing, The Paris Match, Blue Cafe, Strength of Your Nature (this song is kinda stupid, but I kinda dig it, even if the lyrics are literally two sentences)
3
Sep 20 2024
461 Ocean Boulevard
Eric Clapton
They say you should always separate the art from the artist in the case of artists who are assholes. Sometimes that can be pretty hard, especially if the artist is considered one of the best guitar players of all time. But in the case of 461 Ocean Avenue, I donāt have to deal with that because this album is just shit. Itās a collection of mostly blues covers and none of them are remotely listenable. Theyāre just dry and boring and uncomfortable to listen to. There is barely a memorable song on this album. So I donāt feel so bad crapping on an artist who is racist, anti-vaxx and overall a talented asshole. I especially donāt feel bad crapping on some shitty covers of black artists by said racist. Seriously that cover of I Shot the Sheriff is balls.
āFavoriteā track- Please Be With Me (the most tolerable of the album, and solely Claptonās)
Other āhitsā- Let it Grow, maybe
1
Sep 23 2024
The Bends
Radiohead
So⦠I have a confession. Iām one of those people whose Radiohead experience is only āCreepā. Yep, Iām one of those people. So Iām hoping this project will put an end to that and it appears that day has finally come. And came so soon too, as this is my 25th album, so lucky me. I wasnāt sure going into this how Iād react going into this past what looks like Woody from Toy Story having an orgasm. Truth be told, I was fearful that the album would be esoteric and highbrow and I would be indifferent to it. But fortunately, that wasnāt the case at all. In fact, I shocked at how much I loved this album. Itās surprisedly easy to get into, mainly just being top notch 90ās rock. Thom Yorke has incredible control of his vocals, and the album has a great mix of soft-ish rock, to studious arenas to even touches of grunge. Iām really kicking myself for not going past āCreepā with these guys, since all the songs here are great, specifically Fake Plastic Trees and High and Dry. That track really got to me. To be fair, Iām not sure how the Radiohead albums will go. This was the album after their debut Pablo Honey, so I donāt know how experimental this band got overtime. This could be as assessable as they get. And I donāt know when that will be, assuming the generator wants to stop giving constant 70ās crap. But this is how my Radiohead venture starts and I think it couldnāt have been more perfect.
Favorite track: Fake Plastic Trees
Other hits: High and Dry, The Bends, Street Spirit (Fade Out), Planet Telex, honestly the rest of the album while Iām at it.
5
Sep 24 2024
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
Iāve only known two Supertramp songs in my life up to this point: The Logical Song and Give A Little Bit. And Iām not particularly a fan of either of them. So I wasnāt expected much from this album when it popped up for me. But holy fuck, did this one get to me. There really isnāt that hint of cheese that I heard from my prior Supertramp experiences (all two songs worth). There some good shit in this prop-pop mixture and some of this even gave me some emotional vibes. Not really too much of a fan of Dreamer, though, the popular track of the album. Personally, I was more into Hide in Your Shell, and If Everyone Was Listening. Overall, this was a very nice expansion into Supertrampās discography for me.
Favorite Track: Hide In Your Shell
Other hits: If Everyone Was Listening, Crime of the Century, School, Asylum, Rudy
4
Sep 25 2024
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
Iām going to cut to the chase. Is this album a five out of five for me personally? No. I do feel that the album gets a little monotonous after Respect, and a bit too much of the tracks sound a little like each other. Iām also not really the biggest fan of soul. But with the negative stuff out of the way, itās still a half hour of Aretha Franklin serenading your ears, and thatās probably better than maybe more than half of the albums on here.
Favorite track: Respect
Other hits: Soul Serenade, Baby,Baby,Baby, Good Times, Do Right Woman,Do Right Man, Save Me, A Change is Gonna Come
4
Sep 26 2024
At Fillmore East
The Allman Brothers Band
Mad props to this generator for giving me a 80-ish minutes live album on one of my busier days of the week. Extra thanks for it being a jam band live album, so I get submitted to a meandering experience that threatens to persist until the heat death of the universe. There are some good parts to this album (lost probably somewhere in the solos), but jam band concerts are perhaps better experienced in person. Not on record.
Favorite track: Hot āLanta
Other hits: Everyone other song that is not more than 10 minutes.
2
Sep 27 2024
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
I have been aware of this album, like most, due to 21st Century Schizoid Man. The sheer mayhem of its funky riffs and the barrage of saxophones are legendary in their own right. Itās definitely one of the heavier 60ās tracks in existence for sure. Until today, I have never ventured deeper into Screamy McScreamFaceās Venture Through Hell until now. And I have to say this album was absolutely not what I was expected. The album never quite gets as vicious as that first track, becoming somewhat more mellow in some areas. But despite that, it never loses its focus and it never disappoints. I Talk to the Wind is a perfect breather to the previous Schitz Fitz that still keeps a very slight feeling of unease. Epitaph then takes that unease and runs with it through a dystopian soundscape, as itās subject tries to hold a small hint of optimism, but canāt (If we make it, we can all sit back and laugh. But I fear tomorrow Iāll be crying). Then comes Moonchild, which feels like an apology from the generator for giving me the meandering At Fillmore East and showing me that songs that seem to stretch out past 10-minutes can be bangers. Itās such a weird, bizarre miracle of a song that never overstays its welcome. Then comes the climax with The Court of the Crimson King, a powerful end that brings back some of the chaotic vibes of 21st Century Schizoid Man.
I feel progressive rock is a love-it-or-hate-it genre for some and this album is considered essential for its progression (no pun intended). Iām still not sure what I think of prog as a whole, but I what I can say is this is a hell of an album.
Favorite track: 21st Century Schizoid Man
Other hits: the rest of the album
5
Sep 30 2024
Parachutes
Coldplay
Seeing the reviews for this album, there appears to be two sides to this album: āFuck Coldplayā and āFuck you for hating Coldplayā. Personally, I feel rather indifferent to Coldplay. Iām not inclined enough to particular care for them. And that applies very much to Parachutes, but to be honest, Iām a little disappointed too. The first two tracks (Donāt Panic and Shiver) had this kind of alternative rock vibe that I was digging. I thought that maybe Coldplay was much more of a different band at this beginning stage, like more of an actual rock band rather than whatever they became today. I was a little nervous I might actually like the album (god forbid). But then the album softens and it just becomes a Coldplay album. It doesnāt help when Chris Martinās vocals get a little grating when he goes for the high notes. I still donāt know what I honestly think about Coldplay and that even applies to the roots of the bandās discography.
Favorite track: Yellow
Other hits: Donāt Panic, Shiver, Sparks
3
Oct 01 2024
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
The thing about jazz for me personally is that it is difficult for it to sustain my attention for most albums. I usually have just little problems with jazz albums, such as songs that might take too long or most of the album sounding much of the same for its duration. I feel that, for me, these are issues that prevent me from giving Kind of Blue a perfect five rating. However, I would be remiss to not say that this is more than likely the quintessential jazz album. Miles and each of his company are at the top of their game on this album, each perfecting their craft to give one of the smoothest jazz albums in existence. Seriously, Blue in Green has to be one of the chillest jazz songs period in my opinion. As I mentioned, I personally canāt say that this was one of my favorites, but I do recognize the acclaim that this album has received and thatās good enough for me.
Favorite Track: Blue in Green
Other hits: So What, Flamenco Sketches, Freddie Freeloader
4
Oct 02 2024
The ArchAndroid
Janelle MonƔe
I shit you not, before this album, I only knew Janelle MonĆ”e from her bit part in We Are Young by Fun. All 10 seconds of her before Nate Ruess banishes her to the background. Then here comes this album, my first from the 2010ās. How have I gone so long without hearing anything about this? Itās a masterful blend of genres that Janelle transitions through each and every one of them smoothly. The suite suite was mostly very good, even if I felt it was a few tracks two many. The third suite, however, is a five star effort in itself. It really leans into its futuristic, psychedelic themes with the likes of Wondaland and Make the Bus. Itās also a wonderful r&b album, with the fantastically moving Say Youāll Go. In parts presenting an epic dystopian future and in parts keeping the pop vibe that was present in the 2010ās, this album is making kick myself for deeming Janelle MonĆ”e as the Na Na girl for that one Fun song.
Favorite track: Say Youāll Go
Other hits: Cold War, Tightrope, Make the Bus, Wondaland, Neon Valley Street, Come Alive (War of the Roses), Oh,Maker
4
Oct 03 2024
Metallica
Metallica
Listen, I consider hard rock/metal my favorite genres of music. Seeing artists such as Megadeth, Anthrax, and even Sepultura on this list peaked my interest. One of the things Iām a bit curious about is just how this list of albums treats such a heavy genre that is specifically made to be not very assessable to the general listener of music. Observing some of the reviews from some of the metal albums on here, most donāt seem to rate higher well, usually getting around about 2.5, with one of the lowest rated albums being Scum by Napalm Death, a grindcore. From what I see, most of those who partake in this album venture donāt seem to care for metal. It could be the metal bands doing their job; only making music that opposes mainstream tastes. But there is one band who crossed the picket lines and became something the metal genre seeks to resist; becoming mainstream. I have somewhat awaited the day to get a Metallica album. Of course the first Metallica album I get from the generator is the Black Album, the very album that gave Metallica their biggest success, for better or worse.
Let me cut to the chase right now, this is not my favorite Metallica album at all for a few reasons. One, all the hits come at the beginning of the album. Save for Nothing Else Matters, the latter part of the album really doesnāt do too much for me. This is a problem when the album itself is a hour long, which makes the Black Album feel lengthy. Two, I feel that a lot of the thrash metal charm for Metallicaās earlier albums is not quite here. Being more broad in scope and commercial viability, it sort of lacks the edge of albums like Ride the Lighting and Master of Puppets. And third, this is where the band started to dip in quality. I mean, that feels like a common opinion, but like really, did Metallica do anything of much value after this? The closest things honestly are āFuelā and maybe Death Magnetic. To me, this album feels like the point where Metallica reached that point of no return. The point where they became the metal band normal people listen to when they tell people they like metal. And thatās not very metal for Metallica.
With that said, itās incredibly difficult to hate this. The hits this album spawned are some of the bandās most diverse and itās honestly impressive how well they manage to weave between mainstream rock and thrash metal and some of it really is among the bandās best work. Nothing Else Matters shows the bandās softer side with a very rare ballad. Wherever I May Roam powers the band into groove metal territory while Holier Than Thou and Through the Never keep the bandās roots firmly in thrash. And while itās far from my favorite track, I somehow never get tired of Enter Sandman. The Black Album is a complicated album for me. This is not peak Metallica. That time was well past by the time this album came out. And even since it, some might say it was all downhill. But its success probably exposed many people to the genre of metal, making it a gray starting point to a polarizing genre. And getting to hear this in its entirety, I can see why.
Favorite track: Tie between Nothing Else Matters and Wherever I May Roam
Other Hits: Enter Sandman, Sad But True, The Unforgiven
4
Oct 04 2024
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
Thereās a belief I have with movies that I also have with albums. I donāt care how long or short it is, as long as it is enjoyable in relation to how long it is. A long boring movie is just as bad as a long boring album. That logic goes double for two types of albums: live albums and double albums. These albums tend to clock in at nearly 90 minutes in most cases (or god forbid more) and seem to never have enough material to justify listening to them. I will probably lose interest around halfway in and the rest of the album will be a slog.
Now however, hereās a unique case. Itās a punk double album, meaning most of the album is filled with short songs. In addition, Minutemen bring a nice variety to the tracks, experimenting with multiple styles which should help to keep the album fresh through its nearly hour and a half runtime. I kind of like this concept, since it could make this double album actually listenable. And to be fair, most of it is. This was a refreshing change of pace for a punk album, trading the hard rock elements for more acoustic vibes while keeping the anti-establishment edge through its tracks. It seemed to work in retaining my interest⦠for some of the album. Look, there is good shit on this album, donāt get me wrong. This is perhaps one of the better double albums out there. But it still has that old familiar problem: I got bored halfway. The vibe went from āThis is pretty goodā to āDear God, thereās still moreā. That sucks because I appreciate this effort. Itās the closest a double album has gotten without losing my interest. I get why people would like this album. Itās just too long for me to consider great.
Favorite track: Corona
Other hits: History Part II, honestly most of the songs are too short to really single out.
3
Oct 07 2024
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
I remember hearing Elton John on a classic rock radio station and had a weird debate in my head: Is Elton John really rock or was he more pop? His music never fully came across to me as āclassic rockā. Maybe itās because his weapon of choice was the piano, as opposed to the tried and true guitar. But I come to realize that debating whether Elton John fits the classic rock vibe was pointless. Because Goodbye Yellow Brick Road shows that Elton John was above simple labels. He travels across many genres and excels at each of them. (except reggae, maybe donāt do that one again. Looking at you Jamaican Jerk-Off) I will admit that around parts 2&3, the albumās power fades a little, which Iām learning is probably standard for double albums or any album longer than a hour. But the songs that hit have an immense impact. The singles spawned by this album have followed me for all my life, even if I never was around when this album was released (Iām in my twenties, so I have my parents to thank for exposing me to this album, along with other 70ās music). The memories of summer barbecues with Bennie and the Jets blasting from the speakers is the kind of shit that will follow me for the rest of my life. Itās the impact of those songs that elevate the album for me. So to answer my previous question, is Elton John classic rock or pop, I would say who gives a fuck. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is iconic and thatās good enough for any radio station.
Favorite track: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Other hits: Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Bennie and the Jets, Candle in the Wind, Saturdayās Alright (For Fighting), Roy Rogers, Grey Seal, This Song Has No Title
5
Oct 08 2024
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
This is the first Neil Young album I have been given and Iām conflicted. The first side of this album just felt very one note. All the songs sounded the same and Neil just comes across as āold man yells at punk rock kids and obsesses over natureā. Most of it is fine, some of does sound good, but there is very little variety between the songs. And honestly, Iām not a fan of Neilās voice. Itās that weird high-pitched folky voice that either you like or can get on your nerves and Iām the latter camp. The second side brings in Crazy Horse, but it doesnāt fare much better. Welfare Mothers and Sedan Delivery did nothing for me. Theyāre both ridiculous and not in a good way. There are two saving graces, however. Powderfinger is probably one of the best songs about someone getting obliterated by a gunboat ever. Niche genre really. But for real, this was a nice song. But the real highlight was Hey Hey Me Me (not to be confused with My My Hey Hey, the starting track). I think the bookend song idea is cute, but I really enjoyed the last track more. It really did bring out the Neilās emotions toward the approaching trend of punk and the decline of tradition rock more so than the first track. Really, itās Powderfinger and Hey Hey Me Me that save this album for me. Other than that, this doesnāt really bode well for the other Neil Young albums to come soon. I hope he gets betterā¦please.
Favorite track: Hey Hey Me Me
Other Hits: Powderfinger, My My Hey Hey, Thrasher
3
Oct 09 2024
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
There are some things in life that feel simplistic, but can become something more with creativity, like a slice of pizza or a hamburger. To me, Hard Again doesnāt break new ground. Some of the songs here rely on some well-known blues riffs. I mean, that āduh-da-duh-da-duhā riff on Mannish Boy is in virtually every blues work. But itās the way Muddy Waters and his band perform the songs that give this album its kick. The mix between the electric guitar and the harmonica kicks so much ass and along with Muddyās finely aged vocals, take what could have been a simplistic collection of blues tracks and spices them up. Iām not even a big blues fan and I found myself getting lost in the groove of it. Muddy doesnāt need to reinvent the wheel to take you for a ride.
Favorite Track: Crosseyed Cat
Other Hits: Mannish Boy, Little Girl, Deep Down in Florida, I Canāt Be Satisfied
4
Oct 10 2024
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
Putting to words what this album is a little difficult for me, but Iāll try anyway. To me, this album is a moment in time; a last glimpse of rock as a dominant mainstream genre within the music industry. Back when the M in MTV meant music and not⦠whatever the fuck itās supposed to mean now. A moment of authenticity through a live album that stays away from the greatest hits (for the most parts) and opts for covers, such as a then unknown David Bowie song and three Meat Puppets songs in a row. Kurt Cobainās raspy-vocals fits really well with the pseudo-acoustic sound from his band mates. As a result, some of these songs are the best versions of themselves. Unplugged About A Girl feels more natural than Bleach About A Girl, and Dumb and On A Plain sound just as good as their original album counterparts. And I didnāt know The Man Who Sold The World was David Bowie. Itās more Nirvanaās now than Nine Inch Nailās Hurt is to Johnny Cash. But this album is more than a live album; itās a sense of finality. The world wouldnāt see the likes of a performance that has no hint of Smells Like Teen Spirit or many heavy-hitters. Itās a showcase of a band using their platform as a homage to their roots. A display of a band doomed to die at its prime, released months after Kurt Cobainās passing. Itās perhaps the last gasp of rock as a mainstream force before the end of the century. Itās is, in essence, a moment.
Favorite track: About A Girl
Other hits: The Man Who Sold The World, On A Plain, Come As You Are, All Apologies, Dumb
5
Oct 11 2024
Arise
Sepultura
This is as classic as thrash metal can come. Masterfully produced by Scott Burns, the bad boys of Brazil unleash their fury as they materialize their hellish soundscape of death and corruption. This is my favorite kind of thrash metal; vicious with some kickass solos to bridge the tracks together. However, and to piggyback off one of the popular reviews for this album, I agree this was the oddest choice for Sepultura over Choas AD. That album is probably considered more iconic and feels more ānecessaryā to listen to. Arise is great, but the band hasnāt reached their peak yet, as some of it feels too standard for thrash. That does cost it a star, but itās still important for the band, and it a good showing of their work. With that said, I eagerly await the day the generator gives me Roots.
Favorite track: Arise
Other hits: Dead Embryonic Cells (try saying that title in front of your parents),
Subtraction, Altered State, Desperate Cry
4
Oct 14 2024
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
Peter Buck says that this album was inspired by the themes of loss and mourning associated with turning 30. As someone approaching 28 and a half, I didnāt need to heat that.
Let me get this out of the way, The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite doesnāt belong here. I get that itās a breather on a downer of an album, but itās too much. Even the band believed so, but itās still a good song though. Otherwise, this dive into darker territory is among R.E.M.ās best work. Honestly, the real emotional part of the album for me was Nightswimming. (Everybody Hurts is great, but overplayed these days) That sense of reflection over āthe good old daysā in a world that seems to have moved on really gets to me. I wonāt call this album a tearjerker, but itās heavy and I certainly feel the weight.
Favorite track: Man on the Moon
Other hits: Nightswimming, Everybody Hurts, Ignoreland, Find the River, Sweetness Follows, Try Not to Breathe
4
Oct 15 2024
Station To Station
David Bowie
This feels like a weird album to get for my first David Bowie album. People seem to really like Station to Station, but I couldnāt really get into it. Itās fine, but this isnāt my favorite David Bowie material. Most of it is average and it doesnāt help that 5 out of the 6 songs go over 5 minutes. The songs are pretty good however, and I like the diversity of it. Golden Years is a pretty good funk/disco romp and TVC15 is a solid art rock track that has Bowie tap into something like the Talking Heads. Itās a 3.5 for me, as four seems too high.
Favorite track: TVC15
Other hits: Golden Years, Stay, Wild is the Wind
3
Oct 16 2024
Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
Itās a 50ās rock nā roll album. Itās got the ādoo-wapā backing vocals and all the high energy legally allowed in the late half of the decade. It is everything that represents 50ās rock nā roll.
Just one problem: I donāt really like 50ās rock nā roll.
I donāt hate it. Itās just not my cup of tea. Itās all hokey and cheesy to me. But the trade off is that the albums from this period are usually short, so they are not the worst. I cut the album some slack because it is influential and Buddy Holly is one of the most revered tragic figures in music history. And I did enjoy the softer songs.
Favorite track: Not Fade Away
Other hits: Thatāll Be The Day, Itās Too Late
(Iām not putting Oh Boy here, too cheesy for me)
3
Oct 17 2024
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Oh god, the day has come to delve into Kanye West. Rap/hip-hop is not my favorite genre, so my knowledge of Kanyeās music is almost non-existent. I saw this as a blessing considering how Kanye (or Ye, whatever the fuck he wants to be called) is nowadays, or just plain any point of his career with his 1001 controversies. But I was told that this album is a landmark achievement, and itās from 2010, so itās easy to look at this as a reflection of a high point of Yeās career before the wires in his head became fried. And this project is meant to challenge my tastes in music, so Iāll be fair⦠to an extant.
Letās start with the good: the productionās great. Surface level complement, I know, but anything that makes a hour of Kanye bearable to me is a miracle. The songs sound really good, as itās the type of hip-hop thatās more groovy than annoying, which is usually my vice for the genre. I couldnāt help but get lost in the likes of beats of Devil in a New Dress and All of the Lights. And the guest artists all add their weight to the album. (Though I agree Chris Rock greatly overstays his welcome in Blame Game) In a rare instance, I actually think Nicki Minaj is my favorite, as her part in Monster might be a contender for highlight of the album. As for Kanye himself⦠heās fine. Itās Kanye. Thereās good lyrics mixed with some self-indulgence. Itās tolerable.
But hereās the weird thing: I have no desire to heard these songs again. I donāt really have it in me to listen to anything from this album. Most of the songs feel bloated to me and donāt have replayability to me. The closest song I can think of is Runaway, but thatās it. This album does nothing to sway my opinion of Kanye West: I can still care less. Itās the production and talent not nicknamed Ye that made this album not feel like a slog. I hope that if there is another Kanye West album in this project, itās several hundred albums from now.
Favorite track: Runaway
Other hits that I thought were neat: Monster, All of the Lights, Devil in A New Dress, Dark Fantasy, POWER
3
Oct 18 2024
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
This album frustrates me. I honestly thought this was going to be mid and it both was and wasnāt. When The Waterboys fuse their Irish folk with some modern (for the 80ās) sound, its works surprisingly well. I particularly loved World Party and We Will Not Be Lovers for this. But in the second half of the album, it veers too much into traditional and loses its appeal. Except for The Stolen Child, that was fucking awesome. There are also some other things too that knock it down. And A Bang To The Ear is way too long and Sweet Thing has this weird segment where they inject Blackbird by the Beatles in it. Itās really awkward. I really wanted to love this, since I rated 3 on three albums in a row. I see it as a 3.5, but thatās still a fourth 3. Damn.
Favorite track: World Party
Other hits: We Will Not Be Lovers, The Stolen Child, Strange Boat
3
Oct 21 2024
Blackstar
David Bowie
I canāt speak from experience, but I figure it must be very difficult to make a swansong album. On top of knowing your end is at hand (mentally and physically), but you must also leave your fans with something good to remember you by. I remember David Bowieās passing somewhat well, but never heard that he released an album two days prior to his death. Iām regretfully not well-versed in Bowieās discography to say whether or not itās the perfect end for him, but as a stand-alone album, it is a great swan song. Lazarus in itself feels like a proper emotional goodbye to a legendary artist. Blackstar in its entirety presents classic Bowie with hints of art and experimental jazz. The result is an album that as haunting as it is reflective. I canāt say it was perfect, but for what it is, it works well. Itās a very fitting goodbye for someone such as David Bowie.
Favorite track: Lazarus
Other hits: I Canāt Give Everything Away, Dollar Days, Sue (Or In A Season Of Crime), Tis A Pity She Was A Whore
4
Oct 22 2024
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
This has to be punk at itās absolute gloomiest. The reverb of the guitars, the depressed nature of the lyrics, the agony of it all, beautifully expressed by Ian Curtis. Imagine a very depressed Misfits. Thatās this album.
I wonāt consider this a masterpiece. The gloom can get a little too off-putting at times. And it is an acquired taste for punk, lacking the high-energy in favor of dredge. But I really do jive with this darkness. It feels ahead of its time, influencing the likes of industrial and gothic rock, which Iām admittly a sucker for. It takes a bit of effort for any form of media to disturb me. This is one of the few that managed to do so.
Favorite track: Sheās Lost Control
Other hits: New Dawn Fades, Insight, Disorder, Shadowplay, Wilderness
4
Oct 23 2024
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
Let me start by saying as someone going into Billy Bragg blind, I donāt think his singing voice is bad. Yeah, it is aggressively British, but it kind of works here. He is not a great singer, however, so the more the album progressed, the more he started to lose me. Honestly, my biggest gripe with this is that it gets somewhat monotonous as it goes on. The songs started to blend together, as they feel too similar to one another; the same style of folk with Braggās divisive vocals. The saving grace of this album is the lyrics, balancing between love songs and political leanings. This leads to some great lines like āSomething that every football fan knows, it only take five fingers to form a fistā and āSometimes it takes a grown man a long time to learn, just what it would take a child a night to learnā. Well-versed and unapologetic, this album makes up for its shortcomings with its politically poetic bite.
Favorite track: The Home Front
Other hits: Greetings to the New Brunette, The Marriage, There Is Power In A Union, Levi Stubbaā Tears, The Passion
4
Oct 24 2024
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
Iām thoroughly convinced that I subconsciously donāt give a shit about The Black Crowes. For whatever reason, I donāt really enjoy their songs. Maybe itās Chris Robinsonās vocals or maybe itās because Iām not a huge fan of southern rock, but I just donāt care. All of their songs sound literally the same, with little differences. And every single song, my attention span keeps waning before the songs are halfway done. I kind of like the hits (Hard to Handle, Jealous Again, She Talks to Angels), but I just donāt like going through Black Crowes albums. If the Southern Harmony and Musical Companion is on this project, Iām going to be very miffed.
Favorite track: Hard to Handle
Other hits: She Talks to Angels, Jealous Again, Twice as Hard, Sister Luck
2
Oct 25 2024
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
This might seem like a minor detail to point out, but the little ambiance in the background of this album is such an interesting aspect. The clatter of the plates and glasses, the inaudible noises from the crowd. How do you think it felt to be a part of this experience? Sitting at a nice venue with some cool jazz. Itās probably a lot better than sitting in your room, trying to get your daily album done during your busy life.
All jokes aside, this is some chill stuff. The trio of the piano, bass, and drums mix together very well, and this would make some amazing lounge music. While Iām not a fan of an album being primarily background music, this is a good showcase of early 60ās jazz. I just wish I can put it in the right atmosphere.
Favorite track: Alice in Wonderland
Other hits: Gloriaās Step, My Manās Gone, Jade Visions
4
Oct 28 2024
Live At The Star Club, Hamburg
Jerry Lee Lewis
Ok, I have a question. Why are the streaming versions of this album missing songs? Most of the reviews talk about the album being 22 minutes. No, thereās missing songs. Like, is it for legal reasons or some other bullshit? So I had to use YouTube for this album, which already rubs me the wrong way. Honestly, itās was probably too much effort for, of all things, a live album. Where most of the songs arenāt even Jerryās. Hell, half of the album, is just Jerry doing whatever noises he can muster to pad the set list. But the dudeās got energy (probably the nicest thing I said about a racist pedo), so he gets two stars instead of one. Yippee.
Favorite track: Money (Thatās What I Want), I guess
Other hits: I honestly didnāt give a fuck about the rest of this
2
Oct 29 2024
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
Gotta hand to Frankie. This is an interesting concept album. Taking the same song and tweaking it for 15 songs is not something I seen before. Truly nobody like Frank Sinatra can match such a feat.
Ok, jokes aside, this album should be a 3 from me. It REALLY lacks variety. But itās still Frank Sinatra. And to me personally, heās my favorite performer from this decade. His voice is timeless and at the very least, itās good music to chill and loosen my mind to. And itās probably the best the 50ās will get for me, so Iāll be nice and rate on a curve. Just this once.
Favorite track: You Make Me Feel So Young
Other hits: Idk man, just pick anything else. They sound similar.
4
Oct 30 2024
The Band
The Band
I feel like this is as cozy as late 60ās folk rock can be. Itās a nice slice of rugged Americana that doesnāt swing into country or come off as hokey. I could probably do without the Lost Cause nostalgia, though. Especially on The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down. That Gone With The Wind type shit. But besides that, this was fairly relaxing.
Favorite track: The Unfaithful Servant
Other hits: Whispering Pines, King Harvest (Has Surely Come), Rockinā Chair, Up On Cripple Creek
4
Oct 31 2024
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
So this is basically an indie-fied Coldplay. Truth be told, itās alright. Itās better than my last Mercury Prize winner (A Little Deeper by Ms. Dynamite). But the songs just go on for a while. Like why are there so many 5-minute songs? It makes the album feel a bit padded out. Honestly, this whole Mercury Prize shows me the British have a mid taste of music.
Favorite track: One Day Like This
Other Hits: Weather to Fly, Friend of Ours, Grounds for Divorce, Mirrorball
3
Nov 01 2024
Wild Gift
X
This has to be one of the more masterful punk rock albums I have ever heard. Itās a great 33 minutes that never comes across as repetitive or grating. Thereās something about X that gives off a different energy than other punk bands. I kind of get a Sonic Youth / Violent Femmes vibe, probably due to the female vocalist. Itās easy to see why they are considered so influential to the scene.
Favorite track: White Girl
Other hits: In This House I Call Home, When Our Love Passed Out On The Couch, Weāre Desperate, Back 2 The Base
4
Nov 04 2024
Document
R.E.M.
I donāt know if it was the production or the quality of the music, but I swear R.E.M. never sounds like an 80ās band. Seriously, Itās The End Of The World As We Know It could have been released in the 90ās and I wouldnāt call it out of place. Maybe it Michael Stipeās vocals or the Scott Litt production that give R.E.M. their sound. Document has to be one of the more cryptic, but refreshing albums of the decade. I think this might be the bandās most consistently good album to date. Everyone does their due diligence, from Bill Beeryās backing vocals to Peter Buckās shredding, and the result is an extremely fun album. I tethered between a 4 or a 5 for this one. The score will show a 4, but itās more of a 4.5.
Favorite track: Itās The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
Other hits: The One I Love, Finest Worksong, Fireplace, Welcome to the Occupation
4
Nov 05 2024
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
I have to get this off my chest: Led Zeppelin is one of those bands that I never really seemed to love. Theyāre one of those artists that get celebrated to the Moon and back, but I just canāt seem to love their work. Itās probably due to every classic rock radio station playing their songs over and over again, and making me fatigued. Honestly, I was prepared to give a ok review of this album at best. But then something happened: it clicked.
I think it might have to do with the fact that I donāt recall hearing any of the these songs before. The only familiar one is Dazed and Confused, and I actually like that song, so I didnāt mind hearing that again. Other than that, it was a fresh experience and it helped me grasp as to why Led Zeppelin is so well-beloved by every classic rock radio do in existence. Babe Iām Gonna Leave You is a fucking beautiful song, Youāre Time is Gonna Come is a great gospel tune about a dishonest woman, and Black Mountain Side is short, but hella sweet folk. Robert Plant comes right of the gates swinging with his iconic vocals, sometimes sounding like heās climaxing more than singing. But he gives the songs his distinct touch, which is vital for an album full of blues covers. This has to be one of the best debuts for a band, as it quickly established Led Zeppelin as a rock mainstay. I canāt say if the other Led Zeppelin albums will completely change my opinion of the band, but I think itās a miracle I liked it this much.
Favorite track: Babe Iām Gonna Leave You
Other hits: Dazed and Confused, Black Mountain Side, Your Time Is Gonna Come, Communication Breakdown, Good Times Bad Times
5
Nov 06 2024
Fear and Whiskey
Mekons
Around the time I reached the legal age to drink, I had the brilliant idea that Coke can be mixed with any type of liqueur. With that logic, I decided to mix Coke with Bombay Sapphire Gin. When I tasted this unholy concoction, my reactions were all over the place. I was mostly disgusted, but tried to troop through it thinking it had to work. But the combination just didnāt work. Ultimately, I ended up dumping it. Thatās exactly how I feel about Fear and Whiskey. The bizarre combination between punk and country isnāt the worst thing I ever heard and it feels like it almost works at times. But the mix of the harmonicas and electric guitars and punk vocals just never hit me right. Like the gin and Coke, it never clicked with me. I did finish the album, unlike the gin and coke. But I still canāt get the taste out of my mouth.
Favorite track: Hard to be Human Again
Other hits: Country, Darkness and Doubt, Abernant 1984/5
2
Nov 07 2024
Peter Gabriel 3
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel is an artist I was interested in exploring his discography. He always sounded like a unique artist and I liked the songs I heard from him previously (Solsbury Hill, Sledgehammer, nothing surprising). This was a very unique album to get through, and I mean that in a good way. Itās an arty take on 80ās pop music with many catchy tracks, most tackling political themes in creative ways. Family Snapshot was my personal favorite. I love how the song for its majority increases slightly in intensity, but suddenly softens near the ends. It was probably one of the bigger emotional whiplashes I heard in a song. Considering its background of being based on the memoir of a would-be political assassin who admitted he was looking for attention, it was perhaps the most intense track on the album. That doesnāt subtract from the other hits on the album that hit that activist itch, such as Biko and Games Without Frontiers. Peter Gabriel 3 is a well put together experiment of an album; not too abstract to drive away, but not too safe for commercial appeal. I hope if any of the other Peter Gabriels make this list, they sound at least as good as this.
Favorite track: Family Snapshot
Other hits: I Donāt Remember, Lead A Normal Life, Biko, Games Without Frontiers, Intruder
4
Nov 08 2024
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
You know, Primal Scream is a very misleading name for a band. How many people would look at this album and assume that itās going to be something like an alternative metal album or something similar? Thankfully, I was aware of the band prior to this to keep my expectations in check.
Anyway, this was pretty middle of the road for me. Some of this was pretty good for what mostly feels like more of a psychedelic vibe with a nice industrial touch. But some of it just kind of goes on, without leaving much of a personal impact. I guess Iām not really a fan of albums that seem to be more for playing in the background and āvibeā too.
Favorite track: Kowalski
Other hits: Get Duffy, Stuka, Medication
3
Nov 11 2024
Doolittle
Pixies
I honestly have zero idea why it has taken me this long in my life to fully indulge in the Pixies. The only excuse I can think of is perhaps I wouldnāt āgetā it. Maybe Iād go through an album and not understand what would make it that special. Like I would finish it and go āOK, but I donāt get it. Why is this acclaimed?ā But that didnāt happen here. I get it now.
This album feels like one of the very few so far that might actually be essential to listen to before you die. It is the blueprint for much of alternative rock to come within the following decade. I mean, most of this album sounds like a beta version of Nirvana around the time they only had Bleach to their name. Itās also one of the most well-balanced albums I heard so far. It feels pop-oriented, but touches upon other genres (Country for Silver, surf rock for Here Comes Your Man, even punk for Crackity Jones) to never feel slate. Itās definitely indie in nature, but never feels alienating or pretentious. The tracks stick to you and refuse to let go. Maybe it Francis Blackās vocals, coming out stretchy and torn before Kurt Cobain made it cool. Or how Kim Dealās bass riffs perfectly intricate their ways through the songs along with the guitar riffs. How the hell did it take me this long to finally listen to these guys?
Favorite track: Here Comes Your Man
Other hits: Debaser, Monkey Gone to Heaven, Hey, Wave of Mutilation, Gouge Away
5
Nov 12 2024
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Every year since about the time I was born, me and my family would take a summer trip to Long Beach Island. Itās a little beach town on the east end of New Jersey, about a hour away from Atlantic City. Starting in the early 2000ās, my parents would have a mixtape of songs that would sedate us through the car ride to LBI. The first half consisted of songs that were more recent⦠at least for the early 2000ās. A hodgepodge of songs like I Try by Macy Gray, It Wasnāt Me by Shaggy, a censored The Real Slim Shady by Eminem and some other stuff. Itās the second half of the mixtape, however, that is relevant to the album. That side consisted of songs from the 60ās and 70ās, with the likes of the Carpenters, Dionne Warwick, The Fifth Dimension and more. It was when I heard songs like Rainy Days and Mondays, California Dreaminā, Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head, and even Sweet Caroline. But the first song of this side was always Whatās Going On. Thanks in part to the song being a part of one of my School Spirit Days, where all the grades of my school had to perform a synchronized dance routine to a chosen song, I was always familiar with Whatās Going On (the song). It has always been a part of my life, being played every year on that drive down to vacation. I mean, maybe a song denouncing police brutality isnāt the best song to hype up for some fun in the sun, but I didnāt make the mixtape. Besides, Marvinās silky smooth vocals with the serenading orchestra behind him was always relaxing to me, no matter the mood the song carried. For more than 28 years, I have not ventured past that song to hear the other tracks on this album⦠until today. I can confidently say that, in my opinion, this is the pinnacle of soul in the 1970ās. I know I not giving a hot take by saying that, but it is 1000% true. Never has an album addressed multiple issues of the time, from the aftermath of the Vietnam War, to life in the ghettos and even to the environment, with a sense of concern and subtle optimism. The flow of the album is remarkable, as Marvin seamlessly travels from one track to the next, never missing a beat. There always a nostalgic feeling along the album as Marvin ponders what the future will hold, something that somehow still applies to this day. We all try to keep a sense of some optimism despite looking at the world around us and wondering what else can go wrong. And even though Marvin may be a bit too dependent on the power of God (which he probably does a little too much), his message for love is much needed for all people. As of today, me and my family still go down to Long Beach Island, though we now go down in September rather than in the midst of summer. And while things have certainly changed, we still listen to the same songs on the way down. And while we never know how many years we got, I know that every year Iāll be hearing that familiar Marvin Gaye song again, just as I have for the last 20-something years.
Favorite track: Whatās Going On
Other hits: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Wholy Holy, Save the Children, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
5
Nov 13 2024
Lam Toro
Baaba Maal
I feel bad sometimes when I have to do international albums. On one hand, I love the challenge of finding some music in areas I never would have thought of looking. Not every banger has to be sung in English. But then when I get this types of albums, they donāt really keep my attention and this album is no different. There are parts of this album that I liked. I actually did enjoy some of the more dates aspects of the album (the synth effects and everything else that makes this album unapologetically 90ās as hell). But none of it could keep my attention for long, and I just lose interest before the final track. Baaba Maal is talented. I canāt deny that. But that canāt justify this nearly hour-long slog.
Favorite track: Olel
Other hits: Sy Sawande, Toro, Hamady Boiro
2
Nov 14 2024
Dirty
Sonic Youth
This has to be noise rock at its most melodic, accessible, and thankfully at its best. I love how the albums alternates between Thurston Mooreās more simplistic vocals and Kim Gordonās sometimes subdued, sometimes vicious vocals between songs. It keeps the album fresh and stops it from becoming stale. Considering its length, the noise did get somewhat grating the more it went on, but this is still a good piece of grunge coming from Sonic Youth. Though so remain curious about the albums prior to this one.
Favorite track: Sugar Cane
Other hits: Wish Fulfillment, Drunken Butterfly, Chapel Hill, Youth Against Fascism, 100%
4
Nov 15 2024
We're Only In It For The Money
The Mothers Of Invention
So, has anyone seen those images online where it says something like āDamn Homie! You Got The Whole Squad Laughing!ā and itās just people staring at you stonefaced? Thatās my experience with this album. Itās bad satire that constantly thinks itās making some kind of statement. Like yeah Frank, you showed them. I donāt know who the fuck āthemā is (hippies I guess) or why half this album is animal noises and playing with your voice pitch until you sound like the missing fourth member of Alvin and the Chipmunks, but⦠you really stuck it to them. Also, āNasal Retentive Calliope Musicā and āThe Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destinyā are the most painful songs I ever heard. Literally cringeworthy. Like I actually physically cringed during both songs. And I mean that with no irony.
Favorite track: lol no nothing here this time
1
Nov 18 2024
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
I feel like the generator is apologizing to me for giving me Weāre Only In It For The Money by The Mothers of Invention. Like āSorry for that shit. Hereās some actual good music from 1968.ā I admire the sentiment, I mean Jimi Hendrix is legendary. There is no denying that. But I donāt think this is his magnum opus. Frankly, it kinda of suffers from a few problems. The biggest ones are its length and its lack of focus. Being double album sized and not bringing your A-game makes for kind of a meandering experience. Not that Hendrix is boring at all. There is some good shit here, especially near the end. Those last two tracks are godlike. But the two longer tracks, Voodoo Chile (not the return, thatās amazing) and 1983, overstay their welcome, especially 1983. Hendrix here is great in parts on this album and I was kind of hoping it would be more than that. Maybe Iāll get that from Are You Experienced. But Hendrix can still provide the goods even in he doesnāt fire on all cylinders.
Favorite track: Voodoo Child (Slight Return)
Other hits: All Along the Watchtower, Crosstown Traffic, Burning of the Midnight Lamp, House Burning Down, Have You Ever Been (to Electric Ladyland)
3
Nov 19 2024
Green
R.E.M.
I havenāt hit 70 albums yet and Iāve gotten my third R.E.M. album. Not that Iām complaining, they have been consistently good up to this point. And Green is no exception. Actually, this might even be my favorite from them so far. I donāt know if thatās a hot take or not. But this is a really good mixture of some bubblegum pop with some serious asides. Iāve read that the pop was supposed to be ironic and satirical, but the band just ended up making some good pop themselves. Funny how that works. Though songs like Orange Crush and World Leader Pretend add a nice contrast away from the pop. Honestly, this feels like the send-off for R.E.M. as an outliner from the mainstream. This was the last album before Out of Time, which would make the band no longer a cult band. While I think Document is the last pure essence of R.E.M. as who they originally were, Green feels like the swan song to those days. And to me, they went out with a bang.
Favorite track: Stand
Other hits: Orange Crush, Pop Song 89, Get Up, Turn You Inside-Out, World Leader Pretend
4
Nov 20 2024
Ingenue
k.d. lang
I feel sometimes I forget that one of the more exciting aspects of doing this project is finding music that I never would have found on my own. I donāt know how obscure k.d. lang is in the musical landscape, but she wasnāt ever really on my radar. The genres for this album alone are all over the place. Pop, country, folk, jazz and apparently new wave? What is this shit, I asked prior to jumping in. I wasnāt expecting much at all. But this album blindsided me.
This album is smooth, mostly thanks to k.d.ās outstanding vocals and the stellar production. I understand that most will find this kind of stuff boring or background material and I respect that opinion. I might even say that some of the middle tracks did kind of drag a bit, hence why this wonāt be part of my 5-star gang. But in my opinion, itās a lot better than what I was expecting.
Favorite track: Constant Craving
Other hits: Save Me, Season of Hollow Soul, Miss Chatelaine, Outside Myself
4
Nov 21 2024
Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Iām going to be honest: this album didnāt do anything for me. Most of the songs rely on samples that are usually repeated over and over again. I get what it was going for. It an electronic vibe/dance album, so itās part of the beat. But it mostly just kind of sounded annoying to me. I couldnāt get into it outside of a couple of songs. Honestly, Frontier Psychiatrist was the only track that sounded like a song. Everything else basically a lyric, repeating it over and over again, changing up a little for variety, and call it a day. If this is your sort of thing, thatās fine. But itās not for me really.
Favorite track: A Different Feeling
Other hits: Frontier Psychiatrist, Etoh, Electricity, Two Hearts in 3/4 Time
2
Nov 22 2024
Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
Was it really worth going through a double album of discomfort, as Eric Clapton plays through the blues despite his racism just to get to Layla. Maybe, I mean itās the one song in the title of the album. Honestly, itās the other song to give a shit about. The rest range from ok to forgettable. To be blunt, Iām getting sick of getting double albums. Especially those made by terrible people.
Favorite track: Layla
Other hits that are not Layla: Bell Bottom Blues, I Looked Away, Thorn Tree in the Garden
2
Nov 25 2024
Tidal
Fiona Apple
I came into this album not having a clue about Fiona Apple and having no clue what to expect. I have to say that this is a very unique album and I mean that in a good way. There is a delicate balance between the beautiful nature of the tracks with some powerful lyrics. She written all this in her teen years? Damn.
Looking through the reviews, I glad someone singled out Never Is A Promise. I donāt know what it is, but that was my favorite from this album, even more so than the singles (which are still very good). That song was fucking beautiful, a slow and empowering song.
Favorite track: Never Is A Promise
Other hits: Criminal, Sleep to Dream, Sullen Girl, Shadowboxer, The First Taste
4
Nov 26 2024
Illmatic
Nas
Well, here we are. So, full disclosure, rap and hip-hop are not my go-to genres. Being more of a rock guy, I donāt tend to do really any rap. That means that I have yet to listen to any of the most beloved rap albums. This project, however, is a good entry point to some of those albums to see how I would react to them. This is one of them.
I heard many great things about Nas, but never listened to his music before. All signs pointed to this being one of the most important hip-hop albums in existence, so the expectations were high. I will say that Nas is very talented. The flow within the songs is amazing.(god I hope Iām using that term right) Everything just goes smooth and the samples are on point. I can see why many consider him to be one of the greatest rappers. I also enjoy the focus on growing up in Queens and the various factors that affected Anaās, especially the focus on the lives of those come to Nas and how growing up surrounded by gangs and drugs had a big impact. It gives a nice personal edge to the album. Itās a nice touch for a rap album to see about things other than fame, money, and sex, in that order.
However, my biggest issue with this album is that not many of the songs had an impact on me. I kind of felt that most of the album sounded similar for most of its runtime. As someone who isnāt that big into hip-hop or rap, this didnāt particularly sway me. I can see what many like about it, but for me it didnāt really do much.
Favorite track: It Aināt Hard to Tell
Other hits: Lifeās A Bitch, N.Y. State of Mind, The World is Yours
3
Nov 27 2024
C'est Chic
CHIC
Iām a bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this. I mean, the songs are both long and repetitive. And I never really cared a lot for Le Freak, the most popular track on the album. And yet, I found this one to be very enjoyable. The production is solid. The bass adds the right amount of support and I didnāt know Chic was the type of band that would use electric guitar, which sounds incredible. My favorite track ended up being Savior Faire, a very soothing instrumental.
Favorite track: Savior Faire
Other hits: I Want Your Love, At Last I Am Free, Le Freak, Sometimes You Win
4
Nov 28 2024
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
Iām glad that Tiny Tim was able to get his indie band project started. If only he could find an audience for it because it sure as hell aināt me.
To be honest, I almost feel like I could have enjoyed this album. The ambiance isnāt bad. Actually the atmosphere is pretty good. But then the Tiny Tim vocals come in and threaten to tip-toe through those fucking tulips. If not for that, the album is mostly boring. It just comes off as repetitive and I lost interest near the end. Such a shame.
Favorite track: All the Kingās Men
Other hits: We Still Got the Taste Dancing On Our Tongues, Two Dancers
2
Nov 29 2024
Bad Company
Bad Company
This album doesnāt reinvent the wheel or do much of anything special. Itās basically a half-hour does of classic rock. These arenāt the most amazing songs I heard. But for what it is, Bad Company works well. There is a nice variety and I enjoyed a little more than I thought I would. So at least itās consistent.
Favorite track: Bad Company
Other hits: Seagull, Movinā On, The Way I Choose
4
Dec 02 2024
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
You know, Iām a bit happy that the first Leonard Cohen album I get is his debut (I assume there will be others) because I wasnāt a huge fan of this. Itās far from bad. Cohenās voice makes this a cozy album to listen to and his songwriting is most certainly his strong point. But a lot of the songs kind of feltā¦one note. They just feel similar as Cohen sings through them, not really adding any variety to his vocals. It becomes more poetry to me than music, which is alright. But Iām not really into that and I want to brush if off on the fact itās his debut. Maybe some of that will change deeper into his discography, but as is, this one was ok.
Favorite track: So Long, Marianne
Other hits: Hey, Thatās No Way To Say Goodbye, Suzanne, Sisters of Mercy, One of Us Cannot Be Wrong
3
Dec 03 2024
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
This generator has a sick sense of humor. The last album I got was Songs of Leonard Cohen, the debut for Leonard Cohen, and I stated in the review for that I was interested in hearing Cohenās other work. Then the next album I get, it his fucking swan song, complete with him singing with the last remnants of life he had left. Lifeās got a sick sense of humor.
Honestly, this was haunting and I have to make the inevitable comparison to Blackstar, David Bowieās last album before his death too. In the same year. Theyāre both haunting reflections from artists who are more than aware that they are living their final days (though itās more obvious in Leonard than David. Not that I would want to compare the pain these two felt. Iām not a psychopath). However, Blackstar feels like Bowie giving the masses one more round of himself before Ziggy returned to his home planet. Leonard here is just ripping the band-aid, as his gravelly vocals, ripened with his age, as he seems to be having a passionate one-on-one with God. Iām still not 100% certain Iām the type who might be into Leonard Cohen. As I mentioned in Songs of Leonard Cohen, he comes off to me as more of a poet than a singer. I think his songwriting is great, but I canāt get into his songs as a whole, mostly due to his voice. However, right from the first track, I saw that problem is greatly reduced here. His vocals here add to the mystic of the album. An aging man talking to the deity he followed his whole life, and is preparing himself to meet him, while giving his parting message to his listeners. There is a lot of memorable lyrics that stuck with me, but my favorite has to been the refrain for Steer Your Heart: āYear by Year, Month by Month, Day by Day, Thought by Thoughtā. Make of life as much as you can. You only have less of it as you go along.
Favorite track: You Want It Darker
Other Hits: Steer Your Heart, Treaty, If I Didnāt Have Your Love
4
Dec 04 2024
Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
I think the āsensationalā in The Sensational Alex Harvey Band does a lot of heavy lifting. This was just diet AC/DC, as they sing sleazy songs, usually about sex, as they push the envelope on what they could get away with. But while AC/DC can make their songs work, the same cannot be said for Alex Harvey. Their songs just come off as stupid. The lyrics are really dumb, and the vocals can get very annoying. I almost felt like I could get behind a song or two (especially between The Faith Healer and Vambo Marble Eye), but it never happens. Itās a 35-minute album that feels like an eternity, which is not an easy feat.
Favorite track: The Faith Healer, I guess
Other hits: parts of Vambo Marble Eye and Gang Bang
2
Dec 05 2024
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
I have always been aware of Janis Joplin and his iconic voice. That raspy loud growl that rivals the likes of Led Zeppelin and Axel Rose. What I was not aware was that she was involved in a band, especially a blues rock one. I figured she was mostly a folk singer. Shows what I knew about Janis. And Iām also kicking myself for never hearing this before. This is almost exactly what I want from a late 60ās album; embracing the underground counterculture that came with the end of the decade and the state of the world at the time. This feels like one of the stepping stones that would eventually lead to the punk and hard rock acts of the next decade. The biggest X-factor of the album is of course Janis herself. Her growl, mixed with the rest of the band and even the facade of crowd noises, made this album a kickass barrage of high energy. I kind of wish that was more tracks. I feel Ball and Chain drags a bit long, and it feels a little short with only 7 tracks. But for what it is, itās still a near perfect effort.
Favorite track: Piece Of My Heart
Other hits: I Need A Man To Love, Oh Sweet Mary, Ball and Chain, Summertime
4
Dec 06 2024
The Healer
John Lee Hooker
I didnāt even know they made blues albums in the 1980ās, let alone near the 90ās. I am not familiar with John Lee Hooker or his music. From what I could gather this is pretty late into his career, and was successful enough to provide him with money for his late years. To be real, I agree that the most common problem is that there are too many songs that contains a special guest that doesnāt really amount to anything. I donāt really hear Los Lobos on Think Twice Before You Go and there is no sign of George Thorogood on Sally Mae. (Though for me personally, thatās a good thing) The only guests that work are The Healer with Carlos Santana and Iām in the Mood with Bonnie Raitt. These actually feel like they add to their respective songs. As for the rest of the album⦠I donāt know, dude. Itās a typical blues album where most of the songs have a similar vibe for its duration. The 80ās production is hit-or-miss and I found myself drifting into boredom too often. This was honestly only ok. Two stars feels harsh, so I give it three.
Favorite track: The Healer
Other hits: Iām in the Mood, Think Twice Before You Go, Cuttinā Out, The last 3 songs where John plays alone (Rockinā Chair, My Dream, No Substitute)
3
Dec 09 2024
Moondance
Van Morrison
This one borders a bit on being background music, but thereās a nice energy to it that makes it listenable. Some of the songs elicit a comfortable vibe to them, which stops it from feeling boring. However, not much of this really stuck past that. There really wasnāt anything memorable for me here. Itās good, but not much past that. Good to hear more of Van Morrison past Brown-Eyed Girl, though.
Favorite track: Into the Mystic
Other hits: And It Stoned Me, Brand New Day, Caravan, These Dreams of You
3
Dec 10 2024
The Joshua Tree
U2
You know, Iāve been looking at the ācontroversial artistsā portion on my summary and thought what band would probably even go in there. What type of band would even fit that category where I would like and hate albums from the same band? Today, I found out that U2 might fit that bill.
I donāt care for U2. Anytime a radio station play a song from them, I change it. Itās mostly because of Bonoās borderline whiny voice. But, I donāt completely despise U2. That leads to this predicament; I didnāt hate this. I feel that this might be the bandās best material. Now thatās not going to say a lot. Bono is still a whiny twat on this album and this album fizzled a bit as it reached the end. But this is as tolerable as U2 can get for me. Honestly, the three opening tracks alone seal the deal and make up for the inferior second half.
I donāt know when Iāll get another U2 album. I know there will be another, hopefully at least 300 or more albums from now. But Iāll pretty sure this is the peak for U2 for me. If not, I think I have a problem.
Favorite track: With or Without You
Other hits: I Still Havenāt Found What Iām Looking For, Where the Streets Have No Name, Running to Stand Still, Red Mill Mining Town, One Tree Hill
4
Dec 11 2024
m b v
My Bloody Valentine
This is a hell of an oddity. I was expecting a 40-plus minute exercise of tedium. Nothing but ambient guitars and background noise, like what the reviews were saying. However, after listening to it, Iām torn. Some of the songs were ambient guitars and background noise, like the first track āshe found nowā. But the others⦠how do I explain this? See, I actually enjoyed the vibe of some of this songs. They feel weirdly nostalgic and for what itās worth⦠it is good background music. But the songs donāt stick. Like after a song ends, my mind wonāt absorb it. Thereās nothing memorable.
I wanted to like this. I was really getting into it. But an album that canāt stick with me is only ok.
Favorite track: who sees you
Other hits: the ones that sounded somewhat normal (is this and yes, in another way, new you) idk this one was hard
3
Dec 12 2024
In Our Heads
Hot Chip
I never thought that I would like a dance album. They feel so niche, like they need to be play in clubs or parties to have any entertainment value. But this one surprised me. It sounds at times like a fusion between 2010ās dance and 80ās synth pop and the result was amazing. I found myself getting into the groove for most of these songs. I donāt know how to explain it, but I felt weirdly nostalgic listening to this. Maybe itās because it came from the early 2010ās and it takes me back to my high school days. Itās got that vibe. It does have some dance jank, where it relays on random noises to make up the beat. But itās at a minimum. This was a great surprise.
Favorite track: Ends of the Earth
Other hits: Flutes, These Chains, Donāt Deny Your Heart, Let Me Be Him
4
Dec 13 2024
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
Well, this was unexpected. My reactions to this album are all over the place. For starters, I feel that the tone of the album is inconsistent. The intent with this album was to stand apart from the other rap albums of the time by focusing on love and peace rather than violence, drugs, and all the other fun stuff Dr. Dre and other were rapping about at the time. The result, however, feels like an album that feels cheesy for most of its runtime when itās trying to be serious at other times. One song, Fishinā 4 Religion, is an ambiguous song about how some churches preach the wrong values; teaching on being passive rather than changing. Then, thereās Children Play with Earth, a corny song telling children to touch grass. The Nintendo Joystick lyric made me want to roll my eyes into the back of my skull. And most of the album constantly refers to starting a revolution. Iām aware this is a socially conscious album, but itās a little on the nose. Honestly, the saving grace of the album are the beats of the songs. Despite the somewhat cheesy tracks, the songs are fun and funky. Itās easier to pick this album apart for the best bits. Which is good, because this album is a bit on the long side. Overall, I thought I was going to hate this, but it was rather ok.
Favorite track: Tennessee
Other hits: Mr. Wendal, People Everyday, Fishinā 4 Religion
3
Dec 16 2024
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
This wasnāt as good as Let It Bleed to me. The hits on this album (Brown Sugar, Wild Horses) arenāt really my favorites from the band. Canāt Hear You Knocking drags a little too long. And I can do without The Rolling Stones saying You Gotta Move ever again. Still, you canāt go wrong with The Rolling Stones, even if it isnāt peak.
Favorite track: Wild Horses
Other hits: Moonlight Mile, Bitch, Brown Sugar, Sway, Dead Flowers
4
Dec 17 2024
Funeral
Arcade Fire
My knowledge of Arcade Fire is very surface level. As in, I know them by name only. Honestly, I thought they were a rock band. So, it surprised me to hear a very indie sounding album. Thatās on me and my misconceptions. But overall, itās a indie album. It feels like music people listen to in order to feel smart. Thereās an aura of pretentiousness to it, like most indie albums who use Victorian-ish art for their cover. Seriously, that art style is so overused for stuff like this. I donāt know the evolution of Arcade Fireās sound over the years. Hell, I donāt even know if they have anymore albums on this project. If they do, I hope itās a little better than this.
Favorite track: Wake Up
Other hits: Rebellion (Lies), In the Backseat, Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
3
Dec 18 2024
Nevermind
Nirvana
Allow me to go on a tangent here. I remember believing for many years that the song Cherry Pie by Warrant was an 80ās song. I mean, if you heard it, itās a fine example of hair metal; loud and usually about wanting to fuck women. It wasnāt until not too long ago that I learned that the song was released in 1990. I mean, I get it. Itās the first year of the decade. You canāt expect change that quickly. But then I thought about some other albums that came before Nevermind. Thereās Use Your Illusion by Guns anā Roses, For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge by Van Halen, Waking Up the Neighbors by Bryan Adams (which came out the same day) and even Metallica by⦠Metallica, who sacrificed some edge for mainstream success. It really makes me wonder: what would have music looked like had Nevermind never reached the audience it did.
Iām not going to bore you with the obvious. Everybody knows this is where 90ās music became 90ās music. Rock stopped being about long-haired face-painted men singing about their libido and started delving into darker territories like angst and frustration. Alternative became the mainstream and would pave the way for grunge to be one of the most dominant genres of the decade. I think everyone knows that.
I am also not capable of resisting the urge to join in on the acclaim for this album.
It is my favorite album? No.
Is it my favorite grunge album? No.
Is my favorite 90ās album? No.
But without it, those probably wouldnāt exist. Would bands like Alice In Chains or Stone Temple Pilots or Soundgarden experience the levels of success they saw without this? Probably not. And to be fair, it is a great album on its own merits. The hits are the hits. Everyoneās heard Smells Like Teen Spirit a million times and stuff like In Bloom and Come As You Are are also as known at this point. What I was surprised was with Breed and Territorial Pissings. I didnāt know Nirvana ever tapped into punk, let alone on Nevermind. And I love the darker tracks in Polly and Something in the Way. Itās shows the depth of the album to me thatās escalates it past the album being āIām iconic because Smells Like Teen Spiritā.
An albumās impact is one thing. Nobody can question the importance of this album and is does indeed fit the category of āmust do before you dieā. But impact is second to the quality of the album itself. What does impact mean if you donāt like the album? I donāt know if Nevermind ranks in my top 5 of all time. Maybe the middle portion of the album was a bit weaker than the rest of the tracks. But itās not a deal breaker. This album is too damn important for me to be a contrarian about it.
Favorite track: In Bloom
Other hits: Smells Like Teen Spirit, Come As You Are, Lithium, On A Plain, Breed, Polly, Something in the Way
5
Dec 19 2024
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
I had some low expectations coming into this album. It seemed like a blotted electronic album and the score/reviews for this didnāt seem promising. I thought I was heading for almost an hour of background music. But holy fuck, was I wrong.
To be fair, the album is long and the two remixes at the end didnāt do much for me. But for most of the album, this was shockingly good. This wasnāt so much club electronic music, but rather lounge-ish. Some might find that boring and I thought I would too. But between the smooth ambiance and Tracey Thornās vocals, this was more tranquil to me than sleep-inducing. If it was a little shorter, I might have given it a 5.
Favorite track: Walking Wounded (original)
Other hits: Wrong (original), Single, Mirrorball, Big Deal, Before Today
4
Dec 20 2024
Dare!
The Human League
I need to know what drug some 80ās album cover artists were on. Like, whose idea is it to put your face in a rectangle window in a void. And why is Phillip Oakey staring at me with that much eyeliner?
Anyway, Iām a sucker for 80ās synth. Itās a guilty pleasure of mine that gives the decade its standalone vibe. Itās a weirdly nostalgic feeling⦠which is weird because I was born in the 90ās. It is a bit synth overkill here, and the tracks do get a little repetitive. But itās perfectly serviceable for what it is. Honestly, I didnāt expect to get some sinister sounds from the likes of Darkness and I Am The Law. Itās different from what I heard from the Human League before⦠which was really just Donāt You Want Me. Really, the beauty of this generator is making me listen to albums from bands I heard one song from, just so the song I was familiar with all along ends up my favorite. Still, this was pretty fun and I certainly got into the vibe a couple of times. Itās 80ās as hell, but I wouldnāt have it any other way.
Favorite track: Donāt You Want Me
Other hits: Open Your Heart, Darkness, I Am The Law, Love Action (I Believe In Love), Do or Die
4
Dec 23 2024
Be
Common
I never considered myself a fan of Common. Iām not a fan of hip-hop or rap in general, but for some reason I specifically never liked Common. I think it might have been back when Glory from the movie Selma won for Best Original Song at the Oscarās, which felt like it won because it was close to Eric Garnerās death, as well as the Oscars So White controversy. I remember hearing the song and thinking it was ridiculous that the song won since it was basically just a chorus repeating the word Glory over and over again. Now this was a decade ago, so I was younger and stupider, but it made me think Common was this straight edge, social justice rapper who was more notable for his activism than his songs. I was low key dreading doing this album as it popped up. Fortunately, this was not as bad as I thought it would be. However, I wouldnāt call it great.
The album has great production and itās nice to hear Kanye West before he completely lost his mind. And I didnāt know John Legend was singing around 2005. I mean, I was nine at the time this came out and I really didnāt know John Legend until All of Me. I know, Iām really ignorant. Anyway, most of the album is good Chi-rap. It covers all the bases lyrically; rapping about the problems facing the black population in Chicago with a semi-positive outlook. Most of it is good, but nothing particularly mind-blowing. And Common does like rapping about the cops a lot. I mean, I sympathize with him, but itās a little repetitive. Overall, this wasnāt bad. I take back that beef I had with Common a decade ago.
Favorite track: They Say
Other hits: Faithful, Testify, Itās Your World, Go!
3
Dec 24 2024
3 Feet High and Rising
De La Soul
As someone who doesnāt really consider himself a fan of hip-hop or albums that last more than an hour, it feels like a miracle to just say how much I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Iāve heard many things about this album and how influential it is and its reputation is certainly proven to me. Itās a fun ride that never really loses steam as it goes on. Between the little game show theme and some of the synergy between the trio in the more comedic tracks, itās a nice trip. If I had to criticize, there are moments that maybe the album can come off as a little immature. I mean, De La Ogree was a little annoying. Though I not sure what I expected with that track. Itās not a five from me personally, but it came really close. And for me, a hip-hop album that gets nearly five stars deserves my respect. Glad itās finally on streaming services.
Favorite track: Me Myself and I
Other hits: The Magic Number, Eye Know, Say No Go, Plug Tuninā, Tread Water, Buddy
4
Dec 25 2024
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
I appreciate how smooth some of the tracks sound. But for me, thatās about as far as this album goes. Every song just sort of blended together for me and made this 40-minute album feel like an eternity. The songs do have their moments, which makes this album more decent than bad, but itās nothing special for me.
Favorite track: Johnny is Dead
Other hits: We Fight/We Love, Shaka, Move, Life is Better
3
Dec 26 2024
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
I didnāt know this generator automatically gave you this album on Christmas Eve. Thatās cute and makes a lot of sense.
So Iāll admit to being a bit of a sucker for Christmas music. On the day after Thanksgiving (and not a day sooner unlike some people), after Santa caps off the Thanksgiving Day Parade, any music playing from the radio will always be Christmas music. Itās been like that ever since I was a kid and Iāve been here for 28 Christmases. And I anticipate doing it for at least 28 more. For those in the state of New York, thereās a radio station: 106.7 Lite FM. Every December, they play Christmas music constantly until the end of the holiday. Itās what Iāve listened to every Christmas season, as I would spend a holiday weekend with my family in Manhattan or enjoy the big day at my grandparentās house in Brooklyn. There are so many Christmas songs that have been a part of my life at this time of year. Christ knows how many versions of Sleigh Ride and Winter Wonderland I heard. Yet I never considered the impact this album had until getting it today. I believe that this album is the reason many artists even do Christmas albums in the first place, giving their own twist to some classic carols much like what was done here.
I usually spilt Christmas music into two categories: crooners and everything else. Sounds lazy to do that. It get probably go deeper but Iām simplifying. A majority of Christmas music that 106.7 plays are usually the works of Frank Sinatra, Gene Autry, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, Perry Como⦠you get the point. Many of there are classics in their own right and it wouldnāt be Christmas without them, but playing them back-to-back tends to feel⦠monotonous. They start to blend together. But after this album, I feel this is when the crooner era ended and Christmas music entered a more modern iteration.
I recognized a majority of these songs. The only ones I wasnāt familiar with were the Bobb B. Sox and the Blue Jeans songs, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, the Darlene Love version of White Christmas and Silent Night. (Iāll get to that) Many of these tracks to me are the most memorable versions of these classic songs. From the little intro in Santa Claus Is Coming to Town to the āring-a-dingāing in Sleigh Ride (which became a staple), each track has something that make each carol stand out from the 15 other versions out there. That can be attributed to the Wall of Sound, which makes every song sound grand. The orchestral backings sound epic in scale to match with the vocals and there is a constant vibrant energy. All the artists on this album are great, but this album belongs to Darlene Love. His songs are objectively the best and her own song Baby Please Come Home is a classic.
If there is anything to knock the album for, I could say that the tracks do somewhat sound a bit similar to one another, probably thanks to the Wall of Sound. And there is the elephant in the room that this album is headlined by a convicted murderer. That makes the last track, Silent Night, age like milk when Phil Spector comes on the record with his creepy voice. Itāsā¦unfortunate to have a name like his attached to these classics. But I wonāt let that diminish the work of the artists who were a part of this and I say the honor should go to them.
Many of these songs have been around for me every Christmas season. Honestly, Christmas has started to feel different each year. After the passing of my grandfather and my grandmother entering late stage dementia, I no longer go to my grandparents for Christmas. This has left somewhat of a hole to fill for my holiday season as things have certainly changed over many Christmases, as we all probably experience. But if there is one constant every year, itās that the music will always be there. And while there are other Christmas songs out there that mean a lot to me, like Last Christmas, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and even All I Want For Christmas Is You before everyone made that song annoying, the songs on this album also share a place in my heart every December on 106.7 Lite FM.
Favorite track: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Other hits: The other Darlene Love tracks (White Christmas, A Marshmellow World, Winter Wonderland), Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
5
Dec 27 2024
Repeater
Fugazi
Out of all the hard rock acts I have heard, I have for some reason never listened to Fugazi. While Iām certain 13 Songs has to be on this list (I hope it is or I look really stupid), I see that this album is just as highly regarded. Truth be told, I think this is my favorite kind of punk: high energy, messy but organized, loud. I think I really enjoy this post-hardcore stuff. The only thing against it is that some of the tracks do get a little repetitive. But I overall really enjoyed this.
Favorite track: Turnover
Other hits: Merchandise, Sieve-Fisted Find, Shut the Door
4
Dec 30 2024
Abraxas
Santana
One of the biggest issues I have with 70ās rock, or dad rock as some would call it, is that the vast majority of songs tend to be overstuffed with guitar solos. And not really structured solos, but more jam-like solos. The kinds that meander for a bit too long and inflate tracks to lengths in the 5-minute range. It gets a bit tiring to hear rock albums from this decade because of it. But Santana is built different. His guitar playing mixed with the Latin music elements give him a very distinct sound. The result is smooth (no pun intended) and gives the album this unique serene lounge like vibe. Honestly, there are only two dad rock songs on the album (Motherās Daughter and Hope Youāre Feeling Better). If it werenāt for those two, this might have been a perfect album. But as it is, it is miles better than a majority of dad rock albums.
Favorite track: Black Magic Woman/ Gypsy Woman
Other hits: Oye Como Va, Incident at Neshabur, Samba Pa Ti, Se A Cabo
4
Dec 31 2024
Imagine
John Lennon
I know an album is probably going to suck when I donāt even care for the big track on the album. Given how much the Beatles have been a part of my life, Iāve been eagerly awaiting the day I get a Beatles album. Go and figure that the first crumb I get is one of John Lennonās solo albums, where all of Johnās ego and artistic bullshit can go unchecked. As mentioned before, I donāt really give a fuck about Imagine. Itās a surface level peace song thatās overplayed as much as itās pretentious. It doesnāt even mean much on the album. Hard to preach about peace when you put a Paul McCartney diss track on it too.
But the big problem I have with Imagine is that almost none of the songs are worth anything. I Donāt Wanna Be A Soldier is a 6-minute repetitive nuisance, Oh Yoko made me feel uncomfortable and Gimme Some Truth is just surface level political commentary. The only song I kinda liked was Jealous Guy. Honestly, most of the songs just felt like they used the same lyrics over and over again. I wasnāt a fan of this one, which sucks as a Beatles fan. Hopefully, itās one of those albums I see John Lennon again.
Favorite track: Jealous Guy
Other hits: Oh My Love, How?
2
Jan 01 2025
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
Listen, generator. We need to talk.
Itās the last day of 2024. Everyone is doing stuff to celebrate, whether they are partying or jerking off. Or both if they are in an orgy. Why the fuck are you giving me an hour-long album by a band I have never heard of and threatening me with genres like āshoegazeā, ābritpopā, and āindieā? I mean, it wasnāt bad. Surprisingly, it just a mixture of harmless alternative 90ās music and semi-wannabe My Bloody Valentine. But I have two questions:
1. What about this is āmust-do before dyingā material?
2. Why a fucking hour? Itās way too much. Itās eventually going to drag.
Look, itās been nearly 100 albums. You given me some good stuff and some questionable stuff. I donāt mind that you given me two Leonard Cohen albums back-to-back. I donāt care that you gave me a lot of live albums. But I do care when you give me long albums on holidays, especially mid ones. So please, in 2025, be nicer to me. Hereās to a new year of music.
Favorite track: Wish I Was Skinny
Other hits: god, I guess Hang Suspended, Lazarus, If You Want It,Take It maybe. You think I fucking remembered them all?
3
Jan 02 2025
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
Those reviews calling this a Bond album werenāt kidding. Thatās exactly the feel I got from this. The whole album feels like the soundtrack to some 60ās action movie, complete with an orchestral score to boot. From the first track, I was hoping it would be kickass. But as the songs went on, the impact definitely lessened. I think it have to do with the production itself. Thereās a bit too much reverb in the vocals and the whole experience feels overproduced. That feeling of being a kickass vigilante faded and the album became a bit monotonous. Kind of a shame really. I thought Iād have more praise for it.
Favorite track: The Age of the Understatement
Other hits: Standing Next to Me, My Mistakes Were Made for You, The Chamber, The Meeting Place
3
Jan 03 2025
Eli And The Thirteenth Confession
Laura Nyro
I think this album broke me. I had no idea who Laura Nyro was prior to this. She gave the 5th Dimension a hit, but it wasnāt Aquarius, so that didnāt help. Going through it, I went through a roller coaster of feelings. Here was this wonderful voice singing some nice 60ās pop. The slow songs were wonderfully smooth and elicit the best of the decade. But then, some of the songs got annoying, especially the first two with her practically repeating the song titles over and over. For the entire duration, it kept going back and forth between these two moods. In hindsight, this was a bit frustrating. I think if the album was more focused and a lot of the big-Broadway elements were axed, it would be perfect. As is, I mentally bounced between a 4 and a 3 for this. In the end, I leaned generously toward a 4. I think ultimately Lauraās singing saves the album, even when the songs get annoying. It was more pleasant than aggravating, but this has to be the most frustrating 4 I ever gave. It could have been more, but I donāt hate what it was.
Favorite track: Lonely Woman
Other hits: Timer, Decemberās Boudoir, Emmie, Sweet Blindness
(Iām not putting Stoned Soul Picnic here. That was one of the annoying ones)
4
Jan 06 2025
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
I feel like out of all the musical genres to exist, reggae is the most middle of the lane genre of them all for me personally. I donāt actively dislike reggae, but I donāt really enjoy it. Being the figurehead of the genre, Bob Marley is the epitome of this feeling. I respect the dude. I respect everything he did. I respect the way heās able to subtlety inject political commentary into his smooth rhythms and have them coexist with some nice love songs. I respect that calming tropical vibe each track has. But this isnāt stuff that I find myself coming back to. Most of the songs sound similar to each other and the island-like vibe gets tiring after a while. Bob Marley and reggae to me are two sides of the same coin. I donāt have too many negative feelings that might influence my opinion unlike other genres (country, rap and hip-hop specifically), but after the final track finished, I donāt see myself listening to any of it again.
Favorite track: Stir It Up
Other hits: Concrete Jungle, Kinky Reggae, No More Trouble, 400 Years
3
Jan 07 2025
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
I swear these jazz albums prove how musically illiterate I can be. I can read sheet music thanks to years of playing trumpet in school, but I never got into stuff like music theory or how people create music. I just learned how to play it. So every time I got a jazz album, I try to engage with it in a meaningful way, only to get lost somewhere. Maybe itās because the tracks tend to be longer than ānormalā music and thus easier to get lost in the groove. I get thatās the point, but itās not my preference. That leads me to this album. The first two tracks were a miss to me. The title track felt a little tooā¦experimental. Like jazz is more free lance, but this felt weird. Then, Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are was way too long for what I felt was background noise. I feel thatās kind of the problem with jazz for me. Itās set it and forget it music. If I canāt get into it, it just sort of meanders around. Honestly, I felt the saving grace was the second side of the album. The tracks there were more catchy, especially Bemsha Swing, which can get stuck in your head. And I Surrender, Dear was a very nice, soft piano piece. I feel given there are 5 songs on this album, Iāll give a star for each song I liked, which amounts to three.
Favorite track: I Surrender, Dear
Other hits: Bemsha Swing, Pannonica
3
Jan 08 2025
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
I deal with foreign language albums the same way I deal with foreign language movies. Iām not letting the fact I have no idea what theyāre saying deride me from the experience. Though they havenāt found a way to give subtitles while youāre listening like in movies. Maybe somedayā¦
I like that there are albums that like to take me out of my comfort zone. The āworldā albums Iāve gotten so far tend to do that. This one is perhaps the most accessible. Speaking as a white dude with no trace of Latin blood in me (my motherās side of the family has a lot of origins. Canāt say Cuba was one of them), this album really does invoke the sense of relaxing on a beach or at a nice restaurant. It truly is a unique vibe that only an album like this can bring. The thing is though, that after a while, most of the tracks started to blend together. There is a good mix between love songs and traditional Cuban songs. And Pueblo Nuevo is a really good jazz song. But I canāt say it clicked with me. I enjoyed it, but I not dying to go back to any of it. Thatās a personal preference problem with me, it seems. I still respect this, however, and I hope those who listen can look past not understanding a damn word being sung to find more enjoyment than I could.
Favorite track: Pueblo Nuevo
Other hits: Chan Chan, Candela, Buena Vista Social Club, El Carretero
3
Jan 09 2025
Heroes
David Bowie
Round three of David Bowie for me. I think this might be one of the better ones I done so far. For 1977, these songs sound close to what 80ās music would sound like. The electronic elements really work well for Bowie, as these are probably the most fun I had listening to Bowie. Having the second side of the album be mostly a long instrumental was⦠a choice. It wasnāt too bad, though. It didnāt feel too much out of place. I thought Moss Garden was the best part of it, since it felt so mellow to listen to.
I still trying to expand my palette for David Bowie. Iāve never really hear a lot from him, outside the obvious hits like Space Oddity and Changes. So far, this was my favorite, though Iāll see how long that last.
Favorite track: Heroes
Other hits: Beauty and the Beast, Moss Garden, The Secret Life of Arabia, Blackout
4
Jan 10 2025
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
Iām starting to think that the author of ā1001 albums to hear before you dieā is a massive electronica fan and wants to subject as many people to it as he can. Itās the only reason I can think as to why there is so much electronic shit on this list. Because who in the fuck would know about Red Snapper? And of course, itās almost a hour and pretty much acts as background noise. Itās not the worst album, but like⦠what about this was so groundbreaking to be put here? I put this on during my ride home from work. Do you know how many other songs I could have put on instead? Do you think having the phrase āI want the kind of night that I read aboutā repeated over and over before being told to lick someoneās clit is vital hearing material? Actually, donāt answer that. Just let this album stay in the year 2000 where it belongs.
Favorite track: The Rough and the Quick (out of sheer irony, but because of quality)
Other hits: Belladonna, maybe. I got almost nothing else.
2
Jan 13 2025
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
The concept of mixing samples into tunes is something that feels it would be hit-or-miss to me. I remember loving Paulās Boutique by the Beastie Boys (which has to be on this list), but that album actually has a lot of original contributions from the Boys themselves. In that regard, Endtroducing is different, pretty much consisting of mostly samples. I feel like I donāt enjoy albums that are mostly instrumental, unless the tracks really hook me in. Up to now, not much of those albums have really hit me. But this one was special. While not perfect, the melodies from the samples really stuck with me. It didnāt feel like a standard hip-hop album or a collection of vintage 60ās pop lyrics put with record-stretching and drum beats. The vibes Endtroducing gives are chill without totally receding into the background. I particularly liked Changeling and Midnight in a Perfect World in that regard. But then thereās Stem/Long Stem. Such a beautifully experimental song. The fast parts in the first half sound just as hard as any metal riff I heard, which was unexpected. I was overall surprised with Endtroducing. I was expecting a hour long meandering soundtrack. But thankfully I got a lot more.
Favorite track: Stem/Long Stem
Other hits: Changeling, Midnight in a Perfect World, What Does Your Soul Look Like (Both 1 & 4)
4
Jan 14 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
105 albums in and I finally hit my first Beatles album. This feels like the perfect starting point; the transition away from the days of Beatlemania and into the development of what would make them perhaps the greatest act in musical history (in my incredibly biased opinion). If I can start with the negative, I donāt see Rubber Soul as their best effort. Most of it still has some of the bandās early sound on it, so there was still some things to iron out. Songs like You Wonāt See Me and What Goes On are just kind of on the album to pad it out. Truth be told, this album would probably be a solid 4 if it werenāt for some of the better songs on the album. Norwegian Wood is a fun little song with a nice little hook in the main melody. Drive My Car is the perfect segway between the bandās past and future. Nowhere Man is practically ingrained into my brain thanks to its part in the Yellow Submarine movie (I must have watched it a thousand times as a kid. My parents had to keep renewing it from the library they got it from. Yes, Iām that old, I guess.) And then there is In My Life, which is probably one of the most beautifully songs I have ever listened to. Itās become one of the songs to have a deep emotional impact on me, as I used it in a video montage I made for one of my uncleās funeralās. Itās not an easy listen for me, but itās a wonderful song when I do.
There are other albums by the Beatles that probably deserve a 5 more than Rubber Soul, but the songs that I like elevate it to that level. I feel it can only go up from here, as I tend to love the bandās later output more than their earlier works. But none of that would be possible without Rubber Soul, so that alone to me justifies my score.
Favorite track: In My Life
Other hits: Nowhere Man, Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, Think For Yourself, Iām Looking Through You
5
Jan 15 2025
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
I wasnāt sure if I was going to like this when I first turned it on. It felt like it was going to be an experimental album from someone who sounds like a store-brand David Bowie. And there were parts of the album that were kind of annoying, particularly Driving Me Backwards. But for the most part, it was actually entertaining. The various elements in each track add up to a weird but fun experience. It never goes full experimental nor over my head. It stays fairly accessible while breaking some conventions. Iām aware Brian Eno was a pivotal force in producing some very successful musical acts, such as Talking Heads (which this album absolutely influenced). Itās east to hear through this album that he knows what he is doing.
Favorite track: On Some Faraway Beach (probably a weird pick, but I loved the slow synth ambience of it
Other hits: Babyās On Fire, Cindy Tell Me, Some Of Them Are Old, Needles in The Camelās Eye, Dead Finks Donāt Talk
4
Jan 16 2025
Country Life
Roxy Music
So this is my second Roxy Music album Iāve gotten. The first one was their debut, conveniently titled Roxy Music. I remember really enjoying that album, as it felt unique and ahead of its time. I felt the same way about this album. But for some reason, I wasnāt into this one as much as the debut. Itās still pretty good, donāt get me wrong. Prairie Rose and The Thrill Of It All are bangers. And the variety displayed here is impressive. No two tracks really sound alike. But these tracks didnāt really stick with me as I thought they would. They mostly get a āthatās neatā from me. Though that might be for the best considering the album cover. I donāt think I want to listen to something and have that image on my phone for anyone in a 3-foot radius of me to see.
Favorite track: Prairie Rose
Other hits: The Thrill Of It All, All I Want Is You, Out of the Blue, Casanova
3
Jan 17 2025
Spiderland
Slint
Back in the year 2020, I decided on a whim to listen to all the albums Rolling Stone listed as part of there 100 Best Metal Albums. I donāt know why I thought that was a good idea, but I did it. For the life of me, I attempted to understand who would be a fan of certain types of metal. I know sludge is usually for stoners and black is for depressed Norwegian teenagers who shouldnāt be trusted with matches. But I canāt figure out the fans of the more⦠abstract stuff. Now Slint was nowhere on this list, obviously. This is more rock than metal. But I felt the same listening to it as I did Neurosis or Isis; I want to like this, but Iām just apathetic to it.
I definitely feel this albumās influence. It feels like a punk album, but slowed down to illicit more feelings of isolation and sadness rather than rage and rebellion. It hard for me to think that there was anything like it in 1991 or before. But no matter how hard I try to get into it, I just canāt. It could be because the songs drag on for too long or that parts of this sound like a spoken word album, but with guitars blaring over the voice. I hope Iām not the only one who had trouble listening to the lyrics.
I really wanted to like this one. The grim ambiance and heavy guitars made it feel like it would be good. But it just didnāt break through.
Favorite track: Good Morning, Captain
Other hits: Breadcrumb Trail, Nosferatu Man
3
Jan 20 2025
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
So round 2 for Paul Simon, first with Art Garfunkel. I heard this was a concept album, but that only really applies to the first half. Thatās probably why the two sides sound a bit jarringly different. Side 1 has a more mellow, but somber feel to it while Side 2 feels more lively. Itās a bit weird, but the songs regardless are great. The Side 1 songs like America and Overs are sung beautifully. The reprise of Bookends almost got to me emotionally. Could have done without the weird Voices of Old People, though. Itās interesting, but a little abstract and a little on the nose for the sideās theme of the life cycle.
Side 2 contains the more familiar sounds of the album, especially Mrs. Robinson. They provide a nice break from the more heavier nature of the previous tracks. Overall, the sides balance out. Bookends is pretty good, though it remains to be seen if itās better than Bridge Over Troubled Water.
Favorite track: Mrs. Robinson
Other hits: America, Overs, Bookends Theme (Reprise), Fakinā It, At The Zoo
4
Jan 21 2025
Out Of The Blue
Electric Light Orchestra
Iām gonna tell it straight.
I donāt care that this album is over an hour long.
I donāt care if the final few tracks were objectively weaker than the rest of the album.
I donāt care if some of the songs sound weird.
This is the shit.
Theyāre something about this album that just pulverized my g-spot. Nearly every song put me in a high. It isnāt just Mr. Blue Sky. Itās either peak 70ās pop with a touch of disco in the likes of Turn to Stone and Sweet Talkinā Woman (every time the phrase āslow downā is sung, it sends me places) or slow impactful tunes like Big Wheels and Starlight. It did lose a little steam at the end, but fuck it. Making a hour album not feel like a chore is a fucking achievement is its own right. Thanks in part to the production bringing out the O in ELO and the more unique elements such as the backing vocals and the Electronic elements, this is a double album that could have gone for hours and I would have still loved it.
Favorite track: Mr. Blue Sky
Favorite track that is not Mr. Blue Sky: Sweet Talkinā Woman
Other hits: Turn to Stone, Itās Over, Night in the City, Starlight, Big Wheels, Sweet is the Night
5
Jan 22 2025
Copper Blue
Sugar
You know, I do love a good-90ās alt-rock album. This is as standard as 90ās alt-rock can get. It kind of sounds like if R.E.M. and the Foo Fighters had a baby and this was the result. Itās fine. I mean the songs end up being a tad bit repetitive lyrically. The songs tend to devolve into repeating the title again and again, like an AC/DC song.
But I have one question: why the fuck is this on the list? Itās standard 90ās rock. There had to be another album to take its place. Whatās so special about this? Itās alright, but nothing worth showing up here.
Favorite track: If I Canāt Change Your Mind
Other hits: Hoover Dam, The Act We Act, Hopeless, Man on the Moon
3
Jan 23 2025
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
I want to start with a confession: I have a soft spot for the god-forsaken genre known as nu-metal. The sad, grimy metal genre that came out of Bakersfield by a certain vegetable named band, it has remained a guilty pleasure of mine. From Slipknot to early Linkin Park to Deftones and Korn, I enjoyed a fair share of the metal genre that never left the late 90ās.
When I was a kid, I thought Rollinā was the coolest shit ever. It was back around 2002 when my friend who got me into wrestling showed me the Undertaker. It was during his American Badass phase where he would come out on a motorcycle with Rollin blasting all over the arena. It felt electric. I still sort of like Rollinā. Itās a fun stupid song.
But in all honesty, this album being here is funny. The Wikipedia section here pretty much calls the album mid and literally states that itās not even in the newer editions of the book. Like the authors went āWhat the fuck were we thinking making people listen to Limp Bizkit?ā Truth be told, thatās a good point. Chocolate Starfish has nothing that qualifies as must-hear. Most of it is basic rap-metal as Fred Durst pushes the use of the word āfuckā like a tween who just started rebelling against his parents. Itās artificial edge without any purpose or visceral. I felt weird playing it in my car on the way home and Iām pretty shameless on what I play on the radio.
I felt this album was drifting into a 2-score territory for me, as the Durst show was starting to wear a bit of my sanity down. Hot Dog was an affront to God especially, as Durat has nothing on Trent Reznor to riff on Closer. As least Nine Inch Nails is considered relevant. But I later reconsidered for two reasons:
1. After The One, most of the songs started to get better. There was less emphasis on āfuck everyone and everythingā and more depth, which saved the album.
2. I believe there are actually worse albums on here. There have been hour-long albums and double albums that felt like a waste of time. This album is trashy, but I canāt say it was boring. There have been albums like Our Aim Is To Satisfy by Red Snapper and Layla and Other Assorted Songs by Derek and the Dominoes that were so one-note, so tedious that they make this album look like Sgt. Pepper. I feel that even if you hate this, it will at least make you feel something.
This album doesnāt belong here. Itās a product of its time and even back then, it wasnāt really cool. But it left an impression on stupid young me, and there are a few guilty pleasures (My Way, especially). At the very least, it gave me Rollinā and thatās more value than most albums Iāll get.
Favorite album: Rollinā (Air Raid Vehicle)
Other hits: My Way, The One, Hold On, Boiler, Itāll Be OK, My Generation
3
Jan 24 2025
Raising Hell
Run-D.M.C.
I feel saying that, as a rock fan, saying that Run DMC is personally one of my preferred hip-hop group feels like itās cheating. Next to the Beastie Boys, Run DMC paved the way for a relationship between rap and rock. I mean, Walk This Way was practically a rap song disguised as a rock song. It just took some time for someone to realize it. Besides that, everything else on Raising Hell is infectious. Itās Tricky has had real estate in my head since I was a kid since I first heard it in SSX Tricky.(awesome game series by the way. EA should bring it back if they didnāt suck dicks)
The other songs are great too, especially You Be Illinā. Thereās a little mid-80ās hip-hop cheese here, kind of like the Beastie Boys vibe with License to Ill. But the influence and quality of this album canāt be denied. Itās a classic for a reason.
Favorite track: Itās Tricky
Other hits: Walk This Way, You Be Illin, Raising Hell, My Adidas, Proud to be Black
4
Jan 27 2025
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
You want to hear a funny yet morbid tangent for this album? In the 115 albums Iāve done, I have two from 2016. They are Blackstar by David Bowie and You Want It Darker by Leonard Cohen. They are two albums made by popular artists who would later pass away, leaving them to be their swansongs. Both acted as the caps to legendary, influential careers. This album has that same aura, but in a more tragic light. Blackstar and You Want It Darker were made with the end of the road for both artists in sights. Bowie and Cohen were already having health problems that left them time to reflect on their iconic legacy.
I have never heard of Nick Drake prior to getting this album. Researching him shown that he only became influential after his death, with this album being his swansong after his fatal overdose. Itās not a reflection of a successful career (sadly the contrary) and there is a slight air of that in Pink Moon. Itās simple and short, with Nick, his acoustic guitar and a backing piano as the ensemble for the tracks. Nick has a voice that is weak, but deep and profound. I donāt think too many artists in the 70ās sounded like this. Given the context of his life, there is a melancholic, yet gentle feel to this album. It demands your attention as Nkck takes us on his own journey. He doesnāt care if anybody listens to it or not. Heās just putting his mind out on the record, which tragically would be the last he would do it. In one of lifeās greatest cruelties, Nick would never live to see the legacy he would have and the artists he would influence. Unlike Blackstar and You Want It Darker, Pink Moon is not a reflection of an iconic career. But it does stand as a testament against the stigma of popular music and how the industry sometimes misses actual talent. Hell, in Nick Drakeās case, it suppressed it. Fortunately, Nick got the recognition he deserved and Iām happy outlets like this give people the opportunity to listen to him. While I wish the album was a little longer, Pink Moon is still a haunting and mesmerizing gem of an album.
Favorite track: Which Will
Other hits: Pink Moon, Road, Things Behind the Sun, Free Ride, From the Morning
4
Jan 28 2025
Wild Is The Wind
Nina Simone
So, when I first started this album, I wasnāt sure how it would go. The first song I Love Your Lovinā Ways just felt like regular 60ās pop, complete with female backing vocals. I felt that this would end up something that wouldnāt leave an impression on me. That feeling was flung right out the window when Four Women came on right after.
Nina grabbed my attention and refused to let go. She was in firm control as she took me through the gauntlet of emotions.
She brings power through on Four Women, tackling racial stereotypes
with authority. The ending where she boldly sings āMy Name Is Peachesā gave me goosebumps.
She brings passion to the love songs. The title track and What More Can I Say touched me in a way not many love songs have before.
But most importantly, she brings raw emotion to the sad songs. In particular, Lilac Wine nearly broke me. The pain in her voice just hits differently. And I know that phrase gets tossed around a lot, but I canāt think of anything close to it.
This is extremely close to a five for me. I feel the only thing that takes it a bit down are the more poppier tracks like I Love Your Lovinā Ways. Other than that, this blew my expectations. What a remarkable talent.
Favorite track: Lilac Wine
Other hits: Wild is the Wind, Four Women, Thatās All I Ask, What More Can I Say, If I Should Lose You
4
Jan 29 2025
Bossanova
Pixies
This one wasnāt as good as Doolittle for me personally, but this was still a great time. The tracks feel a little weaker than some of the hits from Doolittle, but they are still very catchy and have the bandās charm. Velouria and Is She Weird especially are earworms. And it feels like the perfect transition between the 80ās and the 90ās, carrying the hard arena guitar sound from the prior decade and the more experimental, weird sound from the latter decade. Itās not the peak Pixies, but it is still the Pixies.
Favorite track: Valouria
Other hits: Is She Weird, Dig for Fire, Stormy Weather, Havalina, Allison
4
Jan 30 2025
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
For a time, my summary stated that psychedelic rock was one of my worst genres. I wasnāt sure if that was entirely accurate, but if this album is anything to go by, it just might be. To be fair, I thought the album was alright in the first few tracks, even though the electric jug was a little grating. Imagine a pigeon cooing as it drowned. Now imagine that for a majority of the album. After Splash 1, the album started to wear me down. It just sounded loud. I donāt even think it would sound good high. The electric jug would just give me anxiety. I was flirting with a three, but after Fire Engine and Monkey Island, that seemed too high.
Favorite track: Splash 1 (the most bearable)
Other hits: Roller Coaster, Youāre Gonna Miss Me
2
Jan 31 2025
Tea for the Tillerman
Cat Stevens
This is a great example of some mellow folk music gems. No matter if the songs are energetic or slow, there is a calm vibe throughout the entire album. Cat shows some incredible songwriting and know how to make some catchy beats. Wild World and Father and Son in particular are bonafide classics. If I had to knock a star, some of the middle gets a little hazy. But itās still a nice piece of east listening at the end of the day. Itās hard not to feel as least some emotion when it ends.
Favorite track: Wild World
Other hits: Father and Son, Where Do The Children Play, But I Might Die Tonight, Longer Boats, Into White
4
Feb 03 2025
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
I had to find this album on YouTube to listen to it, so Iām hoping I didnāt miss much. I think I got the main part of the album. The little bonus EP, though, Iām not 100%. The times werenāt very accurate there. And honestly, it was a little forgettable. It didnāt have much of the steam from the main tracks. So I donāt really consider them part of this.
Honestly, a funk album that isnāt on streaming and runs for about a hour sounds like a terrible time for me personally. A lot of the tracks have long times and somewhat rely on repetition. But believe it or not, I really dug this. There is a nice variety in the tracks so that the songs sound different. Groovalligence has a slight reggae influence and Who Says a Funk Band Canāt Play Rock convinces me that they can indeed play rock and play it well. And the funk itself is great too. If it werenāt for the EP, this would be a perfect package. And maybe it wouldnāt hurt to put this on Spotify or something.
Favorite track: Who Says A Funk Band Canāt Play Rock
Other hits: One Nation Under A Groove, Groovalligence, Into You
4
Feb 04 2025
Rio
Duran Duran
Rio by Duran Duran is pretty much the 80ās distilled in an album. From the cover to the use of synth in everything, it encapsulates the whole ten years. But Rio has many things that make it stand out from the other 80ās albums that had a mandate to use synth.
Rio is the perfect bastard love child of new wave, pop, and rock. It takes all the elements from the genres and mixes them very well. Simon Le Bon sounds like he is the living definition of āsupersonicā and his fellow band members know how to accompany him. But the biggest praise has to go to the bass. Itās that meaty bass that just slaps. I donāt know the exact term for it, I kind want to call it Seinfeld-like. Whatever it is, it literally escalates songs like New Religion to classic status. My only gripe is that a couple of the songs on side one sound a little similar to Hungry Like the Wolf. They come off as a little samey. But outside of that, this is as peak as new wave-pop can get. Awesome album.
Favorite track: Hungry Like the Wolf
Other hits: Rio, New Religion, Save A Prayer, The Chauffeur, My Own Way
4
Feb 05 2025
Butterfly
Mariah Carey
Oh Christ, itās Mariah Carey time.
Listen, there are only two things that are relevant to me regarding Mariah Carey; the song āAlways Be My Babyā which I think is really neat and her tyrannical rule of the radio airwaves in December. Past that, I donāt really care about her music, so I pretty much went in blind. I think are a few legitimately great songs on this album. I like the title track and Whenever You Call has some serious power. But oh my god, the rest is straight up nothing. Most of the songs donāt stick as she basically makes noises for most of the songs. Like I get it, youāre talented. Apply it to the songs by singing and not flexing. Itās really just a bad mix of r&b and some hip-hop that just ends up making some bland 90ās music. A whole hour of it too.
Honestly, this is just a big case of wasted potential. I donāt know if Mariah Carey has anymore albums on this project (whether thatās a good or bad thing is up to you), but if there are, I hope they are better than this.
Favorite track: Whenever You Call
Other hits: Butterfly, Breakdown, Outside
2
Feb 06 2025
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
I always find debit albums to be hit or miss. Either a band/artist comes out of the gate swinging or itās a weird stepping stone that would lead to better albums later. For the Talking Heads, I think this falls into the latter. Donāt get me wrong, I think this is overall a good album. Itās still has the standard quirkiness and charm, mainly provided by David Byrneās one of a kind vocals. And there are good songs. Psycho Killer is a classic and Donāt Worry About the Government and Who Is It are fun. But compared to the bandās later input, it didnāt leave much of an impact on me. The songs just came and went in some places. My only prior Talking Heads album on this project, Fear Of Music, provided me with a better time. And Iām sure the future albums on this project will do so too (Remain In Light HAS to be here). But this to me is merely a step in the Talking Heads legacy. A crucial one into starting an iconic discography and worth checking out, but there are better albums from them out there.
Favorite track: Psycho Killer
Other hits: Tentative Feelings, Who Is It?, Donāt Worry About the Government, No Compassion
3
Feb 07 2025
Vivid
Living Colour
First things first, Cult of Personality is probably one of the best opening tracks to any album I heard. It pretty much defines what Vivid is going to be: high energy, catchy, and bombastic. From the memorable opening riff to Corey Glover belting the song title syllable by syllable, it might be a contender for my top ten 80ās songs.
But everybody knows about Cult of Personality. What about the rest of the album?
Iāll admit, the rest of Vivid doesnāt really reach that level Cult sets in the beginning. It does set a very high bar, so the task would be difficult. And some of the lyrics in a few of the songs are a little silly (Glamour Boys especially). But outside of that, shit still slaps. It feels differently apart from the other numerous hair metal bands at the time, outperforming them in the fields of guitar and whatnot. Some might say this album is only worth it for āthatā song. I think there is more to like on it.
Favorite track: Cult of Personality
Other hits: Open Letter (To A Landlord), Glamour Boys, Whatās Your Favorite Color, Which Way to America, I Want to Know
4
Feb 10 2025
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
Considering my only kind of -gaze like album was m b v by My Bloody Valentine, I wasnāt sure if I would enjoy this. I figured it might be boring at worse or background music at best. But this album was s o o t h i n g. Like holy shit, this is the type of vibe that exists in dreams (which is why this is considered dream pop). It didnāt come off as boring, but rather therapeutic. Itās literally had the ability to calm me to a mellow state of mind. Nothing like
m b v where is was catering to a specific genre. This album felt easy to get into. My only complaint is that most of the tracks do sound similar to one another, making it hard to know which is which. But overall for the length of the album, this was a pleasant experience.
Favorite track: Iceblind Luck
Other hits: Heaven or Las Vegas, Pitch the Baby, I Wear Your Ring, Wolf in the Breast, Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fire, Fotzepolitic
4
Feb 11 2025
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
This is like my fifth or sixth jazz album I gotten so far, and if Iām being brutally honest, Iām starting to realize that jazz albums do nothing for me. I give every album generated for me a fair chance, but for most of the jazz albums, my attention always wanes and I can never remember any of the tracks I listened to. There might be exceptions further down the line, but Iām starting to doubt it. This album is an example of that.
The album makes for some cool background noise and can definitely spice up a number of occasions. And I know Miles Davis is one of the best jazz players to live. His Kind of Blue did leave an impression on me. But unlike that album, this one didnāt leave me with much. Just a collection of recordings from various years. Nothing really to me that sticks out as memorable. I donāt know how many jazz albums are left for me. There might as well be around 100, it seems. Thatās probably gonna be a lot of 3ās in the future.
Favorite track: Boplicity
Other hits (if I had to pick): Moon Dreams, Rocker, Venus De Milo
3
Feb 12 2025
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
You know, I wasnāt really expecting post-hardcore to be represented in this list. Itās one of those genres that feels very broad, to the point where I canāt really pinpoint what it is. Apparently, some bands that I listened to such as My Chemical Romance and AFI count as post-hardcore (according to Wikipedia). Personally, I think of At The Drive-In when it comes to post-hardcore, specifically Relationship of Command (which probably isnāt on this list, but should be). This album sounded like a clear influence to Relationship. It has a similar sound and structure, as well as the same vicious vocal delivery. But I feel there is a lot of missteps here. Many of the songs are stretched out and rely a little on repetition to pad things out. This is really noticeable on Luau, which lyrically sounds a little stupid. Some of the songs do have moments where it feels like it clicks like Super Unison and New Math, but I wish it was more consistent. I wanted to love this album, since I never even heard of Drive Like Jehu. But it is still influential, so I do still respect it.
Favorite track: New Math
Other hits: Here Comes the Roman Plows, Golden Brown, Super Unison, Sinews
3
Feb 13 2025
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
Iām getting a wannabe Misfits vibe from this band. Itās probably the similar horror aesthetic. To be fair, there are probably other punk rock bands I ended up preferring over these guys. Stuff from the Dead Kennedys and Black Flag that came up around the same time. I think it has to do with the psychobilly part of the album. I canāt tell if I find it annoying or not. It just leads to fast-paced music with a lot of loud noises. And as someone who actually like his hard rock and metal, it takes a lot to make me uncomfortable at loud noises. Some of the tracks are fun, though, such as Strychnine and The Mad Daddy. And I do like me some early 80ās punk, so this one just turned out to be okay. But really, I think I just want the inevitable Misfits album.
Favorite track: The Mad Daddy
Other hits: I Was A Teenage Werewolf, Strychnine, Zombie Dance, Mystery Plane, TV Set, Whatās Behind the Mask
3
Feb 14 2025
Kollaps
Einstürzende Neubauten
Well, here it is. The lowest rated album on the site, next to Throbbing Gristle. I donāt know if I was mentally prepared for this one. Experimental music always felt like the āwe make some random shit, letās see how it make you feelā genre. Itās not made to be consumed like regular music. Itās made to provoke a reaction. In this particular case, I was willing to give the album a chance and sort of grade it on a curve. With that said, hereās my take.
Itās mostly a bunch of noise being made from banging various things along side some angry German screaming. It is mostly not very pleasant, and some of it made me physically wince. Honestly, some of the screaming acted as audio jumpscares, which probably makes this a terrible album to play while driving. The fact alone that this album makes me actually cringe should warrant this album into getting one star. However, there are some things going for this album.
1. Itās experimental, so thatās kind of the point.
2. I actually liked a song (god forbid), the title track. Yes, the longest track on the album. The rhythm was good and it wasnāt a complete tirade on my ears.
And 3. This album provoked more reaction from me than some of the hour long snooze fests I had generated prior, particular some of the electronic ones.
Would I listen to this again? Hell no.
Do I think itās the worst album I had generated? Also no. But I completely understand why it is rated like this. And honestly, I donāt even really like it. Being experimental doesnāt mean being immune to being called shit just because itās weird. But I feel thereās worse than this, so Iām giving it an extra star.
Most tolerable track: Kollops
Other tracks I didnāt hate: Jetām, Sehnsucht
2
Feb 17 2025
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
I donāt know why I was surprised to see a pre-Rubber Soul album on this list. I think I was hoping for the big stuff, you know. Abbey Road, Sgt. Pepper or anything like that. Donāt get me wrong, pre-Rubber Soul Beatles is still great. I just like later Beatles better. Coldest take in the universe, I know.
Anyway, I think itās between this and Help! that I believe are the best albums from the Beatlemania era. There are the classics, like the title track, Canāt Buy Me Love, and And I Love Her. Then there are the lesser know songs, which are mostly pretty good. I mean, I didnāt really care for the country-ish Iāll Cry Instead and some of the songs structurally feel similar. But even in their early stages, the Beatles had an energy that made them stand out. With songs that fly under three minutes, itās comes hit after hit. It helps that this is the first album with all original songs, which feels like a rarity for 60ās albums. At the very least, itās a stepping stone that would eventually led to the legendary later efforts of the band. But as it is, it wouldnāt be fair to sleep on the earlier albums like this.
Favorite track: A Hard Dayās Night
Other hits: Canāt Buy Me Love, If I Fell, And I Love Her, I Should Have Known Better, Iāll Be Back, When I Get Home
4
Feb 18 2025
Play
Moby
So, by this point in the project, I was flirting with the possibility that I might hate electronic albums. Especially the ones around the late 90ās/early 2000ās. They always seemed to be a hour long and are filled with some of the most repetitive tracks. Most of the ones I went through tended to be very boring and felt more like background music. So seeing this album pop up, and not only having a hourās worth of content, but mixing the blues into the electronics, I was fully prepared to hate this album. But I think Moby here might have cracked something because despite the odds, Play ended up becoming my favorite electronic album so far.
Moby somehow found a way to take 5-second blues samples and integrate them in a way that doesnāt make it annoying or slow. The tempo is just right enough to cater to the beat. It feels less like a āpartyā electronic album and more like an actual ambient electronic album. But not in the way that it might fade into the background, like so many other electronic albums do. Itās ambient in the way that it sends you places.
To me, the strongest aspect of Play is its ability to shuffle between the more jam-like tracks (Honey, Find My Baby) and the more chill tracks (Porcelain, Everloving). About more than halfway into the album, the blues mixing goes away and the album takes a calming, sort of more somber tone. Pianos become the dominant instrument and the drum beat and record scratching recede. I think this is the albumās vice is that the second half of the album takes away from the blues influence. Many of the tracks feel a bit like filler. Hell, the trinity of Everloving, Inside, and Guitar Flute and String take up 10 minutes of ambient filler. But personally, itās not that bad. It adds to the albumās charm.
Honestly, my biggest praise is that the album didnāt bore me. Looking through the reviews, some believe the album is mostly filled with generic, repetitive slog made for car commercials. I can see why they think that. The album can stretch into that territory. But for me, this album tapped a lot of emotions. From the smooth trip hop of the first half to the calming aura of the second half, Play didnāt fall into the point of no return other electronic albums have done prior to this. I never got bored and I never lost interest. It kept me invested for a hour. It might not be mind-blowing in any capacity, but itās very enjoyable. And it didnāt annoy me, so itās already leagues above the majority of electronic albums I listened to and will listen to.
Favorite track: Porcelain
Other hits: Honey, Find My Baby, Rockbody, Run On, Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad?, South Side, Inside
4
Feb 19 2025
Disraeli Gears
Cream
Okay, letās get this out of the way. Sunshine Of Your Love carries the album for me. Itās the only song that I legitimately like on this album. The rest range from okay to ugh. The good ones range from Outside Women Blues and Tales of Brave Ulysses, which made Clapton easier to digest and appreciate since heās teamed with Bruce and Baker. They emphasize the psychedelic spirit of the album. But then there are some annoying songs, like Blue Condition and Weāre Going Wrong. And if I ever have to hear about the tree outside the window in World of Pain ever again, Iāll have it cut down. Maybe then you will stop singing about it. Motherās Lament was a bit jarring too, but itās at the end of the album and was probably the band fucking around, so Iām not going to go too hard on it.
Overall, this is okay. Probably as good as an Eric Clapton effort will be for me. As an aside, can Clapton please stop showing up under different bands? This is the third time he has shown up under a different project and I havenāt even hit 150 albums yet. Calm your racist ass.
Favorite track: Sunshine Of Your Love
Other hits: Strange Brew, Outside Woman Blues, Tales of Brave Ulysses, SWLABR, Take It Back
3
Feb 20 2025
In Rainbows
Radiohead
I feel that I need to put some context to this review. Prior to starting this project, my knowledge of Radiohead was minimal. As in, all I knew really was Creep. Yea, I was that guy.
This is my second Radiohead album. The first album I got was The Bends. It became one of the few albums I gave five stars to and I might go as far as to call it one of the best alternative music albums of the 90ās. It felt like a good starting point as someone unfamiliar with Radiohead. So naturally, this album was next. I understood that this was a couple of albums away since The Bends, but figured I would probably still enjoy it just the same. Hereās the problem: I didnāt love In Rainbows.
Donāt get me wrong, I didnāt hate this album. There are good tracks, such as Bodysnatchers, Nude and Videotape. But compared to what I expected from Radiohead, this was a bit of a disappointment. Maybe I should have got OK Computer or Kid A prior to this, since it felt way different from The Bends. It was more softer, kind of similar to Coldplay (which may or may not be a good thing). I mean, I get it. It wasnāt the nineties anymore and Radiohead obviously evolved as a band. But personally, it didnāt click with me. The second half of the album felt like the same mellow song, just tweaked over and over. Honestly, I feared that perhaps I over-rated The Bends on account that it was Radiohead and re-listened to that only to discover that I still enjoyed that album.
Maybe youāre reading this and thinking itās stupid to compare those albums. Youāre probably right, but thatās all I have to my Radiohead experience. I feel like this disappointment might be on me, since maybe OK Computer or Kid A could have helped prepare me for this album. But as is, I only thought this album was ok. Itās better than most, but for a band like Radiohead, itās kid of a letdown. I hope I donāt feel the same with more of their albums down the road.
Favorite track: Bodysnatchers
Other hits: Nude, Videotape, Weird Fishes/Arpeggi, House of Cards
3
Feb 21 2025
Moon Safari
Air
The first track of an album is very important. It sets the mood for the rest of the album and needs to hook the listener in. A bad first song can have a negative impact on the remainder of the album and it can be hard for it to recover. This album seemed to be nearly an example of that. La Femme dāargent is a weak opening track. Itās a seven minute slog that would be too boring for the Weather Channel. As it went on, I feared that the rest of the album was going to be the same thing. Fortunately, that was far from the case.
Past the first song, the rest of the album is a great mix of quirky and calm. I especially liked the Beth Hirsch collabs the best. I think Iām starting to like this downtempo form of electronic music. I had Play by Moby generated earlier in the week and I had pretty much the same feelings for this album. Just some smooth electronics focusing more on establishing a vibe than keeping up a beat. Honestly, if it werenāt for the first song, this would be near perfect. Thankfully, this album proved itself more as it went along.
Favorite track: All I Need
Other hits: Sexy Boy, Remember, Kelly Watch the Stars, You Make It Easy, Ce Matin LĆ , New Star in the Sky
4
Feb 24 2025
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
This is one of those albums that I get where I only know the popular song before I listen to it and after listening, understand why I only know the popular song. Get it On is a fun song, but everything else is alright. I think it has to be because of the vocals. I agree with some of the reviews I read on this site that Bolan kind of sounds a little annoying. It doesnāt really help that, lyrically, most of the songs rely on repetition. Itās especially noticeable on Cosmic Dance, god that song was a little grating between the womb and the tomb. There are some nice songs on here like Girl and Lifeās A Gas, but otherwise everythingās just alright. I think Iāll just stick to Get it On for this album.
Favorite track: Bang A Gong (Get It On)
Other hits: Girl, Lifeās A Gas, Mambo Sun, The Motivator, Rip Off
3
Feb 25 2025
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
I think Iām reaching my limit for my tolerance of jazz. It feels like every time I get a jazz album, it goes into one ear and out the other. Granted, I think that the problem is that all of the jazz I got has come from the 50ās and 60ās. But outside of Miles Davis and Bill Evans, none of them have been anything of note. This one, however, pushed me off the edge. Half of this just felt either the worst New Yearās party you ever attended or a recital of people slamming on their instruments. Can I get an album with actual fucking music and not 40 minutes of random jazz music that goes for 6 minutes a pop (or in the final track, nearly 20?!) I swear to god every time the generator gives me a jazz album, it feels like a nothing album. I get nothing from them, and this might be the worst I got. Had it not been for some select moments, this might have become a part of my 1-rated albums.
Favorite track: Track C- Group Dancers (it was the most coherent)
Other hits: nothing
2
Feb 26 2025
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
Speaking as someone whoās heavily exposed to yacht/soft rock during the summer days at home thanks to his parents, I think I built an immunity to the saccharine nature of soft rock. Judging by some of the reviews, you might think musically I exist in the seventh layer of music hell. But I donāt mind it. Itās an extreme guilty pleasure of mine.
Now James Taylor is a weird case for me. His voice is insanely recognizable, but for whatever reason, I barely hear any song from him. I never really hear him on the radio and the only songs I know from him are How Sweet It Is (which Iām a little embarrassed to say I just learned that it was his song. So much for insanely recognizable) and his Christmas songs. So Iām due to hear some of his work.
To be blunt, I think this album is a little unfocused. I feel Jamesā talent is strongest during the softer parts of the album. Fire and Rain is wonderful and a gut punch if you look up the context, especially the line āBut I always thought that Iād see you againā. His cover of Oh, Susannah is actually pretty good too. But the album tries too hard to diversify the tracks, leading into some inconsistency. Suite for 20G and Lo and Behold both feel too vibrant for Jamesā vocal style. And the less he sings the blues, the better. (looking at you Oh Baby, Donāt You Loose Your Lip on Me)
Itās an alright effort overall. I kind of wish they just honed it on the mellow side of James Taylor. It wouldnāt be everyoneās cup of tea, but I would probably be okay with it. I would have to anyway, cause I would still hear it every summer thanks to my parents.
Favorite track: Fire and Rain
Other hits: Oh, Susannah, Sunny Skies, Blossom, Country Road, Anywhere Like Heaven
3
Feb 27 2025
I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got
Sinead O'Connor
There have been artists I have gotten albums on this project, in which I only knew one song from it. Majority of the time, the album doesnāt do much to impress me, outside of the hit single. For Sinead OāConnor, there is slightly more. I knew one song (take a guess what it is) and her āscandalā of her ripping the picture of the pope. Given the circumstances, I was very intrigued into what I was getting into. But I wasnāt prepared enough.
Itās hard to describe what exactly this album is. Part of it is rock, some alternative, some soft tunes. It goes everywhere. But somehow, Sinead makes it all work. Her vocals sound angelic, but with traces of power that adapt to any genre. Seriously, the jump between the calm Irish sounds of Feel So Different to the slight hip-hop of I Am Stretched On Your Grave to the gentle Three Babies. Anytime a song would start and I feel a little disturbed about the direction of a song, Sinead would somehow make it work. And the songs themselves are sublime. From the instrument-less title track to the politically charged Black Boys on Mopeds, the album is chock full of hits. I especially love the Emperorās New Clothes, which is somehow a very well made rock song, jammed in the middle of this album of all places.
Then thereās Nothing Compares 2 U. I āheardā this song before, but I never Heard this song until now. I know it feels like a cop-out to feel moved by the hit single, but this is truly one of the most moving songs of all time. Itās all Sineadās doing, the whole fucking song. I donāt get emotional over much and this almost got the waterworks flowing.
This could have be a case where Nothing Compares 2 U could have easily taken the album over completely. It was the only song I knew from Sinead OāConner. It happened a lot of times over the course of this project with other artists. But I think I found the exception. Overall, this is as perfect as a 90ās album can get and it will proud hang with the rest of my highest rated albums.
Favorite track: Nothing Compares 2 U
Other hits: The Emperorās New Clothes, Feel So Different, Three Babies, Jump in the River, Black Boys on Mopeds, I Do Not Want What I Havenāt Got, The Last Day of Our Acquaintance
5
Feb 28 2025
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
This album frustrates the fuck out of me. The majority of the band is doing great work. There are some great instrumentals here, especially in The League of Bald-Headed Men with that one riff. But, oh my god, what the fuck is this vocalist. Why does he sound like a drunk dollar-store variety Beck? Well, apparently heās Mark E. Smith and he practically ruins the album. I canāt stand his vocals, especially when he starts repeating shit over and over again. Itās A Curse was especially bad, when he keeps going āItās a curse-ahā. And donāt give me the whole āItās punk. Itās supposed to sound like this because it goes against commercialized noiseā.
Ok. Shit still sucks.
Thereās a good instrumental album here. Shame itās not a really good album.
Favorite track: Service
Other hits: The League of Bald-Headed Men, A Past Gone Mad, Why Are People Grudgeful?
2
Mar 03 2025
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
You know, I feel bad that Iāve somewhat come to dread the World category. I tried not to let the language barrier affect the experience, but most of the time I never really get into the album. This might have to be the first one where I didnāt have that problem. The fusion of blues rock with some traditional African influence makes for an album that is accessible and engaging. Who cares if I donāt understand what they are saying (though considering this bandās origins as being literal exiles, I think it would have be nice). There are some moments where the lyrics feels a little repetitive, which is usually a problem on the world albums. But outside of that, I really enjoyed this one.
Favorite track: Soubour
Other hits: Irganda, Al Hassidi Terei, Wayei, Petit Metier, Nick, Ai Tchere Bele
4
Mar 04 2025
Superunknown
Soundgarden
If there was a holy trinity of grunge that wasnāt Nirvana, it would be Ten by Pearl Jam, Dirt by Alice In Chains and Superunknown. Would I say that this is my favorite of my made up trinity? No, but itās still excellent.
I think my biggest concern going into this was whether or not the tracks outside the hits would have the same punch. A 70-minute album canāt rely just on Black Hole Sun and The Day I Tried To Live. For me thankfully, the answer is yes. The likes of My Wave, Like Suicide, and Mailman do hit as well as the hits. So it makes the 70 minutes not seem at long. Trust me, thereās probably worse.
Chris Cornell (may he rest in peace), had a gifted voice. The things he can achieve through his vocals were legendary. The Day I Tried to Live is probably the best example of it. The way he can belt the high notes made him one of a kind.
Itās easy to see how this was the moment that Soundgarden broke out. Even though they have some good stuff in Badmotorfinger (which I hope is part of this project), this feels like the band at its best. As a result, this is one of the core albums of the grunge movement and one of my favorite albums from the 90ās.
Favorite track: Black Hole Sun
Other hits: The Day I Tried to Live, Spoonman, My Wave, Superunknown, Mailman, Like Suicide, Let Me Drown, Fell on Black Days
5
Mar 05 2025
Woodface
Crowded House
Am I stupid for thinking Crowded House were one-hit wonders? Like all I knew from them was Donāt Dream Itās Over. I didnāt even know they did anything in the nineties. Is it just me?
Anyway, this albumās kinda catchy. Nothing here is too bad. But nothing really sticks either. It just feels like a standard 90ās rock album with a little charm. Some nice rock songs and some nice ballads, but nothing that blew me away. I canāt even say I really enjoyed the hit singles here. Everything just feltā¦mid. I did enjoy There Goes God though. The lyrics were funny enough to be interesting.
Favorite track: There Goes God
Other hits: Chocolate Cake, Weather With You, Itās Only Natural, Fall At Your Feet, Four Seasons And A Day, Fame Is
3
Mar 06 2025
I'm Your Man
Leonard Cohen
Thereās something about the mixture of Leonard Cohen and 80ās pop production design that feels really wrong. Like the musical equivalent of drinking orange juice right after brushing your teeth. Leonardās gravelly voice makes this album feel like an old man doing a cover of Madonna. And thereās a backing female chorus to boot for some of the songs.
To be honest, some of it worksā¦sort of. Honestly, I think only think Take This Waltz and Tower of Song work best, because the production takes a backseat in those songs. Other than that, results may vary. The stuff like Everybody Knows and Aināt No Care for Love are alright. But then there is Jazz Police, which goes full 80ās and, I swear to God, thereās a piano part in the song where it just sounds like a midi file going through a blender.
Overall⦠itās okay. This was the last thing I expected from Leonard Cohen, but itās not awful. Just very, very weird.
Favorite track: Everybody Knows
Other hits: Take This Waltz, Aināt No Cure For Love, Tower of Song, Iām Your Man
3
Mar 07 2025
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
It took about a hundred plus albums, but a country album has finally found its way here. Well actually, I started this project with Johnny Cashās American IV, but I donāt think Cash singing Nine Inch Nails inches away from his death counts as pure ācountryā (no disrespect it was a great start).
Honestly, I think country is my absolute least favorite genre. Itās a cold take apparently, but I just hate it. Itās a self-indulgent genre that focuses on like ten subjects, like Jesus and cars and beer and anything else thatās āmurican. Itās all mostly crap to me. But I feel thatās perhaps than could apply more to modern country music than classic country music. I havenāt heard much of it, however, to find out. So this might be a good starting point.
If anything, Iāll say this album is short but sweet. It doesnāt overstay its welcome, lasting under a half hour. Waylon sounds a little like Johnny Cash, but he has his own emotional flair to his songs. And the use of the steel string guitars give the album that nice classic country feel that actually sounds like country and not some imitation rock music that todayās country tries to be. That being said, my biggest problem is that some of the songs sounded a little too similar to one another. This makes the album not really memorable to me, which is kind of a big problem. Outside of We Had It All (sad track by the way, really loved that one), nothing seems to stick in my head.
I donāt know how many more country albums are due up for me. I know there will be more. As for this album, this was alright. As a country hater, I enjoyed it. But I wish there was just a little more for it to really wow me.
Favorite track: We Had It All
Other hits: Honky Tonk Heroes, Low Down Freedom, Omaha, Aināt No God In Mexico, Old Five And Dimers (Like Me)
3
Mar 10 2025
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
This is one of those albums I have a very difficult time figuring out if I liked it or not. I feel my score on this site canāt really reflect how I felt after hearing this one.
I donāt mind my fair share of noisy music. Hell, my favorite genres is hard rock and metal, so a little noise never hurt me (at least not in my current stage of life; god know what might happen to my ears as I go on). However, I was never really a fan of this type of noise; blown out vocals with a shit ton of drumming like youāre pretending to be the White Stripes and this is your Seven Nation Army. Itās a weird type of indie noise that I never really liked. Now, I do enjoy the production here. Karen O has a nice energy to her vocals and the band plays well along with her, especially the guitar. But, I couldnāt really click with this one. It wasnāt near towards the end of the album, starting with Maps that I begin to enjoy it. Itās weird on an album like this to enjoy the slower songs, but those ended up being my favorites. In the end, this feels like a 3.5 album out of me. I would round that up to a 4, but that feels too high. If only I could rate half stars. Oh well.
Favorite track: Maps
Other hits: Modern Romance, Y Control, Poor Song, Tick, Pin
3
Mar 11 2025
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
You know, considering what I inferred from the reviews and how this was Elliott Smithās last album before taking his own life, I was expecting a sadder album. I mean, it definitely is a sad album in hindsight. Some of its down moments are more subtler than others. You got the obvious ones like Everything Reminds Me Of Her and Happiness. But thereās also L.A., one of the happier sounding songs that still canāt get away from the melancholy. Ending your song by repeating āLast night I was about to throw it all awayā was a choice. Itās shows that no matter what Elliott did, he couldnāt escape his demons⦠until he did throw it all away. Thatās some haunting shit.
Hearing Elliott for the first time, he sounds like if the Beatles were depressing, and I mean that in a positive way. He has a way to go from power pop to the more slower songs. He really did have a beautiful voice. Itās sad that this was one of the last times we would hear it.
In general, this was a really nice album. My only gripe is that some of the songs can be a tad annoying (Everything Means Nothing to Me), but itās only a minor gripe.
Favorite track: Everything Reminds Me Of Her
Other hits: Son of Sam, Somebody That I Used To Know, L.A., Stupidity Tries, Canāt Make A Sound, Wouldnāt Mama Be Proud
4
Mar 12 2025
Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
Ok, I have never heard of Deerhunter before this album and had no idea what to piece together what I was getting into. For some reason, I thought it was going to be some overly long showcase album filled with nothing but slow songs that chug on forever. What I ended up getting, however, was indie rock. Surprisingly catchy indie rock. This was a pleasant surprise.
Itās a sort of weird balance between this mellow ethereal pop and catchy alt indie beats. Sure, itās definitely very indie⦠maybe too indie. And it might be a bit full of itself. But overall this was pretty good. Nice first impression from Deerhunter, hope that thereās some more from them here.
Favorite track: Helicopter
Other hits: Revival, Donāt Cry, Desire Lines, Memory Boy, Fountain Stairs, Coronado, He Would Have Laughed
4
Mar 13 2025
Konnichiwa
Skepta
I try not to speak towards grime or British rappers when I say: this was shit. Just absolutely abysmal. Itās all repetitive garbage with some of the most annoying vocals I heard. I really donāt want to pin it on Skepta being British, but⦠God I couldnāt stand his voice. And heās just rapping the same lyrics over and over again. If I hear āIt aināt safe for the block, not even for the cops againā, Iām going to snap.
And what the fuck is with the skits? Youāre fucking seriously putting shit like a phone conversation and a fucking exchange between you and some salty fuck over a game of Call of Duty (or whatever fucking shooter was popular at the time)? What is this, the 80ās? De La Soul did this with that game show on 3 Feet and Rising in fucking 1989 and that was miles better.
I donāt want to lump an entire music genre into one bad experience. Thereās probably better grime albums out there. But this aināt it.
āFavoriteā track: Ladies Hit Squad (because there are two buffers, I mean guest vocalists)
Other hits: Numbers, sort of. Itās still annoying.
1
Mar 14 2025
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
Iām going to be honest. My heart sank when I saw the terms ājazzā and ādouble LPā together. Over an hour of jazz music? This album had everything going for me to hate it. My only reaction was āThis better be some great fucking jazz. Not decent, not ok, not even just good, great fucking jazzā. Anything less would be terrible. So after seating through this album, Iām inclined to say, it was indeed some great fucking jazz.
The big thing this album has that a majority of other jazz albums didnāt is variety. Every track feels different from each other, which helps it stand out from other jazz albums that merely sink into the background. It isnāt just 6-minute of random sax, bass and piano music track by track. Every song here has a personality. From the slow and serene Minawa, the drum solo in Blues for Huey, and the funky Inner Crisis, thereās enough character here to carry this album for its 70-plus minutes. Hughās influence by his African roots within the confines of jazz help escalate this album past its predecessors. I am genuinely surprised by this one. Hugh Masekela, you made me enjoy jazz, you lucky mother fucker.
Favorite track: Minawa
Other hits: The Big Apple, Part of a Whole, Inner Crisis, Maseru, Nomali, UnhomƩ, Blues for Huey
4
Mar 17 2025
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I think John Fogerty has the best voice for any southern rock band, only really second maybe to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Heās got that energy thatās you would hear from the likes of Led Zeppelin while retaining that southern influence without sounding like a complete country bumpkin. Heās definitely the main reason why CCR is so revered even today.
As for this album, I struggled what I really thought about it. Outside of Bad Moon Rising, I never really heard the rest of these songs. I think the back half is stronger than the front half, mainly thanks to Lodi and yes, Bad Moon Rising. But thereās enough substance here that I enjoyed it. I feel my actual rating is more 3.5 than 4, but I think Iām okay with rounding it.
Favorite track: Bad Moon Rising
Other hits: Lodi, Wrote A Song For Everyone, Sinister Purpose, Commotion
4
Mar 18 2025
The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
Iām just going to be brutally honest, this album really didnāt do much for me. Let me put this disclaimer: I donāt really care for hip-hop. I might have said that in other reviews, but I think itās relevant here considering this albumās reputation as a landmark for the genre. For fans of hip-hop, I can understand what makes this a classic. And truthfully, itās not bad. One of the best things about 90ās hip-hop is the jazzy vibe it can illicit and this album basically pioneered that, from what I understand. It really is an easy album to chill to, especially on a nice drive home from work (which is how I listen to these albums).
But hereās my problem: most of this album sounds pretty much the same to me. Like itās hard for me to tell the songs apart, which makes it difficult to pick which songs I liked. Also, hip-hop tends to be a very lyric heavy genre. You pretty much have to pay attention to the lyrics in order to get really anything out of the songs. As someone who usually listens to the music more so than the lyrics, it makes albums like this hard to enjoy. Maybe thatās a reflection of my taste in music and how maybe I rely on choruses and hooks too much, but thatās just me.
I take responsibility for not really jiving with this album. I acknowledge that this is a masterpiece to some and that itās not really my thing. Itās just a little disappointing to get a highly-regarded album and realized it does nothing for you.
Favorite track: Scenario
Other hits: What?, Check the Rhime, Jazz (Weāve Got)
3
Mar 19 2025
Pump
Aerosmith
You know, the reviews for this album here are fucking brutal. I mean, I know Steven Tyler sounds like a cheetah in heat, but heās not that bad. Or is it a cheetah dying? I donāt know, I never watched Animal Planet.
Seriously though, while Aerosmith is far from my favorite band, thereās worse shit on this project. Iāll admit, Pump is a weird album to label as a āmust hearā. I figured that they would pick either Rocks or Toys in the Attic, which are both probably on this project (or they are not, in which case Iām an idiot). I understand it was important for their comeback, but itās far from their best. But that being said, I had a really good time with this one. Itās hard rock junk food with a lot of libido. Try to picture that mental image.
Loud, bombastic, and well, horny, itās a nice break back to my comfort zone.
Favorite track: Jamieās Got A Gun
Other hits: Love In A Elevator, Young Lust, F.I.N.E., Monkey On My Back, Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man, What It Takes
4
Mar 20 2025
Clube Da Esquina
Milton Nascimento
So hereās the thing: I think this album is really neat⦠in parts. Milton Nascimento has a really beautiful voice and his partner isnāt too bad himself. One of the benefits of this project is that I probably would have never heard something like this on my own. Most of the songs are pretty good, too. Many of them are a treat despite not knowing a single word being spoken. But thereās one problem I have with it. Two words: double album. I donāt know why, but the 70ās had a thing for double albums. And most of the time, I donāt understand why there are as long as they are. They mostly meander on and I eventually lose interest at some point. Unfortunately, thatās kinda what happened to me on this album. By about pass the halfway point, my interest started to wane. And by the end, I get impatient and I just want the album to end. Unless the songs on a double album pretty much are all bangers, I will most likely stop giving an album my complete attention. And I really hate that it happened here. But itās just too long and not every song connected. I feel that individually, the album is a lot stronger. But as a whole package, itās too much for me. The pleasant charm of the album is pretty much its saving grace.
Favorite track: Paisagem Da Janela
Other hits: O Trem Azul, Tudo Que VocĆŖ Podia Ser, Cais, San Vicente
3
Mar 21 2025
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
During the course of this project, I come to realize this Iām not a fan of electronic music. This is because of two things; they are long and they donāt have any content that justifies their length. It all seems to be made to be background music and Iām not a fan of this āset it, then forget itā music. So here comes this album. I heard of Aphex Twin, but I never really heard Aphex Twin. It clocks in at over an hour. It literally states that itās ambient music in the title. Itās practically everything that I would hate about electronic music. Thereās just one issue: I somehow ended up liking it.
It doesnāt make any sense. Itās all background music. Even the title says that it is. But thereās something within the songs that somehow keep my attention. My brain was constantly being stimulated and the album never felt boring, unlike other electronic albums. I think Aphex Twin cracked some kind of code to make me enjoy it. Does this change my opinion on electronic as a whole? No. If anything, now I known for certain electronic is just music thatās literally made to be forgettable. I just think Aphex Twin proved to be a worthy exception.
Favorite track: Pulsewidth
Other hits: Xtal, Green Calx, Ptolemy, Actium, Schottkey 7th Path, Delphium
4
Mar 24 2025
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
As someone who thought Funeral was okay, this was a nice improvement. Itās still aggressively indie, but it didnāt feel as insufferable as Funeral. I think it might be because of the slightly sinister vibes from the organs and the orchestra. Itās less a āoutside with backyard lightsā feel and more ādark gothic churchā. Weirdly, it sounds like a indie Bruce Springsteen.
Overall, this is a good step forward for Arcade Fire after not being very impressed with their first effort.
Favorite track: No Cars Go
Other hits: Intervention, Black Mirror, Keep the Car Running, Black Wave/Bad Vibrations
4
Mar 25 2025
I Should Coco
Supergrass
I think this album might be a rare exception where Iām not a fan of the hit single. Granted, I think thatās because I heard it in a commercial before, so Iāll blame capitalism on that.
But for real, it felt a little too upbeat for me personally. But fortunately, this album offered a lot more than the hit single. This was a truly unique album, having a lot of young energy, but without a lot of the angst common in the nineties. It feels like if the Kinks had the youth and vitality of a 90ās pop punk band. Itās a shame I never really heard of this band before now. Though, I could have done without the weird Chipmunk vibe of Weāre Not Supposed To.
Favorite track: Strange Ones
Other hits: Caught By The Fuzz, Iād Like to Know, Lose It, Lenny, Time, Time to Go
4
Mar 26 2025
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
I think I might be going insane. The majority of reviews for this album seem to call it boring and dull. Just a generic rock album from the 90ās. Me, being an American not knowing who the fuck Paul Weller is, brace for the worst. However, after hearing this for the first time, I didnāt find it boring or dull. Iāve seen this generator give me boring and dull, from hour long electronic ambiance traps to the endless jazz to listening to the Allman Brothers fuck around live for 80 minutes at Fillmore East. The fifty minutes here werenāt even close to that. Sure, some of the album feels very one-note and lacks variety. In turn, it does make this feel a little bloated. But, most of this album was kind of a bop. I thought Paul sounded good here, having the kind of strength and range of any good 70ās rock singer. Honestly, most of these songs invoke more of a 70ās vibe than the 90ās. And his back up band rocks, too. Does liking this mean I have terrible taste? I dunno. Maybe to some. But this is my project, and I say this was pretty good.
Favorite track: Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)
Other hits: Sunflower, Wild Wood, The Weaver, All The Pictures On The Wall, Foot of the Mountain, Moon On Your Pyjamas
4
Mar 27 2025
Real Life
Magazine
Looking back at the albums I had that are labeled under āpost punkā, it feels like a mixed genre for me. Outside of Joy Division and one of the Talking Heads albums (itās not Remain in Light, I didnāt get that album yet. Somedayā¦), I donāt think Iām really a fan. I think that realization came after hearing this album. Truth be told, I can see why some might like it. Itās a fun little romp, being a weird bastard child between punk and new wave. The guitar stuff is really good and it is certainly ahead of its time. But I donāt know, man, I didnāt really get into this one. Thereās an ounce of tackiness that make it sound like a Spirit Halloween version of the B-52s. Frankly, I think it comes from the vocals. Punk, from a vocal stand point for me can be mixed. Sometimes I tend to find it annoying and this is one of those cases. It just comes off as a little whiny here.
I can respect this album for its influence, and at points, I enjoyed it. But itās not really my thing.
Favorite track: Definitive Gaze
Other hits: Burst, Parade, The Light Pours Out Of Me, Shot By Both Sides
3
Mar 28 2025
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
I have been going through some discographies and there is something I noticed about debut albums. Either the artist or band pretty much come out the gate swinging or itās kind of forgettable and is only a footnote for the later albums. For this album, it falls into the former category. It certainly feels less like Queens of the Stone Age and more Kyuss, but it shows a nice transition point between the two bands. Thereās a really cool blend of hard rock and funk, with a small hint of metal.
Itās been said multiple times in the reviews, but itās a shame that this is the only QOTSA album chosen for the list. No Rated R or Songs for the Deaf. It would have been nice to hear the band evolve into their better known efforts. Guess Iāll has to venture there myself.
Favorite track: Avon
Other hits: Regular John, If Only, Mexicola, Walkinā On the Sidewalks, You Would Know
4
Mar 31 2025
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
So, I have a confession to make: I donāt really like Tom Petty. Not as a person, he was probably a good human being. I mean musically. Thereās something with his voice that I canāt stand. Heās got a certain ātwangā to his voice that makes him insufferable to me. But I knew one day heāll show up here (with his heartbreakers) so I have no choice but to grin and bear it. And I have to say⦠I still hate it.
But, because I try to be objective with every album I get, I gave it a fair chance. And Iāll state a few positives for this album.
First, I think the ātwangā wasnāt fully developed yet, so Tomās voice is a bit more bearable. And second, the albumās only a half hour long, so itās not that much of a commitment. Seriously, if I saw the words ādouble albumā attached to this, Iād probably would have quit this project out of spite.
Other than that, this album is⦠eh. Thereās only two memorable songs here, and I only like Breakdown honestly. Yes, I donāt like American Girl. I also donāt like Free Fallinā, The Waiting Is The Hardest Part, I Wonāt Back Down, and any other Tom Petty hits, so⦠yeah.
Everything else here is forgettable. So honestly, it just does enough to avoid getting one star. It gets two. Itās a miracle.
Favorite track: Breakdown
Other hits: I named one favorite. Thatās enough.
2
Apr 01 2025
Stankonia
OutKast
You know, for the longest time I thought OutKast was solely known for Hey Ya. I think thatās because that was the first time I heard of them, but I never thought that they had other hits. Hell, I didnāt even know I Like The Way You Move was even them until a few years back. I am very stupid, I know.
So let me lay out my thoughts for this album. This album covers the lyrical spectrum of hip hop, from rapping about social issues (Gasoline Dreams, Humble Mumble) to singing about making love (Iāll Call Before I Come, We Luv Deez Hoez) and does so in a complex way. This isnāt one-note hip-hop; thereās notes of rock, funk, and r&b that gives the tracks life. Stankonia is perhaps the most ambitious and innovation hip-hop album Iāve encountered so far and itās fun but balanced energy can be felt. In particular, I loved the bombastic energy of B.O.B. That shit was electric. And Ms. Jackson lived up to its reputation: an emotional checkpoint within the first half of the album.
However, there are a few draw backs. Inevitably, the length of Stankonia got to me and I think the second half suffers compared to the first half. I felt it became more rap centric and it kind of started to drag on me. Also, the interludes are a mixed bag. I found Pre-Nump and Drinkinā Again to be āSensible Chickleā territory, but the restā¦eh.
To be honest, as a whole, this is more of a 3.5 for me, mostly due to the second half. But I fell comfortable rounding it up to a four, since the good songs were bangers.
Favorite track: B.O.B.
Other hits: Ms. Jackson, Gasoline Dreams, So Fresh,So Clean, Xplosion, Toliet Tisha
4
Apr 02 2025
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
How the hell have I not encountered any music from PJ Harvey before now? Is it because Iām American? Maybe, but jeez, this was a fine piece of alternative rock. PJās got an amazing voice that strikes a nice chord between moody and soft. It satisfies my alternative rock craving while serenading me with itās lighter tracks. The Thom Yorke collaborations were pleasant surprises. I didnāt even know he would be on this album, but Iām glad he is.
Knowing this list of albums has a slight British bias, Iāve become aware of the Mercury Prize. Itāa basically a British award for the best British album of the year. I know this because I read Wikipedia. Iāve gotten two winners of the prize from this generator, but neither impressed me. One was meh, the other was bleh. This one, however, was the first to break the cycle. Hopefully, I encounter more PJ Harvey in the future.
Favorite track: We Float
Other hits: Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, You Said Something, The Mess Weāre In, Horses In My Dreams
4
Apr 03 2025
So Much For The City
The Thrills
I feel like the makers of this list stuck a couple of their personal favorites onto it and labeled it important, because thatās the only reason why an album like this is even here. I canāt fathom for the life of me what about this album is āmust hearā material. I will say that for the first few songs, I was getting a bit into it. It had the vibe of wandering around a Hallmark greeting card store in the year 2008, but I was kind of digging it. However, as it progressed, it started to lean more into country territory. The lead singer became grating and the presence of the banjo and harmonica was getting on my nerves. It was at the song āHollywood Kidsā, that my brain wandered off, never to return any attention to this album. The Thrills, ironically, provided me with almost no thrills. But hey, at least George W. Bush likes them apparently. Yay?
Favorite track: Big Sur
Other hits: Santa Cruz (Youāre Not That Far), Donāt Steal Our Sun, Deckchairs and Cigarettes
2
Apr 04 2025
ImmigrƩs
Youssou N'Dour
Iām starting to notice a pattern with these world albums. They usually come packaged with about a few songs that are stretched to long enough lengths that inflate the runtime to normal album size. Then I would listen to it and attempt my best to be objective; just because you canāt understand a word doesnāt mean itās bad. But then, my attention would drift and when it comes back, the same song would be playing. The process would repeat until the album ends, I would say something like āThat was neatā and move to the next album.
That might sound maybe a bit cynical, but itās happens mostly every time and it happened here too. Now, this isnāt a bad album by any means. For 1984 and being from Senegal, the productionās pretty good. Musically, thereās nothing wrong with it. Itās got good rhythm all around. Itās just not stuff that I would retain. As mentioned, I would listen to a track, kind of phase out, and the same song would be playing when I put my attention back in. Also, I find Youssouās voice a little annoying. It gets a little high pitch in parts and for songs lasting more than 5 minutes, itās a bit of an endurance test.
Overall, this was fine. Nothing life changing. Just a nice curiousity.
Favorite track: Pitche Mi
Normally, Iād list the other songs I liked, but they are kind of the same quality, so it would be redundant.
3
Apr 07 2025
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
You know that meme/gif with the guy walking into a room with boxes of pizza only to be shocked when he sees the chaos going on? The one from Community? Thatās me seeing the reviews for this album and the rabbit hole of the seething hatred for Morrissey. Iām going to be honest, Iāve must have had my head in the ground, because Iāve never heard of him or his controversies. Is it because Iām American or blissfully ignorant? So, Iām kind of going into this album blind and I have to say; I thought this was good. Itās some pleasant 80ās alternative with a layer of melancholy. I will say Morrissey voice helps achieve such melancholy, which makes the album feel āpoppyā but a little subdued. I also like the variation between the songs. You have the emotional āLast Night I Dreamt That Someone Loved Meā to the weirdly upbeat sounding āGirlfriend In A Comaā. As someone who has never really heard of this band or their problematic lead singer (whom Iām aware Iāll get to hear more of later⦠oh boy), this was pretty solid.
Favorite track: Last Night I Dreamt That Someone Loved Me
Other hits: Girlfriend In A Coma, Paint A Vulgar Picture, A Rush And A Push And The Land Is Ours, I Started Something I Couldnāt Finish, Unhappy Birthday
4
Apr 08 2025
Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music
Ray Charles
I think this album is about as country as Taco Bell is authentic Mexican. There are notes of country in here, donāt get me wrong. Itās mostly in the background, though, by the instruments. But to be honest, it only serves to show how ballsy this album is. The decision to blend soul and country was absolutely insane at the time this album came out. Granted, itās more big band than country. Actually, Ray completely takes these songs and makes them his own, which is kind of impressive. I will say, listening to both volumes at once is a bit exhausting. And Iām not a fan of the backing chorus. Itās a bit much. Honestly, this album is better in parts. Regardless, this is one of the only ways that I would find country music enjoyable.
Favorite track: You Win Again
Other hits: You Are My Sunshine, You Donāt Know Me, I Love You So Much It Hurts, It Makes No Difference Now
4
Apr 09 2025
Ys
Joanna Newsom
I try to be open and objective for every album I get. I try not to be harsh and give every album a chance. That lasted five seconds here.
Holy fuck, I couldnāt stand her voice. Thereās a weird country twang in it and she fucking squeaks in some parts. I literally cringed through 90% of this album. And I know calling things cringe is such an internet cliche, but Iām serious. This literally made me squirm. And the lyrics⦠when there are not pretentious, theyāre repetitive. And you can bet theyāre annoying as shit when Joanna belts them. And the song lengths⦠Jesus Christ.
But the worst part is thereās no breathing room. No harp solos or a chance for the other instruments to play. Joannaās got practically every inch of this album with her vocals. There are no breaks, and you will be in constant agony.
There might be a few positives in here. The orchestra behind her is really good, and the concept of this medieval-ish album that tell stories (at least I think they were stories, I couldnāt tell, my ears wanted to die) but I couldnāt bear this one. I might go as far to say, this was the worst album I gotten so far. And Iāve gotten Limp Bizkit, which I gave a 3. I think Fred Durst is a better singer than Joanna Newsom. What the fuck man?
āāāāāFavoriteāāāāāā track: Cosmia (Itās the shortest song. And the last)
Other hits: just make the tracks instrumentals and maybe Iāll list them hear. Other than that lol nope.
1
Apr 10 2025
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
I had slight dread coming into this album. I havenāt really formed my opinion on Bob Dylan, since Iāve never really taken the time to listen to him much. I did always think his voice was kind of annoying, so I usually just stayed away. I think my mom distilled that apathy in me, in a way she distilled my hatred of Tom Petty.
After listening to this, I will say that a few of the songs didnāt quite work with me. On stuff like Tombstone Blues and the title track, Bobās nasally voice can get a little irritating and made the listening experience⦠a little sucky. And a lot of the lyrics are a bit nonsensical. I mean I know it was the 60ās, but good luck figuring out what Bobās talking about. But if Iām being honest, the majority of it was actually pretty good. Like really good. I think Bobās vocal style actually works with these songs. Like a Rolling Stone is iconic and I surprisingly really liked Ballard of A Thin Man and Desolation Row. I wonāt say this ranks anywhere near a top favorite for me personally and Iām still a little iffy about Bon Dylan as a whole. But as a whole, this was pretty good.
Favorite track: Like A Rolling Stone
Other hits: Ballard Of A Thin Man, Desolation Row, Queen Jane Approximately, Just Like Tom Thumbās Blues
4
Apr 11 2025
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Iām not sure if anyone reading this has gotten this album or has yet to get to it, but some time ago, I was given Sunday At The Village Vanguard by the Bill Evans Trio. I remember commenting how surreal it was to hear a live album that actually sounds live. The small chatter of the crowd added a lot to that album and gave it a lot of its charm.
Sarah Vaughan At Mister Kellyās gives me the same feeling, but it really emphasizes the āliveā feeling of the album. From the introduction at the beginning to the āmishapsā that Sarah effortlessly works through (on Willow Weep for Me and How High the Moon), it really embraces the live aspect without feeling like a dull montage of the hits sung in front of an audience. You didnāt have to be there for this, itās taking you there now.
It also helps that Sarahās a great singer. I sadly never heard of her before this album. Her voice is really soothing, regardless of whether the jazz is swinging or smooth. It feels really playful, especially when she has to improvise. All of these elements make this album certainly one of the better jazz albums I got. All it need is a nice atmosphere and some alcohol, like scotch. Too bad I got this on a weekdayā¦
Favorite track: Stairway to the Stars
Other hits: September in the Rain, Willow Weep for Me, How High the Moon, Just One of Those Things, Be Anything But Darling Be Mine, Honeysuckle Rose
4
Apr 14 2025
The Wildest!
Louis Prima
I wonder how many people know Louis Prima from his music as opposed to his role as King Louie in The Jungle Book. Iām certainly not one of them. Hell, I had a Disney Greatest hits CD since childhood that had I Wanna Be Like You on it. Honestly, low key one of the most memorable Disney songs period.
Though itās easy to see why Disney would cast him after hearing this. Prima has an undeniable energy through this album, whether itās his vocals or his trumpet. Heās hella talented and makes the overall experience enjoyable. But I think this might have been too big band for me. Almost every song is an orchestra blaring notes and it just blended together for me. Even the slower songs just felt the same to me. I feel itās more of the way music just was in the 50ās. Prima just makes it more fun, but overall this was really okay.
Favorite track: Jump, Jive, anā Wail
Other hits: (Nothingās Too Good) For My Baby, Body and Soul, Buona Sera, Night Train, Oh, Marie
3
Apr 15 2025
The Kƶln Concert
Keith Jarrett
I feel that this might be the best jazz album I might ever get and that feels like itās cheating. Most of the jazz albums Iāve gotten are your typical jazz albums: saxophones, drums, syncopated beats, etc. Some of it was good, some of it was not, and most of it I have not retained. Truthfully, itās been kind of a boring genre and seeing my next album be an hour-long live jazz album, I wasnāt super confidant that I would like it.
This, however, isnāt standard jazz. Itās something more, that I feel that the basic label of jazz doesnāt do justice to this album. This is background music that refuses to be background music. Itās insane to believe this was entirely improvised. The music just naturally comes to him and it never gets tiring or boring or one-note; the same trappings some other jazz albums Iāve encountered fell into. That audience got more than what they paid for, despite the story of how Murphyās Law nearly fucked this concert over.
I will say that, as a hour-long concert with some long songs, there might be some very slight dragging here and there. And Iām not really a fan of the moaning Keith does every so often. Itās his thing, I know, and I respect that it means his getting into the music himself. But it still feels really weird to me and itās a little distracting. However, this might be the peak of jazz personally for me.
Favorite track: Part IIc
Other hits: the rest of the concert
4
Apr 16 2025
New York Dolls
New York Dolls
While this isnāt considered the first album to be part of the punk movement, I think itās safe to say this was the turning point for the genre. Itās hard for me to believe that this is from 1973. The sixties werenāt too far in the rear view mirror. I figured the only thing close to cutting edge by this point was Black Sabbath. But hereās where the blueprint was laid for so many acts to come.
Itās hard to imagine how not just punk, but rock in general would evolve without the New York Dolls. God only knows. Sleazy, glammy, and fun, this is probably one of the highlights for the punk albums for me personally.
Favorite track: Personality Crisis
Other hits: Trash, Looking For A Kiss, Frankenstein, Pills, Private World, Bad Girl
4
Apr 17 2025
Gris Gris
Dr. John
There are albums that I gotten so far that I never would have ventured to. Albums from artists I never heard of. This was one of those albums that felt weird when I saw it on my page. The kind that make me tilt my head and go āok, who the fuck is this?ā. I give every artist the benefit of a doubt, which I feel helps me appreciate an album more. But I couldnāt really do that here. I donāt know, but I feel this album is stuck in a in between. Too weird to feel natural, but not too weird to have any charm. Maybe itās the shoddy production that doesnāt really complement Dr. Johnās vocals at all. Or maybe, itās because the songs feel mostly like basic chanting from his annoying backing chorus. Seriously, Iām starting to think that psychedelic music pisses me off a bit. But I guess you need to be on drugs to enjoy it, so eh.
I appreciate it when this generator gets weird with me and gives me some stuff out of left field. But I donāt think this one did much for me and I was probably better off without it. Mama Roux was a good song, though. Wish all the tracks were like that one.
Favorite track: Mama Roux
Other hits: I Walk On Guilded Splinters, Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya
2
Apr 18 2025
Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
I feel that the big problem I have with electronica is that it feels like background music. The type of music that is solely āset it and forget itā. This album, however, isnāt background music. Itās a soundtrack. This music doesnāt recede, but enhances activities. It doesnāt matter if itās driving home from, exercising, or staring at a wall. Itās hard to resist the bopping nature of these tracks. Some of the tracks might sound a bit similar to one another. Thatās kind of a genre issue than an artist issue. But consider the Chemical Brothers on my radar. Hope to see more stuff from them on here.
Favorite track: Life is Sweet
Other hits: Leave Home, Chicoās Groove, Song to the Siren, Alive Alone, Chemical Beats, In Dust We Trust
4
Apr 21 2025
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
Round two with these chucklefucks. Iām just going to reiterate: I donāt like the Doors. Primarily because of Jim Morrisonās voice and also because I just donāt care for their songs. L.A. Woman did nothing for me and neither did this. The first two songs are ok, but everything else is bleh. Wikipedia tells me that I have only one more albums from these guys. Good.
Favorite track: Waiting for the Sun
Other hits: Roadhouse Blues
2
Apr 22 2025
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
I think Iām starting to understand how fans of Kanye West feel on liking music made by controversial people. This is the second album I got from the Smiths and just like the first, I really enjoyed it despite Morrisseyās laundry list of reasons why heās an asshole. Why does this guy have a nice voice? Itās fits so well with the melancholic nature of the album.
Weirdly, my big criticism is that itās maybe a bit too similar to the last album I got from the Smiths⦠which was Strangeways, Here We Come⦠which was after this album. I know, itās weird. But other than that, this is another good slice of 80ās alternative and another building block to the approaching existential crisis Iām going to have when I get to Morrisseyās solo albums. God help me.
Favorite track: Cemetey Gates
Other hits: The Queen is Dead, Frankly, Mr. Shankly, Never Had No One Ever, I Know Itās Over, There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others
4
Apr 23 2025
LP1
FKA twigs
So⦠I didnāt hate this one. But it frustrated me so much. Itās got that āmodern dayā pop feel, but I dig the sort of minimalistic approach to the instrumentation. It makes it feel a little more than a generic pop album, so itās at least listenable to me. The thing is, everything is so fucking samey. The first songs were alright, but everything just blended together as it went along. It doesnāt help that Twigs suffers from Mariah Carey syndrome, where she has a gifted voice, but chooses to falsetto everything and have this annoying high-pitched tone instead. Swear to god, some of this album sounds like a mouse in heat.
I donāt know man, I canāt stand modern music as is, but I figured it would be a nice break from the indie rock and common crap on this list. But an album where I canāt retain most of the songs is not a good album.
Favorite track: Two Weeks
Other hits: Lights Out, Closer
2
Apr 24 2025
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
Considering this was a mix of genres and not being super impressed by the bandās first album I got here(Vanishing Point), I wasnāt so sure about this album. But after going through it, it was pretty good. I will say that it wears itself thin near the end, as most hour long albums do. And Iām not completely sold on the gospel aspects of the album, which means I wasnāt really a fan of Movinā On Up. That songās a bit too upbeat to me. But past that, most of Screamadelia was very good. The production is excellent for 1991. Frankly, I would have expected this to be later in the decade. Also, most of the songs are straight bops. They carry a nice beat to them, which is good considering that most of the songs are over 5 minutes. Honestly, if it wasnāt for the last third kind of crashing out, I would have a lot more high praise for this album. Really, it makes the score more of a 3.5, but the good outweighs the bad for this album.
Favorite track: Donāt Fight It, Feel It
Other hits: Slip Inside This House, Higher Than The Sun (the Singles Mix), Come Together, Inner Flight
4
Apr 25 2025
Third
Portishead
For the first few moments of the album, I was anxious that this was going to be a basic indie album. The first track, Silence, had a slight indie feel and the vocalist seemed to have a distinct indie feel. It sounded like it was heading in that direction, but thankfully not for long. I love how uneasy this music makes me feel, between the electronic elements and the eerie calmness of the vocalist. Itās this weirdly unique blend of music that sounds like⦠foreboding surf music that went to bed with Nine Inch Nails at times. Thatās the best way I can put it. I hope thatās not too weird of a mental image.
Wikipedia tells me that this album was a departure somewhat from Portisheadās previous work, so I hope this being my first album doesnāt lead me to be disappointed by the bandās other works. Honestly, kind of a shame they went on a second hiatus after this album. Who knows what else they would have made after this.
Favorite track: Machine Gun
Other hits: Magic Doors, Nylon Smile, Threads, The Rip, We Carry On, Small
4
Apr 28 2025
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
You know, this is only my second Neil Young album, but I think Iām starting to realize I donāt care for his music. The first two songs were alright, and I thought that maybe a lot of the naysayers were a little harsh. But then the rest of the album drags on and the more I heard Neil Young, the more heās just⦠eh. Honestly, thereās nothing special here and his mediocre voice just makes it worse. Thereās also some annoying shit like the random āla la laāsā sprinkled here and there, especially on the title track. And the violin on Running Dry should look for a lawyer, because that it was being violated.
Truth be told, and I fucking hate saying this, my major problem with classic rock (at least the 60ās to the 70ās) is that most of the songs have a jam band mentality. Basically they would stretch the songs by cramming it meandering guitar solos, which resulted in 5-6 minutes tracks. Itās makes albums harder for me, because the songs start to bore me. I hate saying that, because it sounds like a modern Gen Z thing to say, like some kind of āOld music is boringā bullshit, but itās true to me most times. Mixing that with Neilās vocals, I donāt think Iām going to enjoy the remaining plethora of Neil Young albums ahead of me.
Favorite track: Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Other hits: Cinnamon Girl
2
Apr 29 2025
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
Let me get this out of the way: this better be the only fucking triple album on this project. No album should be anywhere close to 2 hours, unless itās some deluxe album filled with demos and other shit thrown in to make it feel ādeluxeā. I already have a problem with double albums as is, especially ones from the seventies where itās nothing but solos for 60% of it. Honestly this album is just a double album with an instrumental LP duct taped to it. And while Iām at it, that LP is forgettable. I actually donāt really consider it part of the actual album, since it feels like bonus. It just bloats an already stuffed album.
Now, while I have my issues with double (or triple) albums, if there is enough good content to support a double album, Iām perfectly fine with that. And to tell you the truth, there was a lot of good songs on here. Kind of impressive for an overshadowed Beatle thatās not Ringo. Yeah, that one might have been below the belt.
For real though, this might be a contender for the best solo effort by a former Beatle. Tapping into his spirituality and some of his experiences with his former band mates, Harrison brings a nice collection of mellow melodies and some good rock songs. I wonāt say every song is a banger. Apple Scruffs and I Dig Love werenāt exactly my favorites. And I donāt think I needed two versions of Isnāt It A Pity. But there are some good hits, like Awaiting on You All, If Not For You, All Things Must Pass, and Art of Dying. If it wasnāt for some of the awkward stuff and the fucking length thanks to the stapled LP, this could have been one of my 5-stars. But hey, for a long album, I liked it and thatās honestly good enough for 4.
Favorite track: If Not For You
Other hits: Art of Dying, All Things Must Pass, My Sweet Lord, What Is Life, Let It Down
4
Apr 30 2025
They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Liars
I swear to God, the people on this site are an enigma. Yāall be like āWhy does Neil Young get like a billion albums hereā and āOh my god, thereās so much white boy rockā. Then you get a weird unique album like this and rate the damn thing to near oblivion. Donāt you like actually want to like explore past your comfort zone because if not, why are you here?
Ok for real, I get why people would dislike this. Itās weird and sometimes loud, which is not everyoneās cup of tea. But like, this wasnāt that bad. Not one of the lowest rated albums certainly. I actually liked this one. It certainly feels experimental, but like in a structured way. Through all the weird elements and loud guitar noises, there some strange, groovy bangers. Broken Witch is a great starting track, while Thereās Always Room on the Broom transitions the sound into borderline creepy territory. Also, I love the ambient tracks like Steam Rose from the Lifeless Cloak and Read the Book That Wrote Itself, as well as the latter half of Flow My Tears The Spider Said.
To be honest, Iām not even a quarter done with this project, but itās weird that an album like this gets ravaged while there like a hundred forgettable albums on here that came and went for me. Honestly, itās worse to have no impact than it is to make people squirm. Maybe Iām the kind of freak that enjoys shit like this, but thatās on me. Long story short, this was pretty good. Youāre all just mean.
Favorite track: Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway
Other hits: Broken Witch, Steam Rose From The Lifeless Cloak, We Fenced Gardens With The Bones Of Our Own, Read The Book That Wrote Itself, Flow My Tears The Spider Said
4
May 01 2025
Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
Small aside rant: there should be no ābest ofā collections on here. Those albums are just the hits cherry picked by record companies to be put out for easy money. If anything, Veni Vidi Vicious was right there. If youāre going to put the Hives on the list, put an actual album. Not the weird ābest ofā.
Regardless, this was good. It doesnāt reinvent the wheel or anything and maybe I wouldnāt consider it āmust do before dyingā material. But itās under a half-hour of early 2000ās garage punk rock. Itās a harmless good time. I just wish it was an actual record.
Favorite track: A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T
Other hits: Main Offender, Hate To Say I Told You So, Automatic Schmuck, Die, All Right, Untutored Youth
4
May 02 2025
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
Ok, at this point, Iāve gotten three albums that have been ranked as the lowest on this site. For two of them (Kollaps and They Were Wrong So We Drowned), I understand why they are there. Did I hate them? For Kollaps, sort of. For Drowned, honestly no. But I get why some wouldnāt like it. This album, however, makes no sense being there.
I mean, sure, itās practically every 80ās pop tune crammed into eight songs that have very little variety between them. And the vocalists can sometimes get a little jarring the higher their notes get. But like, thatās as bad as it gets. Like objectively, itās about a 3, middle of the road album. Just basic ass 80ās pop music. What the fuck about that warrants putting it with the āweirdā industrial and noise rock albums? Like there has to be much worse on this list between countless bland double albums and hour long ambient snoozefests. All this is it dated 80ās pop. And to be personal, 80ās synth pop like this is an extreme guilty pleasure of mine. Like Iām not one of those obnoxious people that claim āThE 80ās WaS tHe BeSt DeCaDe FoR mUsIcā, but it certainly has a charm to me, which is weird because I was a 2000ās kid. I canāt even blame my parents on that, they were into more earlier stuff like The Beatles and disco (though they liked the 80ās too). So that bumps my rating to a 4, may the music gods have mercy on my tasteless ass.
Favorite track: Perfect Way
Other hits: Small Talk, Absolute, Lover To Fall, Wood Beez, Donāt Work That Hard
4
May 05 2025
25
Adele
Back in the early 2010ās, in my high school/somewhat early college years, my only gateway to music was my car radio. My intake was solely the songs I heard on the radio, which was mostly pop stations that played whatever was popular at the time, with some throwbacks. Miserable existence, I know. I eventually broke out of that. But in that time, I was familiar with a lot of the popular songs of the decade. So naturally, like millions of other people, I knew Adele, thanks to Rolling in the Deep, Someone Like You, basically all the hits from ā21ā. I remember Hello being this sort of ācomeback songā for Adele since it was her first new song in a few years. Thatās an eternity in the pop world. And then eventually I would barely listen to radio in favor of just plugging my phone into the radio to get rid of all the repetition I was hearing over the stations.
After all of this time, I finally get the entire album experience for Adeleās return after 21 and⦠itās okay. Like, itās a standard album. Some pop songs here, some soft stuff here. Itās a little disappointing that someone of Adeleās talent is stuck making songs like this. Iād call it āMariah Carey syndromeā but I think Adeleās a little better than that. Honestly, past the hits (Hello, Water Under the Bridge, Send My Love), thereās nothing of note hereā¦expect one. All I Ask is this really nice slow song that I remember hearing being sung a bunch of times on American Idol. Not the Fox version, but the ABC one where everyone has a sob story and the flimsy belief that winning the show would make you a pop sensation is somehow still a thing. Yeah, itās a popular pick and after hearing it, I can see why. I honestly wish more of the songs here were like that; more emotion and less pleasing-the-producers. But alas, thatās 25.
Favorite track: All I Ask
Other hits: Hello, Send My Love (To Your New Lover), Water Under the Bridge, When We Were Young, Love in the Dark
3
May 06 2025
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Today I learnt that CCR released three albums in 1969. I had to do a double take since I swore Iāve done a CCR album from 1969, which I did. It was Green River, which felt similar to this one.
I thought Graveyard Train lasted a bit too long and I can do with a little less Chooglin. But everything else was pretty solid. Iāve actually forgotten how good the original Proud Mary sounds. I think itās really to pick if I prefer it over Tina Turnerās eccentric version. Overall, CCR still proves to be the epitome of the Americana genre.
Favorite track: Proud Mary
Other hits: Born on the Bayou, Bootleg, Penthouse Pauper, Good Golly Miss Molly
4
May 07 2025
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
I never expected this to have a lot of depth. I just assumed most of the songs would be like Money for Nothing. I wasnāt expecting the soft rock stuff. Regardless, the guitar playing is excellent. Mark Knopfler really elevates the majority of this albumā¦well really the first side. Honestly, Iām a little relieved a lot of reviews say that the second half kind of lags behind the first. I think the lengthy song times might be responsible for that.
As for the whole f-word part, itās a little jarring, but I donāt think it ruins anything. Itās supposed to come from somebodyās point of view whoās kind of stupid. Could they have avoided the word? Sure. But besides that, that was a pretty solid album.
Favorite track: Money for Nothing
Other hits: Why Worry, Your Latest Trick, Walk of Life, Brothers in Arms, One World
4
May 08 2025
Live At Leeds
The Who
This is my first album from The Who on here and itās a fucking live album. Look, itās The Who. The musicās fine and represents everything the band is, and itās not the worst live album. Probably because itās just south of 40 minutes. But like, do I really need to hear them sing songs that arenāt even their own? And when they do sing their songs, they are stretched to high hell. Because everyone knows My Generation sounds better when itās literally five times as long thanks to the band slapping a medley in it. If I was at that concert, drugged out my mind and surrounded by other Who fans, then maybe that would be fine. Otherwise, just give me the fucking studio album. Give me any studio album, please!
Favorite track: Magic Bus, I guess
Other hits: the parts of My Generation that were My Generation
3
May 09 2025
Marquee Moon
Television
So, Iāve seen this album around as a major influence for a ton of rock artists. Itās was an album I kept seeing over and over, yet never seemed to give it a listen. Now the time has finally come, and my god, why did I take so long to give it a whirl. This is a top contender for one of the best early post punk albums and maybe even one of the best rock albums of the 70ās. The production is insanely good, especially with the guitar. It sounds so raw, and yet somewhat clean. And the vibes these guys achieve are incredible, going from somewhat dark to even beautiful. Thereās a fucking ballad on here and it slaps just like the rest of the album. I truly believe this is definitely worthy of a listen before kicking the bucket. Lord knows how many rock bands would have never formed if this album never happened.
Favorite track: Marquee Moon
Other hits: Guiding Light, Venus, See No Evil, Prove It, Elevation, Torn Curtain
5
May 12 2025
Different Class
Pulp
Every time I see the phrase āMercury Prize Winnerā next to an album, it will either be absolutely warranted or make me go āwhat the fuck were they thinking?ā. Granted, my stupid American ass doesnāt know the merit for this award. I donāt even take the Grammyās seriously at all, but thereās a clear British bias within these 1001 albums, and the authors were hellbent in putting every winner here so it feels inevitable.
I will say, however, that this is one of the good winners. It feels poppy, vibrant, and overall fun while keeping a nice layer of social commentary about class differences, just like the title of this album states. I will say that in a few of the tracks, the singing feel a little⦠um⦠uncomfortably horny. Especially on Pencil Skirt and parts of I Spy. I didnāt really care for those parts of the album where the vocalist is telling me heās getting turnt on. Like, damn, ok, stop it.
Other than that, I enjoyed this one.
Favorite track: Disco 2000
Other hits: Common People, Mis-Shapes, Something Changed, Underwear, F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E, Live Bed Show
4
May 13 2025
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
I think my hottest music take is that I think AC/DC is probably the most overrated rock band ever.
Let me be clear: I donāt hate them. I like some of their songs and they can be very catchy at their best. But they are repetitive as hell. Every song consist of some verses and a chorus that consists of repeating the title over and over again. And the songs will always be about rocking, fucking, and rocking while fucking. And every dad loves it and every granddad loves it and every classic rock station will play AC/DC a hundred times a day. Itās tiring.
I give AC/DC this though; this is one of their best albums and it is the swan song of Bon Scott before his death. But I mainly mean that about Side A and Love Hungry Man on Side B. Those are songs that have the best energy and kick the most ass, which it was the band strives for. The other songs are the typical AC/DC stuff: repetitive and samey.
Like I said, I donāt despise AC/DC. Itās just not for me and Iād rather listen to a majority of other rock bands from the seventies. But this is an iconic album for most people and it is worthy of at least a listen, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. Or not. Iām just some rando on the internet. Donāt take me too seriously please.
Favorite track: Highway to Hell (itās catchy)
Other hits: Girls Got Rhythm, Touch Too Much, Walk All Over You, Beat Around the Bush, Love Hungry Man
3
May 14 2025
Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
Half of this album was ok, the other half just straight up annoyed me. Itās just mostly a lot of noise for me, which as a guy that likes metal and hard rock, is a bit ironic. Itās like they put all the 2000ās indie music into a blender and played a lot noise over it. Is this what they call ānew raveā? Jesus, itās not for me.
I mean, some songs like Two Receivers and Golden Skans are fine. But, Iām just getting tired of this kind of shit. Like, I try not to bring up the obvious British bias the original book seems to have and give every album a chance. But like, for every album like this from the UK that I get, I like it likeā¦60% of the time. This one just came and went for me like the rest. Ugh, next.
Favorite track: Golden Skans
Other hits: Two Receivers, Gravityās Rainbow, Itās Not Over Yet, As Above So Below
3
May 15 2025
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
Itās really difficult to pin down the Beastie Boys into a specific genre. I mean, of course theyāre mainly hip-hop and thatās what they most known for. But itās only a fraction of their talent and Ill Communication shows that in spades. Not only is this a contender for the one of the best hip-hop albumās of the 90ās, itās also probably one of the best jazz albums and the best funk albums. The flow between something like Sure Shot and Rickyās Theme is astounding. Everything is so smooth here and nothing feels jarring or out of place. And I didnāt even mention the rock elements. Even though they only do it twice (Tough Guy and Heart Attack Man), the Beastie Boys make for a very convincing punk rock effort.
And then thereās fucking Sabotage. In a time when grunge was at its peak, itās incredible that a rap trio can create one of the standalone rock songs of the decade. Itās iconic and it alone would convince me to give this album five stars. Honestly, to me personally, there really isnāt any hip-hop albums out there that I feel would give me the pleasure that peak Beastie Boys would give me. (Iām still waiting for the day Paulās Boutique shows up for me. Itās going to be euphoric.) And while this isnāt the B-Boys at their peak, itās damn near close enough.
Favorite track: Sabotage
Other hits: Sure Shot, Root Down, Rickyās Theme, Flute Loop, the punk songs (Tough Guy and Heart Attack Man), Bodhisattva Vow, Get It Together, Do It
5
May 16 2025
Seventh Tree
Goldfrapp
When I started this album, it felt like a nice and relaxing album, but to a fault. The vocals were neat and airy while the music itself was calming. However, I felt it was going to just stay stagnant for the whole duration and the whole album would be one-note and bland. However, as the album went on, it started to click with me. It felt less boring as more of the electronic and pop elements snuck in. By the time Caravan Girl came on (amazing song by the way), I was pretty much sold. I wouldnāt say that it blew me away and left me awestruck, but it rose past my low expectations. Chill, but not aggressively mellow. I dig it.
Favorite track: Caravan Girl
Other hits: Happiness, Road to Somewhere, A&E, Cologne Cerrone Houdini, Some People
4
May 19 2025
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
Ok, so⦠reputation can be a double edged sword. It sets albums apart as classics, but they also set expectations for some that might be too high. When I saw that I finally got this album, I was a bit nervous. I mean, I knew about Go Your Own Way and Dreams, but I was rating Rumours as a whole effort. What if the deep cuts were forgettable? Honestly, I thought that anything less than a 5 would be disappointing to me. Fortunately, after hearing this album through, I am thankful that Rumours delivered.
I know, itās one of the most acclaimed album of all time. Itās neck-to-neck with Abbey Road on here for number one. Iām not adding anything of value by being the hundred thousandth person to gush over it. But, I donāt care. Every song here could have been a hit single in their own right. The band has these harmonies that just hit right on every song. Any point on Rumours that I thought I wouldnāt care for a particular song, Fleetwood Mac would always pull through. Honestly, itās insane how an album can have about three lead singers and not have a weak point anywhere. The Buckingham songs, the Nick songs, the McVie songs, theyāre all great. How in Godās name this album came out amid the drugs and tension within the band is miraculous.
On a personal note, Fleetwood Mac is one of my momās favorite band, if not her favorite. Hell, her and my aunt both got shirts with the full lyrics of The Chain on them. Itās that deep. So personally, I was hoping that this album would stand out on that merit alone. Also, Go Your Own Way and Dreams are like, S-tier songs, so I was holding some bias down while listening to it. Thankfully, I am now fully convinced that this is one of the best albums of the seventies. Actually, scratch that. This is the best album of the seventies.
Favorite track: Dreams (Between this and Go Your Own Way is like picking your favorite child)
Other hits: The rest of the album. Seriously, that are no weak points.
5
May 20 2025
Dookie
Green Day
As someone that only experienced the nineties as a toddler, this is totally what I consider the soundtrack of the decade. That raw, pre-pubescent energy you got as a teenager when the world was yours and you didnāt give a fuck. All distilled into 40 minutes of peak pop punk.
Personally, I think I like the songs individually more than the complete package. Punk, whether in the pop variety or not, tends to create repetitive albums and Dookie isnāt really an exception. But thatās honestly a nitpick and in general, itās hard to ignore the impact this album had for the band and music in general. Itās make me feel like a nineties kid⦠even if I remember literally nothing from it.
Favorite track: When I Come Around
Other hits: Basket Case, Welcome to Paradise, She, Longview, Burnout
4
May 21 2025
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
I think Iām running out of ways to state that I donāt care for jazz in these reviews. All these things are the same; I listen to them and retain nothing. Most of them I swear are just noise. If you give me one song from every jazz album that Iāve done and asked me to name what album they come from, Iād drew a blank. I mean, theyāre mostly ok, but like itās become so fatiguing. This was no different, even if this is apparently a masterpiece of jazz. Look, itās not bad, itās alright. But as far as Iām concerned, itās just more of the same. Songs stretched too long and filled with random instrument playing without much synergy. Next album, please.
Favorite track: Part IV- Psalm (it sounded the most coherent)
Other hits: nothing really else honestly
3
May 22 2025
Speakerboxxx/The Love Below
OutKast
Ok, Iām putting my foot down. No fucking album, in this universe, should ever, EVER, be close to two fucking hours. Iām sick and fucking tired of double albums as is. And of course itās a rap/hip-hop album too, my favorite genre. Thatās sarcasm if you canāt tell.
You know, Iāve gotten Stankonia prior to this. I actually enjoyed it, but I had one big criticism; it was a little too long. This album basically looked at this critique, said ālolā, and doubled down on the length, literally.
Ok, I know, Iām harping a little much about the length, but hereās my other problem. There are good songs on this album, but I had to wade through a lot of the other stuff to get to it. I mean, The Way You Move and Hey Ya are iconic and stuff like Church, Prototype, and Roses are really good, but thatās like a handful of songs. On a normal album, a collection of songs like that would be great, but hereās there just drops in the ocean. Everything else just padded the experience. No album should be an endurance test. My mind was starting to wane before Speakerboxxx ended. Itās yet another double album that fatigued me.
Look, maybe this whole thing is on me. I have a feeling that if you donāt like rap or hip-hop, this album will do nothing to fix that. And like I said, there are good songs. In this streaming era, you can just pick the songs you like and save them, which is great. But as a whole package, I hated this and considering that I kinda like OutKast, that really sucks.
*by the way, if I had to pick, I liked The Love Below over Speakerboxxx. It was more r&b in some places, and overall the tracks were better in my opinion.
Favorite track: The Way You More for Speakerboxxx, Hey Ya for The Love Below
Other hits: Roses, Church, Bust, Prototype, Happy Valentineās Day, My Favorite Things
2
May 23 2025
Debut
Bjƶrk
So prior to now, I havenāt heard really anything from Bjƶrk. Iāve obviously heard of her, but never really heard a song from her. Now, after being on this earth for 29 years, Iām wondering why it took so long.
Truth be told, I thought it would be some kind of soft avant-garde album that would weird me out and not really be my thing. I wasnāt expecting a good mix of 90ās dance with some other moods. And above it all is Bjƶrkās vocals. I donāt know if her voice is polarizing, but honestly consider me a fan. Itās this nice, sort of angelic voice that feels like itās always on the verge of going off key, but never does. I never considered how such a voice can coexist with some dance music, but itās a great experience. Honestly, this makes me hopeful that thereās more Bjƶrk coming up on here. I would like to see how sheās evolved over time and see if she captured her full potential. But as of now, itās easy to see how she made a name for herself off her debut.
Favorite track: Come to Me
Other hits: Crying, Venus As A Boy, Thereās More To Life Than This, Big Time Sensuality, Violently Happy, Human Behaviour, One Day
4
May 26 2025
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
The Chronic is the prime example of everything that I hate about rap music. Itās just a monotonous slog of the most typical gangster rap to exist; nothing but rapping about sex and your dick. Thereās not really a message, outside of maybe The Day The N****s Took Over (obviously about the LA Riots given the year this was released), but even then it feels shallow as fuck. Honestly, Rage Against the Machine did it better with Killing In The Name of, and a good chunk of that song is literally repeating āFuck You, I wonāt do what you tell meā. Outside of that, nothing but rapping about violence and sex and whatever without really a point. To be honest, itās not really the lyrical content that gets to me, itās just not anything special given itās reputation. Outside of pretty being Snoop Doggās platform to his own success, what the fuck about this album makes it iconic? The productionās nice, I guess, but what else? The amount of circle-jerking to Death Row? The terrible skits? (I was going to be a little generous with this album, but after The $20 Sack Pyramid, my generosity took a holiday) I figured maybe a one star might be too harsh and thought at least a two, but then I realized⦠I donāt want to listen to anything from this album again. There are no songs that I can take that I really enjoyed. Maybe Little Ghetto Boy, and I remember hearing Nuthinā But A āGāThang, but like, Iām not crazy for them.
Thereās much better rap out there that made as much as an impact that are miles better than this. Hopefully some that donāt use the n word like a crutch.
Favorite track I guess: Lilā Ghetto Boy
Other hits I guess: Nuthinā But A āGā Thang
1
May 27 2025
The Cars
The Cars
Iāve always had trouble pegging down what exactly The Cars were. Are they a pop band, a new wave band, or a rock band? Itās probably why Iāve been familiar with their hits, but never knew it was their work. Maybe itās my stupid brain, but itās hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that You Might Think, Drive, and Just What I Needed were made by the same band. (By the way, Drive might one of my favorite songs of all time, itās not here but I donāt know if that album is here, so Iām saying it now). Regardless, the one thing I do know is that The Cars make some good music, especially here. The synth elements add a nice flair to the album without making it cheesy or dated. To be honest, most of it feels like it belongs in the next decade. Hard to believe this came out in the seventies, albeit late in the decade.
Overall, who cares what genre The Cars fall into? Good music is good music and this is good music.
Favorite track: Just What I Needed
Other hits: Moving in Stereo, My Best Friends Girl, Donāt Cha Stop, Youāre All Iāve Got Tonight, Iām In Touch With Your World
4
May 28 2025
Tical
Method Man
Is it sacrilege to be a native Staten Islander and not listen to anything from the Wu-Tang Clan? I mean, it seems to be one of our only meaningful exports.
Well, honestly, Iām hoping that didnāt have a huge impact of my experience with this album. In my opinion, this was very serviceable rap. Some songs were good, some were ok, and some were weird. Seriously, I donāt know if I like the weird riff of I Will Survive on Release Yoā Delf. I didnāt see anything special about this album, and I hope that sentiment doesnāt continue when Iām given an actual Wu-Tang album to cover. But given that rap isnāt my favorite genre, serviceable will do just fine.
Favorite track: All I Need
Other hits: Bring The Pain, What the Blood Clot, I Get My Thang In Action, Stimulation, Meth Vs. Chef
3
May 29 2025
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
I feel really bad for anyone who gets this album as their first David Bowie on here. Imagine staring with peak like this and then never quite hitting it for the plethora of other David Bowie albums.
Ok, Iāll say this now. I donāt personally consider this one of my favorite albums of all time. It doesnāt quite hit that ā5-starā caliber for me that some others had. Is this my favorite Bowie album? Hard to say, this was only my fourth from him on here and I still have plenty to go. But it is for sure a contender and I can see why it is considered a classic. Honestly, if I canāt rate the album 5 stars, I can rate some of the songs 5 stars. The whole ābisexual alien rockstar saves the Earth from the apocalypseā puts a really creative backdrop for the album. I know itās been said a hundred times, but the bookends songs, Five Years and Rock nā Roll Suicide are excellent. Starman is one of Bowieās absolute best songs, with Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City not fear behind.
If some of the lesser songs were a little tighter (in my opinion), I would have definitely put this up on my summary. But this is the magnum opus for Bowie so far for me. Itāll be interesting to see if it gets topped.
Favorite track: Starman
Other hits: Ziggurat Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock nā Roll Suicide, Five Years
4
May 30 2025
Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
I feel like albums like this just treated a bit harshly on here. Look, I get it, the albumās pretty dated and soft yacht rock with synth is definitely not everyoneās cup of tea. But thereās still charm in this album coming from the āHigher Loveā guy. (Please tell me Iām not the only one who only knew Steve Winwood for that song).
That being said, Arc of a Diver suffers from two problems: the songs run a little too long and they lack variety. Because of this, the album feels like it drags, which is impressive considering that this is only 40 minutes. Itās one of those albums that you can take one or two songs from instead of going through the whole album. Regardless, itās just really background noise that tries to be Peter Gabriel. Not terrible, but not particularly great.
Favorite track: While You See A Chance
Other hits: Night Train, Spanish Dancer, Second-Hand Woman
3
Jun 02 2025
Oracular Spectacular
MGMT
MGMT is one of those music acts that I heard about, but never focused on listening to, despite their popularity. I got to say, I really dig this. Itās a nice blend of pop and electronic that doesnāt really drag or turn into background music. And it doesnāt come off as too indie either, if that makes any sense. Itās party music that doesnāt feel like party music. I was only eleven when this album came out, so itās nice to finally get to hear it after all these years. Hopefully I get to see more from MGMT on here to see how they progressed.
Favorite track: Kids
Other hits: Time To Pretend, Weekend Wars, 4th Dimensional Transition, Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters, Future Reflections
4
Jun 03 2025
Smash
The Offspring
I hope to God that thereās someone here that played Crazy Taxi enough to have the songs āAll I Wantā and āWay Down the Lineā etched into their memory banks alongside Bad Religion. Hell, that drum beat at the end of Smash takes me back to the menu theme for the home port of the game. Iām just laying this here, since Ixnay on the Hombre is most than likely not gonna be here. But itās shows that The Offspring kinda built a nostalgic place in my heart, so Iām pretty biased.
Listening to this, I kinda get the whole āsounding like Nirvanaā thing. But the punk style of the Offspring definitely sets it apart and Dexter Holland certainly doesnāt come off like Kurt Cobain. Itās just a nice relic of the type of music that saw the limelight in the nineties. Itās fun, frantic and even delves into a serious issue or two. Itās not my personal favorite from the band, but itās still a good time.
Favorite track: Self Esteem
Other hits: Come Out and Play, Gotta Get Away, Genocide, What Happened to You?, Not the One, Smash
4
Jun 04 2025
Let's Get It On
Marvin Gaye
Iām pretty sure a couple of people were conceived because of this album. Just a hunch.
Weirdly enough, my man problem with this album is that itās too, uhm, sexy. As someone who really enjoyed Whatās Going On, this one felt less smooth and more groovy. Honestly, at times, this really felt like bedroom music, which makes causal listening feel awkward. God forbid you donāt listen to this while doing it and instead driving home from work. The Gowanus Expressway doesnāt need to hear that woman on You Sure Like To Ball moan.
Outside that though, itās still Marvin Gaye. When Marvin hits, he hits and sets the standard for r&b to come. Itās not as close to perfection as Whatās Going On for me, but this one still raises to the occasionā¦
Yeah, thatās a bad joke.
Favorite track: Letās Get It On
Other hits: Come Get To This, If I Should Die Tonight, Distant Lover, You Sure Love To Ball
4
Jun 05 2025
Killing Joke
Killing Joke
You know, I figured an industrial post-punk album would be directly up my alley. Industrial metal is a guilty pleasure of mine and the idea of this brooding dark album was too interesting to pass up. But after listening to this, Iām a little conflicted here. I feel the dark vibes are there, but weirdly I donāt feel enough of them. Some of this was catching, but most of this was a bit monotonous. I just donāt think this clicked with me, which is a little disappointing. It wasnāt bad, but I was kind of hoping for more.
Favorite track: The Wait
Other hits: Bloodsport, Wardance, Complications
3
Jun 06 2025
Dry
PJ Harvey
I have an interesting dilemma with this album. The first album I was given here for PJ Harvey was Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea. I really enjoyed it and was excited for what else would lie in store for me from PJ. Then here comes this album.
Debuts are weird, since they are usually made before an artist molds into their sound. There are rare exceptions, but mostly debuts tend to be the more forgettable part of the discography. I wasnāt sure how Dry would end up and felt that it would follow that trend. However, it ended up being pretty good and made me wonder which album from PJ I liked better.
It seems PJ leaned more hardly onto the alternative rock side of her music than the more subdued sound from Stories. Much like Stories, PJās vocals are wonderful. Iād actually say that they sound better here with the harsh guitar riffs. I know the term āraw soundā feels overused for indie rock, but itās kind of the best way to describe this. How I have never listened to PJ Harvey before alongside Nirvana and Stone Temple Pilots is a mystery to me. My only complaint is that I think it slightly fizzled at the end. The last few tracks donāt really have the same oomp. Besides that, this album makes me wonder how PJ sound evolved to get to what it was on Stories. Other than that, Dry thankfully was a lot more than forgettable, which is all I can ask for a debut.
Favorite track: Sheela-Na-Gig
Other hits: Dress, O Stella, Hair, Happy and Bleeding, Oh My Lover
4
Jun 09 2025
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
Iāll admit that I never cared for Bruce Springsteen. Itās not a hatred thing, itās more straight apathy. Something about this album felt like it would be different. Itās more acoustic and itās got a darker lyrical tone. So I figured I might like it. But really, itās just ok.
The album alternates between some slower paced songs and the usual Springsteen style songs, but like, more sad I guess. Honestly, I wish the whole album was just the slow stuff, because I liked those songs a bit better. And to be blunt, I didnāt really feel much from the somber lyrics. Half the songs are just about someone committing a crime, and the other half is just reminiscing on childhood. I kind of just wish Springsteen focused more on one aspect or the other.
I kind of respect the idea of Bruce deviating away from his usual stuff and attempting to go into a bold direction. And I admit, it almost works in some ways. But it doesnāt change my opinion of his music that much for me.
Favorite track: Mansion on the Hill
Other hits: Highway Patrolman, Used Cars, My Fatherās House, Nebraska
3
Jun 10 2025
The College Dropout
Kanye West
Jesus fucking Christ, itās another Kanye West album. You know, when you become a hotpot of controversy, it becomes a Herculean effort to separate art from the artist. Itās even harder when you donāt really give a shit about hip-hop or rap to begin with. So, to be honest, I just want to move on and get this over with.
This album was only fine, but much like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, I went in and out not understanding what in the fuck people see in Kanye to make them say āheās a terrible human being that makes great musicā. Because to me, heās a terrible human being that makes okay music.
The only reason I wonāt completely rip this album is, and this might be weird, is because⦠some of the music behind the rapping is really good. Like if someone took out all of Kanye and like, keep some of the instrumental parts with the higher pitch stuff, this would be actually great. Especially on Through the Wire.
As is, outside of a few fleeting moments, I largely didnāt care. Itās got all the rap album trappings: being over an hour, songs that come off as annoying and ācomedicā skits. Ok, actually, Graduation Day is pretty funny. That āWhat in the fuck was thatā lives rent free in my head. But the diploma skits overstayed their welcome. We get it, Kanye, diplomas are worthless, I didnāt need like three skits pounding that info into my skull. And dear god, the fuck even is Last Call? You seriously end your album with a 12-minute song thatās mostly just you talking? I didnāt this I would yes an album to death, but⦠here I am.
Look, I just want to move on from this. I have like 800+ albums to go and the less I have to deal with Kanye West the better. Outside of all his bullshit, this was just ok, but Iām confidant in saying that Iāll never get Kanye West. Both in terms of his music and person. And frankly, I just donāt care.
Favorite track: Slow Jamz
Other hits: Through the Wire, The New Workout Plan, All Falls Down, Family Business
3
Jun 11 2025
The Libertines
The Libertines
Let me get something off my chest. I see that one of the āhighlightsā of this album is that itās on a BBC list for the most overrated albums or some shit. How pathetic do you have to be to use some bullshit media poll to form an opinion? Like seriously, form you own damn opinion. These fucking lists are meant to drive engagement for profit. Donāt listen to crap like that. Iām not even saying this to defend this album, because I think it sucks.
Itās too poppy to sound punk, and itās too indie to sound pop. Add some grating vocals to the mix and this was just bad to get through. Outside of a few moments, itās hard for me to believe that was even popular enough to be considered overrated. It just feels like more British shit for the list. Maybe the BBC can recommend more āoverratedā albums better than this.
Favorite track: Music When the Lights Go Out
Other hits: Campaign of Hate
2
Jun 12 2025
Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
I feel like on the surface level, this album would get like a 3. A lot of the stuff here kind of borders on being generic funk and some of this album feels more like a concept than a finished product. There are a few songs that kind of come and go, like Happy House and XL-30. But there is something about the sound of this album that carries it over. Iāve never heard of Shuggie Otis before this. He seems like a very underrated artist, because itās criminal that I heard none of this before. This is the chillest funk Iāve heard in a while. Itās so smooth and every song puts you in a state of ease. The real disappointment is that this album is only 30 minutes long. Like out of all the artists that made double albums, why not this stuff?
For some people, this might be a lot of nothing, and I would get that. But everything worked so well here, that Iām bumping my rating to a 4. This was a very pleasant surprise.
Favorite track: Rainy Day
Other hits: Island Letter, XL-30, Pling!, Aht Uh Mi Hed, Sparkle City
4
Jun 13 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
Iām going to end up dating this review, but this must be said. I got this album the day after Brian Wilson died, which means either this site has a nice tribute feature where it will auto-generate an album after a death, or I have the weirdest luck. Regardless, this is going to be complicated for a few reasons.
Let me start by saying that I donāt particularly care for The Beach Boys. They always felt like a gimmick band to me; the surf doo-wasp group. Outside of God Only Knows and Kokomo, I always felt that were one trick ponies. So I had no idea whatever Smile is or was. The whole ordeal is one big fucking rabbit hole that I donāt have the time to research right now. I was eight when this came out so I have no idea how much the hype was for something like this. Honestly, the story of this album is more interesting than the actual album⦠or whatever this is.
Smile is perhaps the most confusing album I had ever heard. I might go as far as to call it a mess. Every song felt like five songs crammed into one. I swear to God I had to keep looking at Spotify to make sure I was on the same song. And some of these songs justā¦suck. Iām sorry, but what the fuck are some of these? Hereās a fun experiment: if you are ever given control of the aux cable, play Mrs. OāLearyās Cow for the whole car to hear. Anyone that still wants to associate with you are your real friends.
But for real, I felt like I was listening to a kidās album, with the overused of slide whistles and whatnot. I got secondhand embarrassment from this at moments.
Despite this, there are a few beautiful moments. Iāll just say that for Brian Wilson to finally see his project come to life, sort of, after all the shit he went through is an achievement in itself. Thereāa also some songs like In Blue Hawaii and Surfās Up that were actually pretty good.
This is probably the most awkward album to get at the most awkward time. Given itās status, I canāt say it was really worth it and it was ok at best. But albums like this intrigue me and itās fun when an album goes beyond the tracks and has a weird history of its own. If Smile ever did get released, I donāt know if I would react the same. But it a bit for an album to stick with me, for better or worse. So Smileās got that.
Rest in peace, Brian Wilson. You didnāt have an easy life, but it left an impact on many people.
Favorite track: Surfās Up
Other hits: This oneās hard because of the weird nature of the album. Iām just going to list Good Vibrations and Wonderful here.
3
Jun 16 2025
The Specials
The Specials
Iāve always considered the fusion of ska and punk to be a 90ās ordeal. Itās in due thanks to the stuff by Reel Big Fish, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and 311. Thought I donāt think any of them stack up to the likes of the Specials. This album really catches both the spirits of punk and reggae: the catchy melodies mixed with lyrics that carry their politics. You can easily see the influence these guys had in skaās semi-renaissance in the 90ās. Outside of maybe dragging a bit near the end, I really enjoyed this one.
Favorite track: Concrete Jungle
Other hits: Too Much Too Young, Too Hot, A Message To You Rudy, Itās Up To You, Doesnāt Make It Alright, Monkey Man, Youāre Wondering Now, Little Bitch
4
Jun 17 2025
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
Soā¦Eminem.
I have very distinct memories of hearing The Real Slim Shady multiple times as a child. It was on a mixtape my parents made for that I would listen to on our annual vacation to Long Beach Island, a beach town on the east coast of New Jersey. Donāt worry, it was the censored version⦠actually that still might not have been appropriate for me. Oh well.
Given my adverse reactions to rap and hip-hop, Eminem was always an exception to me. Of course, this isnāt saying much. Saying you like rap because you listen to Eminem has the same aura as saying you like metal because you listen to Metallica. But Iāll attempt to somewhat justify my reasonings.
Let me get some of the negative stuff out of the way. Yes, this album relies on a certain f-word and Iām not talking about āfuckā. Eminem constantly throws the word around the album, and it never gets easier to swallow. I understand that Eminem doesnāt want you to read his lyrics literally, but at some point you pass a limit. Iām not going to debate whether or not Eminem is homophobic himself; thatās something for him to sort out. But it severely dates the album, which is kind of sad for something released in the year 2000.
Also, the album loves to bang its themes over your head. So much of this album really is about Eminem reflecting over his fame and his attitude. It starts to get a little tiring hearing Marshall tell me that he didnāt expect to blow up like he did. So fucking humbleā¦
Lastly, some of this album relies on the tropes of other rap albums that I donāt care for: songs about Eminemās dick and drugs and guns, with some skits thrown in.
These cons kind of diminish the LP, since I thought Eminem was more of an outlier, a break from the conventional. But parts of the LP felt like the Chronic with some violence thrown in. (And if you want to know what I thought about the Chronic, refer to my summary page, at the bottom).
With all of that being said however, thereās something here that makes this album⦠I guess dynamic? I weirdly find Marshall to be pretty funny during his more comedic songs. I think thatās why The Real Slim Shady struck a chord with me for so many years. Kill You has the same vibe too, which helps keep the seriousness of the violence down. But when Marshall gets serious, he leaves an impact. Stan is a very haunting song that shows the dangers of obsession. Itās a lesson that sadly nobodyās learnt, since the term āStanā is now just straight up a loosely used term for liking something. Itās in the same vein as believing that āTake Me to Churchā is pro-religion. And I never want to listen to Kim again. The way Marshall is practically screaming through the song, mixed with the fact heās talking about his actual wife at the time, is disturbing. And it takes a lot for me to find something disturbing.
Is the Marshall Mathers LP a dated-juvenile effort? Sure. I think I donāt really agree with Marshallās idea of ājust because I say it in the song doesnāt mean I do it in real lifeā. At some point, it just comes off as edgy. But there are legitimate moments on this album that struck me, which for a rap album is a hard task when it comes to me. That canāt be understated. My takeaway is that I can only take Eminem in certain doses. But when I get those doses, it usually hits the spot.
Favorite track: The Real Slim Shady
Other hits: Stan, Who Knew, Criminal, Kill You, The Way I Am, Kim
4
Jun 18 2025
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
It feels terrible to label Devo as a one-hit wonder band because of that one song with the music video where they wear those nipple hats. If their debut is anything to go by, they certainly shown enough talent and creativity to warrant more than one song. Granted, I feel like Devo walked so the Talking Heads can run, but itās hard to imagine what new wave would be without this. Itās a perfect mash-up of surf rock and classic sci-fi that comes off as genuinely catchy. Thereās some good weird shit in here, from Space Junk to the deconstructed cover of I Canāt Get No (Satisfaction). Hope the list makers saw more potential in Devo to put more on here.
Favorite track: Jocko Homo
Other hits: Uncontrollable Urge, Praying Hands, Shrivel-Up, Mongoloid, I Canāt Get No (Satisfaction), Space Junk
4
Jun 19 2025
The Dreaming
Kate Bush
There are albums that I gotten here that I know what to rate the moment they end and there are albums that I have no idea how to rate. This album is part of the latter.
I kind of wanted to like this. I donāt know shit about Kate Bush (outside of that song, you know the one), so I was hoping this would be a great start. But to be real with you, I couldnāt get a handle of this and a large chunk of it was because of Kateās vocals. Theyāre all over the place, changing pitch and tone constantly. Sometimes sheās high-pitched and delicate and other times sheās fucking screaming like sheās in a metal band. I know Kate is talented and this is a personal gripe, but I didnāt care for her style here. Also, this album doesnāt feel really too experimental. Like, itās in this in between where itās coherent, but not easily assessable.
This could have been great. I would love me some catchy 80ās progressive pop with some quirkiness. But really, I found this only okay. Iām hoping this wasnāt a bad start for me for Kate Bush and that this was just a weird exception.
Favorite track: Houdini
Other hits: Get Out of My House (minus the donkey noises), Pull Out the Pin, Suspended in Gaffa, The Dreaming
3
Jun 20 2025
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
The amount of shock I had seeing the Lemonheads on this project was massive. You mean the guys that did that cover of Mrs. Robinson got on here? So like, are the Ataris and Alien Ant Farm here too? Because apparently being one-hit wonders where the āone-hitā is a cover is in vogue here.
Actually all jokes aside, I actually think that cover is the weakest part of the album. Itās really just a standard rock cover of a classic song. Just play it faster and louder. I really have no idea how it got that popular. The actual album itself isnāt bad. It lacks variety and sounds pretty much like a lot of other 90ās rock bands, but the vibes are there. At about 30 minutes, you can do worse. If anything, it a neat reminder that there was more to rock in the 90ās outside of grunge. These guys honestly remind me of the Gin Blossoms. Their sound has that same catchy energy. God I would kill for New Miserable Experience to be on here.
Anyway, this technically could be a 3, but Iām a sucker for this, so 4 it is.
Favorite track (outside of Mrs. Robinson): Itās A Shame About Ray
Other hits: Confetti, My Drug Buddy, Rudderless, Rockinā Stroll, Frank Mills
4
Jun 23 2025
Either Or
Elliott Smith
I feel that a lot of what I think about this album is more of the same for the previous Elliott Smith album I got (Figure Eight), so I keep this brief. I think Elliott makes some nice songs. He has a melancholy style that is too depressing and the tracks are catchy as they are emotional. Itās kinda sad Iāve never even heard of him before this project. Lord knows where he would have went as time went on.
Favorite track: Pictures of Me
Other hits: Ballad of Big Nothing, Between the Bars, Punch and Judy, Say Yes, 2:45 AM, No Name No. 5
4
Jun 24 2025
In Utero
Nirvana
Itās hard for me to pick whether I like Nevermind or this more. Nevermind, while iconic, is more assessable, due to its polish. I mean, to the average person, Smells Like Teen Spirit is easier to listen to than say, Heart-Shaped Box. But In Utero is more āNirvanaā. It showcases the true sound of the band, which makes the fact of this being the last release from Nirvana just all the more tragic. Maybe the eternal mystery of what Nirvana could have been after this album adds to the appeal of it. I donāt really want to say hyperbolic terms like āKurt Cobain was the voice of a generationā or some crap like that. I just see him as someone who somehow managed to strike a chord with the youth at the time. Iād go as far as to say that Nirvana and Kurt were really the only act to be āgrungeā- moody, abrasive, and guttural. Every grunge act after has been chasing them for years.
Listening to In Utero is bittersweet. Itās a worthy successor to Nevermind, but it makes you wonder if Nirvana would have had the same level of success, had history been different. But as it is, itās a fitting end to one of rockās shortest lifespans.
Favorite track: All Apologies
Other hits: Heart-Shaped Box, Rape Me, Dumb, Pennyroyal Tea, Milk It, Scentless Apprentice, Very Ape
5
Jun 25 2025
Brothers
The Black Keys
This album is filled with the type of songs that if I heard on a rock radio station, Iād flip through stations to find something else. And Iām not talking about the classic rock stations that play AC/DC and Led Zeppelin over and over again. Iām talking about the modern rock stations. The kind of stations that will put this on along with Imagine Dragons.
My biggest gripe is that all the songs sound almost the same. Everything is just the same indie fluff, complete with that annoying vocal reverb. I know the top reviews point this out, but this was just a collection of commercial songs. Hell, I recognized Howlinā For You because I heard it during a commercial. I donāt even remember what the fucking product was, but I remember the song.
This album is not abysmal. Itās okay. But I think Iām good with anything from the Black Keys ever again.
Favorite track: Howlinā For You
Other hits: Sinister Kid, Black Mud, The Only One, Tighten Up
3
Jun 26 2025
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
I donāt know what it was, but I kind of wanted to love this one. A post-punk album with some shades of gloom feels right up my alley. But after listening to this, I couldnāt quite get into it. Something felt off. Maybe it was the way all the songs blended together. Outside of Porcupine, most of the songs sounded kind of the same, or at least felt extremely similar. This made going through the album a bit of a slog. There are some good moments, for sure, and I like the overall The Cure vibe these guys bring. But now I just want to listen to The Cure.
The reviews here made it clear this will not be my last time with this band. Though, I canāt say this was a great first impressionā¦
Favorite track: Higher Hell
Other hits: Porcupine, Clay, In Bluer Skies, Gods Will Be Gods, The Cutter
3
Jun 27 2025
Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Ok, this is the type of weird shit that I want to see generated. I have never heard of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra in my life. Frankly, I thought this looked like a joke album. The name of the band and album cover alone warranted my attention.
However, what I got was surprisingly substantial. This album is all over the place, and for the first time maybe ever, I mean that as a compliment. Itās beautiful (Sound of Someone You Love), itās bizarre (Milk), itās happy (Giles Farnabyās Dream), itās creepy (Pigtail). Itās weird, but in the best way. Itās not ālol randomā weird or satirical weird or experimental weird. Itās a controlled weird that knows when to stay grounded and when to be wild.
I wonāt say this blew me away, but it genuinely impressed me. I feel like if more out of left field stuff like this was on this list, it would make it ten times better.
Favorite track: The Sound of Someone You Love Whoās Going Away And It Doesnāt Matter
Other hits: Penguin Cafe Single, Chartered Flight, From the Colonies, Milk, Surface Tension, Giles Farnabyās Dream
4
Jun 30 2025
Horses
Patti Smith
I spent a good chunk of my listening time with this album deciding if I liked or not. I was a bit mixed on Pattiās voice and couldnāt tell if it was annoying or not. It did eventually grow on me, as I thought it sounded like a punk-fused Fleetwood Mac. Lyrically, the songs were hit-or-miss. While I enjoyed something like Kimberly, Birdland was a little esoteric. Honestly, most of the album was esoteric. But most of the songs were enjoyable, despite not fully understanding the songs.
Itās also easy to see the influence this album had on other artists. This list gave me two PJ Harvey albums that I very much enjoyed and I can tell this album was a heavy influence on her. I think Iād rate this on the influence more than the content. Either way, I ended up enjoying this album. Iām not sure Iād consider itself an all-timer, but itās still good.
Favorite track: Redondo Beach
Other hits: Gloria: In Excelsis Deo, Free Money, Kimberly, Elegie
4
Jul 01 2025
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
When I first started this project, I thought soul would be one of the rougher genres for me to get through. However, that assumption has been pretty wrong for the most part. Many of the soul albums I got have been silky smooth and are usually a treat to listen to. This album, however, was kind of more what I was expecting from soul music before I started.
It not bad by any means, and I appreciate the balance between sex and social themes. But all the songs last a minute longer than they should and they all sound the same. This album may be 35 minutes, but it felt longer. Also, Iām not really a fan of Curtisā falsetto. Itās just a bit too high for me, personally.
Favorite track: Billy Jack
Other hits: Jesus, Hard Times
3
Jul 02 2025
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
I didnāt want to come into this hating it because it wasnāt the standard Bee Gees disco that everyone knows. But this did nothing for me. Frankly, Saturday Night Fever was the best thing to happen to these guys because this was kind of bleh. Every track sounds like a Beatles ripoff and the whole album carries this melancholic soft rock ambience that gets old fast. And this was the band 9th album! What the hell did they do for the other eight?
I feel like the main thing that pisses me off about this is that thereās nothing special about this album. Itās just a bland pop album from the 70ās from the band your parents would play to death at parties (or maybe grandparents at this point in time). Honestly, this isnāt a must hear at all.
Favorite track: Walking Back to Waterloo
Other hits: Israel, How Can You Mead A Broken Heart, Donāt Wanna Live Inside Myself, Remembering, Dearest
2
Jul 03 2025
Tommy
The Who
Tommy always felt like one of those albums that get passed around circles as one of the greatest ever madeā¦in terms of rock operas. At least thatās what everyone tells me. Thatās what Wikipedia told me. It also told me the plot synopsis, since I couldnāt understand it for my life. Yeah, thatās my problem with concept albums or rock operas. I try to get a grasp on the āplotā, like a movie, and end up sacrificing all my listening power trying to understand what the hell is going on.
So what I think Iām trying to say is that I kind of think Tommy is a little overrated. Yeah, there are good songs here and there, but the whole thing feels over-indulgent and a little full of itself. I think it lost me somewhere in the 10-minute underture, which felt like padding in an already unnecessarily long album. The only things I grasped were that Tommyās very good at pinball and the less I know about Uncle Ernie, the better.
I hope I donāt feel the same when I eventually get The Wall by Pink Floyd.
Favorite track: Pinball Wizard
Other hits: Christmas, Fiddle About, Go To The Mirror!
3
Jul 04 2025
Brown Sugar
D'Angelo
This was very much a r&b album from the 90ās. Very smooth, but kinda boring. The kind of album where a song would come on, I would blank out, and when I resume to pay attention, the same song would be playing. I was debating giving this a two, but some of the later songs won me over a bit. So it get an extra star. Hallelujah.
Favorite track: When We Get By
Other hits: Crusinā, Shit,Damn,Motherfucker, Smooth, Lady
3
Jul 07 2025
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
Gotta love albums that have two different versions in separate countries. Iām assuming the book listed the UK version, considering it has a hard-on for the UK. But ultimately, I opted for the US version, because it was shorter⦠and because of Paint It Black. Iām not skipping that song.
In reality though, it doesnāt matter. The differences is song order, as well as four songs that didnāt make the US version. Aftermath, regardless of region, was okay. Most of the songs were just kind of standard repetitive 60ās pop. Stuff like Stupid Girl and Under My Thumb were nice and catchy. But I really could have done without Going Home. Eleven minutes of Mick Jagger improvising is a hard pass from me. Honestly, it was a good call for the US version to stick it at the end. The UK version puts it in the middle. That would have made the rest of the album fatiguing.
This was definitely not my favorite album from The Rolling Stones. Itās considered their breakthrough, but I think they needed more development, personally.
Favorite track: Paint It Black
Other hits: Under My Thumb, Stupid Girl, I Am Waiting, Out of Time
3
Jul 08 2025
Live At The Regal
B.B. King
I feel like this project has given me an impulse reaction to dismiss any live album that pops up for me. Iād rather just get a studio album, as opposed to a recording of some random performance that some producers thought was good enough to slap onto a record and sell. This one, however, was an exception.
Given itās a blues live album, Iāll admit that a lot of this can be a bit repetitive. But given the short runtime of this album, itās not that bad.
Itās also B.B. King. The sheer energy he had was one of a kind. I understand now why heās considered a legend. Even the crowd here could sense it. They were going ballistic for almost the whole thing. This is one of the few albums that justifies being live. It really feels like a moment where āyou just had to be thereā.
Favorite track: Sweet Little Angel
Other hits: Itās My Own Fault, You Upset Me Baby, Help the Poor, How Blue Can You Get?
4
Jul 09 2025
Don't Stand Me Down
Dexys Midnight Runners
So somewhere along my time here, I stumbled upon the fact that Dexys Midnight Runners had three albums placed on the list. I donāt know why, but that felt hilarious to me. Itās like Robert Dimey was really into them and pressured people into listening to them outside of āCome on Eileenā. Apparently this is one of those albums that got a so-called ācritical reappraisalā after getting not so good reviews when it came out. I hate to them that I donāt get it⦠actually I donāt. I donāt get it.
Iāll be blunt: this was frustrating. There are glimmers of a good album here and I feel the same energy from DMR that they gave from that one song you know. But thereās just too much bullshit here. The songs are too bloated, Kevin Rowlandās vocals get too dopey, and there a lot of fucking talking. Did they think people want to hear them causally talking for a good chunk of the album?
If they fixed a few things, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this one. But the fact is that itās not good. Some things get the praise they deserve years after they come out. This aināt one of those things.
Favorite track: the parts of This is What Sheās Like that are a coherent song
Other hits: The Waltz, One of Those Things, Listen to This
2
Jul 10 2025
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
The Incredible String Band
I think this is the album that made me question myself. I donāt mean that in the sense that I thought it was awful, like seemingly 90% of the user base here thinks. But because Iām starting to ask myself if Iām just easy to please. This is my fourth album given to me from the lowest rated part of the list. I was expecting a shitshow of weird 60ās psychedelic music that was probably made by a cult or something. But like the other lowest rated albums I got, I left wondering what the hell people thought was that wrong with it.
Yeah, itās got its share of bizarre lyrics, it sounds like it comes from the pits of a local renaissance fair, and it slightly overstays its welcome. But the music mostly competent, dare I say slightly soothing. The instruments and vocals do blend really nicely, which is nothing what I thought it was going to be.
Much like the other lowest-rated albums I got (outside of Kollaps, that was rough), I have no idea why this got the rating it did. Itās weird, I get that. But thereās got to be way worse on here. Maybe Iām just easy to please.
Favorite track: Koeeoaddi There
Other hits: Witches Hat, A Very Celluoid Song, The Minotaurās Song, Nightfall, Mercy I Cry City
4
Jul 11 2025
Vulnicura
Bjƶrk
Iād like to begin this by saying that this is only my second Bjƶrk album that I got. My first was Debut, which I surprisingly really liked. I remember saying in the review for that album, that it was different from what I expected and that I was looking forward to more from Bjƶrk. This album right here, however, was exactly what I feared a Bjƶrk album would be.
Look, I knew Vulnicura would be leagues different than Debut. The circumstances around Bjƶrk were not as happy, so obviously there wasnāt going to be as much trip hop electronic this time around. But I feel as a result, she became a little moreā¦grating? Iām trying not to dismiss this album because itās weird. Weird usually can mean fun, but here it just⦠bored me. I think Bjƶrk has some beautiful vocals, but the runtime of the tracks here make her wear out her welcome really fast. Itās one of those albums where I would look to see how long a song was going for and the progress bar wouldnāt even be halfway.
Maybe this album came at the wrong time. The distance between this and Debut is quite a bit, and I never really got to grasp how Bjƶrkās sound progressed. But I just couldnāt get into this one. But itās okay. Apparently, there still plenty more Bjƶrk left for me here. Hope this is the exception and not the rule.
Favorite track: Quicksand (not because itās the last track. I really liked it the most)
Other hits: History of Touches, Notget, Mouth Mantra
2
Jul 14 2025
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Iām not exaggerating when I say that it literally took me one second into this album for me to realize I was gonna love it. Arctic Monkeys was one of those bands that were somewhere on the edge of my radar, but never really got to the center. I think I considered them too indie for me, probably because of AM (Iāll cross that bridge when I get to it). But after this, Iām practically kicking myself for never really giving them a shot. Itās got every good element of 2000ās rock and alternative. Itās catchy, frantic, and never one-note. I genuinely donāt think there was one weak song here. Even the slow song Riot Van didnāt break the streak. This list has given me some drivel from the UK music scene in the 2000ās. Really, all they needed to give me was stuff like this. Fucking fantastic.
Favorite track: Between A Certain Romance and The View From The Afternoon. Itās hard to pick.
Other hits: rest of the album
5
Jul 15 2025
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
Oh boy, here comes a review of Kendrick Lamar from a non-rap listener. Guess it took this long for me to listen to him, because I gusss the Drake beef and the Super Bowl werenāt enough.
I heard plenty of good things about Kendrick, but letās just say that I didnāt reach an epiphany from this. Some of the problems I have with rap albums are present here, such as the long length (why are most rap albums fucking an hour long) and the questionable lyrical material. I donāt mean āquestionableā like offensive, but more in the sense of juvenile. Iām starting to come to terms that shit like this is what to expect in rap/hip-hop albums and Kendrick couldnāt convince me otherwise.
He has, however, provided some refreshing changes. For one, there arenāt any skits in the sense that they areā¦voicemails? Is that what you would call them? Whatever they are, they add more value to the album than any stupid skit would have. I also noticed that I liked the latter half of the album more than the former, probably because it shows Kendrick maturing as the album goes on. Itās a nice little touch that gives this album a slight edge over some of the other hip-hop I heard.
Overall, Iām not completely sold on Kendrick Lamar. I can see why many would love this album, but itās really not for me personally. Maybe his later efforts can help convince me. Iām sure that there are down the pipeline on this site.
Favorite track: Sing About Me, Iām Dying of Thrist
Other hits: Swimming Pools (Drank), Real, Compton, Money Trees, Bitch, Donāt Kill My Vibe
3
Jul 16 2025
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
This album made me feel two very different feelings. On one hand, the very melancholic nature of some of the songs hit me kind of deep. I donāt know how to describe it, but I felt a weird sense of nostalgia; a longing for some of the times I experienced a decade ago. I think it had to do with the reverb guitar. It was kind of beautiful to be honest.
On the other hand, it was boring as shit. The album drones on for too long and some of this sounds like a depressed Tom Petty. All the emotional fluff gets shoved aside and then I beg for the song to end.
This wasnāt bad, but itās way too slow for my tastes. If every song was cut in half, I probably would have enjoyed it more.
Favorite track: Suffering
Other hits: Disappearing, Lost in the Dream, In Reverse, The Haunting Idle
3
Jul 17 2025
Idlewild
Everything But The Girl
Iām really happy I got this album today. Not because I think itās great or anything. But because Iām having one of those days where shit happens and I could use a completely inoffensive, middle-of-the-road, safe album. Nothing sucks more than getting your favorite album here on one of your bad days.
Ok, snark aside, this is alright. I have a soft spot for soft 80ās cheese and Traceyās got a remarkable voice. But this really pushes on being really bland. It really has no business being on the list at all. Thereās nothing of value that demands it to be listened to. Just a very average 80ās album. With Traceyās voice, it just kind of feels like lost potential.
Favorite track: Love Is Here Where I Live
Other hits: I Always Was Your Girl, Shadow on a Harvest Moon, Apron Strings, Oxford Street
3
Jul 18 2025
Like Water For Chocolate
Common
Iām starting to form a new rule when I rate these albums: if I get a rap or hip-hop album that is over an hour long, the highest I will give it is a 2. Every single rap album that has gone on for over an hour always, fucking always, loses my attention. Unless it brings it S-game, not itās A-game. And honestly, this album brought its C-game.
Itās not complete dog shit, but for its size, itās nothing to write home about. Most of the songs are painfully average and some are just corny as hell, A Film Called (PIMP) and Payback Like A Grandmother especially. It drags on for way too long for what it provides. The only saving grace this album has is that I like that itās more jazzier and smoother than some other rap albums. Otherwise this would be sitting next to The Chronic among my least favorite albums.
Favorite track: The Light
Other hits: Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World)
2
Jul 21 2025
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
I always liked this type of folk rock. Probably because it sounds like the type of music that I would always hear whenever we would have a backyard party at our house, definitely courtesy of my father. I like how for 60ās rock standards, none of the songs really meander endlessly to fill up to five minutes. Outside of Judy, most of the songs are nice and mellow and donāt overstay their welcome. Kind of see why my dad likes them so much.
Favorite track: 49 Bye-Byes
Other hits: Marrakesh Express, You Donāt Have to Cry, Lady of the Island, Pre-Road Downs, Helplessly Hoping, Long Time Gone
4
Jul 22 2025
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
I have a confession to make: I donāt like using the word āoverratedā. If I donāt like something, I just assume that itās my opinion. I donāt like using a word that tries to take down other peopleās opinion to elevate my own. However, I feel like this album became an exception.
I cannot for the life of me, understand the appeal of this album. I get that itās influential and important and whatever. But best of all time? You got to be fucking kidding me.
Outside of lyrical content, I donāt know what about this was daring or bold. Itās just felt like most other 60ās pop/rock I heard before, but now with a focus on drugs and other edgy shit. I feel people like this album because everyone else claims itās the best and no one wants to be Mr. Contrarian. Well, Iāll be that guy. This is, and I donāt mean this lightly, an overrated album.
Also, Nico in this album for like three songs. Thatās criminally low. Sheās the best part of the album and itās seldom used. God, this was so mid.
Favorite track: Iāll Be Your Mirror
Other hits: Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow's Parties
3
Jul 23 2025
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
As somebody who hates country music, I didnāt completely hate this album. I didnāt really care for it, but it could have been much worse. Nanci has a good singing voice and a few of the songs did resonate with me. Itās better than whatever the hell country is today. But other than a few hits, itās alright. Honestly, I kind of wish this was another genre other than country. It probably would have clicked with me more.
Favorite track: The Wing and The Wheel
Other hits: Goinā Gone, More Than A Whisper, One of These Days
3
Jul 24 2025
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Well, after getting Smile after Brian Wilsonās death, I now know this site does tribute albums. Or I have the weirdest luck in the world. Itās bittersweet to get this album now, but here we are. The birthplace of heavy metal.
I feel that if I were to nitpick, the way the tracks are organized for the US version are weird. Like how two of the tracks are just some singles pasted together into one long song. It makes it hard to tell what song is what. But thatās really the only fault. Everything else is iconic, from the creeping as hell album cover, to Tony Iommiās legendary riffs, to Ozzyās iconic vocals. Itās insane that they would only go up from here throughout the 70ās, pissing off everyoneās parents in droves.
There wasnāt anything like it back then and there will be nothing like it ever again. It all started on one day, February 13, 1970, and still rocks to this day.
And while Black Sabbath is a band that consists of four brilliant musicians, obviously it would be nothing without its main singer. I try not to date these reviews, but this death is a rare one that got to me.
R.I.P. Ozzy Osbourne. You will be missed. Thank god you got to perform with the band one last time.
Favorite track: Black Sabbath
Other hits: the rest of the album
5
Jul 25 2025
Life's Too Good
The Sugarcubes
Never in my wildest dreams would I have ever guessed that Bjƶrk started off as the vocalist of a post-punk band. Now that I heard it, it surprisingly works very well. Her vocal style somehow works with the post-punk backdrop. I kept seeing comparisons to the B-52s in the reviews and I definitely see it. They even have their own weird male vocalist too. Thought thereās a little more edge to these guys.
My only critique is that some of this got a little too weird for me, especially Sick for Toys. Besides that, this very much feels like a beta version of a Bjƶrk album before her big break. Crazy that this is how it started for her.
Favorite track: Birthday
Other hits: Motorcrash, Delicious Demon, Coldsweat, Blue Eyed Pop, Deus, Fucking in Rhythm & Sorrow
4
Jul 28 2025
Parallel Lines
Blondie
Did anyone else think One Way or Another or Heart of Glass were made in the 80ās. I mean, itās from 1978, so close enough, but I never would have guessed that year.
Truth be told, I wasnāt the biggest fan of either of those songs, so I expected the album to be mostly like those songs. Thankfully, I was wrong. I barely hear albums where the deep cuts have the same punch as the singles. Props to Debbie Harry for her range, covering both the softer pop parts and the raspy edge of the punk parts. Throw it some nice guitar parts and you have a very enjoyable album.
Favorite track: One Way or Another
Other hits: Heart of Glass, Hanging on the Telephone, Picture This, 11:59, I Know But I Donāt Know, Will Anything Happen, Iām Gonna Love You Too, Just Go Away
4
Jul 29 2025
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
This album is fucking insane, right? Itās Johnny Cash singing about drugs and murder, in front of prisoners, who applaud it. Normally, I hate getting the live albums, but this is a clear exception. And not just because itās recorded in prison. Thereās just something between the warden announcements and Johnnyās Cash carefree nature that make this just⦠real. Even the set list is top notch. Outside the songs about the crime and stuff, thereās a lot of songs that reflect on the melancholy of the audienceās reality. It kind of humanizes them. Hell, even picking one of the inmateās songs to end the show was a hell of a choice. I wonāt say this pushed itself to the top of my list. Some of this album is a little samey, but nothing that made it feel too detrimental. This is a rare live album that everyone needs to experience.
Favorite track: Cocaine Blues
Other hits: Folsom Prison Blues, 25 Minutes to Go, Flushed From The Bathroom Of Your Heart, Jackson, Greystone Chapel, Give My Love To Rose, The Wall, Send A Picture To Mother
4
Jul 30 2025
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
You know, I was ready to dismiss this album as modern country trash. Then I heard the first song and thought that I might actually enjoy this album. But then, somehow it got worse as it progressed and I now just dismiss it as modern country trash. The songs, god, how many of them does Lucinda just repeat the title over and over again? And Lucinda is borderline monotone on some of these songs. There are shades of a good album here, hence why it gets spared from a one-star. But all thatās here is just mediocre.
Favorite track: Right In Time
Other hits: I Lost It
2
Jul 31 2025
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
I got to admit I wasnāt expecting Dire Straitās debut album to be as chill as it was. It kind of lacked in variety as compared to their later efforts (Brothers In Arms), but it certainly made up for it with the Knopflerās guitar playing. Seriously, this has to be some of the coolest guitar work put on an album. Normally, my main problem with 70ās rock was the over reliance of the solos, but here they were justified. Itās not perfect, but it makes for a chill vibe. And itās got Sultans of Swing, so thereās that.
Favorite track: Sultans of Swing
Other hits: Down to the Waterline, Setting Me Up, Six Blade Knife, In The Gallery, Wild West End
4
Aug 01 2025
Done By The Forces Of Nature
Jungle Brothers
Iām starting to come to the realization that I think the rise of gangsta rap was the worst thing to happen to hip-hop, since it practically put an end to the era of hip-hop that focused on being jazzy and groovy. I have never heard of these guys at all and this album isnāt even on Spotify or Apple. As I started to go through this album, I felt the familiar vibes that I felt from something like De La Soul. That smooth style with a hint of social commentary and respect for ancestral roots. It was genuinely a nice surprise.
However, the album got a little corny, I guess thatās the word, as it went on. It leaned a little too much into the Jesus stuff. Also, it was a little too long. By the seconds half, I was tired of it.
Overall, this was pretty good. Would have never found it without this list.
Favorite track: U Make Me Sweat
Other hits: Beyond This World, What U Waitinā 4, Feelinā Alright, Tribe Vibes, Sunshine, Done By The Forces Of Nature
3
Aug 04 2025
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
I want to extend an apology to the Zombies. I initially saw this album and thought it was just going to be another forgettable psychedelic album. What I instead got what a very nice collection of baroque pop. It didnāt sound super dated, like only those who were stoned at the time would enjoy it. The harmonies were great and the production was great. How the fuck was this reviewed indifferently back then?
While I donāt see this sitting among my top-rated albums, I appreciate the talent on display here and I apologize for assuming this would be more 60ās psych crap.
Sincerely, this dumbass.
Favorite track: Time Of The Season
Other hits: A Rose for Emily, Brief Candles, Butcherās Tale (Western Front 1914), This Will Be Our Year, Care of Cell 44, Friends of Mine
4