Sep 26 2024
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Lady Soul
Aretha Franklin
I wonder what she would sound like with modern recording gear/techniques. It's impressive how good she sounds when it seems like it was recorded through a cardboard tube from two rooms over.
Assuming this was originally Mono and converted to Stereo, it's interesting how they split between left-ear right-ear so definitively. Modern music generally only requires one earbud in.
Basslines are fire.
Fav Track: Niki Hoeky
3
Sep 27 2024
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Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
The defacto hipster T-shirt!
The worst parts of Radiohead combined with the worst parts of Interpol.
Fav Track: Disorder
1
Sep 28 2024
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Parachutes
Coldplay
I have a soft spot for Coldplay. This is probably the best album in their discography and that doesn't mean a lot.
Fav Track: Shiver
2
Sep 29 2024
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Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
It's fine?
Fav Track - Bandera
2
Sep 30 2024
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Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
THE MEMORIES. Loved this album back in the day. The b-sides are kind of garbage but the singles are fffire.
Fav Track: Michael
3
Oct 01 2024
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Live At Leeds
The Who
Keith Moon is an absolute monster.
Songwriting leaves a ton to be desired but the guitar solos are sick. Also appreciate how authentic the live experience is. Crazy good energy.
Fav Track - My Generation / Medley
3
Oct 02 2024
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Pretenders
Pretenders
Can feel the 80's seeping through on this album.
Fun ride. Tight performances.
Fav Track: Brass in Pocket (fire emoji)
2
Oct 03 2024
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Loveless
My Bloody Valentine
Pretty unorthadox for 1991 IMO. "Touched" being an interlude track feels about six years ahead of the curve. Too bad every track sounds identical.
I expected way more metal and way less soundscapey shoegazey sad-rock.
Fav Track: I Only Said
2
Oct 04 2024
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The Sensual World
Kate Bush
English Yoko Ono. Interesting instrumentation and presentation but it just comes out as "Tears for Fears but worse".
Fav Track: Between a Man and a Woman (I guess)
1
Oct 05 2024
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Be
Common
Beats are AWESOME. I'd listen to a worse rapper with these beats tbh.
2005 Kanye complaining about the media LOL
Fav Track - GO!
3
Oct 06 2024
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Under Construction
Missy Elliott
This. Is. Another. Missy. Elliot. Exclusive.
Really good production. Liked the beats that go ra ta ta, liked the performance. Writing is above average. I actually loved the little talk interludes like at the end of Pussycat.
Fav Track: Work It
3
Oct 07 2024
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The Slider
T. Rex
Uhh, sure.
Fav Track: The Slider
1
Oct 08 2024
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xx
The xx
Kind of bland and samey, which is a shame because the album opens SO strong and then just fizzles out.
Fav Track: Intro
2
Oct 09 2024
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Roxy Music
Roxy Music
First artist I have absolutely zero familiarity with. Who the hell are Roxy Music?!
Tons of fun, definitely should have been in the conversation for 70's rock.
Fav Track: If There Is Something
3
Oct 10 2024
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Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Guitar work is great but the song structure is just so...straightforward. Feels like an album full of studio musicians propping up a talented guitarist.
Some really abrupt endings. Cherokee into We Are Not Helpless is jarring.
Fav Track: Love the One You're With
2
Oct 11 2024
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Halcyon Digest
Deerhunter
It's like if Radiohead and Arcade Fire had a kid who was raised mostly by uncle Interpol. Thing is, Interpol has a weird neighbor, Animal Collective, that the kid loves so the kid grows up idolizing the weirdo and that shapes their journey into adulthood.
I think I prefer the back half of the album to the front but this is a solid album. Loved the style, some great creative choices in Revival and Desire Lines, along with Helicopter. Great balance of ups and downs.
Fav Track: Desire Lines
4
Oct 12 2024
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Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
MJ is always such a full package. Every song feels so tightly produced. Also the basslines are killer.
Perfect example of A-sides and B-sides. First half of the album is considerably better than the back half. Although, "It's the Falling in Love" would make for a killer sample in a modern track.
Fav Track: Off the Wall
3
Oct 13 2024
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S&M
Metallica
Never really been a Metallica fan and, unfortunately, the addition of a symphony did little to change that. I didn't feel a synergy from the two playing together. I still enjoyed the same singles I already like and the rest of the album was...fine.
Fav Track: Master of Puppets
2
Oct 14 2024
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
Don't love the deep/smoky voice. Much prefer the Leonard Cohen of the 60's that could actually sing. This album comes off more as spoken poetry.
Fav Track: Treaty
2
Oct 15 2024
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At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
Not super into Blues, every song just sounds identical to every other Blues song out there. The album is super clean for a live performance though, great recording.
Fav Track: Tiger In Your Tank
2
Oct 16 2024
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Kick Out The Jams (Live)
MC5
This is garbage but I can see the good parts that make up the whole. The guitar work is impressive. The drums are high energy. The zeppelin style guitar hooks. Good message in the rants between songs. I can see the influence they would have had on future punk acts.
Fav Track: Rocket Reducer No. 62 - Talk
1
Oct 17 2024
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Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
The made-up lyrics always struck me as such a weird choice. It's extremely relaxing and great background music but I find it difficult to actively listen to. My favorite parts usually had no vocals.
Fav Track: Flugufrelsarinn
2
Oct 18 2024
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Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' On Your Mind)
Loretta Lynn
Very much another "of it's time" kind of album. Unimpressive, boring, and not worth noting by today's standards.
Fav Track: Saint To A Sinner
1
Oct 19 2024
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Metallica
Metallica
Shocked at how much I prefer this to S&M. Studio Metallica is surprisingly much more my speed compared to live Metallica.
Fav Track: The Unforgiven
2
Oct 20 2024
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Shleep
Robert Wyatt
This is unoffensive as far as experimental albums go but I'm not a fan.
Fav Track: Heaps of Sheeps
1
Oct 21 2024
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Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
Background music. Tough to do active listening with this but totally fine otherwise.
Fav Track: Ode To The Sun God
2
Oct 22 2024
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In Utero
Nirvana
Another "of their time" thing. I get the impact that Nirvana had but I don't really feel it translate to modern sensibilities. I feel like I'm listening to a high school band.
Fav Track: Heart-Shaped Box
1
Oct 23 2024
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Time Out
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
Fantastic album that has aged extremely well.
Fav Track: Strange Meadow Lark
4
Oct 24 2024
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Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
Hey, the good Leonard Cohen! This is sad as hell!
Fav Track: The Partisan
2
Oct 25 2024
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Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
FUNKY. Love the instrumentation. Bass is bumpin, snare is tight, strings are immaculate, horns are bright. Had no idea Jamiroquai had pipes like this either, silky smooth. 'Hooked Up' could have been on a Persona soundtrack. 'Music of the Mind' is a wonderful interlude track.
Fav Track: Too Young To Die
3
Oct 26 2024
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Young Americans
David Bowie
Didn't love it, didn't hate it. Bowie is fun and still has a unique sound even by modern tastes.
Fav Track: Young Americans
3
Oct 27 2024
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Roots
Sepultura
This is one of the only albums on this list I DNF. Not at all for me.
1
Oct 28 2024
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Low-Life
New Order
Yo this album actually slaps. I would have loved to have been around when this originally released. I feel like I would have been a huge New Order fanboy. The vocals are a little weak but the genre is associated with sad boys who can't sing so it kinda gets a pass. The synth lines are awesome. The album flows great but I think the front half is stronger and it sorta peters out over time.
Fav Track: Sunset
4
Oct 30 2024
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Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
Not my favorite from LDR but still a decent album.
Fav Track: Dark But Just A Game
2
Oct 31 2024
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Boston
Boston
I'll be honest, I love this album. It's pinnacle classic rock. Songwriting got there, production quality was there, it was just right in the zeitgeist where it needed to be. Album is no-skips and any track could easily be someone's favorite. Every track is very samey but I don't think that's strictly a detriment.
Fav Track: Hitch a Ride
4
Nov 01 2024
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The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
This girl has a voice! Fantastic instrumentation. Very inventive production. Fun ride start to finish.
Fav Track: Locked Inside
4
Nov 03 2024
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Hot Fuss
The Killers
I love this album and I refuse to admit it's flaws. It might be slightly repetitive and it might rely too heavily on distorted/fuzzed vocals. It might overuse synth and play it too safe but for the era it was a defining jewel of the alt-rock 00's.
Fav Track: Believe Me Natalie
5
Nov 04 2024
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Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin should have a B-side issue but they don't. While you might approach them like The Who, The Talking Heads, or The Rolling Stones, they are so much more than just the hits. Every song is a hit. This album is no exception, if anything it's the rule.
Fav Track: Since I've Been Loving You
4
Nov 07 2024
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Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
Lots of interesting tracks (which punk albums typically lose my interest by feeling too samey). Really like the instrumental outro track. Soo many tracks on this album that I've been exposed to, either through radio, video games, or movies and TV.
Fav Track: Die, All Right!
3
Nov 11 2024
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Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
This was...interesting. I like the longer tracks quite a bit. Not a huge fan of the album though and I feel that the runtime could have been used to be more inventive.
Fav Track: One Woman
2
Nov 16 2024
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Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
Kinda mid. Has glimpses of greatness and bits and pieces of better artists.
Fav Track: Yes Sir, No Sir
2
Nov 19 2024
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The Köln Concert
Keith Jarrett
Not sure how many times I looped through this without realizing. Wonderful background music. Beautiful keys. Could do without the random vocal outbursts but sometimes they added a certain authenticity to the performance.
Fav Track: Part II A
3