I can't call this bad, but I can call it boring af... In fact it bored the fuck out of me.. I won't be able to have sex for an entire week because of this album (5.75) 😴😴½

8.5 ★★★★

The first time I heard it I was in Active Training for the reserves and I had checked out a library CD copy to listen to on down time (along with a hand full of other titles) but it was right before lights out and I just relaxing in my bunk listening to this on headphones and it spoke to me deep. I felt every ache and heartbreak on the tracks. His voice so warm and emotional. It was like listening to a buddy pour his heart out. It was an instant favorite of mine since. This may not be an all purpose banger, but, man, in the right senerio, you can truly understand this album and this album understands you. (10)★★★★★

I'm sorry but Abba does nothing for me as a whole. Thier music is so comically Eurovision down the line to me... Best song on the album for me was "Knowing Me Knowing You" the only other songs I actually liked were the bonus tracks (in fact I liked both of them better than "KMKY") (5.7) ★★½

It was a five for me back when it came out and still a fantastic listen for me today. (10)

Love the hell out of it (9.5) ★★★★½

My 7th favorite Zepp album (8.95) ★★★★

She has always been one of my favorite songwriters and this set is all you need to hear to see why. Just classic after classic. Warm and inviting... Solid 10 out of 10 ★★★★★

My absolute favorite Talking Heads album 10 ★★★★★

Well, after giving two listens, I will have to say this might be the best one I've heard to date. It starts of with everything thing in its right place. I actually love that opening track... BUT THEN, the title track is the same ok that's interesting, but it also feels cold and metallic. Maybe that was the feeling they were going for, if it was kudos, but it's not a feeling I look for in music. After that there are four key tracks that sold me, "The National Anthem", "Optimistic", "Morning Bell", and "Motion Picture Soundtrack"... But there are two tracks that lost in that me completely in that Radiohead experimental haze, "Treefingers" and "Idioteque". The other two main tracks I do like enough, though I can't say they neither added or detracted from my overall opinion of the album. (8.75) ★★★★

Big correction... I rated the wrong record... Warehouse is more in a post punk mode or even proto pop punk and was more to my liking than New Day Rising (7.15) ★★★½

Loved the mix of rock with native African melodies in top. I can really get into this. (8.0)★★★★

This is really not up my alley, but I get it, and I get why it's looked up to. There are some songs I did like most noatably the opening track "When Will They Shoot" and "Check Yo Self". But for the most part thus taps into thoughts an emotions I'm not exactly comfortable with. I also think that in a way it's supposed to take me there. I may not like listening to it, but I do respect it's place in musical discourse. (5.75) ★★½

8.3 ★★★★ Could have been higher if I liked his vocals better, but band wise I freakin loved it.

Not a band I am particularly drawn to. This was no exception (6.5) ★★★

An album I loved in my college years. Holds up pretty well for me today... At least the first ⅔ of it. The opening three songs really kick! Kind get a bit fillery at the end. But it closes nicely with "Milk" which has a nice James Bond theme sound, which would prove advantageous a few years later. (8.8) ★★★★

Like with most Millennial alt, I find it kind of interesting, yet just out of my total appreciation. (7.25) ★★★½

Though I do like this album quite a bit, I've never been sold on the GOAT reputation it has. That being said Sloop John B. is a magnificent song! (7.75) ★★★½

8.4 ★★★★ The first six tracks are off the hook... Then only 1 of the last five. But overall quite an enjoyable listen

Absolutely love this album (9.5) ★★★★½

I thought I'd like this one more... Strangely I think side 2 was the better side. Especially with both "Season of the Witch" and "Fat Angel" on that side. (8.1) ★★★★

Oooh! I listened to this last year for the first time... It was an instant fiver! (10) ★★★★★

I actually like the grooves of this album but far too repetitive for it's hour long runtime. Probably could stand it more if I had some X on hand. But I still love "Praise You" like I did way back then, and really dug the surf music samples in "Soul Surfing". I also really enjoyed "Right Here. Right Now", but that was before I realized this repetitive groove thing takes up about 80% to 90% of the album. [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½ [7.6] ★★★½

I really enjoyed the way this album started off, but as the album wore on I don't know if I was feeling disconnected with the changing styles or if it was just going to far in areas that for the most part don't interest me. It is beautifully produced and I can see why some people would get something out of this. But for me after "Broken Skin", "Letting Go", "Homelands" and "Tides" nothing else quite reached me. After the first five tracks, I was aiming for a strong four, but after the Journey of the subsequent seven tracks, I'm landing on a (2.85) ★★½

Um... yeah. (3.4) ★½

Fantastic live album! (9.2) ★★★★½

Enjoyed the album, but as far as Beatlesque Brit pop goes, there were ones better and earlier than this. Not sure why this would be deemed essential. (7.9) ★★★½

I really liked the album, though this kind of low fi slacker rock isn't always my thing, but most of this fit right onto my taste. Especially some of the solos kinda sporadically sprinkled through out the album. (8.5) ★★★★

To me Janis carries the band, which to me the band gave me Jefferson Airplane vibes. In fact, I kinda feel like this album is a lesser Crown of Creation which was recorded and released about the same time. (both being Bay Area bands, there was probably some cross influence going on). The two songs where Sam Andrew takes the lead vocals are easily my least favorite songs of the set. Pretty much through the entire play... until "Ball and Chain" which is the crown jewel of this album. Not only is her vocals just on top of it, the dark distorted guitar work of Andrew absolutely kills. I think that one 9 min epic closing the album definitely lands this in 4 territory (8.25) ★★★★

Absolute classic from my middle school years! (9.25) ★★★★½

Lupe Fiasco's Food and Liquor [2006] Didn't like it all that much, seemed rather derivative to me. "Just Might Be OK" reminded me of Beyoncé's "Crazy In Love". "The Instrumental" reminded me of Linkin Park. For the most part he sounds like a protege of Jay-Z maybe with a little bit of Emenem's slower flow. I dug some of the music bed and samples, but to me this is pretty much down the line aughts hip hop to me. Again I'm not a rap guy so I ain't the person this album was aimed. With out counting the 12min of shout outs. I should because it's actually part of the album, but I'm not. There is a reason most people walk out of the movies during the credits. Im going with a (5.5) ★★½

I prefer a couple of Pixies abums to this, Doolittle and Basanova for sure. On par maybe a bit better than Surfer Rosa. Still a great album overall (8.6) ★★★★

I did like side one a heck of a list getter than side two. Still liked I "Ain't Got Nothing" and the Isaac Hayes cover "Do Your Thing" off side two as well. (8.1) ★★★★

What I liked about the album... "Survivor", "Emotion" (sorry, I'm a sucker for a well written Gibb/Gibb song), and "Dangerously In Love". I kinda dig the a capella harmonies on "Gospel Medley", I just wish there was more emotion behind it. It doesn't breathe. What I hated... Pretty much everything else. (5.3) ★★½

Donald Fagen - Nightflyer The first two songs on each side have the makings of five star album. "I.G.Y.", "Green Flower Street", "New Frontier", and "The Nightflyer" all have the makings of the perfect follow up to "Aja" (better than *Goucho* at least) The rest... are... I guess fine songs. "Maxine" is the best of the rest, but the Steely Dan-ing of a Drifters/Leiber&Stoller classic is comical at best. This comes close to matching the magic of the classic six run of Dan, but not quite (8.7) ★★★★

(7.75) ★★★½

(7.6) ★★★½

Elliott Smith - Either/OR (9.7) ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

I liked the album, but I can't take it seriously one bit. It reminds me of something Eric Idol would come up with for Dirk McQuickly (7.5) ★★★½

Side one I loved a light 4½, but the second half lost me... Except for the closer.. I loved that one. I'm keeping the volume unit meter at 7.75 ★★★½

9.5 ★★★★½

Very Coldplayish (7.8) ★★★½

Still a classic in my book (9.9) ★★★★½

Back in 2022, I gave this (7.5) ★★★½ on my 1997 dive. After giving it a relisten, we'll, it is very front loaded. The first eight tracks I was like what was I thinking... 4½ easy. But from "Chinese Bombs" on it's a flat 3½. To make matters worse I truly disliked "Essex Dogs" (ending on a song I kinda hate is a good way to bomb a score) But this time I'm going up to a light 4... It's easily the best Britpop album we've heard so far. It's not a carbon copy of other Britpop acts. It's got it's own swagger, and I like that about this album. Even if the back half falls off a bit. Blur [1997] (8.1) ★★★★

(10) ★★★★★

Well my favorite song was the hidden track "Flashing Blue Lights" the only track on this that kinds rocked it out a bit... The rest just reminded me of that kind of mopy post-Brit pop kind of in the likes of Keane (which I hope I don't jynx us and summon them up in our randomizer) It's fine, I kinda like it, but it's a light 3½. (7.2) ★★★½

Absolute Stevie banger! (10) ★★★★★

6.8 ★★★ It's fine well recorded, great players, but the music didn't strike me a anything out of the ordinary. Kinda by the book.

Straight up fiver (10) ★★★★★

Roni Size & Resprazent - New Forms (79 min) Not as bad as I was expecting (4.01) ★★ Roni Size & Resprazent - New Forms (full 140 min original release) Oh God, kill me now! (3.25) ★½

Bowie Banger (9.95) ★★★★½

I actually really love what EC is doing on this album. And the song more centered around the guitar really burn. But quite often when the guitar was not the main focus, it feels like a lesser British pop band. John Mayall with Eric Clapton - Blues Breakers (8.8) ★★★★

There are a few key track that keep this from being way up in my 4½ zone. But I also think overexposure and time has not been kind to this album. But it's still a good one 8.7 ★★★★

This is an all timer for me. And even in some of the moments that aren't my favorites the concept is so compelling that I can't help but admire it. (9.9) ★★★★½

8.2 ★★★★

I'm sorry but Abba does nothing for me as a whole. Thier music is so comically Eurovision down the line to me... Best song on the album for me was "Knowing Me Knowing You" the only other songs I actually liked were the bonus tracks (in fact I liked both of them better than "KMKY") (5.7) ★★½

Fiver... Too easy

Magnificently beautiful album. (10) ★★★★★

For some reason I've always held this album to a high regard but never really listen to it all that much at least not as much as *The Hurting*. And I think a lot of it has to do with the big singles definitely "Shout", my favorite, and "Head Over Heels"are just magnificent... and" Everybody Wants To Rule The World" is undeniably a perfect little pop song. But not much else draws my attention.... Side 2 itself, other than the aforementioned "Head Over Heels", seem to be more about sonic texture rather than song craft and it kinda lost me there. High 3.5, but 4 on the app (7.8) ★★★½

If there is one thing I found Magnificent about the Tom Waits album it is the fact that it sounds so natural that it is pretty much unlike anything I associate with 1985. I absolutely adore the sonics he was going for. As for the material I'm a little less sure where I want to go as far as rating it because I enjoy it but it's not something that I would want to pull out and listen regularly. But it is rather charming in its own right. I really kind of dig a lot in the early part of the album the kind of New Orleans feel. In some ways it kind of almost made me feel like I was listening to a musical production by Tim Burton. So I imagine Danny Elfman was very inspired by this album. I must admit I did not know that he wrote "Downtown Train" which is never been one of my favorite Rod Stewart songs. I do much prefer Tom Waits mainly because Rod Stewart at the point where he recorded it was basically making everything sound like a bland pop song where Tom Waits almost gives like this springsteen-esque delivery that gave it some urgency. All in all it's a real solid four for me though (8.67) ★★★★

My #3 all timer 10 ★★★★★

I'm going (4.8) ★★ The hit was the highlight and the closer.. The rest did nothing for me, in fact the slower songs were utter snooze-fests. Not my kind of Disco. I don't find this album exemplary of disco... I'm not sure why its inclusion

Easy (10) ★★★★★

(7.8) ★★★½

(10) ★★★★★

Talking Heads '77 [1977] (9.6) ★★★★½

I quite enjoyed this album. But I have no kick against soft jazz... I've been known to dig on some Bob James, Grover Washington Jr., and yes even Chuck Mangione. (8.1) ★★★★

(6.6) ★★★

I wanted to give it a 3 star for being so fucking long, but it's not a threefer... I could probably edit this down to a 75 min strong to high 3½ star... mostly cutting from disc 2. Disc one actually is not that bad as it is even with "Zero" still in play. Definitely woukd keep "1979", "Through The Eyes of Ruby" and the closer. (7.1) ★★★½

I actually really enjoyed this one... Musically really kept me interested. The vocals were really not to my liking, but actually worked with the feel of the music but as the album. The latter half of the album is what really sold me on it as a whole "Dirty as The Rain" stuck me as a left of center Van Zandt tune. The solo on "No Reply" just soars, but my favorite song on the album is "Satellite". It's dirty groove really pulled me in from the start I'm starting this off at an (8.15) ★★★★ with room to grow on me.

It's fine. I thought from the opening two tracks I was really gonna like it. Not like crazy love, but dig it well enough. I did recognize "Kinky Afro" once it got to the "Yippy Yippy ya ya yay I had to crucify somebody today" I was like, oh that song. After "God's Cop" it was pleasant enough to listen to maybe in the background but really not much to hang on to. (6.8) ★★★

Yeah, this Linkin Park album is closer to Limp Bizkit than *Meteora*. It's only saving grace is "Crawling" and the closer "Pushing Me Away" which are the closest thing to being three star songs. However, they're not. Most of this album is plain old fucking horrible. By all means, *Hybrid Theory* is worse than *Meteora* (3.8) ★½

I have a slight heart for soft jazz. I don't think any smooth jazz, quiet storm, whatever what you want to call it, ever gets above a four rating, because it never pushed any boundaries, but it's a nice enjoyable sound for me. This is definitely not one my favorites (or my favorites of the genre), but it works for what it is. (7.3) ★★★½ I don't feel this particular album is essential. If I were to replace this with another soft jazz album it would be Chuck Mangione - Feels So Good.

I get it's influence, but nothing about this album was appealing. Usually that would slide me in a 2½★ direction but I really disliked the over all sound I couldn't give it any higher than a two. (4.3) ★★

I heard this for the first time a couple years ago whefn I did a complete album dive on Siouxsie and The Banshees, it was and probably still is my favorite album of theirs. It's dark yet melodic and it set the tone for 80s goth... Love it! (8.9) ★★★★

I used to go see a band simmilar to this in Memphis in the early 90s called Freeworld. They were a lot of fun to see live. But their studio albums felt sterile and left much to be desired. I kinda feel Fishbone would be the same for me. But unlike Freeworld were it brings out incredible memories of the old 616... I just feel the sterility. (5.3) ★★½

4.33 ★★★★

4.5 ★★★★

9.6 ★★★★½ Just an incredible gorgeous album

I wanted to like this so much.. Especially since it really kinda feels like a sibling album to what Siouxsie & The Banshees were doing at the time. Although there are striking elements I can point out as sounding cool (especially the guitar work), there's an overall drone to the album that didn't really doo much for me. Also Roberts perpetually whining singing which has always been a problem for me, I think work with the droning, but is not something I really care to listen to. (6.7) ★★★

9.33 ★★★★½

(9.8) ★★★★½

I really dig the college rock groove on most of the track, and over all a great listen. My only real gripe is the lack of cohesiveness amongst some of the tracks that just seem way out of place. But it always seems like right after that song it would pop back into what I really enjoy about the album. I will give it a light but solid four. (8.3) ★★★★

First thing, I can't believe this was 1988, because it sounds so 90s alt and definitely not trapped in 80s reverb production from hell. Music like this can really go either way with me, but very rarely does it affect me like this does. I freaking love it. I feel like the more chaotic parts of the album add to the palate of these well crafted songs. It makes them blister, while still being accessible to my tastes. Not quite a fiver, but pretty damn near. (9.75) ★★★★½

Other than the ubiquitous hit, "Our House", the closing the closing track, "Madness (Is All In The Mind)" , and to a lesser extent "Tiptoes", (all of which are on side 2) this album is a total slog. The fact is that side one was actually a chore to sit through. I'm keeping this in the two star range. (4.7) ★★

Parts of thus album are just f'n great but about half of it is jusr merely good and solid... I'll split the difference and go (8.2) ★★★★

The first time I heard it I was in Active Training for the reserves and I had checked out a library CD copy to listen to on down time (along with a hand full of other titles) but it was right before lights out and I just relaxing in my bunk listening to this on headphones and it spoke to me deep. I felt every ache and heartbreak on the tracks. His voice so warm and emotional. It was like listening to a buddy pour his heart out. It was an instant favorite of mine since. This may not be an all purpose banger, but, man, in the right senerio, you can truly understand this album and this album understands you. (10)★★★★★

I'm actually going to go high 4 on this the... every time I think about this album I mainly think of the originals which are off the hook good and them alone are a very high 4½. The covers are a mixed bag for me. The two that I've never heard the originals, The Wailers' "Dirty Robbers" and Richard Berry's "Have Love Will Travel", I freakin loved, but I have nothing else to skew my position. I do really dig their cover of Barrett Strong's "Money" and Nappy Brown's "Night Time is The Right Time", but there are more definitive versions of those songs. The rest of the covers I think work really well in context of the album, but on their own I probably would not seek them out. Overall this is still a very fun listen just a bit shy of a 4½...but one I will always love to play and play LOUD! (8.8) ★★★★

(10) ★★★★★

I can't stand his flow, if that's even a flow. It sounds more like talking around a beat than rapping on it. The tracks come off a cheesy, obnoxious and sometime downright annoying. And most of the singing just grated on my nerves. There are a lot of stuff I don't like that I can see the appeal. I had a hard time with this one. Even the two songs I can almost get, "Fit but You Know It" and "Dry Your Eyes", there still enough that annoys me to truly appreciate them. The rest of the album, I don't get the appeal at all. (2.8) ★

I really love the arrangements on this album. But quite honestly not their strongest batch of songs. "How Can You Mend A Broken Heart", "Isreal" and "Don't Want to Live Inside Myself" are the stand out tracks. The final two cuts "Lion in Winter" and "Walking Back to. Waterloo" I loved the progression of the song much more than I did the songs themselves. But then there's songs like "Dearest" (definate slog) and quite frankly most of the first side that are kinda slogs. They have much better albums than this... Especially in their 60s run, and *Main Course* of course. (7.33) ★★★½

Ok... Julian Cope... I like this album a hell of a lot better than I thought I was going to. Especially after reading the comments left here yesterday. This album does really have a bad case of doublealbumitis. But unlike most bloated I know exactly what I cut and that would be exactly where the first album ends, "Drive She Said" ends side 2. The first half was looking like a light 4½ star album for me. I love the instrumentions and some of the elongated vamps that would let the guitar take over. I was actually wondering what you all were talking about. The second half is a big old mixed bag. Though I didn't dislike anything on it, and there are a handful of tracks on that I really enjoyed as well. I just didn't feel invested in the second half as much as I did the first, definitely in the 3½ star range. I think overall it feels like a very light four for the whole album. But I really did love that first half of the album. (8.1) ★★★★

I think I dig *Seventeen Seconds* a bit more than *Pornography* ||I know there's 17 sec watching pornography joke to be told but I won't do it here||. Mainly because I really dig post punk and its angular guitars. That being said this does have the Cure drone that I'm not a big fan of, but doesn't bother me here as much as it did in "Pornography". Some there are several tracks I seriously enjoyed "A Forest", "At Night", "Play For Today" and the title track would make a killer Ep. But the more goth atmospheric tracks just left me a bit cold and I didn't care for them. (7.1) ★★★½

Gawd! This album is awful! I just got to "Two For The Price of One" and it has to be the absolute worst Abba song I've ever heard! (4.6) ★★ And that's my final offer

A couple songs I really liked... Strangely enough it was the two singles (atw). The first half of the album I kinda liked, second half was ok. Over all. It's an album. It has music. Some actually work... But I think I'd ve better off throwing those single on a playlist and forgoing the rest. (6.7) ★★★

10 ★★★★★

The first half of *Ritual Lo Habitual* is good... If the second half followed suit, probably a moderate to sting 3½. But the second side is Sofa King good! I gonna slide this as an ultra high four (8.85) ★★★★

Honestly a really strong album for a genre that's hard for me to get into. But I do really like the flow of the raps and the all around beat and prodution. That horn/siren/whatever sound that they used though grates on my nerves to the nth degree. Another thing that I dint think affects my score but I didn't like was the live hype bits which to me didn't flow with the studio tracks.. I think if they were craftfully edited in instead of fade in and out it would have felt more like they were part of the album. But as I said I think the rest of the album was strong enough to ignore them as a whole. (8.2) ★★★★

(8.2) ★★★★

Well... every time I listen to Elvis Costello, his material always feels like something I should really get into, I just don't all that much. That being said this is actually one I enjoyed pretty well. It's just shy of a 4 for me, but it will get a 4 on the app. Some of my favorites were "Blame It On Cain", "I'm Not Angry", and although it technically doesn't count, "Watching The Detectives" (7.75) ★★★½

I was not expecting to like this one. I'm not usually drawn to industrial sounds, but this melds it with acoustic and distinct melodies. Thematically this album is definitely one for a mood, and considering the day I had at work today, I needed this mood. It's quite cathartic (8.3) ★★★★

I'm not sure if dream pop is my thing. Thus album is not bad but the heavy effects coupled with the heavy reverb is just not a sound I really like. It sounds just glassy and gimmery, and to me at least makes me lose any emotion behind it. And it's not that it's not there, it just feels like it's down a cathedral hall. It's not close or immediate. All in all I didn't hate the album and although there are no tracks that stood out to me, there are aspects of it I truly enjoy. (7.3) ★★★½

(8.6) ★★★★

Welp. I listened to the UK version and I was going to A/B it to the US version I have... But no need... The UK is a five star banger anyway and no real need to campare fivers. I probably slightly prefer the US, maybe because it has more of the well known material or that I'm just used to that version. But quite frankly, my least favorite track on the set is on both versions "Love or Confusion" and it's not a dog by any means anyway. Not my topper most, but way up there (10) ★★★★★

*Trio* is such a beautiful album. At times too beautiful for it's own good. I coukd hear some of this being performed before a quiet respectful audience, clapping respectfully between songs for a DVD that will be sold on PBS on pledge week. But they are all solid performances and there is a trio of songs right in the middle where it feels more natural "Wallflowers", "Telling Me Lies", and "My Dear Companion". (8.95) ★★★★

I kinda wanted to like this better, it's a lot of fun, I'd lands as kind link between Glam and Glam metal... Glam punk if you will. But it still didn't 100 bowl me over. 7.8 ★★★½

Baaba Maal and Mansour Seck - Djam Leelii This was the one I was scared of the most when I went on on this, but I absolutely loved this album. Yes it's way out of the way of music I listen to, but it's was an awesome discovery for me. (8.33) ★★★★

Saint Etienne - Foxbase Alpha.. Music like this can go either way with me.. But in small doses, absolutely love this kind of stuff. Across a full album it wears on me a bit... I did omit the two tracks added for the US version so it was a bit shorter than it's hour run time I'm going with (7.3) ★★★½

9.8 ★★★★½

I almost went with. High 4 mainly because the last half was not as strong as the first.. But I think all I all it deserves a light 4½ 9.2 ★★★★½

8.4 ★★★★

7.4 ★★★½

I'm glad I revisited this album.. Though I've always rated it as a four, I think this list ends I really got into the textures of the albums. Still not quite the all out fiver of it's reputation for me but getting closer (9.5)

There are aspects of this album I really dug. The post punk vibe of the rhythm section mainly. But between the singer, which I disliked his delivery throughout the album, andthe overwhelming artsy tinkering which quite frankly either didn't move me or in the case of the Musique Conrete "Sentimental Journey" just down right hated. This just isn't anything I'd ever return to and quite frankly felt like a waste of my time. (3.85) ★½

This is one I've loved since early High School. If there was a weak spot in the album it would be the Lp closer "Tea of Sahara" which is kinda a look forward to Stings solo career, which I like, but never near enough as The Police together. But man other than that even the "weird" tracks (Mother, and Miss Gradenko) I think really work in context. 10 ★★★★★

It was a five for me back when it came out and still a fantastic listen for me today. (10)

I'm giving a real low score to Slim Shady. Lyrically I can't stand the album, not because they are poor or sloppy, but the tone and the subject matter just fills me with hate. I don't enjoy glorification of domestic abuse. I don't enjoy the way he puts his children in the middle of it (lyrically). I know these acts of violence and atrocities happen every day. I personally don't like it in my entertainment. I don't need to be reminded how absolutely fucked up this world is. I have witnessed it myself.. Honestly... The only good thing I want to say about this album is that I think that the utter hate and anger I feel is what he wants the listener to feel. In that he's done his job. But all in all, I hate feeling this much hate in my system. I honestly wish I hadn't heard this album. (3.5) ★½

10 ★★★★★

I really enjoyed this not upper tier but a sold gothic post punk entry (8.5) ★★★★

This is one I didn't think would be in the book, mainly because it's not as talked about as much as say Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere, Harvest, After The Gold Rush or Rust Never Sleeps. But it's solid album for sure if not in his upper echelon. (8.9) ★★★★

Other than "Who You Funkin' With?", which I really liked, this album didn't really much for me. I do see the influence this collection of single meant to rap a a genre though, it just wasn't anything I'm interested in. But didn't dislike it so.. Light 3 (6.3) ★★★

I can't call this bad, but I can call it boring af... In fact it bored the fuck out of me.. I won't be able to have sex for an entire week because of this album (5.75) 😴😴½

The second record is where thus really cooks, though the opening track of the album is also a grand highlight (8.55) ★★★★

I guess I like Bon Jovi more than I thought. (5.3) ★★½

Im staying the same... What keep this set so compelling is Darline Love's four songs which are the best on the album. (this was the reason Love was the Queen of Christmas before Mariah Carey stole her crown). Also the three Ronnettes songs are bangin'. The Crystals were the least compelling of the three girls groups, but really didnt do much to hurt the album as a whole... It would be an easy mid to light 4½ if it wasn't for the two Bob B. Sox songs, which are like his stage name, bland and bad. The spoken word Outro didn't do much to help the album. I'd sooner leave it off, but at least it short and doesn't go on infinitum like other credit tracks I've heard. Given that Darline, Ronnie, and the Crystal take up over 75% of the album I think it still warrents an (8.75) ★★★★

I really kinda like this album quite a bit. There is a lot of this album that sounds inspired by that transition 70/80s rock i get vibes of Straits, Floyd, Petty, Springsteen influence with a glimmer of Millennial sheen. One thing this album does well which can be a land mind for be is extendeding an ending a few minutes after the song is done. In the right hands if find it enjoyable and I think they hit that sweet spot. (8.4) ★★★★

9.7 ★★★★½

9.5 ★★★★½

There is so much I want to like about this album. First of all I love her voice. There's an aching passion that draws me note for note though out the album. I think that's what keeps me wanting to appreciate this more. It is a bit out of my usual wheelhouse, but done female Neo-soul act hace garnered my attention as of late. Though out this album there are some great production sonics that I really dig. But I think it comes down to the songs themselves don't make any of this feel like something I'd like to revisit over and over again. I'm going to give this a really light 3½, just because there is something there that really attracts me, but not fully fleshed out. (7.00) ★★★½

The first time I hea heard this record it was back when it was up for album of the year. And the first half of it was really hard for me to take but as the story grew along I really became invested in the album a lot more than I am most rap albums. 8.5 ★★★★

This is the kind of music that I kind of like but for the most part if I never heard it again it wouldn't phase me. 6.8 ★★★

I really did not like this album much at all. And there are aspects of it I really dug especially in the tracks. But for the most part, I don't like this kind hip hop/rap. I can't even really put a finger on why, I just don't. I do kinda feel like this is an important album thematically and musically, but even somehow recognizing that did not equate to appreciation. Two songs I did like... "The 6th Sense" and "A Song for Assata" they did struck a chord in me. The most of the rest honestly made me feel in comfortable. If I was more into this gernre as a whole, I could see myself rating this highly, but I really was soaked in a negative reaction to this. (4.85) ★★

It's OK. I remembered the critical hype when this album came out.. Never matched the public disinterest as a whole.. Me too... 6.3, ★★★

Easy 10

I don't know what to say except that reggae bores me. This was no exception. To me reggae is ska if you took out the tempo, the horns and the exuberance. It just feels like music made by and for stoners. May be it's just too laid back for me, but everytime I hear that reggae beat and guitar pattern, it just bores me to tears. I'll take a cocaine driven music instead. (5.3) ★★½

8.5 ★★★★

The strength of this album truly lies if four absolutely phenomenal songs "You Are Sunshine of My Life", "Maybe Your Baby", "Superstition", and "I Believe". Those three keep this in the 4½ star realm. The rest for the most part are great tracks, but don't really jump off the turntable like the four I mentioned. (9.1)

Enjoyed this pretty well. It was actually a good listen for a bitter winter day.. It almost has a winter song feel to it. Bleek and cold while wanting to be warm. Some of the songs the just felt at odds with the rest of the album (the ones with more production to them) but overall this was a good listen. (8.2) ★★★★

The first two albums are really Queen finding their sound. This to me is where Queen truly became Queen. The 100% fun tracks, to dead serious, to quick change genres, all the theatrics that is Queen is in full force on this album. They would perfect it in the next. But to me this is where Queen truly begins. (9.4) ★★★★½

I think I enjoy the legend of the band more than the band itself. I had a copy of this as a teen in the early 80s. Pretty much a must have album if you were an 80s hard rock/metal fan. They were the band our bands looked up to. And I can see why. Loud, abrasive, yet strangely melodic. As I grew older I grew out of it. (I don't think I played it often anyway) Still, this is fine album, a lot of fun when your pissed at the world and need to let it out. And in the right mood this could be the album of the moment... Listening today it's a bit cliché and played out, but still a fun listen. (8.4) ★★★★

This is basically what I consider 60s coffeehouse jazz. It's nice, but overwhelmingly safe. I kinda needed this kind of mellow buzz this morning, it's good. But that 60s jazz somba sound just reminds me of movie and TV tropes to kinda code to the hip beatnik crowd. It's fine, but not something I'm particularly drawn to. I don't know if it's the rhythm or the genre, because I kinda dig it when Santana employs similar rhythms or vibes, but in the context of 60s jazz it just strike me as there.. OK... Good, but not moving. (7.3) ★★★½

9.95 ★★★★½

Starting with what I liked, some of the guitar work on this is pretty damn good. I had two big issues with the album one the lead singer seems to be leaning into this bawdy juvenile character and it feels more like a caricature rather than something I can believe. My second is personally I think the songs are shit. I dig good rockin glam based rock, but this felt like third rate Brownsville Station. As far as them being the first punk album. I don't buy it. It contains nothing of the visceral anger of bands like say the Clash or even the Sex Pistols. In fact it feels more like the songs and vocals are playing to the mic. If I heard this when I was 12, I might find this clever and funny, but as a 55 year old coot, it just seemed silly (5.3) ★★½

There is one thing about the Kinks which is both one of the things I find most endearing about them but simultaneously puts me at arm's length and that is they are probably the most British sounding band of the major rock bands of the '60s. Where as the Beatles pretty well blended the cultures and the Stone went out to prove they were the best American band from Britain, the Kinks always seem to double down on their Brittishness. Pretty much always to a very charming results. But as an American, I do feel the cultural differences. Still this was a very fun and engaging listen. I actually listened to it three times today what I love really loved, but there was just way to much that just wasn't up to that level. Especially on the second half which probably affected the overall final feel.

The Smiths - "Strangeways, Here We Come" [1987] I'm sorry I just don't get the absolute love for this band. Mainly due to Morresey's vocals which to me is not much more than a whiny drone. Musically I can get into them but his vocal delivery almost always kills it for me. I think this album starts off pretty well with the first three song "Death of a Disco Dancer" being my favorite with the band build up towards the end. After that its just the same old Smiths that I don't think is bad, I just hear nothing compelling in it. "Unhappy Birthday", though I kinda like the lyrics, the delivery made my eyes roll. And "Paint a Vulgar Picture" it just sounds like he starts singing winding and wavering in wind. I went cross-eyed listening to it. "Death at Ones Elbow" is a great late entry, but overall not enough to pull it out of the overall blah that is The Smiths. (6.7) ★★★

Not quite as epic as their first two to me, but man, "The Changeling", "Love Her Madly", "L.A. Woman", "L'America", "The WASP (Texas Radio and the Big Beat)", and of course "Riders On The Storm"... this album is Sofa King good! (9.9) ★★★★½

This is one I keep wanting to think as one of my fivers... And if I just take the four major pieces "Roundabout", "Southside of the Sky", Long Distance Runaround", and "Heart of the Sunrise" as far as I'm concerned it is. Which leaves the five individual highlights. Squire's "The Fish" is basically an extension of "Runaround" and Howe's acoustic guitar interlude actually fits the flow of the album as a brief light breather between key tracks. Anderson's vocal exercise would have be better single bridge between "Roundabout" and "South Side" but unfortunately Wakeman's "Cans and Brahms" honestly felt out of place, as did Bruford's "Five Percent" (Though "5%" was closer to the feel of the album. "Brahms" felt out of place all over). (9.45) ★★★½

Near perfect album (9.9) ★★★★½

As much as Bookends has many of their best works: Bookends Theme, America, Fakin' It, Mrs Robinson, Hazy Shade of Winter, there is large section of side one: Overs/Voices of Old People/Old Friends, that really keeps it from being a perfect five. My least favorite of the ones in the book, and hands down better than the two that didn't make it. (9.4) ★★★★½

I really wanted to like this album mainly because this is the kind of post punk/new wave I really get into. My main hangup is the quirky vocal delivery which worked for me on some track... Not so much on others. My stand out tracks were "Mongoloid", "Gut Feeling", and "Come Back Jonee" (probably the least quirky of the bunch) but also found but parts of "Uncontrollable Urge", "Space Junk", and "Too Much Paranoias" tasty as well. This may be an album I have to warm up to, but I gave it two listens today mainly because it seems I should like this more than it's hitting me. (7.75) ★★★½ (four in the app)

Still a magnificent album after almost 70 years. Yes it's very of the time, but also quite forward for 1957. But what really cooks is the set of songs on here, "Oh, Boy!", "Not Fade Away", "Maybe Baby", "Tell Me How", and "That'll Be The Day" still simmer and shine in a 50s rock and roll vibe. Though I've only had this particular album a few years, I've had The Buddy Holly Collection compilation all my life starting with my dad's cassette copy. His music is timeless to me, an something I never get tired of. As far as this album side one absolutely cooks for me, but after "That'll Be The Day" it does seems to trail off. Holly didn't write any of the final four songs. (though "Empty Cup" was written by Roy Orbison, as well as "You've Got Love" on side one) 9.5 ★★★★½

Great bridge album between Glam and punk. This was recorded the same month that Aladin Sane Dropped and seem very much of the same ilk on the first side, while the second side gets more hard and chaotic. Beingba fan of glam I really enjoyed the first half over the second, but was a sold fun listen through out (8.27) ★★★★

Somewhere between pop jazz and electronica lie whatever this is... I have no use for it (4.2) ★★

If it is possible to be both intrigued and bored by an album Robert Wyatt found a way to do it. Honestly, other than the singing, I liked musical textures of this album quite good. Some maybe a bit to out there for me. I don't know if it's exactly his voice that puts me off or his vocal choices which at times feel at odds with the music, but I do believe that's by design. "Blues in Bob Minor" is the stand out tracks, bumping this up to the 3½ territory, with a bit more rocking vibe and a great "Subterranean" delivery. The opening track, "Heaps of Sheep" also caught my attention, in fact it gave me much false hopes for this album. "The Dutchess" also caught my attention for the exact opposite reason and made me wary of the rest of the album. All in all not a bad listen. In a weird way I want to check out some of his other work as well as his Soft Machine albums, because I feel there is more to him than just this, and this may not be the right album it introduce me to him. (7.15) ★★★½ (three on the app)

Seriously fun album! (10) ★★★★★

Ok... I think I like the musical interludes over most of the actual songs on here. In fact all, other than "Sabotage". They speak more to my personal musical senses. "Sambrosa" with its War like funk feel. The pseudo-psych of "Transition", the meditative jam of "Shambala" or just the straight up dirty groove of "Futterman's Rule" they all stood out to me. The rapping did not do much for me especially with the overly distorted or fuzzed out effects to the point I couldn't make out what they were saying. The couple of 80s punk style songs on here of course I didn't care for. My dislike for 80 hardcore is pretty well known here. There are still some songs I like The opener "Sure Shot" hit me better on second listen, "The Scoop", and of course the monster hit. "Root Down" I loved the jazz influenced tracks, but the rap over just ruined it for me. Honestly there is a lot going on in many of these tracks that if it wasn't for the rap I'd like it. Those may be growers of ever want to invest time getting to know this album. But then there the handful I coukd go without ever hearing again, "B-Boys Makin With The Freek Freek" and "Get It Together. Too much I didn't like on this to give it high marks although there is also quite a bit I dig. (6.75) ★★★

Long running fiver for me 10 ★★★★★

Such an incredible retro sound absolutely loved it. It was a bit top heavy... Everything up to and including the title track are just banger after banger. The bottom half still sizzles tought (8.65) ★★★★

This album was so nice I listened to it twice... I actually really loved this! A high enough 4½ to be 5 on the app. 50s/60s world folk is kinda an untapped corner of my musical taste. My parents were very much into some of the more commercial side of 50s/60s folk. Some of the artists they'd listen would incorporate African and world folk styles music. I'm my college years I kinda poked around, but I've never really done a dive in to that rabbit hole, but I know it's there. (9.77) ★★★★½

Slowcore may not be Sharkcore.... But it is at least Sharkadjacent. (8.35) ★★★★

Very John Hughes-core... I dug it (8.0) ★★★★

Starts off fine.. But after "Punk" it just one funky jam of nothingness after another. Sounds like they were having fun though. (5.6) ★★½

10 ★★★★★

Really surprised how much I liked this album. Not a huge rap fan at all. But the kinda laid back hippy groove really got me in my sweet spot (8.4)

1001 Album of the Day (03Feb2025): Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell [1977] I am an utter fanboy of Jim Steinman, and this was my introduction into his wild theatrical world. Though he'd use many other artist display his psychotic genius, none ever did it quite the way of the madcap duo of Steinman and Meat Loaf. Rest in peace the both of you 9.35 ★★★★½

I heard this album first in the mid 90s when some one tried to get me into PJ Harvey and I hated it. But over the years I've heard some PJ material o really enjoyed, so I wasn't sure how it would take this. We'll, most of it I still dislike quite a bit. Considering that this was produced by Albani, I see a lot of similarities and another album he produced that year which was In Utero . Both albums have this sort of madness, chaotic sound that just doesn't work for me. It feels more like an orchestrated raw. Like pushing the limits just because you can, not necessarily because it sounds good. I still don't get this album as a whole, but there are tracks that I liked on it... most notably "Me-Jane" and "Ecstasy" towards the end of the album. But most of it was just an orchestrated mess as far as I'm concerned (5.75) ★★½

I really enjoyed this album. Probably some influence from my maternal Hispanic heritage, but rock music with a Mexi drive to it reall huts my sweet spot (9.15) ★★★★½

Other than the obvious "Humpty" hit and "Doowutchyalike", this is just tongue in cheek mid level rap. Nothing to write home about. I do like some of the incorporations of jazz through out, but it's not enough to recomend this or even really want to revisit the album. Not even sure why this is essential. There are several rap album I don't like but say, yeah, that's important... This, nah. (5.4) ★★½

Though this may not be my preferred jazz, it definitely falls in my chill Jazz category. Honestly some exceptional playing on this album. (8.5/10) ★★★★

Com'on... All timer from college! (9.5) ★★★★½

Honestly one still adore, even though a) the title track has been played to death, and b) critical reassessment has not been to kind on. I still kinda dig "American Pie", and "Vincent" is an absolutely beautiful ode to Van Gogh. "Sister Fatima" tugs at me a bit. And legend has it that "Empty Chairs" was his song that softly killed Lori Lieberman (uncredited co-writer of the Roberta Flack/Fugees hit) His 1970 debut Tapestry is my personal favorite of his and as far as I'm concerned a five star masterpiece. But as for this one it's a real strong (8.6) ★★★★

8.35 ★★★★

First two songs alone make this in the upper echelon of albums. It does meander a bit but, powerful songs like the title track, and of course "Four Women", a statement unto itself just dominate the album. 9.8 ★★★★½

This really seems like an album I should not like it's very theatrical has a very '60s movie theme feel to it. Almost a Tom Jones or Petula Clark feel. I don't think I really like his voice or don't think that it's outstanding at least. But Man, the songs and the production really bring me in. The second time around probably even more so because I really was able to kind of listen to his lyrics and they were so tongue and cheek I find myself laughing and it really fitting the theatrical music around it. The song "If..." has got to be the strangest set of lyrics for a simple love song I have ever heard in my life and I was just about howling listening to them. (9.3) ★★★★½

9.5 ★★★★½ Spacy goodness that can. E V en transend the album length

Honestly when I hear his name, this is the kind of music I associate with him... In fact most of the material I've heard sounds like this... I think the movie Ray highlighted the more daring aspects of his singles, but not the balladeer that he actually was. I like his style and I love hus phrasing, but it's not as exciting as the single "Hit The Road Jack", "Hallelujah, I Love Her So", "I've Got A Woman" or "What'd I Say?". The opener "Let The Good Roll" is about the only track on here to capture that magic. The more up beat side one is more to my liking than the ballad laden side two. But there are few nice touches on that side especially the closer "Come Rain or Come Shine" 7.9 ★★★½

I will never understand what the big deal about The Yardbirds. Other than they spawned three legendary guitarist and eventually "morphed" into one of the greatest classic rock groups of all time, their material as The Yardbirds is passable at best. None of this I would consider the best work of Jeff Beck. And although I do like the album, I don't think I reach to this over the Kinks, Stones, or Beatles 6.33 ★★★

Listening to it fully may be it's downfall for me... I was on board with the first three, and I really dig "Phantom Pt. II".... But everything after that just stopped doing it for me. (6.8) ★★★

My absolute favorite Janis album.. Her last two albums are bleedin' masterpieces... I have Kozmic Blues at 4½ as well (9.6) ★★★★½

9.15 ★★★★½

Still least favorite 70s Queen album... This one just does not resonate with me... I see pretty much all the elements they would refine an perfect in the next couple albums, but idk, I I'd have to go with the song selection seems even less memorable than the debut which I like a lot better. 6.67 ★★★

I think the cover perfectly illustrates the kind of music contained.... Brash for the sake of of bring brash. I know some find that "Daring", I just find it obnoxious. The audio equivalent of Jackass I don't care if it's Nick Cave... It's absolutely atrocious (1.55) ½★

This may not be my preferred jazz, but it's hard to deny the intensity. I actually enjoy it quite a bit 9.3 ★★★★½

I want to like this album more because it's beautifully recorded, exquisitely performed and a wonderful batch of songs. At times the way the nylon string guitar sounds makes my hairs stand on end. But I'm the end it's a bit too reverent, too lush and too safe. I still really dig his version of "Blue Skies". I can't fully give it 4 stars... But close enough to warrent it on the app 7.9 ★★★½

Love the raw power of this album, some of it definitely pre-punk punk. Others rely a bit on 50s rock and roll riff which with their power gets nice and crunchy 8.66 ★★★★

My least favorite of the three but still a miraculous album... There were times, though not often, the added orchestration seemed a bit much as well as the backing vocals on "Poor Boy", but for the most part it's an extremely moving album 9.35 ★★★★½

Actually... There are parts I actually liked... Two thing that keep this from rising above 2.... One is the growling vocals which I can take in small doses, but as the main focus it becomes a massive hindrance. But when he sings in his normal voice I actually really dig it. The other is the almost comical use of the double kick... Honestly the trash influenced guitar style I really like makes me want to like this more... Two songs I do legitimately like "Dead Memories" and "Snuff" if more of the album was like that I coukd even go as high as 3½. But most of it is the other shit.

He reminds me a bit of Booker T. Jones who is a favorite of mine... I'm sure Smith was an influence on him though they are contemporaries. I think early Smith predates Booker T. This is like my ultimate chill music... It may not be a #1 pick, but man when listening to it, I just get lost in the groove. His '64 Christmas album is also a fave of mine. (8.47) ★★★★

I don't know how anyone listens to this actively.... The banal nothingness I think I've ever heard. It's like listening to the color taupe. (4.2) ★★

I actually liked this a bit more than I remembered. Still not my preferred R&B, but there were songs that stuck out for me "Sweet Life", "Pyramids" and "Bad Religion"... I really dug André 3000 guitar on "Pink Matter" and at least smiled at the Elton sample on "Super Rich Kids" (not sure if I was high in the song, but loved the call out) (6.5) ★★★

This album makes me feel like I'm in a Pier 1 Imports in 1988. That's not a bad thing, but it is a thing. It reminds me of the world music craze of the late 80s early 90s, which I always appreciated, but never felt eager to delve further then what you could easily find on the surface. I do like it, and I can actually kind of kick back and chill with it, but it is not something I would deliberately seek out to listen. It's fine and it's enjoyable. (7.3) ★★★½

One of my long standing five star albums, my absolute favorite Stevie Wonder album, and currently my #2 of this project. Just solid end to end.

(8.83) ★★★★

(8.4) ★★★★

(6.33) ★★★

Probably my second or third favorite Miles Davis album behind A Kind of Blue an possibly On the Corner (the latter is a recent discovery for me, but I love it) 10 ★★★★★

My #10 GAOAT! (10) ★★★★★

ELP is my least favorite of the big prog bands... Definitely more into Yes, Genesis, King Crimson and Moody Blues. I'm not sure I even have a fiver for ELP. Of all the albums I've heard, they've topped out at a strong four. They have genuine five star material, but their albums as a whole don't take me to that next level. I'm not really certain why as I think all three are phenomenal musicians on par and possibly even better than their contemporaries. My only guess is their approach is not 100% in my lane. As for this album it might be one of my favorites definitely. Having Modest Mussorgsky as the main composer really helps a lot. Keith is on absolute fire on some of the solos. However, I feel at arms length with the material as a whole. I can admire it's beauty and technicalities, but it really doesn't give me all the feels. (8.45) ★★★★

This project may (or may not) make a rap fan out of me yet. This is the fouth rap album I've put at four stars. (I don't have any above.) As for this album as I mentioned before I love the laid back groove of the music. It really carries me along the album. Some of the latter half didn't, but for the most part I really dug the over all feel (8.25) ★★★★ (could be a grower)

Ok I did relisten to *Third/Sister Lovers* and reviewing the first 14 tracks (which according to producer Jim Dickerson is the intended order). I don't know if it's the track arrangement, or I've warmed up to the material since yesterday but this hit me much better (This actually has the same 14 tracks included in the original '78 US release, just drastically reordered.) Opening with "Kizza Me" and "Thank You Friend" really starts off with an overall great feel, then sliding into "Big Black Car" to start a nice weave of emotion through out the album. Side one is perfect... wouldn't change a thing, ending in "Holocaust". The slight dip for me would be the first two tracks of side two "Kanga Roo" and "Stroke It Noel" which i noted as my least favorites from the last listen. But the run from "For You" to "Take Care" was a great way to end the album felt like a closure. (8.5) ★★★★

There are three songs I really liked on this album, "Style", the self penned "This Love", and the Imogen Heap produced "Clean". There were a couple songs where the chorus would catch my ear while the rest of it just felt like uninspired pop ("Blank Space", "All You Had To Do Was Stay"). The rest is really the kind of Max Martin pop I really stay away from. Then there's the egregious errors a) the fkg cheerleader beat on "Shake It Off" (I just don't like that particular brand of pop whether it's Taylor, Avril, Gwen, Chappell or even Toni Basil)... b)"areweoutofthewoodsareweoutofthewoodsareweoutofthewoodsareweoutofthewoods areweintheclearyetareweintheclearyetareweintheclearyetareweintheclearyet" gave me a fkg headache... and c) "Bad Blood" which everytime Taylor acts like a bad ass, it just comes off like high school drama. Ultimately I don't like this album, but it's not horrendous. Just the hype around it makes it feel like it is. (5.85) ★★½

I think what has always kept this at a four stars is side four which is Sofa King good. The other three sides has a nice ebb and flow to it with a few great highlights. When it gets into jam mode I really dug it. Low point to me was the Stones cover. (8.25) ★★★★

Gahgh! This was a fucking chore to sit though.... I wanted to turn it off... I did like the the penultimate track... So... (3.66) ★½

Two songs really stand out for me. Of course "While You See a Chance", which is a top five Winwood solo track for me, and "Slowdown Sundown" the rest is pretty typical, run of the mill, 80s MOR pop rock, and this for the most part doesn't really stand out from the pack than say, Christopher Cross' debut. I find it odd that this made it over Back In The High Life or Roll With It which were not only more popular, but overall better listens, or even Take Back The Night which has "Valery" probably my top pick of his solo songs. (As a whole, though, I'd lean more towards Roll With It) this is a fine album, but for this list a bit underwhelming (7.55) ★★★½

A longtime five star album for me, as far back as high school. My only gripe with the album is I always thought sides one and two should flop. There is no reason the title track and "Run to the Hills" should not open the album.... Though, "Hallowed Be Thy Name" is a perfect closer.

Three days in a row of albums in my collection. This is a semi recent acquisition, mainly got it for it's reputation alone. Though I really enjoy most of Ray Charles hits, the albums selected for this list tend to fall more in his big band or standards sound, wich is fine, but not the jumpin' R&B I really love from Uncle Ray. The four Gerald Wilson big band brass arranged selections are my personal favorites, but half of the album is the string and vocal arrangement of Marty Paich, which were a bit too syrupy for me (though worked on (I Can't Stop Loving You") (6.9) ★★★

Great freakin album the title track if all kinds of great! Near perfect album.. But this may only be the third time I've heard it since the late aughts. If I had discovered this in the 80s, I probably would have been all over it. (9.88) ★★★★½

This is nearly a perfect album, side one especially which is absolutely flawless. But the real cream of the crop are the album's closers "White Rabbit" and "Plastic Fantastic Lover". Talk about saving the best for last. It's still a coin toss between this and Volunteers being my favorite Airplane Lp, but both solid albums for me. (9.70) ★★★★½

Over all the mix of African and Latin beats with funk and soul just gets my blood pumping. My favorites are the longer jammier tracks such as "City, Country, City" and the title track. Also the hit opener is still just as funky as ever. There are no real weak spots on the album, but I felt "Four Corner Room" kinda stuck out being a bit more sullen. I still a absolutely dig the track, but I noticed it at odds with the rest of the groove this listen around. But it is by no means a weak spot. (9.8) ★★★★½

This album tried my patience for an hour and a half... which is pretty impressive for a 39 minute album. (4.25) ★★

I do like this album, but I've heard some Joe Ely that's closer to my style, like his 1992 Love and Danger Lp, which me and my songwriting friends would play the hell out of around the time I moved to Memphis. But that was more of a rocker folk album, this is more of his Texicana country, which is a fun listen, but not an all timer to me. Though I put a star by "Boxcars". I really liked that one. (7.7) ★★★½

One of my all time artist... Though I do absolutely love this album, I still feel When The Pawn... would have been a better selection over this. I'm glad Fetch The Bolt Cutters is still to come. (9.1) ★★★★½

This is actually my first time hearing this album as a whole and I absolutely adore it. Definitely a great sister album to Court & Spark which I historically have had at 4½. This list seems to have all three of her albums that document her journey from folk artist to her more jazz influenced form on Hirja. I'm looking forward to both of them coming up. (9.6) ★★★★½

10 ★★★★★

Well I though I was going to like this more given my affinity to psych, but I found that's at as a pure psych band, they were a lesser Flaming Lips and as a 60s psych pop revival band, XTC did way better. My favorite song "Desire Lines" pretty much reminded me of an X&Y era Coldplay. Songs like "Saling" "Basement Scene" and put me on the struggle bus for this album, the former being a new form of torture, I've found. But where is is strong, it pull it out of its low spot pretty well. (7.45) ★★★½

8.88 ★★★★

I was not expecting to like this all that much, before today they've topped out and a high mid 4★. But after listening to this I almost want to reassess my actual thoughts on Radiohead. This might be the album that finally clicks for me. I was honestly expecting this to be a bloopy mess, but most of it is far more straight forward than *Theif*, and even struck me as more passionate than *Computer*. This may be the album that reels me in. 9.33/10 ★★★★½

Love the energy, this does exactly what my some of favorite live albums do, catch the spirit of their live shows while highlight the best of their material to that point. It helps my appreciation that I'm at least a passive fan of Motörhead. I really don't own any of their albums, but this is seriously one I should have in my collection. (9.45) ★★★★½**

9 43

This will probably be my lowest Who on this list, I kniw I have *Next* and *Tommy* at five stars, *Live At Leeds* at a high 4½.... It's been a while since I've heard *My Generation* and have always loved the energy of that album but not sure where I place it between 4 & 4½. After listening to *Sells Out* twice today, once on streaming to and from work, and once on my player. As a whole it leaves me comparatively underwhelmed, even though there are simply incredible moments on the album: "I Can See For Miles", "Sunrise", Armenia City" and "Tattoo". I dig the concept, but probably not fully executed well. (one of the tracks left off "Early Morning Cold Taxi" not was a better fit for the commercialism concept, it's actually better than some of the songs on the album) Honestly I wanted to initially give this a really high 3½, but deemed it better than most of the stuff I had in my low fours, so I bumped up rating a smidge

I did not think this was horrid. In fact I think I could be something I could listen to if the production wasn't so chintzy. This did not only sound cheap for 1992, it would have sounded cheap in 1985. The freakin keys and drum sounds give me 80s consumer grade Yamaha feel, you know the kind you bought at Target. Just a step above Casio. If it had a more rich robust sound, I might be fine with it. But it just sounds like NPR royalty free music as is. (4.5/10) ★★

This starts off actually pretty damn good, but after the first five dings it falls off a fucking cliff. "Straight Outta Compton" and "Fuck The Police" are obvious highlights. My next favorite was actually "Parental Discretion Iz Advised" not really because of the rapping, but on the funky Groove and the jazzy piano really caught my attention good. The rest of the album is pretty much almost text book example of why I don't like rap. Honestly, can Easy-E go four lines with out saying something about his dick? Also, the backing tracks on "I Ain't Tha 1" are so fucking corny, that it eclipses the total misogynistic lyrics of the rap. Still most of Cube's And Ren's raps across the album are the highlights. I'm gonna go light 3½ just on the strength of the first five songs + "Express Yourself" 7.3 ★★★½

Sides 1, 2, and 4 are pretty much all five star material... 3 sags a bit, but Prince filler in the 80s is better Than most artists best albums (9.6/10) ★★★★½

I liked this slightly more than I was expecting, especially in the latter part of the second side where they try to be a bit more than the saccharin pop that made them famous. Starting with "Crescent Noon" which is a nice rich robust harmonies, a little bit more performance than pop based. "Mr. Guder" may not be the greatest written song but I was impress by the changes in tone and style, especially the a capella section. Still even in those parts the production is too polite to give it an edge... I kinda wish they had a more rocking band to do that one. My final highlight is "Another Song" which has a Karen letting loose on drums, I could instantly tell it was not the polite studio sound of Hal Blane, but I looked it up just to be sure. She really sounds like she's pounding them skins... Overall though, I'm really not into the soft easy listening pop which was, quite frankly marketed to people like my mom... at home mom's who grew up on 50s and 60s pop standards. I'm not a fan, but I've always been in love with Karen's voice. I just wish she had better material. 5.5 ★★½

If I had heard this in 1993 I would have eaten this the fuck up. I'm not sure how I missed them. They were popular enough that I'm familiar with their name, but for some reason never got familiar with their material. This was a superb listen. Still enjoy this sound, man, I love dirty alt rock. Not quite a fiver for me. 9.7/10 ★★★★½

Honestly one of my top 25 albums of all time

Not really going to say much about Clapton other than in my opinion he's simultaneously over rated and over hated. Quite frankly, my favorite songs were his penned "Give Me Strength" and "Get Ready" (w/ Yvonne Elliman) 'Let it Flow" along with George Terry's "Mainline Florida" The rest is fine but nbd, except for the fact I can't stand his cover of "I Shot the Sherrif", whenever I hear it I want to shoot the radio.

I really like the musical ideas she was going with. And her sounding pretty much like a modern day Melanie helped. Still some of the songs are way too long, especially "New Skin" I may have to revisit this at sometime and see if it grows with age. 7.65/10 ★★★½

As much as I friggin' love this album, I still say The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion should have been included over this, as well as Amorica. But this is hands down a phenomenal album in its own right. 9.6/10 ★★★★½

Most of this album I really dig quite a bit, especially the first side. But most of the covers don't do it for me. Their take On James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" is aces, the rest, I'm not crazy about the arrangements. Though I'm not a big fan of "Sumner Breeze" in general, it actually does have a killer solo on it, one of the best on the album. But the rest of the song ain't my thing. (What cha gonna do?). All the originals are supurb. "That Lady" has always been a fave of mine. Given the first four tracks and the side 2 opener, "What it Comes Down To", I can't drop this below the four threshold. All in all it's too good. 8.25/10 ★★★★

I actually gave this two listens because I was kinda borderline on it. I can really see why I was in to this when "Connection" was the big alt hit. In fact this album is at its best when it's hitting that dirty alt Britpop sound . There were other songs that seemed to channel Blondie (pre *Parallel Lines* era, when they still had their punkier edge). I really enjoyed those. But there were tracks here and there that kind of really didn't land in either category. I think overall the album feels a bit disjointed but I really enjoy most of what is represented throughout the album

I did downgrade *Blunderbuss* this listen around. I seemed to notice the album was pretty front loaded, this listen though. The first five still friggin amaze me, but as the album progress it felt a bit more uneven than I remembered, but "I'm Shakin''' and "Take Me With You When You Go" are great highlights afterwards... Also there something almost Granny McCartney leanings I dug about "Poor Boy", but probably wouldn't count it as a highlight. (9.65) ★★★★½

Man the Thin Lizzy set is too fun to deny. There were a couple track thoughout that I thought my rating would chill, but it would go back to high energy again and I'd be right back to a firm 4½. (9.5) ★★★★½ (9.5) ★★★★½

I liked this a hell of a lot better than I was expecting, especially when it got meaty beaty, big... maybe not bouncy. Seriously, I loved the dirty sound. (8.85) ★★★★

If I had to think of a reason why this one was included over *Mama Tried*, I would have to say is that this was the beginning of Merle Haggard's run of hits starting with the title track. But I don't think this album as a whole really states who Merle Haggard is. I listened to the *Mama Tried* album shortly after listening to this one and that is truly the sound of Merle Haggard country fans know and love. At least it's more of what I think of when he's namedropped. As for the album *I'm a Lonesome Fugitive*, it's good but I think it is comparatively a pretty bland album. Parts of me wants to give it a 3½ because, let's face it it's Merle and it is kind of the beginning of his fame. But I'm going to keep it at a pretty high 3-star album, because ultimately I don't think it feels like a 3½. (6.95) ★★★

I do believe the the hype on this one. B.B. I think gives a fierce stellar performance, and his band really cooks. I absolutely dig the twin horn arrangement. (Coming from Memphis, I'm used to twin or trio brass arrangements with live full band blues). Honestly this pretty killer performance in my book. 9.55/10 ★★★★½

9.6/10 ★★★★½

I really did not dislike *Reign In Blood* as much as I was expecting. Slayer was the only band I the big four of thrash that I never really got into. Most of it stems from absolutely hating *Hell Awates* when I first heard it back in '85. I really never gave them a chance afterwards. Listening to this I really did enjoy some of the thrash riffs which did remind me a lot of Metallica in the early to mid 80s. But I think what really put me off is Tom Araya's vocal Style. Unlike Hetfield, he's not very melodic. He mostly just screams in a stream of conscious. When he got into a good fast riff in his style I could somewhat get into it but as a whole it's nothing I really like listening to. 5.5/10 ★★½

There are several songs I really enjoyed off this album, especially the first three tracks, ("Words", "There Goes the Fear", "M62 Song"), also "Pounding" and "Cought by the River". But they're also are a few tracks of the latter part of that really take me out of the project most notably "Friday's Dust" and "Last Broadcast. Overall enjoyable, but hit me like a cross between contemporaries Coldplay and Snow Patrol. 8.1/10 ★★★★

I am a huge fan of the first five studio albums + *Live After Death*. All of them rank high 4½ to five. I honestly don't think any album after *LAD* even come close. Of the two DiAnno albums this is my favorite I think mainly because of its raw punky almost DIY attitude it has. And all of that come down to Paul's fierce delivery. I think this album fits DiAnno better than *Killers*. Even though on *Killers* they've progressed musically from the debut, you can tell they really were starting to need more theatrical vocalist than DiAnno. But he pulls it off. The debut, though, he fits in like a glove and the raw power behjnd it is inescapable to my ears. 9.8/10 ★★★★½

I've never been as big of a Wilco fan as some of my colleagues, but I do like them a good bit. So far *Kicking Television* has been my favorite album of theirs I've heard at a (9.5) 4½★ album loved that one. I gave *Mermaid Avenue* a 3½★s on a 1998 music dive, and let's just say *Cruel Country* was more cruel than country to my ears. This one is fairs much better than the other two studio albums. Historically when ever I heard them on Lightning 100, I'd make note to check them out further, but never got so excited about them to just dive in. This and the live album actually kinda does make me want to do a full dive. 8.5/10 ★★★★

I honestly dug this more than I was expecting. I do like more positive forward rap. When this first started, I thought the hour runtime was going to run me down, but they mixed it up a just enough to keep my interest. Plus some familiar samples make me look like Leonard Dicaprio pointing... Most notably the Blue Suede, and Bee Gees samples. I'm still quite a ways from calling myself one who appreciates Rap/hip-hop, but this really felt good to me (7.1) ★★★½

I actually am still floored by this album even though I haven't heard it in about 35 years. I think a lot of it has to do with the keyboard landscapes of the album (not sure if they are Smith's or O'Donnell's or the combo). But they kind of remind me of some of Tony Carey's work on his Planet P Project albums. Almost like a somber backdrop, that helps accentuate the guitar and vocals. I have long considered this the one Cure album I actually like, though I have warmed up to them over the years, especially recently going through the other two albums on the 1001. In some ways after listening to those albums and this one I'm not 100% sure why this one overtly sticks out because there is still the same gothy dark feeling of Pornography and Seventeen Seconds. Though they went through two album where they more poppy, so it might be that on this album he was able to put those worlds together and make a really strong accessible sound of the dark landscapes of their early albums. Either way, I think this is a monumentous album 9.70/10★★★★½ But Honestly, the two tracks that were omitted for the Ip were my least favorite of the album. I have a feeling if they were not part of the album that may even be up to a 9.85/10 (still 4½s) but I will give it ★★★★★ on the app.

I like soul/funk, but I thought this was just ok. *Superfly* I get being on this list. This one, unless they taking the social message of the album, truly isn't really all that groundbreaking or exemplary. "Billy Jack", "Hard Times" and "Love to the People" were the standout tracks, but all together, they don't match the the immediacy of *Superfly*. The rest is quite frankly kind of faceless. (6.8) ★★★

This album tries my patience every turn after repetitive turn. I get the building a landscape thing, but it just kinda lumbers there and goes nowhere. Two songs I can be in the same room with were "roygbiv" which finally found a groove I can jive with and "Open The Light" which at least had more of spacey instumental quality to it. Maybe it was the lack of an overly repeatative drum loop. And both of those were late the album. But most of it felt like a loopy, bloopy, and sound sample mess to me. Orange. 2.5/10★ If this *Music Has the Right to Children*, I'm calling Child Protective Service... NOW!

8.4/10 ★★★★

I don't know what it is about Elvis Costello, but there is something that keeps me from really getting into him more than an "ok, I guess that's kinda cool" feeling. And what's weird is I feel like I should really like him. I just don't and can't put my finger on why. This one "just ok"er than the other two I've had so far. I can admire the craft of it, but man I just don't feel it. (6.8) ★★★

Honestly, I don't know if it's the nostalgia, or it just hits me better than it did when I was 22. I mean I always kind of had it high cuz I always had it at a 4½ star rating, but this is really getting close to 5 this listen. This album really is a bridge between '80s U2 and 90s U2. Now granted, I was not the biggest on *Zooropa* or *Pop*, but I always admired them for taking major chances as one of the if not the biggest band of the time. Yeah, this was kind of my end of the line with U2 not really because of this album. Yes this album had minor flip-offs to their '80s sound (especially the opening track and the first single). The next two albums basically was the big middle finger to who they once were. This album honestly is a masterpiece at teetering the the line between accessibility and trying something daring and new. *Joshua Tree* is still my only five star album by them, but this is actually pretty close. (9.85) ★★★★½

Another all-time banger. This is actually my fouth favorite Black Sabbath album after the debut, Heaven & Hell, and Mob Rules. I still say one of the RJD Sabbath albums should have been included. Still, this is one of Ozzy's finest moments... War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man, Electric Funeral, Hand of Doom, and Fairies Wear Boots are all killer classic Sabbath to me, it seems to be the third song on each side that slightly dips it for me. Rat Salad is utter filler. 9.8/10 ★★★★½

Staring with the five singles those are out of the gate bangers. There is a reason two of them are still major players on the radio 37 years later. Their cover of The Nerves' "Hangin' on the Telephone" deserves to be up there with "One Way or Another" and "Heart of Glass". (I do miss the French lryic on "Sunday Girl" which adorns their *Best of* Lp.) The other Jack Lee song "Will Anything Happen?" and the Frip enhanced "Fade Away and Rotate" are great stand out tracks. Most of the rest feel a bit like filler comparatively, but they do a great job covering Buddy Holly and "11:59" has great energy. (8.8) ★★★★

I'm not sure why this one and not either *Mama Said* or *Are You Gonna Go My Way*. I don't think this one is bad, actually enjoy his first five or six albums, but this is not as the it factor of the next two. (7.6/10) ★★★½

Thus album is fucking garbage... In fact, I'd rather be fucking garbage. (2.2) ★

Well, I personally like the disco songs better than the two non-disco songs... at least I liked the two disco hits "Le Freak" and "I Want Your Love", plus "Sometimes You Win" (the other three disco tracks were definitely subpar disco filler.) But if there is one think I never liked about Chic as a whole is the kind of faceless female harmonies they employ. I remember noting that on the Sister Sledge album, as one thing that kept me from really digging that album. But at least with Sister Sledge, there was strong lead vocal to carry it. This it just kinda falls a bit flat, even on the hits. Musically, I can actually dig the disco grooves, but all in all this is bland when it's not bad... "At Last I'm Free" was quite frankly the most boring song in the set. I almost fell asleep walking my dog. (4.6) ★★

I find it pleasantly enjoyable despite bring not particular anything great.... Kinda like Katy Perry's *Teenage Dream*... Fluffy like cotton candy and with all the nutrients. 6.85/10 ★★★

||Yeah... I don't get this... It's like take what The Cure was doing and do it with out passion or catchy melodies. It just as sounds like faceless early 80s synth new wave. To make things worse some of these songs go of for fucking ever without going any where So many bands at the time were doing this better. Soft Cell, Depeche Mode Siouxsie & The Banshees.... (5.3) ★★½

I overall like the sound of the album, great energy, but I'm not sure what they bring to the table. They almost feel like a link between Punk and Post Punk but that had already happened by the time this album came out in early 1978. It's a great listen though. (7.2) ★★★½ (

I listen to both the original Bowie mix and 1997 Iggy mix the App lead me to. Despite the fact that there is a vast difference between the two, I really don't really prefer one over the other. I might give a slight Edge to the Bowie mix just because it's it's brighter and I can hear the the guitar solos a little bit better, where the Iggy mix feels a little bit more muffled but the riffs come out better. Still, the plain fact is they both sound like crap and vastly different ways. I don't know if it's the sonics that keep it from being a five to me or the fact that it's really not a five-star album but it is a really good album. Honestly, I don't think it's the sonics really that hurt this album at all. In fact I think the more raw it feels the better... I mean it is *Raw Power* anyway. (9.3/10) ★★★★½

I kinda like this as a certain curio with their connection to Paul Simon's Graceland. But honestly it gets rather Sammy and boring as the album goes along even though I enjoy the sound. All in all I can't see myself ever returning to this, unless I listen to it in conjunction with Graceland itself. Even in that I probably wouldn't make it through the album just slightly snoozy for me 6.6/10 ★★★

Absolutely amazing album probably my favorite album of hers, I've only heard like 10 to 15 out of 60 some odd. But this and *Joline* are her high water mark of what I've heard (9.93) ★★★★½

An absolute beautiful album. There is so much I can hear of his contemporary, some off his harder grooves give almost a slight AIC feel "Last Goodbye" even gave the feel acoustically. Also "So Real" gave me a bit of Radiohead feel. But also some that would inspire the future. I hear some early *Blue Room* Coldplay in "Grace", and "Lover, You Should Come Over" feels like a blueprint for John Mayer. This is really only the second (and third) time listening to this album and each time it grows a bit on me... Maybe I'll hit that five one day. But for now... (9.7) ★★★★½

It's taking me a while to get Brian Eno because a lot of the first stuff I heard was this ambient music albums, and ambient music and me don't really get along that well. It tends to bore me. I do like his work and Roxy Music and I absolutely love the Byrne & Eno we will have coming up on this list. Of course I know his production work with other bands, which generally been seem to be some of my favorite albums by those artists. This may be the first pop oriented album I've heard by him on his on his own and I honestly wish I had time to listen to this a second time before my review because it is a very good album but I think it's one that I want to really digest its intricacies. First thing almost anytime I hear Fripp and Eno together, it's almost instant magic. "Baby's On Fire" I can listen to on a loop. Some of the songs feel like they want to be a little off-center from what I like, but as they went along it would hit my warm spot good. I'm giving this a mid 4½ stars for now but I can see this growing further for me. 9.4 ★★★★½

I really liked thus more than I thought I would. What kinda struck me were like hints oh Siouxsie's *The Scream* which ended up being my second favorite S&tB album. Noise rock has to really walk a fine line for me to enjoy it. Just enough accessibility that I don't lose interest and just enough experimentation to challenge my comfort zone without scaring me off. This album walked that line, got the most part pretty well. In fact for most of this album it looked like it was going to be a moderate to low four-stars... until the the antepenultimate and penultimate songs, "Secret Girl" and "Marilyn Moore" which just went too far to the left field for my taste. But the closer reeled it back just enough to not totally tank the rating (even though the droning at the end went on a bit too long) 7.95 ★★★½

I really seem to have an affinity for pre MTV generation new wave. (you'll see more of that from me when we get to Gary Newman, I don't think any Tubeway Army is on here). This really gave me a Duran Duran vibe and to some extent, I dug this more than the double D's. I was actually turned onto Japan four yeas ago when I did a daily 81 dive and *Tin Drum* came up. I really didn't write the album's rating or take notes I was just listening for fun. I do remember really enjoying that album when I got to it. I really ought to do. A quick dive on them, the only have five proper albums and a reunion album under a assumed name. As for this light but solid 4 8.4/10 ★★★★

I'm sticking with my usual rating for this high 4-star. "Speed of Life", "Sound and Vision", and "Be My Wife" are all f'n aces with me. "Always Crashing" and "Breaking Glass" are not far behind. The only track on side two I really get into is "Warszawa" maybe to a lesser extent "Weeping Wall". The closer however sounds nice, but maybe too trance like for me. 8.8 ★★★★

I am probably softer on pre-"old school" rap (I've noticed when anyone refers to old school rap they only refer to 90s rap.) Though when this was released I was in my "rap is crap" phase, something I started shedding in the early to mid 90, it was really looking back at the early 80s rap that first started my turn to find some appreciation for the genre (probably because by that time it was that rap that was being incorporated into rock more so than say Biggie or Tupac.) As far as this album, first of all the three main singles seem to be the key tracks, especially "Rock Box" which I totally love. "That's the Way It Is" is the only song in here I was very familiar with from way back in the day. I like it now, didn't then. But my biggest take away from this album is the big drum sound which I'm just gonna go out and say it... No Run-D.M.C., no *Big Bam Boom*, not that Hall & Oates were trying to rap, but they totally copied that drum sound for the "Dance On Your Knees"/"Out of Touch" opener. I personally a) like what I've heard from *Raisin' Hell* better, "Tricky" and "Walk This Way" are tops. ||I actually like the Aerosmith cover better than the original, but that more has to with the choral effects on Tyler's vocals on the chorus in the original kinda takes the steam coming out of the verses. The raw screech of Tyler in the remake has a f'n great bite||, and b) much prefer the Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five's style of rapping much more that Run-D.M.C.'s. But in this album is really the template of the future of rap, even though I will probably mark *Raisin' Hell* as their masterpiece once we get there. 8.1 ★★★★

6.65 ★★★

It seems to me the biggest grip about this album is the skits, which for the most part fit the theme of the album. Usually when I don't like skits are when there needless (often humorous) bumpers between song. The only two sketches I really could gripa about was the sex moan one and the slurpy smooch one. Most of the rest fit the theme of hyper violence and street life. Which brings me to what I didn't like about this album, and that is the message and overall tone of the album. I get that this album is not for me it's not for my demographics or my personal outlook on life. Taking that in consideration this is actually a better album than probably the rating I'm going to give it just because I do not enjoy the feeling it gives me. And my and mine comfortableness listening to this is probably kind of the point because it's not written for people like me. I am actually glad I gave it a good listen over and ingested what it had to say, but I can't find myself revisiting this as something I would want to rehash over and over. Must hear before I die? Sure... I'll give it that. Is it something I like or enjoy that I do not. 4.7 ★★

Maybe I shouldn't have been so afraid of this album. It's not unlistenable, but it's hard for me to take it seriously. Honestly it's kinda like listening to a comedy album. It's almost too easy to just dismiss it because of that. "What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?", "Let's Make the Water Turn Black", and "Take Your Clothes Off When You Dance" But then there's "Nasal Retentive Calliope Music" and "The Chrome Plated Megaphone of Destiny" which are pretty much musique concrète, which I personally have a hard tine finding a point in them. The rest is kinda mindless silly nonsense to me. It feels a Monty Python album that just isn't all that funny. 5.55 ★★½

I actually disliked this one more so than I did the Biggie album... On the *RTD* it really was the message and the tone made me feel uncomfortable, but overall the production and his style of rapping I really dug. This however for the most part I really just did not like it. When it got more R&B bassed I liked it a lot... I'm guessing that's the 3000 effect, I reall liked it. So Fresh So Clean, Ms. Jackson, B.O.B. A few other. But definitely Snappin' & Trappin', I'll Call B4 I Cum I just plain disliked to no end. This also had so many skits that just felt more like filler than telling the story... Plus thus album felt longer than hell, but I was checking to see how much I had left about half way through... I didn't even do that for Biggie which was only ten min shorter. 4.5 ★★

The Rise & Fall of Ziggyphychostardustcandy 9.4 ★★★★½

The Title track, Fame and Facination are obvious highlights in fact all of side one really kicks. Side 2 is hampered by a rather drab Across The Universe, but other than Fame really doesn't live up to side 1 8.75 ★★★★

I'm going with a (6.8) ★★★ for *The Blueprint* and thus might have room to grow. There are some rap tropes in here that are reasons why rap is not a preferred genre for me, most notably the endless boasting and posturing. Still, there was enough compelling elements too to kinda perk up my ears. One is the nod to Bowie on "Takeover". I actually am not crazy about the song, but the use of "Fame" gave me a pleasant chuckle. Surprisingly one of my favorite tracks on the album was "Renegade" with Emenem which suprised me in that that period of Emenem is one that usually grates on my nerves. But honestly the more self revealing title track really tugged my emotions a bit. I can't say I'm full in on this album or even 75%, but but there is much to admire

I'm about with everyone else on the 3½ train. I, however didnt mind the slow song in that it breaks up the somewhat samey beats of the New Jack Swing, the sound which Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis were known for. I don't necessarily hate the sound, but it was so ubiquitous of the late '80s early 90s R&B pop to the point it just makes me roll my eyes now. ( I think historically I did not like the sound, but these days when I come across it it just reminds me of a time) Honestly as far as examples of this genre this album kind of excels more than most. The title track is still a banger. "State of the World" actually kind of reminded me of what Michael Jackson would do on *Dangerous* two years later. Except for the slow songs most of the beats are somewhat interchangeable, which kind of made the slow songs a little release. Though they did cram too many of them at the end, though I really liked "Come Back To Me" which kinda had a female BIIM feel to it, two years before their debut. Go figure. 7.6 ★★★½

Two things that keep this from being a full 5 stars for me, and that's "Little Miss Strange" and "Long Hot Sumner Night" and the fact they together open up side 2 stick out like a sore thumb. I'm not crazy about "...And The Gods Made Love" but as a psych album prelude it kinda works. Not a track I'd listen to on its own. The rest of the album is fukkin fire. And if it wasn't for those two outta place filler songs, it would even rival the UK *Experienced?* debut... Probably not the US version, but definitely the UK. 9.85 ★★★★½

I really liked Piccioto songs the most in fact a lot. Some of Mackay songs were to screamy for me, but there were a few of those I dug pretty well. I actually liked this more than I thought I would. At times it's kinda punk meets grunge, even though the big grunge breakthrough hadn't happened yet. They must have had their ear to the ground 8.4 ★★★★

Bebel Gilberto - *Tanto Tempo* I absolutely love her voice. She has a Norah Jones quality when she's more intimate. Which is why "Samba E Amor" might be my favorite track. Just a nice full body Spanish guitar and her sultry voice send my hairs on snd. Still for the most part Vasa Nova is not a fave of mine. I can chill with it with some wine and good company but it's not a go to. Also when the album ventures off the bossa nova she loses the purr in her voice. I'm going for a light 3½ for basically her voice alone. Could have been higher if I was more into the music. Blame it on the basa nova. 7.2 ★★★½

1001 Album of the Day #276 R.E.M. - No. 5 Document [1987] It's no secret I consider Document, Green, and Out of Time R.E.M.'s trifecta. Also that I hold all of their albums up to Monster in high regard. This album to me, however, is their crown jewel? (10) ★★★★★

DP MkII is such a powerhouse line up. All the way around. Although Richie's guitar is obviously the star, John Lord's keys are just absofuckinglutely amazing. When Ian Gillen gets on that howl it just sends my hairs is on end. And the steadfast Paice & Glover rhythm section is perfection. I think the only thing that keeps this from being an absolute five-star is there are a number of songs on here that I think the actual melody of the songs weren't quite there. The closing track, probably cuz it's fresh on my mind, is a prime example though the dynamics that Gillen has are absolutely amazing, yet I found the actual melody of the song itself just not much. And there was a couple of other tracks on there like that. But the centerpiece of the album "Child In Time", which is probably my absolute favorite Deep Purple song, doesn't suffer from that at all. Great melody throughout the entire song, Just killer dynamics and the production and performance are just spot on. And oh my gosh that Ian Gillen wailing cry, it just about makes me weep every single time. 9.6 ★★★★½

I actually really enjoyed this album. Probably probably from, spending my college Years listening to '90s jam bands which would often employ afrobeats. But I really love not only the Fierce message of the song but also the fierce playing that goes along with it. 8.55 ★★★★

I feel I may have to come back to this. I've had mixed feelings through out the whole album. It started out decently fine but by the time I got to "The Yo Yo Man", I wanted this album to be over. But then came a trio of 80s gothic pop perfection in "The Killing Moon", "Seven Seas" and, "My Kingdom". Honestly, I think of the rest of the album felt like this, I'd be way more on board. I'm giving it a lower mid 3½. I do honestly kinda feel if this album didn't hit me the way it should have today. There are some killer parts to some of the other tracks, especially "Thorn of crowns" but, the overall droning of the album I just could 100 get behind. (7.35) ★★★½

Ok... As for me half of this album is fucking brilliant. "Heart-Shaped Box", "Rape Me", "Francis Farmer...", "Dumb", "Pennyroyal Tea", and my personal favorite Nirvana song, "All Apologies" are all absolute bangers. Five more songs like that and yes I would call this a five star, hands down. The rest honestly are just too raw and noisy for the sake of being raw and noisy. That usually doesn't sit well with me. But some of those tracks overcome that. Like the opening tracks "Sereve The Servant" and "Scentless Apperentice", which though I'm not as high on as the six I mentioned earlier, really feel fine in the context of the album. Then there is "Milk It" and "Tourette's" which we'll is just a bunch of screaming nonsense to me. Over all this is a great album, but as I've always maintained, doesn't hold a candle to "Nevermind" as far as excellence. I don't care how many Nirvana fans have tried to convince me till they're blue in the face that this is a far better album and that I don't have any ears for not recognizing that. I'm not aiming that at anyone here, but it has historically made me kinda despise the album in retrospect. Every time I listen to it I keep on trying to find what it is that everyone talks about, but I don't hear it. I tried not to listen to it in that context this time around. And yes actually is a very good album. 8.75 ★★★★

This was the album that kind of changed my mind on Green day. Not that I dislike them, I actually like them quite a bit in the 90s, but I never took them seriously. They were a fun jokey pop punk band that sang songs about masturbating while bored. Up until this album I just kind of thought that if I had *Dookie* and their greatest hits I'd be fine. This album though really showed some depth that I never thought I'd actually ever see from Green Day. It's not just the sprawling epic of the concept, but also in the musicality which crosses the line between pop punk and classic rock. In fact I hear in a couple of songs some pretty heavy homages to The Who. The singles really hit hard even today. "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends", which were well needed moments for me 20 years ago. The title track still bangs even if it it truly of the political landscape of the time. I probably would call "Jesus of Suburbia" and "Homecoming", though, the real anchor tracks of this album, the songs that really shift the concept into high gear. Quite honestly the first half of the album is pure perfection "American Idiot" to "St. Jimmy" (basically the first two sides though I do not consider this a double album). (10) ★★★★★

*Tater-more* - IDKW, but I do actually legitimately like this album. It's a lot for there's still things that she does that bugs me, but I think overall the more folkier she gets the better she sounds. I've never considered her a great vocalist, but I think she's carries emotion in her vocals pretty well. (Probably why in her more whiny pop songs feel even whinier) With an album like this, which feels a bit more vulnerable then her straightforward pop, her approach actually kind of works for me. Light four stars 8.2

I really enjoyed revisiting pretty much all the way through. I will say that it is very front loaded, though I think the back half supports it really well, even if most of it are lesser versions of what was earlier in the album. "Savior" to me is a great late album track. Probably my favorite of the non hits on here. "Otherside" is still probably my favorite RHCP song. If there is one thing that I found frustrating is after "Savior" the sequencing just sucks. Though "Road Trippin" I think is a great song and a great way to end the album, and the other two songs aren't terrible, they just kind of feel like they were tacked in there without thought of flow or anything. Still overall a really good listen not quite 4½ stars to me but in the upper quarter of 4.

Reggae will never be not boring to me. But when this album steps out of the reggae trappings, the classic rock overtones of "Concrete Jungle" opening, the gospel feel of "Stop That Train", the multi cultural feel of War of "No More Trouble", this album really shines. Then there's "Stir It Up", whjch along with "Three Little Birds", might be my absolute favorite strict reggae songs. The rest of the album I'd fall into good reggae, but still reggae. It only takes me so far. 8.4 ★★★★

I'm sorry this album does zero for me. I literally have no feeling for it either way. For the hell if it I'll give it a tenth of a point on the up side. (6.1) ★★★

This might be the most of its time album in this whole list. If I didn't know a thing about this album ahead of time I would have said this is straight up 1989. It has every pop trope of that year. Listen to any Billboard Top 40 countdown from that year and you will hear at least a dozen songs that sound exactly like this album. Quite frankly, other than the mega-hit "Buffalo Stance" I really don't find this album essential or influential. It jus is what ever 1989 is. (5.4) ★★½ (two on the app)

The only fiver I have for Paul... This was his solo masterpiece 10 ★★★★★

I'm sure there is at least a solid low 2★ album hidden the this mess. But it's muddled with about an EP's worth of 4+★ material, and a handful of tracks that arent so bad. Overall feeling... (6.75) ★★★½

This album is unrelentingly and unnecessarily 80s. It really begs the question, does this work. And somehow the answer for me is yeah. Non an emphatic "yeah", but I will say it's Cohen's delivery that sell the product more than the production around it. Not to mention, sans "Jazz Police", this might be his best written batch of songs he put on one album. "First We Take Manhattan", "Everybody Knows", "I'm Your Man", and "Tower of Songs" are absolute masterstrokes... and maybe to a lesser extent "Ain't No Cure For Love" and "Take This Waltz" Yes, the production does get in the way a bit, but overall Cohen still pull this off as a flawed gem. (8.5) ★★★★

I think it is the lore behind this album that makes it essential more so than the album itself. I kind like *Smiley Smile* it it's cutesy artsy fartsy way, but I've always felt they (or he) were trying to be too silly for the good of the album. I think I'd much rather some carved together version of the original *Smile* recordings over this remake, which tbh, are not as good as *Smile* material that the Beach Boys subsequently released. I'm gonna go with a light 3, I guess out of respect for Wilson as an artist, and the material itself, which is better than its execution. (6.2) ★★★

First thing's first... Memphis music is cool by definition! One thing this album historically has going for it is that it is the first official Stax lable Lp, a Memphis studio and record label that would help define R&B in the 60s and 70s. Booker T in the MGs were basically the Stax Studio house band, backing the likes of Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Albert King and more... and even in the '80s Aykroyd and Belushi used Steve Cropper and "Duck" Dunn (though Dunn had not joined by this album) to help nail the sound of 60's R&B. So is this album essential? I'm actually going to say yes only because of what it represents to R&B from that point on. Quite honestly, they really had some great originals and some great singles, but I've always found the albums themselves having a fair amount of filler. This one is no exception. Honestly pretty much everything on the first side other than "Twist and Shout" I really enjoyed. The second side is primarily filler, though there are a couple of tracks I noted on that side as well. Two of the originals, the hit title track, and "Behave Yourself", are truly the highlights of this album as well as the two Ray Charles covers "I've Got A Woman", and "Lonely Nights". Both of those really have a Memphis Jam feel to them and I absolutely enjoyed that. The other original, "Mo' Onions", is obviously a quick call back of the big hit. Unfortunately like most music sequels it never compares to the original. I also liked to a lesser extent "Rinky Dink" and "Comin' Home Baby". The rest, though, is filler city. 7.9/10 ★★★½

I do not remember a time I didn't absolutely love this album end to end... well, maybe before I was 11. I personally have three AC DC albums that I consider five stars, their International debut High Voltage, Highway to Hell, and this masterpiece. I do, for the most part, prefer the Bon Scott era, but it is so hard to deny this album in particular. Every song into end, all killer no filler. (10) ★★★★★

I think I do like the follow up a bit more than this. I do like the rawness of this one, but I feel *Habitual* may be a bit more sharper and focused. There are parts of this album that can see the 90s coming, but sometimes the production screams late 80s. Even though I absolutely love "Moutaun Song" it is the most 1988 rock radio ready song on the album. The gated reverb in the drums of "Ted, Just admit It" is also more akin to the 80s than 90s killing any future vibe it might have. On the other hand, there's the incredible "Jane Says" which could sit really well with the early years of 90s alternative. Then the bad ass bass line of "Summertime Roll" feels way more 90s than late 80s. I do like this album quite a bit, but there is something just holding it back from the four spot. 7.8/10 ★★★½