282
Albums Rated
2.95
Average Rating
26%
Complete
807 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970
Favorite Decade
Latin
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
14
5-Star Albums
24
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Trout Mask Replica
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
|
5 | 2.28 | +2.72 |
|
Suicide
Suicide
|
5 | 2.47 | +2.53 |
|
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
Meat Puppets II
Meat Puppets
|
5 | 3.02 | +1.98 |
|
Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Pornography
The Cure
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Live And Dangerous
Thin Lizzy
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
Green
R.E.M.
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
|
5 | 3.61 | +1.39 |
|
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
|
5 | 3.65 | +1.35 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Led Zeppelin II
Led Zeppelin
|
1 | 4.11 | -3.11 |
|
Harvest
Neil Young
|
1 | 3.82 | -2.82 |
|
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
Black Holes and Revelations
Muse
|
1 | 3.59 | -2.59 |
|
Brothers
The Black Keys
|
1 | 3.57 | -2.57 |
|
Disraeli Gears
Cream
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Different Class
Pulp
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
|
1 | 3.41 | -2.41 |
|
Blunderbuss
Jack White
|
1 | 3.4 | -2.4 |
|
Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| R.E.M. | 3 | 4.33 |
| David Bowie | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Neil Young | 3 | 1 |
| Kanye West | 2 | 1 |
| The Kinks | 2 | 1 |
5-Star Albums (14)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Jerry Lee Lewis · 2 likes
1/5
Fuck Jerry Lee Lewis.
Led Zeppelin · 1 likes
1/5
It's very telling when the best song on the album is a cover ("Whole Lotta Love").
All this album has to its name is the reputation built on making existing blues songs heavier and being obnoxiously horny, both lyrically ("gonna give you every inch of my love", "squeeze my lemons and the juice rolls down my leg") and via Robert Plants vocalizations; most of which just sound like sex sounds (which, given their heavily publicized relationships with too-young, or flat-out underage girls, feels even more gross).
The best part of Led Zeppelin is the musicianship, but even then, Page is too often busy attempting to pass off some of the most pedestrian guitar wanking I've ever heard as an inspired solo. The real best part is the rhythm section.
The more I listen about Led Zeppelin, the more I'm convinced they do not deserve their legacy.
Highlight: "Thank You", and the album fucking ending.
The Sabres Of Paradise · 1 likes
3/5
Interesting compositions. Anyone familiar with Warp Records at least has an idea what they're in for.
Dance music meant to give you pause, rather than make you move. The front half tends to be a little too repetitive at times, especially considering how long the album is, however if you give each song time to flesh out, things to enjoy about these downtempo grooves will be revealed, especially on the back half where it becomes less beat-centric.
Actually reminds me of an atmospheric video game soundtrack.
I prefer Weatherall's Two Lone Swordsman project more.
Wouldn't call this essential.
Highlights: "Planet D", "Theme 4", "Ballad of Nicky McGuire"
Sex Pistols · 1 likes
3/5
Snotty, brash, and unapologetic songs. I tend to enjoy the bands the Pistols inspired more, but this collection of songs was a great starting point. Good Punk primer, but comforting to know it gets better from here.
Everything But The Girl · 1 likes
3/5
Dreamy, romantic, and nostalgic. I had never heard Everything But The Girl prior to this, but wow!
I have a soft spot for sophisti-pop.
1-Star Albums (24)
All Ratings
The Cars
3/5
The first half was great. There were some neat experimentations in the second half, but ultimately it all left me indifferent. It's a good 70's pop rock record.
Sex Pistols
3/5
Snotty, brash, and unapologetic songs. I tend to enjoy the bands the Pistols inspired more, but this collection of songs was a great starting point. Good Punk primer, but comforting to know it gets better from here.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
Good clean American Rock music; but that's the problem. Don't get me wrong: there's a pop sensibility here that can't be overstated, but the music's dull. The songs are simple, the songs are mostly sweet love songs or break up songs, so... not a lot of depth. Thank goodness the album's 12 songs pass in 25 minutes, though it feels longer.
I am also forced to admit that I'm just not that interested in this era of music. It seems to exist entirely to sell records to pre-teens rather than out of any kind of artistic merit, but I know this is but one dull period in an otherwise enthralling history of music in the United States.
To be clear: Not bad, just not for me.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Lively, funky, and cool.
Not many negative things to say about this record. I would definitely play it again, though I find myself doubting how often I would play it. It's a mood, for sure, but it's a mood I'm seldom in.
In review: I really like the record, but I don't love it.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
This album hits one of my sonic sweet spots as far as mixing mastering. It really transports you back to the late 80's/early 90's. I love Tracy's voice and how it shapes the depths of her songs.
That said, not all the songs are great, but thankfully there's only a few outliers. The reggae keyboards on "She's Got Her Ticket" rob this lyrically powerful song of its punch in a really awkward way. The next track, "Why" suffers a similar problem of strong lyrics paired with instrumentation that doesn't carry their weight.
Despite this little inconsistency, It's still a good album.
"Fast Car" still rules.
Pulp
1/5
Boring. I get it. It's English and sexual and alluring...The Smiths did it better.
At one point I actually asked myself, out loud, "people enjoy this?"
I can see where there would be appeal, but It's truly. not for me.
"F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E." was the best track because it sounds the least like the rest of the album. That was actually interesting.
The rest is trash.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
I've never been a Creedence fan and this did nothing to change it. It isn't offensive to me, but bland, boring, and a little obnoxious.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
I've never been a Neil Young fan. I hate his voice. I think his music is generally bad.
That said, I think collaborating, or at least harmonizing, wiith Crazy Horse really helped polish. out the qualities I dislike. "Cinnamon Girl" was enjoyable. Same with the title track.
"Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)" was the dud here. Everything I hate about Neil in one song.
"Cowgirl in the Sand" was close to meeting that same criteria, but it was a. little jammier and that momentum kept me from skipping the song entirely.
By the album's end, I found myself a little surprised. Finally, a Neil Young album that isn't awful. That said, I don't think I'll ever come around to Neil Young.
Goldfrapp
3/5
It's fine. A nice gentle morning listen.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
The high of "Someone Great" followed by "All My Friends" is incredibly high. I appreciate James and his dance punk aesthetic, these more chill momements with brilliant lyricism, and just a killer vocal performance speak to me and make the biggest impression. While most of the album was dancier, I found myself losing interest at times. The second half of "The Sound of Silver" definitely reinvigorated the album. The long groove is moody, driving, and and compels you to move.
"New York, I Love You but You're Bringing Me Down" took me out entirely. Not a bad song, and seemingly a deeply personal one, but this is not what I wanted from LCD Soundsystem.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
The arrangements are beautiful, and so are the vocals, but it's not really for me. A bit to "heavy" for casual listening.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Nice lil rocker from Elvis Costello. "Allsion" and Welcome to the Working Week" are the highlights here. This albums has been one of the most consistent records I've heard so far.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
The combined strengths of Ella Fitzgerald’s incomparable performance and the Gershwins’ pop sensibilities make for one enjoyable listen. At almost 4 hours in length (the deluxe version) there’s plenty to sink your teeth into.
That said, yet another album that requires a specific mood that I’m rarely in.
Billy Joel
3/5
This album kicks open the door with "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)" and Billy Joel doesn't stop letting you know how smooth he is for the duration off the album. Beautiful storytelling, great instrumentation, great voice, with minimal lulls.
Not quite my style, but a very good listen
Talking Heads
3/5
Enjoyable. Idiosyncratic. The fist LP from the Talking Heads has glimmers of what would would come, but this is a valiant first effort. "Psycho Killer" is a jam.
The Dictators
2/5
I saw "Back to Africa" and "Master Race Rock" and was ready to give it a zero 'cause racism sucks.
After listening to the album, I realized it was more of a piss-take than anything. The tunes are decent power pop songs that hint at the future of punk rock. Most of the songs were decent, including a cover of "I Got You Babe", but ultimately I probably won't listen to it again.
1/5
Radiohead was too weird for commercial rock radio in the mid-2000's so they called up Muse to do a shameless impression of what Radiohead would sound like if they just kept making albums like The Bends. From the get go, I found them irritating and insincere.
Not much has changed, I was very bored by it. Though, "Knights of Cydonia" gave me Guitar Hero 3 nostalgia, so there's that. The album felt entirely too long at ~50 minutes long.
Not sure what Muse doing on this list.
Tom Waits
3/5
Somehow, I love Captain Beefheart, but I can't seem to wrap my head around Tom Waits.
On "Underground" the drums go thwomp, the guitars are angular, and Waits' gravelly voice paves over the whole thing. This is what I have been taught to expect of Tom Waits beyond the 70's.
"Shore Leave" was an easier proposition. The oddball instrumentation is subdued, but very slinky and present as Waits weaves words like he's narrating a noir film. It's to such great effect! This gave way to he spooky, yet jolly, organ of "Dave the Butcher" which helped carries the mood.
"Johnsburg, Illinois" was caught me by surprise. I was not expecting a heart-felt ballad.
On "16 Shells" the driving beat and jaunty guitars are almost psychedelic and Waits displays control over his voice.
"Town with No Cheer" opens with bagpipes(?) which give way to another plaintive ballad.
Waaaaaaay better than I was expecting.
Tom Waits has great range. I don't know how often I'll return to this album, but it definitely requires another listen.
Kate Bush
3/5
I had listened to Kate Bush before, but I didn't really connect with her until, like many others, I heard "Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God) as a recurring feature in Stranger Things Season 4.
The strength of the A-side is incredible. Bush is a tour de force.
The B-side is still great, but the sudden shift into a musical theater involving an Ice Witch can cause a bit of whiplash. Not to say those songs aren't interesting or good in their own right, but I'd personally like to hear them in a work of their own, rather than tacked on to the end of this album. "Watching You Without Me" and "The Morning Fog" do help stylistically ground this second half in the world of the first, but it's this inconsistency that keeps me from giving it a higher rating.
SAULT
3/5
Released in 2020, Sault's mediation on Black Identity is timely to say the least.
The message is palpable and positive. The mood is a focused, heavy one.
Make no mistake, this is a protest album, but it's also a black empowerment album. Though, I suppose one could make the argument that these are one and the same.
"Don't Shoot Guns Down", and "Wildfires" are the highlights.
The Who
2/5
I'm relatively familiar with the Who, or at least their golden era.
I generally find rock music of the 60's boring and this is no exception.
The title track and "The Ox" are the only standout tracks. The others very much feel like a band trying to sound like other bands.
A fair to middling first effort. It's comforting to know that the Who would eventually become a fantastic band.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Maybe I'm saying something that Neil Young fans already know, but Crazy Horse brings out the best of Neil Young.
Normally, I can't stand Young's voice, I hate his particular tenor, and the way he plays his guitar, but goddamn. This was good.
This is the first Neil Young album that I've legitimately enjoyed. If anyone wants an entry point to Neil Young, start here.
Neil Young
1/5
I hate Neil Young.
I won't rule out that I may come to enjoy his work later in life, but for now, this shit suuuuucks.
The Undertones
2/5
A perfectly middling record. Sadly, also very forgettable. I found myself unable to remember the band name several times while listening.
On the other hand. It's certainly not bad. The production is good throughout, but it can't save the record.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
Perfectly run-of-the-mill early-2000's hip hop. Not bad, just not that interesting either
Jerry Lee Lewis
1/5
Fuck Jerry Lee Lewis.
Bad Company
2/5
They're not bad, I just find them incredibly corny. Not my table.
MGMT
3/5
I've gone through the stages of hating MGMT because they're new and everywhere, being ambivalent towards them because of their continued success, and finally, accepting them as a good alt pop band.
"Time to Pretend", has somehow gotten better as years go by.
I'm starting to notice touches of Bowie and Burne, disco and country, oh so many influences, all packaged into a 2000's hipster duo's debut.
I'm glad I came around to them eventually. While I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites, this album absolutely deserves to be on this list.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
My least favorite of the first four VU records. That said, Lou Reed's choice to have additional singers was a nice choice. This is a more straightforward Velvet Underground.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
The album mostly features the kind of boring blues rock I've associated with Eric Clapton for most of my life.
The title track, "Layla" suffers from having a better, and more memorable,
guitar line than any other part of the song. It was disproportionate how jazzed I got about the guitar and how much I didn't care when the vocals came it.
"Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" is a highlight.
Having an Allman brother really helps a little, but not a enough.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
My perception of Sheryl Crow has changed. I already knew "All I Want to Do". I wrongfully assumed it would be straight-ahead country with pop tendencies and wow, I sold Sheryl short.
One way to get my attention right away is to name drop Aldous Huxley like in "Run, Baby, Run". From that moment I listened a little closer.
the moody "Leaving Las Vegas" and the weird groove of "Solidify" completely shook my preconceived notions.
Tuesday Night Music Club is a portrait of an artist fearlessly experimenting with her sound. It's not
The Stranglers
3/5
The organ just does it for me. This might be my first band from this list that I didn't know previously, but enjoy.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
Fine I guess. It's not really for me, but there's an undeniable talent here?
Megadeth
4/5
I've never been a Megadeth fan. I've given them plenty of chances, listened to their best albums (this one at least 4 times prior to this),and played "Hanger 18" on Guitar Hero II more times than I can remember, but Dave Mustaine and Co. still haven't won me over.
With this listen, I have to hand it to Megadeth as musicians, there are serious skills on display. It makes sense that most people I know who play guitar tend to have positive opinions of Megadeth. They have serious chops. I like to think that while all the other thrash bands may influenced by punk, Megadeth took lessons from Iron Maiden.
While the album is undeniably a Thrash Metal album, Megadeth pushed their sound to expand on what could be defined as thrash. Simultaneously, they were doing things that, unbeknownst to them, would influence the next waves of bands for decades.
Dave Mustaine's voice takes a little getting used to.
All told, when the album ended, I was surprised. It felt short, or at least it didn't go on too long, which may be the genius of Rust In Peace; keeping it at tight 40 minutes.
I walk away from this listen of Rust In Peace, not as a Megadeth fan, but as someone who will likely throw on a different Megadeth record soon, because they deserve another chance.
The Beach Boys
2/5
One of the weirder Beach Boys records I've heard.
As usual, the vocals harmonies are impeccable. There just aren't any earworms here. I generally enjoy the Beach Boys, but this one left me feeling a little disappointed.
"Feel Flows" is a high.
"Student Demonstration Time" is a low
Aretha Franklin
4/5
An incredible voice; an incredible talent. Aretha Franklin's Lady Soul is a statement:
"Chain of Fools", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" are the major hits, but honestly the whole album will have you groovin'.
R.E.M.
4/5
Not yet the indie/college rock superpower they would become by the 80's end, Murmur is very strong start. Presumably named after Michael Stipe's tendency to murmur or mumble the lyrics. There's a certain innocence and charm to Stipe's timidity, plus it lends a certain amount of mystery to the songs already cryptic lyrics.
Post-punk moodiness is there, but there's an overwhelming optimism bubbling beneath the surface, ready to burst free.
The front half is stacked: "Radio Free Europe", "Pilgrimage", "Laughing", "Talk About the Passion", and the plaintive "Perfect Circle" closing out the front half.
The back half is very much the same. Strong , driving, southern dreams interpreted by a warbling Stipe.
On "Shaking Through", it just occurred to me that R.E.M. may have been strongly influenced by Fleetwood Mac, and that's ok!
OutKast
3/5
I constantly reference "So Fresh, So Clean" in my daily life.
"Ms. Jackson" and "B.O.B. - Bombs Over Baghdad" are instantaneously recognizable hits.
The features list is insane. Erykah Badu, B-Real (Cypress Hill), pre-RTJ Killer Mike, and Sleepy Brown, to name the big names.
One downside is the numerous skits that don't do much to elevate the other tracks. If you count "Intro", they make up 7 of the 24 tracks. "Kim & Cookie" is a little funny, but generally these snippets seem unnecessary and kinda dumb.
The only real low points are the funky "Call B4 I Cum" and grimy "Xplosion". Outkast has proven themselves better than this in the past, and it's not even that these songs are bad, they just aren't interesting. "Call B4 I Cum" is meant to be sexy and fun, but to me it just seems immature and kind of dumb. "Xplosion" on the other hand seems like an unnecessary attempt at saving Outkast's street cred by making a "hard" song.
All told, the good far outweighs the bad. Outkast is essential to hip-hop listening, and this may be a good entry point for newcomers, I prefer both Aquemini and ATLiens to this album.
Giant Sand
1/5
There were a few songs toward the back half of the album that stood out, but you had to listen to 7 tracks to get there. Too dry and low energy for my taste. I think I would've liked it better as an instrumental album
I'll probably never listen to this again. Super forgettable.
Not sure what this album is doing on this list
Bob Dylan
3/5
It took me a long time to warm up to Bob Dylan. This is a hit-heavy album, but that's part of the problem. I find "Blowing in the wind" and "Hard Rain is Gonna Fall" kind of annoying mostly due to just hearing them waaay too much. These songs are part of the reason I disliked Dylan in the first place.
"Girl From North Country", "Bob Dylan Blues", "Don't Think Twice, Its Alright", Oxford Town", " I Shall Be Free, and "Talkin Word War III Blues" are all fantastic, memorable songs.
Absolutely deserves to be on this list, but there are other Dylan albums I enjoy more.
Rush
4/5
Rush! While there are other rush albums I enjoy more, this record is a tour de force. 7 songs in 40 minutes and some of the bands biggest hits: "Tom Sawyer","Limelight", and "YYZ" are all here.
It's a little poppier than their previous efforts, which helps in ways and hurts in others.
Overall, fantastic outing from a great band. Definitely belongs in the list.
Jeff Beck
2/5
Just fine. I had never listened to Jeff Beck intentionally prior to this, and now that I have, I may not do it again.
Almost the entire album was forgettable. Jeff Beck isn't really anything special as a singer, or at least, I've heard others do it better.
I struggled to care.
The Temptations
3/5
Always a good time with the Temptations. Breezy and cool soul tunes that keep you grooving. Good cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". All around feel good music.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
Dreamy, romantic, and nostalgic. I had never heard Everything But The Girl prior to this, but wow!
I have a soft spot for sophisti-pop.
k.d. lang
3/5
Great listen! I love the coffee-shop vibe of early 90's singer/songwriters and the fact that k.d. Lang has such variety in instrumentation and style.
Very enjoyable album, I'll be looking into more of her stuff.
"Constant Craving" transported me to a CVS Pharmacy.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Dylan in 1997 is nothing I've experienced before, but I know that Dylan in 2012 sounds vaguely like Tom Waits, so this will be great for context. Surprisingly, this just seems like an aged Dylan: a little slower in his delivery, a little more direct in his lyricism, and leaning more into blues. This is a mild-mannered Bob Dylan, but "Standing in the Doorway", "Tryin' to Get to Heaven" show that with age comes valuable experience and new questions about life.
"Not Dark Yet" is the closest to Midwest Emo Dylan is likely to get.
A decent late-career effort from Bob. Not as interesting as his hayday, but still offers songs worth listening to.
Soundgarden
4/5
Essential listening for anyone interested int he rock genre.
Chris Cornell may be one of the best singers ever.
Kim Thayil is one of the most underrated guitar players.
"Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" may have become the biggest hits, but the entire album is filled with excellent tracks from the driving "Let Me Drown", "Fell on Black Days", "The Day I Tried to Live", and the haunting "4th of July", which may actually be my favorite Soundgarden song ever
R.I.P. Chris Cornell
KISS
2/5
There's a couple of songs that make a case for why Kiss is as revered as they seem to be ("Detroit Rock City" and "Shout It Out Loud" are Kiss at their best) but the rest of the album sounds quaint; relics of a different era. Even "God of Thunder" sounds cheesy.
Kiss will be remembered for their face paint and iconography, not for their music.
I don't think Kiss will ever be for me.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
It's fine, a little boring musically, but Dusty has a powerful voice and has no problem showing it off.
She really is a powerhouse singer and can pull off many styles, but ultimately the album as a whole wasn't something I find myself needing to come back to.
I'd recommend her to others.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I am not a Led Zeppelin fan. I've attempted discography listens over the years and find Zeppelin generally lacking.
This record, though.
This is definitely Zeppelin's most restrained record, as most of the tracks are acoustic or on the more quiet or laid back side.
The sequencing on this album is insanely good. Songs that don't seem like they should follow each other work inexplicably well.
The transition from "Immigrant Song" to "Friends", followed by the zany rocker "Celebration Day", effectively. closing the first suite
The slow build of "Since I've Been Loving You" reintroduces the album, though this is the kind of thing I don't like about .
"Out on the Tiles" swaggers
"Tangerine" just...feels good. Nostalgic and heartfelt.
The only disappointment is the last two tracks, but they almost completely put me off.
3/5
Noisy, discordant, and a little dancey. This is what would happen if LCD Soundsystem was weirder.
Perfectly enjoyable. There were some passages where I would have enjoyed a bit more energy, but still enjoyed the album. The noisier bits were still fun.
Various Artists
2/5
It's cute that I got this on Christmas. A perfectly fine collection of Christmas standards.
I'm not particularly fond of Christmas music, but as far as holiday songs go, this was a nice representation.
Coldplay
3/5
My first introduction to Coldplay. I hated "Clocks" as a kid, but as an adult, I kind of looked forward to revisiting older Coldplay. I've always kind of brushed them off as a Starbucks band, and to some degree, I was right, but they've since long outgrown my original critique.
Though they're primarily known as a pop group, I forget that they were just a soft alternative rock band at one point.
"In My Place" is kind of what I expected from Coldplay.
"The Scientist" is the song that originally brought me back to Coldplay. The simple arrangement and the wistful vocals truly ground this song in lived experience.
and who could forget "Clocks", though I will admit I can enjoy this song for what it is.
Something Coldplay excels at is building and holding tension. Songs like
"Daylight", "God put a Smile upon Your Face" and "A Whisper" were welcome surprises. The instrumentation and general brooding mood feels like something from Radiohead. Especially the extended instrumental on "A Whisper".
The song, "A Rush of Blood to the Head" was the only real low point.
All said, this was a solid second effort and they deserved the attention they received, though I could've done without their "pop band arch".
This album absolutely deserves to be here.
Parliament
3/5
This is the one with "Give Up the Funk".
If you've heard that song, expect more of that.
George Clinton and his merry band of misfits indoctrinate you into their funky world for 38 minutes. You will want to listen to the album twice because it is very fun, but it almost feels short. The instrumentation is lush and there's so much experimentation that it makes me a little giddy.
At times, however, the album can feel a little one-note, but it's easy to see how important this particular work is on the genre and would become to hip-hop decades later.
I'm not super into funk, so I can't rate it higher, personally, but it absolutely deserves to be on this list.
The Band
1/5
More like "The BLand"
Not for me.
Big Star
3/5
A rock solid debut from the 70's most under-appreciated bands.
Björk
4/5
So stylish, so experimental, so....Bjork.
From her soaring vocals to the brain-tickling instrumentation Bjork has crafted a statement.
and the wild part is, it's not hard to see Björk's influence on vaporwave and current pop through tracks like the dreamy "One Day".
I can see how this release may not be for everyone, but if you're willing, Björk will take you somewhere incredible.
The Police
3/5
The only Police I respect are Sting, Stewart Copeland, and Andy Summers.
Reggatta De Blanc was always my favorite Police album, primarily due to "Message in a Bottle" and "Walking on the Moon", but also how the album feels like it's meant to be listened to at night. I don't know how else to describe it.
The fusion of reggae, post-punk, and occasionally samba(?) make for an entertaining listen, but ultimately the mood can't carry the whole release.
The entire second half of the record tends to drag
ABBA
2/5
Aside from the ABBA hits, I'm not familiar, though it seems like The Visitors is a step away from the disco pop they were so well-known for.
To be frank, this was boring. The vocal performances were great, but everything about this album seemed too clean, too polished... too manufactured.
"Cassandra" and "Under Attack", on the other hand, brought me back in. These two songs singlehandedly brought this album up from a 1 star
Hole
3/5
I was already pretty familiar with Live Through This, but Celebrity Skin is definitely more slick sounding.
It's the late 90's and alternative is now mainstream, so it seems the established trend is to just take those bands and polish enough of the edge off off them to be commercially successful. Despite the toothless production, the Hole songs are still good. This is a more mature band, but also a band that has been seduced by celebrity and its trappings. This is also the album with the most outside collaboration; Billy Corgan composed 5 songs.
There are parts of the record that just feel so insincere and phoned in. It always appears as a red flag when a band requires new blood (outside help) in order to do what they've always done sucessfully. Couple that with a "California" concept and you have the makings of trite and vapid product.
As I alluded to before, despite the warning signs, it seems like all the outside help actually worked. While not as inspired as some of their earlier works, Love and Co. managed to release a pretty enjoyable record.
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Stevie Wonder presents a wonderland of funk, soul, and pop, though none of it is really for me. Stevie Wonder's funk is not George Clinton's funk. Stevie operates at a lower heart rate. That's not to say that it isn't objectively good (his vocals and the instrumentation are all on-point) but it comes off as a little corny and boring to me.
I was pretty tuned out until "Golden Lady" brought me back in. "Higher Ground" is an objectively good song, but it has been ruined for me by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. "Jesus Children of America" was also enjoyable.
"All in Love is Fair" onward was like chugging Nyquil.
"He's Misstra Know-It-All" is the best track on the album.
I get that Stevie's claim to fame is being really smooth, but it's 11:45am and I am ready to take a nap because of this album.
Nothing negative to say about the performances, but it just couldn't keep my attention.
The Slits
2/5
I knew I had listened to this album before, but couldn't remember anything about it for the life of me.
Imagine my surprise when it's a reggae album (or reggae-tinged punk a la the Clash?).
I tended to enjoy the dub-inspired songs more, but the songs tend to be simple to the point of being quaint.
I generally enjoy the vibe, even if it is a little same-y, but I don't think this is all that essential of a listen.
Little Richard
3/5
This is the one with "Tutti Frutti".
Little Richard's Rock 'n' Roll remains as virile as when it premiered; full of swagger and optimism.
Because of it's 12 bar blues structure, the songs don't tend to be all that interesting, which means Richard's vocal performance has to carry most of the songs. For the most part he does. His energy is infectious.
An innovator who is absolutely essential to understanding contemporary music.
RIP - Little Richard.
Massive Attack
2/5
Massive Attack's first album is just that: a first attempt. There are signs of greatness that would come later, but there are also still signs of trying to find an identity.
Compared to what Mezzanine brought to the table, this feels like Massive Attack*Lite*
The Monkees
2/5
A perfectly middle of the road 60's rock album.
There are twee moments ("I'll Spend My Life With You") goofy moments ("Band 6"), Chamber pop songs ("Shades of Grey"), and "Zilch" contains the "Bob Dobalina" sample that Del The Funky Homosapien would use decades later.
It's perfectly fine, but for the life of me, I don't understand why it's on this list.
Maxwell
3/5
Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite stands as a testament to 90's R&B production superiority. The record just sounds *cool*.
The Killers
3/5
The front half of the record is stacked. All the songs you already know ("Mr. Brightside", "Somebody Told Me", "All These Things That I Have Done") and a few others that you may not have heard, but are still quite good ("Jenny Was a Friend of Mine", "Smile Like You Mean It"). However, the whole thing grinds to a halt on "Andy, You're a Star". From then on becomes a lot less memorable. They dabble in new wave and post-punk to varying degrees. There is a kind of neat trip-hop experiment ("Everything Will Be Alright"), but it all seems misguided.
A solid effort, a hallmark of the 2000's, sure, but essential listening? I dunno.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
This was my first outing with Jeff Buckley, and by the record's end, I struggle to call Jeff Buckley a singer/songwriter, because it feels like he's doing more than that.
Yes, there are the more calm songs that would make him a hit with the coffee house set, but Buckley also offers more raucous songs. They're not bad at all, but the more lively ones can feel a little out of place at times ("Eternal Life").
There's a haunting quality to his work the kept me listening and drew comparison to Thom York's vocals as well as various eras of Radiohead, particularly "Chorpus Christi Carol".
Jeff Buckley has been one of my favorite "new to me" artists and has kept me coming back since this listen.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
5/5
Those who only graze the surface of the record will be almost offended. The guitars are all over the place, the lyrics are nonsenical poetry and "in-jokes", it is clearly the product of LSD and too much free time. A mean joke played on the honest listener.
Those who stick around, or listen deeply, will hear math rock, blues ("China Pig"), angular jazz, world building, and yes, those same silly in-jokes, but now you're in on the joke ("fast and bulbous" lol). There are reference to dark subjects (Dachau concentration camp), political commentary ("Veteran's Day Poppy"). There is so much to chew on over multiple listens.
The good Captain presents his situation as a person seeking happiness/fulfillment/freedom ("MY SMILE IS STUCK I CANNOT GO BACK TO YOUR FROWNLAND"). Beefheart and his friends make up characters with personalities and identities (The Mascara Snake, Rocket Morton). Once you are able to see the record as an attempt at fun, as joy-seeking practice ("Pena"), then you're good.
I will agree that it is a DARING album. The choices regarding the music were experimental then and are a blueprint for avant-guarde today. Admittedly, Beefheart's voice may be a bit more gruff than the typical pop starlet, so that's another proposition that might perturb the casual listener, but what everyone needs to remember is this is art, not a product.
Trout Mask Replica is Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band's invitation to not take life too seriously (ironic given the making of the album):
"Take my hand and come with me
It's not too late for you
It is not too late for me"
An absolute masterpiece. A portrait of a (mad) artist at his most free and fanciful. A true Jester of the music world. One thing is certain: On the Mt. Rushmore of music, one of the faces wears a Trout Mask.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
I put off rating this one for a while because I felt a need to keep coming back. a few listens, especially over the course of a day, didn't feel like a fair shake.
I knew upon listening that this was a *good* jazz album; but how good? great, even?
First off, there's nothing truly outstanding or experimental here. However, I can't seem to find a situation I wouldn't play it in. Hugh Masekela's jazz is infectious and you remember less of how the song went, and more how you felt listening to the song.
Having poured over many an "essentials list", I have never seen Hugh Masekela mentioned, which seems wrong to me. This is an enjoyable listen for anyone already into jazz, as well as newcomers to the genre; complex enough to keep interest, but tame enough to not be intimidating.
Cheers to you, Hugh Masekela.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
This is not the Dexys Midnight Runners who wrote "Come On Eileen". This is a more mature, restrained Dexys. However, for all the maturity and interest in "high brow", it comes off a bit bland. This is painfully apparent on "One of Those Things" as they recycle the "Werewolves in London" riff. This feels like a band adrift.
Don't get me wrong, I do appreciate that Dexys are willing to experiment with longer songs and different song styles, but their attempts fall kind of flat.
Sadly, not essential by any measure.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
In a list that tends to be very Anglo-/West-centric, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Devotional Songs was a delight.
Prior to listening (and doing some light research) I knew nothing of Kahn's work, but this is exactly what I was hoping for from this list; something different that I may not have heard before. His devotional songs and singing style are a delight.
Though these are religious songs, they are quite catchy and listenable. The language barrier actually helps keep these songs from being too heavy-handed.
The instrumentation is great, but the real highlights are the vocal performances. Sometimes chanted, sometimes sung, the vocals soar.
Very enjoyable and from such a prolific artist. Very thankful for the variety this adds to an otherwise
Less Neil Young, more stuff like this.
Nick Drake
5/5
Nick Drake's soft and moody vocals, paired with the sparse instrumentation (Drake on guitar; also piano on the title track) create a dreamy atmosphere of thoughtful calm. For a short 28 minutes, you are transported from wherever you are, to sitting in a field beneath a wistful Pink Moon.
Absolutely Essential.
The Jam
3/5
All Mod Cons is a fine listen. The Jam inject an infectious energy into their songs.
That said, it doesn't have any songs that are all that memorable. It does have good tracks throughout, just none that I'll be humming a few hours later.
Good album, but probably not essential.
The Doors
3/5
If you already like the Doors, there's plenty to like here - this is the one with "Love Her Madly" and "Riders on the Storm"
Otherwise, prepare for a blues-heavy Doors album, as they seem to have left most of their psychedelic influence behind. Neverfear, Morrison still swoons and barks, and the songs are still punchy and memorable.
Not their best work, but damn good.
Merle Haggard
2/5
I've never been a fan of country music.
I tend to enjoy the older stuff more than the contemporary trash; that said, Merle Haggard, despite being hailed as a giant in the genre, failes to impress. He has a decent voice, but there's so little variety here. Haggard does one thing well, and if you're not totally sold on that one thing, well..... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The The
2/5
I've tried to listen to this several times but it just falls into the background every time. Infected lacks the appeal and fun of earlier The The albums.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
This is kinda nice alt-country, songer/songwriter stuff. Something about Lucinda Williams voice sounds intensely familiar, like I've been listening to her all my life, despite this being my first listen.
William's delivery is so perfect that I almost believe her on "2 Kool 2 Be 4-gotten".
This is one I'll keep coming back to every once in a while.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The blueprint for the metal genre.
Iomm, Butler, Ward, and Osborne
This album is a statement and an incredibly strong debut.
Sabu
2/5
First off, glad to have more variety in music.
Very percussion and chant-heavy. At their best when accompanied by guitar. I can appreciate Sabu for their contributions to Afro-Cuban music and folk songs, but I can't see myself putting this on often.
Possibly essential, but not really my thing.
Franz Ferdinand
2/5
I dismissed Franz Ferdinand after hearing "Take Me Out" when they debuted. I was not a fan of alt-rock's early 2000's period and deemed it too contrived to be of any interest.
Now, as a more experienced listener, I can see Franz Ferdinand as a continuation of post-punk, though, seemingly, a post-punk meant for the dance floor? The songs are bouncy, and, if given the chance, would lend themselves well to a discotheque. Sadly, this does tend to leave the lyrics repetitive or lacking much depth.
At times they sound extremely similar to alt-contemporaries, the Killers, sometimes the Hives (most of the album), and sometimes the Doors ("This Fire").
Franz Ferdinand come so close to touching brilliance a few times, but never quite get there, making for a disappointing listen, despite their willingness to experiment withe different sounds.
Not for me, not essential, but a good snapshot of what was happening in alt-rock in 2004.
The Louvin Brothers
3/5
I've despised country for most of my life. I have since come around to the genre, and this era of country, western, and folk songs is typically where I spend most of my time.
Despite a lack of musical variety and overabundance of religious content, the Louvin Brothers manage to keep the record feeling fresh and interesting; the musicianship more than makes up for it. The vocal performances are fantastic and the harmonies are divine.
The album rushes by on a Kentucky breeze and plays well upon additional listens.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Of all Sonic Youth albums, why this one?
Having heard earlier records by the band, I can say there's something about Dirty that seems like Sonic Youth are trying really hard to fit the grunge/alternative mold of the period. It doesn't feel natural or authentic.
True to it's name, Dirty, sounds grimy and sludgy, but it seems like a polished, manufactured filth. At times Sonic Youth sounds like Mudhoney and the Breeders; two bands I like, but Dirty sounds too slick for as "dirty" as the instrumentation is trying to be.
Highlights: "Wish Fulfilment", "JC"
There are better Sonic Youth albums.
Jane Weaver
3/5
It's electronic, it's twee, it's pop, at times post-punky, and it's wonderful.
I'd never heard of Jane Weaver before, and this has been such a delight.
I love Weaver's ability to find the ley line between different genres and style, and shift between them effortlessly.
It's all very enjoyable, but it's missing that "wow" factor that keeps it from being a truly great album.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Following his Bookending of the '90's with The Boatman's Call, and the disappointing followup, Nocturama, Cave was looking for direction. Most fans will point here as the album that kick-started his later-career arc.
I would disagree. Rather, I view Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus a detour.
Clearly, Cave and crew had a desire to up the energy, as evidenced by the follow-up record Dig, Lazarus, Dig and Cave's side project from this period, Grinderman.
There's a a lot of ideas on this double album (of course) but this could have been pared down to one good album (each album has a handful of truly great songs).
"Cannibal's Hymn" and "O Children" bear flashes of the 90's Cave and hints at the style he would adopt for Push The Sky Away, later down the road.
The choir, while a nice though, generally holds back most songs. The repetition, especially when there's so much from it, seems wasteful when a wordsmith of Cave's calibur is the one doing it.
I love Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, but not this record. I revisit this every few years to see if it's aged any better, but he answer continues to be "eh".
Not his worst record by any stretch, but rather middling.
Suicide
5/5
In a parse 32 minutes, Suicide marries simple electronic rhythms and melodies with harsh tones, rock-and-roll affectations, and unnerving repetition.
The lyricism is simple, often repeating, and deals mostly with rock & roll themes: motorcycles, love, girls, etc.
As the record continues, the cold electronics continue to give a cool edge to these songs. The use of vocal affects is sparing, but used with extreme efficacy to haunting effect.
Then there's "Frankie Teardrop" which goes down like a brick. Everything leading up to this track is extremely tame, and almost feels like they were sequenced with the intent of luring the listener into a false sense of security before the proverbial drop. The song follows the titular Frankie's downward spiral, in which he loses his job, gets evicted, goes hungry, and is driven to the point of murdering his wife and 6-month-old child, and then committing suicide. A guitar drones in the background and the drum machine keeps an mechanical beat as Alan Vega narrates Frankie's journey in a nervous whimper, before letting loose and screaming during the climax.
It's not a fun song, but goddamn, Suicide gave it all on this song: the climax of the album.
"Che" plays almost as a funeral dirge; the dour mood supported by electronic bass, the drum machine peppered in the mix like rain, repetitive guitar, and organ drones while Vega moans overtop like a spirit.
Suicide's self-titled debut is an experience to say the least. Despite any negative thing I may have suggested, this is a great record. Suicide's approach to music is so different from their contemporaries in the NY "no-wave" scene, but just as powerful, inspiring what was possible with electronic instruments.
Scott Walker
3/5
Scott 2 can only be described as a transitional album. Fresh off the success of his first solo effort, Scott 2 features more original songs (along with a few covers). In addition, Walker's own songwriting features mature or risqué topics, hinting at Scott 3's more serious approach as an artist.
Constant throughout his career is the power of Walker's voice: Amazing!
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Elvis Costello is an artist who reminds me I am aging. As a younger person, I decided Costello was "for adults", and left it at that. Now in my 30's I listen to and appreciate Costello, as is appropriate for my original perception of this age group. Haha
For real, he's a good musician and singer. I don't know that I'm quite ready to call myself a fan, but I can definitely see myself returning to Costello's works.
Morrissey
1/5
I have a very hard time believing anything Morrissey does post-Smiths comes anywhere near the vicinity of the word "essential".
The prominent use of distorted guitar comes off like a desperate grasp at machismo. The final lines of "We'll Let You Know" ("We're the last British people you will ever know") are kinda xenophobic.
There were one or two songs towards the end of the album the harkened back to The Smiths' sound, but not enough to impress.
Fuck Morrissey.
Buck Owens
3/5
Buck Owens has a lot of variety here: energetic songs, sad songs, cowboy songs, etc.
It's honestly not bad, but I doubt I would choose to listen to it all that much.
I'm not sure how it sits in the overall country canon, so I can't speak to how essential it is or isn't.
It's just Buck Owens, and I'm assuming that has always been the case.
Aerosmith
2/5
Can't say I understood the hype for Aerosmith; a perfectly average rock band. I remember hearing "Last Child" on Guitar Hero II, but didn't really care for it then either.
There are glimmers of greatness, but nothing truly stands out.
Led Zeppelin
1/5
It's very telling when the best song on the album is a cover ("Whole Lotta Love").
All this album has to its name is the reputation built on making existing blues songs heavier and being obnoxiously horny, both lyrically ("gonna give you every inch of my love", "squeeze my lemons and the juice rolls down my leg") and via Robert Plants vocalizations; most of which just sound like sex sounds (which, given their heavily publicized relationships with too-young, or flat-out underage girls, feels even more gross).
The best part of Led Zeppelin is the musicianship, but even then, Page is too often busy attempting to pass off some of the most pedestrian guitar wanking I've ever heard as an inspired solo. The real best part is the rhythm section.
The more I listen about Led Zeppelin, the more I'm convinced they do not deserve their legacy.
Highlight: "Thank You", and the album fucking ending.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Frank Sinatra crafted the perfect lonely late night album.
Lyrically, this is a concept album about loneliness, sadness, & "feelin' blue". At it's best, In The We Small Hours, is incredibly relatable and, on its face, a very human record. The gentle string compositions and Sinatra's voice are incredible and play to great emotional effect; "I Get Along Without You Very Well" and "When Your Lover Has Gone" had me tearing up.
Such charming and moving album. I was not expecting to like it as much as I do!
Absolutely essential!
Everything But The Girl
4/5
When the downtempo drums kicked in, I let out an involuntary "Oooohhhh" because my expectations had completely flipped, only then did I truly understand what I was listening to, and suddenly became very excited about this release. This is such a delightfully unexpected transition for Everything But The Girl. Their willingness to experiment with newer technologies and sounds is apparent and the fact that they made the transition from 80's sophist-pop to the trip-hop of the 90's seem so effortless is impressive.
This a moody and mysterious sounding album, while having tempos and song variety that keep the record engaging. EBTG's vocals have always been a highlight throughout their career, and this is no exception. Tracey Thorn sounds ethereal, confident, and alluring.
I love this era of electronic music, and the fact that there's an Omni Trio mix of "Walking Wounded" has me giddy.
This is the first time I have ever heard this record and I. LOVE. IT.
Blur
2/5
I love a good sound experiment, and I'm glad they were open to trying new things, but Blur's self-titled LP falls short. As a kid I would always wonder "what if (band) made a (genre) album?" and it always provided hours of fun to speculate. However, this album is an example of it not working out.
In an attempt to sound like contemporary indie and alt-rock bands in the US, Blur undergoes a stylistic change that doesn't really suit them. Some of the songs are decent, but they just don't do enough to really put them over.
It may have to do with Blur's documented distaste for grunge. If they heard unlistenable garbage, then "I'm Just A Killer For Your Love" seems like a piss-take that reflects their view.
Highlights: "Essex Dogs", "Song 2", "Strange News from Another Star"
Blur is best when they're British.
Damon's best when he's in Gorillaz.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Leonard Cohen is a Poet.
Some of the songs are deeply affecting, though others seem to drag under their own weight.
Highlights: "Bunch of Lonesome Heroes" and "The Partisan"
Finley Quaye
1/5
I know nothing about the artist, but everything about this record screams "industry plant". Nothing sounds sincere, everything sounds "partial".
The presence of this album on this list calls the integrity of the list into question. In what conceivable world is this an essential album?
Black Sabbath
4/5
While it hosts a few of Black Sabbath's biggest hits, Paranoid feels like a sidestep from their debut than a true step forward. There is most definitely experimentation happening, but there are growing pains.
Yes, "War Pigs", "Paranoid", and "Iron Man" are all here and are evidence of better songwriting, though, for me, their anthemic status lessens my enjoyment. Don't get me wrong, "War Pigs" and "Paranoid" are objectively amazing songs, but they are so engrained in culture that I hear them frequently whether I want to or not (commercials, sporting events, movies, etc.). As for "Iron Man", it fatigues me and always has. It and "Electric Funeral" both share the common flaw of being redundant to a fault. I don't mind a bit of repetition in my music. but neither song feels particularly inspired, and I am baffled at how it has achieved such longevity. The real treasure of Side A, is the haunting "Planet Caravan", which is so unlike anything Sabbath had done at this point.
For me, the back half of the record shines. "Hand of Doom" is just as strong as "War Pigs", "Rat Salad" get almost jazzy at times and we get pretty awesome drum solo from Bill Ward, not to mention one of my all-time favorite Sabbath tracks "Jack the Stripper / Faeries Wear Boots" closes the record.
Not Sabbath's strongest record, but a rock solid release.
Black Sabbath
4/5
"Listen to Vol. 4" - Sleep
If Master of Reality was their "weed album", Vol. 4 was their "coke album"; you can literally hear someone whisper "cocaine" on the album's thesis-song, "Snowblind".
Apparently, cocaine made Black Sabbath very ambitious, as they are able to further deliver on the promises of their prior albums by churning out riffy rockers like "Tomorrow's Dream", "Supernaut", and "Cornucopia". Their very first ballad, "Changes", appears on this record and blows any preconception about the band out of the water, entirely. Likewise "Laguna Sunrise" further shows an a more romantic side to Black Sabbath, though through the guitar of Tommi Iommi.
While the drugs appear to have done wonders for Sabbath's creativity and enthusiasm, the band is also beginning to unravel. The "joke song", "FX" is a curiosity. Also, album closer "Under the Sun / Every Day Comes and Goes", feels lackluster and meandering compared to the rest of the album, and is the weakest Sabbath album closer so far.
Easily top 3 Sabbath album.
Simple Minds
3/5
It was good! Not amazing, not bad. I'd listen to it again.
The Streets
1/5
If there was going to be a Hip-hop opera/concept record included on this list, why on Earth would anyone choose this over Deltron 3030?
Ambitious record, but ultimately uninteresting. Production goes nowhere and I couldn't muster a fuck about the narrative.
It's bad.
Blur
3/5
Blur's defining album, as far as I'm concerned. It does strike me as music that should be listened to while enjoying a public park's facilities.
There are moments of fun ("Tracy Jacks", "Parklife"), fancy ("The Debt Collector", "Far Out"), and plenty of variety to sate the listener.
That said, while the album is undeniably an enjoyable listen, the highs are never particularly high. The lows aren't particularly low, but "Clover Over Dover" and "Magic America" is a feel phoned in by comparison.
Thin Lizzy
5/5
I came around to Thin Lizzy in my 30's (of course, right?) after a lifetime of hearing a "The Boys are Back in Town". Now, I have a considerable soft spot for them. "Live and Dangerous" captures Thin Lizzy at the peak of their career, compiling the best performances of their best songs between '76-'77, effectively bookending their "classic" period, as guitarist, Brian Robertson would leave shortly after release, and substance abuse would begin to ravage the band from this point forward.
This album is home to some of Thin Lizzy's best recorded versions of some of their songs. The slowed live version of "Still In Love With You" is downright heart-wrenching, with an incredible solo. Likewise, this is the most affecting version of "Southbound" recorded. Otherwise, every Thin Lizzy song you would want to hear is here, and played with gusto.
The Stone Roses
4/5
Charming and endlessly infectious. Combining elements of shoegaze, jangle-pop, and 60's psych rock and folk ("Fool's Gold" features honest-to-god dance beats), it's not a far-fetched notion that this is the album that informed 90's alternative rock (particularly slow-/sad-core), pop music, and to some extent, foretold the coming of Jungle/DnB as well.
Despite being fairly laid-back, the songs are imbued with a palpable optimism that brings a smile to my face.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
"Gimme Shelter" and "You Cant Always Get What You Want", arguably some of the Stones' most recognizable songs, bookend this album.
Sadly, these songs feel totally out of place here, as the rest of the album heavily features more country and blues oriented songs that are significantly less memorable.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Wow, where to begin?
Janelle Monáe has crafted an experience in doing so, has elevated the pop album. Her influences are vast: jazz, swing, hip-hop, soul, gospel, psychedelic rock, rockabilly.... it goes on. And it's downright impressive how effortlessly she seems to move between them. It really speaks to the sequencing of the album as well.
Monáe has a demanding presence whether singing or rapping... and what a voice. Wow!
This is one instance where the music is so good, that the concept actually holds it back a little bit. My prime example is "Cold War": musically great, but lyrically clunky. That said, I love the Afro-futurist inspiration and wouldn't change that at all.
To simply label The ArchAndroid as any particular genre or style would be reductive, and to refer to Janelle Monáe anything other than an artist is to severely underrate her.
The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I doubt I would come back to it all that often (not my personal style of music) but to deny her artistry and vision would be ignorant; plain and simple.
The Sabres Of Paradise
3/5
Interesting compositions. Anyone familiar with Warp Records at least has an idea what they're in for.
Dance music meant to give you pause, rather than make you move. The front half tends to be a little too repetitive at times, especially considering how long the album is, however if you give each song time to flesh out, things to enjoy about these downtempo grooves will be revealed, especially on the back half where it becomes less beat-centric.
Actually reminds me of an atmospheric video game soundtrack.
I prefer Weatherall's Two Lone Swordsman project more.
Wouldn't call this essential.
Highlights: "Planet D", "Theme 4", "Ballad of Nicky McGuire"
Peter Tosh
3/5
420 Blaze it
Aretha Franklin
3/5
Aretha is a powerhouse on album opener "Respect". She's a fantastic vocal talent on the rest of the album too, but the songs themselves are lower energy and much less memorable.
Neil Young
1/5
I hate Neil Young.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Nothing against Bob Marley and the Wailers, but I've heard more interesting reggae. It kinda seems like you had to be there to appreciate Marley's larger-than-life presence and political efforts, because 52 years later, all I hear is a pretty standard reggae album. Not bad by any stretch, just not as outstanding as most seem to believe it is. Additionally. the chill energy can be a little much at times, and leaves me craving some diversity. in songwriting.
I was going to compare this album to Peter Tosh's work, only to find that Peter Tosh was involved!
Stan Getz
4/5
The combined efforts of this all-star team of Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and Astrud Gilberto made a gorgeous, peaceful, sensual, playful, nostalgic, and most importantly, GOOD, like, very, very good, album.
Miles Davis
3/5
Honestly, I can't believe I wasn't impressed by Miles Davis. I've listened to quite a few of his albums, so when this popped up I was quite excited.
This is fairly pedestrian fare for Davis. Nothing particularly memorable, but also not bad. Just good listenable Jazz.
808 State
4/5
It's incredible to me that this record was released in 1989 and it still sounds fresh and powerful. Thanks in part to vaporwave and other nostalgic electronic sub-genres, 90 sounds like it could have come out last year.
It's a fun, danceable record, with a lot of great ideas swirling within. Probably one of my favorite new-to-me albums from this list.
David Ackles
2/5
Kind of baroque-poppy, like Scott Walker with shades of Leonard Cohen, but nowhere near as engaging as either.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
Historically, I have found Creedence Clearwater Revival annoying and a chore to listen to.
This album however is slowly changing my opinion.
The first listen went by in a flash. Part of the beauty of this album is its brevity. Kicks out 9 songs in 29 minutes and it's over. The sequencing of tracks is notable as well. I generally dislike "Bad Moon Rising" as a radio hit, but in the context of the album I honestly don't mind it.
I was surprised by some of the driving rhythms and hard edges of some of their songs. For once, John Fogerty's voice didn't bother me.
All in all, enjoyable album. Maybe there's hope for CCR in my future.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Thoroughly unimpressive. This album has been on so many "essentials" lists and I don't understand why.
I would not choose to listen to it again.
Soft Cell
2/5
Like most, I already knew "Tainted Love", but haven't spent any proper time with this Soft Cell. I had kinda written them off as "one-hit wonder", and I was kind of right (in the commercial sense).
At times they are playful and purposefully campy ("Seedy Films"), at others there are shades of Depeche Mode, Fad Gadget, and the Cure ("Youth"), and sometimes they blend the two into something danceable yet so delightfully stupid as "Sex Dwarf". There is depth here, but not a whole lot. Soft Cell does tend toward the goofy side of things, adding unnecessary effects and vocals, seemingly, wherever they can ("Entertain Me" is a prime example of a good song made worse by excessive noise). There are instances in which these tendencies can elevate the song; "Chips on My Shoulder" features whistles, shouts in the background, group cheers, giving the frantic party vibe I think they were aiming for.
In short, it's a weird little work by some unlikely pop-stars. I wanted to like it, but the quality just isn't there.
Al Green
3/5
Rock solid collection of songs. Al Green's soul, jazz, and funk combo is perfect for Sunday afternoons
David Bowie
5/5
My favorite Bowie album.
Subsisting on a diet of red peppers, milk, and cocaine, Bowie was strung out to the point of requiring rescue (Iggy Pop would later come to the rescue, whisking David away to Berlin to sober up) and somehow recorded one of defining moments of his catalog.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
I love Willie Colón's funky sounds.
ABBA
3/5
This record is delightful from top to bottom, however ABBA's sugary sweet brand of pop/disco is, at times, too sweet. Despite two massive hits ("Dancing Queen" and "Fernando") the rest of the album fails to hold up to the same quality, but it's still enjoyable.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Jethro Tull's reputation as the "prog band with the flute" precedes them. When the flute appears, it elevates the moment tenfold. That said, I am not crazy about the vocals (reminds me of Shinedown) and have never truly understood the appeal of prog rock. It's not bad by any means, but just not for me.
All told, this was an enjoyable listen, but not something I feel inspired to revisit with any frequency.
Dire Straits
3/5
Dire Straits s/t album is fine. I understand why dads like them. They seem like they should get more play on classic rock radio.
Hardly essential, but listenable.
Cream
1/5
Psychedelic garage rock with more interesting guitar work than the vocals deserve. Especially “Sunshine Of Your Love,” with its iconic guitar riff. Nothing else on the record comes close to that particular high, and it isn’t even that great of a song to begin with. I guess the bar for mediocrity was lower in the 60’s.
I don't really enjoy this period or style of music .
Portishead
4/5
This was great. Bombastic at times, quiet and delicate at others. I haven't experienced anything quite like Portishead.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Thelonious Monk is held in such high regard amongst jazz players, that its feels wrong to say anything less than praising him for his contributions.
Sadly, I just wasn't impressed. Not that I disliked it, but there's nothing about it that truly stands out.
Bauhaus
4/5
Bauhaus expands on their original vision and goes even darker and weirder. Their willingness to experiment is apparent, and Mask plays like walking through a house of horrors, each new room unveiling something lurid and ominous.
There are no real lows to this album, just a silly song near the end ("FISHCAKES"), but even this song is sung with enough conviction to make it seem ominous and strange.
The Waterboys
2/5
The first half is great, jammy rock that combines the best tendencies of R.E.M. and Dave Matthews Band with the already decent pub rock sounds of the Waterboys. Despite longer songs, I was entranced.
At the halfway point, there is a shift; it's much more folk song inspired, and it just sucks the energy out of the record.
Not only is it not essential, but it kinda feels like a betrayal. I would rate it a 3/5, but the string of feeling tricked costs a point.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Forget about "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and "Time After Time" and you're still left with a pretty alright album. I'm kind of amazed by Lauper's consistency to pair thoughtful lyrics with a great 80s' pop sounds (though, that could be due to a producer").Regardless, this is a fun album.
I underrated Cyndi Lauper before, thinking she wasn't unusual ~enough~. I won't that make that mistake again
Amy Winehouse
2/5
I don't get it. Sometimes she's pretty decent, other times Winehouse does this kind of boring blues thing.... I dunno.
Not my table
The Clash
3/5
I used to hate the Clash and it took me a long time to warm up to them. Due to classic rock radio, I heard "London Calling", "Should I Stay or Should I Go" and "Rock the Casbah" waaaay too many times and found it grating. I couldn't understand why they were categorized as punk, and I didn't get why other punks enjoyed them so much.
While my opinion has changed as I've become more informed, I still don't get why people love this album so much. Yes, it's cool to see what Strummer and Co. can do when they decide to stretch out and try other genres, but the results are mostly just fine.
"Lost in the Suupermarket", "Death or Glory", "Guns of Brixton", "I'm Not Down", "Revolution Rock", and "Train in Vain (Stand by Me)", however, all make an excellent case why they were beloved throughout the 80's, and they seem to have informed a lot of ska, new-wave, and pop tendencies for the decade and beyond, as it is clear that Green Day and Rancid are disciples of the Clash. Beyond their immediate influence, their songs have also been sampled in other songs (M.I.A. "Paper Planes" and more I'm forgettiing) to great effect.
Despite their importance, I still find London Calling too long and in need of trimming. The highs are high, but the lows are very "meh".
Maybe I'll love this album someday.
Wilco
3/5
Given my opinions on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I was not looking forward to this record.
For the most part, I was pleasantly surprised. This is a Wilco that is more stripped down, more willing to experiment, and feels more genuine. This is the Wilco that I imagine music critics bow to.
That said, the double album is a tough trick to pull off. As usual, there's a full album's worth of very good to excellent songs; "Sunken Treasure", "Someone Else's Song", and "Kingpin" are among my favorites, and often remind me of the band, Sparklehorse, who Wilco likely inspired.
Other songs are just bland as can be, regardless of genre. Given the album's runtime, there are too many boring songs to make this worthy of that much praise.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
I was not expecting to like Crosby, Stills & Nash because I assumed they would sound similar to The Band (who I despise) and because of their affiliation with Neil Young (who I also despise).
Wow was this a pleasant surprise!
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest hits the ground running on their debut LP. Jazzy samples and playful rhymes keep the mood lighter than some of their gangta-rap contemporaries.
Q-Tip, Phife, and Jarobi keep the fun flowing for over an hour including Tribe's magnum opus, "Can I Kick It".
I can understand the praise for this album in particular, but I do find Low End Theory to be a bit more consistent.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
I don't know what I was expecting. I had never heard the Scissor Sisters before, so everything here is new to me.
Upon first listen, it kinda reminds me of Midnight Vultures-era Beck. There's a nu-disco reimagining of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" which as interesting.
Overall their vision is consistent, and while I didn't love it, I didn't dislike it either.
Santana
4/5
My only points of reference for Santana is 1999' "Smooth (ft Rob Thomas)", "Black Magic Woman", and "Oye Como Va", both of the latter two are on this album.
Much, much better than I expected. Santana's blend of Latin and psychedelic styles are a breath of fresh air compares to a lot of his contemporaries. Especially when he incorporates jazzy styles, which he often does!
Cypress Hill
3/5
I love Sen-dog and B-real's voices, their flow, basically everything they bring to the table. I enjoy most of what DJ Muggs does, but sometimes the samples don't seem to fit, or they're just too abrasive for what the song is doing (the guitar in "Real Estate" is one example). It works in some places but not as liberally as Muggs actually uses them. I have similar qualms about Public Enemy's production style.
Cypress Hill's s/t album has a sense of playfulness I see in The Pharcyde and A Tribe Called Quest, but with the malice and posturing found in gangsta rap. Here it comes off as mischievous.
Jack White
1/5
There were times when the music was nice, but overall I am simultaneously exhausted and endlessly bored by Jack White
Ryan Adams
1/5
Fuck Ryan Adams
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Superfly is so goddamn fun. I remember hearing "Pusherman" used in the movie, The Hebrew Hammer, and it stuck with me ever since.
Curtis Mayfield's voice is silk smooth and super cool.
Ian Dury
3/5
Honestly, not bad. At times, it plays like Ween with how many styles they take on and the degrees of silliness they perform with.
Highlights: "I'm Partial to Your Abracadabra", "Blockheads"
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Siouxsie and the Banshees are essential, just not this album.
Yes, this is the record that cemented their place in post-punk history, and it is a very consistent, yet distinct collection of songs, but their songwriting hasn't yet progressed where they're writing the ear-worms that would elevate them beyond just another post-punk band.
Solid debut, but they can and do get better.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Joan Armatrading came entirely out off left field for me. I so totally underestimated what she was about and spent the entirety of the record dumbfounded by her.
R.E.M.
5/5
R.E.M. may have released better albums, but what Green means to me can't be measured. It reached me at precisely the right time in my life, with enough off-kilter energy, and earnestness for me to identify with.
Stoned into paralysis, lying on my friend's floor, I found myself in awe of R.E.M.. the strangeness of Michael Stype's lyrics, especially his delivery on "World Leader Pretend", the frankness of "Stand", the bravado of "Orange Crush" and "Turn You Inside Out", the beauty in"You Are the Everything" and "Hairshirt"; I let it all wash over me (these last two moved me to tears).
That night, as I drifted off to sleep, all I could think about was Green.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The front half is stacked: "Brown Sugar", "Sway", "Wild Horses", "Can You Hear Me Knocking" are all great songs, and very consistent in vibe.
Overall, Sticky Fingers is a very consistent album, (save the skronky blues song, "You Gotta Move"). There's a sense of nostalgia or longing that weaves itself through the songs.
Probably my favorite Stones record.
Julian Cope
4/5
My only point of contact for Julian Cope was as the vocalist on SunnO)))'s "My Wall".
Imagine my surprise when we get slightly left-of-center 80's pop/rock, along with drones, psychedelic rock, Madchester stylings, Mod-era rock if it were played by Beck; Cope routinely demonstrates that he has his finger on the pulse of contemporary trends and the ability to anticipate styles and trends that would become typical in the 90's. You have to appreciate Cope's willingness to experiment, and that his experiments all turn out well!
Psycheldeliic tto varying deegres
Bob Dylan
3/5
Jun fine.
Deep Purple
3/5
I love the energy and the fuzzy, driving guitars!
I don't love the organ.
I'm relatively new to Deep Purple and really only know Machine Head, which checks all of my boxes. Deep Purple In Rock seem to trend more toward some of the tendencies of the 60's, while also attempting to move forward with their sound. As one might expect, there are growing pains, and the album suffers from a lack of truly great songs, but they're putting the pieces together and it's exciting how close they get on tracks like "Speed King".
Beastie Boys
2/5
Obnoxious and rowdy. The Beastie's debut is full of frat boy anthems bridges the gap between rock and hip-hop. While the rapping is decent, the lyricism is vapid and the humor is juvenile, which was a huge part of their appeal at the time.
It took me a long time to come around to the Beastie Boys, and once I did, this is still the only album of theirs I can't stand.
Does it deserve to be here for its cultural and historical significance? Absolutely
Does I think it deserves to be here because it's "good"?
No. No I do not.
Paul's Boutique if anything.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I don't l know how to say what want to say about this album with any eloquence, so I'll just write and let other judge.
Joni Mitchell's voice is great. I don't know that I could ever confuse anyone for Mitchell or vice versa. I understand that she may have started as a folk artist, and while her lyrics are quite poetic in that folk vein, musically, by this point she is beyond folk. Mitchell is all chamber pop and breezy jazz, and balances the tension between these disciplines (and other experiments with rock, funk, and twangy country sounds) exceptionally well.
I enjoy Mitchell's voice and vocal style enough that I would listen to her sing the ingredients from a soup can if set to nice enough music.
Fairport Convention
3/5
A product of it's time: pretty decent folk rock.
I don't think it's essential, but its a good listen.
Dr. Dre
4/5
I try to listen to this record every couple years to see how it's aged. I'll admit, I didn't love it at first, but I've come to appreciate the G-funk production style Dre pioneered. The production only elevates. There is not a weak musical moment on this record
Likewise, the rapping is tight. It's gangsta rap, so it's mostly crass posturing, weed, and talking about how much/how often they murder, but everyone on this record is at height of their rhyming powers.
Like most hip-hop albums, the unnecessary shout outs, threats, and braggadocio take away from the tracks. Unlike most hip-hop albums, the skits on this were actually kind of clever/funny ("$20 Sack Pyramid", "Doctor's Office", "The Roach (The Chronic Outro)").
Of all the times I've heard this album, something about this particular morning made it "click" for me in a way it never has before.
Absolutely essential.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
There's a lot to like here, but Jeru doesn't really stand out. Nothing about Jeru separates him from other good rappers.
I understand how he was outshined by Nas, Wu-Tang, Biggie and other East Coast Mac's.
Good, but not essential
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
4/5
Dave Brubeck's jazz sounds like spring: light, breezy, playful; It sounds like jazz for a Ghibli film.
I bet Joe Hisaishi loves this.
Kelela
4/5
I had heard this album sometime during the *COVID PANDEMIC* and remember liking it.
Take Me Apart is such an interesting album. fantastic vocals by Kelela, but the tracks get very atmospheric, sometimes glitchy, and often have LUSH production. This is R&B by way of vapor/trap wave and video game music.
The downtempo energy of the album is refreshing and makes it replay-able in most scenarios; It's that perfect balance of off-kilter and strange enough to sound fresh and interesting, but familiar enough to not be too challenging.
I'll be spinning this all summer.
Neil Young
1/5
I still hate Neil Young, but this is better than most of his other solo work.
Highlights: "When You Dance I Can Really Love", the horn solo in "After the Gold Rush"
Lows: His voice is the worst part. Especially on "Southern Man". Fucking awful.
Nick Drake
4/5
If Pink Moon is the perfect night album, Bryter Layter is the perfect morning album.
Nick Drake's gentle voice is now backed by a full band, some of them playing piano, trumpets, and violins (oh, my!) which inject a surprising energy to the songs. The combination is the soundtrack to early bike rides along the lake on a cool morning, sipping coffee while doing house chores, or cozily laying in bed watching the room get brighter as the sun climbs.
This album brings me peace, all in a brisk 39 minutes.
I agonized over whether to rate this a 4 or a 5, but the lack of variety lead me to 4.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I've listened to this album a lot since it was generated for me last month, and I still don't care about it. There's a lot of genre blending and a concept involving Pink Robots, but throughout it all I was left unimpressed.
Wayne Coyne's voice annoys me, the production sometimes feels sterile, and most of the melodies sound very "stock"; the whole record seems aimed pleasing mainstream rock and indie journalists.
"Do You Realize??" once inspired me call my parents. Other times, it sounds trite and pandering.
I can also barely remember what most of the album sounds like after each listen. Nothing sticks.
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simon's Graceland is light-hearted and breezy, thanks to Simon's folk background with South African mbaqanga influence.
The rambling vocal style combined with lively mbaqanga instrumentation, along with flamboyant 80's production, give the album motion and makes it feel like a great road-trip record.
Despite the wealth of musical styles and instrumentation at play here, there is so little variety from Simon's vocal performances that "You Can Call Me Al" stand head and shoulders above the other songs on the record.
Stereolab
4/5
Krautrock, twee-pop, and 90's alternative sounds collide on Emperor Tomato Ketchup. I'm not very familiar with Stereolab, but this was a fantastic (re?)introduction.
"Olv 26" sounds like if Nico became the vocalist for Kraftwerk. "The Noise of Carpet" was a burst of energy I wasn't expecting!
So many cool electronic additions elevate songs without being distracting.
It feels so far ahead of its time, and the variety of styles Stereolab does well is impressive!
Fela Kuti
4/5
Fela Kuti’s jazz is woozy and hypnotic. 53 minutes disappears in a flash, and you, the listener, are suddenly in a great mood.
The inclusion of the live track at the end was a great choice, because the crowd absolutely enhances the experience.
Absolutely belongs here
Weather Report
4/5
Breezy Jazz fusion. Sometimes funky, always cool.
Fishbone
3/5
Fishbone is an ambitious band. Their willingness to experiment with different sounds pays off in some big ways ("One Day"), but also leads to some confusing choices (the Ska-core cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Freddie's Dead").
That said, their more straight ahead ska songs are still very enjoyable.
Kanye West
1/5
Once upon a time, Kanye was the fresh, new face in hip-hop. I actually enjoyed "All Falls Down" and "Slow Jams". I would've rated this album a 3.
Now, Kanye is a Nazi.
Fuck Kanye West.
Venom
3/5
I was looking forward to this:
The low production value, the satanic worship, the shreddy guitars; all the hallmarks of what would become black metal are here, but, on this release, Venom has more in common with Motorhead and Metallica than the genre this album would inspire.
If you can get past their cartoonish obsession with evil, there's some good music here. I come back to this album every so often, and it's a fun listen, but the music isn't so good that it demands a place in every metalhead's top 5.
Highlights: "Buried Alive", "Countess Bathory", "Don't Burn the Witch"
Questionable, but still good: "Teacher's Pet"
David Gray
3/5
Adult contemporary that takes occasional view from electronic music. It's not that the album is bad, it's just a little lackluster. I don't think it needs to be on this list, but it is an enjoyable listen.
The White Stripes
3/5
After a decade of disliking/being ambivalent toward the White Stripes, I was not excited when this record came up. One Jack White album is generally too many in my eyes.
I was not expecting to enjoy this album, but for whatever reason, most of the things I find offensively annoying about Jack/the White Stripes, are mostly absent here. Of course there's the anthemic "Seven Nation Army" which has taken on a life of its own since its release. This is absolutely deserved; it is a jam. Likewise, the second single from this record "The Hardest Button to Button", transcends the rest of the album and is a great rock song.
The rest of the album features Jack's quiety/loud/quiet garage rock songs ("Little Acorns"), a few sparsely accompanied vocal tracks ("In the Cold, Cold Night" and "You've Got Her in Your Pocket").
"Ball and Biscuit", while not a bad song on its own, sounds like patient zero for the Black Keys/big truck commercial songs that would pollute the 2010's music landscape.
All in all, a triumph. Since it was generated, I've made the conscious choice to throw it on 6 times. I'll have to give the White Stripes another chance.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
I am generally ambivalent towards this era of rock music and its sacred cows. I've held this view since I was a teen. Now, some 20 years later, with some humility, I occasionally have to make concessions for some of the shit-talking I've done over the years.
"...And the Gods Made Love" such a great opener, and acts as a powerful mission statement when paired with "Have You Ever Been (To Electric Ladyland)"
"All Along the Watchtower" is unfuckwithable.
However, while Jimi Hendrix may be a the best guitar-player that ever lived, but he was not an excellent songwriter. Too often, Hendrix sheds most of what makes him special and opts for boring blues songs, ("Rainy Day, Dream Away") or totally loses the plot on whatever "1983...(A Merman I Should Turn to Be)" and "Still Running, Still Dreaming" are supposed to be.
Thought the highs are very high, Hendrix can't make up for the doldrums between great tracks, especially when dealing with a double-album.
John Lennon
2/5
I approached this album ready to lambast John Lennon. Of course, I already know the title track, while it's a very altruistic sentiment that I agree with, it sounds very hypocritical coming from John Lennon.
Truth be told, from this point forward the production choices at every turn were so disarming that I enjoyed the songs more than i thought I would.
The strings in "It's So Hard" absolutely save the song from being a boring electric blues rock song. They almost sound digital
"I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier Mama" is like something Scott Walker would begin to do in the late 70's and mid 80's. It's so far ahead of it's time!
I was so enamored that I didn't mind the slight lull of "Gimme Some Truth". From this point forward the songs hit closer to what I feared it would be: just post-Beatles Beatles songs.
Stylistically, the trite balladeering "Oh My Love" and "How?" falls flat, and "How Do You Sleep" no matter how well-intentioned it is, sounds like a White Album reject.
"Oh, Yoko!" is sweet, because who hasn't thought about writing their cush/partner a personalized song, but it is a bit corny. But that Harmonica at the end absolutely shredded.
All in all, better than I was expecting. I've attempted to listen to John Lennon's discography before, but somehow never made it to Imagine before, and I have to say, I'm delightfully surprised that I like anything Beatles adjacent. Here's to personal growth!
That said, only the A-side had any real standouts.
If any John Lennon album should be here, it should probably be this one, but does this one deserve to be here?
The Charlatans
2/5
Very of-the period sounds; informed by the psychedelia of "baggy" and Madchester acts like Primal Scream, with the same admiration for the Beatles as Oasis. Most of the album plays boring, mid-tempo pop-rock songs in that vein.
When they do stray from this formula, there are mixed results. From least to greats: there's a hilarious attempts at a Bob Dylan-esque song ("Get On It") that devolves into a jam and then cacophonous noise, the mostly acoustic and surprisingly affecting "You're a Big Girl Now", "One To Another" which finds the band adding more distortion and maybe doing a U2 homage, and finally, my favorite the slinky, funky instrumental track "Rob's Theme".
The album is not without merit, but there are problems when most of the songs are bland and the best track is the only one without vocals
The Stooges
3/5
The Stooges final outing from their original run is powerful, but ultimately nothing new.
Raw Power is the Stooges as we know them, but slightly more straight-ahead rock. If you're already a fan, you'll enjoy this. I like their other albums more.
Highs: "Search and Destroy", "Gimme Danger", and "Your Pretty Face is Going to Hell"
Lows: "I Need Somebody"
1/5
Such a pain to listen to. Not a single ear-worm, just the vocalists awful voice and uninspired music that I grow to dislike more with every additional listen.
I do not understand the interest in the Kinks. The bar for "good rock band" must've been ankle high in the 60's.
Terence Trent D'Arby
1/5
Such a boring attempt at Michael Jackson-style pop album. Couldn't finish.
There's just nothing to grab onto.
"Rain" is laughably bad.
Digital Underground
2/5
Digital Underground can be downright charming and funny on tracks like "Humpty Dance" and "Underwater Rimes", but the misguided attempt at a concept album about Sex Packets" leads them to some uncomfortably horny lyricism. The beat, jazzy. production and rap flow are generally pretty good, but it's the sexual content of the lyrics that typically hold me back ("Gutfest '89" and "Freaks of the Industry" come to mind).
There are also tracks like "The Way We Swing" and "Rhymin' on the Funk" that just seem uninspired.
"Doowutchyalike" would be a highlight, if not for the 7-minute runtime. This is a problem for the whole album as, of the 14 tracks, almost half of them are 6+ minutes long, causing the album to drag.
I'm sure Digital Underground is capable of making an album better than this one.
Frank Ocean
3/5
Frank Ocean's neo-soul is refreshing and features a who's who of producers and special guests including Pharrell Williams, Earl Sweatshirt, Tyler, the Creator, André 3000, and John Mayer.
Ultimately Channel Orange deserves the praise it deserves, but I can't find myself coming back to it often.
The Triffids
2/5
My initial impression is that this album would most often be found in a record store's CD bargain bin. While I'm positive that this could be a hidden treasure to some, it feels like off-brand Echo & the Bunnymen to me. There are hints of something greater, but overall unimpressive.
Not sure this one needs to be here.
AC/DC
3/5
I bought this album at 14 during a family vacation in Florida. As a young person getting into earlier rock music, I was not prepared for AC/DC.
As an adult, AC/DC's particular brand of rock and roll isn't as potent. Their fascination with "rock-'n'-roll life" and getting laid feels quaint and juvenile.
That said, some of the jams are undeniable ("Hell's Bells", "Shoot to Thrill", "Back In Black") and some level of nostalgia prevents me from tuly disliking any of it.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Kraftwerk is essential for anyone exploring electronic or video game music.
The only song I don't absolutely adore is "The Model", but the rest of the album is just fantastic.
Ramones
3/5
I can't say I've ever been an active Ramones fan, but they've always been around (specifically on the Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 soundtrack), and I love the punk and pop-punk styles they inspired.
I've listened to this album before, but it's been a while. I typically describe the Ramones as Buddy Holly and the Crickets if they were degenerates, sped up, with more distortion, and that continues to be an apt description (especially on tracks like "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend").
There isn't tons of variety (even by punk standards), which causes the 14 songs in 29 minutes to drag a little.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
Can't say I was really impressed. Hollywood at large must want us to remember Simon & Garfunkle, because their songs show up endlessly in movies (particularly one's about the 60's/70's, of course). However, despite their best efforts, "Mrs. Robinson" is the only songs worth remembering.
Simon and Garfunkle's brand of sober, wistful folk is draining. Not to say they aren't good songwriters, musicians, or singers, but I imagine you would have to have a certain personality type in order to enjoy it with any frequency.
Sadly, I am not that type, so while listening to it again was nice, I imagine it will be a few years before I do it again.
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
Probably one of the most ambitious album on this list.
What may have started as a joke at a pub, turned into a real conversation, leading to one of the greatest experimentations on this list. Is it pretentious? Possibly, but the fact that it works on a musical level *at all* is impressive. The fact that enough people enjoyed it that they created a genre from this is mystifying.
Honestly, I shouldn't be so surprised; there are flashes of Swans, Throbbing Gristle (of course), and Merzbow, all of whom started started performing in the late 70's. Whether they inspired or informed each other or not (I imagine TG inspired all of them), isn't as interesting as the timing. Extreme music wanted to be born in the 80's.
EN's industrial sounds almost electronic at times through rhythm and beats; the second half of the album sounds like it could have been a Warp Records release (prior to the literal power tools). The sounds are blunt force, the rawness of the sounds are not always welcome, but most of the compositions here did something interesting.
It is without a doubt a challenging album, perhaps the most challenging album on this list, but I assure interested listeners that they will find something to sink their teeth into here.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
After a string of hit albums, Springsteen switched it up in dramatic fashion. Gone are the electric guitars and saxophones; in their pace a lone acoustic guitar and Springsteen's voice.
This stripped-down approach lends Springsteen's songs a gravitas that they don't typically carry.
Murder ballads, tales of down-on-their-luck working class folks faced with moral complexities, and one hopeful attempt at escaping it all ("Atlantic City")
The dour mood is powerful and the songwriting is poignant, but the vibe is one that I'm not always ready for.
I do find it hilarious that Suicide inspired this album, and I get a little giddy with each mention of "Frankie".
Highlight: "Atlantic City"
Cee Lo Green
1/5
No love for rapists
Manu Chao
3/5
I was first introduced to Manu Chao through a Bassnectar remix of "Bongo Bong" when I was in college. Lots off variety and in Spanish, French, and English.
The album is supremely pleasant which allows for re-listens in most settings and situations, though at times it gets a little too chill.
David Bowie
4/5
David Bowie's Low is a great record, no questions about it, but I like the front half, but *love* everything from "A New Career in a New Town" and beyond.
I enjoy a good experiment and will generally laud praise on musicians who experiment *well*. The krautrock/ambient half of the album is definitely a successful experiment. I especially love that Bowie gets in touch this aspect of his "spaceman" persona; and the variety of sounds and rhythms prove Bowie's capability with electronic interfaces.
On the first half, however, doesn't quite connect with me. This album does subtly feel like Bowie getting sober, and to some degree, it feels uncomfortable, as if you, the listener, are going through the same uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. If the nervous, jittery plastic funk of Station to Station was Bowie at his most cold and disassociated, the first half of Low feels like he's uncomfortably, perhaps self-consciously, trying to find his voice again. There's a tension in these songs, that while interesting, causes me to want to spend less time with them. That said, I'd be lying if I said I've never caught myself humming "Sound and Vision".
Highlights: The whole second half, from "A New Career in a New Town" onward.
Bee Gees
2/5
Not at all what I expected when Bee Gees popped up.
A concept album about a fictional ship is such a weirdly specific idea that I can't help but be intrigued. I do not like this style at all for them, but the Bee Gees persist. They aren't quite sea shanties, but orchestral soft rock.
I was surprised to hear "Never Say Never Again", as I didn't know it was a Bee Gees song. There are a handful of other enjoyable tracks ("I Laugh In Your Face" comes to mind), and plenty of decent-to-good vocal performances, but just nothing that really kept interest.
I don't understand why this is on the list
Anthrax
4/5
As serious as a lot of thrash metal bands can be, Anthrax just feels more fun. Yes, the lyrical subject matter is still pretty doom and gloom, but the vocal style brings a bit of levity.
Constantly underrated. Among the Living is Anthrax firing on all cylinders.
Absolutely deserves to be here.
The Blue Nile
4/5
I'm a sucker for sophisti-pop: the romantic, heart-on-sleeve lyricism, the often moody and sometimes groovy instrumentals, and the crystal clear production. This is the weirdest, most interesting take on that style that I've ever heard. The experiments with electronic give the album a subdued, dreamy energy. It plays perfectly for lonely or rainy nights.
Not to say everything is all rainclouds; this is also The Blue Nile at their most fun and fanciful ("Stay").
A Walk Across The Rooftops gets better with every consecutive listen. I love the soaring vocals (Tinseltown in the Rain") and the great electronic experiments, clearly riffing on Steve Reich and Peter Gabriel (two artists I absolutely adore).
Highlights: honestly, most of the album "Tinseltown in the Rain", "Rags to Riches", "Stay", "Heatwave", and "Automobile Noise" stayed with me long after the album ended.
Fugees
4/5
The Fugees are a force to be reckoned with. Easily one of the most unique and important hip hop acts of the 90's, the chemistry between the three members and the product of their shared vision is incredible. Lauryn Hill's ability to rap and sing (very, very well) is the Fugees secret weapon.
"Killing Me Softly with His Song" is probably the one everyone knows, but there are a wealth of great songs that, I would argue, outshine this one.
There's such a great mix of emotions, topics, and production: all of it *rich* and *lush*.
Absolutely deserves to be here!
Can
4/5
Trippy German psych rock in the first half, experimental psychedelic freakout and exploration on spirituality in the second half.
The whole thing is a ride I'd recommend you go on, just buckle up for that second half.
Don't think about whether you should.
Just know that you CAN.
The Replacements
4/5
The one that made The Replacements into alt-rock royalty. Thanks in part to their growing disinterest in writing another punk album, as well as their rivalry with fellow Minneapolis band, Hüsker Dü, pushes the band to do something more melodic and lyrically mature. And they mostly succeeded! Songs like "We're Coming Out" and "Gary's Got a Boner" proved they still had an edge, but "Unsatisfied" and "Answering Machine" showed that The 'Mats had some emotional depth, and "Androgynous" is a landmark song in that no one was talking about gender identity or queerness as the time, especially in a song so accepting.
While this album does a lot of good, you can tell this is the first step towards something bigger (their next album, Tim, is my favorite by far) and some choices ("Black Diamond" in particular) seem misguided or emblematic of the band's tendency toward audience antagonism and self-sabotage.
Regardless, an excellent record that absolutely deserves to be here.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
It's kind of insane to me how many songs from this one album got radio play/used in tv and movies: "All I Really Want", "You Oughta Know" (which featured Dave Navarro on guitar and Flea on bass), "Hand In My Pocket", "You Learn", and "Ironic" are all iconic 90's tracks. Even the non-singles are pretty great ("Right Through You" was a favorite).
"Mary Jane" felt like a low point on an album that is otherwise stacked with great songs.
Absolutely deserves to be here
Death In Vegas
3/5
It's a cool trip-hop/electronic album with slick production, and endemic of the 2000's rap/rock production style.
Sadly, not super memorable, but not bad by any stretch.
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
I honestly thought I’d enjoy this, given other Allman Brothers tracks with a sunny southern twang. This is just boring electric barroom blues. Fine in its own right, but nothing I would choose to listen to.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Very pretty sounds! While not every track impresses, the majority of the album does.
That said, I don’t think I would come back to Call of the Valley very often.
Nirvana
5/5
My absolute favorite band from ages 12-19 and the first band that I truly became obsessed with.
In typical Nirvana fashion, they railed against MTV's play-the-hits-but-acoustic formula and avoid playing almost any of the canonized hits, with exception of “Come As You Are", and instead, including covers of their influences. This was my introduction to the Meat Puppets, the Vaselines, David Bowie, and Lead Belly. Cobain's willingness to share his favorites really struck me, and now it's fair to say that his music taste has greatly influenced my own.
This is a snapshot of the band at the peak of their powers. Released months after Kurt Cobain's untimely passing, the stripped down format and elegant staging makes this performance feel like a wake, giving fans an opportunity to mourn.
Easiest 5-star I've given so far.
The Zombies
2/5
I typically cringe at this style of 60's rock, but I found myself pleasantly disarmed by the Zombies. There are dynamics, both in their playing and singing, as well as production, that most other groups playing this style don't seem to possess. Dare I say, it's almost Beach Boys-esque.
That said, there are still the trappings of 60's baroque-ish pop/rock that they can't escape.
Deerhunter
3/5
Absolutely immaculate soundscapes and textures. I tended to enjoy the sounds more than the actual songwriting, but don't let me give you the impression that this album was anything other than pleasant.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On is the sexiest thing I've ever heard. The album is consistent in it's vision/concept, but also in it's execution; Gaye gives it to you in a breezy 32 minutes.
I'm shocked that even the stuff that seems like filler is actually excellent. The production is impeccable, Gaye's voice is soulful and powerful, and the instrumentation is precise.
For an album about fucking, it's hilarious that it's as meticulously constructed and presented as it is. A whole, realixed vision on wax...
.... Goddamn.
Joy Division
4/5
Incredibly bleak, and, yet, somehow dance-y.
I tend not to listen to this record that often because of how oppressively dour it is, but to be honest, that's just the first few songs. The mood doesn't necessarily get lighter, but the songs get groovier, and Ian Curtis starts to warm up and get a little more lively.
Upon revisiting, there's a lot to like here. I had forgotten the intensity of "Twenty Four Hours", the killer music (and cold vocals) on "Heart and Soul", and the ethereal "The Eternal".
Highlights: "Passover", "Colony", "A Means to an End", "Twenty Four Hours"
The Pogues
4/5
Shane McGowan's voice is phenomenal for his band or rogues and rovers. The musicianship was surprisingly adept, and the whole album was a fun listen.
"Fairytale of New York" is a beautiful song, despite the unfortunate F-slur.
I put off rating this because I couldn't quite put my thoughts together about what I enjoyed, but I keep coming back this record, so clearly, that must mean something positive.
It's probably a high 3, but it's re-listeniblity bumps it up to a 4
Astor Piazzolla
3/5
At times jazzy, evoking Danny Elfman at others.
I don’t know if The New Tango is for me, but I found it enjoyable. Definitely enough variety to capture attention for the duration
Metallica
3/5
The final album of Metallica's golden era succeeds in spite of itself. The band moves away from the verse-chorus-verse song structure of previous albums in favor of longer songs with less singing and more intricate time signatures and playing styles.
It's not my favorite Metallica, but it's a solid release, and I'd be lying if I didn't catch myself humming "...And Justice For All" at work, but the lack of Cliff Burton (and any audible bass in general) leads to a diminished sound.
The La's
3/5
Though from the U.K., The La's s/t album sounds like they were taking notes from R.E.M. in crafting radio-friendly, jangley, pop-tinged, alt-rock. Being from the UK, they also include nods to The Beatles ("Liberty Ship") and The Rolling Stones ("Doledrum").
The La's aren't necessarily doing anything new, but they're predating Oasis, and doing it well. The album also suffers from being a bit front loaded.
Highlights: "Son of a Gun", "Timeless Melody", "There She Goes".
Lowlights: "Freedom Song"
TV On The Radio
2/5
Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes is bluesy and derivative in ways that frustrate me, but weird enough to stand out. At the end of the day, it’s middling alt-rock that doesn’t inspire
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
No two ways about it, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is looooong. However, to list the good songs on this incredibly ambitious double LP would be...well, I'd list most of them. Mellon Collie is stacked with hits and none of the songs truly feel like filler; an impressive feat for a double album. Billy Corgan was definitely firing on all cylinders, creatively speaking. Not to mention, songs like "1979" and "Thirty-Three" give a glimpse of the ground the Pumpkins would tread for Adore, years later.
Still, this is a LONG album, and listening to the whole thing in one sitting can be a daunting time commitment. Especially when considering most of the songs trend toward heavier angsty rockers in the vein of "Jellybelly", "Zero", "Bullet With Butterfly Wings", "Bodies", and "Muzzle"; all songs I enjoy, and not to say there isn't variety, but too much of a good thing can feel like an endurance test.
Also, more of a personal gripe, but this isn't that sad or depressing of an album. More like Angus Tee and the Never-ending Tantrum.
The Who
4/5
Who's Next is peak The Who for me. "Baba O'Riley" and "Won't Get Fooled Again" stand as some of the greatest anthems ever written, and "Behind Blue Eyes" and "The Song is Over" offer a softer side to these rockers.
The choice to abandon concept albums was a wise one, as a shorter album of good songs proves more potent. There is, however a slight lull in the record appears in Entwhistle-led "My Wife".
Overall, absolutely necessary. A best for The Who.
Carpenters
3/5
Not quite a fan of the California folk rock sound, but this album is full of undeniable gems. "We've Only Just Begun" and
"(They Long to Be) Close to You" are the hits I already knew, and they absolutely deserve that status.
Not something I'd come back to, but it did elevate my morning.
Dire Straits
2/5
While I'll admit to loving the "Money for Nothing" riff and the “Walk of Life instrumentation, but the vocals absolutely ruin it for me.
At the height of their popularity, Dire Straits sounds tired and played out.
I’ll be clear, I didn’t hate it, but it certainly isn’t for me, and it’s definitely not essential in any way.
Supertramp
3/5
I find it so hard not to enjoy Supertramp. I didn't start this project a fan, but I may very well become one by the time I'm through.
While this isn't Supertramp's best record, it still has great vocal harmonies and fun songs.
"Dreamer" is the clear high point here.
R.E.M.
4/5
R.E.M.'s most stripped-back and plaintive album. Make no mistake, there's still some fun tracks here, but the lyrical content seems more introspective.
"Nightswimming" is an incredibly arresting ballad, "Man on the Moon" sounds like it could've come from the Green sessions.
Lots to like here!
Pretenders
2/5
Very mid. Not good, not bad, just adequate. I can't say I've purposefully tried to listen to The Pretenders before, and I honestly don't think I will again. Though, I did not realize they were behind "Tattooed Love Boys" (one of my least favorite songs from Guitar Hero II) and "Brass in Pocket" (grocery stores and pharmacies).
Seems like it doesn't need to be here.
Cheap Trick
3/5
I can't say I've cared about Cheap Trick outside of "Dream Police" and, to a lesser extent, "Surrender"; not for lack of trying, either. Somehow, At Budokan flew under my radar and I'm only just getting to it as part of this list.
It's an unfortunately short set (clocking in at just under 42 minutes), but I'm left wanting more. Despite a few questionable choices ("Big Eyes"; "Need Your Love"), Cheap Trick delivers a memorable performance.
Highs: "Hello There", "Come On, Come On", "Surrender", "Goodnight"
George Harrison
4/5
After a lifetime making snide comments about The Beatles, I am utterly stunned by George Harrison. I similarly paused for John Lennon's Imagine, but All Things Must Pass is something else entirely.
There are ear-worms throughout. The entire first half are songs I swear I've heard before. Whether or not that the case in fact, there is a tonal familiarity in these songs that make me feel like I'm revisiting an old friend (and I don't even gravitate towards this style of music!). The range of styles was also impressive ("Out of the Blue"!!!)
Granted, the album is long and there are bound to be low points ("I Dig Love" was fine; "It's Johnny's Birthday" is delightfully odd).
Such a great record!
The Beach Boys
4/5
The Beach Boy's ultimate statement and Brian Wilson's exploration into sound. These surf rock and chamber pop songs are brilliantly performed, recorded, and mixed. The album sounds phenomenal.
When you're done surfing, sit on the beach and listen to this.
RIP Brian Wilson June 11, 2025
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Honestly not bad. I was expecting it to be a lot worse.
It's honestly a step up from most folk-ish music that gets popular, so good for FF for crafting something with substance.
That said, I don't know how often I'd come back to this.
The Byrds
4/5
The Byrds might be my favorite 60's psychedelic rock band.
There's a little bit of everything here: Rock 'n' Roll bravado ("So You Wanna Be a Rock 'n' Roll Star"), a bit of folky pop "Have You Seen Her Face", "Girl With No Name") psychedelia ("Renaissance Faire", "Everyone's Been Burned", "Thoughts and Words"), the country twang of "Time Between" and some experimental edges ("C.T.A. -102").
Throwing Muses
3/5
Definitely inspired by Siouxsie and the Banshees, Throwing Muses offers a more complex link in the evolution of post-punk by marrying the dark ethereal hallmarks of the genre with more punk edge, as well as softer folky guitar work.
Alas, this complexity doesn't translate to an album full of super memorable or catchy songs.
"Hate My Way" is a notable exception.
Eminem
2/5
While The Slim Shady LP benefits greatly from beats by Dr. Dre, the album plays with the same cartoony humor and hyper-violence found in "My Name Is" but returns diminish with every song. Unfortunately the songs trend towards very repetitive ("My Name Is", "Just Don't Give a Fuck"), too goofy ("Mushrooms"), and raps that read like a bullied teen's diary ("Brain Damage", "Just Don't Give a Fuck", "As the World Turns").
"Rock Bottom" is a song no one talks about, but has the most emotional depth.
Even as a kid, I found Eminem lacking real substance. Eminem's attempts to make his name by being offensive as possible, but it definitely has that high-school-student-says-wild-shit-to-shock-people energy.
Coldcut
3/5
Fun dance music! At times, cheesy as hell; at others supremely interesting. Mark E. Smith and Queen Latifa make appearances!
The impression I get from What's That Noise, is that this is the closest to an honest live DJ set that has been recorded (experiments and all). Not everything works, but it feels sincere and off-the-cuff, and lots of the samples are super fun and of-the-era.
Highlights: "(I'm) In Deep"; "Which Doctor"; "No Connection"
A sample from "Fat (Party and Bullshit)" sums the album up succinctly:
"Party, and Party, and Party, and bullshit"
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Sounds like Elvis Costello to me.
I find it very comforting that Elvis Costello is generally pretty consistent with his quality of output. Even if the musical style changes a little, Costello's vocal delivery is the north star. That said, this the weirdest Costello record I've heard so far.
Perfectly enjoyable, though, probably the least essential Elvis Costello album so far.
Ray Charles
2/5
I was excited to hear a Ray Charles album, as my only frame of reference was his appearance in The Blues Brothers. Imagine my surprise when I prefer the more quiet back half of the album over the more lively front half. Charles voice is powerful, and all the moreso when he's playing a heartfelt ballad or a bluesy number.
After decades of hearing how important Ray Charles is to R&B, blues, and popular music in general, this album is kind of a letdown. It feels very lukewarm and not a great example of why Charles is so highly regarded.
Highlight: "Don't Let the Sun Catch You Cryin'"; "Come Rain or Come Shine"
Alice In Chains
4/5
Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell’s vocal harmonies range from beautiful to haunting. Given the pervasive and all-encompassing theme of addiction this record sounds ugly and gloomy, but it mostly works out really well. Alice In Chains played darker and heaver melodic songs when few others were doing the same. Not to mention the variety of softer, harder, faster, and slower songs. Truly a high water mark for 90's rock.
Highlights: most of the album, especially "Would?", "Them Bones", "Rooster", and "Down in a Hole"
Lowlight: "Sickman"
Absolutely essential
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I love Echo and the Bunnymen, but so much of Ocean Rain feels like a misstep. I appreciate their willingness to experiment, and yes, I can understand how leaning into string instrumentation seems like a logical next step, but it robs the album of so much energy.
"Silver" is an excellent opening track that is absolutely representative of the band, only to be followed by the waltz-ish "Nocturnal Me" which sucks the life and momentum out of the album. The next few tracks do very little to rectify this and range in quality from "meh" to "decent". The sequencing of the album could use some work, as well, because they definitely backloaded this album. At just over 37 minutes, there is no reason this album should drag at all, and yet it does.
Ocean Rain may be Ian Mculloch's favorite, as well as the fan favorite, but I feel pretty confident telling them they're wrong.
Highlights: "Silver" and everything from "The Killing Moon" to the end.
Low Points: "Nocturnal Me" just sucks, "Crystal Days" and "The Yo Yo Man" are very middling.
If it's an Echo album, Crocodiles, Heaven Up Here, and Porcupine are all much more essential.
Bob Dylan
3/5
I don't get the hype. In the context of musical history, even Dylan's history, I understand the impact, what going electric did for Dylan, and how it inspired many others and pushed music forward.... but it's fine.
I've never liked Dylan, and then a Dylan-obsessed friend made me hate him.
I've attempted discography listens in the past, but the albums selected for this 1001 albums list have given me something to appreciate in Bob Dylan. He doesn't seem so offensive to me, rather, he's just Bob; like a neighbor who lives in my building. I like him just fine, but we don't hang out or anything.
Bringing It All Back Home is Bob succeeding at something he's passionate about. I can't say I would choose to put it on, but it's good that it exists for others to enjoy.
Kid Rock
1/5
MAGA dog-whistle. A phony. Fuck Kid Rock.
No reason for this to be here. Period.
Michael Jackson
3/5
I don't typically go for pop music, and this is no exception. I get Michael Jackson's popularity and it's earned, but this style of music seems synthetic. Jackson has a great voice and style, but it does nothing for me.
Absolutely essential, just not for me.
Talvin Singh
3/5
Talvin Singh's combination of traditional Indian instrumentation and drum & bass is delightful. "Butterflies" and "Sutrix" were a few of the standouts!
Slower songs like "Soni", weren't as entertaining, but still souunded interesting.
"Vikram the Vampire" is so great!
Green Day
3/5
I was already a Green Day fan, prior to American Idiot's release, but this was my first *new* Green Day album. As such, I ate it up and listened to it religiously.
Two decades later, this album isn't as powerful. It marks a turn for Green Day's career toward more pop and arena focused tunes that alienated a lot of their older fanbase. Likewise, the success of this album caused a lot fatigue toward songs like "Holiday" "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" that all received egregious airplay.
As a concept album, it's a little clumsy and pretentious, which makes re-listens difficult. Tracks like "St. Jimmy", "Homecoming" and "Jesus of Suburbia" come off as a bit cheesy and are difficult to listen to.
However, American Idiot isn't without some charm. The title track ("American Idiot") is still fun, even if it's a little misguided in its message. "Are We The Waitiing" proved Green Day could write a power ballad, but a consistent problem is that everything on this record sounds bigger, even when it's not necessary.
A perfectly fine record. There's a pretty decent case to be made about it be essential (it probably is), but it's an album I could take or leave.
Korn
3/5
I think we are collectively more kind to Korn Follow the Leader than we need to be, and it's entirely because of "Freak on a Leash" and maybe "Got the Life".
The rest ranges from pretty ok ("It's On!", "Justin") to downright terrible ("All in the Family"). No amount of detuned bass or hip-hop features can save the album from it's edgy tendencies and truly bad songwriting.
Follow the Leader barely scrapes by with a 3.
I finally understand why our parents worried about us.
Tom Waits
5/5
Rather than record a live performance at a night club, Waits created his own night club in a studio space and acts as leader of the house lounge band.
Waits is a charming and deliciously clever and he weaves tales with beat eccentricity and a devilish grin. There's spoken word, crooning, and a bit of cool jazz, all of which are delightful.
The whole album is an experience, and may be among my favorite live albums, whether is strictly adheres to that definition or not.
I have never been a big fan of Tom Waits, and I've been very vocal about that fact. Swordfishtrombone opened my eyes (and ears) to Waits' potential as more than just a weirdo with a carnival barker's gravelly howl. Nighthawks At The Diner cemented the idea that Tom Waits could be cool. Here, he's still the tramp, the drifter, and poet with stories and songs aplenty.
This is an earned 5
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I have a complicated relationship with Led Zeppelin. I've spent a lifetime being ambivalent towards them. I've learned that I like Led Zeppelin III, thanks to this project, and Houses of the Holy outside of the project. I've also learned that I absolutely despise Led Zeppelin II.
Which brings us to Led Zeppelin's S/T debut:
The Bad. There are songs on the albums that were exactly as I expected them to be: kind of shitty. I *hate* "Good Times, Bad Times" so fucking much. Incredibly irritating. "You Shook Me" is equally annoying in how it robs the album of its momentum (the killer keyboard solo couldn't save it). These are some of LZ's worst tendencies.
Then, there were things that defied my expectations:
"Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" features an empassioned vocal performance from Rober Plant, likewise with "Dazed and Confused", a song I previously thought I hated (I actually really enjoyed the psychelic detour before the drumps kick back in). "Your Time Is Gonna Come", despite being a bit repetitive, was delightful, and the transition to "Black Mountain Side" was perfect; the track itself is light and breezy. These were all gifts when I expected to enjoy nothing.
Fairly middling album with pretty high peaks, but tremendously low valleys. My inner critic says 2, but I'm still shocked I like Led Zeppelin at all, so a 3 it is.
Marilyn Manson
1/5
I didn't want anything to do with it then, and I want less to do with it now.
I have no time for an abuser cosplaying as the evil incarnate.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
Captain Beefheart's first LP finds him and His Magic Band channeling rhythm & blues, psych rock, and folk, as Beefheart rasps surreal poetry over all of it.
I typically don't enjoy these musical styles, but the good Captain and Co. bring their eclectic energy and weirdo edge to each and every track.
Highlights: "I'm Glad", "Electricity", "Abba Zabba"
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I'm not familiar with Tom Petty outside of the radio hits, but for my life I've found him irritating at best.
Tom Petty's debut with the Heartbreakers is, well, a debut.
There are, what I would consider, filler songs, that just go absolute nowhere like "Rockin' Around (With You)", "Hometown Blues", "Strangers In The Night", and to some extent "Fooled Again (I Don't Like It)", which lyrically, sounds dumb, but I'd be lying if I said the guitars didn't rule and Tom's energy is admirable.
And then, there are flashes of brilliance in songs like "Breakdown", "The Wild One (Forever)" that feel downright poetic and establish exactly why Tom Petty is held in high regard.
To his credit, no two songs sound the same. Petty proves his range between screaming on "Fooled Again" and doing a Kermit the frog impression on "Mystery Man", though the latter is still a jam.
It's decent. I was so tempted to give this a 4 based on the strength of the songs I did like, but it's impossible to ignore that the rest of the album is C- work at absolute best.
3 "BREAKDOWN!!"'s out of 5.
Oh, and "American Girl" rules.
Highlights: "Breakdown", "The Wild One, Forever", "American Girl.
Dolly Parton
2/5
It’s a sweet story of three women held as giants of their genre, joined by shared admiration for each other, who finally get to record an album together.
Unfortunately the story is more intriguing than the music. Don’t get me wrong, the vocal performances are all fantastic and I understand this is a covers-heavy album, but this is some of the most boring twangy garbage I've ever heard.
I want so badly to give the album a one, but out of respect for Parton, Ronstadt, and Harris, I'll give it a two.
"Telling me Lies" wasn't bad either
Mylo
4/5
Often mellow and sunny electronica and bass heavy dance tracks. Very much of the Moroder, Daft Punk school of disco-esque school.
As a cyclist, I loved the sample on "Sunworshipper"
While Mylo doesn't really do anything new, Destroy Rock & Roll is exceptionally fun and enjoyable.
Bad Brains
3/5
The thing about I Against I is that is only nears the vicinity of essential once one comes to Bad Brains S/T debut. Regardless of which you hear first, S/T was like catching lightning in a bottle. I Against I was meditated.
Even still, while the genre exploration is refreshing, the album is far too uneven in terms of quality to qualify as essential.
Still an enjoyable listen, though.
The Go-Go's
3/5
"Our Lips Are Sealed" and "We Got the Beat" made The Go-Go's a household name, but the rest of this album made them New-Wave stalwarts.
The two aforementioned songs are their poppiest offerings and the rest set the stage for twee-pop, riot grrrl, and 90's alt-rock in general.
I wouldn't say I'm a Go-Go's fan, but I definitely have a newfound appreciation for them!
Foo Fighters
4/5
My brother was visiting from out of town when this one came up. I remember being 14, really into music, and trying to get him, not just into music, but into a band I was lukewarm on. I wanted us to have distinct taste and not just have his taste be a copy of mine. I bought him One By One as a Christmas gift.
Decades later, we're listening to the Foo Fighters s/t album, discussing our favorite albums and songs (I'm a casual fan now).
Highlights: Most of the album actually. It's very impressive that Dave Grohl did this all on his own.
Lowlights: occasionally, songs don't really go anywhere and feel like filler. "For All the Cows" "All Alone + Easy Target" are among these.
I'm already fairly familiar with the Foo Fighters discography up to In Your Honor, but this listen has convinced me to revisit FF.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
Teetering on the brink between post-punk darkness and new wave silliness.
Adam & the Ants ability to play different styles with conviction ("Ants Invasion"; "Los Rancheros"; "Jolly Rodger") is impressive. Plus the B-movie references in the song titles/lyrics were not lost on me.
This is so close to a 4-star, but I just don't see myself revisiting it often.
The Cure
5/5
As a long-time Cure fan, I rarely listened to Pornography, choosing instead to spend my time with their lighter, less lurid offerings.
Upon revisiting, however, Pornography is a powerhouse of dark and dense atmospheres, dark lyrics, and Robert Smith's delivery is haunting. It's clear that Smith and Co. were not in a good place while writing this, and the change in direction after this album seems more necessary than ever.
Still, Pornography stands as an impressive bookend to what would be their darkest era and stands as a cornerstone of the goth sub-genre.
There honestly isn't a bad song on this record.
The Police
2/5
I was excited to listen to Synchronicity, as it had been years since I gave a proper listen. I've had a high opinion of The Police, but revisiting this album is forcing me to reevaluate.
This album is consistently touted as The Police's definitive best album, but I don't understand how anyone could think that. The quality is all over the place and there are so many questionable choices on display here:
First off, "MOTHER"???!!!
Secondly, I hate that the best song on this record (and the biggest The Police song) is the one about a possessive stalker.
There are other weird lyrical choices or songs that are just guilty of sounding lame or both ("Wrapped Around Your Finger", "Murder by Numbers", "Walking In Your Footsteps") that just make listening a chore.
That's not to say Synchronicity is completely devoid of charm. "King of Pain" and "O My God", while a little formulaic, stand as most representative of The Police's sound and are pretty good jams. And it's a little lame, but I do enjoy "Tea in the Sahara".
But as whole, this album is such a miss.
Wild Beasts
4/5
This is fuckin' great.
I had no idea of what to expect and was immediately blown away by the vocalist's range (at times channelling Thom Yorke) and the band's playful and dancey electro-alt-pop-rock. Hell, there's even some shoegaze and post-rock tendencies in here.
What a delightful new discovery!
David Bowie
4/5
I love getting the chance to revisit David Bowie.
I have no idea what he was thinking on those first two tracks, but the rest of the album is a tour-de-force.
High Point: Most of the album
Low point: "Beauty and the Beast", "Joe the Lion"
Pantera
3/5
Vulgar Display of Power may be held as Pantera's ultimate statement, but it's fine.
Yes, the vocals are good, Dimebag's guitar-playing is stellar, but the overall hyper-agro feel of the album wears on the ear.
When combined with the knowledge of who Anselmo has revealed himself to be in the last decade, the album becomes even harder to listen to.
I used to like Pantera a lot as a teenager, and it was nice to revisit this record, but it just isn't as good as I remember.
Bebel Gilberto
4/5
I was completely unaware of Bebel Gilberto prior to today. Tanto Tempo is an attempt at injecting new life into Saba for the new millenium and it absolutely succeeds. Gilberto's sensual voice and the lively instrumentation married with the more modern electronic beats and production; sonically lush.
I have to recommend the album as a whole because it's a vibe.
The Byrds
3/5
The Byrds' debut is 7 covers and only 5 original songs, but I suppose this was the style of the time.
To their credit, The Byrds take these songs and play them in their own jangly, electric folk style, and for the most part, it works. I would keep checking in after songs I enjoyed because I often couldn't tell whether they were covers or not (save "Mr. Tabourine Man", of course).
Ultimately, despite being from an era of music I don't really connect with, The Byrds are slowly growing on me. The vocal harmonies and distinctive sound help set them apart from other bands of the same scene.
Highlights: "It's No Use"
The Black Keys
1/5
At what point did someone decide "white people playing blues for the indie crowd" was something that needed to exist?
It's just boring and unimaginative.
The Who
3/5
I'll be honest, I don't really care about the story. At some point in my life, concept albums went from "ambitious work and test of creativity and endurance for a band" to "bloated exercise in masturbation".
All of the songs were alright with some notable exceptions:
- "Pinball Wizard" rules, of course.
- "Cousin Kevin" is concerning and "Fiddle About" is FUCKED. I get they needed drama for the plot, but goddamn; Red flag for Pete Townsend.
Otherwise, no real thoughts on the album. It's fine.
Yes
3/5
"Roundabout" is perfect in every way; It's dramatic, it's funky, it's fun, it's epic in scope, it's just a truly great song.
While the album never reaches this high again, the longer form songs ("South Side of the Sky" and "Heart of the Sunrise") are still great, and there are pairs of songs ("Long Distance Rundaround" and "The Fish", "We Have Heaven" leading into "South Side of the Sky") that compliment each other well enough that they could be one song.
and then you have the filler of "Cans and Brahms", "Five Per Cent for Nothing"'s angular jazz thing, and the actually. pleasant "Mood for a Day" which seem like unnecessary detours that didn't add anything.
Daft Punk
3/5
Enjoyable, but a little too redundant at times. I've heard other Daft Punk albums and have enjoyed them more. I wonder if Daft Punk will ever really be for me.
Highlights: "Da Funk"; "Around the World"
Muddy Waters
3/5
I'm not typically a Blues person, but my opinions are shifting with age. I'm also finding I enjoy live records more than I did previously, and At Newport 1960 is no exception.
Muddy Waters plays the tunes. Nothing particularly special about this performance; just decent Blues tunes.
I'm a little disappointed by this slower rendition of "Hoochie Coochie Man". It just doesn't feel as lively as it could be.
Still not really Blues fan, but this was nice.
Essential :)
Slayer
4/5
The heaviest of thrash metal's 'Big 4", and Slayer's defining album.
Fucking Slayer
The Avalanches
3/5
Taking influence from Daft Punk, hip hop, R&B, Motown, electronic music and maximalizing on it. They pack a lot of samples from all sorts of sources into each song, which can range from an aural delight to an attack on the senses.
The album can feel a little repetitive at times, but it's mostly fine.
I am very exhausted by "Frontier Psychiatrist". I have heard it too much, so now I find it a little annoying.
I see Since I Left You on many "essentials" lists and I agree that it belongs there, but it's not an album I particularly like.
Highlights: "Tonight"
Green Day
5/5
Green Day retains their punk edge of previous albums while writing catchy, anthemic sing-alongs that stand as incredibly relatable documents of what growing up feels like, and an impressive pop punk statement.
Every track rules.
Jane's Addiction
5/5
Jane's Addiction was already in a league of their own by the time Ritual De Lo Habitual was released. Their second album continues their darkly sexual, kind of funky, weirdo art rock experiments, however the second half of the album features much longer songs, more progressive songs.
The first half is a great continuation of their style Fromm Nothing Shocking. "Been Caught Stealing" is the standout hit, but I'd argue the entire album is just as strong. The second half is even more impressive in the band's restraint and ability. This is where they get to shine as songwriters and musicians, more the just a rock band. Jane's Addiction is an incredibly impressive band to me. Their style was their own, and no one has attempted to sound like them since.
Sadly this was the last album of their original run, and they would never be as consistent as a touring entity or as musicians after this. Listening to the incredible documents that Ritual and Nothing Shocking are, I can't help but wonder what heights Jane's would've soared to if they hadn't imploded.
Meat Puppets
5/5
Sun-bleached, acid fried, country-tinged psychedelic punk. The Meat Puppets are in a league of their own on their second LP.
Kurt Cobain pointed me this way and I am so thankful he was vocal about his music taste.
Nothing I could possibly say can do this album justice.
It captures a moment between immaturity and transcendence in the desert between life and death.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Wow. Maybe it's because I've been drinking, but this is actually great.
For coming so late in Zeppelin's career, Physical Graffiti, made up of songs from various periods of their career, turns out to be their most listenable.
Most of my complaints about LZ go out the window here. Most of their negative tendencies are gone, the songwriting is focused, the variety of songwriting is good, and even songs I though I disliked ("Kashmir") are brought to life in the context of Physical Graffiti.
Rod Stewart
2/5
I'm surprised I like anything about this album, but Rod Stewart knew what he was doing with "Every Picture Tells a Story" as lead track.
Over the course of the album Steward explores folk, blues, funk and rock tunes, but it all kind of sounds bland, and I could've done without "Amazing Grace".
Not essential.
ZZ Top
3/5
The lads from Texas found some synthesizers and started making rock tunes to a dance beat. I'm already very familiar with "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Sharp Dressed Man", but the rest of the album follows a similar formula. There's not tons of variety and it feels a bit bland at times, but when ZZ Top does switch it up a little, it's at least interesting.
I don't know how I had never heard "Legs" before, but I was not prepared for it.
I'll admit, for as corny as some of these songs are, it was difficult not to bob my head along, and, now that I'm noticing it, the synths are a great addition and give the songs a bit more depth. I didn't expect to like this as much as I did, but I doubt I will listen to it again. It's more of an appreciation than a fondness.
Not essential by any stretch, but it is indeed different, and there's not much else that sounds like it (which is a blessing).
The Lemonheads
3/5
Endemic of the 90's Alt-rock explosion, The Lemonheads were a softer, poppier offering.
It wasn't particularly inspired or original when it came out, but the very 90's sounds are very comforting to me. I love the attitude, I love the conventions that were new here, that just aren't done anymore ("I WANT A BIT PART IN YOUUR LIFE").
It's a Shame About Ray is middling in many ways, but great in enough ways for me to enjoy it.
The Kinks
1/5
60's England, clearly, did not put out a lot of quality rock bands.
I haven't forgotten about the Rolling Stones or the Who, but with competition like The Kinks, I completely understand why people latched onto The Beatles.
Boring as shit. There are some decent vocal performances, but I can't stand The Kinks.
"House in the Country" sounds like a Stones ripoff
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I listened to the US Version with "Paint it Black" as the leadoff track.
This is probably the least impressive Stones album I've heard so far, but that's not to say it's doesn't carry some merit. This is definitely a transitional album, as they are beginning to stray from the typical 60's British rock sound and incorporating elements of what would come on later albums.
Highlights: "Under My Thumb"
Incubus
4/5
It's difficult for me to be subjective about this record.
Hearing this transports me to winter of 2004, sitting in my parents' car outside of a Taco Bell, because I chose listening to an album in the cold over going inside for a warm meal.
This was absolutely a high school favorite, and carries tons of nostalgia for me.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Joni Mitchell is a poet. She weaves stories over plaintive acoustic guitar and the pictures she paints with her words are so vivid!
This is what I'd consider a 'coffee' album: something you listen to in the morning or in the space between waking and truly being awake and ready to do stuff.
There really aren't many lyricists like Joni.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
Save for the hits, "Welcome to the Jungle", "Paradise City", "Sweet Child O' Mine", this album is kinda garbage.
T. Rex
2/5
I knew of T. Rex because of the iconic Electric Warrior album art, and I had heard "Bang a Gong (Get iIt On)" before, but I otherwise went into this blind.
The band alters between folky, bluesy, and pop rock styles, occasionally adding in some psychedelic tendencies.
Outside of "Bang a Gong", there wasn't much for me here. I found it all very underwhelming. I don't get the hype.
Sugar
3/5
Upon first listen, Sugar's influence on the Foo Fighters is clear. Wall off noise production, very similar guitar tones and song structure/style, though Bob Mould does trend towards repetition a quite a bit.
It's an alt-rock album from the 90's so it gets a 3/5 by default, but it's lacking that wow factor for me. It's good, but it's not in my rotation.
The Damned
3/5
Solid 70's punk leaning into the hard and fast.
Highlights: "Love Song", "Melody Lee"
Public Enemy
3/5
It cannot go unsaid how important Public Enemy is to hip hop, especially pertaining to their sonically dense and innovative production. These dudes were absolutely fearless in every way. Nothing but utmost respect to Chuck D, Flava Flav, and the Bomb Squad.
That said, this is not a record I'd put on with any frequency, Fear Of A Black Planet is simultaneously timeless as it is dated, the aural barrage of sound is something I typically have to be in the mood for, and even still It Takes A Nation... is my preferred Public Enemy record.
Kanye West
1/5
I didn’t like this when it came out and I sure as shit don’t like it now.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
'So' incredibly close to perfect.
Peter Gabriel's defining album, complete with commercial friendly earworms as well as off-beat experiments.
The front half is full of bangers, but the back half is a little uneven. Very high highs and very middling lows.
So is part of my semi-regular rotation, so I was very excited when it came up, but it does force me to admit that it is not a perfect album.
Miles Davis
5/5
Miles Davis' first excursion into jazz fusion. It's a delightful listen, filled with a little tension and the effortlessly cool tone Davis was known for.
Very easy listen and one I often point to for anyone looking to explore jazz as a genre.
3/5
I love punk, and I love X, but this is probably not the X album I would choose in terms of importance or influence; that would be Los Angeles.
Wild Gift is still good, but it doesn't stand out quite as much as the previous album. If you enjoy punk tinged with rock'n'roll and country, you'll love X!
Meat Loaf
3/5
Overblown and large-lunged power ballads galore. I completely understand why my parents enjoy this, very dramatic and very silly at times, while also being very sweet and heartfelt, but it's nigh impossible to take Meatloaf without a grain or two of salt (and pepper).
I was not expecting this to be as fun as it was, but I don't think it's something I'll return to unless very drunk and jovial. I definitely see Meat Loaf's influence on South Park's Matt Stone and Trey Parker.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Drive Like Jehu have been on my radar, but rarely in my headphones, for over a decade. Because of the proximity to other bands I like, they tend to be part of the conversation, and they are a band that, on paper, I should love, but for whatever reason, have never clicked for me.
They sound very similar to Unwound and Refused, but with more occasional space and emo tinged experiments. On paper, I should love this, but I'm just not impressed. They're a good band, and this is a good album, but I've heard other bands do this better.
Elvis Presley
3/5
It's rockabilly. Elvis has a great voice and delivery, but doesn't necessarily improve on the many covers on this album. Sold effort, and it helps that it's less than 30 minutes.
The Soft Boys
3/5
I listened to Underwater Moonlight at work for the first time with no prior knowledge of The Soft Boys.
I recognized “I Wanna Destroy You” because The Circle Jerks covered it, but otherwise didn't get a good read on but otherwise didn't get a great read on the album.
Unrelated: Rachel Getting Married is leaving the Criterion Channel at the end of the month; I should watch it. I love Anne Hathaway. Who should appear, and play awesome tunes in this movie? Robyn Hitchcock, vocalist for The fucking Soft Boys. Incredible in this context and prompted another listen before bed.
It's giving 60's mod-leaning punk rock with psychedelic tendencies. There are shades of Cheap Trick, Bauhaus, The Who, and Lou Reed, while also carving their own sound more akin to R.E.M.
There are a lot of great tracks, and there are a few middling ones too. Giving this the absolute highest 3 star I possibly can (just like Big Star #1 Record).
The Fall
3/5
This is a grower.
In my first listen, I didn't get it. I typically enjoy this style, this humor, aesthetic, etc; all that goes into making a record like Live At The Witch Trials, but not much grabbed me. I was interested. I wanted to like The Fall.
A few more listens later, and I'm starting to get it.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
Country music, especially this style, does very little for me. It's generally too slow and plodding, or lifeless to hook me.