A record with varied influences providing for a nice mixture of hip-hop sounds. The flow is good, the boys play greatly off eachother. It does lose some steam by the second half.
It rides a fine line. Exactly dirty and rough enough while also keeping it playful and wild. It is loud, as any good fuzz effect should be. I can understand though that this amount of noise is beyond some other's tolerances.
The man has a great voice, excellent groove and writes good lyrics with varied topics and fusions of genres keeping it fresh throughout. It loses some steam on a couple of the ballads but that is not enough to knock it down a point. Definitely gonna spend more time on this pastime paradise.
Mediocre. The clever lyrics are diminished by the arrogant smugness this guy exudes. The sound is loungy, nothing against that. But Costello needs to lay off the valium.
This wasn't bad, it showed some interesting variations in melody and sonic texture. In a way it is fitting I get this while in a ski-area in Austria. What goes for dance music here are crimes against humanity. Mylo is a reminder to those peddlers of bass boosted summer of 69 to up their game or even better: pack it in, there's standards that won't be achieved with cow noises.
Still don't think Mick Jagger has a nice voice. At its best during the jams. Without having heard their other albums, this might be a more soul-like addition? Might revisit.
Contains many bridges to genres and understandably, it is culturally significant. But the singing is grating and except for the title track, it never grips. The solo work is technically impressive but the sound is ultimately dry and boring. Important but dated.
Undeniably smooth and well performed. An album full of songs about the woes of love. Its main upside is also its downside, a continuous soundscape that fits a certain time and place
Eclectic, enjoyable, and at times delightfully strange. There's something for everyone here but not everything is for everyone.
This one does keep gripping. Stairway is a song I do not need to hear every day anymore on account of studying every note of it for learning the guitar. But the other tracks are great and varied. Only thing keeping this from being higher is a unifying theme or story. Songs I will definitely revisit at some point.
Standout bangers interspersed with pop-punk that gets you going. The sound may fall on the commercial side but the earnest themes about anxiety, loneliness and mental health prevent it from being cynical or trite. Will definitely relisten.
I seemed to not be agreeing with punk rock, but this I very much appreciated. Blazingly fast songs, so best listened as an album to keep the stream going. The use of fat fuzz gives the sound a slushy, grungy feel that makes it stand out from dryer sounding contemporaries. The vocals are on point and do more than the standard "don't care"-attitude. Recommended
The poetry and vocal delivery while very emotional, does nothing to compensate for the lack of musical cohesion. The songs that do stand out from the wave of disjointed jazz are not sticking with me. Was this influential? Yeah perhaps, but that's not what I'm rating here.
A strong narrative first half followed by a more existential second half. I like the former more. Instruments and vocals sell the swelling of dramatic tension leading up to the confrontation well. But why not follow through?
Beautiful, smooth and harsh at the same time, funky, rocking and mellow. The instrumentals are brilliant, the vocals are a love it or hate it deal. I am awfully biased by nostalgia, sue me if you must.
Sludgy, harsh and full of energy. The good is really good, others in between are tough to listen to. Go punch a nazi to this album.
A lush soundscape with plenty of cool sounds. The lyrics are unintelligeble and the songs flow into one another after a while. But the melancholic vibe just keeps sticking.
I have thoughts about jazz. How it is joining classical music as a genre that is used for meticulous study. It sucks the fun out of a genre that is meant to be about fun and freedom. I was subjected to this. The teachers were archetypical sticks in the mud who would sigh at their students not being like their favorite jazz musicians. Now that I have explained my bias: The music is fun, vibrant and manages to capture images beyond what would require spoken word. Situational, but undeniably good
Pop songs that keep on shining. Their major flaw is being so overplayed that the highlights were the songs that don't end up on the radio. I won't revisit but it was not time wasted.
I have no strong thoughts about this album either way. You can hear some of the more modern indie-rock in this record ahead of its time. But beyond that there is little lasting impression.
I learned that having a Renault used to be worthy of a shout-out. Otherwise, songs with all the same tempo, the same trite cliches and some lyrics are downright weird. The few "innovative" elements don't push anything forward, in the end it is just blues music made boring.
A shot of straight depresso. Perfect for a sad day. Deals with addiction, depression, hopelessness in an earnest and cutting way. Sounds are varied, harsh and unforgettably haunting.
Some folksy psychedelics. The first few songs were soothing and good for a cold day. The rest are quite strange. Nevertheless they are all performed well. Overall ok
Instrumentals are good but this singer's vocal stye does not work well.
Excellently sounding and played rock music. The live version of my generation is rich and filling, damn good. What took me out though is the downright porno-esque "a quick one while he's away". Its sound arrangement and style does not fit the rest of the setlist, no matter what your opinion on the subject matter in the lyrics is.
If you have to ask you'll never know.
This one did very little, it was well sung and the lyrics were good but the end result is not musically stimulating.
The three standout songs on this album are timeless classics and the rest isn't bad either. Nice rock tunes that keep on ticking. Well performed too.
Hadn't listened to PJ Harvey before, glad it came along here. Poppy but also grungy, accessible but also raw. It strikes a nice sonic balance. Looking forward to more from this artist.
This is great funk, the extended jam sessions had me looking up tabs to play along. The social comentary gives it an edge that cuts still today.
Strong songwriting aboutt he millenial struggle against capitalist urbanism. The soundscape gets a little too drawn out in the middle, could have done with a trim. But the standout songs are good.
Great beginning, great ending, but how is this a great album? The middle songs were forgettable and Mick Jagger's voice is grating as ever. I'm starting to feel the only way I will actually enjoy the stones is if some "greatest hits" album comes along. Too much chaff.
Sounds like every indie-pop band of the 2000's, which doesn't do much to me. Being first in that style of music will onpy give you the same grade which is: ok, not offensive.
This sounds like it should have been the sountrack to a movie. It is beautiful and descriptive, but also a bit drawn out. Ok but not for my everyday commute.
Pretty, audible hot chocolate. Goes on to inspire nearly all of the singer-songwriter ilk. But this one is a cut above that rest.
Well sung and written, but only the occasional song manages to break from the background to make a lasting impression
Sounds mysterious and nervous when the dnb is actually going. When the drums go away, the soundscape is drawn out and hard to actively listen to. Truly background music with too much excess.
Interesting fuzzy, gritty and wah-filled sound. Opens strong but "we will fall" takes all the steam out of it. Iggy pop has a similar nasaly voice that other punk artists do but pulls it off better.
Excellent vibe and sound. Cuts like a knife but also accessible through a layer of smooth synths and vocals. Have revisited again already. The trashest of the trash.
While the lyrics and themes are nice, the instrumentals are too reminiscent of country to my tastes. The voice of Neil is also not going to be a hit with me. I can still appreciate his writing though.
The loungy sounds evoke the atmosphere of an 80's cop drama intro or soundtrack. This voice can only be an acquired taste. Only the last song redeems it by the singer finally letting them music take center stage instead of the floaty generic sentiments.
The sound on the hits was good but the other stuff was a letdown. Trite messages and childish concepts on how to achieve peace through embracing Jesus are the bulk of the second half. I feel Lenny has nothing to say. And the music he makes, while suitable for radio is ultimately just passing.
Mediocre. The clever lyrics are diminished by the arrogant smugness this guy exudes. The sound is loungy, nothing against that. But Costello needs to lay off the valium.
It straddles a fine line between camp and punk, serious and kitschy. The sound on the standout hits is more dry than some of the others which feature nice uses of modulation. Consider this a low 4.
Controversial, loving it or hating it hinges on how you interpret it. Either you believe shady is a character that asks the audience why they desire music with such crass topics and thus this album is clever commentary on the industry and society. Or you believe this is a cheap excuse to be vulgar and juvenile. I tend to fall on the former, but understand people ruling the latter.
A strong opening rock opera album that only lets up a little by the middle. Ballads that have not forsaken to send the listener off with some energy.
This form of discount rolling stones/beach boys just feels dated. The sound is dry, the themes generic, and there is an obligatory song that would get you suspicious looks now.
Held up better than I expected it would. The energy is high, the lyrics obscene, the guitar riffs simple. These are not marks against it per se. Does repeat itself due to the limitations of the musicians in their chord knowledge.
It is pretty and performed emotionally but there is no standout here. Everything bleeds into one another, discerning meaning is hard when very few lyrics are made up of actual words. Won't revisit.
A juvenile and misogynistic rant, glorifies violent grifting for the grift. It is only saved by being so silly and delivered with some amount of style. There is skill here, but g-rap as a genre had a lot of growing to do back then.
The beauty of this one is in the lyrics. The arrangements are simple, intrumentally there is not much going on. But Cohen has a way with words that even if you don't understand them, they take you by the hand and drag you along.
I fluctuate between putting this on in the car for a long drive and thinking it is a bit too complicated for that. The musicians are undeniably talented and the standouts pretty damn good. I can see how people dislike prog anything though. The fans for this kind of music can be insufferable when they beat you over the head with how complicated their musical tastes are.
The coca- cola of metal music. One is the standout song here with the other pieces not being terrible or great. They sound quite alike. The album sounds harsh due to the absence of bass. Probably won't revisit. Putting this one down as a benchmark for the other metallica still to come.
Beautiful playing that remains relevant to this day. It tugs at the heartstrings with its opening and the poetic lyrics have not ceased to be applicable. Shine on and wish you were here are the standouts. But the long jams in between had me reaching for my guitar too to learn those riffs. Wish you were here is amazing, everyone should have listened to it.
Excellent psychedelic blues vibes, riders on the storm is still amazing. The inbetween songs are tasty jams with a good sound. I was trying to come up with reasons not to revisit but i guess i will have to now.
This one sent my spotify down a wintery bout of self-reflective music. And I do not mind that. I will have to listen to some more Wilco when this is done. Though it is hard to put my finger on why.
These were ok for christmas, fun for once. They are well performed but not all arrangements have aged as gracefully and it does not quite fit my european conceptions of christmas. My dad said it was a 3, and I agree.
This was quite ok, might revisit. It straddles the line between new and coming artist and one attempting to remain cool with the kids. It doesn't do bad at that.
I was expecting to be disappointed by the vocal style but wasn't. Then again I struggle to think of a standout moment from this album.
I am torn on this as it is emblematic of the unholy trinity of those bands that a certain type of boomer claims is "real music". It sits there along with metallica and ac/dc as that band your middle-aged, Harley-owning step-dad listens to and very little else. Nevertheless, the standout hits are good anthems with an unique unmistakable style. The strongest part of this band is Slash's guitar work on those hits. The in-between songs are quite standard hair-metal songs with lyrics that have not always aged well. If I'm being generous, it is that starting point for a development of a musical taste. But woe befall anyone who doesn't outgrow this.
I like the vibe of this one, it is simultaneously chill but also cuts. Lookong forward to more of Beck.
Harsh but at the same time groundbreaking. I find it hard to listen to but considering the circumstances, good on you slits for making this.
The titular sing is the standout here with the rest being very basic 60's pop rock. The other work listened to so far by the Who was more daring and had a more interesting sound. The drummer is still good though.
Same as the previous Neil Young album. The lyrics are good but the voice and style doesn't always resonate with me.
Like zeppelin but more excentric in the first half, uncut queen in the second. Contains none of the hits but that only served to pleasantly surprise. Good stuff.
This man has a good singing voice but the lyrics are mostly sleazy and the sound peak 80's bubblegum pop. Both of those two latter things don't do it for me.
Perhaps the better segment of the black-tee-boomer rock. The sound stradles a nice balance with good punch without becoming dry. It does seem like they have to try really hard to not play ace of spades every time.
I don't like the sound of this one. I get that this was somehow transformative for Lennon but I can't shake the feeling that if this was made by any other person, it would not have garnered any attention. What is there is saved by the honesty and vulnerability but marred by a thin sound and bizarre stylistic choices.
I found myself warming up to it as it went on. It borrows from the singer-songwriter ilk but places it in a much richer sound. The songs range from bombastic to quiet and melancholic. Cave's lyrics are consistently good.
If you can't get enough of rumours and wish there was more of it, even if it is not nearly as polished, this is for you. Sisters of moon is the best song on this. Other than that nothing stood out but it was not bad either.
An eclectic mix of styles while still keeping an overarching sound. The first half is the better one, it gets weird in the second one. Was definitely not bored by this one.
Knockoff radiohead. And I am not a fan of Radiohead. The hidden tune was the best. More of that, less of the crying in a corner.
Didn't really get to make a lasting impact. The sound was funky but lacked edge. The singer sometimes has that valium vocals going on. It was ok.
Starts off eclectic sounding but became repetitive as it went on. I only knew this artist from the one song they made with Idles so my expectations might have been out of whack. Was not bad though.
It was ok. Competently played, but a bit too layd back to make a lot of lasting impact beyond the occasional moment wherein you recognize that melody.
It is weird yes, it also made me laugh a couple of times. The 70's juxtaposed with classical music is jarring but it made me think. Classical music is considered far separated from modern pop music, as if the two don't and never should interact. I guess it just leads to weirdness like this.
A nice and lush album with great sounds and a couple of songs that really punch above their weight. I think I'm in love and cop shoot cop show the best of the album. There are some moments though where the droning drones a bit too much, making it hard to listen actively. If you like the noise it's great, if not you're gonna have a bad time.
The sound is a bit old-fashioned and folksy at times, but rythms and the occasional guitar solo keep it interesting. It has a punk edge from its lyrics that have aged surprisingly well.
The sound is nice but kinda dated. It serves mostly as a teachable moment now. The source material, country, gives a very limited set of chords and progressions to work with and Charles does great work with it. But after two discs, they all start to blend together into one big country ballad blob. You are my sunshine is recognizable by the lyrics and thus stood out to me.
Most of the songs are fun and give a good kick up the rear. But then the occasional strangeness comes along that is hard to vibe with. I feel almost peer-pressured to not give it lower than a four. To my modern sensibilities most of the then groundbreaking stuff is done by everyone now. So it just sounds less impressive. Oh well, second beatles album done, it was better than plastic ono, a four it is.
Most of the songs feature heavy use of experimentation with different genres and styles. Not all of them land with me. Though at the right kind of party this would really slap.
Pretty good as far as new wave goes. The vocals are nice, the sound is varied. Got some mild tears for fears vibes. I might revisist a couple of these songs.
It was a bit better tha Aja. Some songs actually stop being about playing fast and complex stuff and get to a point. Which is good.
Good bluesy rock with the occasional folk influence. Immigrant song and since i've been loving you are the top songs.
Supposedly this is his best work, but his voice is a love it or hate it matter. It would also take the right mood for this to click and I just wasn't in it. Props for the lyrics but except for I want you nothing stuck by me.
I like the voice, but whether the song hits or misses is down to the backing behind it. The clubby techno vibes of songs like big time sensuality work better than the more scaled back and experimental sounds. I took a little diversion into the sugarcubes after listening to this so it made some impact.
The music was ok, what could be found, but it is a mystery as to how this album is on the list. The content of the album is unfindable on spotify, the only trace on the web was a playlist on youtube, cobbled together from uploads of various accounts. Those videos had been up for over a decade and only had 10k views. Whoever owns the rights to this couldn't be bothered to enforce copyright or get a deal with Vevo or whatever. The spotify account for what else is available on this artist gets 1.8k listens monthly. To call the interest in this band obscure compared to the rest of this list is an understatement. If anything, this album is an example of how very little art that is produced survives into the future. Only 20 years ago this album made some kind of waves and now it is on the border of extinction. Have a think about that.
The samples are bizarre and arranged in a chaotic manner that surprisingly works. It triggered a nostalgic reminder of that one simpsonwave song that made the rounds in the early 2000's but this is a lot more refined. Crazy, but good fun.
The man has a great voice, excellent groove and writes good lyrics with varied topics and fusions of genres keeping it fresh throughout. It loses some steam on a couple of the ballads but that is not enough to knock it down a point. Definitely gonna spend more time on this pastime paradise.
He puts a nice spin on the arrangements to keep blues and r&b fresh. But despite that it will sound dated to modern ears. It also sent the spotify algo to a nice place after it was done. Enjoyed this one.
This wasn't bad, it showed some interesting variations in melody and sonic texture. In a way it is fitting I get this while in a ski-area in Austria. What goes for dance music here are crimes against humanity. Mylo is a reminder to those peddlers of bass boosted summer of 69 to up their game or even better: pack it in, there's standards that won't be achieved with cow noises.
Country isn't going to be my jam. Too much Jesus, not enough movement. The saving grace from the 1 is the occasional talk of loneliness and addiction. It looked like it was going to pick up momentum on the last song, but then the album was over.
Great grooves and funky beats with clever lyrics and a collection of voices that play off each other excellently. The social commentary is delivered with humour and style. Excellent.
A record with varied influences providing for a nice mixture of hip-hop sounds. The flow is good, the boys play greatly off eachother. It does lose some steam by the second half.
Stevie is insanely productive but on this record, the really fun and hitting hits are to sparsely present. Worse is that the in-between songs are really sacharine lovesongs with little that makes them stand out. Put Superstition somewhere on a playlist with songs in the key of life for the best experience.
Unlike some other electronic music on this list, this contained little variations or interesting sounds to keep it fresh. The sounds are also a bit old hat.
It rides a fine line. Exactly dirty and rough enough while also keeping it playful and wild. It is loud, as any good fuzz effect should be. I can understand though that this amount of noise is beyond some other's tolerances.
The trio has nice singing quality and the lyrics occasionally manage to indicate some interesting twists. But the same old country melodies and progressions hamper its impact.
The hits on this are great, the second half falters a bit. Bubbly and silly but also making clever plays on existing songs and their tropes. Essential 80's pop.
While steeped in rock and competently played, these songs lack an edge that truly makes them stick with me. Some of the songs look and sound alike, on account of using the same basis. It's like they are trying to sell you the same idea multiple times.
An interesting blend of genres that fills a niche interest. It is educational in showing how old genres can be given more appeal. But it remains a situational music with a time and place.
Compared to some the other 80's pop on this list this one is very highly produced. It is its strength but also greatest flaw. The overproduction gives the sound an air of artificiality. Everything is just a little too clean, too safe. Sure the title track is good and Prince's appearances are nice, but I simply have no desire to listen to this again.
I love this energy it has to it. It is chaotic, raw, violently wild and all that with a rich sound. Francis and Deal played off really nice with one another. The subject matter is daring, delightfully strange and unafraid of its own bizarreness. Maybe not everyone can stand this madness, but you should find out if you dig it before you kick the bucket
A mining area for samples to put in your techno music. The funky guitar and bass are pleasant but the lyrics are simple and some songs go on for a bit too long.
For some reason I can't put my finger on, Paul Simon ends up making music that always manages to be pleasant. I once heard a timeless hit needs melancholy. In that regard he manages to always marry an upbeat and cheery tune with introspective or critical lyrics. Maybe that's the key?
A gloomy soundscape of samples that piques the attention here and there. But I reckon it is a bit too long or could have used a bit more variety.
Sounds like some other bands I like. Has an angry edge to it. Good.
A beautiful voice performs one of the most recognizable songs on the planet. As for the rest of the album, it is more of the same but not quite at that level. Very soulful.
The first half contained some ok songs with good sound and lyrics. But then the sound gets thinner and the lyrics become juvenile. It is unrefined in a thin and uninteresting way. Some of these concepts of songs could have used more time in the oven.
After listening to III and IV, this one seems to be my favorite so far. A good heavy rendition of blues, filled with the cliches but played so straight it's good. It usurps the source and becomes the new origin. Some of these lyrics are a bit over the top with the leg juices though.
The melancholic combination of a triumphant anthem with a dark and serious subject matter is clearly on display. The songs are well written but hampered by an 80's production that also dates it. This album will stay relevant as long as America is the way it is.
Discount David Bowie and a dreadful case of "valium vocals" drag this one down from what is otherwise pretty ok rock music. The guitar is great here, the songwriting less so. Truly a mixed bag. Also RIP the saxophone player they strangled on mic for "all the way from Memphis".
This sound isn't all that distinctive from its contemporaries so it distinguishes itself by having a good singer who makes a great act. It doesn't take itself too seriously which in this case really works. It is politically aware and kicks against some holy houses so points for that. Good on you Cooper.
The eclectic sound gives the message of the songs a varying degree of melancholy, essential in a timeless classic. It features lush use of modulation on the guitar to keep the sound from going dry like with some contemporaries. The vocals are a style that normally does not click with me at all but here it works adequately and lends an unrefined charm. Certified good for work and road trips.
Listening to this was not a pleasant experience, it is eerie, haunting. Mandatory listening for the context, it is not often we hear the swan song of an artist this way. But I would not revisit this for my enjoyment.
The good kind of soundtrack to an 80's movie. The sun always shines on tv has an epicness to it that many contemporaries attempt but do not achieve. The great hits are interspersed with sweet romance songs to give some highs and lows but I was mostly waiting for more of the highs.
Compared to her debut, this album is more experimental and less accessible. The songs blur into one another, creating what charitably could be called cohesive, but in my case it is indicative of being monotonous. There is a lot of artistry and creativity on display, but the result is just hard to get onto.
There are a couple of interesting sounds and textures here like on Aisha. But the other songs could have used some more fleshing out. The rest of the album drags as a result. Probably won't revisit.
Another one of those that is mandatory listening for any music enthusiast, but perhaps more for the context than its contents. By today's standards, these covers of country and blues songs are rather tame but have often become the default. I would encourage anyone liking this to also look into the many original versions of these songs. The story of Elvis' rise to fame is also a reminder that those who loudly protest or object to new musical worlds forming or intermingling will look rather silly in the future. Keep that in mind, this is happening even today.
After getting Astral Weeks first, I was a little pissed going into this. Luckily this seems to have done away with the pretentious wanking and replaced it with folk influences. The sound is a summery track that quickly bleeds into one another. It's for a particular kind of mood, one I wasn't in today.
How to check if people read your book: 1) Put in an album that is clearly background music. 2) Explain very clearly in the book that it is good in the genre of hip-hop background music. 3) Watch as those who haven't read the book complain about it being background music that shouldn't be listened to actively. 4) Profit??? In all seriousness, it really is just that. Productivity music that fulfills its role nicely, but I have other music that works just as well. It's kinda funny though that a niche like this exists. "Oh no guests are coming over! What could I play to break the silence but not reveal too much about my personality or offend anyone? Ahah, perfect!" I guess this is how people did the lo-fi stream before the internet became ubiquitous.
Well isn't this a cheery surprise. I don't know if these guys were taking themselves all that seriously but damn is this the right mix of kickass and silly.
A nice voice and more of the same as son of a preacher man. The songs are neatly composed and have a good vibe to them. What keeps it from 5 is a little extra oompf.
The album itself is nice with interesting songs about the woes of love. The sound is diverse on the first half with the occasional funky sound and kinda falters on the second half. However, this kind of music is also a big part of the soundtrack to many of the boring car rides I had as a kid. So I am biased, sue me.
Interesting beats with a hypnotic sound over them, the songs could have done with a bit of a trim though. Essential listening for the story of the artist.