Chirping Crickets
Buddy Holly & The CricketsGood stuff! Hard not to enjoy this.
Good stuff! Hard not to enjoy this.
(Extremely smug voice) My 3 stars for Limp Bizkit doesn't look so bad now, does it? Ohohoho! I still think Bawitdaba is kinda funny and catchy, but each song on this is worse than the preceding one. Why is this album soooo long? It's like he had three ideas and he kept repeating them with diminishing results each time.
I totally understand why this is insufferable to some people, but I thought it was innovative and interesting. It didn't make my pretentious detector go off; it felt authentically weird to me. Just a bunch of hippies trying to express something. I love that. Highlights for me: Minotaur's Song, A Very Cellular Song, Mercy I Cry City, Swift As The Wind
Favorite tracks: She's The One, London Belongs To Me This is probably a 3.5, but I'm bumping it to 4 stars because I vibed so well with it today - Christmas Eve, chilling out, drinking coffee and working on a jigsaw puzzle. Heck yeah.
This was alright, but I guess the hype had me expecting something mindblowing. I'd probably prefer another Pink Floyd album.
I just don't really care for music like this. Layla definitely feels like the standout track; the others felt a bit meandering and self-indulgent.
So much energy and talent here. Everyday People is just one of the best songs ever. Soul Clappin' II is a new favorite now too.
Really liked about half the songs on here (and moderately liked the others, though some were too slow for my tastes). Probably 3 1/2 stars? Paul Simon's solo material speaks to me a bit more.
New favorite: "The Wild One, Forever" What a good musician. Loved this. 4 1/2 stars.
I liked Caravan and Come Running. Most of the songs felt a little too long, maybe a little samey. But overall I enjoyed it more than I expected. 2 1/2 stars.
Y'know, I've never really liked or gotten into Metallica, but this one was alright. Some corny lyrics, but I respect that they were talented and went pretty hard. Solid 3 stars.
Overall I think this is a really cool project. Musically, it's not necessarily something I'd reach for, but I'm not sure that was the intent? 3 stars.
I usually like music like this, but I found I preferred the samples to the interpolations. Verses felt a little too long. Paper Planes was the only one I really wanted to hit "repeat" on. 2.5 stars?
<Gordon Ramsay voice> Finally, some good fucking music. Nick Cave is cool as hell, and regrettably I only know random songs here and there, so listening to this full album was a treat. I love music that has this kind of energy to it. Moody but assertive. I found this a very captivating record both musically and lyrically. The songs felt distinct, exploring different genres and tempos and themes, yet it made sense that they were grouped together into an album. Again, I just love stuff like this. I already knew (and love) "There She Goes, My Beautiful World," but man that song ripsssss. Other favorites: Get Ready for Love, Nature Boy, Abattoir Blues, The Lyre of Orpheus, and Breathless.
I hadn't heard of David Holmes, which is neat, because I've been wanting to get into this genre and was expecting this list to basically be 1,001 classic rock albums. I got really into Fred again... last year (or the year before?) when his Boiler Room set got big, and I loved Porter Robinson's latest album. Are those reasonable comparisons? I'm an electronic newbie! Anyway, I like this and will be adding it to my collection. It does feel very ~of its time~, but I also love the 90s NYC aesthetic so that's not a problem for me! 3 stars.
Revoke my cred - this is my first time listening to Jeff Buckley!! And I gotta say, this rocked way harder than I expected. I always had the impression that this was slow, folky music. But Buckley has a phenomenal, transcendent rock voice, which elevates and sells every song. I've never loved his version of Hallelujah, but within the context of this album, I feel like I get it now. It feels almost jarringly blunt after several jazzy, wailing kinda tunes. I feel like I'm just saying a lot of adjectives now, so I'll close by saying I'm excited to continue listening to this one, because I think there's a lot more to unravel. 4 stars.
I mean... it's Prince. One of the best to ever do it. Favorite track: I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man. But I really dig most of these. What I especially love about this is that a lot of the songs feel fairly normal at surface level, but there's always something crazy going on with the instrumentation or lyrics or Prince's delivery that really takes everything to the next level. Even the horny songs (and there are a lot of horny songs) are just, like, so good. I want to throw a party just to play this. Doesn't it feel like perfect party music? Hell yeah, Prince. 4 1/2 stars.
Favorites: All I Want Is You, Bitter Sweet, Casanova This was released in 1974?! Feels pretty dang innovative. I've heard a lot about Roxy Music but hadn't listened until now. I see the influence, I see the creativity. I think this is a good album, but not as many songs stood out as I had hoped. Going to stick with 3 stars here. Kudos to the album art, though, for making me act all dodgy while listening at work. 🙃
Favorite tracks: Hungry Freaks, Daddy; Go Cry On Someone Else's Shoulder; Motherly Love; Wowie Zowie; Trouble Every Day; Help, I'm A Rock; It Can't Happen Here. I really needed this energy today, the day after Election Day. I've never listened to Frank Zappa before; he did a bit with Mike Nesmith/The Monkees once, so I had a positive impression going into this. I thought it'd be a lot harder to get into, but I found the songs juuust complex/weird enough while still maintaining their artistry. Idk, I think I have a fairly high tolerance for this specific kind of noodling! I'm glad this exists, and I'm glad I listened to it. I'll enjoy adding it to my collection. 4 1/2 stars.
Favorite tracks: Respect, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You), Dr. Feelgood, Save Me. Aretha's voice is so good, so engaging. The songs sort of blended together for me, but I did enjoy listening to this. I wish more songs captured the magic and energy of Respect. 3 stars.
Favorite tracks: Pop Song 89, You Are The Everything, Stand, The Wrong Child, Hairshirt, Untitled. Lyrically stunning, musically right up my alley. Michael Stipe's voice just does something to me. 4 1/2 stars.
Favorites: Welcome to the Jungle, Out ta Get Me, Sweet Child O' Mine, My Michelle, You're Crazy Kinda liked this as a change of pace. Not sure I'd reach for it on my own. Axl Rose's vocalizations are a hoot; he really goes all out! I mean, it's an energetic album, you gotta give it that. The songs I liked best were the ones that made me laugh a lil bit (except for Sweet Child O' Mine, which I've always had a soft spot for). 3 stars.
This was a perfect fit for a cool November day. Love the lyrics, her voice, and the overall vibe. I'll have to take more time with this; the tracks that stood out the most were the first and last ones. Oh, and Elvis Presley Blues. 3 1/2 stars.
Favorite tracks: All I Want, Carey, California, This Flight Tonight I just haven't quite heard anything else like this. There's so much personality in the way she sings. I think this album has a reputation for being a downer, but some of the songs are genuinely fun. Life is sad AND fun, y'know? 4 stars.
I have a high tolerance for stuff like this, but it was just so corny. Wanted more razzle dazzle. I didn't find it offensive, and I really loved Nine Pound Hammer, but I won't be picking the album up again. 2.5 stars.
Favorite tracks: Cover Me, I'm On Fire, I'm Goin' Down, Glory Days. I haven't listened to Bruce, aside from the hits. I liked this wayyy more than I expected to, and I liked it even more on repeat listens. The only song I didn't like was Darlington County. This sound is really making a comeback (like, idk, Nathaniel Rateliff or Bleachers), so this album felt surprisingly modern for '84. Dare I say timeless? Ultimately, I think he's an icon for a reason. There's a nuance and complexity to his music that's hard to appreciate when he's, y'know, a superstar with massive hits. (See also: every right-winger misinterpreting Born in the USA.) Originally thought 4 stars, but bumping up to 5. Happy to have enjoyed it as much as I did. (Also, I'm sorry to bring my review down to this level, but this era of Springsteen is just... phewww. The rolled sleeves? The unbuttoned shirt? The fluffy hair??? Come ON.)
Favorite tracks: Mansize Rooster, Alright, Lenny, Sitting Up Straight, She's So Loose. Whooo the energy in this! Good stuff. Lyrically it isn't, like, groundbreaking, but the music is so fun. Took me a few listens to really get into it, but now I'm sold. 4 stars. Side note, Clueless had such a good soundtrack. Agin' like wine.
Y'know, I liked this! I expected the vocal style to grate on me, but I ended up liking it. Loved the horns, too. I think I'd be delighted if a song from this album came up on shuffle. 4 stars - will be adding this to my collection.
Favorite tracks: Halo of Ashes, Look At You, Make My Mind, Gospel Plow. I like music like this. It doesn't necessarily stand out among similar albums of the era, but it's clear to me that this was a talented group. If I heard one of these songs on the radio, I'd make a note of it, y'know? 4 stars. (On a streak of 4 stars lately!)
Favorite tracks: u, Alright, For Sale?, Momma, i, Mortal Man. I like how the tracks connect and flow into each other, and I respect the chaos of the different styles, instrumentation, etc. I really liked the "conversation" with Tupac at the end of Mortal Man. But overall, I'd say this isn't really for me (nor was it ever meant for me). It felt too long, but this seems like an album where the tracks shouldn't be separated or skipped. I also think maybe I don't like Kendrick's vocals? Ah idk. Going with 2.5 stars on this one, noting again that I am not the audience for this.
Favorite tracks: Every Day I Have The Blues; Worry, Worry Per Wikipedia, the album was recorded on Nov. 21, 1964 (60 years, almost exactly!). The Regal Theatre closed down four years later, and was ultimately demolished in 1973. That's wild, right? I really enjoyed the crowd feedback on this one. It feels so lively, even still. I know nothing about blues music, but maybe I oughta learn. 3 1/2 stars.
I love Willie Nelson, and this was a lovely album, but it also felt like a slightly odd choice for this list. To me, it's best suited to the right mood and environment - I'm thinking winter, cozy, gentle snow outside - but I'm not sure how to rate it for everyday listening. Three stars, I think?
Favorite tracks: Opus 40, Hudson Line, Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp This feels pretty different from the other albums I've gotten so far. It also feels like it'd fit best in a specific environment - as atmospheric background music when friends come by, say. Someone left a review describing this as soundtrack-esque, which I agree with. I zoned in and out while listening to it, which I think is fine. 3 stars.
Well, I loved this. I don't really have any notes to share. I loved every song, loved the emotion, loved the instrumentation. A true treat.
So, like, I listened to this while stress-cooking for Thanksgiving, but even still, I recognized this as a good type of This Music (which is already music I like). I honestly expected to be bored of it, but I wasn't; the songs felt distinct and fun. Looking forward to listening more. 4 stars.
Favorite tracks: Save Me A Place, Sara, What Makes You Think You're The One, Storms, Not That Funny, Angel, Tusk, Never Forget I love the risks they took on this, especially the Buckingham songs, which feel very wild and innovative and rockin'. (My toxic thought while listening to this: "Oh, okay, I can see why Stevie loved him.") I debated five stars, but ultimately I think there are a few songs that are just "good" instead of "great." So, 4.5 stars.
Thin Lizzy is cool, and there's certainly some shredding here, but I can't really understand why this is on the list instead of a studio album. 3 stars, I guess?
Sympathy for the Devil, Jigsaw Puzzle, Street Fighting Man, Salt of the Earth I'll admit I'm often unimpressed by the Stones, and this album wasn't really an exception. Sympathy for the Devil is energetic and fun, and there were a couple tracks (noted above) that stood out to me, but for the most part, I'd just rather listen to something else. 3 stars.
Cheap Trick is from my hometown, so I feel an affinity for them. Surrender is one of my all-time faves. I think their brand of rock is distinctly authentic and fun and good-natured. A surprising number of live albums have come up on the list lately (this is the third in two weeks), but this one was so fun! All bangers, no bummers. I'm sure there's bias creeping in here, but because this is the only Cheap Trick album on the list, I'm giving it a 4. I genuinely think I will listen to this again.
Favorite tracks: Sad Lisa, But I Might Die Tonight, Father and Son This took me a few listens to get into, but once I did, it felt very warm and nice and peaceful and introspective - all things I like! I'm feeling a 3 for this.
I'm pretty new to Radiohead, so I hadn't heard this one before. I like both their rock era and electronic era, so I dig the sound of this one. That said, fewer tracks stood out to me than I expected. ("Where I End and You Begin," "There, There," and "Myxomatosis" were the highlights for me.) I think if I wanted to listen to Radiohead, I'd probably just pick a different album. 3 stars.
I feel bad giving this such a low score, but it genuinely put me in a bad mood. 1.5 stars?
I was sick with a stomach bug while listening to this, so everything feels a bit hazy. That said, I like this kind of music, and the closer was beautiful. 3.5 stars.
Favorite tracks: Let's Be Friends, The Fuse, You're Missing I thought this was really pretty! And weirder than I expected (in a good way). 3.5 stars, bumping up to 4.
I really, really like music like this.
I liked this better than the other Aretha album we've had so far (I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You). Feels like the Aretha I've come to expect - vibrant, powerful. I think the star tracks (Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman) are the clear standouts. 3.5/5 stars.
The experience of listening to this album was thoroughly enjoyable and really got me pumped up for a Monday. Dramatic, lush, and honestly just very cool. 4 stars.
I kinda feel like this album took a bit to get started, but once it did, whewww! Some 5/5 tracks, but not all - therefore, 4 stars.
I've never heard of this band! Braced myself but was pleasantly surprised. Good music I'm sure I'd love seeing live. Really enjoyed the unique instrumentation. This isn't usually my preferred brand of indie rock, but this was a strong album. 3.5 stars.
Hell yes Oasis!!!!! Easy four stars, if only for the way Liam pronounces every line on Cigarettes and Alcohol (my fave track).
This just has no personality, in my opinion. The vocals lack energy. This would be more enjoyable if they were just an instrumental band, and if they took, like, any risks. 2 stars for being bland but inoffensive.
This was pretty cool, good energy, but got a little samey for me in the latter half. 3 stars.
Favorite tracks: She's The One, London Belongs To Me This is probably a 3.5, but I'm bumping it to 4 stars because I vibed so well with it today - Christmas Eve, chilling out, drinking coffee and working on a jigsaw puzzle. Heck yeah.
Christmas!
I kinda like how confrontational this is (I think I've mentioned in a previous review that I have a high tolerance for nonsense). I can't quite give it higher than a 3 because, well, it's not really fun to listen to. But good on ya, John, you made my house-cleaning day feel cooler.
I really enjoy listening to Adele! This album was a bit somber and samey for me, but the songs that hit really hit. Overall, I'll go with 3.5 stars.
I'm a sucker for The Kinks, and I loved listening to this. Interesting songs with distinctive lyrics. Solid 4 stars.
This was like "Appetite For Destruction" by Guns N' Roses, but, like, for millennials. Fred Durst just goes for it, man! Feels extremely representative of the era, for better or worse... well, okay, worse. The turn of the millennium was a bad time!! We deserved this; we thirsted for it!! Anyways I'm giving this 3 stars, no I will not be taking any questions.
Excellent album - creative, catchy, and energetic. I think I prefer Bowie's less space-y stuff, so I'll go with 4 stars here.
"This makes me feel better about giving Limp Bizkit three stars." - Me to L. Yeah this sucked.
I was surprised by how much I liked this! I usually zone out during prog rock, but this album demanded more attention from me, in a good way. Each song was creative and distinctive, while still being catchy. I could see myself really sinking into this on repeat listens. I think my creative writing teacher in high school (who I adored) really liked Yes. I have a vague memory of him playing a song for us in class once. Maybe it was one of these? I'll choose to believe it was, and that this is a neat little full-circle moment. 4 stars.
I'm gonna echo this person's five-star review from Feb. 2021: "Classic. Sadly, he's crazy now" I think this is a perfect album. Kanye's expressiveness is captivating, and his ability to weave in samples, features, and styles is unmatched. There are so many magical moments: the "so exciting/suicide" part in Power, Nicki's verse on Monster, the piano in Runaway... No skips, five stars.
I didn't like it, but it was mostly inoffensive to me. The samples are neat, and I guess the energy is fun. I like "Girls" the best; the others kind of sounded the same to me. 2.5 stars.
Favorite tracks: Motion Sickness, Don't Deny Your Heart, Now There Is Nothing, Let Me Be Him, Always Been Your Love Very cool vibes. I like Hot Chip but am only really familiar with the album before this, One Night Stand. Some songs on this album I really liked, others didn't do a ton for me. But I think this will be great spring-to-summer music, so I'll go with 4 stars!
So fun fact, I can't stand Creedence's music and have been dreading their appearance on this list! It's like this weird aversion that's beyond my control. Sorry!!!! Gave it a shot, but his voice grates on me. PROUD MARY KEEP ON BOYNIN'. Also, chooglin'? What are we doing here?? I fully acknowledge this is a Me Problem, but I will be true to myself and give this one star.
I enjoyed this while listening to it, then kinda forgot about it immediately after. I imagine this would have hit very hard in '79. But knowing, as we do, the stronger music that was yet to come... this does feel a little forgettable. 3 stars from me.
Favorite tracks: Velouria, Is She Weird, All Over The World, Dig For Fire, Down To The Well, The Happening Aah this is just so fun to listen to! I don't know how to describe how this music makes me feel... it matches an aesthetic that resonates with me. A little silly, a little grungy. I want to live in its world. Does that make sense? I'm surely biased because I already love the Pixies, though I'm less familiar with this album. Who cares! 5 stars, I love this.
Hmm, I felt some whiplash listening to this. Some songs are goofy novelties, others are like "god is dead and all my friends died in the war." I liked a few songs, but as an album, I find this confusing. 2 stars?
I liked the middle portion of this but thought the beginning and end dragged a bit. Interesting samples and cool energy, but not sure I'd return to the whole album. 3 stars.
I really didn't like this. I suspect if I knew about production or playing instruments it might have meant something to me. I gravitate toward lyrics and vocals, though, and I found both kinda gross on this album. 1.5 stars.
Favorite tracks: Shout, Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Mothers Talk, I Believe, Head Over Heels. I expected to like this, then I really, *really* liked it. I love the hits, but this listen-through made me appreciate how weird they are. It can be easy to dismiss radio-friendly bands, but man, this is a cool album. Even somewhat challenging at parts - horns, applause, motifs. Cool! The top review here says something like "I'm on the verge of giving this a five. Fuck it." I'm wrestling with it, too, but I think I'd need more time with it to decide. Going to stick with 4 stars, but this was really a treasure.
Being a non-Clapton fan (obviously his politics are terrible, but I also don't like his music), I let out a big ol' "ugh" when I saw this was my album of the day. But it offended me less than I anticipated. I didn't like the last three songs, but the others were more or less fine. Going to give this 3 stars because I liked it more than the Derek & The Dominos album, which I rated 2 stars. And because this is, mercifully, much shorter.
Favorite tracks: Armenia City In The Sky, Mary Anne with the Shaky Hand, I Can See For Miles, I Can't Reach You, Glittering Girl, Early Morning Cold Taxi. Everyone on this site seems to hate this, but I loved it. To reference my Zappa review, I like this kind of nonsense. (See also: The Monkees are one of my favorite bands.) I thought the jingles were fun and the "real" songs were lovely. So, haha, idk, 4 (maybe 4.5!) stars from me.
I like Madonna's music, and I really like Express Yourself, Love Song, and Dear Jessie from this album. I think there are stronger Madonna albums, though, so I'll stick with a solid 3.
The first listen didn't stick with me, but I enjoyed the second go-around quite a bit. Feels nice and vibey, like driving through a desert at sunset. 3 stars.
Y'know, this is good stuff.
Man, I wasn't familiar with this album when it came out, but listening to it now still evoked a lot of nostalgia for me. I guess it does a great job of representing the indie music of the era. Those were some good times, truly. I'm glad this is on here; it's too bad I missed it back in the day. Great album.
I totally understand why this is insufferable to some people, but I thought it was innovative and interesting. It didn't make my pretentious detector go off; it felt authentically weird to me. Just a bunch of hippies trying to express something. I love that. Highlights for me: Minotaur's Song, A Very Cellular Song, Mercy I Cry City, Swift As The Wind
After the first song, I was like "Ohoho I'm going to love this." But ultimately, I think I just *liked* it - some neat pop music with weird flourishes, but not quite as many bangers as I hoped.
It's been a rough week, and I hadn't heard of this, and I was ready to brush it off. But then it stood out to me! It showcases a simultaneous mellowness and passion that I needed right now. I thought all the songs were distinctive, with simple but effective messages. What a hidden gem. 4 stars. Favorite tracks: Nature's Way, Mr. Skin, Street Worm, Soldier, Red Light Rolls On
This was alright, but I guess the hype had me expecting something mindblowing. I'd probably prefer another Pink Floyd album.
Really loved this. Great lyrics, obviously, but his delivery is also so engaging. It still feels impressive. I don't have a strong knowledge of Dylan, but there's something about this that feels more intimate than I expected. I think this could be 5 stars if I had more time with it.
Y'know, I think if I was in a more optimistic mood I'd like this more. As it is, it was nice, but didn't necessarily stick with me. 3 stars.
Favorite tracks: Back From Somewhere; Could You Be The One?; Friend, You've Got To Fall; Turn It Around; She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man); Up In The Air. I just really love music like this! It's a bit long, and not all of the songs stand out, but it's definitely something to add to my collection.
Favorite tracks: Badlands, Streets of Fire, Prove It All Night, Darkness on the Edge of Town. This is the third Springsteen album I've gotten so far, and to be honest I might be inflating this rating because I think I under-rated the previous two. I enjoy most of the songs here, but the ones I like, I *really* like. Guys, I think I like The Boss. 4 stars.
I liked this more than the other Stones record I've encountered on this list, but overall it felt too long; there's only so much Rolling Stones I wanna listen to in a sitting. Tumbling Dice and Torn And Frayed stood out to me, and most of the rest was fine. 3 stars.
Favorite tracks: In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, Mountain Jam I was bracing myself for this because 1) blues rock is not my cup of tea, and 2) the length. But once it got going, I actually quite liked the instrumental/jamming parts. Clearly very skilled people, clearly having a great time. Not something I'd add to regular rotation, but I'd put it in the background if I had guests. 3 stars.
I'm not sure how to rate this! I liked it and thought it was good at what it was going for. So, 3 stars?
Favorite tracks: If I Could Only Win Your Love, Before Believing, For No One. This was so easy to listen to. Really enjoyed it. Good choice of covers, too. 4 stars.
Depeche Mode is cool! The songs didn't pack as much of a punch for me as the ones from Violator, but man this band makes great music. 4 stars.
Great vibes. I only listened to this once, but honestly Oye Come Va is good enough for the whole album to be a 4.
Goddamnit. I'm so, so sick of the '70s rock on this list, and I have no background or interest in Zep, but this still wowed me. Maybe it's because I've already heard so many of these songs before, so I'm warmed up to them? Or because this wasn't as long or self-indulgent as I had expected? Sigh. Whatever, it's clearly a masterpiece and I'm mad about it!
Y'know, I dug the vibe, but there weren't really any specific songs that stood out to me. I liked the way various elements came together - felt patchwork (in a good way) at times.
I'm in a bad mood and I can't stand Eric Clapton and his wimpy little voice.
Perfectly enjoyable. Maybe not something I'd add to my rotation, but I wouldn't turn it off if I heard it in the wild.
Good stuff! Hard not to enjoy this.
Favorite tracks: Re-Hash, 5/4, Clint Eastwood, Rock The House, 19-2000, Slow Country, M1 A1 I loved this album when it came out. 20+ years later and in this context, I feel like I'm listening for the first time again. In 2001, I was still in the throes of pop fandom (Backstreet Boys, Britney, etc.), but juuust starting to discover other music. My tastes had a lot to do with my (parasocial) relationship to the artists. So it was extremely cool that I didn't know who made this. I mean, now it seems obvious, but at the time? Impenetrable to me. That is SO COOL, right?! How often does that happen? Plus, I loved the characters, I loved the lore, I loved the aesthetic. I was so excited when a video was released for 19-2000, because that was my favorite song on the album and music videos meant a lot to me. Honestly it might still be my favorite track. So weird, so catchy. HERE YOU GO! Looking back, it's clear this album had a stronger-than-I-realized influence on how my musical tastes evolved. So, yeah, there's nostalgia at play here, but honestly this album is still excellent: innovative then, and remains innovative now. Perfect blend of genres that hits all the right notes for me. Every time I finish listening to it, I immediately restart it. 5 stars.
Thank god, this is the final Eric Clapton album on my list. And I somehow got two of them in the past week. And I really don't like Eric Clapton. And everything is bad! Anyway! Amazingly, I liked this more than the other three, but overall I just don't care for his voice. My favorite tracks were Motherless Children, Get Ready, and Mainline Florida. Everything else I could leave. So this'll be another two stars for Clapton, but a high two stars, like 2.5.
Beautiful harmonies from three very talented musicians. The album as a whole is nice, though none of the songs especially stood out.
Favorite tracks: Love Is A Stranger, Jennifer, This Is The House Such a cool band, and distinctive for its time. I wish more of the tracks had stood out to me, though.
Some great songs, but too long overall, imo. I wasn't quite up for it.
Favorite tracks: Zoo Station, So Cruel, Mysterious Ways, Ultra Violet Knew the hits but never listened to the album before. I liked it on the first listen, loved it on the second. This is so up my alley. Unique, passionate, genre-merging. I think I take for granted how distinctive U2's sound is. Also, Mysterious Ways is such, SUCH a good song. God, the energy!!!
Good vibes, and I liked the songs that built into something rocking. I'd give it another listen, but it didn't especially stand out to me in this first go.
I liked this, but found myself wanting a little more variety. Really enjoyed Astral Weeks, Sweet Thing, and The Way Young Lovers Do. Probably need to give it another listen.
Today was a lousy day, yet I didn't mind listening to this. The songs fit together. I found it strangely comforting. Will add it to my collection and revisit.
Okay, get this. I had a truly terrible day on Thursday. But in the car I heard Natural Blues on the local alt station and it brightened my mood a little. Then at 10 p.m. I submitted my rating for the day and saw that THIS was going to be the next album. Out of the 1,089 albums on this list... Are you kidding me!? The universe has a sense of humor, I tell ya. This felt deeply healing to me. I understand this might be a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but I'm firmly in the "love it" camp.
I like this kind of music - strange and emotional and vibey. But it did feel a little dated, imo. Islands was the standout for me; the others blurred together a bit.
(Extremely smug voice) My 3 stars for Limp Bizkit doesn't look so bad now, does it? Ohohoho! I still think Bawitdaba is kinda funny and catchy, but each song on this is worse than the preceding one. Why is this album soooo long? It's like he had three ideas and he kept repeating them with diminishing results each time.
This was fun! A nice change of pace from some of the other albums. It was bouncy and weird and put me in a good mood. Favorite tracks were Ping Pong Affair and I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
Angry and energetic, more interesting (imo) than a lot of the 70s rock on this list. One of those albums that makes total sense being here.
I recommend doing something twee while listening to this - I wound wool yarn that I plan to knit into a sweater. Chill, positive vibes.
I'm a little torn on this one - a lot of the lyrics are gross and silly, but overall I really enjoy the sound. And Snoop is great. I think the parts I liked outnumber the parts I didn't, so I'll go with a 3 here.
Really enjoyable listen - took me to another place for a bit, a better one. And it was such a breath of fresh air on this list. A high 4 for me.
I liked this quite a bit more than License To Ill - felt less juvenile, and the samples were more fun (imo). Still not sure Beastie Boys are my cup o' tea, but this was probably like a 3.5 for me.
🎶 Gettin' down just for the funk of it 🎶 Gotta say, this really put a smile on my face!
Some songs I really liked, others were just pleasant background music. This project has taught me that I kinda like prog rock! This is probably like a 3.75 from me, so I'll bump it up to 4 stars.
Well sheesh, this was incredible.
This was fun, but I didn't really want to listen to it a second time.
Hahah I loved this. Felt weird and angry and nihilistic and fun. I did a double-take when I saw there were 43 tracks (!), but it didn't really drag for me. This right here is a gem.
Good stuff. I liked some songs better than others (favorites were Herculean and the title track), but on the whole, this kinda thing is just right up my alley.
It's Joy Division! I appreciate the chance to really listen to this album. I could listen to Disorder on repeat forever. This deserves a 5 because of how striking and impressive and influential it is, but for my personal rating, a 4 feels more fitting.
Half of this I loved, half of it I forgot about. But I gotta say, this is my favorite Rolling Stones album so far - by a decent margin.
Honestly sounds like they were having a fun time. I liked the sound, liked the flow, even liked the skits. Cool stuff!
Really like this style of music. Listened to the U.S. version as uploaded by a kind soul on YouTube. My favorite track was "Smoke Dis One" (hell yeah Queen Latifah!), but honestly the whole thing put me in a pretty good mood!
I thought the middle section was the strongest (Tides, Nadia, and Immigrant were my favorite tracks), but I quite liked all of it! Loved the variety of the genres and the complexity of the lyrics. I'm guessing there's a lot more to discover with repeat listens.
"Chicago" is one of my favorite songs, but I actually never got around to listening to this whole album until now. People give a lot of side-eye to 00s indie nowadays, and I get it - I lived through it, it was a goofy-ass time. But man, if this came out today I think people would still love it. I love the music and lyrics, I love the theme, and I love that it feels like there's so much more to discover on repeat listens. So though this is very midwestern millennial of me, I'm giving it a 5. :)
Possibly the easiest 5 I've given so far. Has several of my favorite Beatles songs (especially She Said, She Said; And Your Bird Can Sing; and Got To Get You Into My Life). What can I say? It's very good and I love it!
I love sad stuff. And, as I've learned through this project, I love The Boss. I imagine this one will age well with repeat listens.
Favorite tracks: REMIND, HALCYON + ON + ON. Nice stuff, vibey, hypnotic. I like that it opens with a Worf quote.
This was a lot more rocking and listenable than I expected! Perfectly fine, lively rock.
I wanted to like this a little more than I did. Some songs I loved, others kind of dragged for me. I think it balances out to a three.
This should probably be three stars. It's long, and weird, and it probably wouldn't be my go-to Prince album. I liked Sign O' The Times more, and I rated that four (well, 4.5) stars. But I'm bumping this up because: 1) The song 1999 is soooo good, and 2) Come on, who else was doing stuff like this? We didn't deserve Prince!
Experience-wise, this is probably a 5. Soo fun to hear the crowd hyped up. Music-wise, I'll go with a 4 - this is an album about the energy more than the songs.
A high four for me, and definitely my favorite of the Stones albums I've heard so far. Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want are such perfect songs - problem is, I just want to keep replaying them. Though I did enjoy the rest of the album too!
It's unfair that I also got James Brown's live album this week and overall preferred it. This is certainly good - great energy and great songs from a great musician. But the production wasn't very good, which I found distracting.
Angry and energetic. The hit songs are my favorites - if it wasn't for them, this score would likely be a 3.
I love Dolly, and I love the song Coat of Many Colors. I appreciate that this was a short album, but I wanted a little more "oomph" in it. Not sure it's something I could really lose myself in.
Sparks is so clever and funky and cool - it blows my mind that this is from 1974!! A very creative album, and I had a lot of fun listening to it.
Gosh, I just loved this. I listened to this a few times today and grew increasingly attached to the songs and storytelling. She's got a lovely voice, too, really engaging.
I liked this better than the other ZZ Top album on this list (Eliminator), but I listened to it twice through and none of it stuck with me. 2.5 stars?