Overall, this album tended to play as background music. The tracks all meld together with a similar tempo and few dynamics or heavy chorus to differentiate. Lots of talent and artistry, just didn't grab me on first listen.
Judas Priest really is seen as a founding metal band and has influenced many bands, from Iron Maiden to Anthrax. This is a solid album, however, I've never really cared for Rob Halford's voice. It's more subjective than anything. The band plays hard and tough, and the lineup here were at their peak in terms of delivering tough riffs with a couple of the best known songs in Living After Midnight and Breaking the Law. They'd go on to take this sound even further and perfect it on Screaming for Vengeance.
Good stuff. A variety of styles, grooves, sounds, and tempos. Funky, jazzy, old school. Super accessible for a hip-hop album.
Solid album. Yes, it was a huge direction change from ...and Justice for all. Diehard fans were angry because this isn't metal. It's slower, more rock, and some of the rhythms even swing a bit. But, it opened them up to an entirely new audience that were able to digest it more easily than previous albums. I think it's their 5th best album, with the four before it claiming the top 1-4 in their discography. But, those first four are masterworks, and for my money, this is the only other Metallica album that's a must have.
Great album. Willie can cover anything and everyone from any genre and it’s going to be heartfelt, authentic, and worth a listen. My only gripe about this album is the production which feels a little too polished.
Steely Dan is definitely a niche band with a devoted fan base. I’m not one of them, but where some of their albums feel a little bloated, this album is more straightforward and accessible. Dirty Work and Midnite Cruiser are both great tunes that I wasn’t familiar with. And everyone has heard Reeling and Do it Again. As always, great players and instrumentation. Not a huge fan of some of the drab vocals but with much of Steely Dan’s discography, they’re secondary to the music and serve the songs well. Especially when there’s a strong chorus like several songs here.
Hard to ignore the greatness of Hendrix, but this is my least favorite of his studio work. It’s trippier which is great, but I think it’s bloated with lesser songs. I do like the hits and his cover of Watchtower is awesome, but the rest, including the extended jams are boring to me. And, it’s all saddled with a mushy production. This album just isn’t for me.
