321
Albums Rated
3.19
Average Rating
29%
Complete
768 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990s
Favorite Decade
Grunge
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
17
5-Star Albums
13
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Garbage
Garbage
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
|
5 | 3.62 | +1.38 |
|
Superunknown
Soundgarden
|
5 | 3.66 | +1.34 |
|
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
5 | 3.7 | +1.3 |
|
Grace
Jeff Buckley
|
5 | 3.72 | +1.28 |
|
Doolittle
Pixies
|
5 | 3.74 | +1.26 |
|
What's That Noise?
Coldcut
|
4 | 2.78 | +1.22 |
|
Axis: Bold As Love
Jimi Hendrix
|
5 | 3.78 | +1.22 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
|
1 | 3.56 | -2.56 |
|
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
|
1 | 3.37 | -2.37 |
|
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
|
1 | 3.32 | -2.32 |
|
Smile
Brian Wilson
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
|
Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
|
1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
|
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
|
2 | 3.83 | -1.83 |
|
Bad
Michael Jackson
|
2 | 3.81 | -1.81 |
|
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
|
1 | 2.68 | -1.68 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Talking Heads | 3 | 1.33 |
| The Fall | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (17)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Talking Heads
1/5
The first song was good, then I remembered what made the last talking heads album not gell with me: the vocals. The wacky and warbling synths make it sound like a circus act. I decided to look into the lyrics looking for something profound to make the insufferable delivery worth it. Memories can wait was better. It all sounds so nervous. I don't think I get peoples' infatuation with this artist.
2 likes
Beastie Boys
3/5
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.
1 likes
Mudhoney
4/5
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.
1 likes
Stevie Wonder
5/5
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.
1 likes
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
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.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (13)
All Ratings
The Rolling Stones
3/5
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.
Television
2/5
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.
Sade
3/5
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
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Eclectic, enjoyable, and at times delightfully strange. There's something for everyone here but not everything is for everyone.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
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.
Green Day
4/5
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.
Wire
4/5
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
Van Morrison
2/5
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.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
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?
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
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.
Sonic Youth
4/5
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.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
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.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
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
ABBA
3/5
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.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
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.
Joe Ely
1/5
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.
Alice In Chains
5/5
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.
Devendra Banhart
3/5
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
Talking Heads
2/5
Instrumentals are good but this singer's vocal stye does not work well.
The Who
3/5
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.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
If you have to ask you'll never know.
Bonnie Raitt
3/5
This one did very little, it was well sung and the lyrics were good but the end result is not musically stimulating.
The Who
4/5
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.
4/5
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.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
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.
Arcade Fire
4/5
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.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
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.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
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.
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
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.
Nick Drake
4/5
Pretty, audible hot chocolate. Goes on to inspire nearly all of the singer-songwriter ilk. But this one is a cut above that rest.
Carole King
3/5
Well sung and written, but only the occasional song manages to break from the background to make a lasting impression
Goldie
2/5
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.
The Stooges
3/5
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.
Garbage
5/5
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.
Neil Young
3/5
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.
John Martyn
2/5
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.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
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.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
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.
Judas Priest
4/5
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.
Eminem
4/5
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.
Elton John
4/5
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.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
2/5
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.
Sex Pistols
4/5
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.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
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.
Snoop Dogg
1/5
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.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
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.
Yes
3/5
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.
Metallica
3/5
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.
Pink Floyd
5/5
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.
The Doors
4/5
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.
Wilco
4/5
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.
Various Artists
3/5
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.
Paul Weller
3/5
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.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
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.
Beck
4/5
I like the vibe of this one, it is simultaneously chill but also cuts. Lookong forward to more of Beck.
The Slits
3/5
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 Who
3/5
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.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Same as the previous Neil Young album. The lyrics are good but the voice and style doesn't always resonate with me.
Queen
4/5
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.
George Michael
3/5
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.
Motörhead
4/5
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.
John Lennon
2/5
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.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
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.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
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.
Blur
4/5
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.
Travis
2/5
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.
Happy Mondays
3/5
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.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
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.
Steely Dan
3/5
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.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
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.
Spiritualized
4/5
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.
4/5
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.
Ray Charles
3/5
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.
4/5
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.
M.I.A.
3/5
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.
Talk Talk
3/5
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.
Steely Dan
3/5
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.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Good bluesy rock with the occasional folk influence. Immigrant song and since i've been loving you are the top songs.
Bob Dylan
3/5
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.
Björk
3/5
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 Icarus Line
3/5
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.
Coldcut
4/5
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.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
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.
Fats Domino
4/5
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.
Mylo
4/5
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.
James Taylor
2/5
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.
Cypress Hill
4/5
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.
Beastie Boys
3/5
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 Wonder
3/5
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.
808 State
2/5
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.
Mudhoney
4/5
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.
Dolly Parton
3/5
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.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
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.
T. Rex
3/5
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.
Gotan Project
3/5
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.
Madonna
3/5
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.
Pixies
5/5
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
CHIC
3/5
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.
Paul Simon
4/5
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?
DJ Shadow
3/5
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.
Fugazi
4/5
Sounds like some other bands I like. Has an angry edge to it. Good.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
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 White Stripes
2/5
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.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
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.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
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.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
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".
Alice Cooper
4/5
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 Clash
4/5
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.
David Bowie
3/5
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.
a-ha
4/5
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.
Björk
2/5
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.
Death In Vegas
2/5
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.
Elvis Presley
3/5
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.
Van Morrison
3/5
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.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
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.
The Darkness
4/5
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.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
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.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
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.
Fela Kuti
3/5
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.
Lou Reed
4/5
Another one that falls in the category of disturbingly fascinating. The sheer apathy of the storyteller in the bed and sad song is haunting. I had to physically step away midway through. So although deeply unpleasant, it can not leave you unperturbed. Kudos but also concern.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
These were some ok beats. An idea is proposed, explored and on to the next one. You can hear some of the modern edm in this but a bit cheerier than it is now. Despite that the songs do get repetitive within themselves at times.
Super Furry Animals
2/5
The constant mingling of genres makes this hard to listen from all the whiplash. The one constant is the Costello-esque vocals. Like a George Lucas film, there is so much here but someone should have steered the ship to a direction instead of answering yes to every idea.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Disco ballads to the end once the first half is done. The bass lines and Jackson's signature vocals are the highlight. And while competent it just doesn't hit me with any impact lasting beyond the song. Like a ping-pong ball going at mach fuck.
George Harrison
4/5
Only listened to sgt pepper's and plastic ono before this one and I would like to adjust my rating for sgt pepper. This album should be above it but it's not a 5 either. It is too long for that with a lot of filler in between.
This should have been two albums with the jam stuff clearly separated. I did like that better than the first part of the album though.
Iggy Pop
2/5
I was expecting more stooges-like stuff with more electronica mixed in and initially I was only really ticked off by the vocals. I wanted to like this. The vocals are so sedated, like on horse tranquilizer. By the second half the mood is completely gone, everything goes dissonant, even the synthesizers go off key on mass production. I get that this is about sobering up but you don't have to make all of us nauseous.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
The intro and outro really are something you should skip. What's in the middle is greatly influenced by the style and sound of the producers. Kanye west is a nazi now and Jay-Z an exploiter. Their influence is shown clearly and at times I could swear I was listening to touch the sky by kanye. The rest is ok upbeat hip-hop.
The Adverts
3/5
The occasional sprinkle of modulation and a broken rythm here and there keeps this one slightly fresh but ultimately it is more 70's punk. The songs are thusly similar that the live versions didn't register as something I heard before.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Good grooves, interesting guitar play, socially aware lyrics. It changes up the chords and progressions often enough to jeep the reggae formula fresh for the runtime. Quite good. The album cover seems to be made in paint, it has this strange artifacting on the letters.
I recommend checking out the life of Bob Marley and his band, interesting character he was.
Public Enemy
4/5
They sampled some great grooves for this and layered on excellently enunciated politically conscious raps on top. Terminator X features perhaps the weakest sound, the whine in the background struck a nerve with me.
Ramones
3/5
Hard, fast, get in and get out. The sound is rather dry with a focus on the vocals which have this faux-brit thing going on. The same song structure is repeated throughout the thing. Despite being punk, it doesn't really rail against anything but the dominating sound of its disco days. So ok, but not something I would revisit
Red Snapper
2/5
This ones scores low, not for being offensive but rather for not being all that notable. Some of the songs are a videogame soundtrack, others would have worked as base layers for a rap song. Vocals get repeated just a bit too often. The sound also seems to have been surpassed, in fact it sounds a bit too 90's for being 00's.
The Sabres Of Paradise
1/5
The only edge here is the razor on the album cover. The sound never builds to anything and most of these tracks run for way longer than needed to get the point across. There's good electronic music out there but this ain't it.
Elton John
3/5
Comparing only to yellow brick road, I think this one is slightly less good. The power ballad really needs oompf and here there is less of that. Great opener, Elton can definitely sing and play. Then there's Indian summer making a flawed if still rightfully tragic representationof the subject matter. But all throughout I was never annoyed so an ok rating it is.
U2
3/5
The drums are on point, sunday is a good song. But I struggle to take serious any guitarist who calls themselves "the edge". Bono's vocals leave a mixed impression, he's really trying but I just don't always like that sound.
Sonic Youth
3/5
It is a work of melancholic beauty obscured by a rough outer shell and many prickly barbs. Listening through all of it requires a fan of their work. I don't think I can call myself that. There are a couple pearls here like teenage riot and the sprawl. But other pieces are hard to get through. A true mixed bag.
Def Leppard
3/5
So did you enjoy those guns and roses songs that were not hits? If so, boy do I have an album for you. As good as dumb 80's hair metal gets for the fun factor but oh so dated. This is the stuff Steel Panther makes fun of.
Hole
4/5
Does the quiet/loud grunge really well. Dirty lush guitars and guttural vocals aplenty. Reminds me a lot of the breeders, which you probably should also check out if you like this.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
While her voice is instantly recognizable, this style of song really doesn't grab me. The orchestra sound is merely functional here to accompany the many great vocals which carry this entire thing. All in all these songs are ok but there's nothing leaving a lasting impression.
Talking Heads
1/5
The first song was good, then I remembered what made the last talking heads album not gell with me: the vocals. The wacky and warbling synths make it sound like a circus act. I decided to look into the lyrics looking for something profound to make the insufferable delivery worth it. Memories can wait was better. It all sounds so nervous. I don't think I get peoples' infatuation with this artist.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
Damn epic. Just when you think there's gonna be a completely quiet song it explodes again to new heights. The man has range and sings with conviction. The production is just enough so it doesn't get in the way of the music. I never listened to Buckley before but I agree with the writers of the list, you should have experienced this at some point in life.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Nothing special or offensive of note here. Very ok. As otherd have noted in these reviews, the first song is the best of the bunch, but only marginally.
Boards of Canada
2/5
I have called albums soundtracks before. I don't know if it's the right way to put it but to me it sounds like a soundtrack to being alone. It tries to pluck at some feelings which it doesn't always succeed at. But it tries.
The Black Keys
4/5
Perhaps not the most refreshing take on the blues rock garage band thing. But I really like the sound of this one and it is excellent for driving on a hot day with your windows down.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
At least it has a lusher and more blues-inspired sound compared to some of the other 70's hard rock on this list. The live audience being faked is also just plain weird. You don't notice it really unless you know. Still an odd practice.
David Bowie
3/5
I can't deny the man has great songwriting and his band has a great sound. But Bowie has a particular style of singing that is to me an acquired taste at best. These particular songs are good to me, but won't seek them out.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Good orchestra sound coupled to a timeless voice. It is inoffensive mood-setting music in my mind. The sort that takes you back to an optimistic perception of a period in history only few got to actually experience. I wasn't there for it.
So as a mood, interesting. As active listening, dated and naive.
Stereolab
2/5
Drones a bit too much without actually creating a good soundscape. The synth sounds don't fill up the empty space left by the disinterested vocals. There's just too little going on here while at the same time being hard to swallow by being dense with drunk sounding weirdness. Lyrics are about urbanism but the writer was more concerned with using complicated words than actually capturing any feelings or making profound remarks or making it sound good.
Kanye West
1/5
While excellently produced and arranged, the subject matter is really a celebration of neoliberalism. "I will get money and fame at all costs" is the running moral code. This is not a cry against the system so much as a plea for our fucked up system to please favor him instead of anyone else. Kanye was never one of the good ones. You can detect a lot of the weirdness we now condemn him for already in this record. When Kendrick raps they not like us, he's not just talking about Drake, it's this. These rich kids who want to get even more rich. Kanye was never on the streets. Why does he rap so much about people hating him? Because it's transparent this man has no real authenticity, his motivations are not connection or speaking truth to power but getting ahead and pulling up the ladder. And doing bitches, lots of bitches.
R.E.M.
4/5
A nice listen for a melancholic day. The voice really meshes well with the instruments and the lyrics are cryptic. But even if you don't understand all of it, it evokes nostalgic emotions and introspection. Drive, man on the moon and night swimming are the highlights but don't skip the rest.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Did not register all that much with me. The sound is summery and layd back but I didn't spend the time translating the lyrics so no opinion on that. At least now I know a name in this genre.
The Beach Boys
3/5
While it may have historically contributed a lot, by today's standards it really isn't all that exciting. First to feature a theremin? Great.
I hope the people who praise such firsts on old albums aren't the same people dismissing every new sound that is first introduced in other genres and new music. That would be embarrassing, wouldn't it?
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Having now listened to the zeppelin quadrilogy, this one sits at the same height to me as II. There is flashy guitar play, dirty blues, belts that pierce all, and exceplent drums. The tandem of good times bad times and Babe I'm gonna leave you is the highlight for me for its sheer epicness.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Great sounds on the instruments, very nice jams. The songs in the middle aren't as strong though.
Nirvana
5/5
I had not listened to this in over ten years, thinking I had grown out of it. But looking back on it now, me and every other confused teen who ever connected to this at some point carries this record in their soul. I am majorly biased, but this one will keep being important for me. Don't skip anything, let "something in the way" hit you, jump like an idiot to territorial pissings, plant some houses to breed, or don't, that's what it's about after all.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
Breezy 50's tunes that go by like they're nothing. Perhaps not to be listened to in a critical way. All these songs are about chasing women and failing to get them. Historically significant but so so dated.
Tom Waits
2/5
Only the neighborhood and down down down can be considered cohesive. The rest is clownesque and so disjointed I could never see myself recommending this album to anyone. I am happy for those who see their niche filled by this but it's not for me.
U2
3/5
Still don't like Bono's voice but the sound on this one is good. Instruments sound lusher and get placed center-stage more often than on War. The phaser on the guitar in mysterious ways is instantly recognizable.
Talking Heads
1/5
The instrumentals sound like those songs characters in sitcoms come up with when they claim they play in a band but are clearly terrible. It's not just the voice, the entire thing sounds sedated. Maybe that was the general mood back then? Nah, someone should have been sober enough to stop this stuff.
Frank Zappa
4/5
Each of these songs take a while to get going but hot damn are the jams tasty. Put it on half-burnt toast by adding violin solo's and sell it.
De La Soul
4/5
Fun samples combined with excellent rapping make for a layd back summery listen. They occasionally drop real lyrical gold nuggets but some of the in between songs take the flow out.
3/5
The souns of a darker, grungier blur is quite good if still very eclectic. But the very posh British vocals and some of the songs take me out of the vibe.
Chicago
3/5
Self indulgence layered between skillful playing and jazzy arrangements and progressions. The jams were excellent and gave a soundscape that reminded me at the same time of old timey tv and high action movies. How free form guitar made it on here is a mystery. To be honest, this kind of noise is harnessed and directed much better in the noise solos of Jimi Hendrix so listen to that if you want to give that sound another chance.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Sounds familiar but does not stick as well as I thought it would. Arrangements, lyrics and vocals are pretty but I O had forgotten most of it.
Stan Getz
3/5
An album of chill ipanema-likes. It is perfectly fine jazz music for your winding down activities, but that makes it rather situational.
Mike Ladd
3/5
While the lyrics are well crafted, the instrumentals are often too sparse to take up the space or feature some grating sounds. The last few songs are the better part of this album.
Jimmy Smith
3/5
This sounds like the kind of jazz that was played by the serious students back at the academy, looking down at us pop/ rock plebs, chasing us off the stage at the jams and never giving it back for the rest of the evening. Fuck you Ernst, you antisocial pretentious dickwad. But traumatic associations aside, it is perfectly fine instrumental jazz blues.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Sludgy psychedelic blues, downtuned with morbid lyrics. Great jams to be had on here. Fully agree with the book on this one.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Curiously it seems as though all the songs seamlessly transition, it makes for a nice uninterrupted listen. The sentiments of the songs are in the right place but not all the lyrics hit home, especially on save the children. Marvin has a great singing voice.
4/5
It is odd that this album got removed in later versions of this list, at least four of these songs were radio hits I knew before I listened. Fuzzy sound and politically conscious lyrics feature prominently, while also filled to the brim with bombastic electronic production. The revolution never sounded so dramatic.
Arctic Monkeys
4/5
The energy is good, all stadium bangers, but not always sold on the voice. And while the lyrics have these complicated phrasings, it describes stuff that I just don't relate to at all. And I was the target demographic at the time. They also kinda phone it in live.
Kacey Musgraves
2/5
Pop music steeped in country tropes. Simple lyrics and predictable progressions make this all very digestible radio friendly pop. And while it may push the envelope in that country sphere a bit, anyone who's not been living with musical blinders on has already heard this stuff elsewhere 20 years ago.
Brian Wilson
1/5
This is a disjointed collection of song ideas. If you enjoyed the sparse musicals combined with barbershop quartet vocals the Beach Boys were known for you can perhaps stomach this. But I never understood the appeal and am thus having a hard time finding things to love. As I listened I was wondering how long this thing went on for... The answer is too long.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I feel compelled to give zeppelin at least one 5/5, after now having listened to all their entries on this list. How I laughed, how I cried, jammed their riffs on countless efforts to understand the guitar better. The last entry is more melancholic, more sophisticated, introducing more instruments and production than ever before. Not all the experiments stick the landing but luckily these have mostly ended up on the second disk, so for a safe listen you can just throw that on and call it a day. But don't sleep on ten years gone, wanton song or sick again.
The Police
3/5
It kinda sounds as one would expect 80's new wave to sound. Mother really does not fit on this thing. One thing to appreciate is the occasional use of odd time signatures like 3/4 and 7/8 without it sounding intrusive.
We'll use it as a benchmark for other stuff like this to come.
Femi Kuti
4/5
Jazz funk that references and builds upon the work of his father. This is more digestible, due to the reduced track length, but in no way compromises on the sharp lyrics and direct messages. The sounds are excellent for a summer drive, your cooking session, dancing, or protesting.
3/5
The sound is rather generic and while earnest, the subject matter does not seem to have lasting impact woth me
Orbital
3/5
Beats were ok, sounds like a good soundtrack to a video game. Didn't mind but won't seek it out either.
James Brown
4/5
Whoever thought live albums weren't a good idea shouldn't then go around adding more audience screaming to it. These people made a self fulfilling prophecy. Nevertheless James brown wrote excellent songs and brings them with power and a unique voice. The band is giving it their all. Looking forward to more from this artist.
Dr. Dre
1/5
An album that sounds like a call of duty lobby.
Saint Etienne
3/5
90's vibes for chilling and studying to.
Taylor Swift
3/5
This more folksy and mellow pop allows sone of the lyrical and emotional content to take center stage. The base is kind of the same throughout and while the collabs provide some fresh sounds here and there, i had the feeling I had experienced what it had to offer by the latter third.
Beatles
3/5
Pop music that was part of the shift of the time and for that it is to be commended and studied. But I wouldn't seek this music out by myself.
Queen
3/5
A mixed bag of high energy dramatic anthems and over the top theatrics. It's as if they were still looking for the right mix of camp, rock, drama...
Funkadelic
4/5
Strangely hard to find but a great catch. Funky grooves forever and a maggot brain to blow out all the leftover blockages in your mind. The humor, groove and jams are great additions.
PJ Harvey
3/5
A raw and grungy sound with occasional odd time signatures and rythms. Plenty of emotion in the vocals. Despite that, there is that occasional song where the sound is thinner, taking the momentum out.
The Style Council
2/5
Left little impression on me, the instrumentals are competent but sound thin. Almost artificial. The one rap song left me quite unimpressed, daring but I guess you also need to actually launch some good lines to have it hold up.
The instrumental outro is elevator music.
Suzanne Vega
4/5
It was pretty, the lyrics poetic and the instrumentals rather subdued.
No hits I knew on here but pleasantly surprised.
Billy Joel
3/5
It exudes a simple beauty of everyday life which it is worth celebrating for. The melodies are nice and catchy. But I also keep getting these thoughts of a less dramatic Elton John somehow.
The Stooges
4/5
It seems like a voice like Iggy's needs a production and sound that is just as raw and dirty.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
The instrumentals capture the rythm of every day life with its subtle, smooth, slightly melancholic groove. Superimpose a story of the everyday woes caused by impoverishment and drug abuse and you get a very touching work indeed.
Sleater-Kinney
5/5
Not often do you hear a sound so thick from a threepiece with such minimalist production and no bass to boot. The energy is the right blend of contempt, snarl, anger, but also tongue in cheek, evidenced by the lyrics and melodies.
Will check out more of this band.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
A nice blend of funk and afrobeat, perfect for driving on a cool morning of a summer day. There's funky guitar riffs with lush modulation, interesing use of percussion and jazzy melodies to keep it fresh. No need to skip anything, just vibe.
Beatles
3/5
Five beatles-adjacent albums in I fear I just don't get it. The music just doesn't connect with me. The yellow submarine feels like the opening tune to a kids cartoon. And while historically important, I am left slightly disappointed and confused.
David Bowie
4/5
This was my most enjoyable experience with Bowie thus far, having only heard Station to station, Diamond dogs and Blackstar before. The sound has that wild rock and roll feeling nicely fitting with Bowie's vocal sound. A vocal sound that really needs that driven and frantic music behind it. Themes are good. Only the occasional weirdness sprinkles in. All in all a solid Bowie album.
Carpenters
2/5
Competently performed but arranged in such a safe and bland way. No more of this, and I will stop writing. Deal?
Doves
3/5
Proof that critics can't tell in the moment what is going to be relevant in 25 years anymore than the general public. But still this persists on the list. It is not bad per se but hardly standout either. The vocals are often muted and too modulated to make out what is being sayd. The instrumentals make ample use of electronics with a lot of layers but the music rarely builds to a satisfying climax or conclusion. Ok but not revolutionary.
Baaba Maal
2/5
The occasional dated sound puts it a notch below some of the other world music on this list. Unfortunate, there are also interesting instrumentations found here. You kinda have to take the good with the bad on this one.
The Beach Boys
3/5
A few days ago I was discussing with my brother how I think I just don't get the Beach Boys and the Beatles. He concluded that maybe I just don't like the 60's sound. Strange, because I like Cream, Hendrix, the Doors, Zeppelin, Zappa... But I will now contend that when people claim that these two bands competed to be the best, it's trying to be the best in something I have no space in my heart for. This kind of music was a race in what is something of a tech demo. Who can layer the most impressive soundscape, the most complicated harmonies? Does that yield the objectively best music? To people invested in that race it does. That would not be me.
Prince
4/5
Mixed bag of funk, R&B and rock. There is also great variety in how the tracks are built, some are short and sweet pop songs, others long jams. Some have the sparse 80's synth sound, others have a rich background. A constant is that 80's production which dates it. But then I could never take the place of your man comes on and I end up giving a good grade.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
The opener gave me fears of this being like earlier 70's new wave but I was pleasantly surprised as the album went on. The instrumentals make use of more modulation and Gabriels voice is actually good, not like a person on valium trying to shout. A couple of these pieces convey a sense of urgency and nervousness that actually goes somewhere for a change. So good on you Gabriel for fixing a lot of my gripes with the genres this is based on.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Nobody should be put in the ground without having listened to Black Sabbath.
The blues inspirations are still clearly on display in planet caravan and war pigs. The dark sound has been refined and the lyrics are better than their debut (I will forgive rhyming masses with masses on war pigs).
There was never anything satanic about Black Sabbath, it was very human above all, tackling anxieties of the time with a dark sound that befits those topics.
Mariah Carey
1/5
While competently and skillfully sung, the songwriting is lacking. Instrumentals and progressions, sense of buildup and payoff, they are lacklustre. The definitive evidence of this is how the highlight for me was the beautiful ones. I was not aware this was a prince cover at first listen but what a difference it made. It all sounds like it is backed by a cheap midi track.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
The great guitarplay of Hendrix is shown off here. In both the hard psychedelic rock songs like Spanish Castle magic but also the fragile beauty of little wing and castles made of sand. Castles made of sand is a beautiful reminder that all things must eventually pass. Both the good and the bad, this too shall pass.
David Bowie
3/5
The contemporary sound is not innovative enough on this album to consider it experimental. There is an ever present nervousness in his voice. Something that does leave a haunting impression on Heat.
Jane's Addiction
4/5
A loud and proud first half followed by a tougher to digest second. The instrumentals sound groovy and have edge to them while the vocals are a love it or hate it kinda deal. Not for everyone but good for every once in a while.
1/5
It fails to meaningfully incorporate the things that make punk music great while pissing off people who don't need pissing off. Jazz purists are permanently miserable by themselves already. And worst of all I still have 20 minutes left. This made me regret my self imposed rule of not skipping anything.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
Variety would be a strong point if it was cohesive. It shows that everyone in this band was writing in their own little corner and only decided to put together their presentation the day before class.
ZZ Top
4/5
Simple good bluezy fun with good riffs but nothing daring or experimental here. And it doesn't need to be.
Steely Dan
3/5
The other Steely Dan I had listened to made me slightly cautious when this came up. But I was pleasantly surprised. What would otherwise be pretentious wank on the other albums is interspersed better here. The pacing makes for an easier listen so you can actually appreciate the solo work that bursts from it.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
While there's plenty of emotional highs and lows in this one, the length made it drag a bit at the end. The sound holds up surprisingly well considering when this was made.
MC Solaar
4/5
A stream of conscious rap with excellent beats and jams to fill it out. Do translate some of these lyrics, they deal with social themes and insecurities in a humorous way. Very pleasantly surprised by this one.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Not something I would put on during a drive or on a saturday afternoon. I keep wondering what kind of movie this was supposed to be the track for. It has 70's psychedelic blues, noir themes, an urban fantasy skit of a princess with borderline... Very strange indeed.
The Doors
3/5
I think I enjoyed LA woman more. This has more than a couple electronic influences that have not always held up.
5/5
What Oasis seems to capture is that feeling of everyday banale but make it sound like an anthem. It sounds tired but full of fightlust, defeated but with a drive to keep on going, like every day before but as if you're about to make a change. Some might say (badum tss) that an essential ingredient to becoming timeless is melancholy, and Oasis found their flavour of melancholy that stuck to the hearts of everyone that ever heard it. Yes I can play Wonderwall, no I won't.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Maybe I am reading too much into this but for being songs about love, Michael seems to have quite an adverserial stance on love. (Baby be mine, the girl is mine) The girls are to be conquered, not to win her affection, but from another man. He creeps around or scares you with the idea of someone out there so you better have that thrill with him. (Thriller) And when the loving is over with don't you confront him with the consequences. (Billie Jean). And then PYT comes on. And how was this man of sound mind?
Ok it is groovy and produced to a tee but except for thriller and beat it, none of this ages well.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
This is a vocal style I really can't have for an entire album. Reminds me of talking heads. But the sounds are varied with an undertone of 80's camp. All three dexys albums are on here but those others were all commercial flops. I think the editor panel's bias is showing.
CHVRCHES
3/5
Can confirm that this was a hit in Belgium. So maybe it's something in our waffles that makes us predisposed to indie electronica from scotland. The lyrics are very clear in the mix which helps with making it get something of an anthem vibe.
Jack White
3/5
Good octavio sounds coupled to a not so impressive voice. Was ok.
Fugees
3/5
Compared to miseducation of Lauryn Hill this one has less tonal but more vocal variety. I'd place them on the same height.
Michael Jackson
2/5
There's too much going on and you can tell that it just isn't all that sincere. Most of the songs are about discarded and vapid love affairs which really don't click with me to begin with. And the michaelisms are recognizable but ultimately laighable. MJ makes music you dance to and don't think about. Please don't think about it.
The Fall
2/5
As with most of these post punk acts the vocal style is so free it breaks all notions of harmony and cohesiveness. A shame because the instrumentals are fine for the most part until it starts to drag at the end
Tom Waits
3/5
More a drunken comedy act than a piece of music. The instrumentals are servicable but what makes or rather breaks this is Waits' drunken recollections. The laughing track was set way too sensitive, maybe the audience in the studio was seeing something a listener can't. We'll never know. Interesting idea but as a piece of music it scores low.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Compared to born in the usa this album's sound does not suffer from the 80's production. However it does lean more into folk and country themes which make it sound more generic. I think I still prefer born in the USA.
R.E.M.
3/5
Compares to automatic for the people, this album is a bit less sonically diverse and the lyrics are a bit more cryptic. So I prefer the former. Still a great step forward from post punk.
Gary Numan
3/5
The sample for "where's your head at" by the basement jaxx is on here (M.E.). Which is interesting. The synth sounds are well rounded and fuzzy but the vocals actually get in the way from time to time. Looking at the context, it definitely is foundational, so many acts borrowed from this.
Beastie Boys
4/5
The concept isn't hard to grasp but delivers good results. Good beats, humour, infectious hooks and you got something that won't bore. Doesn't have any of the hits but it doesn't need those to get me moving.
Linkin Park
4/5
Everyone my age has nostalgia for Linkin Park. It sometimes feels like they are getting something that I am not. I think this is a band I actually outgrew. With their new vocalist their three new singles became the top three of my radio station for months. So people have a lot of nostalgia for it. Which brings me to this album. What is great is Bennington's vocal performance and the big wall of sound that hits you on the choruses. These power ballads are still powerful if slightly formulaic. The songs are short, poppy and radio-friendly for what it is attempting to be. Consider this a low four.
Boston
4/5
Ray Charles
4/5
I like his voice but I get the book's comments on how what made this a commercial succes is a pulling at the strings of the mainstream. So the subject matter of the songs is rather safe. This is still very much worth a listen. I watched a sunset from a train to this after a particularly strange weekend. And it felt like a simple pleasure.
The Fall
1/5
This brand of post punk is what happens if you give the singer valium and actually turn down the guitar to the level your mom wants it at so she can sit in her bathtub, fantasizing about the gardener, undisturbed.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Love these jam songs. Not everything here is a hit but I wouldn't turn it off either. Fogerty's growls, the driven guitars and just the right dose of harmonica and chooglin make this record great for driving.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Ths one was decent. The other Costello had me apprehensive but it seems like in the beginning his arrangements and vocals were better
Sigur Rós
3/5
Occasionally the silences are a bit too long and make me wonder if there is something wrong with my headphones. But what is here has its beauty. Something for a cold late night.
The Kinks
3/5
The comparisons to the beatles don't do it any favors. Occasionally the sound of the kinks surpasses that typical 60's pop but those moments are sparse. Still a perfectly fine listen.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Liked higher ground and living for the city. And the rest is alright too. It does not reach the variety of songs in the key of life but has better songs than on talking book. Luckily my rating can sit perfectly between them.
Muddy Waters
4/5
Blues for people who like noodlin. And I was fresh out of musical noodles.
George Michael
3/5
A perhaps intrusive thought: George Michael sounds a bit like Freddie Mercury but without the kickass band behind him. So the man can sing, but the songs are kinda safe. I had the same feeling as with his Faith record, so it gets the same score.
Radiohead
4/5
Always thought radiohead was not for me. But turns out I had heard the hits too many times, the hereto unknown songs were surprisingly good with a mellow grungy sound. And I guess those hits are not bad either. I stand corrected.
Nas
3/5
While the lyrics were delivered with undeniable talent, i found the sound to be a bit repetitive. Which is a bit of a shame. Still good, but I struggle to point to a standout moment.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
2/5
This is a thin-sounding artsy thing that really feels like a bunch of drafts of songs. Everyone seems to be phoning it in. Come on! Wake up! The base rhythm for each of these songs is the same. We already have the Clash, stop trying to be them and making stuff that sounds like artsy London calling for a third of the record. Only the last song actually builds to something, by then it's a little too late.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I like the sound of the instrumentals better on this one compared to the previous Aretha album we got. But the highlight remains her voice. She did not steal that title.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
The voice is really a love it or hate it deal. The instrumentals are ok though. As far as country rock goes, pretty good. But those jams are going to remain the strongest parts
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Another one with one hit and a bunch of filler. This is the standard Stones situation. The filler was more of that faux rural american stuff. And other bands have done that better.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
An excellent voice and a great band bringing a very human performance.
Tom Waits
3/5
Having listened to swordfishtrombones and nighthawks at the diner I thought his drunken way of singing was a bit much for story times. And it turns out it lends itself much better to the blues based songs on this record. The ballads are the weak part, compared to those.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
I was not alive when this album was "relevant" but have memories tied to it. Driving to airsoft games with my brother (we were dressed in vietnam era gear), trying to survive another day at my first job. Those had this blues classic accompanying me.
This record includes both the most experimental (ramble tamble, run through the jungle) as well as very safe material (covers, oobie doobie, travelin band) from creedence. It creates a nice mix of the familiar and refreshing, profound and very silly. Which makes it excellent for any day, there will always be something in here to connect to.
Jeff Beck
4/5
Back then this must have been groundbreaking but in today's climate it is just good rock/metal hybrid music. Others would build greater things on this. But it wasn't bad or overstayed at all.
The Killers
4/5
Solid bangers, second half is weaker. Nearly every millenial knows this stuff but besides its post-punk revival sound I can't quite put my finger on why it has resonated so much. Oh well, on to the next one.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Excellent lyrics and harmonious rapping. Only gets a point docked for getting samey by the end. A couple more varied instrumentations or rythms could have helped to freshen things up
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Is it apt to compare this to blackstar by David Bowie? Both are explorations of artists facing the end of life which makes for a personal and rare experience. What sets the two appart from one another is their view towards death, Cohen is implementing more religiosity and in deep conversation with his faith throughout the record. It is also lyrically strong as we are used from Cohen and the vocal performance is even more subdued. I find it hard to put a final score to this.
Ride
4/5
Britpop owes its sound to these shoegaze projects, refining it with more palatable vocals. I couldn't help but think about Hi-Vis while listening to this. Good vintage sad.
Otis Redding
4/5
Now it's a shame that this is all the Otis Redding we're gonna get. Some of these covers are not strictly necessary listening but the originals are interesting in the context of their covers getting even more fame. And still everything is performed in his own fresh style. One to sit back and relax to.
Adele
3/5
To my ears it has been played to death on the radio and the b-sides are not that different from the many hits on this. Does that make it bad? No. The arrangements and voice are all good, production is fine. I've simply already had my fill of Adele.
Neil Young
3/5
I don't always mesh well with Young's work but then he drops a lyrical goldnugget such as in the needle. It's mixed in with not the greatest vocals and on the previous young album the instrumentals sounded much richer. A lot of stuff that cancels out to an ok rating.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Love songs from a hustle-king-pastor with 21 kids. Now I've seen it all. His voice is great, cry for me is excellent. The other songs aren't as standout but I simply have very little to complain about here. Could use some more variety. Still a solid soul record.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
As a storytime this is fine but musically it is rather uninteresting and the performance lacklustre. Not something you can put on in the background as the lyrics carry everything on this record.
Am I hearing some form of transition between the earlier blues rock and what will become glamrock? Perhaps.
People keep talking about this Rod Stewart guy. Never heard of him, let's google him...
So this guy did a lot. At some point he makes something that pisses someone off?
He hasn't yet with me though. Voice has a nice rasp to it, guitars play strong riffs and the rythmic changes keep it fresh.
Cat Stevens
4/5
I was working from home and found in this album an apt companion for the dreary day. Stevens' voice is versatile and neatly underpins the emotional highs and lows. Father and son is a beautiful song with timeless lyrics.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Dark synth-heavy new wave. The hits are really the standout. Personal jesus is built on a strong riff and enjoy the silence builds to the best catharsis on the album. The musical intermezzo's make the album sound more coherent sonically by providing a nice gradual transition. If this album is your jam you will appreciate that, if not it will seem like a timewasting effort.
Elastica
4/5
What others call ripping off Wire, is called referencing if all credit and dues are given. Which is what happened here. Nice blend of the shoegazy sound with a punk attitude and powerfully yelled female vocals. Reminds me of stuff like Lambrini girls and Amyl and the Sniffers. Not refined, but looking for that here is missing the point.
OutKast
3/5
The interludes were bothering me and it was a bit too long. But the hits and b.o.b. are great songs.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
I have given albums a 3 before for being situational. Can you think of that situation? We all can, right? Well it does that particular thing very well.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
2/5
Comprised mostly of thin sounding filler. The guitar does not have enough presence to fill the space. The songs with organ backup are better. It shows that this was made in a day, a lit of this could have used some time in the oven to get some layering or finer melodies and rythms.
Massive Attack
3/5
In its own subtlety there is an epicness, but not all the songs are unfinished sympathy. So those others didn't end up doing much with me.
Supergrass
4/5
The substance isn't deep but very enjoyable, just as you think you've heard it they change things up. It has a teenage juvenile quality, full of urgency and tongue in cheek. But the instrumentals aren't simple either. Perfect 4 territory, fun but flawed.
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
This one is to be commended for making me think. What makes a good musical capture of depression and hopelessness? I still don't think I can answer that.
The arrangement and sound I'd sum up as artistically and intentionally ugly. Noises collide with distorted guitar, drum machines pounding away and samples of people in agony. The lyrics are at times too sexually violent to connect to personally. I just can't shake the connection to Inceldom: nihilism, the desire for violence, the only motivation an insatiable and directionless libido, the sheer anger of it expressed at anyone in range. A malignant moan. Normally I am a sucker for vintage sad but this is a darkness that surpasses what I can allow myself to seriously indulge in. If you come across those who ascribe to this philosophy: offer help, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on. Anger is often sadness transformed by lack of release.
With the mixed feelings comes a mixed rating.
Jamiroquai
3/5
Ok he does sound a bit like Stevie Wonder. But the jams here are quite good. The songs are often extended with many jazzy licks and variations. There's fuzzy effects and wah, a good bass line... nothing to complain about sound-wise. But by the end it does feel like some of the songs didn't need that last revival/extension.
Blondie
4/5
Sounds like the poppy 80's with some classic rock sensibilities of the 70's. Even the non-hit songs are very good mixes of rock, punk, synths... Danceable but also something to headbang to.
Foo Fighters
4/5
The first music festival I ever got to go to at 17 was specifically to see the Foo Fighters. I didn't get to enjoy their show that night as that would become known as the pukkelpop disaster. I nearly died. A year later the Foo Fighters would come back. It was a great show, something of legend in my country. But something had happened by then: I learned that most of the lyrics were actually nonsense. And somehow knowing that made those great rock songs lose their punch. And so we arrive at a "fun but not transcendant" assessment, which in my book translates to this score.
The Sonics
3/5
Has a rawer sound than contemporaries but a lot of this sounds the same. The covers also aren't their definitive versions. So it's ok.
Daft Punk
2/5
All the tracks build up and off of the standout hits you've heard on the radio, heck you can hear parts of da funk in the opener. And that's about where the cleverness of this album ends. Rock n roll is an abrasive repetitive slog that lasted 5 minutes too long. And now that I am about 3/4 through, the entire thing is just too long.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Yes it's a big long. But there is always room for that ending of all along the watchtower and voodoo chile. The experimental stuff shows that the rock movements of years after really have no place being so dry sounding. Jimi showed the way, at least copy something off it.
David Bowie
3/5
The album gradually gets better as the bowie-isms in his voice melt into the soul base. Reaching its height on fame. I wonder if this order of songs is also the order they were written in for that purpose or this is just a coincidence or I am hearing stuff that isn't there.
Lorde
3/5
Green light is the clear standout with more ok banger pop after that. Nothing that stood out to me but a good time nonetheless.
Joy Division
3/5
The opener was pretty good but as it went on, the flat vocal delivery started to bother me. Consistently good was the rolling basslines and the drums.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
It is a cold october day. Work is going slowly and painkillers are supposed to keep me going until my aches disappear. And then this album comes along like a warm blanket that is frayed on the edges. It is experimental and whimsical but is confident enough to pull off long instrumental bits. The occasional driven guitar riff accentuates the high cathartic moments in an otherwise folksy atmosphere. Has elements of lo-fi here and there. Perhaps the best vertical slice is "cause a rockslide". Great timing by the generator. Precisely what I needed.
The Young Gods
2/5
The opener was a weird experience, it had me apprehensive for what was to come. The next two sounded like they would fit as the soundtrack to a Doom level.
And then it opens with a clown act again on Charlotte.
And then back to the abbrasive industrial speed metal. What an experience.
3/5
Back in 1987 the sound of this album would have been quite something. Now whenever I hear the opening track to this album I hear stock corporate training video background music. This is not a mark against the album, apparently every corpo in the west has decided that this is what positivism and hope sounds like. Ironic is that not all the content of this album is unabashedly hopefull. In fact I find it shines best on the non-hit songs that embrace a darker version of that sound.
Herbie Hancock
4/5
Proper jazz with a good groove. Very little to complain or remark here. Songs are long but get riffed upon in such a competent way to keep it fresh. Sure it's kinda background music but it's really good background music.
Genesis
2/5
Competently performed with many rythm changes and odd measures but this ultimately yields an incoherent song structure. The vocals are not clear enough to deliver a winding 10 minute story with no repeating parts. By epping forrest i was wondering when it will end and that's when the lame sounding synths started to grind my gears too. To summarize: I was annoyed, but damn is this intricate.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Like the stripped down production, but doesn't really do anything to me.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Hard to find but the stripped down soft jazzy blues was precisely what I needed after a tiring day.
Watergate blues is excellent and painfully prophetic.
Elliott Smith
4/5
A good vintage sad. The highlights for me were rose parade and cupid's trick, where the sound swelled to a bigger catharsis.
Jethro Tull
2/5
Sounds like listening to led zeppelin but they have decided to blueball you. Hard rock but not doing it too hard on the rock.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
3/5
Ok jam music but doesn't exactly set the world on fire. The first part is dry sounding but most cohesive. The second part is more interesting. But the cover of happy trails was unnecessary.
The Replacements
4/5
Has the punk attitude but with a nice sound and some interesting chord structures instead of 12-bar blues. If you didn't tell me this was from the 80's it could have been a late 2000's garage rock thing.
Maxwell
2/5
More let's get it on for those who couldn't get enough of let's get it on. Heck the guitar player is called wah wah Watson and he clearly didn't steal his moniker.
Time for your dutch lesson everyone: this is a "neukplaat". A record people have sex to.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Jazz jams as they should be. Not sure if I could pick up on the added value of Baker's drumming outside of the last song. The Africa 70 deliver as always nonetheless.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
No doubt these musicians are very skilled but I am not in the proper mood for this. The ventures of the bass player sounded like forrays into other songs that I'm not hearing. It messes with my groove. Sure there's plenty of layers but this is a goldmine for someone else.
This concludes all the U2 on this list. In retrospect, a band that's at its best when it embraces the darker aspects of their sound but consistently runs away from it as time goes on. Bono is a constantly meandering source of both inspiration and annoyance through hamfisted preachy lyrics.
The edge leans heavily on the various modulation effects for his guitar sound; there is not a single guitar solo anywhere. Not a mark against him per se, there's some great sounds that sprung from him. But a different guitarist or band could have leveraged that asset better. As with this album, all ingredients were always there but somehow they never end up used the right way to make something truly impressive.
David Bowie
3/5
A rather classic bowie first half coupled to a dark and sombre second. Sound and visions was most enjoyable to me, props to the instrumentals. In the second half some building on the ambiance would have been nice.
Weather Report
3/5
Something of a soundtrack to a drama series. Easy listening jazz that incorporates some fuzz and modulation effects. Still not a fan of jazz but this I can appreciate.
Songhoy Blues
4/5
I did not expect to discover Malinese blues rock when starting this venture but here we are. Good riffs and guitar play with interesting use of 6/8 rythms to give it tinges of afrobeat. Excellent. Fuck those jihadi's, dance to songhoy blues!
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Personal and political, held together by the "I remember you was conflicted" poem recited at the end of the songs. It feels as though the peels of a layered and nuanced story is layd bare and explored bit by bit. As an album, this is excellent use of themes. The songs themselves vary through all manner of genres, and sounds. From scathing to humorous, dramatic to straight party anthems. But never without having something to say. Those tripping over the cursewords are not listening. They are simply hearing.
Fun theory: the rapper with the ghost writer in the second verse of King Kunta is sayd to be Drake.
Raekwon
2/5
The generator gave us to pimp a butterfly by Kendrick Lamar before this one. No way was this going to hold up to that. The sound is minimal, the themes shallow and of the sort that set hip hop back for years into a stereotype of fantasy violence and senseless posturing.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I get the comparison to psychedelic music but here that aspect is rather subdued against the bossa nova foundation. It just couldn't make any lasting impression on me. The sitar on the last song sounded way off.
Nico
2/5
Sounds disjointed and noisy in not the best way. Proximity to the velvet underground does not make you the velvet underground.
Radiohead
4/5
Supposedly this album has been very prophetic in its futuristic subject matter. If only the singer would enunciate.
Pet theory: the songs that became a radio hit are the ones where he is actually intelligible.
The most reluctant four I'll give because it is genuinely very pretty and layered but damn it Tom Yorke, open your mouth throughout all of the sentence please.
Stan Getz
3/5
Competently played, easy listening. But I still prefer the sound that is closer to the original arrangements with vocals and more layered percussion.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Lyrically very strong with the occasional burst of musical flourish. But simultaneously it feels a bit like slam poetry/storytime. Interesting but probably won't revisit.
Common
3/5
Sits in between the conscious rap and gangster rap both in themes and sound. A strong first half is diluted by songs that serve as skits rather than full fledged songs on the second half. Could have done with a trim.
Donovan
2/5
Season of the witch and the trio don't make up for the annoying guff on the rest of this album. Poorly playd sitar and bongos coupled with nonsensical lyrics with weird timing. If I didn't know what a hippie was in the 60's and they were playing some of those songs I too perhaps would want to come up with schemes to jail them like Nixon did.
Nick Drake
4/5
I prefer pink moon but the difference isn't big enough justify knocking it down to a 3.
Lou Reed
4/5
Ok so not everything on this album is a hit. Perfect day and walk on the wild side are timeless classics. But it has just the right amount of Ronson guitar sprinkled in and the good Bowie-isms that give it a glam sheen but still its own thing.
Music was made differently back then... Someone offers you to take the songs you wrote and put them in a whole different genre.
Scritti Politti
2/5
So when this thing came out it supposedly was at the height of what could be achieved with production and samples. Sadly that also dates it and doesn't mean it will continue to stand out when a decade later a bunch of other artists make similar sounding stuff. Oftentimes better. The lyrics don't help in that regard, they only describe romances in flowery languague. Ultimately forgettable but inoffensive.
The Teardrop Explodes
1/5
This album is mixed strangely. It accentuates the singer's annoying warbling and incoherent ramblings that have no meaning or connection. Another sound in the foreground are the cheap sounding synths which play melodies that I can only describe as profoundly lame. The album drags with an intolerable listening time. There's even an atrocious assault on on the French language to round out the awefulness. The spotify version has a live rendition of one of these songs and the singer sounds every bit as arrogantly, own-fart-sniffingly annoying as I had feared a live rendition of this material to sound like. The worst the 80's had to offer.
The xx
3/5
The interplay between the voices combined with airy guitar lines form the backbone of some very radio-friendly, pretty, indie pop. I'm missing a crescendo or catharsis from these songs but maybe I'm being overly critical here.
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
A timeless janky guitar line but I'm not sure if that amount of jank is holding up in my ear. The organ is consistently good though, cutting clearly through the other instruments.
Surprisingly difficult to rate this. It's got a classic and some covers that don't really add much. The original songs often had more instruments and vocals so you could take these renditions as a stripped down version.
The Smiths
3/5
The instruments i can quite appreciate, with a solid mix of 80's production techniques but the vocals would be an acquired taste.
Influential but I won't revisit this by my own volition.
The Monks
3/5
A combination of gritty and janky that is rather hard to find and listen to. A mixed bag of early punk rock vibes with fuzzy sounds and a varied vocal performance with yelps and all in it.
50 Cent
2/5
Washed the car to this... As far as gangster rap goes this is of a higher quality than dre and snoop. But I'm getting more than my tolerance worth and still got 4 songs left to go. Eminem's passages do add to the songs both lyrically and as a change of pace and flow. But this album won't sway my opinion that g-rap was a step backwards in hip-hop culture.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
It may be christmas, but I am declaring war on this type of music. Let's make a checklist of all our favorite post-punk tropes, shall we?
- "avant garde" singing techniques, which basically means chucking every semblance of scales and tone out the window for what can best be described as pained screams from stubbing ones toe.
- Reinvent this singing style... By sounding like a talking heads knockoff...
- Incomprehensible lyrics about some faint zeitgeist feeling I guess... Because the interviewer is asking about it.
- Synth sounds outdated years before.
- Guitar play just as "avant garde" as the singing, dial the settings to something innately stupid like zero gain or all treble as on this album. Either forget modulation and drive exists or use it as a crutch for one of your songs' endless loops.
- Despite wishing to push at all boundaries of taste and style failing to break out of a 4/4 rythm, betraying an innate lack of musical skill or imagination.
Do I need to go on? But above all else the runtime is atrocious. I suspect this has to do with the improvised nature of the lyrics. Nobody knows what the singer's going to do or when he bothers to start singing or when he's gonna be done. So you have the bass player and drummer playing endless empty loops with nothing happening over them for entire minutes. Any other sane crew would have cut this shit out of the album. As a final middle finger to the listener, the last song is just a lame sounding lonely synth plodding along meaninglessly for 4 minutes and 26 seconds.
And here I am wasting time again, writing this all down.
Deep Purple
4/5
Although child in time is the timeless classic derived from this classic, I really enjoyed relistening the other material on this record. The combination of blues driven guitar ( while not conforming to that genre's structure), lush organ sound and frenetic drumming make for something really fun to listen to. Is it a bit camp because of the vocals and lyrics? Yes. Do I enjoy that in this genre? Also yes.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
He does describe a lot of days in this one. Sounds like more Springsteen but more polished by higher production. But by the same token that critical edge in the lyrics is gone. If anything these are very safe descriptions of Americana with musically not a lot to keep me hooked.
Joan Baez
3/5
Good voice, a lot of vernacular songs being captured here. Works as a snapshot of that kind of music. The songs are often stories with all of them only sparsely accompanied by a guitar. A fine choice considering the source material. Though the runtime is on the long side and the variety is not enough to keep it interesting throughout. Listen at least once for the history, not going to relisten later.
Big Star
4/5
The origin of the intro tune to the that 70's show if you take away nothing else. I was worried for a moment this list did not include a lot of fun 70's music but luckily we got this.
Duke Ellington
2/5
I thought I was warming up to jazz but alass. The length of this thing (with Ellington introducing everything, the retakes and the riot breaking out) is too long at over two hours. Some of the solo's just struck me as "look at how incomprehensible I can get" or trying to make the trumpet squeel very high but not in tune. When it is not doing that it is just easy listening.
Soundgarden
5/5
There was a time I'd listen to this almost every day. So what spoke to me? Chris Cornell is a great vocalist, capturing in his lyrics not just teenage angst but the essence of what it means to live with depressive thoughts, apathy, loneliness, anger and sublimates it to a major dose of kickass. Musically the songs are layered, complex and filled with delightful quirks. From the non standard tunings om my wave, like suicide and the day I tried to live to the effects.
Black hole sun is that one song the guitarists want a leslie speaker for. All the instruments on it are also tuned to a slightly higher pitch than standard so as to sound eerie.
Spoonman has a goddamn spoon solo on it.
Soundgarden always had prog influences but without losing itself in it. But it's not quite metal either (the grammy's disagreed on that). It makes for a varied record, a rollercoaster ride of loud.
Go give badmotorfinger and down on the upside a listen too if you haven't yet. They are not on this list, which in my mind is a damn shame.
The Beta Band
2/5
Blur on valium.