301
Albums Rated
2.59
Average Rating
28%
Complete
788 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Perfectionist
Rater Style ?
13
5-Star Albums
46
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tago Mago
Can
|
5 | 2.79 | +2.21 |
|
Smokers Delight
Nightmares On Wax
|
5 | 2.91 | +2.09 |
|
Locust Abortion Technician
Butthole Surfers
|
4 | 2.39 | +1.61 |
|
Hot Buttered Soul
Isaac Hayes
|
5 | 3.43 | +1.57 |
|
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Black Metal
Venom
|
4 | 2.47 | +1.53 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Now I Got Worry
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
|
4 | 2.52 | +1.48 |
|
Moving Pictures
Rush
|
5 | 3.58 | +1.42 |
|
Dummy
Portishead
|
5 | 3.71 | +1.29 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.77 | -2.77 |
|
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
On The Beach
Neil Young
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
|
1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
|
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
|
1 | 3.39 | -2.39 |
|
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
|
The Band
The Band
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 5 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 1.33 |
| Leonard Cohen | 3 | 1.33 |
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 1 |
| The Cure | 3 | 1.67 |
| Neil Young | 2 | 1.5 |
| Elvis Costello & The Attractions | 2 | 1.5 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 2 |
5-Star Albums (13)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
The Flying Burrito Brothers
1/5
Fer fex sake, this is pure country, I don't care what you claim it is. A Hammond or electric guitar is not going to change any of that.
It's also not something I have zero interest in.
3 likes
Neil Young
1/5
Cheeses crust, this is the umpteenth Neil Young album and I can't fucking stand him or his voice. This is getting ridiculous.
No.
1 likes
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Snoop's style and the whole gangsta thing is quite ridiculous, but most of the record grooves like a MF'r. It has the laid back feel we all expect from a Snoop record, the lazy flow he has is always nice to hear.
Some of the rhymes a quite dubious, it truly was the time of misogyny and homophobia. Male bravado is funny.
1 likes
Stereo MC's
3/5
I remember when this album came out. Connected played to no end and while I liked the track at first, they soon burned it out for me. I don't think I've ever listened to this all the way through, however I had mates who would listen to this a lot, so I might've as well.
This type of old school club music is really not my kinda thing. It's not bad, quite the opposite actually with lots of groove and rolling beats, but it's just not meshing with my music taste.
1 likes
Sabu
3/5
I know nothing about latin jazz, but appreciate the South American rhytmics. To me this sounds less like an jazz album, then again I know nothing about jazz and understand even less what makes any music jazz.
The album actually opens up with a track (El Cumbanchero) that I did recognise from somewhere. I do not have the faintest idea where that somewhere might have been.
I get it, I understand why it might be fun listen, but I just don't feel it.
1 likes
4-Star Albums (45)
1-Star Albums (46)
All Ratings
Tears For Fears
2/5
First of the bunch (meaning, my 1001 albums listen through).
I'm familiar with the band, even like some of their tracks, such as Shout.
I got an overdose of them in the 80's, when Sky Trax and Music Television we're a thing.
The album is the very essence of 80's pop, to my surprise it doesn't feel too dated today, it did feel very much so in the 90's.
For me it was a boring album for the most part, the artsy slow bits especially. Some of the light jazzy bits were fine as well, basically I liked the tracks with big beats and groove, disliked the soft moody songs with too much empty space in them.
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Ah, Stax Records, The Bar-Keys, soul music and unstoppable groove of the late 60's and early 70's. This album has been on my dive deep -list for quite a while, well all of Isaac Hayes catalog really.
It's an awesome record, the psychedelic era is starting to seep through, in a smooth way.
Garbage
2/5
Another 90's trope that was on every radio station, TV show and mediocre DJ playlist. Drove me crazy. I've heard this album in full few times, someone I dated listened to it a lot, but that's about it.
Its edgy pop music, with a slight punkish undertones and I understand they made an effort to not include "grunge vocabulary" in their music.
I hear and understand the appeal, but do not like the album, for reasons I cannot put to words. I might be biased "having been there", overexposure and what have you.
Santana
5/5
Santana has been on my radar for a long time, I've enjoyed his Woodstock performance on several occasions, but I've mostly listened to the self titled album. I actually have a version of this album in my collection, but can't remember when I've listened to it the last time!
And once again it's a joy, lots of latin vibes, "world music" meshed with rock, psychedelia and mysticism. I love it.
U2
3/5
Another album I have in my collection, I think I got it around the same time as Johsua Tree was released and ended up liking it more. Then came Rattle 'n Hum and Achtung Baby and I couldn't be bothered anymore.
This album has the good goth-ish post-punk whiney pop sound that I like, they didn't like what was going on and said so in an annoyed manner. Funny and naive, but also pretty and kind of interesting music.
New Year's Day is the best U2 song.
Public Enemy
3/5
I've "It Takes A Nation..." in my collection, but this album didn't hit me like that previous did. I think I was moving on to other things musically, so it took few more years to get back into hip hop via Paris, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube et al.
While I'm sure this is an important album in the hip hop context, it's just "more of the same" to me.
I do remember several of the tracks on this album, probably can get in on the hook from first go, due to power play in MTV and such, on tracks like "911 is a joke" as well as "Burn Hollywood burn" and "Fight the power".
Also, I didn't like the interludes that we're quite common at this time, I feel they just brake the feel and flow of the album, instead of adding to the story.
Brian Eno
2/5
First album on the list that I've not heard before, Eno I am familiar with of course, but not his music to any real degree.
I guess he was ahead of his time, because this sounds like early 80's to me. Not just the sounds, but the pop sensibilities... oh wait, Eno was in Roxy Music before this album came out. Okay, whatever, not my kind of music tho.
Blur
4/5
One of the big Brit rock records, I was into Oasis even more and I didn't get this album until discounts hit it later.
As a metal guy Song 2 hit me harder, while I appreciate the rest of the album too. I remember being quite indifferent to the ridiculous notion where you had to "choose your side" over Oasis or Blur and sometimes Pulp aswell.
It's not my favourite, but it's not bad either, quite enjoyable record in fact.
Buena Vista Social Club
3/5
I know the group, but not really the music.
I feel like I don't get anything out of it at home, maybe I would at a party or curated into a DJ's set, but like this, almost nothing. Few tracks did make me feel like I should learn to dance.
Rush
5/5
I've listened to Exit...Stage Left, live recording which I own and came out after this one, and R30, so lots of the tracks are familiar. Out of their albums I've heard some here and there, but haven't real idea how their style has evolved from one decade to another.
I mean, this album is basically mostly classics, for me anyway.
Public Enemy
3/5
I wrote this review once already, but it dissapeared, so F it.
TL;DW: have it, bought it way back when, really thin sounding, time has not been nice to it, don't really like to listen to it anymore.
10cc
2/5
Another band I know exists and that's about it. According to my Last.fm stats, I listened to one of their song, three times.
Well that was a handful. It seems the band had no direction whatsoever, they just made music in what ever style and direction they please. I think the first track had a guitar tone I really liked, aggressive low grumble, but it never came up again. The whole album is all over the place, I mean with better guitar sound and fuller production, the song "Baron Samedi" could be a Santana track.
There are few great songs on this, but for the most part I find it too scattered. It's like listening to a mixtape, but all tracks are played by the same band. It's kind of unsettling.
I just realized this is the band with that hit song "I don't like reggae, I love it" a.k.a. "Dreadlock Holiday". Holy shit.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
4/5
Another band I'm familiar in name only. I'm sure I've heard some tracks, but I couldn't tell which they are.
I don't know what I was expecting to hear, but it for sure wasn't punk laden garage with bluesy rockabilly tones. I feel there's psychedelic elements and repetitiveness from krautrock in there too, some experimental atonal noise elements sprinkled here and there. This is pretty wild stuff!
David Bowie
3/5
These kinds of albums I was waiting for! Music history that I've never gotten around to listening.
I wish there was someone explaining the importance and relation to the time period, just contextualizing the whole thing for me.
Just by the music alone I'm not wildly impressed, I mean Bowie is great, very recognizable and creative master, but still this leaves me feeling a bit... meh. Couple of songs had cool parts to them, that hadn't aged at all.
Neil Young
2/5
Ah, country and folk. I've gone to considerable trouble trying to get into this type of music. Just a few outlaw country artists have made the cut so far.
I'm not lyrically inclined and most vocals are just another instrument, which is why Young's voice, especially his high pitched yowls, rub me the wrong way. In addition a mere acoustic guitar or piano does not cut if for me.
I found this album utterly boring. I basically forgot I had music playing and it melds into the background, until Youngs wailing brings him back to focus. Even the rockier songs are starting to irritate me towards the end.
Nightmares On Wax
5/5
Nice, a band I didn't know nothing but the name about! I actually thought this would be a reggae/dub/elektro -mashup, after reading up on it I think this is something that my mates in the 90's tried to push on to me. Only things that stuck were Children Of The Bong and some Metalheadz/Goldie things, I suppose.
I really enjoyed this one. This is chillout music at it's best and I gotta look into this stuff some more.
Can
5/5
I love krautrock and while I know Can, I haven't really gone deep into their stuff. I do however recognize several tracks from this album, for example I love the bumbling groove of Halleluwah.
I listened to half of this album with other people at the office, some only tolerated it for a little while and found it annoying pretty fast.
I find the minor changes and tweaks to repetition of the songs interesting and enjoyable. Is this still considered experimental today, I don't know nor care. They did experiment the hell out of this record, I mean it's not totally atonal, but it also has bits that are.
It is a genre defining album for all I know.
Eminem
2/5
I've never listened to this album in full. I know several tracks out of it quite well, I've read many articles about it and acknowledge Marshall is the rappers rapper.
I'm not a rapper and I like screeching guitars, psychedelia and growled vocals. I see a problem.
For me, this is a not something I can listen to while doing something else. The ADD flow and ton of rhymes to boot are a bit too much, feels like I need to split my focus between several elements to enjoy.
Basic beats, while very groovy, and melodies do not elevate it to "I'm listening to music" category, so it's impossible to enjoy it just as that. It requires too much of me to be enjoyable on as a backing track, as plain music it's too pop and all the cutting edges are in the rhymes, not the music.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
I love 60's and 70's psychedelic soul/funk, Stax records hard hitters, even the industrial Motown stuff and the cool soundtracks that exploitation movies brought along.
Superfly hits a bit different because the music is made for a movie, it's got it's moments for sure, but soundtrack isn't the best platform for a cohesive whole of an album.
Musicianship is top notch, production likewise and it all sounds amazing.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
For some reason I love easy listening, jazzy show tunes and 60's pop music in general apparently.
I listened to the version of the album with the bonus tracks, so it's almost double the amount of songs and I never felt like I should put on something else.
Utterly enjoyable listen, her voice is smooth and has nice rasp when needed. Awesome orchestral bits here and there speak volumes on how little actual studio work modern day music requires. Compared to the production values on this, all new music feels so plastic and disposable and I hate that.
Hookworms
2/5
Apparently there is great adversity, bad luck, musical growth, excellent production and producers involved, but also they've been quite the pet of the indie scene.
The music sounds like eletro-influenced indie pop with some guitars thrown in to me. Not really music that I'm fond of.
These similar soundscapes with less of a hurry and synth vibes, would be reminiscient of Slowdive, whom I do like, but as it was it is just some aural background canvas for me.
The Dandy Warhols
2/5
Feels like watered down brit-rock with some U.S. folk thrown in for good measure. I get strange vibes, like it's produced by someone used to doing pompous stadium rock, then they're asked to tone it down and they don't really know how.
This is not what I though Dandy Warhols was.
Then again by late 90's I was not interested in billboard music at all, so I probably glanced over nor had any interest in most of that kind of music. Pretentious, boring, time has not been nice to this album.
Brian Eno
4/5
I love the idea behind the album, "music as ignorable as it is interesting... capable of inducing calm and a space to think". Also the fact that this is the first piece of music to be called "ambient" is quite astonishing.
In 1978 synths were very expensive and new, so not many artists used them and even fewer made music that focus around them. While modern ambient or even 90's modern style ambient, is quite different, I can hear the seeds of the soothing music in this record.
I might've listened to this at the wrong moment, it was morning and I just started working, but it still held my attention wonderfully well. Lovely.
Fats Domino
3/5
Again, artist that I know the name of, but their music is largely unknown to me and I have no idea where they fit in the grand timescale of music events that I have in my head.
I have a rough, but kind of solid, idea what this set of songs is, but I was surprised how laid back blues and "rock 'n roll" it was. For some reason I was expecting the hyperdrive of Little Richard.
Enjoyable bit of musical history that inspired so many artists, who then inspired lot more artists and so on.
Solomon Burke
2/5
This sounds very familiar, even tho I've never listened to Mr. Burke, atleast while knowing what I was hearing.
This has very classic sounding rock ballads, which are filled with clichés, probably because this is where they originated from. I don't know and don't care enough to look into it.
Sad to say, I found it quite boring of a album.
Black Sabbath
5/5
This is one of my all time favourite albums.
Black Sabbath did so much for the heavy music movement, that it is difficult to ephasize how important the band is, especially the first four records.
They almost single handedly spawned the doom metal genre, but also had huge influence in all of the heavy and extreme forms of music today.
The Smiths
2/5
I've only fairly recently become able to stomach Morrisseys style of singing and listened to his later albums for a few times with enjoyment.
This one however was quite horrible, his manners are multiples more annoying, the music is rather thin and lo-fi and feels like they've added some unusual instrument just because they happened to be around. I had hard time to find a song that would be better that the others, which usually isn't a problem for me.
Baaba Maal
2/5
This is music that would require a lot of cultural knowledge, understanding the language and tons of context for all kinds of things.
I don't mind not understanding the language, but not understanding the musical cues and rhythmic communication also, kinda defeats the purpose of reviewing or rating music in the first place.
My rating is purely from "how am I enjoying this as an aural canvas" standpoint.
Arcade Fire
1/5
It is clear, I do not like pop music like this. Previously in my 1001 play through the likes of The Smiths and Dandy Warhols made a similar impression, or rather left me wholly unimpressed.
This album is too long, there are just few tracks that rise above. The rest is sleepy background muzak, with the exception of the tracks sung by the female vocalist.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Yet one big name from American r'n'b/soul scene of yesteryear. Can't say I've delved into this groups discography, I just know several of the hit songs, probably from going through Motown/Stax stuff.
However, just starting the album I realize how much this has been sampled and remixed. Also how huge influence the disco movement had to the sound of whole genres of music.
Dr. Dre
3/5
It's a classic, but doesn't do much for me as a whole, outside beats and sampling.
Couple tracks rise way above the rest, Snoop in the house indeed, but most of the gangsta stuff was and is quite tiresome.
Various Artists
2/5
It was just christmas, I can't stand crissytunes, even the best ones are just barely tolerable, let alone listenable, so I'm not listening to this.
I'll give it and extra star for the performers, that it's Spector production, that it's proper music and not low effort cash grab (I think).
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
I've listened to Fever To Tell a lot more, bit this too is familiar album.
At one point I really liked garage rock sound, however I like the dirtier version of the style like that of MC5 or later The Hives and Thee Oh Sees.
This is in the same vein as White Stripes, but lots more pop and a lot less explorative. It's a fine rock album, but lacks in rough edges.
Basically, to me, it's modern pop music I can actually listen to.
Fleet Foxes
2/5
Very much not my kind of music. I remember when the music critics were hyping this up, but I've probably brushed it off and didn't really pay attention, since this was new to me. I wasn't at all surprised to fing this was a Sub Pop release.
Popish folk with a very artsey touch feels very forced.
Michael Jackson
3/5
I've had this album from mid 80's on and I thought I liked it quite a bit, but taking a listen to it now I found it's quite severily lacking as a full coherent album. It's a bit spread out, reaching for the new stuff, but keeping a tight hold of the old.
I like the older stule Motown stuff quite a bit, be it traditional or the newer. I do not like the slow stuff, Girl is Mine with Macca was not good at all. I feel like I've only listened to the A-side of the album as a kid, because some of those "extra" tracks are just not that good.
The Human League
1/5
Horrible flashbacks to early-mid 80's, synths of the time were everywhere. Horrible! The tsunami of synth-pop. The horror!
I did not remember how simple and one layered this music actually is, I'm sure it got better, but I still shiver just remembering their latter hits, which were all over music channels on a perpetual loop (while I do awcknowledge there where a lot less videos to put in said loop).
For old school synth stuff, give me Jarre, Vangelis and Kraftwerk, this I can not stand.
Joy Division
5/5
Weird soundscapes are my thing and this album has a lot of chaotic bits in the background. The music itself has a kind of inconsolable feel to it, a sense of otherness, outsider feeling that younger me would've embraced.
This music is born of pain and uncomfortable existence. No wonder goth scene has embraced this darkness for well over 4 decades.
American Music Club
1/5
Even worse that lame pop or weak synth music is weak country or "americana / alt-country".
I can't stand this type of music, at all. The idea of suffering through the whole album is not an option.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I remember liking Pretty Hate Machine, but was also very much into G.G.F.H's Eclipse album, Ministry's Psalm 69, Skinny Puppy stuff and such, before this one came out. By the time Downward Spiral came out, I was more or less moved on from industrial and felt like this didn't touch enough nerves.
I was ready to give this album 4/5 before listening, but I would lean more to 3 stars as far as it grips me today.
Now taking a re-listen years later, it has even more pop sensibilities than I remembered. It suprised me how much Marilyn Manson's sound was affected by Trent Reznor, seems to me it was especially this album.
Upon looking into the matter, Sean Beavan (who also worked on NIN records), Skinny Puppy producer Dave Ogilvie and Trent Reznor produced Manson, so no wonder they share the same DNA.
This is however very important album for a whole genre of music going mainstream, I'll stick with 4 stars for the historical values.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
I love me some tuareg blues, this was close enough that I recognize the connect. I like it a bit more rough with buzzing guitars if possible, but I did thoroughly enjoy this listen.
Can't promise to return to Songhoy Blues's music, but I know I'll continue to spin Tinariwen and Mdou Moctar.
Dire Straits
4/5
Another artist that suffers from my 80's music video overdosing, which ruined quite many bands for me, that I don't want to listen or it doesn't even dawn on me they might have something I would enjoy listening.
While I enjoy Dire Straits playing and laid back style of music, I subconsciously feel like something horrible is about to play, all the time.
It is a problem I have with surprisingly many bands, I'm finding out.
The Police
3/5
Looking back it's hard to hear the melding of styles this album has been lauded for. All I hear is the pop and reggae, on occasion punkish, elements combined in a perfectly tasteful way.
It does not tick the "new wave" nor "post-punk" boxes for me, even tho I'm being told by lots of reliable sources that this is, or was, the case.
As far as rhythmic and musical gimmicks go, I couldn't say. I know there are such things on this records that are held in high regard, especially on Copelands part, but since I do not recognize where and what they are...
It is a pleasant pop album for me, nothing spectacular, but it is also worryingly close to the '80's music video overdose' issue I am suffering from.
808 State
2/5
Acid house was never in my favourite genres within the realm of techno and EDM. I much prefer trance, trip hop and ambient techno, while this album wasn't bad, it's not what I like to listen.
Somehow I find this album chaotic and dull at the same time. There's not enough changes to keep it interesting, there's not enough repetition to make it "kraut" and there is too much small samples in the background that it feels chaotic and incohesive. It's a mess to my ears.
I also find the soundscapes quite dated, but that's not relevant in a review of an over 30 year old album.
AC/DC
4/5
Another personal classic, which has been on my plate from early pre-teens and never left. Most of the Bon Scott era, plus Back In Black, is what I've always prefered to listen from Acca Dacca, nothing's changed.
This is a really good rock 'n roll album, not their best but close enough.
Prince
3/5
Another familiar album of which I've never done a listen through. I'm beginning to think that music TV's might've done me a major disservice between late 80's and early 90's. I know several songs off the album, few enough to be quite fed up with them.
Titular track doesn't sound what I remember it sounding like, I'm assuming the blame on the video for that.
I was expecting a lot more funk and bluesy rock bits, but it was mostly simple pop music. Most of the musically interesting stuff for me was happening with the vocals, not the guitar or groovy basslines etc. which was the expectation.
I'm not sure if I'm disappointed or not, since it sort of fulfilled the expectations I had based on the video tracks. I wanted the rest of the album to be more ambitious music, filled with funk and soul, but sadly it was not.
Muddy Waters
3/5
I was expecting to hear blues on this list, but not really a live album, apparently one of the first commercially succesful live albums too.
Muddy Waters is a familiar name and I've heard his and other's versions of his tracks. I was familiar with just a few songs on this record, so it was mostly new stuff to me.
Blues in it's purest form, it's not something I often listen, but on occasion it is fine.
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
Okay. I was actually waiting to hear this one, I've been hearing so much about them as long as I can remember, but never checked them out.
Clearly I can't stand this new wave post-punk shit, it's getting on my nerves and the fucking wailing in annoying as all hell.
Khaled
1/5
I'm culturally, and by a language barrier, unable to rate this album.
Tonally it seems like very basic arabic pop music, production also seems nice, but other than that it offers nothing for me. I don't understand why they would want to re-record Lennon's Imagine nearly 30 years later tho.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
It seems I've never listened to this actual album as such. I've three of his albums in my collection, namely Live At Winterland, Radio One and Sound Track Recordings From The Film "Jimi Hendrix", but I'm quite sure I've had at least one of them on tape or something.
Most of the songs were however familiar, I've heard enough random songs via friends and radio, but there were few that I got to experience with fresh ears. They're more of the same, which is not a bad thing, so nothing jumped out as better/worse.
The sound quality and production is top notch on this album. It sounds incredible from my system.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I remember an old friend and a neighbour, returning from his family's temporary move to Germany, a converted and devoted fan.
I was kilometers deep in my fanatic hunt for extreme metal with the most exquisite perversions, so DM's "Violator" and songs about inner turmoil hardly registered.
I've since learned to like some of their music, so I'm stepping into this one with cautious hopefulness.
Quite underwhelming, while the songs are all beautiful, they lack the power and impact that I was expecting from more than few songs. No need to wonder anymore why Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence were, and are, such outstanding tracks.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Never been a big fan of Bruce's, his singing is a bit mumbling and music is very dependant on lyrics, which are another thing I don't really emphasize too much.
I don't really get why this is so revered and held in high regard. I find it quite a boring of an album.
The Doors
4/5
I had a Doors period in the late 80's and early 90's, which effectively died when the movie came out. My circle of friends did not like the fad that followed.
Anyway, most of their albums are quite familiar, including Morrison's poetry albums.
I'd say I like Waiting for the Sun or L.A. Woman the best, but I like all of them, even Soft Parade. It is however, very hard for me to rate them, against other music or between their catalog.
Tito Puente
4/5
Yet another artist familiar mostly by name. I'm quite excited to hear this album, since I'm not very aquainted with Latin dance music like salsa and mambo. While I'm familiar with Tito's music just a bit, I'll be the first to admit that I know "Oye Como Va" mostly from Santana's version.
It's energetic, fun and makes you want to move. I have no idea what they're singing about, but the music has lots of details and intricate nuances, which is nice. Surprisingly good listen.
Bob Dylan
1/5
I don't care for americana, country or folk, Dylan is especially bad for my ears, especially in his older age, the nasal gratings are too much for me.
Like I've said many a time, I'm not a lyrics forward person and this album is all about lyrics. It literally only has acoustic guitar in the background, "harmonica solos" and not much more. I find it incredibly boring, as far as the music goes.
Duke Ellington
1/5
Old timey swinging jazz is not something I enjoy. Had to cut this one short after four of five songs.
I understand the playing, I get the skill, I know these are highly appreciated musicians, but I just cannot stomach the high pitch happiness rampage that these tracks seem to convey.
Rush
3/5
Like I mentioned before in my Moving Pictures review, I've heard "Exit...Stage Left" and "R30" quite a bit, so on this one there was a familiar track too. Namely "A Passage to Bankok", but I've to admit the live versions are much better, especially in sound.
This album's songs benefited from the touring and playing, it's not the best sounding, but the songs are great.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
This was my chill out record in the late 80's, in between all that thrash and death metal, which I find hilarious.
I know this album quite well, only Lies EP exceeds the amount of listens this has had.
I forgot how laid back rock 'n roll this actually is. The lyrical themes are all drugs, booze and debauchery, but the music is just rock 'n roll. Having just read Sami Yaffa's memoirs, I can understand what he is talking about when he mentions G'n'R.
Hole
2/5
I've probably listened to this album only once in my life, at most. Hole has barely been on the outer edges of my musical landscape, other than the brief brush I've had with their music videos on MTV.
I'm surprised how much of an pop album this one actually is, a pop album with grunge bits and edgy lyrics. I now realize I shouldn't be surprised; the volume buying public doesn't care for ugly and harsh.
While I usually don't pay lyrics much attention, "Asking For It" grabbed my attention with lines like "Was she asking for it?
...asking nice? Did she ask you twice?".
Doesn't change my feelings towards the band much, but I feel could look into their first album, if it indeed has more "hardcore [punk] aesthetics" I might actually be interested.
Arctic Monkeys
2/5
Feels like another fad band I'm not familiar with, except from the critic circuit hype of the time. I'm happy to say that they don't sound as irrelevant as I was expecting up front. I can't say whether I've heard their music before or not, probably yes, but who knows.
The time this came out I was part of the heavy/extreme metal scene; doing interviews, reviews and also DJing at relevant clubs and events, few of them I was part of crew or were my own.
At first listen this plays like a rougher on the edges Blur. Soon I realized this was the from the new era of british rock music, but the initial impression is hard to shake off.
I like the edge this has sound wise, it doesn't sound too polished and mostly has the gritty feel a rock album should.
I don't care about the lyrics, so they're irrelevant to me. Feels like they're about partying and young people romance, but beyond than that I don't care.
The Cars
2/5
The Cars never did anything to me, boring pop music that blew up for some reason.
I find this just an annoying amalgamation of music styles that have more bite, watered down to... this.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
I'm familiar with Mr. Costello in name only and had no expectations from this album. I've never heard of this band of his tho.
Not impressed with this album of the year. I hear energetic rock/pop, Costellos voice is a bit disruptive and nasal at the same time, which I do not particularly like.
I have no means to set this into a timeline of pop music, for comparison reasons, to discover the significance of the release, nor do I want to.
Ah, I've just realized this release is of no meaning nor value to me.
Megadeth
2/5
My youth went with "Peace Sells..." and "So Far, So Good...", at the point this album came out, I was listening to death metal and other extreme types of music.
What I did remember was the extremely tinny soundscapes they liked on their albums. It's like they used and inverted V-shape for the soundprofile for many of the instruments, except guitars upper end. (I know of the remasters, they're compressed to shit. The original mix has dynamic range, also that's the version that has the merits to be on this list).
There are some nice moments, but for the most part this is quite boring record. Merely technical trickstery for the same of being technical and nimble fingers wankery, over melodies and good riffs.
Pixies
4/5
I was a fan in the early to mid 90's and was excited to see how I like Pixies now. I knew lyrics by heart. Needless to say, I liked it.
I have a penchant for quirky music and Pixies are just that. They play with rhythm and sounds, strange melodies are a must, their very distorted guitar parts make even the lightest of pop songs feel menacing and filled with emotion.
Favourite track have not changed, Veloria, Allison, Is She Weird and Dig for Fire are still SOOOO good.
Fleetwood Mac
2/5
This is the second time I tried listening through this album. First time I got about half way through before giving up. I find this album utterly boring, way too long and sort of fumbling through.
It's a pop album that is trying to have an edge, emulating what is popular at the moment, but without much passion in the trying.
It's got the polished sound of a well produced albu, playing with new gear in the studio with a capable sound engineer, but otherwise I can't hear the millions of dollars poured into making it.
To me it's all filler material, none of the tracks grabbed.
Johnny Cash
3/5
I'm more familiar with his San Quentin live, but I've heard this one more than couple of times as well.
Johnny Cash is one of the few country artists I can stand, or enjoy even, so I've no quarrels with listening him sing. It's a great and quite unique live record.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
I've never been huge fan, possibly never listened to this album from start to finish. I have to admit, I don't like them that much. I do however understand how influential they were for the birth of glam rock and basically the whole scene that spawned Guns 'n Roses et. al.
Andy McCoy is a talented guitarist, but not the kind that I prefer.
Hanoi is not punk enough, they're not hard rocking enough and their music feels gimmickey. I'm going to listen to this album through (now half way) but do not expect to be blown away by any of the remaining tracks.
The Vines
2/5
Everything about this screams The Hives to me, they're just not as good. I think I've gotten these two bands mixed up many times before, which has led to strange discussions.
The Vines have a whiff of garage about them, but not enough for my taste, so they're just another pop group with a touch of flavour to them.
Some of the tracks feel off, like it's pop, but producer told them to add some scream in there and more distortion to the guitars. Or the band wanted to do full blast garage, but the producer came in and smoothed things down just a touch... nah, this is not it.
It feels out of whack and lopsided. Forced even.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
While I'm aware of Arethas career, I'm familiar with some of her recordings with Muscle Shoals, I've never really listened to her whole albums.
I'm a fan of her soul and r'n'b tracks, not that into the blues ones and it seems I'm not the only one.
I love her voice, I'm deeply into soul music and that side of her career.
The Pogues
3/5
I 've been aware of Pogues for a long time, I even knew this album by name, but had not heard it as a whole. I'm more of an Dropkick Murphy kinda guy tho.
While the musical ability and variety took me by surprise, this is almost exactly what I was expecting. I'll probably need to look into their older albums, where the punkier side was much more up front.
It's sort of party music for me, which means it feel wrong to listen to it at home.
Beatles
2/5
Yeah, it's pop music by Them. I don't think much of it.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
I hear afrobeat, funk and what I assume is Brazilian stuff, outside of that I'm clueless. At points I hear what I hear on some Santana records, I do acnowledge they're from the same continent, which doesn't mean much on this context. But I still claim to hear some of that here (oh, apparently the records I was thinking of came out much earlier).
It's groovy and moves me like the tide, I like that a lot.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
I never really cared for PIL, so I mostly didn't listen for almost any of it. Rotten's wail is espescially annoying, it feels very pretentious even tho I suspect it's lack of ability instead of self-sufficient complacency.
Listens like a nephew's high school art project, whose parents keep telling him how talented he is and he honestly believes it.
For the most part I skipped tracks after about a minute or so, just so I can feel honest about trying to listen to all of it, but also not get angry and frustrated while doing so.
Utter bollocks.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I own this LP and once upon a time listend to it a lot.
It's a bit more complicated pop record with a sinister undertow. And a handful of songs that I really like.
I know this album was experimental for it's time, especially in sound, but that has not bearing in my scoring. I like Mr. Gabriel, especially pre-90's music, while "Us" is not a bad album either.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
I keep confusing Flaming Lips and Flaming Sideburns, so instead of garagey action rock I get artsy fartsy pop music with whiney vocals and acoustically played animated disney soundtracks. This is awful and I'm kind of upset it's called a rock album.
I can't be arsed to analyse this sloppy stool sample any more.
Pixies
2/5
My least listened Pixies record and I feel there might be a reason for it.
Surfer Rosa is missing the catchy tracks for me, it's all awkward and quirky.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
Another album I've actually listened to before!
This is the sound of hip hop, which I like and appreciate. Samples from classic and obscure sources a like, lots of style, humour and especially good music.
I'm not going to go into the rhymes and flow, because I don't know enough about this. Let's just say that Wu-Tang had some of my favourite rappers among their ranks.
The Flying Burrito Brothers
1/5
Fer fex sake, this is pure country, I don't care what you claim it is. A Hammond or electric guitar is not going to change any of that.
It's also not something I have zero interest in.
Ozomatli
1/5
"Not available for streaming at your location".
From the little bits that I did find, ie. cumbia and latin flavoured dance hiphop, it feels like street style Ricky Martin music. This is not for me
Black Sabbath
5/5
This is one of my most listened albums of all time, so I'm very partial to it.
It's at #80 in my albums top 100 according to last.fm, which doesn't have any listening data from 80's or 90's, starting at about 2004.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
As much as I love "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love", I've never heard this album in full. I also didn't know this was the first album Grace Slick was on, she makes such a difference on the sound.
The sound and the music is essential early psychedelia, on the cleaner pop side of things, but psych rock none the less.
While I like the more aggressive and less structured music of Can and Amon Düül, this is marvellous record. The only thing I consider a negative, is the very basic early 60's style pop songs (like "My Best Friend", which was probably considered rock music then and sounds like every other popular group of the time) and full blast blues songs. I wish they'd left those out and tried to keep the whole album psych rock for a consistent experience front to back. Which might be too modern thinking for the time.
Giant Sand
2/5
How interesting, another turn of the century band/album I've never heard of.
After listening half way through I can already say this is not for me.
Reminds me of Nick Cave to a degree... and Elvis Costello or someone like him, I don't like this kind of music, so I don't really remember their names.
It's not bad as such, it just doesn't hold my interest.
Folk music is not my think, I don't know what makes this "folk rock", I guess not doing it by the rules to the tee?
It is mostly about the lyrics, but I'm a music guy, melody and riff dude, I especially like massive sound. Acoustic guitar or a piano does not fulfil the need at all, even if they add some support instruments to the mix.
It's good enough that I can understand why someone would like this, but I just find myself thinking should I skip this track or just put on something entirely different.
PS. Midway through I did just that. I put on Ultra Death Cult's "End Times Are Good Times", which was another artist I'd never heard of before, but immediately felt slightly better.
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
I acknowledge their place in the canon of psychedelic rock music, but I'm still having trouble with the folk and coutry parts of this record. For the most part this album is insufferable wailing, which I was expecting due to Mr. Youngs prensence.
I gave up on most songs after few minutes and skipped ahead. Nope.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Not my cuppa. Way too "thin", most of the record only has two layers plus the raps and it sounds to empty and barren. Not to mention the weird style, I can appreciate the unique touch and personal feel the whole album has.
Listening to this felt like an obligation and it's not a feeling I enjoy when going through this list I've noticed (way too often I might add, it's kind of worrying).
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Excellent groove and bounce right from the get go. It's crazy to think this type of music sounds very familiar, even common to my ears, but this is instead the first time it's been brought to mainstream audiences.
Towards the end there was a bit too much technical performance type playing, which doesn't gel with the groove in my opinion. Overall I enjoyed this album a lot and I notice I'm not as allergic to jazzy stuff as I was, say 10 years ago.
Neil Young
1/5
Cheeses crust, this is the umpteenth Neil Young album and I can't fucking stand him or his voice. This is getting ridiculous.
No.
David Bowie
3/5
Ah, another album I've ment to listen, but never got around to!
I even know a few tracks off this album as it is.
Bowies music is often very lyrics centric, which makes for a bit more boring listening experience. The album has 3-5 great songs, but some of the tracks sound so similar to each other, so one would have to be interested in the lyrics and stories they tell to get more out of them. I am not.
Rest of the songs are ballads and slow moody songs, which I find very boring and tune out sort of automatically.
This is not his best album for me, nor is it the worst, just not that interesting either way.
In the context of Mr. Bowies career it seems to be an important one, but since this kind of music in general does not do much for me, well, I don't care for this one either.
I'm kind of sad that most pop music is so shite for my ears and brains, I'd like to enjoy all the music, but alas! This is not the case!
Paul Weller
2/5
What are the merits that this one's got to be included, since the wikipedia article didn't shed a single photon of light upon this.
Music is perfectly adequate pop, nice productions, the songs are as boring as ever.
It's referred to as trad rock in few places and I'm assuming it's some sort of initiator to a micro genre of british popular music, one which I couldn't give a gnats bollocks about, but none the less. This might be the reason why this album is held in high regard.
Fractionally more interesting than country/folk evolution with wee bit of added electricity.
M.I.A.
3/5
Even tho I'm not particularily interested in EDM in general, I recognize the merits of this album.
It's was interesting enough to not skip tracks or otherwise get frustrated, but this is not music I'd put on myself.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
There are so many familiar songs on this album, that I feel like I've already heard it. While I've never been much of an Stones fan, I can appreciate their music. To me they always felt a little safe, while their public image was not (not sure if that was conservative press doing that or what).
I can hear the familiar Stones sound on this record, already second song "Stupid Girl" has all the elements I've heard in their songs all the wasy to 80's and 90's, wasn't expecting to hear them on a recording from 1966.
U2
3/5
Another album I've had in my collection for years. I despise the bands modern output, their devolution has been horrific since the 80's.
This one however is still rather good album, I like the soundscapes on it and especially the boxy drum sound.
It's not all pure gold, there are some 80's stinkers on the album, but for the most part it's pretty enjoyable.
Tim Buckley
2/5
While I'd not list this as something I'd prefer to listen, I'm much happier with a slightly jazzy twist, than I am with the americana/folk wailings.
This is very much not my cup 'o maté, too drawn out and probably very much centered on the lyrics, which I can't be bothered to listen.
I've got nothing more on this one.
Air
3/5
Pleasant and pretty. I've never been huge fan of soundtracks, but this was a nice one.
Aerosmith
3/5
In the late 80's I was deep in the world of Thrash and Death Metal, what would now be called extreme metal, my dad went to London and asked what I'd like him to bring me back.
I asked new thrash/death metal records, probably said "something heavier than Slayer/Metallica" or along those lines, because I remember thinking the sales person needs to understand what they're being asked for.
He brought me this album.
I think I listened to it the first time around mid-90's and was kind of pleasantly surprised. It's not bad American radio rock, some of the better songs are not targeted to be single hits and few bluesy ones in there too.
I can't say it's my favourite of theirs, but it's decent and not totally tailored to woo the average radio listener.
The Notorious B.I.G.
1/5
Not a fan. Very 90's, very gangsta and very misogynist.
The beats are general, the album doesn't have much musical aspects outside plain hip-hop stylings and Biggies style of _spittin' verses_ is not something l like. The verses are fine, albeit with a very narrow set of subjects they cover (violence, misogyny, ego tripping).
Too much focus on the rapping and verses, which don't carry, while the backing stuff is too monotonous and uninteresting to keep the momentum going.
Radiohead
3/5
I liked OK Computer, but after that I didn't really pay attention to Radiohead. After listening to this one I don't mind my relapse.
They've gone to the other end of what I find interesting; minimal, laxed, artsy... a lot of the things I often do not care for.
Sadly I feel I have nothing to say about this album, which is ofter even worse fate that hated. Meh.
Prince
4/5
The groove the man has is undeniable. There are few unnecessary tracks, especially the ones that edge on porn, that would've made this a better listening experience, but it is a solid album.
The Associates
1/5
Oh gawds. Artsy post-punk electronica, distressed flamboyant vocals, super tinny soundscapes and 80's vibes.
I guess they're shooting for psychedelic weirdness, but it comes across as art school student work and forced strangeness. The cool bits that were happening in early 80's underground music have been layered on top of each other willy nilly and the cracks filled with "I want to add this" without a thought to consistence or coherence.
This is fucking awful.
R.E.M.
2/5
They're not really my jam and they were force-fed down my earholes all through the 90's, Everybody Hurts and Man on the Moon we're some of the tracks that still result in changing the channel or shutting it off.
I think I have the previous record in my collection, but even that got boring really fast, when that hit the airwaves in Finland with full force.
I'll take a proper listen and then decide how it sounds now, as a whole.
Nah, still bemoany but also kinda dated.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Yet another fad I skipped in the turn of the naughts.
Everytime I heard someone talk of Arcade Fire I had problem remembering which band it was, I know I've heard their music, quite a lot at one point, but nothing stuck.
Sound like so many bands, I hear echoes of Brit rock bands like Suede and stadion pop such as U2 et. al. and none of this appeals to me.
This album did nothing to me. Utterly forgettable. I mean, it didn't annoy the hell out of me, so I guess it deserves two stars?
Wilco
2/5
Yet another bland pop record.
I've heard of Wilco, I've heard friends sings it's praise, but I've still no idea why that is? Does nothing to me.
This is not rock music, not art nor indie or otherwise, a few licks with a distortion pedal doesn't turn pop music into rock.
Jeff Beck
3/5
I mostly know Jeff Beck by reputation and as a celebrated guitarist, but haven't really heard his music that much.
I wondered about the vocalist, he has a mad rasp to his singing and later find out it is Rod Steward himself.
I often find the late 60's blues fad a bit tiresome, but not on this record and for the most part it leans quite a lot towards heavier rock or rockblues. While comparisons are worthless, in my sphere of knowledge this has a lot of crossover with Jimi Hendrix and someone else I can't pinpoint right now.
I'm quite enjoying this record and am wondering how I never stumbled onto it back when I was digging the 60's/70's used vinyl crates.
Grateful Dead
2/5
I've ment to listen to The Dead for a long time and I'm so dissapointed with this album. It's the same folk country shit like the others on this list and I can't stand any of these.
The psychedelia is not in the music, it's in the drug use and audience interaction, which never occurred to me beforehand in the slightest.
And I'm not listening to live performances, I've no interest in country 'n folk, whatever the context.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
Some of this is still great, but here and there it really shows it's age.
To me, old school hip hop is too light on the music side and leans too heavily on the rhymes. I don't care about rhyming or the stories they tell.
Also, don't even start about the rock stuff, sure they did that, but do you really think it still sounds great?
Frank Sinatra
3/5
I like showtunes, or american schlager and I like to call IT. I especially prefer the lounge stuff, but big band versions are cool too.
Sinatra is not my favourite, but he has a pretty cool style and bravado to his singing, that cannot be dismissed.
I'll take Richard Cheese over Sinatra any day tho.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
I knew Janis was in a band before her solo career, but it never stuck which band that was. I'm happy to finally hear this album.
While I'm happy to hear this, I'm also quick to point out that this kind of blues rock vibe is not really my jam. It's cool and I don't mind listening, but often it gets hung up in mannerisms that don't really serve where the song would've wanted to go. Or that's how I feel about it anyway.
The album has it's moments tho, especially enjoyed the history and energy this recording has.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
Not a huge fan of reggae, but Marley is fine for the most part. I just get bored of listening to it very easy. And live I've said in the past, lyrics are not that important part of music for me.
I find most reggae lacking in layers musically and exceeding my personal levels for positivity multifold. There are exceptions.
Suede
3/5
I've not heard this album in full before! Suede appeared in my radar around the release of Coming Up album. I was more of an Oasis bruv.
It sounds very familiar, maybe just a bit rougher around the edges, not that polished and I like it! Brett Anderson already has all of his mannerisms tho.
I do like the recods for the most part. Some of the ballads are kind of weak tho, I skipped few tracks like that midway through out of boredom.
Goldie
3/5
For the most part I know Goldie from the stuff he did with Metalheadz, but not really his personal stuff. I mean Photek and Dillinja ring a bell, but I don't really remember names... Platinum Breakz compilations maybe?
Anyway, back then I was more into jungle that drum 'n bass, also psychedelic downtempo stuff like Children Of The Bong and trip hop like Tricky.
This sound nice tho, haven't listened to anything like this in years.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Never was really into Foo Fighters and listening through this didn't sway me one way or another. I guess this was rougher around the edges than their latter music, but didn't really hit a nerve of any kind.
Franz Ferdinand
2/5
I already feel I've listened to this album as part of this project, many times. Again, it's not a bad album, just more of the same. I get nothing out of this type of music, except maybe a tinge of boredom.
Pantera
4/5
While familiar with this album, it was never in heavy rotation, as by 90's I was deep in the extreme/death metal scene and "normal metal" had very little appeal to me.
So basically I heard this album song by song from bar jukeboxes and DJs playing it. It's got hooks, a dry sound that was popular in the 90's and it's massively lacking in the bottom end of the soundspectrum. Give me Bolt Thrower any day all day.
This however is a decent album, it was very important to many of my friends and did do well in general. Personally I just do not have any passion to go with it.
The Stooges
4/5
Ah, OG garage/punk with kraut vibes!
They've got so much shit going in their stuff that I like, it's hard to describe. The Stooges are not super important to me as such, but the long tail of they've done has whipped around in so many things.
You have to remember that this is around the same time that Neil Young and his pals we're causing uproar in the folk scene by just plugging their guitars in to an amp! I gotta follow this with some MC5!
These guys are smashing their way into the future with reckless abandon.
Sex Pistols
3/5
I got into Lama and G.B.H. before I found Pistols and by then I had already been exposed to hardcore punk and thrash metal, so they didn't really make an impact on me. After reading more and more about them, it seemed like "set-up boy band" more than anything organic, so I never was really interested.
But anyway, as far as the album goes, it plays to me like rough rock album, it doesn't stir the sense of danger the way MC5 or The Stooges do and it feels a tad like over acting, if that makes sense.
As far as the music goes it's guite decent, better than the half a dozen or so brit pop/rock albums I've heard in the last few months off this list.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Almost as good as their self titled. Origins of doom metal, and many a band, start with this album.
Talking Heads
2/5
I've always had problems with Talking Heads, especially with Mr. Byrne's vocals, probably more than a bit with his lyrics as well. This time however, vocals were not an issue.
While the album has it's moments, Once in a Lifetime comes on top and most of the other songs don't make much of an impact. I like that there are a lot of cool rhytmics from around the world, clumped into songs that work, but many of the tracks felt like background hum and it was easy to lose concentration.
Common
2/5
Not my kinda hip hop. Nothing wrong as such, just doesn't hit me like I was expecting.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
I was expecting a lot lighter experience, something akin to almost all other brit pop/rock I've so far heard on this project.
I'm not hating it. I actually like that it has a lot of stuff on it, electronic stuff right after rock song and straight into a bond-theme-esque like pop song.
But by the end of this how ever, I was more than ready to move on to other things.
Wikipedia's description for this album still reads like... I don't know, stupid. Like "incorporating death metal", REALLY?! WTF does that even refer to?.
Spiritualized
3/5
I don't remember Spiritualized being space rock?!
This is britpop/rock with a touch of hippie, man.
I don't mind the music, but Wikipedia is fucking all over the place with it's genres/classifications and I'm getting pissed about it. Well, it might be the original mainstream magazines that made genremush as well, but I'm annoyed none the less.
I can see why they're saying space rock tho, feels like Spiritualized had indeed ingested fair dosages of Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles, which was then filtered thought Spiritualized thought processes. I feel like even neo-psychedelic might be a bit too much to say. More than any psychedelic residue in the music, I feel the brit rock flavour the strongest, hands down.
Patti Smith
2/5
I found it a bland recording of weird bland pop music. I'm sure the lyrics are epic poems of timeless beauty, I just couldn't care less one way or another when it comes to music.
I got nothing from this.
The Who
3/5
The musical part of this album is not to my liking, while The Who's music in general is, for the most part.
Their Live at Leeds is one of the best live recordings I've ever listened to.
While I know this is accompanying a full movie, I can't shake the feeling this has a lot of filler and mood music, which ruins the vibe for me.
Buck Owens
1/5
I'd rather listen to no music at all.
Plain country music is not something I enjoy hearing.
Taylor Swift
2/5
Plays like an expensive producers pop record, sounds like it's put together by a committee, produced to sound current with retro sound.
This has all the ingredients I dislike in modern popular music.
Ms. Swift has a pretty voice.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
A classic, I don't know how many times I've listened to this album, but it still hasn't gotten boring.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
This album feels like there are too many filler songs, for the most part I do like it and it has many classic songs I do like a lot. I love Stevie Nicks' voice.
Hugh Masekela
2/5
Not that much afrobeat on this list and it's not really all that obvious on this album either. I'm not much of an jazz fan, too much of it is toying with "standards", showing off technical ability and constant soloism. This album has it's moments, but it blends into nondescript background music very easily.
I'm dissapointed.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
1/5
Can't be arsed to listen to more that few tracks off this one. I really do not like country nor folk music, I'm noticing it's starting to get on my nerves.
Justice
3/5
Good EDM is very subjective and almost all EDM is not something I would listen to outside club setting. I'm happy to report that this is not your basic bass/rise/drop/repeat looped electronica, but actual songs in the style of.
The album kept the groove going from start to finish, didn't miss a thing. Some of the songs melded into each other, so I couldn't pin point what was different about them, but I did other things while it was playing.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
While I'm quite unsure how actualy rock 'n roll this album is, I do like most of the tracks. A lot is to do with Fogerty's singing and the overall bluesy vibe of the album. Great playing tho.
The music is very folkey and country, nearly enough to annoy me, but with a healthy dash of blues to ease the issue.
The Strokes
3/5
I keep thinking The Strokes is the The Hives, confusing the bands. So I was very excited to see this album come up, but was quickly reminded that this is "the pop version", sort of American version of brit rock and not that hård hitting garage rock från Sveden.
It's not a lousy record and there are tracks here I do enjoy listening, but it also has a lot of too lazy strumming.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
I knew a confusing amount of songs beforehand, quite a few of them from their Finnish translation counterparts too, which I had not realized was a thing.
I am also very happy to report it does not sound trad. folk enough to make me want to poke out my ears.
Not the kind of music I enjoy listening, but I did somewhat enjoy this once over.
Orbital
2/5
Sometimes Brit electronic stuff is just so weird, I don't know how to... reflect on it. Is it abstract humour, is it art, pretentious artsy music, is it ment to piss off dancers or what the hell were they thinking?!?
I started to grow tired of it, then I forgot it was playing, then it hit me again and I had to switch out.
The White Stripes
3/5
I like White Stripes fine, but some of their music is just too artsy to me. Feels like Jack White is hell bent on being artsy as fuck, making rock music with glockenspiel by leftal force if he has to.
Lots of fine tunes on this one too, but I prefer their White Blood Cells and Elephant.
The The
1/5
Again, 80's pop music labeled as post-punk just because.
Never likes The The hits I've heard off Sky Trax or MTV, doesn't change here.
Did not enjoy this at all.
R.E.M.
3/5
I've not heard these early R.E.M. records at all, I think. No idea what to expect, outside of "80's college radio music".
I noticed that since it's friday and lots of new music is released, I couldn't wait to be done with this album and move on, so I just did. It's not bad as far as music goes, not as whiney and nasal as the music of latter day Mike Stipe. Just didn't raise any feels, at all.
The Who
2/5
It sounds very much like what other contemporary rock bands did at the time and I prefer the latter recordings they've made. Especially their "Live At Leeds" is stunning.
I feel like this album is on this list just because it has the track "My Generation" on it. Which is... not a good reason in my opinion.
Retrospectively ranking this album this high, because it is the "forefather of punk and heavy metal" is just weak and lazy, it's just the first one that has a hint of what The Who was going towards, but that doesn't make this album any better.
Mudhoney
3/5
Noisy punk music that later evolved into "grunge" elsewhere, it's not as fuzzy as the title suggests, but it has it's moments.
Not a huge fan of Mudhoney, but I've yet to check out their whole catalog. There is something intriguing about their music, but not enough to grab me with the on the spot, so it takes a while. Maybe.
Lucinda Williams
1/5
Bland music, boring vocalist who is sounding mudane, music is country/folk... what's there to like?!
I'm kind of weirded out by this album being on this list.
3/5
Not their best, but decent brit rock album none the less. I feel this one is missing the hits for me, tracks like Beetlebum or Song No. 2 come to mind off the top of my head.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I've never liked Cohen's music, but his voice is amazing. I'm pre-emptively giving this album a 2/5 and will verify it by a quick listen.
His voice isn't even dark and musky on this one, as he is but a young man. I _really_ dislike folk music.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
While this sounds nice, I prefer his earlier albums, such as Innervisions or Talking Book.
New York Dolls
3/5
I seem to remember the Dolls were a bit of an "shock rock" troop who're lumped in as punk rock band. I'm not the correct person to (dis-)prove that, but this sounds remarkably like Hanoi Rocks did later.
This sounds more like rock 'n roll with some attitude, than punk rock to me, sort of like garage vibes.
Not really my bag of riffs, but I don't mind listening to it and edjumacatin' meself on sum rockin'.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
I know this album by it's visuals. I know this album by it's name and of "Nico's" tragic life. Many of the songs are familiar as covers, such as Venus in Furs by Electric Wizard. And finally I know it by the impact it has had in alternative music in general.
Yet, I've not heard this album in full before. Feels weird man.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
I know Kiwanuka mostly by name, I've heard few tracks here and there, but never really delved deeper into his music. I stumbled into "psychedelic soul" descriptor for this album and was immediately interested.
It sounds like a big album of the old, where producers pushed the artist and everything they did was in the support of The Album.
I'll probably return to this album several times. Sounds massive.
Willie Nelson
2/5
While not the outlaw country album I was expecting, which is one of the few types of country/folk music I can actually stand, it's not that much better. Willie's voice is quite nice, the orchestrations are pleasing and playing is not annoying.
The songs are however very much in the same realm as Finnish "iskelmä", which means kinda like schlager but without the folk stuff, so popular songs made as generic as possible. I did not know Unchained Melody could sound this bland.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Sort of left field surprise, I'd heard of this band, but had no reference so never really paid any mind. But then surprise Eric Clapton and Duane Allman enter the chat, from absolutelu effin' nowhere did I see this coming.
Well, the album turns out to be mostly boring blues/soul noodling, the stuff that was really popular in the early 70's. Few really good tracks in the mix, I mean Layla is there... I was half expecting to hear Cocaine after that to tell you the truth.
Most of it is pretty meh tho, nice guitar playing, don't get me wrong, but boring album is boring, no matter how nice the boring song's guitars are played.
Butthole Surfers
4/5
Drug infested nightmare fuel, glue sniffing big brother psychedelic punk with it's stillborn grunge sibling doing their thing, while side chick noise rock is sticking it's nose in it every chance they get.
The album has an interesting backstory, that they rented a house to record this in by themselves, bought some gear and noodled on with the recordings while leisurely doing drugs. I mean, this is how legends are created, be it blues, metal, rock or fucking sludge.
Did I like it? Fuck yeah!
Am I going to listen to it again? Hell nah!
Venom
4/5
One of the first albums I've ever bought myself. I tell the story that I went in to downtown by myself at tender age of 12-13 and came home with Venom's Black Metal and Kiss' Hotter Than Hell, but I was probably few years older and I think it's a false memory.
A precursor to thrash and black metal, an album's worth of NWOBHM with notable punks aesthetics, this is an assential album in my music collection as well as thousands of other young metal heads of the 80's.
I still know the lyrics to "Buried Alive" by heart as soon as the song kicks in.
Portishead
5/5
What an excellent album! By mid 90's my taste in music had accepted that electronic music had flavours and everything with a massive bassy beat was not "euro techno", so I went to town. Portishead was one of the bands that really made an impact and sold the idea that dark and gloomy music didn't have to be fast nor heavy, or rather that heavy started to mean various things when talking about sound.
For some reason I find this a bit lenghty release, feel like switching around the last three tracks, but usually let it play through. Really beautiful music.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
Directly when my absolute dedication to extreme metal started to crack, this album came out, among others.
Beforehand, I was already getting ready for RHCP's evolution with Mother's Milk, while I still preferred their earlier style it slowly grew on me (read: expanded my musical understanding and readiness for new stuff).
This album is part of the soundtrack to my growth, both as a man, personality and musically of course.
I probably still know most of this album by heart.
As a sidenote, the whole of 1991 was quite tumultuous for me and where this RHCP album is tightly would up with my life; I got laid off, drafted into the navy infantry (which ran from fall of '91 to late summer of '92), but also I found so much new styles of music. Bands like Cypress Hill, Primus, Godflesh, Type O Negative, Pearl Jam, Massive Attack, Infectious Grooves, Soundgarden, Ice Cube, Cathedral and the list goes on for 1991-'92.
The metal side of '91 was thick with bangers for me too, with albums from Bolt Thrower, Bathory, Morbid Angel, Dismember, Carcass, Entombed and Suffocation.
Future me would also find '91 albums like Monster Magnet's Spine of God, Kyuss' Wretch, The Obsessed's Lunar Womb, Corrosion of Conformity's Blind and Temple of the Dog's album, very important albums that found me few years later and which would steer me on to the aural road I'm still travelling.
The Smashing Pumpkins
2/5
Another familiar album, which I've not listened through that many times, atleast with thought and focus.
It feels like a lot of filler songs with the classic hits and few other great songs. The music feels quite dated, especially the grander songs, not something I can honestly say about some other albums of the era that I still like.
Smashing Pumpkins never was on my top list for anything, but I've listened to my share of Mellon Collie. In the streaming era tho only few songs have even entered my playlists and only very specific reasons. The band is quirky, grandiose and a bit long winded.
Elbow
2/5
I'd heard much about the band, but never really listened to any.
This sounds like so many other bands, while I don't know who was before and who later, I hear almost nothing unique (individual vocalists voices etc. obviously are). Radiohead-ish pop music, Coldplay feeling bits, Peter Gabriel vibes...
Biggest thing are sound and styling, which reminds me of many other artists, but some of the interesting bits sound like The White Stripes on several occasions and across different instruments. There are other similarities I found noticeable which I can't pin point, so much so that I'm having trouble listening to the actual music over picking on the "samples" (as in "this sound is off that album, that tone is off this artist").
Music wise I found it boring, plain and not engaging at all.
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
This has some weird shit. But also ne enough, nor constantly weird.
I know Rufus' name, but nothing else about him.
This is also kinda folk-ey, but not enough to turn my stomach all the way. Based on the cover imagery I was cautiously hopeful, but that came crashing down fast.
I didn't like it.
The Beach Boys
2/5
I know this is a milestone in studio work, sound engineering and production, but as a pop record the music is nothing special at all. In fact I find it quite forgettable, most of the album just faded into the background as I listened.
The Cure
2/5
Goth pop has never been my go to, I do love me some Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim or Joy Division on occasion.
I find this somehow too resigned, disinterested even in their own doings and that ruins the interesting dreamy vibes for me. The album sounds great, whoever recorded and engineered this did a fine job or adding space between instruments. The soundstage is wide and airy.
It's just that the music is... weak. Lethargic. Whatever it is, it is not to my taste.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
1/5
I was expecting to hate this from the first note onward, but the first song reminded me of American pop skate punk and kept me listening for a while. Then it went to what I expected to hear from a Costello album.
I'll repeat what I said for the previous one: this release is of no meaning nor value to me.
Nirvana
3/5
When Nevermind came out, I had just found out about Bleach and was kind of bummed that they went so much softer sound on the second album. Obviously it grew on me and the A-side became really familiar, as I kept on listening to A-side. I in fact have the "Euro misprint" version of the LP.
It's a pretty cool record, even if it doesn't have the roughness of the first album.
Tom Waits
2/5
Tom Waits is a totally hit 'n miss artist for me, ephasis on misses sadly.
Some of his blues stuff is sort of on my radar and few collaborations, but this weird alt stuff is not even interesting to me. Too much emphasis on lyrics and the music is not really that interesting, almost none of it suits my tastes.
Metallica
3/5
Ah, 'tis is my youth. When Justice came out I was already going deep into the Death Metal hole. After Master of Puppets I'd found the joys of Slayer, Venom and Celtic Frost, now I was plunging into Napalm Death, Morbid Angel and Bolt Thrower.
I remember being at the stadium gig for this album and thinking how it's not working for me any more.
This album has thinnest of thin soundstage, buried bass and the snap of the drums is really annoying to me. I still can't understand why they ruined this album with sounds like this, and, AND, I listened to the 2018 remastered version. I shudder to put on the original one.
I recommend checking out "...And Justice for Jason", a fan made edit with enhanced bassline.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Funky afrobeat is always appreciated, for some reason all Fela Kuti I've heard before, did not resonate like this one did. I will return!
Adele
3/5
While the music doesn't blow me away, her voice is pretty damn awesome. Production values are through the roof and song structures are top notch, if somewhat predictable (ie. it's not exploratory progressive music).
This is as good as modern pop music gets in my opinion, that said it is not something I listen to very often. For similar cravings I'll rather spin some soul or funky r'n'b, previously I have also listened to Duffy and Amy Winehouse for similar kicks.
The Temptations
3/5
I love soul, old school r'n'b and Motown/Stax sound, but was very surprised how unpolished this album sounded. I'm probably more familiar with Temptations latter sound or something, because these felt stripped down and basic.
Faust
3/5
I love me some krautrock, but I prefer that of Can, Neu! or say Amon Düül, with emphasis on rock and minimum amounts of gimmicky artsy fartsy bollocks. Faust leans too much on the art side for my taste.
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Awesome mix of funk and motowney r'n'b, good vibes and catchy grooves. The album has some tracks that do not keep me hooked in, especially the slow ballad-ish stuff, but this was how it had to be at the time.
Another band I'll need to do a deep dive into at some point.
OutKast
3/5
While I like the album, some of the weird interludes, audio gimmicks and spoken word jokes are not enjoyable. I find the interruptions to the flow of the whole disrupting and tacky.
Most of the album's music is groovy as heck tho.
Charles Mingus
3/5
It's jazz. Most of it the good kind with notes in sensible order, some of it is just running fingers on one instruments or another. I did listen to it all the way through, heard some of that... old timey theater music, what ever it's called.
This is not something I'd put on myself, but it's not offensive and I don't mind listening to it.
2Pac
2/5
I don't think I've listened to a Tupac album in full, I've only put on compilations and such.
This has the sound that I associate with California (probably called west coast hip hop or something like that), which I do like, but it tends to sound very monotonous after few tracks.
I prefer hip hop with loads of samples, Oddisee or DJ Shadow or RJD2 type thing, something that makes the track more music than just background to rap over to, which is probably why I'm so picky with my tracks and songs. And why I prefer the "2Pac Greatest Hits" type releases over the actual albums.
PJ Harvey
3/5
Sonic Youth
2/5
Sonic Youth is great for the most part, some of it is just too weird for my taste and feel like school art project.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
I already feel like Im gonna hate it before hearing one single note.
It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, not as folkey or country as I feared, but still quite uneasy listen.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I enjoy some CCR now and then, but rarely a full album. It's not a horrible listen, but there's too much country/folk in there to deter me off.
Emmylou Harris
1/5
Still don't like country, at all.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
Very interesting album. While hip hop it's all over the place musically. Sometimes frantic, often extremely groovy.
Daft Punk
2/5
Not something I enjoy listening to at home. Club music for very specific situations.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
While not the worst, this is way too close to country/folk for my comfort. Bruce has a nice voice, but I don't like most of his music at all.
David Bowie
3/5
Hearing references to Neu! and Kraftwerk, but also ambient mentions, I was very interested in listening to this album. I was however left with dissapointment after listening, due to this sounding like David Bowie pop record, meaning something I found very familiar. I'm not that familiar with his discography, but I have heard atleast two of his previous albums and don't immediately find the difference as staggering as it's made out to be.
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
After Kyuss broke up, I was very happy to hear Josh Homme continuing with Gamma Ray and eventually QotSA. While I was not totally happy with the direction they seemed to be heading, it was sort of audible on the Kyuss and Beaver split releases, but I only lost interest around the time "Lullabies to Paralyze" came out.
I've been meaning to listen to the latter albums, but have failed to do so and atleast two albums I've left untouched all together.
I do like this album tho and have it in my collection.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
The name of the band was vaguely familiar from somewhere, but I becase enthusiastic about this release as I read them being described as proto-punk.
While I can hear why it'd be mentioned, it's very far in the birthing of the genre.
Rolling Stones-esque blues rock, while not bad, it's not too exciting either. Pleasant rock album.
Badly Drawn Boy
1/5
Do not like. I find the term "chamber pop" kind of offensive.
Public Enemy
2/5
Already listened on Nov 20 2024 as album #6, before joining a Group. Here is a recap of that review:
"I've "It Takes A Nation..." in my collection, this album didn't hit me like that one did. I think I was moving on to other things musically, so it took few more years to get back into hip hop via Paris, Cypress Hill, Ice Cube et al.
While I'm sure this is an important album in the hip hop context, it's just "more of the same" to me.
I do remember several of the tracks on this album, probably can get in on the hook from first go, due to power play in MTV and such, on tracks like "911 is a joke" as well as "Burn Hollywood burn" and "Fight the power".
Also, I didn't like the interludes that we're quite common at this time, I feel they just brake the feel and flow of the album, instead of adding to the story."
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I love Motown, Stax and Muscle Shoals music. I'm deeply fascinated by the house bands of the era, like Muscle Shoals rhythm section, The Swampers, The Funk Brothers, The Big Six, The Mar-Keys, The Wrecking Crew and so forth.
While this is a nice album, one I've heard many a time in bits and pieces, it's not the best stuff in the genre, nor in Aretha's own catalogue.
Deep Purple
3/5
I'm quite sure I had a copy of this album in my vinyl collection, but it's nowhere to be found.
It's a decent hard rock album, it's not heavy like Black Sabbath or Paranoid, but it has it's moments. I've not personally been a huge fan of rock star virtuoso's, so all those shiny solos, fast finger licks and vocal feats are sort of wasted on me.
I am a huge fan of atmosphere and mood however, slow ascents into feels, distinct transitions between ambiences and tones, which is what I prefer in music and this album has it on occasion.
Big Star
1/5
This is a weird and wobbly pop record. I didn't even know which version I was supposed to listen, but after hearing few tracks I decided that I didn't care.
Horrible record. Skipped through most of it. Couldn't wait to stop.
Justin Timberlake
2/5
The "humorous" opening track was utter shite. All the sighs and whispering got really old super fast, I don't enjoy the über falsetto bits much either. While this album is clearly aimed at teen girls and young women, showing off vocal techniques on record is annoying, not to mention easy to finetune and can easily sounds very tacked-on. I love r'n'b and soul, just not the bastardized versions.
Justin is a very technical singer, which he has been able to demonstrate later in a much more tastefull manner. I just wish this album had more good music, it feels like most of this album is fad chasing, committee designed, hit song emulating pop music running after the trends of last 2 years and trying to figure out what the future would bring. Majority of the tracks the Neptunes produced for Justified were originally intended for Michael Jackson, but after he turned them down the tracks were Justinized.
All in all, it's trying to portray big r'n'b and soul vibes, slap on some modern hip hop and dance fads, only hitting the spot on few tracks for me.
Radiohead
2/5
OK Computer I really liked and listened to a lot, I think I have Pablo Honey and maybe The Bends in my CD collection aswell, which I got into after OK Computer.
In Rainbows is too minimal to my taste, sort of stripped down version of the band I liked. They've also added a lot of ambient dissonance and chaos to the background, which sometimes feels out of place to me.
I don't mind the album, but for me it's a weird mix of music, something I'd have on in the background and not actively listen.
The Cure
2/5
I still don't enjoy Cure, I've no idea why since I usually like moody, brooding and dark themed music. I think it's the makebelief nature of the band's goth image. To me it feels like moody teen trying to assure others he is not having a good time or something to that effect.
A Forest is a nice 80's pop song, rest of the album was pretty much wasted on me.
Depeche Mode
3/5
I have a weak spot for Depeche Mode. I'm more familiar with Violator and Songs Of Faith And Devotion, but this already has their sound, even tho some of the instruments sound like they are of the previous era (in the context of the DM I know).
Some of the tracks are a bit thin for my taste, void of instrumentation, feeling a bit sparse sonically. It might be a 80's thing, I think a lot of things changed with the lightning fast developments in studio and recording technology around the end of the 80's and early 90's.
Sabu
3/5
I know nothing about latin jazz, but appreciate the South American rhytmics. To me this sounds less like an jazz album, then again I know nothing about jazz and understand even less what makes any music jazz.
The album actually opens up with a track (El Cumbanchero) that I did recognise from somewhere. I do not have the faintest idea where that somewhere might have been.
I get it, I understand why it might be fun listen, but I just don't feel it.
Little Richard
2/5
While OG rock and roll is important to any related genre and Little Richard was phenomenally important artist, I have no interest in listening to this one.
I've heard the hits so many times and as so many versions, the few songs on this record I don't already know can wait for another time when I have an interest in dusting off the progenitors.
The Clash
2/5
I'm more of an '82 punk fan myself, so Clash sounds like rock music to me. Or ska, maybe not that much here tho.
It's pleasant enough to listen to, but does not grab me at all. Barring historical reasons, this holds no value for me.
Duran Duran
3/5
Grown up in the 80's, this is quite familiar, but mostly as singles and videos they had on Sky Trax and MTV. I could even say I like the track Hungry Like the Wolf.
I'm not the biggest fan of the 80's sound, for most of 80's I was into hard rock, metal and all kinds of extreme styles of music, so the 80's electronic pop sound became quite a bit of an affront. Remaster sounds a bit better, but usually it's also very thin, tho I'm happy to report this album sounds like they've tried to make and sound stage fill up, instead of leaving holes in it (looking at you, Music for the Masses / Depeche Mode).
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
At this point hip hop is so new that they don't really have "songs" per say. Feels to me like they were trying to emulate the block party back and forth with the audience vibe on to a record.
It's a very strenuous listen.
The Band
1/5
Again with this yankee folk bullshit. Even "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" sounded like crap, I love the Johnny Cash version, even Joan Baez's version sounds better to me.
I'm finding out I really don't like american cuntry and folk, or atleast am very picky about it.
Fiona Apple
2/5
Kind of an boring pop record. Started off as a singer/songwriter type deal with slight edge of promise, but quickly turned stale and I found it boring.
I'm also pissed that this is considered rock music by the grammys, after taking a peek at the nominees it seems to be even more meaningless award than I realized (also, this album was nominated in the 1997 awards).
Metallica
4/5
One of the first records I obsessed over. I can't say a bad thing about it. The sound is a bit thin, even on the remastered version, but that was the flavour of that time.
I used to have my boombox in the bathroom as I showered, blasting this and Ride the Lightning on the B-side.
3/5
I have a soft spot for Kinks, especially the track Lola is wonderful.
I think I bought a cheap collection of theirs way back when and fell in love with some of the tracks. I've heard some of these tracks before, but didn't know the story behind this album.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
This is music I don't mind listening in an elevator or shopping mall, it doesn't get an emotion out of me. Music that makes me go *shrug*
This type of big band show jazz is really not my cup of tea. It's not particularly off putting, rather I feel it's kind of neutral or bland music, wouldn't call it muzak tho since it's rather well excecuted. I've got so much new music to sift through, that I don't feel good about loosing daylight to something I've no feelings what so ever towards.
Lou Reed
2/5
I realise this has been out since 1972 and I've no context of the music scene of the year of my birth, but still this kind of music sounds quite generic pop/rock to me, lyrical themes notwithstanding. I've heard many of the songs on this album quite a few times and remember thinking why are these played so much.
I feel like a lot of the things on this record are slight reinterpretations of things done in the previous and current generation of music, just put into another context and that's it. I'm not saying that is good or bad, but at this point Black Sabbath was up to releasing "Vol. 4" fer fux sake and had created a whole new music genre.
Slint
2/5
I was very hopeful to start listening, I've know the band by name for ages and knew it was important to post- and "math"-rock scene, but found it merely cursorily inspirational to said genres. I can see why, but it was still very... slim.
Mostly I felt like the music had too much "empty air between the notes", which left a lot of room for the vocals, which I found mediocre at best. Acquired taste I'm sure, but one I am interested in pursuing at this point, I'd rather just put on some Helmet.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
1/5
The Go-Go's
2/5
New Wave has always been a bit of strange genre for me, as it just sounds like pop music with mildly punk-pop influenced sound. I get that for journalists it's important to differentiate for the listener, but these labels have just grabbed so hard!
Belinda Carlyles voice is very recognizable and I might have to listen to the first album a bit too since they apparently sounded a lot harsher, but other than that, I've had enough of The Go-Go's.
Liz Phair
1/5
The album before this one was The Go-Go's "Beauty And The Beat" and I feel like the same pondering goes here; "I get that for journalists it's important to differentiate for the listener, but these labels have just grabbed so hard!"
This is pop music from a singer/songwriter who decided to use electric guitar instead of acoustic, that's it. I mean "critical acclaim for its ability to combine indie rock and lo-fi music" for fux sakes!
This sounds like another Sheryl Crow or K.D. Lang to me, no offense ment to either of these artists, this is just music I've absolutely no interest in. I mean Bob Dylan and all the rests of the Country/Folk cvnts can fvck right off too.
I'm getting quite irate with this damn list of "music to hear before you die", it seems more and more it's about the sales achieved and not the music captured.
I've said on multiple occasions that I don't care for lyrics, which means lots of these records have been utterly pointless exercises in literary examination and makes me feel like many music journalists concentrate on the text instead of the actual music. Vocals can be a strong instrument, while the contextual part of them doesn't have to mean a thing and still aurally important.
Bad Brains
3/5
While this is not '82 HC-punk us Finns know and love, I can definitely hear and understand what Bad Brains did for underground music. Sadly I've never witnessed them playing live, but I'm told they were quite the powerhouse.
I still prefer Terveet Kädet, Rattus, Kaaos and my personal favourite Lama, over Bad Brains. Oh! GBH and Cro-Mags are up there too.
Blue Cheer
4/5
I've a 1999 repress of this album on vinyl. Gorgeous piece of music history that one.
These guys made heavy metal before it was a thing. I mean, I've gone on about Black Sabbath in the past, but they definitely were not the first or the only to go heavy. Cactus, Iron Butterfly and Coven et. al. did some crushing music way back when too!
It's heavy handed blues rock with freak out guitar solos, but the root of future to come is there.
Van Halen
2/5
Van Halen was never in my rotation, I think they edge too close to the technical side of hard rock for my liking. One can't deny Eddie VH's skills as a player, but guitar heroes are just not my thing.
Lots of familiar songs. None of the unfamiliar songs grabbed my interest, but few of the hit songs are cool tracks.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
I was dreading listening to this, since the folk bender 1001 records has taken me on so far has been horrible. But Tracy sounds great!
I get Peter Gabriel vides here and there. Can't pinpoint why or where specifically, and this is clearly a lot more simplified as far as instrumentation goes.
Anyway, I guess it's the colout of here voice and style of singing that grabbed me. Doesn't sound droney nor uninterested, which is a bit win in my book.
The Jam
2/5
Brit pop of the old is strong with this one. I don't hear the alleged post-punk in there tho.
It's not all that bad, but doesn't really do a thing for me.
At this point I don't care if the familiarities in the music are because of this band or not, I'm so not impressed with the music.
Koffi Olomide
1/5
African, or Congolese to be exact, salsa or cha cha is not really my thing.
To be fair to Koffi, neither is any other countries or continents salsa.
I hear the African vibes, I hear familiar rhythms from other songs I've not wanted to listen to, so I don't feel like missing out if I just listened a bit off of 3 or 4 songs and left it at that.
I can appreciate the long career and the things he has done for the local pop culture.
Talking Heads
2/5
This has some of the same rhytmics as a recent african salsa/cha cha album had. Not a surprise really, since to me it feels like Talking Heads has always thrown in a good measure of world music into their concoction of pop music.
Sounds quite a lot like the stuff I've previously heard, none of which tickles my fancy.
Jeff Buckley
3/5
I've know of this album for ages, but for reasons unknown I've never listened to it.
It is a gorgeous record, but the music is not my kinda stuff. I am almost embarrassed to admit it, but most of the songs are background layerings to me. Tapestry for the mundane chores.
I don't want to analyse this any further, I'll just get annoyed or depressed.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
This is lovely pop music. I have no problems having this playing in the background while doing almost anything. It's not the kind of music I would actively listen to tho.
Boston
3/5
I've known of this band forever and I've played enough Guitar Hero to have "More Than a Feeling" lodged into my brain permanently, but never really looked into them more. Felt underwhelming, considering the amount of hype I've also encountered.
The album is a bit here and there, nothing really grabbed me too much. Few of the songs had a nice boogie to them, some of them sounded like british invasion stuff of this era.
Mostly it sounded like what I've come to know as AOR. The sort of clean American hard rock with decent production values that feels disposable somehow.
The Byrds
2/5
Too much folk for my taste. I've liked some of their tracks with more psychedelic touch, but seem to run into this same problem with each release.
Feels like our rating group is getting super fed up with this flood of American folk and 60's stuff, to the point that even I don't feel like finding out why said album is important or what it achieved to receive it's place in a list like this.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
Ah, now this is my youth right here. Well, post youth really, since I found them later after overcoming my obsession with death metal and other extreme music.
In my youth I was into (among other things) Finnish '82 punk, basically where our hardcore scene started, but also G.B.H. and Cro-Mags. American hardcore punk was another beast, I can't describe why, but for the most part it didn't grab me like the Finnish or UK stuff did.
DK was never on the forefront of my fandom, but they had a place in there. This was when taping from friends was a way of life. When ever someone bought a new LP, you'd go over with your fresh tape to get a copy and vice versa. I've no idea of what I had taped, what I overtaped or lost, so I'm working from memory here.
My biggest problem is with Jello's style of singing, while I accustomed to it, I don't like it, it's almost like he is too sarcastic at all times.
Anyway, back in the day I did buy the Bedtime For Democracy LP, by which I was mildly dissapointed, and later found a cheap 12" of Holiday in Cambodia (a Cherry Red release).
Elvis Presley
2/5
An album full of cover songs. I know he made the stuff popular, but these are kind of lame versions IMO.
Elvis is not for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
This is so dance oriented music that I find it ridiculous it's considered rock music.
I liked their "Show Your Bones", but after that the albums have gone by the wayside, with barely a single play through.
Not for me.
N.W.A.
3/5
My youth was spent listening mostly to speed and thrash metal, but also hip hop including gangsta rap and more artsy stuff like Beastie Boys and De La Soul. Ice-T was big for me, especially after seeing the movie Colors for the first time.
Listening to this album now feels very nostalgic, but also interesting as it's not nearly as aggressive as I remember it being. It's surprisingly close to the Grandmaster Flash stuff of the old. This is way more smooth and laid back than I remembered!
The late 80's Brit stuff is decidedly more aggressive, but in a different manner, like Silver Bullet (aah, "20 Seconds to Comply", have to spin that too!).
Eminem
2/5
Hit songs have wore through, rest of the tunes don't really interest me at all. Not enough music and way too much "lyrics" for me to enjoy this.
It's like watching a juggler or contortionist who perfected their art, after the first few tricks I'm bored and mind wandering I can't really follow the act anymore.
He is a very talented lyricist, witty with his words and jackhammer with his lines, these are practically the same reasons (but ones applicable to the guitar) I don't listen to Yngwie Malmsteen.
SAULT
4/5
While I'm not a huge fan of religious music such as gospel, I do enjoy some aspects of it, especially the quality of the singing and intricate choir work.
This album on the other hand had it all. It is a mesh of styles that seems like it can not work on paper, but the music just flows through styles effortlessly.
Quick look into Qobuz revealed they've a massive catalog of music, which I'm probably going to be parsing through at an leisure pace.
Excellent!
Led Zeppelin
4/5
I have no idea how many times I've heard this album, but out the first 5-6 albums, this is the one I've listened to the most.
It's not their best in my mind, because they were still doing the brit bluesy thing and not really going off course with their own vision. I't s damn good record none the less.
Alice In Chains
5/5
I listened the shit out of this record back in '92. Only Jar of Flies/Sap has been on the tray more that this.
I still got nothing negative to say about this album. 7/5
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Awesome, finally another band I know almost nothing about but the name. 70's new wave-ish punkrock is usually not something I'm all that into, but it appears "The Specs" have additional instrumentation and raunchy attitude, which pleases me immesely.
It got a bit tiresome towards the end, but quite fine specimen, none the less.
R.E.M.
3/5
I've never really cared for R.E.M that much. I've a couple LP's on the shelf, Document and Out of Time I think, but they've left largely unplayed. I've realised that I don't care for Mr. Stipes singing style that much.
Some of their pop songs are quite nice, but also ofter feel quite preachy, which is another turn off for me. Overall I'm not that bothered by Green, but neither is it grabbing my attention.
William Orbit
4/5
This was an album I've not heard before, I've heard of William Orbit tho.
After just few minutes of listening it reminded me of an old favourite of mine: Children Of The Bong's "Sirius Sounds".
This was however, a lot more laid back and chill in comparison, not a bad thing per se, but does mean it requires a specific mood for me to listen to.
Quite enjoyable!
The Cure
1/5
Well shite. I knew before hand I don't care for cure. This wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I didn't enjoy it particularly either.
Smith's voice and style of singing is just too whiney for me!
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Such a wonderful record! Lots of good time music with emotional tracks in there as well.
Dusty's voice has always been very enjoyable to me, great production and studio work gives the tracks some extra body.
They don't make music like this anymore! What I mean with that is; you can take mediocre pop music to great places by just having professionals working with the sound and recording of the instruments from beginning to end. But you can also ruin a great song with headstrong artists insisting they know what they're doing.
Throwing Muses
1/5
Another familiar band name, but a band whose music I don't think I've ever listened to, at least not knowingly and deliberately.
Plays like one of those annoying student projects, sort of reminds me of R.E.M. in the "this is rubbing me the wrong fucking way" style. Sounds to me like pretentious pseudo-artistic music.
Roxy Music
2/5
The only thing that surprised me was how old this album is. My time line is skewed, due to Ferry's vocals I also think I mix it up with David Byrne.
While I don't really like the music at all, I do appreciate especially the synth and keyboard work of Mr Eno.
Elastica
2/5
Sounds like all the brit rock I've ever heard with slight variations.
Not bad, mostly boring and uninteresting.
Arcade Fire
1/5
Fer fex sake, this is going to be awful and it was.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Latter day Beach Boys, I've not heard almost anything beyond Pet Sounds!
Sadly this ended up being background music, couple of songs grabbed my interest, but otherwise did nothing for me. Good nor bad.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Too long, kind of all over the place, but still managed to be a bit dull.
Decently interesting production, nice instrumentation and super professional playing, but the actual music did not make an impact.
Another name ticked off the list of "who to check out".
Nico
1/5
Too folkey, too artsy, too "almost, but not really".
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Very generic jazz that brings to mind shopping centers and christmas parties which are not designed with anyone specifically in mind.
I have no qualms with the musicianship, it's just that I can't hear or understand it. I find all that great playing buried under the routine of delivering jazz standards to the tee, makes it sound mundane and boring.
Also, the piano keeps playing what ever the hell it pleases, just barely keeping to the framing of the rest of the song and still sounding like it's part of the whole, which is quite impressive feat. Like a kid skipping in circles around jogging adults, all the while playing lazily itsy bitsy spider with their hands for hours on end.
Queen
2/5
I don't like Queen. There are tracks I've learnt to tolerate and understand the complexity, but mostly they just rub me the wrong way.
Paul Simon
3/5
When this album came out, it was playing a lot on the music video channels of the 80's, mainly Sky Trax and later MusicTV.
Lot's of weird instruments and unusual rhythms from around the world. Never made much of an impact on me, except for the humour in some of them.
Minutemen
2/5
Weird as shit pop/rock/punk mash up with extra weirdness plastered all over it, not to mention how much too long the album is. Plays like a NoMeanNo record without a direction.
The sound of the band is kind of thin, I understand the idea that each instrument sounds like itself, but that also makes for a boring sound, distinctive in the punk landscape yes, but boring.
I've never really enjoyed the US punk movement that much, I'm liking UK and especially the Finnish variations a lot more.
Sade
4/5
While I think Soldier of Love is my most listened Sade album, this is up there as well. I have to admit I tend to spin one of her massive collections most often, but that's because they've got so many tracks and I've got sexytime inbound.
It's a great pop album with jazzy world music vibes, while I do like her smooth jazz stuff, I prefer the stuff leaning more to the soul and latin side of things.
I think I've got Promise in my collection as well, but before checking out I would've sword up and down Stronger Than Pride was my most listened. Apparently I don't even have it in my collection, or my book keeping isn't up to bar (which is what I suspect).
Einstürzende Neubauten
2/5
This is a band that my goth oriented friends used to listen to a lot, but I've never really sat down and listened to myself.
While industrial is a familiar genre, I prefer mine with a dash of music and less art. Neither Throbbing Gristle, Cabaret Voltaire nor Nitzer Ebb were to my liking and sadly now I can add Neubauten to that list as well.
I'm more of a Godflesh, G.G.F.H and Author & Punisher type of a guy.
The Killers
2/5
It's the "Somebody told me" band!
I've always found them vaguely annoying, and now I think I know why: they're sort of brit sounding, in a bit of Suede vein, but they're actually more dance music than anything else. They're teasing proper lad culture vibes, but then slap us in the face with Sophie Ellis-Bextoresque dance grooves, but they're too Gallagher in their riffing to pull that off either.
Wha'n massif fokin' fiddle innit!
Kanye West
2/5
The only thing good about this album is the production, and even that is sometimes on the verge of tacky.
It's like this is easy listening hip hop. And the bloody gospel bits, why the hell?
I do not get the hype Kanye West received and still does. Was it just the right time to put out something other than gansta rap?
Buzzcocks
3/5
Buzzcocks is yet another band I've been meaning to check out for ages, but haven't gotten around to. I'm also scared to find it utterly crap and more pop than rock, lacking all that anger which I love in punk and hardcore.
Glad to report it was pretty decent, very much in the Sex Pistols vein of things, but very much better played. I can hear echoes of things to come.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
It's harrowing and kind of spooky record. For being so close to what I consider folk and country-esque music, it's way better than expected.
Not for me how ever, I did listen out of curiosity, but found it quite boring after about the half way.
Fugazi
4/5
The exception in my "don't care for American punk rock" attitude. Fugazi the part of the soundtrack to my youth. I have no idea which record I had on cassette, a mate recorded me a whole lot to one and maybe put the track names on it. He was the kind that would have more 7" records than LPs, so he'd be constantly changing them.
The cassette, track Repeater was definately on it, but so was Waiting Room I think. So it could've had the first EP on it and Repeater, but 13 Songs compilation is very possible as well.
Anyway, I do love the band, even tho sometimes it gets a bit too much and I can't get through the full album. Now I did!
Leonard Cohen
1/5
I'm quite sure I'll not like this. Lenny's voice is awesome, but usually his music is all lyrics and not enough cool riffs. It's about heavy breath on your ear, loads of air in the sound and not enough meat on the bone.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Yet another familiar and well listened album. I've had it in my collection for about 30 years now, not the most listened to album, but well loved.
I've got nothing new to say about this album, except that I like it, for the most part a lot. Only the bluesy slow songs are not my thing, even those sometimes grow into bangers towards the end of the song.
George Michael
2/5
Pop music is boring. Songs are predictable in structure, sounds like whatever else is the fad at that very moment, lyrics are lazy stories about wanting to fuck someone in thinly veiled metaphors.
I knew three songs before listening to this album, since they were force fed to the late 80's MTV generation, which by coincidence is also why I stopped watching anything else but the specialized programming I was interested in (I find it incredible they lasted this far in time, but I digress).
This seems fine tuned to young girls taste, in a kind of generic producer's business mindset way.
Method Man
4/5
Usually Wu-Tang adjacent works for me and this was something I've not listened to before.
It's very famialiar in sound, but less aggressive in feel. I really liked the groove inherent in the beats, while the verses are on occasion quite aggressive, the delivery for the most part is not.
Will listen again!
The Louvin Brothers
1/5
Thats a hard nope. I don't care how well they harmonize, this shit is unbearable. Nearly hit the DID NOT LISTEN button.
Steely Dan
2/5
Frank Ocean
1/5
Modern r'n'b is rubbish. Plays to me like limp hip hop and pop.
The Young Gods
1/5
Incredibly dissapointed, I expected industrial and got avantgarde art rock.
Stan Getz
2/5
Neither jazz nor bossa nova are my kinda music, but since the album opened with a track that is familiar in so many ways, I tried to give it a try, beyond just few feels.
It melted into background music, few pretty bits here and there, but mostly I was awakened from my stupor by thinking "this is annoying" and finally gave up midway through the second to last song.
Gram Parsons
1/5
It's country music, FFS. Can't stand almost any of it.
Jurassic 5
4/5
Excellent, tastefully done hip hop with nice flair and touch of older school of the art.
While Jurassic 5 is not unknown to me, I've not listened to an awful lot of their music. Mostly played by friends at work and while I've ment to come back to them, I always tend to pick something else. Maybe that'll change this time 🤷♂️
Adele
3/5
Amazing vocalist, with soul grabbing stories. Production values through the roof, this truly wakes up my audio gear; it's like she is singing right next to me in a huge studio space, the players are there but way out there.
Sadly this type of music isn't really my jam. While I enjoy the whole as a masterful product of the music industry machine, mainstream pop music doesn't really work for me.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Country still ain't for me, but atleast Dolly didn't make me chew the table corner off while I power through the whole album. Few of the tracks had a nice groove to them, even fewer had a touch of rock'n roll, but mostly it's her voice that made me want to stick till the end.
I think I only skipped few tracks mid way through. Sadly no Jolene's or Nine to five's here, but it wasn't all torture either.
Donald Fagen
1/5
Easy listening elevator music.
The fact that it is one of the first fully digitally recorded things doesn't mean much to me. Exceptional studio musicians can make beautiful sounding exceptionally mediocre music.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
While I like some prog rock, I'm mostly partial to his sister psychedelia. Some progressive rock is a bit too much like free jazz, in that it's not as much music as it is theory and getting weird with it in practice.
Since this is a rock adaptation of a classical piece composed some hundred years before, it's somewhat different to your "regular" prog rock record, also being a live recording, but the prog vibe is strong on this one none the less.
Snoop Dogg
3/5
Snoop's style and the whole gangsta thing is quite ridiculous, but most of the record grooves like a MF'r. It has the laid back feel we all expect from a Snoop record, the lazy flow he has is always nice to hear.
Some of the rhymes a quite dubious, it truly was the time of misogyny and homophobia. Male bravado is funny.
Blur
3/5
I've always been more of a Oasis guy, while Blur was fine and good, it didn't really pick me up. This album has too much still moments, while the good songs are really good, the slow stuff takes all of the momentum away.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
It's not the worst of the folk stuff this list has been spewing, but it's by no means good. I like music, not lyrics and most of this album is just lyrics.
Brian Eno
3/5
Somewhat pleasing album, but I noticed I didn't particularily like Brian's vocals. I would've probably like this album more as an fully instrumental album.
It has quite a roster of musician and technicians who worked on it, which was a bit of an surprise to find out after listening.
Billy Bragg
1/5
This is folk. However slightly modernized, it's still folk. I can't stand it.
Bob Dylan
1/5
I'm giving this a chance only because it's the beginning of his electronic phase. I'm expecting it to be just mildly less irritating than the acoustic stuff.
While not totally pushing me over to "flip table over" mode, this was still a very grating listen for me. While this album came out and made into mainstream, bands like Blue Cheer, The Sonics and The Premiers we're making their moves and turning pages by the handlful.
While mainstream folk/cuntry people might feel this is groundbraking musical evolution, I'm saying this is just copying ideas already happening fast in the underground.
Anyway. It's still him telling stories, now it's just over a bit more fuller set of musical performances and I don't really care for it.
Yes
3/5
Decent rock album, except it's too much "all over the place". Flamenco guitar was the final straw to me.
While I like prog rock, it's usually the bloody artsy fartsy crap that really get me. While it played through, I lost interest in actively listening after around one third or by midway through.
Coldplay
3/5
I sort of enjoyed the album. It's lacking in the stadium rock part, which I was also expecting to be huge. While it's pretty music, it shouldn't be pretty all the time. There were more tracks that stood out of the whole than I was expecting.
So I guess I did like it to some degree? I dunno.
I don't think I'm listening to it again, so I'll just give it 3.5/5 and stop thinking about it.
John Martyn
3/5
One of the proggier, but more pop oriented albums I've bumped into during this project. It also feels more like lots of efforts in studio with experimental equipment and using unorthodox methods than music.
What I mean with that is that it's lacking "drive" and "enthusiasm" in the music, it feels very performative, clean and overly polished in a way that I don't personally enjoy.
I can appreciate the engineering skill, level of craftsmanship and musicianship, but the actual music they are performing is not interesting as such.
4/5
All right, prog rock of epic proportions.
This type of progressive music hasn't really appealed to me ever, parts of it is very much to my liking, but all the meandering side quests to get to the next bit are a bit too much. Again, I notice my focus is on the "song", not how it's performed nor the merits of the technicalities.
I didn't have the feeling of I hope this ends soon, but didn't particularly enjoy it either. Hi-Res source did make it sound wonderful with my gear tho (noticeable difference to the "CD-quality" version).
I was surprised how much some things on this record sounded like Sting's endeavours, I especially noticed it in the first track, but more in some later bits too. Probably vocal mannerisms and accompanying bass lines were to blame, but I'm not interested enough to make sure what it was.
I'd say 3.5/5 for me, but with the wonderful listening experience, I'll bump it to 4/5.
4/5
Another record that's been on my "to listen" queue for a long time.
Very enjoyable record, I had the 50th Anniversary version playing and went through two of it's discs. Up until it got to the blues tracks, I enjoyed it quite a lot.
I especially like the old school latin soul stuff, but the jazzier tunes were really nice too!
Isaac Hayes
5/5
Ah, legendary saviour of Stax records, that was recorded with the "new" The Bar-Kays after their tragedy. This record has been on my "need to have" record list for ages, but so far I've not found it in the wild.
Soul took giants steps around the time this record was released and I'm here to witness those steps, how ever many decades later.
This emotional tidalwave of an album is filled with groove, rolling beats that fed hiphop for ages and amazing musicianship that keeps reminding me why talent should not be just about showing off you technique and skill.
Wire
2/5
Post-punk, or proto-punk as I like to call it, has never been my thing, apart from very few exceptions. I prefer my punk angry and vicious, not restrained and with apathy.
To put it another way, this is just rock music with variables moved around. English street punk a.k.a. hardcore punk is more my thing, especially the stuff that's now referred to as '82 HC.
Personal favourite of the early lot is G.B.H. who were formed in 1978 and still deliver a hell of a punch.
The Slits
1/5
I don't care for this, at all. Out of tune, off rhythm and grating screeches, I'm sure it was powerful for the women and girls, but this is not what punk is about for me.
Hole
2/5
It's Hole gone pop and Hollywood, for the foreseeable sales I imagine.
It's calculated grunge gone mainstream with all the punk fukt off, hired producer to smooth out the rough with buckets of vanilla to drown out the interesting and reel in the average listener.
The only thing I find enjoyable on this record is Melissa Auf der Maur's playing.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
As much as I dislike most folk, I was kind of interested in this one, mainly due to Scarborough Fair and it's pretty harmonies.
Aside from few tracks that has a bit of an edge to them, the whole album was a bit of an miss. And boring. I just do not like folk.
De La Soul
3/5
This and ...Is Dead are probably my most listened De La albums, not sure which one is number one tho.
While age is audible on this records, they still feel kinda fresh to me. Although I do not like the skits, they're very irritating to me and not just on this record but the whole era of hip hop when they "had to have" them, other wise this is pretty cool.
Feels to me some new artists are starting to use the same tricks as these 30+ year old records had used.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
I appreciate the modern jazz and r'n'b fusion, but dislike the "whats hot today" bits of the production. I've always disliked recording being a committee project, instead of the artist, but who am I to argue, over five million people can't be wrong.
I'm also a bit... allergic to the flourishes and mannerisms she uses on the record, she uses them quite a lot, which to me is akin to the constant solos some rock guitarists do or overflowing fills some drummers tend to cultivate at every opportunity.
Pavement
1/5
Not my stuff, at all.
They're too awkward, sounds like sad and shy Pixies, who don't care to learn their instruments.
Can
3/5
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Outside of the few bangers, I feel like there's too much fluff on this record. They probably had fun making the record, but I don't feel the fun.
Cream
4/5
While I love Cream and this is an awesome album, it has it's flaws. Mainly the few tracks that they've left on the record, probably due to current fads and possibly record company pressure.
Most of this record is what basically started the psychedelic hard rock movement, or at least pushed it to more mainstream. This reached the number 1 spot on the records charts and is probably to blame for the masses of bad to mediocre rock bands of the late 60's and early 70's. On the other hand they've probably made quite a few jazz groups drastically shift their musical style.
Stereo MC's
3/5
I remember when this album came out. Connected played to no end and while I liked the track at first, they soon burned it out for me. I don't think I've ever listened to this all the way through, however I had mates who would listen to this a lot, so I might've as well.
This type of old school club music is really not my kinda thing. It's not bad, quite the opposite actually with lots of groove and rolling beats, but it's just not meshing with my music taste.
Manu Chao
2/5
Pop with some folk thrown in. Manu Chao is all lyrics and stories for spanish speakers, which I am not.
The music is kinda boring, mandolins and acoustic guitars with a bit of percussion.
This album is at least 60% lyrics of which I can understand very little of and care to even less.
Ministry
3/5
I used to listen the shit out of this record! It does not represent what I now like to listen, but still holds quite a bit of nostalgia value. Some of the tracks are really good, but too many feel out of place.
It's amazing how thin the overall sound is with my current gear, my old speakers over-emphasized low end sound and coloured this album to sound way too much fuller that it actually is.
Stan Getz
2/5
Jazz is not in my wheelhouse and most latin music is not interesting to me, so I'm a bit wary of what this one will do.
I know Charlie Byrd, Stan Getz is vaguely familiar name, but other than that, I'm kind of clueless.
Not ,much. Did not do much for me.
Blondie
3/5
It's a fun combination of pop, roxckand punk vibes. Not sure how big of an fan I am, but i definitely don't mind listening to this album.
The xx
2/5
Some of the dream pop elements are really good, as well as r'n'b style grooves. It also feels very clumsy and kind of stumbling, which is very distracting to me. I very quickly noticed I stopped listening to the music and was more of a waiting game for the next distraction or annoyance that would kill the flow for me.
Sigur Rós
4/5
This is the Sigur Ros sound that I like, I've mostly listened to Kveikur and Takk... I think.
Anyway, for some reason the artsy feeling of their music doesn't bother me for some reason, while on any other record it would and I can't put my finger on what the reason would be.
It's very light, delicate music, that winds up to massive heights on a occasion and for some reason I love that.
Metallica
2/5
I stopped following Metallica's career after self titled a.k.a. "Black Album", basically Justice for All was the last one I really listened and I had major issues with that one as well (mainly the fucked up sound/mix).
I don't mind listening to their thrash-era albums, but the bloated stadion rock stuff is really not my bag of bones.
Some of these tracks sound decent with an orchestra supporting them, but too many of them are kind of generic rock music. There's also quite a few bits where it doesn't really work, where band and orchestra seem to be playing separately instead of together.
I do understand this is a live album, but still. These observations makes it feel rushed.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
1/5
This album has been described as rock 'n roll, but more than that I feel it's a combination of americana folk (which I very much dislike) and pop music with some rock sensibilities. In another words, to me this plays like tailor-made Billboard top list music and it was an utterly meaningless album, not an unpleasant one but vanilla to the point of flavourless.
There were few songs I recognised, but had not previously realised they were old Tom Petty tracks.
Cocteau Twins
1/5
Intensely thin and top-end emphasis on the overall sound, which I found very distressing. The music is not really to my taste either, but the horrible plasticky treble boost feels like fingernails on a chalkboard in my ears.
Tried listening with regular stereo setup, with DAC + headphones (Fiio K5 Pro + Beyerdynamic DT-990 250ohm) and even laptop speakers; the last was the most inoffensive, but also horribly flat.
Didn't make it through this album.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
I love old soul and r 'n b stuff, however I found this album to be much affected by psychedelic funk and prog rock movements of the time, which isn't all for the best.
I find I enjoy the groove and feel of a traditional soul, much more that I do the technical delivery of prog rock, so some of the most poppin' tunes didn't really hit me that good.
I had previously thought of Isley Brother as a soul group, but realised they leaned more to rock 'n roll and funk than soul, and so with this album playing it all makes more sense.
Overall I'm not at all uncertain why this one sits in this list.
Norah Jones
3/5
I've known _of_ Norah Jones for a long time, but always thought of her as yet another pop musician, maybe more in the singer/songwriter style as Kate Bush or Tori Amos, but anyway.
Imagine my surprise to listening to a talented jazz singer, or one that sounds like one to me, vocalize her way through emotions and even reactions.
While the music is not my favourite, not even in the top 10 styles of music, I can see myself listening to this album in a very specific instance and quite enjoying myself.
It is very pretty.
Britney Spears
1/5
Feels like this was the beginning of committee music for the masses, calculated blandness for maximum profits, all the while record companies also made sure they were the major beneficiary of any and all profits.
Empty, dull and artificial like cotton candy.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Cyndi's music and video's were all over the mid 80's Sky Trax and eventually Music TV, quite popular in the Finnish pop music landscape. I was, however, deep in the heavy, speed and thrash metal scene and on my way to the underground music culture. Cyndi's colourful look and cheerful music was something that started to rub me the wrong way real fast.
I've heard many of the songs on this album at one point or another, but probably tuned them out, either on the dial or mentally. Now listening to these tracks I have a different reaction, it is fresh to hear the attitude she has (and I realise how wrong it is to call a 40 years old music fresh), especially when I remember the general attitude prevalent in that time. I had my own battles with the establishment, or the fucking patriarchy if you will, trying to mold me into a shape they'd created and expected me to slip into.
I'm usually not too keen on new wave pop sound, but it suits this one like a glove, so I'm not going to complain.
This album is clearly not your average pop album, but maybe that's just me and my experiences talking. Then again this is my review of said album so it's totally correct and on point.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I've only heard Brown Sugar before this and while a pretty good song, it's hard to hear it as "one of the top then greatest records in the history of rock’n’roll ".
This at the time when Black Sabbath was putting out "Master of Reality" and had already released "Paranoid". Or Pink Floyd's "Meddle" or The Doors, Janis Joplin, Jethro Tull, Santana, Deep Purple and so on. Led Zeppelin's album with "Stairway to Heaven" came out the same year, for fex sakes!
Personally, I've never been much of an fan, for me Rolling Stones has been the vanilla of rock 'n roll, kind of like Elvis brought watered down black music to the masses, I feel Rolling Stones made hard rock but watered down and to suit everyone. The album is quite a bit spread out stylistically, usually that's not a bad thing, but the width of styles on this one is enough to make it feel very inconsistent. Also, too many ballads.
Upon listening to the album, I did get quite positively surprised by few tracks. Namely Bitch and Sway.
George Jones
1/5
Nope.
Kings of Leon
2/5
I couldn't figure out why this album is on the list and did a little digging.
Early 2000's garage rock revival, a reaction to the overproduced 90's music and nu-metal steam rolling over everything else (which is funny since later some those same garage rock bands ended up overproducing their music).
Apparently this album is a shift in their "southern-garage" sound towards a more stadion rock (which I dislike) oriented music. Apparently they cleaned out their sound for this one, I wonder how much producers had to do with this, and this also means I'm probably going to look into their older releases later.
To me this is quite an insignificant album and musically feels very familiar on first listen, only the vocalists sound is interesting enough that kept me listening.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
FFS.
Moby
3/5
I want to say that this is a good album, but I don't really like it. He's done his back and forth with electronic and rock/punk, sounds like this is a bit there nor here.
I do recognize the tracks that were overplayed everywhere.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I'm an old school RHCP fan, liking their stuff up to about Blood Sugar Sex Magik and even that is starting to get a little too diluted.
The mentioned above or Mothers Milk are my most listened albums of theirs, tho I did spin quite a lot of Uplift Mofo Party Plan and Freaky Styley too.
After that it feels way too polished, produced and clean, yet again the feel of committee music, instead of an ambitioius band moving forward.
Tom Waits
2/5
Most of the Tom Waits I've heard is too folkey for me, while I do like his more rock oriented stuff. His voice is quite amazing and many a song carries on that alone.