This album was some super fun swamp rock with great jazz, blues, and funk influences. Definitely excited to revisit this-I could see this creeping into 5 star territory. Love the voodoo swamp vibes. 4.5 stars

Maybe it’s because I am walking through a funky fog of desolation after losing my house to a wildfire, causing me to pause this noble listening project…but coming to this album was very soothing. Ambient, cinematic, pleasant, interesting to listen to. If I was in my right mind, I’d maybe give it a three, but ima give it a four because it felt like what I needed on this day.

Take my five stars!

I think this is what the kids call "shoegaze" or "bedroom pop." Nice to work to. "Infinity" recalled to mind Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" and "Smalltown Boy" by Bronski Beat. I listened to this album 2x, and then their latest release from 2022; I preferred this self-titled album over their new album.

I listened to this album when it came out several times, but didn't revisit it. I really want to like Kendrick Lamar more than I do; I appreciate so much about the production, the samples, the instrumentals, the references, and the message/concept (it's interesting to read people's comments--I get the sense that they're not really getting the lyrics or listening to them; there's a lot going on here). For whatever reason, none of his albums really stick with me--I love certain tracks and admire what he's doing with this dense album, even if I don't feel like it moves me as I feel like it should. "King Kunta" and "Alright" are still my favorite tracks off this album. I'd give this a 5 for all of the good points I listed (objectively 5 stars?) but I can't see myself revisiting it in the way I do (so not 5 stars for me, personally?). I'll give it a 3, I guess.

1969 Let it Bleed - has two iconic songs ("Gimme Shelter" track 1 -- the classic "I am watching a movie about Vietnam" sound -- and "You Can't Always Get What you Want," last track), which still stand up. As I have gotten older, the misogyny and white-boy British blues sound of the Rolling Stones has become less and less tolerable to me. The songs in the middle feel mostly like filler. It prompted me to listen to <i> Sticky Fingers </i> which holds up better, as well as revisiting Andrew Hickey's podcast (ep. 129 "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction") which reinforced the misogyny and white-boy blues sound opinions I have. (I paraphrase a quote here about how white boys in Britain took the sound of the blues and stripped it of its context. What was "I'm a Man" with a subtext of "so you better not call me boy, cracker" transformed into "I'm a man" with a subtext of "so mummy you can't tell me to tidy my room anymore." He doesn't recall where this quote came from, but I loved it-it encapsulates the growing irritation I have with the Stones in particular - the twisting of the feeling of the blues towards a sort of ugly cocky misogyny.)

Doolittle is my favorite Pixies album; this was the first time I listened to Bossa Nova multiple times in its entirety. I would definitely revisit this one; I'm not sure if it's a 5 for me (and to be fair, Doolittle is likely a 4?), but I could see this growing on me to be a 3-4. More on the grunge side of Pixies, which I like; the first track (2 tracks) are leaning heavily into that harsher sound, and the rest feels very much like a good Pixies album.

A perfect Sunday morning album; one of my favorite John Coltrane albums. Worshipful and beautiful.

I am already positively biased toward the Talking Heads, as they are one of my babyhood bands. Listening to this album, though, I find that I prefer the live versions of "Life During Wartime," "Heaven," and "Cities" off of Stop Making Sense. This is a solid Talking Heads album, but definitely not my favorite.

I liked this album when it came out-fairly upbeat, nice to drive to--though the title track ("Sound of Silver") is actually pretty boring (even if its one lyric is pretty funny). I'm still listening to many of the songs on this album to this day--though I don't think it's by any means a mind-blowing album. It feels like a good spring-to-summer transition album.

I had this album on vinyl in college and remember listening to it inconsistently; I remember wanting to like it more than I did, since it's a classic. I'm excited to revisit it. "You are the Sunshine of My Life" - I want to like this song, but I find it hard to listen to ("easy listening" is not for me). I know it's a classic, but man...it feels pretty cheesy. The second song redeems it ("Maybe Your Baby")--a good slow funky groove that I can sink my teeth into. "You And I" is--to me--cheesier than the first track. I appreciate the change in dynamics and tempos between the three tracks, but I can't really deal with the slow/easy listening vibe of this song. "Tuesday Heartbreak" also feels cheesy to me--the horns are very easy-listening that distracts me (like some late-night TV talk show; not into this horn sound.) "You've Got it Bad Girl" also feels cheesy and slow; the higher-pitched synth lines (flute-adjacent?) are also distracting to me. "Superstition" is what we're all waiting for, right? The funky bass line, the horns that aren't weirdly cheesy... "Big Brother" I suppose is a protest song? It feels a bit milquetoast and cheesy. I am divided on the harmonica use. "Blame it on the Sun" is also painfully cheesy, like a torchlight (I think that's the phrase) song? It feels like something a middle aged man would sing self-indulgently at karaoke (I'd kind of like to see that). The ending with the woman singing "your heart blames it on you this time" is especially cheesy. "Looking for Another Pure Love" is another slow/easy listening jam. It makes me feel like I'm in a dental waiting room in the 1970s. "I Believe (When I fall in Love it will be forever)" opens like a song I'd expect to hear in a musical (and I don't really like musicals); also cheesy--and then moves into gospel and funk (so I kind of like the end). This album has two songs I really like, and the rest feels like cheesy filler. "You are the Sunshine of My Life" - I want to like this song, but I find it hard to listen to ("easy listening" is not for me). I know it's a classic, but man...it feels pretty cheesy. The second song redeems it ("Maybe Your Baby")--a good slow funky groove that I can sink my teeth into. "You And I" is--to me--cheesier than the first track. I appreciate the change in dynamics and tempos between the three tracks, but I can't really deal with the slow/easy listening vibe of this song. "Tuesday Heartbreak" also feels cheesy to me--the horns are very easy-listening that distracts me (like some late-night TV talk show; not into this horn sound.) "You've Got it Bad Girl" also feels cheesy and slow; the higher-pitched synth lines (flute-adjacent?) are also distracting to me. "Superstition" is what we're all waiting for, right? The funky bass line, the horns that aren't weirdly cheesy... "Big Brother" I suppose is a protest song? It feels a bit milquetoast and cheesy. I am divided on the harmonica use. "Blame it on the Sun" is also painfully cheesy, like a torchlight (I think that's the phrase) song? It feels like something a middle aged man would sing self-indulgently at karaoke (I'd kind of like to see that). The ending with the woman singing "your heart blames it on you this time" is especially cheesy. "Looking for Another Pure Love" is another slow/easy listening jam. It makes me feel like I'm in a dental waiting room in the 1970s. "I Believe (When I fall in Love it will be forever)" opens like a song I'd expect to hear in a musical (and I don't really like musicals); also cheesy--and then moves into gospel and funk (so I kind of like the end). This album has two songs I really like, and the rest feels like cheesy filler.

I was initially not excited about this album, as all I can think of with ZZ Top is "Sharp Dressed Man," which was sadly used as the theme song for the show Duck Dynasty. I was thinking maybe this was some music for my boyfriend's dad (of the long beard, aesthetically appropriate), but ready to be open minded about it. BF predicted this album would come in at a 2 or 3 for me after I told him that I was "pleasantly surprised" that I didn't hate it, lol. My favorite tracks are "Waiting for the Bus" (with a nice transition into "Jesus Just Left Chicago"--I am a sucker for a good transition), "Move Me On Down the Line," which is what I imagine the Rolling Stones wished they sounded like when they play white-man blues, and obviously the classic "La Grange." The rest of the songs are pretty good-a driving, blues-inflected album that is a decent listen all around. I also learned that Billy Gibbons has a 5-octave + 5 note vocal range, which is bigger than that of Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose and Mariah Carey.

Couldn't make it through this one--a pity, since I really like A Wizard/A True Star. This was unbearably cheesy yacht rock, for the 1970s dental waiting room. I got most of the way through and listened to the first 5-10 seconds of the last 5 songs.

I didn't like this album when it came out, despite being a Radiohead fan; I found it pretentious and self-indulgent (given my age at the time, this seems like it should have appealed to me, lol, but clearly it did not). Everyone, it seemed like, was listening to it. All my friends loved it. They might still love it-I should ask them. I still found this album to be pretentious and self-indulgent; it feels like listening to the inside of some college student's head as they smoke Gaulouise cigarettes and contemplate existential philosophy for the first time while staring at their poster of Van Gogh's Starry Night. The two songs I thought were all right were the same ones that are the most popular: "Everything in its Right Place" and "How to Disappear Completely." Many of the other tracks sound like they're trying too hard to be intellectual ambient music (which I guess could also be said of the two most popular tracks as well). I seem to recall liking the follow up to this album ("Amnesiac," aka "Kid B"), but haven't listened to that since it came out, either--so it will be interesting to revisit it, assuming it is on this list.

I loved this album when it came out-it inspired my interest in jazz guitar that wasn't hopelessly cheesy. All of the songs on this album are solid--nothing really stands out, though. I would give this 5 stars, but think I'm saving my "5 star" albums for things that I absolutely cannot live without (desert island discs).

I got this album on vinyl, but didn't listen to it very much. I find the songs to be a bit too long/boring for my tastes. The funk is there, but it feels like this album drags. The first two tracks are my favorite, but overall I think the album is in need of an editor.

I loved this album in 9th grade, when I was an angsty teenager; I associate this album with the dark days of my teenage-dom (not a time I really want to revisit, though some of the music I listened to then I still listen to now). Returning to this album feels like returning to a time I don't want to revisit: full of seeming edginess, depression, anger, and darkness. (This, I believe, is the path to the Dark Side). The lyrics have not aged well at all, and make me cringe with their edgelord vibes. The music itself holds up well, albeit as a relic of this 1990s industrial sound; the sound itself is impressive, even if I can't really bring myself to revisit this album again after this re-listen for this project.

I love Sam Cooke and have never listened to any of his live albums. This was a fun listen--the gritty soulfulness of his voice comes through in a way that studio albums don't capture. The medley with "For Sentimental Reasons" and "Bring it On Home" were special delights. I listened to this album twice and would definitely revisit it; it's not my favorite of Sam Cooke's (and not in my top live soul albums), but a great album nonetheless. I dock it one star because it makes me jealous that I wasn't there.

I really liked their first (?) album, Fever to Tell; I didn't really listen to the rest of their stuff after that, so it was nice to revisit this band. This album was all right; it definitely sounds like the group has "matured," if that makes sense; it sounds like an album made by older people. To that end, it lacks the rock-grittiness that I found appealing in the first place, which is a pity. However, this album is pretty solid, and worth a revisit.

I couldn't even with this album. It put me to mind of this toy I got for my partner a few years ago--the Orba 2, which you could play with to make little electronic songs/loops/beats and use as a MIDI controller. My partner made more coherent and interesting songs in the 10-15 minutes playing with it than I found on this album. I don't even know how they got Portishead involved--I had high hopes for that, but they were cruelly dashed upon the shores of this \"album.\" It's the sonic equivalent of a page of a middle schooler's notebook filled with doodles.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this album--I was familiar with "8 Miles High" and "Mr. Tambourine Man." I found this album of western-swing influenced country folk pleasantly surprising. I'm not sure if I'd revisit it or put it in heavy rotation (and I was also confused by some songs--are they Christian? Making fun of Christianity? Doesn't really matter, in the end), but it was a pleasant album to listen to.

This album is the perfect soundtrack to your 1960s cocktail party. Not a terrible album, but nothing that’s really gripping or singing to me either. a solid three stars.

Some heavy nostalgia- it’s difficult to be objective here, because this was a formative album for me that introduced me to a lot of other music and down deep music rabbit holes. I guess there’s one song that could be cut (“oh me”), but it’s still a great song. 4.5.

This was a pretty straightforward thrash metal album-about what I was expecting. I prefer this over the Metallica I am familiar with. Like many metal bands, I wish the singer was different-not quite sure how, but I always feel like (most) metal singers really don’t do it for me. I didn’t finish listening to it, but it wasn’t because I couldn’t (like that Todd Rundgren album or the Sabre Projectors). I have sense of where it’s going and can’t imagine any song really changing my opinion of it. A pretty decent album overall; I’ll probably revisit it but doubt it’ll be a favorite. (2.5 stars)

It was fun to revisit this album, which was a revelation to me when it came out; this was the first time that I heard a woman singing in a style that was raw and aggressive. (The only other women I knew in music at this time in my life were like Enya. No slight to Enya, but my love of grunge was deep.) It kicked me off in other directions that I am thankful for. I didn't realize that I knew almost all the lyrics to every song. It's got great dynamic range and tempo changes, and I think Courtney Love got a lot of undeserved flak and drama for making this album. Not every song is amazing (I'd say that the best one is the first track, "Violet," and the album could end on "Softer, Softest"--the other songs I don't really care about), but it has a great consistent sound. It's hard to separate from my nostalgia, lol.

I own this album on vinyl--the first track is obviously iconic, and the rest of the album continues in the same hyper-sexy vein. Very smooth. I never feel very comfortable hearing people moan sexually in songs; perhaps this is my prudishness coming through--so "You Sure Love to Ball" is definitely cringe-inducing for me (it's feels like the same sort of embarrassment I feel when I watch a movie with my parents in the room and there's a sex scene. Gross). Overall, a solid album with consistent sound, though it's not my favorite Marvin Gaye album (probably because of the above. Is it too sexy for me? Too smooth? Too smoothly sexy? Too sexily smooth? Probably.)

This album opens with the iconic “Good Times,” which is 5 minutes too long for my liking, despite its importance in musical history. “Can’t Stand to Love You” was probably my favorite track on this album-it’s the funkiest. Still, I couldn’t get through it-it’s too disco for me. Learning about this band and its influence and later works by various members was fascinating though!

I had this album when it came out and thought I listened to it a lot. It turns out that I managed to blank roughly 2/3 of this album out. If I never hear the hits off this album again, it will be too soon. There are some good funky bits in here that harken back to older RHCP, but overall this album is not good-it marked the definite end of this band for me.

A solid punk album. I find that I am either in the mood for this sound or it grates terribly. There is no in between. I like Minor Threat and could see myself revisiting this when I am in the mood. Much like Megadeth, I give this 2.5 stars.

I listened to this album three times today, after not having heard it for several years. This was the album that convinced me to vote Willie Nelson for president. I love the recurring themes and story telling and overall vibe of this record. It’s nearly perfect-I will round up to 5 stars, even though it’s probably a true 4.5 for me.

This is what I expected it to sound like. Great singer, strong production, and songs I couldn’t care less about. 1.5 stars.

This album was some super fun swamp rock with great jazz, blues, and funk influences. Definitely excited to revisit this-I could see this creeping into 5 star territory. Love the voodoo swamp vibes. 4.5 stars

Revisited this classic, which took me right back to when I first listened to it. I listened critically to it to see if there was anything that would make this less than a 5. I can happily report that this album has aged well for me, and it is still a five.

There’s a lot of good stuff on this record, though I kind of want to make a super cut of all the America recordings so I can have just the tracks I like off each of them (c.f. “rowboat”); many of Cash’s covers I like as much or more than the original (his version of “Hurt” has aged way better than the original). There is a deep sadness to his voice on these last recordings that is almost heartbreaking at times. That said, there are plenty of tracks on all of these America albums that I don’t particularly care about-they aren’t bad, but nor are they mind blowing. This is a solid album overall-probably the best of this series, but not my favorite Cash. I’d give this 3.75 stars if I could.

I tried to go into this album with an open mind, as I tended to think of McCartney’s solo career as unbearably cheesy, though I recognize his contributions to the Beatles. This album reminded me that the Beatles are better as the sum of their parts. I felt like the whole album had a sort of “Day in the Life” vibe, where all of the songs have a pretty disparate feel to them, jumping around through many different genres (I always forget that I like the beginning of the title track, but the chorus makes me want to punch it in the face). Mrs Vanderbilt is a fun track, ruined by cheesy sax. bluebird is cringe worthy. Let me Roll It, Mamunia, and 1984 are not bad, though nothing remarkable. I hated how the last track recapitulated bits from all the other songs-it felt needlessly self indulgent. I wouldn’t revisit this, but it’s not awful. I listened to it twice to make sure of my opinion.

Have you ever danced with the devil in the rave’s black light?

What a treat. I had really only listened to Kinks’ compilations, so it was fun to listen to a whole album. The theme and concept are well executed, there’s a nice range of materials, and the writing is catchy and funny. I could see this being a 5 star album; as is, I give it 4.5 stars.

A good, straightforward reggae album. Nothing mind blowing, but a nice chill album to listen to.

I was unaware that there was a 20+ minute version of Autobahn. Unlike the first 20 minute track on Timeless by Goldie, however, I found this one to be varied enough to keep me entertained. The rest of the album is also pretty fun; a nice ambient electronic album that still sounds fresh after 50 years. I don’t think this is my favorite Kraftwerk album, but it’s a nice album to have on in the background, and I appreciate the innovation. I’d give it 3.5 if I could.

Well, I listened to the whole thing, so it would therefore rank higher than a 1. If I never hear “Jump” again, I’ll be happy. “Hot for Teacher” will always have a special place in my heart, and “Panama” is a silly classic. A lot of filler-“I’ll Wait” is a great contender for a Weird Al parody (it already sounds like one). This is what I thought Van Halen was, so wrote them off (until I learn their first album, which changed my mind). Thankfully this album is short, so I could listen to other stuff. Very 80s, very white, very silly.

I had never listened to this album, as I did not like the title track-easily 4 minutes too long with boring lyrics. However! The other tracks on this album were pretty good-very late 60s folk. Stripped down acoustic guitar and vocals. Some of the tracks were worth a revisit (The Grave and Babylon I liked) though overall this album isn’t really my jam-a bit too saccharine/sentimental for my liking. I’m torn between 2 and 3 stars. I don’t think I’d revisit this in full, so I give it a 2.

This album was all right. The songs that made it into the “Best of” album are good (Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, Wooden Ships, Teach Your Children Well-though I don’t like the version on this album), and their harmonies and playing are fine. CSN really benefits from having a Y though-Neil Young wrote this band’s best songs and brings a better energy to the group overall. Kind of snoozy, this one. 2.5 stars, probably wouldn’t revisit.

I tried to listen to this with an open mind, reasoning that this had some importance with regard to pioneering a genre. I was familiar with “Bawitdaba,” only tolerable for its inclusion as a joke in a Workaholics episode. While I suppose the blending of country, rap, and rock is supposedly noteworthy, this album just felt like a shitty imitation of groups who’d already done it better, performed by some wannabe rich white boy who wants to pretend he’s “hard.” The music is uninspired, the lyrics are juvenile at best and intolerable and offensive at worst. This is coming from someone who used to listen to Easy-E’s “fuck my baby’s mama” regularly (to be fair, E tags the end of that song with “wait, hold up, this is messed up”), along with any other number of degrading misogynistic shit. I don’t like Eminem, but at least the man is both genuine and can rap (and will regularly call out his predecessors in the genre). Also autotune country, wtf. I kept waiting for him to drop the N word. I was hoping maybe he wouldn’t, but given how this trash went, I was disappointed but not surprised by the last track-12 minutes of recycled stereotypical narrative BS complete with the N word. This album is some straight garbage, made by a man who has continued to prove himself garbage. The phony and the fake you can’t hang with, Mr Rock, is indeed yourself.

Straightforward singer-songwriter album; Carole King is clearly talented as both a singer and a songwriter, even if this music isn't really what moves me. This album feels like a good Sunday morning album (though maybe not for me). I'd give it 2.5 stars if I could; I don't imagine revisiting it, but I appreciate the skill involved. A nice break from the terribleness that was Kid Rock the previous day, lol.

Has this album when it came out; really only ever listened to a handful of tracks when I owned it. It’s not terrible, but I’ll likely not revisit it-I’d give it 1.5 stars if it was possible.

This album was pretty chill; I had low expectations given that I only knew “Red Red Wine,” but appreciated the social messaging and overall chill vibe. Probably wouldn’t revisit, but not bad-2.5 stars.

I didn’t care for the Offspring when they came out and were all over KROQ. I decided to come to this (after a slew of meh albums) with fresh ears, and felt like I have softened on this band and can appreciate what they’ve done here. So I was pleasantly surprised, though doubt I’d revisit this album. I’d give it 2.5 if I could; feels like it is more deserving of the rounding up than the last one I rounded up on (UB40).

There are so many bangers on this record. Overall, I think the Slider is a better album all around (no filler/fat), but this has some of my favorites on it.

There are some iconic songs on here: Sunshine of Your Love; White Room; Tales of Brave Ulysses. Blue Condition is a fun feeling drunken sounding dirge, SWLABR is great, and I throughly enjoy the throwback Mothers Lament. There’s no bad song on here, but there’s a few I don’t really care about. I’d give it 3.75.

I wasn't sure what to expect with later Temptations--I associated them with the song "My Girl," and admit I'd never heard the song "Cloud Nine." That said, the first few tracks on this album are pretty spectacular; the rest are somewhat uneven (examples: "Love is a Hurtin' Thing" is pretty skippable; "Don't Let Him Take Your Love from Me" is pretty great). I'd probably honestly give this a 2.75, but I round up for the overall sound and production.

I tried to come to this with an open mind- I never cared for the song Layla, so was hoping there would be some hidden gems on here. It sounded like a lot of the same, over and over again-white blues with some noodley jam band bits thrown in. Technically not terrible, didn’t shut it off, but nor would I choose to revisit this. I guess I don’t like any non-Cream Eric Clapton. Unnecessary Little Wing cover was also wanky.

I was only familiar with the Black album, which I never particularly cared for, so wasn’t sure if I was going to like this one. I was pleasantly surprised by the music-instrumentally Metallica does some interesting stuff and I found myself engaged for the whole album. I don’t like thrash metal vocals at all and never cared for Hetfield’s voice-I still don’t. Was also reminded they decided to fight against Napster. What tools.

Not terrible, but also not amazing. Kinda boring-lead singer sounds like a shitty version of the Eels lead singer mixed with a muppet, which was distracting. Would not revisit. Some interesting instrumental stuff?

I liked this album more than I thought I would, especially all the songs up to and including White Rabbit. Plastic Fantastic Lover is skippable; the rest is not bad blues inflected psychedelia, definitely of its time.

This album was pretty good, though some of the tracks I found a bit boring/ repetitive. Instrumentally interesting and worth a revisit; would likely be 2.5 stars but I’ll round up.

This is one of my favorite Christmas albums; I have it on vinyl with the creepy Phil Spector dressed as Santa Claus picture on the front. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is probably a highlight, but this is in my top two Christmas albums (the other being Sharon Jones). This is a 5/5 for a Christmas album, one I don’t revisit except around the holiday season (so truly a 3/5).

This album is a sheer delight. I knew many of the songs from the Best Of collection, but the rest were all solid jams too. I’d definitely give this a closer relisten; would likely be a 4 but am gonna round up.

I never listened to this whole album. I'd say that you don't actually need to listen to the whole album--if you've heard the hits off this record, the rest of it sounds like a rehash/retread of those songs, with potentially more moronic lyrics (She's got a sister/ And God only knows how I've missed her/ And on the palm of her hand is a blister). Coupled with Noel Gallagher's massive ego, this is a total pass for me. I listened to the whole thing (so this would rank it potentially higher than Kid Rock's "Devil Without a Cause"), and it definitely defined the sound of 1990s Britpop, but if I never hear it again, it would be too soon. It's not bad enough to be on my personal soundtrack in hell, so I guess that makes it a 2, though it's properly a 1.5 (for me, dawg).

This album's first four songs are the strongest, I think; the rest of the album is a bit more uneven, but still listenable. This isn't my favorite REM album, but still pretty good. Everybody Hurts/New Orleans Instrumental/Sweetness Follows give Eels vibes to me (I know the Eels came later, but still).

Not the first prog-synth cover I’ve heard of this music, but definitely not the best. Not bad, would maybe listen again, but not amazing either. There’s some noodle-y wanky bits that I’m not a big fan of. Overall, prefer the Isao Tomita of this piano suite if you’re gonna do weird synth stuff.

When I first got this album, I listened to The Love Below far more than Speakerboxxx-it feels more coherent and has a better arc as a (stand alone) album. It was nice to do a deeper dive into Speakerboxxx. Both albums have a lot of great stuff on them, but also filler that could be trimmed-I feel like it’s a good example of why these two work so well together (and not as well as stand alone artists). Still, the tracks that are good are really really good, and the filler has good stuff in it.

Some of my favorite Talking Heads' tracks are on this album: Psycho Killer and Sugar on My Tongue. Overall, I like this album better than Fear of Music--a better overall sound and arc for an album, though still probably not my most favorite of theirs.

Really liked so much about this album-great sound and overall good songs. A solid 3-3.5, but the last track is pretty anti-climactic, so rounding down to 3. Iconic dark wave sound.

I love everything about this album-it brings me so much joy to hear silly fun music. One could argue that the Ramones know three total chords and write the same song over and over, but I still love it. Every song is a delight from start to finish 29 minutes later. The only real negative is the slight vocal shift in the first part of 53rd and 3rd.

A nice chill cool jazz album. Enjoyed the Alice in wonderland rendition. A nice album for listening to in the background-nothing mind blowing.

A pleasant album to revisit-some gentle trip-hop/Beck vibes. Nothing mind blowing, but nice to have on in the background to uplift your mood gently.

I liked all the songs (except for Operator) on this album-the songwriting and instrumentation are solid. I don’t care (and never did) for the vocals on this album. It’s a nice lazy Sunday morning in a cabin in the Santa Cruz mountains kinda album.

I listened to this album twice-my first Black Sabbath album! I like the tempo shifts and the overall vibe and songs on this album. That said, I never particularly cared for Iron Man (possibly overplayed?), but it is still a solid and delightful mash up of blues, hard rock, and Proto-metal. I’d give it a 4.5 if I could, but will likely round down.

Solid songwriting and a delight to listen to.

All these songs sounded more or less the same; like an extended Tambourine man. Not bad, would give 2.5 if I could, but gonna round down as I am unlikely to revisit.

Lots of fun stuff on here, a solid album with little filler.

Bon Scott is my favorite lead singer; Brian Johnson sounds like rockin’ Rod Stewart. That said, there are some classic jams on here, even if this album presages butt rock/hair metal of the 1980s.

This was a really fun album overall, though it lost a bit of steam for me with “Germ Free Adolescents” (title track) and the following songs. I did listen to its twice though, and could definitely see myself revisiting many songs!

Maybe it’s because I am walking through a funky fog of desolation after losing my house to a wildfire, causing me to pause this noble listening project…but coming to this album was very soothing. Ambient, cinematic, pleasant, interesting to listen to. If I was in my right mind, I’d maybe give it a three, but ima give it a four because it felt like what I needed on this day.

Most of the songs on this album are solid-a few that I don’t ever need to hear again (not because they’re bad, but because I maybe played Kashmir one too many times in high school) and a few that feel like a bit of filler, but overall a strong album. 3.5 stars.

This album was a bit weird for me; I love Peter Gabriel from childhood, so I thought I’d be positively inclined toward this album. The big hit “Games without Frontiers” is not my favorite of his songs. I liked some of the other songs in this album-overall a bit weird/discordant (the sax was not my jam on this particular disc), but appreciated the experimental nature of it. It was hard to pay attention to.

While not as strong as some of their other albums, this one has a lot of fun songs. I was always a sucker for “I Was a Teenage Hand Model.” There are a few songs that are a bit clunky, but overall a strong album. 3.5.

I had this record in on vinyl, and it burned in the fire. It’s not streaming. It’s got good jams on it, though isn’t my favorite Funkadelic album.

This album had some good stuff on it, but also felt kind of long, not really my favorite.

According to Neal, “not the greatest songwriter, but good at sounds.”

Well, this was an album. I still think “Dirty Work” is a hilarious song for a grumpy mild life crisis dad pulling the garbage down to the curb.

The most tolerable songs were Cant Love you More and Dancing, but I’d be happy to never hear this album again. It’s the soundtrack to either an outer ring of hell or a deeper ring of purgatory. Couldn’t make it through most of the songs.

Not bad, though quite repetitive. I may have crashed my car while listening to this album, so there’s that association. Not my favorite era of hip hop/rap, though I can see its importance.

I love almost every song on this album. I mean, they kind of also all sound the same, but when they’re all bangers, that’s all right by me. “All Mixed Up” is kinda skippable though. 3.75 stars.

There are some straight bangers on this album and some duds. Starts strong with “Cry to Me,” and then is somewhat uneven for me after that, but overall strong. 3 stars alone for that song. The rest of the album is not bad-probably 3.75 overall.

I started listening to this last night, and found it kind of sleepy/dull. Upon listening to it more closely today, I found a lot to appreciate musically and lyrically, even if this isn’t my favorite of her albums. I’ll probably check it out one more time.

Teenage Kicks is my most favorite track on this album. It has all the wavering-voice horny angst of a teenager. The rest of the tracks are all right-sort of Ramones/ punk sound-fine for a background listen.

This album has some good stuff and some stuff I don’t really care for. There are some solid tracks but a lot of stuff I can easily skip. Well produced, and Lauryn Hill has a great voice. Wyclef kinda gets on my nerves, and I can’t hear “killing me softly” without thinking of this perverted guy at summer Y camp insisting it was a song about pleasuring a woman, so…yeah.

I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would-some solid songwriting and Beatles-influenced music. It’s not my favorite Bowie album, but it’s a mature, well produced, tightly written album. 3.5 stars.

This album was a lot of Afro-Brazilian fun.

I actually loved this album and was pleasantly surprised by it. It’s all over the map, genre-wise; has some Randy-Newman-esque songs, the classic Solsbury Hill, the funky dark opening track…easily 3.5 stars.

Liked this more than I thought I would; throwback vibes and strong songwriting.

Regarding the Spotify link: Couldn’t make it through this one. I typically like music of this sort, and there’s some interesting stuff, but it’s really best for falling asleep or something. Edited to add: I found the whole proper version of this album on the YouTube. I highly recommend it-solid classical Indian jams. I can see why it was influential.

Maybe not as great as Fear of a Black Planet or It takes a Nation, but still solid and driving. My mom asked me to stop playing it when I was in the car “despite liking Public Enemy,” which added a certain juvenile joy to my listening experience.

This album was not quite what I was expecting. I hated all the blues covers, found the Kinks/Beatles type songs fun. Overall, not bad.

This album is very much of its time-somewhere between NWA and LL Cool J. I like this sound, even though I didn’t finish the album.

I ain’t got two hours of my life to give to live Deep Purple. That said, vocals give Jethro Tull vibes, so I guess I’m not mad about that?

Not quite my thing, though I love Dolly Parton as a person.. there are some good tracks on here and some skippable ones; doubt I’d come back to it, but maybe I will? 2.5 stars.

I had this album on vinyl. It burned in the fire. I loved it. I’m not sure if it’s really 5 stars, but I love it anyway. My favorite was listening to this album with my dad, who is in his 80s, on the way to IKEA. As a lover of western movies, He was blown away. Look, just listen to it. It’s got some bangers and I am a sucker for the clean sound of Robbins’ voice-like a teen idol, but it’s all songs about killing dudes in Rosa’s Cantina.

Nightclubbing is the best track on this album, followed by Sister Midnight. The rest of it is pretty whatever.

Had to find this one on YouTube. She’s got a good voice, but these jams are way too smooth for this rough, calloused human. I couldn’t make it through. I would never revisit this, though I guess it has some artistic merit for pure talent? I hesitate to give it a 1, but this just isn’t for me.

This album kind of grew on me-liked all of the Mexican influences and horns. The lead singer sounds like a drip of a white wanky indie rock tool, but the instrumentals were pretty good. Glad I listened to the whole thing-not sure I’d revisit, but it wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. I’d give it 2.5 if I could.

Shades of Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, James Blake, acid jazz, hip hop beats, some overblown theatricality. Interesting experiments-definitely more avant garde than Next Day. Really liked the “Girl Loves Me.” I could see revisiting this album; kind of fun to see how Bowie pushed himself for this swan song of an album. Didn’t really care for “Tis a Pity She’s a Whore,” but found something to enjoy in the rest of this album.

I mean, you do have to be in the mood for this brand of nonsense, but it’s some real delightful nonsense. We’d not have Primus or Ween without this band, I’d wager. Thanks, Residents. You’re a lot of fun.

This album has the classic jams on it, and has a fun grungy crunchy energy. Maybe my favorite Meat Puppets album. It’s probably properly a 3.5?

I thought maybe a relisten would “change [my] mind,” but “believe me Natalie,” it did not. I always hated the hits off this album and continue to find this a boring, trite product of its time. I couldn’t make it through. It’s marginally better than the other one-star albums I listened to (side eye to you, Kid Rock), but based on the “I can’t even listen to this whole thing,” it gets a 1.

I have some deep nostalgia for the first half of this album (up to and including criminal), but feel like the second half kinda drags a bit. She’s got a great voice and solid song writing.

Thankfully short, even with some long ass songs. Sounded derivative of lots of other bands of the era. Kinda rockin, but I wouldn’t revisit it.

Listened to this a few times yesterday. Very little fat, straightforward blues influenced rock. A solid album.

This album was inoffensive, kind of all same same. Not terrible, not mind blowing.

Here I was wondering why Jimmy Cliff released a jazz album. I’ll blame fire brain. 😆 This album was all right. Not my favorite or anything, but a solid listen.

I have some nostalgia for “All I wanna do,” and she’s a decent singer and songwriter, but I didn’t really care for this album. Also, what’s with the weird RHCP sounding song? Anyway, she’s a great lady Tom Petty. The first track was my favorite.

FX was unnecessary, rest of the songs are all right. Not as bangin as their other albums, but Changes is hilarious, Supernaut is pretty fun, and the album art is iconic.

Oh saxophone, thou foul cheese on the charcuterie board of euro-pop-trash new wave, why must thou torture mine ear holes so? I mean, this album was good for a laugh, and I could see clearly the trajectory from disco to euro-pop through this album that surrounds a one-hit wonder with more of the same same. “Poison Arrow” made me straight up giggle. Still, I will not revisit this. Because it was good for a lol, it’s properly a 1.5, but it left me wondering what the hell the 1001 record guy was thinking. He probably made out with his big-haired girlfriend to this utterly forgettable album or something.

Solid jams throughout, even if it’s a bit cheese ball at times. “Work it” and “Gossip Folks” are songs I often listen to to hype myself up before something scary (like a job interview). So far, it’s worked. Thanks, Missy. 🥰a proper 3.5.

Meh. There was a brief period in high school where I tried to get into Simon and Garfunkel. They’re all right, but kinda drab and boring to me. The opening track and Voices of Old People were unnecessary. The only song I can still stand is “Mrs. Robinson.” Bangles’ version of “Hazy Shade of Winter” has all the drama and drive I want out of that song-lacking in the original. Some boring Beatles/Dylan wannabe songs.

Really enjoyed all of this. Master-Dik was my least favorite, but everything else was solid-I’d be tempted to give it a 5. Listened to it a few times today.

Well, I never thought I’d be here as an adult, living with my parents, working a part time job. I’ll blame the fire (it was the fire’s fault). It’s been rough. So I wasn’t excited to hear disco, which I never ever dug. However, this album mildly lifted my otherwise ash-colored spirits, so I’ll give it a 2. I won’t revisit it, but I was grateful for it in this time.

Some fine, straightforward folky psychedelia of its era. Pretty whatever. The Moog Raga was hilarious. I would not revisit.

Meh, I wasn’t into it. The lead singer sounds like an old man straining to sing; gives very Jerry Garcia vibes. The cover of “Long Black Veil” does nothing to add to one of my favorite murder ballads. “The Weight” is obviously a classic. This is properly 1.5 stars for that song. I made it through the whole thing (ignoring extended extras), so I guess it gets a 2.

Achingly beautiful at times, and very cheesy at others. “into my arms” and “west country girl” are my most favorite. “green eyes” is unnecessary (skippable/annoying). Nick Cave has a great voice and song writing ability, though this album feels a little uneven in quality (as a Nick Cave fan, I think I’d say this about all his albums-now that I listen more critically to them.) properly a 3.5 for me.

I liked the dark moodiness of this album, and it was fun to revisit-a good overall dark/goth vibe. I don’t know if it’s my favorite, and there are some clunky bits on it, but it’s strong overall. Not quite strong enough for a 4, but not terrible or anything.

Neal’s album today was ZZ Top’s Eliminator. This was a welcome breath of fresh air after that. It’s not really my jam, but she’s got a nice voice and some decent songs. Water in the Wine gave some date-rape vibes I wasn’t so into though.

This album was fine. It’s not his best, and it kinda drags in the second half. It kind of reminds me of late Wes Anderson-“still got the vibes, but now we’re just parodying ourselves.” I’d likely not revisit it past this listen. This is really properly a 2.5, but not offensive to round down, I’d be ok with it in in the background.

I’m a wanky doodle dandy I’m a wanky doodle do or die A really long, meandering song That should be cut to a minute five. Terrible lyrics from your store-brand Pink Floyd, wanky pretentious jams, and execrable 50s white-boy-early-rock songs to round out the album. Nein, danke. Properly 1.5 stars, rounding down.

I really like picturing the youf wondering at the image on the cover of this album, which is definitely an insistent product of its time. Better than some of the other DnB/EDC/electro garbage I’ve endured in this project, but also not great. I didn’t finish it, but it’s all right to drive around to.

A melange of Pink Floyd, the Who, Elton John, and a pinch of saxophone. I only knew “Breakfast in America” and “Bloody Well Right” by this band before I listened to this album. I was pleasantly surprised, though I can’t imagine revisiting it.

A pleasant album with nice songs. No complaints, would listen to again.

If I had never heard Public Enemy or Gil Scott-Heron, I’d probably think this was better than it is. I want to like it more than I do. Sadly, as it stands, it’s a budget Public Enemy at best…a Private Enemy, if you will.

Solid album all around.

Meh. I guess this album is all right if you want some softer, more countrified Bruce Springsteen/Tom Petty/something else I can’t think of at the moment. Would not revisit.

Competent pop music. I am positively inclined toward Taylor Swift as a human, even if this music isn’t for me. I found it more enjoyable than I expected though, though I doubt I’d revisit it.

Very meh, much blah. Better than the Killers, though. Would not revisit, but not awful.

Fantastic Aretha! Nearly perfect, could be a 5, but would need to listen to it more.

Very fun, love the Galaga sounds.

After this banger, I was disappointed when I skimmed the rest of his catalog. But this was a treat to listen to!

This is probably the best of their albums, probably because of the proximity to their time in Nirvana. I hate that somehow Dave Grohl is the face of rock and roll now; all FF music sounds more or less the same to me.

I mean, it was fine, but not really my thing. I like an earthier vocal sound, but I am a sucker for old folk tunes-Silver Dagger really resonates with my own mommy issues, lol. The cover of House of the Rising Sun was unnecessary. I didn’t finish this record, but I could see how I could maybe enjoy it in the right mood? I’d give it a 2.5 if I could, but will round up to 3 for quality of vocal talent and song choices (for the most part).

So…easy listening disco isn’t my jam. This made me want to go back and give Chic another star. I don’t know why this album is on here—I guess I could research it, but man, I don’t need 5-10 minute smooth disco jams in my life. SAX! CHIMES! Smooth bass!

First two tracks are great, rest of the album is a drag. Jim Morrison gives some major sleaze ball vibes. Would not revisit.

Pretty competent singing of good songs written by other people-a good Motown sound, even if it’s a white girl from the UK. A bit long for my tastes; I could see some of these going on a mix, even if they’re not the straight banger that “son of a preacher man” is.

Very fun, definitely need to be in the mood for the drunken sloppy vocals (which I am sometimes and sometimes not). Would revisit, though not likely high on the list.

Why is there a version of Greensleeves on this album? Why is there Rod Stewart? I couldn’t finish it, despite him being technically decent. Apparently this album was a precursor to heavy metal, but it mostly sounds like more white man blues. I don’t want hear more white man blues.

Not even the saxophone could ruin this album.

I like the snarl and violence of Live Through This more than Celebrity Skin, which feels like it drags a bit. That said, it’s not a terrible album by any means-pretty much what you’d expect from a more mature-sounding Hole. Really would give it a 2.5, as I’d likely not revisit this album, but I don’t hate it.

This album kinda dragged. While I was pleasantly surprised by the previous, if derivative, Elvis Costello album, this one was not a winner for me. Never like hearing a white man use the n-word in a song, regardless of his “political statement” in doing so. I did listen to the whole thing, but wouldn’t revisit it. Properly 1.5.

Ah, white reggae. The music no one ever needed. This first song is already an inauspicious start to the record. The rest of the songs are pretty bland vanilla jams. Would not revisit, even though I listened to the whole album. Thus it would garner a 1.5 properly. Better than Kid Rock, so I guess it gets a 2.

Favorite tracks: Play for Today In Your House Then some experimental noises and some boring tracks.

Way better than Talking Book-a ton of variety and great songs. My only issue is that, at almost 2hrs long, there is too much weight to avoid some adult contemporary flab. Overall, though, a great album and probably my favorite of his.

Well hilarious. A song about Judge Dredd and one plea for world peace off a butt-rock thrash metal alum made me giggle. There’s some decent punk rock energy on this record. The musicianship isn’t nearly as high as I was expecting for a metal album on this list-is call don’t know why it’s on here. But I listened to it and laughed. Will likely not revisit.

My ex husband refused to let me walk down the aisle to “Legs.” This should have been the final red flag, but that’s why he’s an ex (albeit smaller than some of the red banners in the Soviet parade of this relationship, but still.) A closer listen of this album yields nothing but the same same sound. There are some party hits, but overall boring. 1.5 if I could, but 2 to spite my ex.

Really dig this one, even if she looks like a school librarian on the cover. No real fat, a solid old school country sound that I dig.

Very nice-I loved Gillian Welch when I first heard her. I was feeling in kinda of a sad mood when I listened to this though. Kinda sleepy. Not bad though.

It’s not my favorite of hers, but it’s still pretty fun. Would likely not revisit though.

No fat, all the songs were solid. Could easily be a 5-will need to revisit.

Not the worst techno of the 90s I’ve had to endure on this journey. Not the best, but definitely not the worst. Probably would not revisit.

I prefer a sadder Sinatra myself-more September of My Years than Swinging Lovers. That said, the plug for safer sex in Making Whoopie is pretty hilarious. Man’s got some chops, that’s for sure. Properly 3.5.

This isn’t my favorite Prince album. It’s got some real bangers on it, though. It’s almost a 5?

What did 50 cent say when Eminem made him a sweater? Gee, you knit?

The first third of this album is amazing. The random other versions are unnecessary. They’re not terrible, but it feels like so much bloat weighing it down-like I can’t even finish it. But the first third is so good, so I round up to a three. (I thought this album would be higher until I realized I had to listen to all this other stuff.)

This album was kinda all over the place. One or two tracks I dug, but overall not really for me. Interested to see what their other stuff sounds like though. Properly 2.5 stars, but rounding down since I’d likely not revisit it.

I do like Ray Charles. I don’t really care for American Standards in general, and there’s stuff on here that feels like we’re firmly in the land of cheese (as in cheesy music, not as in France). Still, Charles’s voice and piano are strong-the musicianship on this album is also solid. It just feels like a lot of cheese to me. Properly a 2.5; I don’t think I’d revisit this, but also feel like an ass if I gave it less than a three.

I went from thinking “hey, this album isn’t as bad as I was anticipating” to “bleh, this album is really dragging.”

I love the energy and sound of this album. The first half is stronger than the second, but it’s still great. Skip all the alternative takes. I lost this record to the fire.

Take my five stars!

Some mild and inoffensive folk adjacent music. I didn’t hate it, but would likely not revisit it. Musically competent. Likely a 2.5 in all honesty.

There were some things I appreciated about this album-the clear influential industrial sound (though there are more industrial influential bands I prefer) and the line “ha ha get me a light beer.” The backstory is cool, but the irony doesn’t sound, uh, I dunno, that ironic, which makes me uncomfortable. Album cover is cool. If this album was like 1/3 as long I’d probably rate it higher.

I listened to this straight after Laibach, which felt like a breath of fresh air. Then I found it annoying and shut it off. Returning to it, though, I find it better than I thought. Some annoying bits, but overall not bad.

Still don’t like the pretentiously named band. Don’t need to record “the night they drove old Dixie down,” boo hoo the south. Meh I say. Couldn’t finish it. Thus 1 star.

Unashamedly love this album, even if it’s a little same-same and Asylum could be skipped.

This album was pretty mid and sleepy. His son is better. Buzzin’ Fly is a pretty good song. This is the end of my book report.

There are some great songs on here, but also ones I don’t jive with so much. The Point is still my most favorite of his albums. Gotta Get Up was my alarm jam for many years off and on.

The album itself is smooth as duck shit. Not a fan of that, even if it’s technically competent. I was going to skip the expanded version, since I wasn’t into the album itself, but the live stuff is GREAT. Easily a 4 for the live stuff. I’m giving it a 2 for the actual album though.

What a surprise, another Byrd’s album. I think Sweetheart of the Rodeo is my sleeper favorite. This is better than the Fabulous Byrd Brothers and Mr Tamborine Man. I dug the horns and percussion on So You Wanna Be A Rock n Roll Star. Renaissance Fair was hilariously stupid. Would not likely revisit, but better than their other 2 albums I’ve listened to on this list (but not as good as Sweetheart…)

Well, that was soporific. More like Lazer Guided Lullabies. But not awful or anything. Really 1.5 stars.

I’d probably attend the opera more if it sounded like this. Bombastic theatricality combined with silly seaside songs? Fuck yeah. There are some classic Queen jams, some silly Queen jams, and some less than classic Queen jams, but this is a very strong album overall. I’d be tempted to give it a 5, though I feel it’s properly a 4. Like a 4.5?

Well. I had this album on vinyl, and vinyl melts when subjected to high heat, so I lost this album when I lost my house. I miss this album, and it sounded great on vinyl. The first track is the weakest, with some cringey lyrics. (Actually, there are a lot of silly lyrics on here, but the first song has the most cringey ones). The rest is pretty fantastic, near perfect. 4.99 stars.

My little sister loved this album, I think. She also loved N*Sync and Backstreet Boys. I never got into those bands (descendants of NKOTB), but I recognize this as part of my sister’s formative musical journey. Her taste is far more sophisticated than mine now, and her tolerance and appreciation for modern pop is also much higher than mine. I assume it is the Britney effect. I can’t give this album a fair shake because I can’t make it through any songs past the title track. I’m sorry, Britney. The first song is a classic though. “toxic” is my favorite Britney jam (late stage Britney).

I remember getting a bunch of Bowie on vinyl, and this was the first one I listened to and realized that maybe I didn’t like ALL of David Bowie’s discography. There’s some good stuff on here and some definitely throwaway stuff (meandering ambient noise tracks). Better than some of the other stuff on this list though. It’s probably worth a relisten, so I’ll bump it up to 3?

I had this record on vinyl (since lost to the fire). All the streaming services had two remasters-the Bowie mix and the Iggy mix. The Bowie mix felt closer to my memory of the album, which is a solid album, no skips. I really hope the Iggy mix doesn’t represent what Iggy wanted out of the album, because it’s really not great. This album is a 5 star album for me, but the mix can really change that (it loses at least one star for the Iggy mix, if not more).

Pretty meh. Elvis is the king of the single-a whole album is a bit much. Probably 2.5-don’t think I’d revisit.

Better than Heroes. I think Lodger is my favorite in this trilogy (bout would need to revisit it). This album is a mood, and one that I’m not always in. I gave Heroes a 3, and this was better than that, so I guess a 4? Really a 3.5 but I’ll give it the ol’ Bowie bump.

I bought this album on CD at Costco when I was in high school. It was my first Neil Young album. I have some nostalgia for it because of that, but it’s by no means my favorite. Not one I revisit, but it’s solid from an album standpoint I suppose.

Folktronica is a genre that doesn’t need to exist. This album sounds like the background music I’d be irritated to hear at a Cheesecake Factory. Still, blandly inoffensive. Would never revisit.

Music for the waiting room between purgatory and hell. Boring, smooth, dumb lyrics…it’s got it all! Technically competent, like all of this man’s output.

I love this album. I love many of Prince’s albums, and so I always feel like kind of poser to say something like “Purple Rain” is an amazing, five-star album.” It’s kind of like saying that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is 5 stars. Of course it is. Are there more exotic sandwiches? Can we dig deeper into the sandwich discography to find other, more esoteric 5-star sandwiches? Of course we can. Will it take a star away from PB&J though? Thus I give you a totally expected five stars, Prince, for your album Purple Rain.

A seminal album. My mom claims she likes Public Enemy, but asked me to turn it off while I was driving. This merely adds to the joy of listening to this banger.

Regardless of whether or not it has been legalized in your state, Peter Tosh has been doing his part and successfully has ensured it was advertised. Listened to this a few times today; really enjoyed the first two go arounds, but the third in headphones was less enjoyable. Otherwise competent.

So I guess this is what heroin sounds like? First song is a classic (though ends with a bunch of noise). I don’t really care for spoken word story tracks more than once, so wouldn’t relisten to this weirdly accented and predictable stories. The next three songs are all right. Sister Ray is far too long and boring. It could be cut to 1/6th of the length and maybe it would be ok. Would not relisten-sad I didn’t enjoy this more.