Nov 18 2024
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Kid A
Radiohead
I prefer OK Computer, though I can see why there are some who believe this is the better album. It’s certainly more consistent tonally, bearing down with ambient electronics throughout. Kid A uses Thom Yorke’s voice as more than a lyrical delivery system, but also as a manipulated force of sound, scattered to the wind throughout each track, creating orderly chaos admist the exacting perfection of a computerized tone.
4
Nov 19 2024
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Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
If this is the best Jazz has to offer, it might just not be for me. I do understand the appeal, but I just get bored. I much prefer Jazz influenced works — progressive bands that incorporate jazz influences. Or Cowboy Bebop type jazz. Typical modal jazz just bores the hell out of me. I wish I enjoyed it more. It’s fine. Pleasent for the background, but not enough to hold my attention as the main attraction.
3
Nov 20 2024
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The Bends
Radiohead
Day 3 and already my second Radiohead album. And what a departure it is compared to the latter released Kid A. The Bends is a much more straightforward dose of Brit-infused alternative rock. With that said, there are some true bangers on here. With The Bends, Radiohead takes the arena-sized riffs of U2, but sizes them down to a more intimate level using simple chord based rhythm guitar riffs underlying the Edge-inspired riffs. In hindsight, it’s hard to argue that The Bends isn’t Radiohead’s most influential album, with songs like High and Dry, Just, and Fake Plastic Trees making a lasting influence on British rock in the following decade.
5
Nov 21 2024
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Definitely Maybe
Oasis
In the mid-90s, Oasis was introduced by the British media as nothing less than the second coming of The Beatles. It was this lofty claim that made it almost impossible for their debut LP to live up to the hype.
Definitely Maybe doesn’t break any new ground, though does a good job combining the history of Brit-rock (from the poppier end of The Beatles to the rockier end of The Rolling Stones), occasionally mixing in the wall-of-sound psychedelia of shoegaze and late-80’s jangle rock, a testament to Noel Gallagher’s ability to write the heck out of a song. Though it is this confluence of influences that make this album sort of boring.
There’s not much in the way of innovation and it all feels like a patische of 90s British rock. In fact, it feels very much like the bridge between Radiohead’s Pablo Honey and The Bends. While it inches towards genius it never quite gets there since it’s bogged down by the band’s influences. 3.7 out of 5
4
Nov 22 2024
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Bad
Michael Jackson
MJ completes his transition from disco-inspired beats to rock-tinged pop, replacing much of his live instrumentation with guitar, drum machines and synthesizers. Tracks 3-6 really bog down the record as a whole. It’s odd to say that a collaboration between MJ and Stevie Wonder resulted in a filler track, but that’s exactly what happened with Just Good Friends. Luckily, the top and bottom of the album are filled with true all-time great bangers.
4
Nov 24 2024
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Young Americans
David Bowie
Bowie takes a break from art rock to focus on his version of soul. This album is totally listenable. His cover of Across the Universe feels… off, to put it lightly. Young Americans, Somebody Up There Likes Me and Fame are the stand outs.
4
Nov 24 2024
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Woodface
Crowded House
Continuing the power pop tradition in line with 80s era Squeeze, Crowded House removes the jangle, new wave and silliness out of Argy Bargy and outputs a perfectly capable and consistent album of pop rock songs.
4
Nov 25 2024
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Blunderbuss
Jack White
It’s fine. Jack White has never really been able to fulfill me. Ha definitely has his own “Jack White” sound, but I’m not sure how much he actually feels his sound in his soul, rather than as a tribute to his influences. There just seems to be a piece missing from the puzzle to really put his music over the top. 3.3/5
3
Nov 26 2024
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If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
This album serves as a bridge between Motown and the hazy psychedelic influence of the 60s. The production is what sets this apart from being just another sunshine pop album, integrating the reverb and swirls of psychedelia. 3.5 / 5
3
Nov 27 2024
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British Steel
Judas Priest
4
Nov 28 2024
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Call of the Valley
Shivkumar Sharma
I’m not sure how to review this without more context. I know nothing about Indian classical music other than what I’ve heard through the Beatles and scattered through other songs. The best way to describe it is… earthy? It makes me feel like I’m sitting in the dirt with a circle of my friends just chilling in the woods. I don’t even have any friends, so that makes it even more intriguing. It’s fine. I likely won’t be listening again.
3
Nov 29 2024
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The Colour Of Spring
Talk Talk
This just bores the hell out of me. For my tastes, it’s too arty for its own good. I’m also just not a huge fan of this vocal style. Just not for me.
2
Nov 30 2024
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Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
I mean, come on. It’s Led Zeppelin IV. It’s nearly perfection and one of the most influential rock albums of all time. Easy 5.
5
Dec 01 2024
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Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
I mean, punk rock really DID change my life. I friggen LOVE the D Boon / Mike Watt sound. The problem is too much can be a bad thing, and Double Nickels 80 minute runtime leads to some major listening fatigue.
4
Dec 02 2024
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Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
I’ve been on the “Eric Clapton is highly overrated” train for decades. Nothing he has done has ever truly blown my mind, and lord knows he has dried with his dozen or so projects he’s been a part of over the years. I haven’t reevaluated them in a while, but I don’t remember Blind Faith or Cream making a true dent in my psyche; nor does his solo work other than the truly emotional “Tears in Heaven.” Bluesbreakers is another reevaluation for me. It’s probably been over a decade since I last gave it a listen through… and? Still not overwhelmed by greatness. There’s some truly solid blues covers here, but none that I haven’t heard done better, perhaps for the exception of “All Your Love.” 3.3/5
3
Dec 03 2024
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
Unlike many of their edgy rockin’ and tumblin’ UK contemporaries, Queen is not afraid to revel in the absurd, theatrical, Monty Python-esque side of the British way of life.
Drawing inspiration from the pomposity of opera and music hall tunes, Freddie Mercury swings and swaggers his way to a near masterpiece of an album. Brian May sounds like a legit magician on the guitar at times, experimenting with which had never been exploited in a rock environment. There’s an argument to be made that this is where metal guitar’s interest with classical music began.
5
Dec 04 2024
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2112
Rush
Who doesn’t love a bunch of nerds playing their instruments at peak performance? Rush’s string of records from 2112 to Moving Pictures is about as good as you’re going to get when it comes to progressive rock. I know Geddy Lee’s voice doesn’t sit well with everyone, but Rush just wouldn’t be Rush without it. I, for one, find it iconic. Neil Peart and Alex Liefson are equally iconic. No one plays the skins like Peart and Lifeson is an underrated piece of the Rush trio. 4.5/5
5
Dec 05 2024
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The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
There is simply no denying that Brian Wilson is one of the greatest songwriters of all time and a true savant when it comes to composing harmonies. This is where the genius truly begins. Influencing everyone from The Beatles to The Ramones, Today is close to perfect and at times just as untouchable as Pet Sounds. 4.5 / 5
5
Dec 06 2024
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Supa Dupa Fly
Missy Elliott
For all intents and purposes, this is more of a Timbaland album than a Missy Elliot joint. Other than Phil Spector, I can’t think of a producer who leaves their imprint quite as distinctive as Timbaland. Maybe Metro Boomin is as close as we’re going to get to a modern example, but I still don’t find his work as eponymous as Timbaland’s beats. At the very least this album should have co-credits. With that said, Supa Dupa Fly is only a couple years out from Timbaland’s popularity prime when Aaliyah would be running up the charts. And to her defense, Missy is both creatively and publicly allegiant to Timbaland, who she vocally credits whenever it makes sense to do so. 4/5
4
Dec 07 2024
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Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
I’ll take Duke over Miles any day. Miles Davis’s “classic” albums bore the hell out of me, but there is something about Duke’s band, combining technical perfection with tunes that actually swing. This is the sort of jazz that sets fire to my neurons, instead of stymieing them with the ice of cool bop. I wish there were video to illustrate just how crazy the crowd was actually reacting. I can’t imagine there was a single butt in a seat not at least bopping from side to side.
4
Dec 08 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
4
Dec 09 2024
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The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
I know this list is pretty subjective, but I don’t understand why this is included on this list. It has arguably not influenced anybody, nor left much of an artistic footprint. I’m not pretentious. I think this album is… fine. I feel like a female singer would have served the songs better. It’s a neat combination of genres with a moddy 007 tone throughout, but I don’t see why I literally must listen to this before I die. I’m glad I did, but I wouldn’t call it an essential. 3.3/5
3
Dec 10 2024
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25
Adele
I actually quite enjoyed this. I was expecting a paint-by-numbers soft pop album but I was pleasantly surprised. Adele’s voice sores as the centerpiece of 25. The producers made no qualms placing Adele’s vocals in the front-and-center of the mix. The understated and instrumentation feels like an intentional statement. We’re all here for Adele’s generational set of pipes and they were not afraid to show it through the use of an understated piano and basic drum programming acting as second fiddle to the voice. 3.5/5
4
Dec 11 2024
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Myths Of The Near Future
Klaxons
There were several bands around this period that combined new rave and dance punk with a post-punk undertone (see Late of the Pier) and this album is one of the most consistently solid outputs from this specific time. I like how the songs don’t overstay their welcome. They’re quick and dirty, there and gone again, as any band with a punk aesthetic should be. 3.7/5
4