What better way to start this challenge than with the debut album of one of my favorite bands? This one's really solid, and contains a great mix of energetic blues-rock and slower psychedelic tracks. Fun times all the way through.
This is an essential MTV Unplugged show. It has its highs and lows, regarding the repertoire and Kurt's performances, but the highs are very high, raw and unforgettable.
Before listening to this, I never really understood why this band had such a huge and dedicated fanbase. I get it now. Leave me alone!
I didn't know who Solomon Burke was until this album was generated, but now I'm glad it did! I'm big on rock and big on soul, so what more could I ask for?
I've listened to this from start to finish many times throughout my life, so giving it a 5 is easier for me now than it would have been the first time, given the sheer volume and variety of songs contained. I truly believe all the tracks hit, and range from fun and inconsequential to touching and poignant.
This was really difficult to rate. My goal here in this challenge is to only listen to records once, but this took me many tries! You really have to concentrate for instrumental albums. Listening in a loud bus doesn't work. Letting your mind wander off doesn't work. Actually take the time to have a cup of coffee, stare at nature and let the music take you where it wants to. Trust me, it's worth it.
Man, what a cool theme for a hip-hop project! Always wanted to listen to this one, and it did not disappoint at all.
I had no idea what to expect from this one, but was pleasantly surprised. It's a bit bland overall, but the lyrics are inspired (as you'd expect from Bowie) and some tracks stand out from the rest. Nothing mindblowing, but an enjoyable rock album.
Sometimes I felt like I was personally there, at the concert, over half a century ago. That's how mesmerizing this record is.
Music, album cover, artist, theme, lyrics, genres... I truly don't know which part of all this is the weirdest. I love it.
"So In Love" might be the quintessential soul song for me. Something about the horns, the feelings evoked... I can't put into words just how much I love this song. That being said, for some reason, some tracks just didn't hit, in my experience. So, a 3 it is.
It usually takes a full listen to an album until a prog rock band clicks for you. Well, now I can finally say I get Rush.
It's funny to watch Yesterday (2019) and wonder what the world would be like if The Beatles didn't exist, but we live in a reality in which Buddy Holly didn't make it past 22, and that's pretty darn unfortunate as well.
The bleak themes and lyrics tie this diverse and exotic LP into a cohesive, meaningful experience. Interesting stuff.
The soul influences were the icing on the cake here. I'm not very familiar with trip hop, so this was a great starting point.
This sounded like a really bad idea of an album until I listened to it. Lots of good songs, actually. Kinda cheesy though.
I enjoy the satirical lyrics, and musically, it's right up my alley.
I didn't expect to enjoy this, but it's a really solid record, with interesting lyrics and beautiful singing.
Everything about this was novel to me. The record is touching, even if you can't understand a single word. And once you search for the translated lyrics, you understand that they are as beautiful as the music. This is timeless and transcendental.
In the LP's solid first half, the band's creativity is balanced with pop sensibilities and delivers catchy songs. And then it falls off. Or maybe, it gets too sophisticated for me. Who knows.
Despite her popularity, I had never heard anything from PJ Harvey. I guess this is different from her usual style, which I'll presumably explore in the future, but this album was really consistent and enjoyable already.
I hate to admit it, but this rocks. I'm always the first to complain when "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" comes on, as I find it overplayed and silly, but the full album made me appreciate Cyndi Lauper more. Her singing quirks drive me insane after a while though, so I'll only listen to this when I'm in a good mood.
Raw as fuck. The lyrics match the anger from the distorted, deafening guitars, and the combination makes for a nice album to commit violent acts to.
Thought an entire album of this formulaic (but fun) music genre would get boring after a while. Thing is, it's Little Richard. To this day, few match the raw energy and talent he did, and those few probably owe much to him in that respect.
Love to discover old school country music. Having never heard much of the infamous modern stuff, my limited experience with this genre has been really positive. Emmylou delivers here lovely performances, and the whole record sounds, at times, like you're attending a gig at the coolest bar in town.
This might be the strangest Hendrix project. It grew on me over the many listens I gave it through the years, and some songs are truly among the best of his.
Never would've imagined I'd listen to an entire album of this. No regrets.
Somewhere between modern indie-folk and Revolver era Beatles, lies this record. Needless to say, this is really cool.
The transition from the emotional "Without You" to the... erm, interesting "Coconut" will forever be etched into my memories.
Didn't expect to like this so much as I did. Musically, it reminds me of Metallica, and all the blasphemy makes the whole thing stand out.
It felt incredibly weird listening to something so wholesome, especially with that final message, being orchestrated by someone so vile and despicable. I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable while listening to music.
A diverse and engaging record with great lyrics and delivery. I surprisingly knew some songs, and they go hard.
Instant favorite! Not very familiar with Dylan, but now I get why this album is so well praised.
I've listened to this a lot throughout my life. For some reason, I strongly relate to Syd's music. This album is heartbreaking, and listening to this during the challenge made me notice masterpieces I'd never noticed before, such as 'Dark Globe'. The transition from it to 'Here I Go' is one of the highlights of Barrett's career.
This album is pure magic. Puts me in a great mood every time.
Nice, solid live performance from The Who. I, of course, have only listened to the original tracklist, which is relatively short. The tracks are all fire though, and this is the band in its best lineup, so it's a blast.
Didn't expect to love this one as much as I did! Following up 'Ziggy Stardust' must have been tough, but this was satisfying as its sequel. The album offers great variety, and the songs are grittier than the previous overall. In contrast to that, there are beautiful and meditative songs, such as 'Time' and, my personal favorite, 'Lady Grinning Soul'. Great day for a Bowie fan.
This is one of the records I only got to know because of the project. 'Hey Ya!' and 'Prototype' were the ones I knew before, and because of that, I always wanted to know what else OutKast had to offer. I'm glad to see my expectations were met.
Some real classics in this! If you can abstract the immorality from it, and not take it too seriously, you'll find that it's a fun ride. It is a bit long and samey though.
As punk as 50's style music can be. Some of the lyrics and imagery are surprisingly dark too lol.
Only knew 'Born Slippy' prior to this, so I had high hopes. Unfortunately, only the longer songs were interesting to me. The rest was kinda bland and pointless to my ears.
The lyrics in this are just my thing! Surreal, dark and creative all around.
I always wanted to listen to this one, because most songs I know and love from the band are from this album. Not only is it consistent, but it has even more all-timers than I thought.
I'd imagined I'd like this one, but never expected it to be a 5. Guess Morrissey's really that good (as a musician!).
Took me a while to finally listen to a Siouxsie album. It's as cool and dark as I thought.
Nothing more fitting for a rainy morning than this album. A cozy listen.
One of my favorite rap records so far. It's got some heavy lyrics and messages that, unfortunately, still stand true to this day.
Solid blues-rock thing. Nothing really mind-blowing, but if you like blues, it's got just everything you'd hope for.
As cheesy and on-the-nose as this gets, it's fun as fuck and very novel to me.
I went into this with an open mind and open heart, but no. It just doesn't seem to be that good. There are some bangers, sure, but much of the album is generic and forgettable. Well, deservedly so, this is my first 2-star rating.
I am very much not familiar with this band and this type of music, and yet, I had a lot of fun listening to this. The album's main flaw, to me, is the execution. The instrumentation was amazing, of course, but the production was too minimalistic and took the punch out of the songs, the lyrics were mostly great and poignant, but at times too cheesy and on-the-nose, and the vocals... they were TRULY the worst part of the record. Never been a big fan of high-pitched/operatic singing in metal, but I can appreciate when it works (like in Iron Maiden). This is not the case. Joey's voice is okay at best and lame at worst, and the quality of it usually depends on how hard he's trying at any given moment. I don't like when he's trying to be Bruce Dickinson and I don't like when he's shouting lines to make them catchy (they usually aren't). Some lines just fit poorly to the rhythm and rhyming, and they feel forced. And that's the problem with his vocals: they do feel forced. But whenever they don't, that's when I enjoy it. And I know this is a contrarian take, based on the reviews I've read here, but I like low-effort Joey. Sometimes, less is more.
Everything I've heard from CCR was enjoyable so far, but I never imagined this album would be so solid! About as good as white man's blues/rock gets.
Now we're talking! I had my doubts about jazz, and the general advice I found was that I'd know great jazz the moment I listened to it. Well, the moment did come, at last.
A relaxing, charming and creative 80's album. Solid record all around.
I knew, from the start, this was gonna be a banger. The few songs I knew prior to this blew me away, and I'm glad the rest of the LP is great as well.
Back from a six month hiatus. At this rate, I will be finishing this on my deathbed. This album is kinda frontloaded, but it stops just short of getting boring. Most lyrics are really good, and the songs are dynamic and exotic. Even though this is not a particularly catchy record, it's what I imagine Prefab Sprout's Steve McQueen wanted (and ultimately failed) to achieve.
An excellent record, with clever lyrics, unconventional chord progressions and instrumentation, catchy hits and the gorgeous "Hairshirt" as the standout for me.
If this is my initiation in electronic music, it worked. It was awesome from start to finish. Definitely gonna listen to this more.
Somehow, this record manages to be as punk as proto-punk can be, and also psychedelic, remniscent of some of the work The Velvet Underground was putting out at the time. The latter part is more evident in the John Cale song, of course.
I usually avoid seeing the average rating here before listening to an album, but when I miss a day, I usually see it while trying to read the Wikipedia summary. The mid average led me to expect a mid album. This was far from it. I wasn't familiar with her work, so I was surprised to see everything resonated with me right away. The songs are varied and dynamic, and the lyrics are often very insightful. Definitely deserves to be on this list.
This made me realize I really enjoy 2000's indie garage rock, especially the bluesy stuff. An unexplored territory I ought to discover.
Despite having possibly the worst cover art (yet), this is a really well made album! Most beats are funky and catchy, and some songs feature rapping that transcends the stereotypical late 80's flow. Side one was my favorite, and it ends with an instrumental banger that caught me by surprise: Good Newz Comin'. Inevitably, the music is rather dated, as old school hip hop tends to be formulaic and samey, but it was a breath of fresh air in terms of lyrics and messages.
Nothing gives me the feeling that Shine On You Crazy Diamond does. The profound melancholy in that song is something that only Pink Floyd has ever managed to create, and this song is the best example of it. If words could describe it, I would say that it's the peak of blues' sorrow captured in perfect melodies and soulful performances.
Rarely do I enter an album hoping for more of the singles' sound and find just that. This was a perfect match for my expectations.
Despite being formulaic and saccharine (as the music of this genre and era tends to be), I enjoyed listening to this album. The lyrics all tie into a certain theme, and the production succeeds in giving this a chill atmosphere.
Every song I already knew from this record is 10/10, so I already expected this to be awesome, but damn! So many memorable, moving, unforgettable gems in this! The storytelling, the instrumentation... for some, the latter may seem dated or cheesy, but for me, it captures the very best that era in music had to offer.
I do love me some Morrison Hotel, but L.A. Woman takes all it tried to do and does it better. It's still bluesy, psychedelic and poetic, but this time, Jim's voice is at its majestic final form, and it gives it that extra dramatic kick. There's a truly somber aura in the music. The moody sonority and striking lyrics certainly contribute to that, but there's something about the dynamic between tense, bluesy parts and cheerful, organ-led sections (most evident in L'America) that makes me uneasy. It feels dangerous, for some reason, and that feeling turns into paranoia in Hyacinth House, an ominous prediction of the singer's incoming demise. As tragic as it is, Morrison era's The Doors could not have a more memorable, fitting ending.
The whole album is solid, but this is a rare case of the B-side being much better than the A-side. It is just that good. I can't get enough of Ray Davies' acid satires about British society. I may not be a peasant living in post-war England, but I feel like this was made for me.
Usually, the biggest problem I find with old country music is that the lyrics and themes are often one-dimensional and repetitive. Although there's obviously no Leonard Cohen lyricism in this, I was glad to find that the songs' themes were diverse and interesting, and often related to real life experiences not many other country songwriters have been through. And, despite the variety, it all amounts to a cohesive outlaw record.
Nina shows her excellence by nailing a wide variety of genres and emotions throughout this record. If that wasn't enough, there are things that only she could ever write and deliver, such as 'Four Women', an early moment in the tracklist that already made me want to give it 5 stars.
As cheesy and vapid as this got at times, it was pretty good overall, as the hits are among the very best pop songs of our century, and the rest of the album oscillates between tasteful soul-influenced tunes and generic (but well performed) ballads.
This simultaneously sounds like old school punk, The Doors and Ghostbusters' theme song. All of which are fucking awesome.
Aside from some repetitive moments such as on 'It Ain't Safe' and some corny ones like on the closing track, this was fun and I don't regret having my first contact with grime.
It seems there are few earthly urges as powerful and irresistible as imitating Eddie Vedder. From the moment this band was generated, I wondered not if a hater would make the impression, but how they would do it. It really didn't take long to find out. Touché.
With The Beatles might be the best example on this list (so far, at least) of a record that you should only listen to before you die because of its historical importance. Almost everything else the band did was better and grander than it. Still a solid record though, with some amazing lesser-known tracks that got overshadowed by the dozens of masterpieces the band would put out afterwards.
Had been looking forward for this one. It's as pop as britpop goes, even sounding like new wave, while the lyrics are as satirical and edgy as they get. I like it.
I don't get why this is so inaccessible to people. Sure, it's experimental, and some tracks are pretty weird, but this was my first listen and it was relaxing and not boring at all. Also, some of these lyrics are insanely good. Easy 5 for me.
Might be peak moptop era Beatles. And that's saying something.
Pretty solid record, with a nice rendition of 'Hard to Handle' that introduced me to Otis Redding when I was a kid, but I cannot forgive the shameless plagiarizing of Joe Cocker's version of 'With a Little Help from My Friends' in the song 'Seeing Things'. It was really disappointing.
I avoid making meta comments too, but I'll make the (current) 2nd highest comment's words my own and hope his thoughtful analysis surpasses the ignorant and narrow-minded top review.
This album was in heavy rotation in my high school years. I used to feel like I was the only teenager listening to this music in my 3rd world decaying public school. Even now, knowing how famous and influential it is, I still think my 14 year old self may have been right.
The concept, along with the album cover, is really interesting, but I did not expect the music to sound so good! Some songs can get a little repetitive, but it's definitely a record to vibe to, more than anything.
The generator has been hooking me up with all sorts of jazz fusion lately, and it's been pretty good so far. There's enough complexity and variety here to warrant a relisten, even if only to absorb the imagery and themes depicted in the lyrics (most of which went over my head). Oh, and the painting on the cover looks really cool.
Early Coldplay is actually pretty good. I knew some songs from 'A Rush of Blood to the Head', so I already expected quality. But, given all that, I still cannot, for the life of me, understand just why the fuck such a bland, sterile, commercial, cheesy, saccharine, corny, unsatisfying, sappy, unfulfilling, inoffensive and uninteresting song such as 'Yellow' is so popular. It is, to me, the perfect definition of mediocrity. It has good elements and concepts, but it never gets anywhere because there is no substance. There is nothing to be said and nothing to achieve. It is like if someone took all the filler parts of teen pop ballads and combined them into a whole bunch of nothing. Or, more realistically, if Chris Martin took the worst aspects of 'Fake Plastic Trees' and turned them into a song, without the emotion, passion or meaning of the original. I was considering rating this album 5 stars, but something made it undeserving, and it was all yellow.
Such a fun and approachable set of songs! Sounds like something you should listen to while on vacation, especially on a ship or on a roadtrip.
I never would've imagined that this album, and more specifically, her voice, was so controversial. Sure, it's dated (in a way any 66-year-old traditional folk record would be), but it seems the best parts about her singing, which are what makes this whole thing special, are what many people find grating. I guess it comes with the territory of expressive singing, especially when it is high-pitched. But, to me, her voice is breathtaking. Also, I loved the mexican song at the end, wish there was more of that!
The amount of warmth and love this masterpiece of a record embraces you with is something only this band could ever achieve.
Every song on this offers a different experience, concept or vibe, and it all works to some degree. An album as eclectic and weird as this can never get boring.
Entrancing, groovy and charming. Some of the more percussive sections were perhaps mostly intended for people who dance (that's not my case), but aside from that, it was a great experience.
Nearly jumped when I saw the horrid average! I started listening to this on the treadmill, and the matching BPM of the first few songs helped me finish my run. Maybe that context helped, but I was willing to give this a 5. All 13 songs on disc one were cool, with nice percussion and catchy melodies. The problem was finding out there was another disc on the original release. Even though I went into it open-minded, only the first half managed to be on the same level of the first disc. Perhaps it was the fatigue of over two hours of drum and bass, the lack of vocals in that set of songs, or even my attention span running out, but it just got uninteresting from that point on. Still, most songs on this are pretty good and will be added to my playlists.
I'm not yet familiar with his father's work, but this was an easy listen. Jazzy, groovy and with long songs that never overstayed their welcome.
My favorite country album so far. Great storytelling, charming vocals and a variety of songs that range from classic cowboy stuff to traditional-pop adjacent tunes.
This is a subtle one. It isn't that flashy or innovative, but there's a vibe here from start to finish that these guys delivered very well. A great pub record for sure.
Maybe I'm the target audience, as a big fan of Depeche Mode and Daft Punk, but this is pretty much my jam. I was only familiar with Waveforms, which is for me the best track, but the creative lyrics and exotic melodies throughout the project kept me engaged.
She chooglin' on my bayou till I clearwater.
When it comes to country, I prefer outlaw material from the likes of Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, or the traditional-pop oriented work of Willie Nelson and Marty Robbins. That being said, although this type of music is pretty corny, I can't deny all the talent and passion in this project. There are fun upbeat songs and also mellow slow ballads, and they all work to some extent. Maybe this Joe Ely guy deserved better.
Other than the laughably bad autotune to the sound of bacteria music in that one song, this was actually a fun album (especially the french house influence in the first half). Goes to show nobody's perfect.
One of those entries that are just guaranteed to make your day better. I feel like listening to this every day. Great stuff.
Metal ass cover for an album that sounds like Billy Joel playing on Broadway.
Finally three digits into the generator! I personally found the lyrics to be touching in their simplicity. The singer's voice evokes Daniel Johnston, so there's a layer of sincerity and vulnerability that ties the experience together.
I am taken aback that this is hated by so many of you. This is probably one of my favorite discoveries so far. I understand that it's weird, but I found it to be a fun and easy listen.
Rubber Soul is, to me, the last pop-centered album in the Beatles' discography, and the best one at that. It's insane that almost every song is catchy as hell. Always a fun listen.
While the more experimental or danceable songs weren't really my thing, there's quite a lot of catchy stuff (including the great Neil Young cover). There's something unique about the vocals that I can't put my finger on. It sounds like a voice I wouldn't normally like, but here, it's usually one of the coolest parts of any song.
Glad to see everyone hating on Lenny lol. Never could stand his persona, his derivativeness and his overproduction. That being said, I can't deny most of the songs here are pretty good. It's a shameless and commercial impression of timeless artists, yes, but that's exactly why it's hard to fuck it up. If not for the lingering feeling that what I was listening to was plagiarizing songs I love (most of which I could actually pinpoint and compare), I might've even given this a 5. That and the pathetic Christian bullshit in the lyrics (granted some of those were written by his wife).
Some of their best songs are in this album, surrounded by folk-influenced tracks of varying quality. The story got me to the end, and although I'm not on board with some of the messages and worldviews present here, it's still interesting to get an insight into Pete Townshend's childhood.
As energetic as big band gets (at least in my limited experience with the genre)! There are also some mellow songs to add contrast, with the closing track being my favorite of the album.
Didn't expect the original songs of the album to be more interesting and consistent than the covers. The production highlighted some of the worst instrumentals and Rod's voice, as much as I like it, was just grating in some moments. Still, it's a fun record overall.
One of the most violent and intense albums I've ever heard. I feel like I'm not punk enough to enjoy every track, some of this stuff is just too experimental for me. 'Let England Shake', which came much later in her career, is a more consistent and carefully crafted album, but even though I would rather listen to it, many songs in 'Rid of Me' blew me the fuck away. The title-track nears an industrial sound, and 'Snake' is as disturbing as punk can be. Gonna listen to this again for sure.
Orgasmic fucking guitar tone! I was only familiar with 'Listen to the Music' of all the covered songs, and it matched the quality of the original. Awesome record, I wish I could give it 3 + 3 stars.
Never would've heard this without the list! Catchy songs with much to say in the lyrics. Though I really enjoy the closing track, my favorite song might be the one they hid on the original vinyl release, 'English Rose'. It caught me off guard just how gorgeous it is. Learning it right now on my guitar.
Amazing lyrics throughout. 'The Asphalt World' is epic and breathtaking. I'm feeling 5 dog-man-stars on this one.
The energy of the vocals and the whole loudness of it all make this dated and flawed record a really fun experience. The simplicity of the songs coupled with the deafening execution just makes it really fucking metal.
Went in only knowing the opening song and was surprised to find out it's one of the least exciting tracks on the album. I never understood why it's so popular, and after listening to the other great pop tunes on this and the astounding second half's suite, it makes even less sense. I'm two Kate Bush albums done (one to go) and the latter half of this is, so far, the highlight of her career for me. And, given that Kate herself said there's little connecting the two sides of 'Hounds of Love', I'm gonna go ahead and claim 'The Ninth Wave' is my favorite record of hers.
Having never heard his or his son's music before this project, I wasn't given the best order when it comes to their albums, given that only now, weeks after Femi Kuti's album, am I getting to know the OG. And now I understand why he's considered the more innovative musician, even though I really liked both of their records. This one is more challenging than Femi's self-titled, but it comes with its rewards.
Just weeks ago I got 'Exodus', and was enamored with it (still am!). 'Legalize It' feels like the other side of the coin. While the former was written with love, this one was written with hate, and I think it'll be best appreciated whenever I feel like listening to reggae but don't feel like listening to Bob Marley's overwhelmingly positive lyrics.
To quote Tuco Salamanca, from AMC's hit show Breaking Bad, TIGHT TIGHT TIGHT!
If you have violent thoughts and feelings about capitalism, this music is for you. From the amazing cover art to the relentless sound, it scratches the itch that comes each time I get any news about politics in my country or elsewhere. The only thing I don't really get is the singing. I read the lyrics as I listened and they are pretty good, so it feels like a waste when the song titles are most of the context for their anger that you're gonna get. That being said, the complete disconnect between what I read and what I heard and the unhinged growling made me laugh a lot.
Maybe my favorite experience with the genre so far (probably due to all the other genres present in the songs). Seen lots of people talking about how it's commercial crap made for selling cars, and though I don't remember any of the songs playing in advertisements here in my country, they really sound like they were made for that purpose lol. That doesn't really detract from the experience though; there's a wide variety of really good tunes in this. It loses a bit of steam in the second half, mainly in the spoken word and instrumental songs, but it still is a very solid record that I will revisit in the future.
So fun and contagious! Just about every song in this is catchy as all hell.
Something about the first half made me emotional, which is impressive for a 15-minute subtle set of songs. The second half is full of great tunes that stand on their own. I think 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' is more consistent, but both albums are great in their own ways.
Unapologetically human, this record oscillates between vulnerable lament and morbid optimism. Though the religious imagery and sentiments don't particularly resonate with me, the lyrics always have something insightful to offer.
I wonder how the average rating for this would be if 'Teenage Kicks' wasn't included in the subsequent releases of the album forevermore (along with 3 other tracks). For the record, this album originally had a run time of just under half an hour, despite what most reviews are claiming. I'm sure the slightly longer version with their singles included is better, so in favour of fairly rating the original tracklist, I will rate this before checking out any added tracks (which I certainly will).
Though John Cale made some of the best contributions to the band's catalogue, and Nico was part of some of the best tracks of the debut, this record is the one I tend to enjoy the most from start to finish.
I want to put this album cover on my wall. It's as elegant and cryptic as the record's title. The simplicity of the lyrics and the monotony of the singing fit well together and create immersion into this dystopian vision of the future.
I really dig his voice and any singer who sounds like it. As for the music, it's expectedly depressing (which I like) and unexpectedly religious (which I dislike). Still, even at their most spiritual, the lyrics are pretty good and, now that I know the story behind the album's creation, I definitely need to relisten someday.
Got to know this one through Tor's Cabinet of Curiosities a while back. I'm still in love with this record. There's a layer of pain and melancholy that's present in every song, and a feeling of resignation best exemplified in 'Thoughts of You". So many touching moments, be it in his singing or in the gorgeous instrumentals. I see you, Dennis.
Likely my favorite instrumental album so far. The funk and the groove in the first half are unmatched, while the second half focuses on giving us some very inspired and dynamic jazz. Delightful.
