Oct 28 2024
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
Underrated 60s gem, on par with classics which often appear at the top of lists.
5
Oct 29 2024
Dummy
Portishead
Familiar with a lot of these songs from when it came out. Perfect production choices, very layered and obviously laboured over. Vocals outstanding as to be expected. 'Roads' a standout.
5
Oct 30 2024
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
As the music and arrangements are at times pretty bland, this pretty much stands or falls with Cash's persona and the listener's buying into this outlaw schtick. I for one, find it at times contrived.
2
Oct 31 2024
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Hard to pinpoint, but an engrossing listen. As there are only two pieces around 20 minutes each, the build ups are quite rewarding - when that bassline kicks in at the 14 minute mark on the title track, or in Shhh/peaceful, when after pounding a closed hi-hat for around 9 minutes the drummer releases the pressure a bit and we get a single snare drum hit (I do not fully realize whether that was irony or not.)
4
Nov 01 2024
Melodrama
Lorde
First impression - not a fan of the vocal affectations. There are instances when the "cursive" singing is less prominent, which are more enjoyable to my ears. The music and arrangements are often quite enjoyable. Writer in the Dark epitomises this, the contrast between the verse and chorus - the exaggerated vocal fry and "writer" being pronounced as "roiydah" in the verse and then the lovely Kate Bush-esque chorus.
3
Nov 02 2024
Achtung Baby
U2
First couple of songs really show songwriters who've run out of ideas, trying to make up for it with wrapping underwritten, unfinished and ultimately uninteresting vamps in what they think are interesting or experimental arrangements (they're not) and an overinflated-ego-frontman vibin' over them.
It does get better. One obviously a standout, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses pretty good. Acrobat is a favorite. But there is so much filler here - Tryin' To Throw Your Arms ... doesn't go anywhere, nor does So Cruel. The singles The Fly, Mysterious Ways are so blatantly "90s" - trying to incorporate "modern" sounds and beats, but ultimately fail - U2 is not a band that grooves.
Upon research, people like David Bowie, Scott Walker, Einstürzende Neubauten, Sly & Family Stone are mentioned as inspirations & Brian Eno being in the studio, which all sound like a recipe for a brilliant outcome. But it just all sounds so forced and affected.
2
Nov 03 2024
The Cars
The Cars
Has some absolute bangers, the singles obviously as well as some album cuts (All Mixed Up & You're All I've Got Tonight) make for an engrossing listen.
"I'm in touch with your world" is quite silly, the dissonant riff is nice enough, but maybe not touch all of the buttons with the "sound effects" setting on, on that brand new synthesizer you just got.
4
Nov 04 2024
Tom Tom Club
Tom Tom Club
Sometimes grooves, sometimes more than a bit silly, at times challenging, but always engaging in some way.
3
Nov 05 2024
My Generation
The Who
It is impossible to ignore the impact of this record on rock music. Keith Moon's drumming is undeniable, as well as My Generation.
The songwriting is another story. Some of the vocal melodies are pretty bland, the riffs are not all memorable and the rhythm section simply can't do all the heavy lifting.
3
Nov 06 2024
Treasure
Cocteau Twins
Lovely dream pop. Lorelei, Persephone ... standouts. Sometimes the nonsensical lyrics seem to work, but there are times where it gets a bit too cutesy (Pandora (for Cindy)).
4
Nov 07 2024
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
This was all over the radio back in the day and the re-listen really transports you and ties you to a specific era. The music more than merits its ubiquity in the 90s.
4
Nov 08 2024
Gentlemen
The Afghan Whigs
A 90s blindspot for me - might have resonated more with an angstier listener back then - but, alas, lyrics like "Be Sweet" are a bit too 90s to take. I guess it's supposed to be self-abasing and not based on personal experience, but the "I behave like a d#%k, but I'm like so complicated and deep," schtick really hasn't aged well.
It's not all that bad, but:
"Oh baby, I realise I treated you wrong
But I'm so sorry, let me come back were I belong
You see I'm your fool, I lost my cool."
Just isn't the the type of lyrical genius I'm in the market for.
The music is fine, very much of its time, but the vocalist's extremely limited range and lack of melody gets to be quite grating after a few songs.
2
Nov 09 2024
Abraxas
Santana
Overall quite nice. The 60s hippie jam-iness is offset by interesting percussion and rarely gets too indulgent.
More eclectic than I'd have thought. "Incident at Neshabur" would have fitted well on jazz albums of the era, whereas others sound more like stock hippie songs, that filmmakers on a budget would use.
3
Nov 10 2024
Brothers
The Black Keys
Music to sell stuff to.
3
Nov 11 2024
Scott 4
Scott Walker
The cult and mystery of Scott Walker are probably clouding judgement. The songwriting may not even be particularly memorable, but there's just something about the delivery and atmosphere that's undeniable, but impossible to pinpoint.
4
Nov 12 2024
Blue Lines
Massive Attack
A pioneering album - must have sounded revolutionary at the time. But as with many other pioneers; the formula hasn't been perfected yet and will be improved on later albums,
3
Nov 13 2024
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
Seems very much tied to the cultural landscape of its time. On a pure musical level this is good, it vibes, grooves and whatnot - but it is after all a soundtrack - to a film I haven't seen.
3
Nov 14 2024
Imperial Bedroom
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
Some quality songwriting going on here. Lacks the immediacy of his first albums and goes on for a bit. Disliked "Shabby Doll" immensely.
3
Nov 15 2024
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
I've dipped my toes in the Naked City/Torture Garden pool and know what this Zorn guy is about.
Don't really get why this one makes the cut, it's not as dynamic or varied, nor does it have the "what just happened" factor as the more known releases that explore a similar concept.
The "everyone overplaying all at once" gets to be a bit much after a few songs, so you get a respite in the beginning of tracks like "Enfant," but alas, after a minute we're off to the races again.
2
Nov 16 2024
Low
David Bowie
All time great. The songs, the atmosphere, the production, the legend - it's all there.
5
Nov 17 2024
John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
John Lennon
An album that he had to make, to work through what needed to be worked trough, but ultimately. The songwriting just isn't there. I realize that everyone had moved on from the Beatles, but you'd think that some of the songwriting genius would seep through. Catharsis has been mined mercilessly for musical purposes, but c'mon you can't just be yelling "Well well well" over a couple of chords for six minutes, add distortion on it and call it a day.
Highlights: Love
Historically and culturally an immensely important album. But on a pure musical level, not so much.
3
Nov 18 2024
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
A pleasant surprise! Another blindspot from the early 2000s. An eclectic bunch of songs - hearing traces Flaming Lips, Spiritualized, Blur (vocals?), but all combined makes for one hell of an album.
4
Nov 19 2024
Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
Music to drink overpriced coffee to.
3
Nov 20 2024
The Grand Tour
George Jones
That's about as country as it gets and the guy's got a voice to deliver it, that's for sure. But country being country - it doesn't offer a whole lot in variety - songwriting, arrangements or lyrical content. There are times when the album honks way too much and the tonk is all over the place - and that's when non-country enthusiasts step out.
There are standouts, such as The Grand Tour, She Told Me So and a few others.
3
Nov 21 2024
Music From Big Pink
The Band
Classic: Highlights - Hearing Manuel's voice for the first time in "Tears of Rage", the organ sound on Chest Fever and the free-falling feeling of "rolling down the rooooooad..."
4
Nov 22 2024
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
I for one liked this one. In all the chaos there are identifiable structures, grooves and riffs. But it is of course quite abrasive and the type of music requires a very specific mindset to enjoy. Dracula Mountain a highlight.
3
Nov 23 2024
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
Music to wear denim jackets, drink canned beers and giving the good ol' 🤘🤘to.
Wasn't familiar with much more than the tracks played on the radio. Quite surprised by songs like "Emerald" and "Massacre" - I knew the band is sometimes mentioned as an early influence on metal to some degree (Metallica, etc.), but these song in particular sounds like the blueprint to Iron Maiden, much more so than I'd have thought.
3
Nov 24 2024
The Scream
Siouxsie And The Banshees
Quite innovative arrangement with the trebly-guitar and tom-tom driven beats. As punk singers are want to, the vocals are a bit shout-y and lacks dynamic range, which gets a bit much at times.
3
Nov 25 2024
Rattlesnakes
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
First time listen. Very pleasant early-indie sounding pop, but not much to latch onto at first listen. Singing is at times a bit overreaching, but I suspect that repeated listens will reward listeners.
3
Nov 26 2024
Raw Power
The Stooges
Ain't no one other than Iggy - who in time has become somewhat of a caricature of himself. Resuscitated here by Bowie, The Stooges are given the "Iggy & the..." prefix and Bowie seems intent on utilising his wild-man persona to the fullest - evident on songs like 'Penetration' where Iggy's moaning and meowing of his inane horn-dog lyrics are so far up front in the mix that the music almost seems inconsequential.
Thankfully Bowie and co. called up the Asheton brothers to provide some of the spark that fuelled the first two albums.
Highlights: Search and Destroy, Gimme Danger, I Need Somebody.
4
Nov 27 2024
All Mod Cons
The Jam
A rollicking fun listen - energetic and competent performances, more than a healthy slice of Englishness, memorable songwriting.
5
Nov 28 2024
The Stooges
The Stooges
The highlights are plenty. The infectious handclaps, tambourines, piano drones, the catchy riffs, the growling and grunting.
I don't mind We Will Fall as much as some others.
5
Nov 29 2024
White Blood Cells
The White Stripes
A breath of fresh air in 2001, which more than merits its renown. Say what you will about the chops, they come up with some great riffs, catchy songs and good ol' sense of energy and fun.
4
Nov 30 2024
The Stranger
Billy Joel
It's all just a bit too saccharine and bland. Some of these have been played to death on classic rock radio and I'd get by if that'd stop. He is the type of songwriter you get the feeling doesn't really listen to or enjoy music.
2
Dec 01 2024
Suede
Suede
Singles are good - So Young, Animal Nitrate. The rest is fine, the arrangements are competent, but rarely innovative or particularly striking, so it mostly comes down to the quality of the songwriting (great to fine) and Bret Anderson's vocal affectations - which are sometimes well over-the-top.
3
Dec 02 2024
KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)
Ministry
Music to make serial killer films in the 1990s to.
Some of this is pretty cool, and was obviously quite innovative in its time. The thing with industrial music is that for me there is a thin line between atmospheric, rhythmic sense of dread and then just repetitive intentionally abrasive droning static.
Just One Fix, Scare Crow falls into the first category and Hero the second.
3
Dec 03 2024
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Tiny Dancer is a classic. But some of the other lyrics are so weirdly lacking in any engaging imagery or linguistic cleverness. Songs like Levon and Razor Face go all out with bombast, orchestral arrangements and Elton John howling and whatnot... but the words coming out just don't do anything. I get there are character driven storytelling songwriters, but these are just so utterly devoid of any captivating images or any perceivable meaning. I just can't think of any musical genius that could make me have an emotional response to the life of Levon - no matter how many times Elton John insists of the listener by the incessant repetition of his name.
Tiny Dancer, title track and All the Nasties kind of make up for it.
3
Dec 04 2024
Connected
Stereo MC's
About as 90s as it gets - the beats, the raps, and especially the backing vocals. Sometimes works (title track) sometimes not (Everything).
3
Dec 05 2024
The Sensual World
Kate Bush
Lovely as usual. There are times where it's difficult to latch onto melody, but she makes it work.
4
Dec 06 2024
Trans Europe Express
Kraftwerk
Just the perfect synthesis of technology, creativity & sound.
5
Dec 07 2024
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4
Dec 08 2024
Destroyer
KISS
These lyrics are unimaginably lame - I get that disaffected youth would respond to rebellious music that carves out a niche to find a sense of belonging, but lyrics like "it's so bad, going to school," is pandering garbage and God of Thunder is the blueprint for some David St. Hubbins lyricism. The Music is rock by the numbers, but no matter the costume and make-up extravaganzas and inane lyrics about how much they rock - this never comes close to any real sense of the sense of danger and menace they're aiming for.
2
Dec 09 2024
The Predator
Ice Cube
The social commentary in The Predator reflects a time and cultural situation that desperately needed critical examination. However, it occasionally veers into grandstanding, which adds little substance. Songs like "Don't Trust 'Em" come across as so laughably childish that they risk undermining the impact of the entire album.
2
Dec 10 2024
The Stone Roses
The Stone Roses
4
Dec 11 2024
Hejira
Joni Mitchell
4
Dec 12 2024
Diamond Life
Sade
3
Dec 13 2024
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
3
Dec 14 2024
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
All time great. Flawless.
5
Dec 15 2024
Blood And Chocolate
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
One of his best if only he'd avoid the tendency to take his voice to places where it has no place being - strained, shout-y and grating (i.e. the end of "Battered Old Bird." )
4
Dec 16 2024
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
3
Dec 17 2024
Murmur
R.E.M.
4
Dec 18 2024
More Specials
The Specials
A bit too campy and cheesy in songs like Enjoy Yourself, Hey, Little Rich Girl, Pearl's Cafe Prefer the 'cooler' & subtler approach in songs like Man at C&A, Do Nothing.
3
Dec 19 2024
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
4
Dec 20 2024
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Dated - in more ways than one.
2
Dec 21 2024
I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
No questioning the talent or the voice. Well, the album seems to want to shift to the highest gear pretty quickly and stay there, so it gets to be a bit too much; the overblown vocals, the constant brass which occupies the same frequencies, leave something to be desired in terms of nuance and subtlety, but hey, maybe that wasn't what they were going for...
3
Dec 22 2024
Red Dirt Girl
Emmylou Harris
3
Dec 23 2024
New Forms
Roni Size
Some cool basslines, but I just don't know what situation in my reality requires 140 minutes of intense and constant drum and bass beats.
2
Dec 24 2024
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
4
Jan 09 2025
Sea Change
Beck
Love, love, love this album. Not just for its status being one of theses deified "breakup albums," but because it's so musically rich and it just so happens that heartbreak goes well with some classy strings, punchy basslines and well written songs.
5
Jan 13 2025
Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan
The rare late career resurrection - brilliant album. But I'll never understand why musicians of that generation seemed to be unsatisfied unless there was at least one blues-dirge-filler track on each album. Mr. Dylan you've got over an hour's worth of brilliance, you didn't need Dirt Road Blues.
Highlights: Love Sick, Standing in the Doorway, Not Dark Yet
5
Jan 14 2025
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
4
Jan 15 2025
Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
The single word and phrasing when he sings "HAARRRRNKY Tonk heroes like me!," automatically makes this a one star album. But pronouncing California as Californy sort of makes up for it...it's a delicate balance between the honk and the tonk, you see.
2
Jan 16 2025
Ananda Shankar
Ananda Shankar
Covers a bit gimmicky, but the more traditional sitar music is good, as far as I know…
3
Jan 17 2025
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
I get the name. It must have taken blood, sweat and a lot of tears to labor over these convoluted compositions in the studio that are so devoid of life, spirit and originality.
1
Jan 18 2025
Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea
PJ Harvey
4
Jan 19 2025
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV On The Radio
4
Jan 20 2025
Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
4
Jan 21 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
5
Jan 22 2025
Ace of Spades
Motörhead
This gets to be real grating, real quick... not sure what it is, if it's the extremely limited vocal range, the repetitive generic riffing or the inane lyrics.
2
Jan 23 2025
The Fat Of The Land
The Prodigy
Singles are pretty iconic and all, but much of the rest is filler at best.
2
Jan 24 2025
...Baby One More Time
Britney Spears
Poptimism be damned... this is plastic, artificial, manufactured.
1
Jan 25 2025
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
5
Jan 26 2025
Ghosteen
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5
Jan 27 2025
Murder Ballads
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4
Jan 28 2025
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Not gonna lie! They had us in the first half, all nostalgic and funky, but then there's only so much dumb-assery one can take. By the time Apache Rose Peacock shows up... geesh!
3
Jan 29 2025
Woodface
Crowded House
3
Jan 30 2025
Grievous Angel
Gram Parsons
Apparently "it is viewed as a successful example of the hybrid between country and rock and roll Parsons called "Cosmic American Music," I think there must be some malfunction in the streaming service, the rock and roll part seems to missing, all I'm hearing is country.
2
Jan 31 2025
Jack Takes the Floor
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
I'm all for the folksy working-class-ramblin' thing, but yodelling?
2
Feb 01 2025
Can't Buy A Thrill
Steely Dan
4
Feb 02 2025
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
3
Feb 03 2025
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
4
Feb 04 2025
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
1
Feb 05 2025
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
About 17 too many "whao'" in there, but there's just too much energy to be contained.
4
Feb 06 2025
Follow The Leader
Korn
2
Feb 07 2025
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
5
Feb 08 2025
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
Mostly good, not great. Hot take: the guitar solos are pretty aimless and generic and the fuzz guitar is rarely the highlight of anything.
3
Feb 09 2025
Trafalgar
Bee Gees
2
Feb 10 2025
Arrival
ABBA
3
Feb 11 2025
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
5
Feb 12 2025
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
5
Feb 13 2025
American Pie
Don McLean
3
Feb 14 2025
Apocalypse Dudes
Turbonegro
Worst one yet.
1
Feb 15 2025
Van Halen
Van Halen
Surprisingly low energy and slow paced at times and way too much pop sensibility and major-key-blues-riffiness. David Lee Roth has got his own thing going on there, gotta give him that.
2
Feb 16 2025
Arc Of A Diver
Steve Winwood
4
Feb 17 2025
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5
Feb 18 2025
L.A. Woman
The Doors
3
Feb 19 2025
Mott
Mott The Hoople
3
Feb 20 2025
This Year's Model
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
5
Feb 21 2025
B-52's
The B-52's
3
Feb 22 2025
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
5
Feb 23 2025
Songs Of Love And Hate
Leonard Cohen
5
Feb 24 2025
GREY Area
Little Simz
3
Feb 25 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
5
Feb 26 2025
Rejoicing In The Hands
Devendra Banhart
4
Feb 27 2025
Good Old Boys
Randy Newman
2
Feb 28 2025
Timeless
Goldie
Sounds like what bongwater smells like.
1
Mar 01 2025
Fragile
Yes
A pet peeve of mine is documentaries featuring snotty punks from the ’70s claiming they saved music from the pretension and overindulgence of prog-rock—reducing the complex dynamics of culture, history, art, and creativity to the inane binarism of 'few chords = good, many chords = bad.' But now having listened to this album, I think I kind of get it.
1
Mar 02 2025
Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
5
Mar 03 2025
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
Gotta agree with Lester Bangs here: it wasn't ahead of its time - it stands outside time. Therefore its almost impossible to separate the legend, its orignal impact and the music. I find myself listening to it both as groundbreaking music from the 60s and at face value in 2020s simultaneously.
The line between pretension and over-indulgence and creative-mad-genius is apparently measured by a hair's breadth in my case. The abrasive dissonance, the sillyness, the meandering structures, the fact that it goes on and on, in most cases should not work, but even in the most dense chaos of songs like "Frownland" have me trying to solve the mystery of where it's going, where it's coming from and why it works at the same time it absolutely doesn't.
4
Mar 04 2025
All Things Must Pass
George Harrison
"Ok boys it's a wrap, we've got a stone cold classic on our hands."
"Wait, wait, what if.... bear with me, what if we add a whole extra album with over 30 minutes of nothing but directionless jam-wankery, but like with totally cool cats and we had a really cool time?"
"Is there any enjoyment for the casual listener, who wasn't in the room, to be had?"
"Little to none."
"3 LP's it is!"
4
Mar 05 2025
Ambient 1/Music For Airports
Brian Eno
Poses interesting questions about the utility of music. Some reviewers seem perfectly happy with music that has the power to induce dancing, contextualize personal experiences, or change mood, but for some reason draw the line at music whose purpose is the absence of these things. I, for one, am for it.
4
Mar 06 2025
My Aim Is True
Elvis Costello
4
Mar 07 2025
Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
That weird time period where western beats and oriental scales were all the rage - ideal for b-movie soundtracks of the era where the western protagonist finds himself in an eastern market and the all-white filmmakers need music to communicate a sense of the unknown and exoticism.
However, for 2020s listening... meh.
2
Mar 08 2025
In Utero
Nirvana
4
Mar 09 2025
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
4
Mar 10 2025
Oedipus Schmoedipus
Barry Adamson
3
Mar 11 2025
Frank
Amy Winehouse
2
Mar 12 2025
Odelay
Beck
4
Mar 13 2025
Boy In Da Corner
Dizzee Rascal
1
Mar 14 2025
Penance Soiree
The Icarus Line
I remember definitely having this on an iPod back in the day, yet re-listening in 2025 it does not bring forth a single memory of a riff, hook, lyric or feeling.
It sure sounds good though.
3
Mar 15 2025
Exodus
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4
Mar 16 2025
Haunted Dancehall
The Sabres Of Paradise
"Hey, look, I've learnt how to make these really cool beats with the computer and I can add all sorts of samples and effects on top of it!"
"Sounds interesting, did you write any songs or use it for any creative purposes?"
"Well, I guess not, but I did it with a computer, so it's innovative..."
"I'll take 76 minutes worth!"
1
Mar 17 2025
Hunting High And Low
a-ha
3
Mar 18 2025
Grace
Jeff Buckley
4
Mar 19 2025
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
3
Mar 20 2025
Moss Side Story
Barry Adamson
3
Mar 21 2025
Paris 1919
John Cale
4
Mar 22 2025
Who's Next
The Who
For a band that takes up so much space in music history, they have surprisingly few memorable songs.
3
Mar 23 2025
Station To Station
David Bowie
5
Mar 24 2025
The Seldom Seen Kid
Elbow
3
Mar 25 2025
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
Has some great songs, but also some pretty terrible ones too.
3
Mar 26 2025
All Hail the Queen
Queen Latifah
2
Mar 27 2025
The Man Who
Travis
Restaurant guide:
Change of underwear =🔥🔥🔥
Forehead sweat = 🌶️🌶️
Safe for babies =🍍
Literal milk = 🥛
.
.
.
.
Travis = 🎤
2
Mar 28 2025
On The Beach
Neil Young
5
Mar 29 2025
Synchronicity
The Police
3
Mar 30 2025
Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
4
Mar 31 2025
Central Reservation
Beth Orton
3
Apr 01 2025
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
4
Apr 02 2025
Cross
Justice
2
Apr 03 2025
McCartney
Paul McCartney
3
Apr 04 2025
Second Toughest In The Infants
Underworld
Bleepedy blooping bloop
1
Apr 05 2025
Crime Of The Century
Supertramp
3
Apr 06 2025
BEYONCÉ
Beyoncé
2
Apr 07 2025
A Short Album About Love
The Divine Comedy
4
Apr 08 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
4
Apr 09 2025
The Who Sell Out
The Who
2
Apr 10 2025
Repeater
Fugazi
4
Apr 11 2025
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
3
Apr 12 2025
21
Adele
2
Apr 13 2025
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
4
Apr 14 2025
Rum Sodomy & The Lash
The Pogues
Music for tourists who haven't gone to an actual concert since the 70s, who then take a weekend trip to Dublin, go straight to Temple Bar and are all amazed about there being "authentic Irish live music" and the proceed to drunkenly video-document (with the flash on) a full five minutes of "I drank whiskey and beer, too ra loo ra la."
3
Apr 15 2025
25
Adele
1
Apr 16 2025
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle
Throbbing Gristle
1
Apr 17 2025
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2
Apr 18 2025
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
If your Stevie Wonder records are all scratched up and you need to get the party going, I guess this will do.
Much like if you're making some pasta sauce and don't have any tomatoes, you can substitute with ketchup.
2
Apr 19 2025
...And Justice For All
Metallica
5
Apr 20 2025
Playing With Fire
Spacemen 3
3
Apr 21 2025
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
2
Apr 22 2025
In Rainbows
Radiohead
Love me some Radiohead as much as the next guy, but there are some Thom Yorkisms where the skip button starts to become appealing - like when he gets all manic and moan-y at the end of Bodysnatchers.
Songs like Nude, All I Need & Videotape sort of make up for it.
4
Apr 23 2025
Pink Flag
Wire
5
Apr 24 2025
Homework
Daft Punk
“What’s that?”
“A sampler, which allows you to play a soundbyte over and over again.”
“I see, and this knob?”
“It’s a filter, it modulates the signal”
“Ok, one more thing…”
“That one changes the pitch…”
“Ok, got it let me try.”
“Here let me show you how to sequence another sample….”
“Nah, I’m good…”
1
Apr 25 2025
I See You
The xx
4
Apr 26 2025
Stand!
Sly & The Family Stone
3
Apr 27 2025
Manassas
Stephen Stills
I can see these boys going far, perhaps even as far as the half-time show at the Florida Panhandle Cornhole Championships (Sponsored by J. Snyderman's Used Mattress Emporium. )"
3
Apr 28 2025
Aftermath
The Rolling Stones
3
Apr 29 2025
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
5
Apr 30 2025
Technique
New Order
2
May 01 2025
Hot Shots II
The Beta Band
"I think we need some representation on our 1001 list from this so-called indie genre the kids are going on about!"
"Oh, you mean like The Stone Roses?"
"I'm pretty sure there's been some developments in the genre since, maybe we can seek opinion from some credible sources with ears close to the ground."
"You mean someone like John Cusack's character in High Fidelity?"
"That sounds about right..."
2
May 02 2025
The Wall
Pink Floyd
4
May 03 2025
Blackstar
David Bowie
4
May 04 2025
Antichrist Superstar
Marilyn Manson
When your whole schtick is being this outcast, worm and victim, and that society, celebrities and religion are keeping you down, it very quickly falls apart when it turns out that the real problem all along was just that you're a terrible person. This was never a critique of the "beautiful people," he just wanted to be one of them.
2
May 05 2025
Henry's Dream
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5
May 06 2025
Highway to Hell
AC/DC
"Hold on, hold on, Bon, you know in Shot Down in Flames you start by singing "Out on the town - lookin' for a woman""
"Yeah, what are you getting at?"
"Wel,l in the next song on the album, Get it Hot, the first line is "Goin' out on the town - just a me and you."
"That's right."
"Well maybe people will think we're a one trick pony if we're just yapping on about going out on the town over some head bopping blues rock riffs."
"Nah mate, in the first one I don't have a woman YET, but in the other one I've already got the woman, so it's completely different."
"Whatever, roll the tape..."
3
May 07 2025
Microshift
Hookworms
"I'm telling you the kids are going nuts for this indie thing, we can't just be putting only electronic music we used to dance to on ecstasy in the 90s! You there! Intern! What are the kids bopping to these days?"
"Well, my nephew's in this band Hookworms... they played at the Cheltenham Music Festival, subbing in for Mouse Trap Replica on the Benson's Motor Oil Pop-Up Stage, right behind the Shawarma stands, right next to the latrines."
"Are they anything like them Arcade Fires and Vampire Weekdays?"
"My mates seemed to like them, could've been the drugs though..."
"That's good enough for me!"
3
May 08 2025
Imagine
John Lennon
[generic blues rock jam comes to a close]
"Ok, John that sounds like there might be something there, we can keep working on it and maybe when the lyrics are fully done, you know without all the hypocrisy, we might be able to shape this into something..."
"There will be no introspection! Only the shifting of the blame and the pointing of fingers, and these ARE the songs! Roll the tape, this next one is about how Paul McCartney is a piece of shit."
[toxic vibes proceed to seep into analogue tapes]
2
May 09 2025
Parachutes
Coldplay
Hot take: Yapping on about Chris Martin and Bono being pretentious and unoriginal is about as pretentious and unoriginal as Chris Martin and Bono themselves. Having said that - this is pretty mid.
3
May 10 2025
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
First couple of tracks and a few others, but then there's the standard whiteguy blues rock filler tracks, that seem to bog down every other late 60s/70s album.
3
May 11 2025
Feast of Wire
Calexico
5
May 12 2025
Ingenue
k.d. lang
2
May 13 2025
Queen II
Queen
We've been having good fun ridiculing Roger Taylor for writing about his weird seemingly sexual attraction to his automobile, but we've been sleeping on Mercury's "The Fairy Feller's Master-Stroke," - where I guess he's describing a painting he once saw, with a thesaurus.
I mean...:
Pedagogue squinting, wears a frown
And a satyr peers under lady's gown
Dirty fellow, what a dirty laddio
Tatterdemalion and a junketer
There's a thief and a dragonfly trumpeter
3
May 14 2025
Wild Wood
Paul Weller
A common arc - going through a period of youthful exuberance and creativity where "rules" are meant for breaking and studios are for capturing the essence of that energy - once that well dries up after, let's say your 30s, you start to appreciate the craft of songwriting, arrangements and studio precision; the rules were there for a reason and the creative challenge is to work within their confines. Can yield some late-career gems or some incredibly lame music - Wild Wood falls firmly in the latter category.
2
May 15 2025
Disintegration
The Cure
5
May 16 2025
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
2
May 17 2025
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
2
May 18 2025
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
3
May 19 2025
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
3
May 20 2025
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
5
May 21 2025
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
5
May 22 2025
3 Years, 5 Months And 2 Days In The Life Of...
Arrested Development
2
May 23 2025
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
3
May 24 2025
Come Away With Me
Norah Jones
Being well outside the target audience, it might be unfair to judge this solely based on my perception of musical utility. It would be more appropriate to evaluate it based on other possible utilities:
- Inspirational tempo music during endurance runs: 0/5
- Incentivizing the purchasing of lattes and frappuccinos by the liter: 5/5
- Exploring the boundaries of creativity and innovation: 0/5
- Getting my mother-in-law to the "good place" - eyes-closed/candles-lit/glass-of-brandy-in-hand: 5/5
- Background music for an '80s movie "getting ready for a fight" montage: 0/5
- Streamlining my musical algorithms towards interesting new music: 0/5
- A safe & inoffensive alternative to silence 4/5
Math comes to about 2/5.
2
May 25 2025
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
2
May 26 2025
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
Fred Armisen on whichever talk show doing a skit about the nuances of specific time-periods and genres in music:
"You know punk in the 70s was all like "oi oi oi" and then we get to the 1980s new-wave and post-punk and then it was all like [does exact impression of this album]."
4
May 27 2025
Cosmo's Factory
Creedence Clearwater Revival
People are saying this is like a greatest hits album & it sure has a lot of bangers. However even if Fogerty had hypothetically been on the most epic run of songwriting and written Stairway to Heaven, Imagine, Superstition & Hotel California and put them all on this record - it would still only get 4 stars - because of Ooby Dooby.
4
May 28 2025
Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
4
May 29 2025
Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
4
May 30 2025
So
Peter Gabriel
4
May 31 2025
Moondance
Van Morrison
5
Jun 01 2025
Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
4
Jun 02 2025
Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
3
Jun 03 2025
Transformer
Lou Reed
5
Jun 04 2025
My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts
Brian Eno
4
Jun 05 2025
Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
4
Jun 06 2025
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
Jun 07 2025
The Clash
The Clash
5
Jun 08 2025
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
4
Jun 09 2025
Pretzel Logic
Steely Dan
3
Jun 10 2025
London Calling
The Clash
5
Jun 11 2025
So Much For The City
The Thrills
4
Jun 12 2025
Hotel California
Eagles
3
Jun 13 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
4
Jun 14 2025
The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden
4
Jun 15 2025
Happy Trails
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1
Jun 16 2025
Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
3
Jun 17 2025
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
4
Jun 18 2025
Zombie
Fela Kuti
4
Jun 19 2025
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
2
Jun 20 2025
Music For The Jilted Generation
The Prodigy
3
Jun 21 2025
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
3
Jun 22 2025
Teen Dream
Beach House
5
Jun 23 2025
Crazysexycool
TLC
2
Jun 24 2025
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
5
Jun 25 2025
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
5
Jun 26 2025
The Renaissance
Q-Tip
3
Jun 27 2025
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
4
Jun 28 2025
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
3
Jun 29 2025
Pretenders
Pretenders
3
Jun 30 2025
Chore of Enchantment
Giant Sand
4
Jul 01 2025
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
3
Jul 02 2025
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
4
Jul 03 2025
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
4
Jul 04 2025
Get Rich Or Die Tryin'
50 Cent
2
Jul 05 2025
It's Blitz!
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4
Jul 06 2025
D
White Denim
3
Jul 07 2025
New Wave
The Auteurs
2
Jul 08 2025
In The Court Of The Crimson King
King Crimson
4
Jul 09 2025
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
4
Jul 10 2025
Fishscale
Ghostface Killah
3
Jul 11 2025
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
I guess he was going for the womanizing connotation when he chose the "dog" name... turns out the submissive lapdog connotation was more apt all along, as seen by his performing for the powers that be in 2025.
2
Jul 12 2025
MTV Unplugged In New York
Nirvana
5
Jul 13 2025
S.F. Sorrow
The Pretty Things
3
Jul 14 2025
Face to Face
The Kinks
4
Jul 15 2025
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
4
Jul 16 2025
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
5
Jul 17 2025
Being There
Wilco
4
Jul 18 2025
The Real Thing
Faith No More
3
Jul 19 2025
With The Beatles
Beatles
4
Jul 20 2025
Ys
Joanna Newsom
5
Jul 21 2025
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
2
Jul 22 2025
Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
2
Jul 23 2025
Sticky Fingers
The Rolling Stones
5
Jul 24 2025
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
4
Jul 25 2025
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
5
Jul 26 2025
Ill Communication
Beastie Boys
3
Jul 27 2025
Rio
Duran Duran
4
Jul 28 2025
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
3
Jul 29 2025
The White Album
Beatles
5
Jul 30 2025
John Prine
John Prine
3
Jul 31 2025
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
5
Aug 01 2025
Lost Souls
Doves
3
Aug 02 2025
Be
Common
3
Aug 03 2025
Vespertine
Björk
4
Aug 04 2025
Mothership Connection
Parliament
2
Aug 05 2025
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
3
Aug 06 2025
Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi
2
Aug 07 2025
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
5
Aug 08 2025
Opus Dei
Laibach
3
Aug 09 2025
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5
Aug 10 2025
The Soft Bulletin
The Flaming Lips
5
Aug 11 2025
Fun House
The Stooges
5
Aug 12 2025
Green
R.E.M.
4
Aug 13 2025
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Wu-Tang Clan
4
Aug 14 2025
Graceland
Paul Simon
4
Aug 15 2025
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
4
Aug 16 2025
Pearl
Janis Joplin
3
Aug 17 2025
This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
3
Aug 18 2025
Chicago Transit Authority
Chicago
2
Aug 19 2025
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
3
Aug 20 2025
Moby Grape
Moby Grape
4
Aug 21 2025
Signing Off
UB40
2
Aug 22 2025
Debut
Björk
4
Aug 23 2025
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
4
Aug 24 2025
No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)
Motörhead
2
Aug 25 2025
American Gothic
David Ackles
1
Aug 26 2025
Getz/Gilberto
Stan Getz
4
Aug 27 2025
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
5
Aug 28 2025
OK Computer
Radiohead
5
Aug 29 2025
Yank Crime
Drive Like Jehu
4
Aug 30 2025
Gorillaz
Gorillaz
4
Aug 31 2025
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn
Pink Floyd
2
Sep 01 2025
Peace Sells...But Who's Buying
Megadeth
3
Sep 02 2025
Surfer Rosa
Pixies
5
Sep 03 2025
The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
4
Sep 04 2025
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
3
Sep 05 2025
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
Poltifact Truth-O-Meter
Statement: “I'm just a crazy motherfucker livin' it up - Not giving a fuck”
Exhibit A: “Why is everybody always picking on me? - Full Nelson
Exhibit B: I can see it when you laugh at me, look down on me - My Way
Exhibit C: “And now you wanna hate me! - Take A Look Around
Exhibit D: “Now who's the star sucker? I'm the Starfish. You silly motherfucker.”
Fact check ruling: Pants on Fire - Fred Durst very much does give a fuck and this album is pretty much only that. It may also be relevant to know that the man who wrote these "lyrics" was 30 years old at the time.
1
Sep 06 2025
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
4
Sep 07 2025
Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
3
Sep 08 2025
The Lexicon Of Love
ABC
2
Sep 09 2025
I Should Coco
Supergrass
4
Sep 10 2025
evermore
Taylor Swift
3
Sep 11 2025
Vauxhall And I
Morrissey
4
Sep 12 2025
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
1
Sep 13 2025
American Idiot
Green Day
2
Sep 14 2025
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
2
Sep 15 2025
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
3
Sep 16 2025
Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
3
Sep 17 2025
Shadowland
k.d. lang
1
Sep 18 2025
Teenager Of The Year
Frank Black
4
Sep 19 2025
Virgin Suicides
Air
4
Sep 20 2025
You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
This really takes you back - it seems like every song was a single - they were so ubiquitous, pervasive and insistent - the childlike frivolous “lyrics” - the constant, incessant, relentless, pummelling repetitions - I hate it.
1
Sep 21 2025
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
I like the Buzzcock's sure enough, but the album format isn't their strong suit. Singles (Going Steady) is surely the way to go with the Buzzcocks.
3
Sep 22 2025
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite
Maxwell
2
Sep 23 2025
James Brown Live At The Apollo
James Brown
Some of these go on for a while!
3
Sep 24 2025
I See A Darkness
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
5
Sep 25 2025
The World is a Ghetto
War
3
Sep 26 2025
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
2
Sep 27 2025
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
4
Sep 28 2025
Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black
Public Enemy
3
Sep 29 2025
Fever To Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4
Sep 30 2025
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
3
Oct 02 2025
m b v
My Bloody Valentine
4
Oct 04 2025
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
4
Oct 05 2025
Tonight's The Night
Neil Young
5
Oct 06 2025
Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
3
Oct 07 2025
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
4
Oct 08 2025
Heavy Weather
Weather Report
3
Oct 12 2025
Liquid Swords
GZA
3