Sep 25 2024
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Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
I thought this would be a slog but I think I also would riot if I was there for Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue till the end. Also liked Blues to Be There and Skin Deep. Can't rate it 5 stars though because sometimes the brass is just PIERCING
4
Sep 26 2024
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
I have a lot of nostalgia for this album, I listened to it a lot as a kid. It's such a grab bag of different styles, following up Seaside Rendezvous with The Prophet's Song is absolutely wild. Can't help but love it.
5
Sep 27 2024
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One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
"The fear of being eaten by a sandwich" is a great lyric.
This was fun! Bit more rambly and unfocused than I tend to like my funky music but I had a good time with it.
3
Sep 30 2024
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1989
Taylor Swift
There's a lot of great and interesting pop right now, so quite how Taylor Swift is the biggest artist in the world when her songs are just so aggressively bland, I'll never know. The production's admittedly very clean but it's just so unrelentingly boring, and I found myself begging the arrangement to do something even remotely exciting. There are a couple of good tracks on here, I find Blank Space and Shake It Off to be the best, but neither of them are really that great, and I almost found myself bored to tears during the worst parts, like How You Get the Girl and Clean.
And I swear if I hear another I–V–vi–IV I'm going to go insane.
2
Oct 01 2024
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The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
It's interesting enough, and obviously ahead of its time, but it doesn't make for a terribly exciting listening experience today. I guess you had to be there.
3
Oct 02 2024
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Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
I liked this, very interesting mix of genres here. I probably won't go back to it though, nothing really hooked me.
3
Oct 03 2024
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2112
Rush
I really like Rush so yeah, this rules, not my favourite though. At this stage I don't think they nailed the balance of prog with well-formed songs as well as they did a few years later.
4
Oct 04 2024
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Fred Neil
Fred Neil
I don't think I knew the name Fred Neil before, but I've of course heard that cover of Everybody's Talkin'. This was a good listen, didn't blow me away but I can see why it's considered a classic.
3
Oct 07 2024
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Kid A
Radiohead
When Radiohead really started getting weird. It makes no damn sense! Compels me though...
5
Oct 08 2024
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Be
Common
4
Oct 09 2024
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Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby
Terence Trent D'Arby
Pretty good fun, sadly not as memorable as I was hoping though. Would listen again but not in a hurry.
3
Oct 10 2024
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Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
Welcome To The Jungle is pretty great tbh, shame this album then outstays its welcome by about eleven songs. I was going to give this 2/5 but then I heard Anything Goes which finally destroyed all respect I had for the obvious musicianship on display here. I will very happily never hear another album track by this band ever again.
1
Oct 11 2024
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Clandestino
Manu Chao
Really enjoyed this one, very vibey. Would put on in the background again.
4
Oct 14 2024
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Superunknown
Soundgarden
I do really like Soundgarden, I love me some weird time signatures and great riffs, full albums always feel a bit stretched out though. There are a few 5/5 certified bangers on here but the middling rest of the pack drag it down slightly.
4
Oct 15 2024
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Either Or
Elliott Smith
This is really very beautiful.
5
Oct 16 2024
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Feast of Wire
Calexico
A lot of fun, great vibe and energy, and great mix of styles throughout. Will listen again!
4
Oct 17 2024
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Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
I really enjoy the instrumentals on this album, this particular style of rapping kind of ruins it to be honest. Sorry, just not for me! I'd definitely rock a playlist of their instrumentals though.
3
Oct 18 2024
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Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
I just really can't stand vocals like this. Seeing past that, it's fairly bland anyway. Is this really top 1001?
2
Oct 21 2024
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Young Americans
David Bowie
A pleasant enough listen, but each of these tracks are really quite repetitive, more jam tracks than anything. I enjoyed my time with it but I won't go back.
3
Oct 22 2024
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My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
Great vibe here, interesting lyrics and a lot of good energy.
4
Oct 23 2024
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Before And After Science
Brian Eno
3
Oct 24 2024
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The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
This is a really hard one to rate. It's so offensive and uncomfortable to listen to while also slapping relentlessly hard. I certainly can't forgive its content even though it's supposedly satirical but it certainly made me feel strongly which is what good art's supposed to do, right?
I think I'm going to split the difference. I might listen to this again but certainly not in a hurry.
3
Oct 25 2024
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Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
I've never listened to a salsa album before but this was really wonderful, great variety and excellent musicianship on show. Some really, really tasty chord progressions in here, I liked it a lot.
4
Oct 28 2024
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The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Perfectly adequate swing music. I will not be listening again.
3
Oct 29 2024
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Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
They knew exactly what sound they were going for and they nailed it. Not exactly what I would have wanted to hear but it's very effective.
4
Oct 30 2024
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Kimono My House
Sparks
I can't really stand that voice, sorry. Smacks of being weird for the sake of it, which works for a couple of songs but a whole album really tests your endurance.
2
Oct 31 2024
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Moving Pictures
Rush
Their best. Absolute classic. Only 7 songs and they're all bangers (ok Witch Hunt doesn't really standout but I'll let them off)
5
Nov 01 2024
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Being There
Wilco
A fine enough album, I don't know why they had to go for the double though, there's certainly not enough variety here to justify it. I'm interested to hear more of their work as I'm lead to believe they shift styles somewhat, but I'm not going to relisten to this one quickly.
3
Nov 04 2024
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Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Mostly a good listen, but loses points for the album being so front-loaded, and also for how much they ripped off other artists without attribution. They have better albums, I'm sure.
3
Nov 05 2024
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Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
I really enjoyed this! It's the right combination of tight and fluid, great riffs and vibe, and none of the songs outstay their welcome, it gets straight to the point. I want to hear more of their albums!
5
Nov 06 2024
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Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
This kind of ruled, I'd definitely listen to this again. Sagar (The Ocean) doesn't need to be 13 minutes long though, it really slowed things down.
4
Nov 07 2024
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Entertainment
Gang Of Four
When this started I expected to think by the end "ok that was neat, onto the next!" but something about this really got its hooks in me. The bass, the repetition, the stabbing guitars, the neat disorganisation of it all... before I know it I'm five listens in. Very happy with this one!
5
Nov 08 2024
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The Doors
The Doors
Fantastic, I've always been a fan of The Doors so I've been through phases of having this on repeat anyway. Could do with less talk of little girls though.
4
Nov 11 2024
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The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
It's clear why it's a classic, doesn't make for a particularly riveting listen in this day and age though.
3
Nov 12 2024
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In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
Despite being an avowed prog fan, I've never listened to this and never tried to get into King Crimson, always telling myself I'll give it some dedicated time later. That time is now!
Unsurprisingly, I really enjoyed it! Not much to say other than it was a great time, just slightly losing me when it gets a bit more free jazz than I'd like. Will definitely listen again.
4