365
Albums Rated
3.25
Average Rating
34%
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724 albums remaining
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2010s
Favorite Decade
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11
5-Star Albums
5
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junkyard | 4 | 2.16 | +1.84 |
| Daydream Nation | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Figure 8 | 5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
| Endtroducing..... | 5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
| Ágætis Byrjun | 5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
| Either Or | 5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
| Third | 4 | 2.43 | +1.57 |
| Suicide | 4 | 2.46 | +1.54 |
| We're Only In It For The Money | 4 | 2.47 | +1.53 |
| Arrival | 5 | 3.49 | +1.51 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mothership Connection | 1 | 3.61 | -2.61 |
| The Rising | 1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
| Talking With the Taxman About Poetry | 1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
| Ten | 2 | 3.92 | -1.92 |
| Greetings From L.A. | 1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
| At San Quentin | 2 | 3.8 | -1.8 |
| Appetite For Destruction | 2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
| Songs From The Big Chair | 2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
| Brothers In Arms | 2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
| Boston | 2 | 3.71 | -1.71 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Elliott Smith | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Tim Buckley | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (11)
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Popular Reviews
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
A lot of people, even Mick Jagger himself, compare this record to the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers".
Unfortunately, I haven't heard that album yet, so I can't say if it is better or worse.
What I can tell you is that this is a very fun and decent rock album with a great performance and a lot of variety, as I don't think there's two songs that I could say are equal or very similar. There's even one song here in which they imitate Elvis Presley's voice.
When it comes to give it a score, I had a conflict between 3 and 4 stars, but I decided to give it 4 because it has being a while since this list gave me something this fun.
Consider this a very very low 4 stars rating.
1 likes
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
My first experience with Nick Cave music was with the album 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus', a fantastic project full with diversity and power.
And this album I think it falls under the same umbrella, counting with the very charismatic voice of him, the incredibly powerful performances from the whole band and the quite unique style of rock that characterize the group.
There's also quite the variety, with tracks like 'I Had a Dream, Joe' being very fast pace, 'Papa Won't Leave You, Henry', 'Brother, My Cup is Empty' and 'Jack the Ripper' being very powerful and 'Loom of the Land' being a rather great ballad.
And I wish I could say something more specific and less generic about the record, but I found it hard to describe Nick Cave's music, so I'll end up saying that it is a great record, and I'm slowly becoming a big fan of this band.
1 likes
Slayer
4/5
This album is relentless, energetic and angry.
The lenght of this album makes the record work, because if it was longer it would become tiresome.
In my personal opinion, I wish it had a little more variety in the middle tracks, as I feel like some songs are almost identical.
Nonetheless, a very solid album and one of the best trash albums of all time.
1 likes
Mekons
2/5
I like experimentation, but this felt messy, and that he style of singing, which was really popular back then, doesn't help. At least I could feel that they tried to do something different, but still feels a bit like every other british rock album from that period of time
1 likes
Deep Purple
3/5
I'm very surprised with my own reaction to this album.
Everyone in this album plays fantastic. The singing is passionate, the riffs and beats are fast and very energetic, the guitars and synth solos are intricate and add a lot to the songs.... yet, I failed to connect with this album.
Right now, I'm at the position where I'm not feeling anything but I do appreciate what they're doing.
This is an incredible album for any fan of rock and metal, but, unfortunately for me, it just doesn't stick.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (5)
All Ratings
B.B. King
4/5
Production is really nice and the performance is excellent. A very solid album.
The Doors
3/5
Decent album with no bad songs. Maybe nothing that blew me out of the water, but it was still a great listening.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Amazing album. It is presented with great riffs, incredible vocals and really good performance by the entire band, while also presenting interesting and experimental ideas like in Whole Lotta Love or Bring It on Home.
The Who
3/5
I'm not a really big fan of classic rock, so this album didn't do really anything for me. The only thing I can say is that everything sounds very clear, and they play really good, but I felt bored overall. Also, I mistakenly listened to the extended version, which didn't helped.
Adele
3/5
Adele's voice is undoubtly incredible and unique, but I can't say the same for the instrumentos. Sometimes, I feel like this is a product from that time, as it takes me back to 2015. And that's about it.
Also, I want to point out that 'Send My Love' feels too much like a Imagine Dragons song, and I do believe too that the album cover is really bad. It makes me feel uncomfortable as it seems like her head was chop off.
Blondie
4/5
What a pleasent surprise to find 'One Way or Another' and 'Heart of Glass' in the same album. I knew about these songs, but I didn't know about the group.
This is a very solid album, and it sounds insanely clean for it's time. I was expecting a more noisy sound, but everything sounds fantastic.
What I dislike the most of this album is that some songs feel standard. There's a lote of experimentation in this album, but there's also some songs that lack of it, and those I don't like that much.
When they do it great, they do it really great, but when they don't, at least is still good.
UB40
2/5
At first it was interesting. Then it became boring and felt too long
Julian Cope
3/5
An album with interesting ideas, but it felt a bit todo long
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Nothing more to say than a good old rock and country album.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Really great album. You can really feel the passion in Sam's voice and even the instruments.
Boston
2/5
Surely an album for lovers of hard rock. But me? I'm picky with my hard rock. I didn't care for this album
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Great singing, nothing more interesting to say
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This is more a 7 than a 6. I would like to rate this album higher, because I like Peter Gabriel's voice and how good the production is throughout the whole album (even the drums with that distinct sound of the 80's). But I felt like a lot of the songs are a product of its time. Not that they aren't good, but they didn't felt that interesting.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Fantastic album, it absolutely rocks. The bests tracks are top tier rock songs and the worse ones are still very enjoyable. An album with a lot of passion and energy
Willie Nelson
3/5
Sounds good, but not interesting.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
Some songs are really catchy, others no so much. Also, a bit too long of an album but I do appreciate the sound of it overall
Elton John
2/5
As much as I try, I can't get neither into Elton John's music nor piano rock.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
The first time I listened to this album, it was ok. But in the second time I realized that it is a bit boring. For me, it is like background music, something you listen when you do anything else without paying too much attention, because when you do, you don't get anything out of it. But at least it isn't a punishing record.
Also, jazz is not a genre that I'm familiar with, so maybe I need more experience to understand this one.
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
What an interesting listening! I really appreciated how different each song sounds from the other, bending different types of music genres. I really liked this album.
Beck
4/5
Wonderful album. Loved how beautiful everything sounded.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I really liked the mysterious and dark sound of this album, which makes it a really unique experience for a songwriter record
Various Artists
3/5
It is ok. I don't really like christmas songs but I could at least appreciate how cheerful it is
Beatles
4/5
This is my first Beatles album ever and I do absolutely understand why is considered one of the bests records ever. So many interesting ideas, catchy choruses and production
Amy Winehouse
4/5
What an extrordinary voice and what an enjoyable project. The only complain is that I wish it was a little shorter, but at least is all killer and no filler (excluding intro and outro)
Beastie Boys
3/5
Surely it is fun but also aged. Besides, some songs are a bit boring honestmy
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
2/5
This album lack any type of substance. This was sooooo boring. I'm giving it 2 stars because the production was very clean, but that's all.
Beatles
4/5
Another incredible classic from the Beatles. I can't say anything more that hasn't been already said.
Guided By Voices
3/5
An interesting big of various ideas, but it lacks consitency and has a rough production
The Specials
3/5
Kind of charming, but not my cup of tea.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
This album felt monotonous until the end, which makes me sad because I liked the man's voice
The Strokes
5/5
I've heard so many good things about this album that my that expectations were really high. So, after listening to it I felt a bit disappointed because it wasn't the perfect experience I was waiting for. Nontheless, it is still a really good album with catchy riffs and choruses.
*Edit: 4 to 5 stars. This album just boost my mood so much. One of the most charming albums I've ever heard.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
I did enjoy quite a bit this album, specially the weird beats. It felt long, but I felt like there wasn't a bad song. Not saying it is amazing, but at least good.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
In general, I do not like 80's pop music, so this was a boredom for me.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
I could only listen to this once, so the review isn't really fair. I honestly expected more from this. It is a solid album with really good beats and flow, but there wasn't anything that clicked.
If I had more time, maybe it would be able to grow on me, but for now, this gets 3 stars.
Beck
4/5
Another solid album from Beck. I liked the blend between country, hip hop and alt. Makes it a very unique record
Terence Trent D'Arby
3/5
Really good singing, but the songs are just good or decent.
Queen
4/5
What can be said about one of the greatest voices music ever and one of the most best bands to ever cross rock with opera do hasn't been already told? I like how you can feel the were building up to 'A night at the Opera' with this album
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Really good alternative album. Not much to say (I could only listen to it once)
Raekwon
4/5
Great beats and flow, specially the last songs.
Magazine
3/5
It was ok
The Stone Roses
3/5
For me, this started as a generic 80's pop album, but it did get better over time. My main complain is the production. It sounds clean, don't get me wrong. But I can not stand the 80's sound
Koffi Olomide
3/5
Was super charming at the beginning, but the songs and the album ended up feeling a bit too long
Christina Aguilera
3/5
It started so good, but it didn't need to be 1 hour a 17 minutes, specially when almost every song sounds the same
Linkin Park
4/5
Man, this album feels nostalgic. Not that it has to rely on nostalgia for it to be good in my opinion. Chester's voice is still one of the greatest, and the whole album is feel with some great riffs and electronic textures.
Beatles
3/5
It was ok. Nothing really interesting from The Beatles.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
At first listen, really great, nothing more that I can say
Madness
3/5
Not my thing
Johnny Cash
2/5
Country doesn't do anything for me. The comedic interludes where funny, though.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
4/5
What an interesting listening. It's not mind blowing, but the eeire textures makes this a very unique pop album
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
To put ir simply: beautiful
Tim Buckley
2/5
Did nothing for me
Talking Heads
4/5
A very charming and uplifting álbum
Sugar
2/5
Painfully generic, and some of the choruses go for soooo long, specially the bad ones.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Astonishing singing and really great instrumentation. I only wish I could connect more with it.
Sade
3/5
Incredible singing, and smooth sound throughout the whole album. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with this album, and it felt a bit too slow for me.
2Pac
3/5
I wish to like this more than I do, because I do enjoy rap, but I'm afraid that I wasn't really feeling it. The beats are great and the delivery is good, but there's something missing for me, even though I don't know what
Orbital
4/5
Great experience. I liked the atmosphere of the album the best
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Boring. I felt absolutely nothing listening to this.
Louis Prima
4/5
Sweet and short. Very charming performances
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I appreciate a lot of the expirmation in this album, but I wish it was a little more consistent. In any case, it still really good album, and the performance is top notch, specilly in All Along the Watchtower
Billie Holiday
3/5
To be honest, this album felt repetitive and without much progression. It was like listening to the same song over and over again. At least, it isn't a bad song.
Kanye West
4/5
I miss the old Kanye... When he made charmful beats. Also, this album could be a little shorter
Crosby, Stills & Nash
4/5
Absolutely gorgeous. Sounds incredible soft to the ears. What a pleasant experience!
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
99% of the time, boring and soulless.
Simple Minds
4/5
The bass in this album is tremendous, and the production is quite solid, even though it bleeds from the 80's sound.
In addition to the production, I also enjoyed the feeling of mistery that the album presents
Yes
4/5
Very enjoyable. The guitar melodies are incredible good
Carole King
3/5
Did nothing for me, but also I can't say it is bad.
Grant Lee Buffalo
4/5
The vocales are charming with enough variety to make this an interesting listening.
3/5
The production is superv. Really the only reason I kept coming back to this album
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Not really interesting, but still ok
Simply Red
2/5
From the artwork, I was expecting some acoustic and personal album. I did not expect bland soul. This album did nothing to me.
The Teardrop Explodes
2/5
Nothing interesting
Nirvana
4/5
Incredible riffs, catchy melodies, energetic, chaotic and one of the greatest vocals in music history
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Funky and full of soul. A very charming album
Primal Scream
4/5
Catchy and psychedelic
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Beautiful and subtle. Maybe a bit too long, but I think this can grown on me
R.E.M.
3/5
Great melodies and performance, but overall, not my thing
Rahul Dev Burman
4/5
What a charming record! I've never listened to Indian music before, and this was a surprise, and a very pleasent one, as I can feel it was done with passion. So glad to discover things like this
Pink Floyd
4/5
A classic in all shapes and forms. Explendid atmosphere, performance and production. I don't give it 5 stars because I don't think is perfect, but is almost up there.
Radiohead
4/5
Even if it is not being the best Radiohead album, it is still a very good album
Serge Gainsbourg
2/5
I fins the instrumentation very interesting, but I cannot surpass this uncomfortable feeling about the vocals and concept. The whispering voice makes it feel more intimate, which is very uneasing with the context.
Death In Vegas
2/5
Started so good. The first track was an incredible opening and got me excited and set my expectations high. But it gets dull and repetitive. What a disappointment
Cocteau Twins
4/5
What stands out the most in this album is the incredible voice from Elizabeth and the catchy melodies, but it goes without saying that the instruments also are very good, and bend pretty well with the singing.
A very dreamy experience
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Didn't do absolutely anything for me. At least it wasn't painfully boring.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
I sounded pleasant and interesting at times, but there were also moments that made me question what was happening, and not in a good way.
Besides, it felt long
The KLF
3/5
For me, when it comes to electronic albums, this landed in the middle of the road. It didn't make me want to dance or charmed me enough, which would be the EDM side of the road; and it also didn't feel interesting or experimental enough, which would be the IDM and other side of the road, which is weird because there were some really strange tracks, but I disliked it more than feeling curosity. So yeah, nothing interesting for me
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I loved this album and I love how Leonard Cohen has a very distinctive sound from any other artist who sings and plays an acoustic guitar.
I feel that this album is not as eerie as 'Songs of Love and Hate', but it does present more of the beautiful melodies while having the same type of obscure lyrics (from what I could understand)
Really good album
Ian Dury
2/5
The only positive points this album has are the punky songs at the end, which helped me to stay awake during this snooze fest.
Nas
4/5
Great beats, great flow, great delivery. A classic in all forms.
Cat Stevens
2/5
I didn't care for this album. Felt boring and I couldn't connect with it emotionally
Alanis Morissette
4/5
This whole album is carried by Alanis Morissette voice. Not saying that the instruments are bad, but I felt that they only served as a base for the singer.
Thankfully, Alanis' voice is interesting enough for me to keep coming back. She is really expressive and also has some catchy and a bit of weird vocal melodies, such as 'Ironic'. Unfortunately, not every song has these melodies present, like 'Mary Jane' (at least for me).
So, while some tracks stand by they own, there are others that don't.
I think with time, this album is going to wear off from my mind, but for now, I'll give it 4 stars.
M.I.A.
3/5
I liked this record. It is weird, and experimental, and I've never heard anything like this album. But I'm not sure if I'm seeing myself coming back, specially because not every track stuck with me.
Paul Simon
3/5
The production is fantastic. The voices and instruments sounds incredible smooth through the all album. In spite of the sound, I wish some of the songs were more memorable or stuck more with me.
Lorde
4/5
Honestly, just the artwork alone made me want to like this album and it turned out to be really good.
I was in highschool when this record dropped, and hearing this style of music, which was very popular in that era, takes me back.
This album feels very intimate thanks to the kind of raspy and quite voice of Lorde and the themes of love and grief of the lyrics.
Another two traits to point our are how rich the production is, making the record sound really good; and the diversity on the instruments. For example, there's one song that uses trap beats and there are a couple of songs that are piano valads.
Although all the positive points, there are some moments that I'm not crazy about, such as the second part of Hard Feelings/Loveless.
Overall, it is still a great pop album.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This is the third Peter Gabriel album that I got from this list. At this point, I know that his music is not meant for me.
This is an 80's pop album, and you can really tell, specially beacuse of the sound of the drums. If you like this movement, then this is a great album thanks to the nice production and the experimentation.
But for me, I didn't get any type of reward. At least it wasn't boring.
Saint Etienne
4/5
Incredible vocals with some interesting mixes between trip Hop and IDM beats. It starts as a more dance focused record but it gradually gets more and more atmospheric
Metallica
3/5
This records presents some nice riffs and catchy vocals melodies and it is heavy but it also drags some songs for too long. If it wasn't for this last point, I would give this album a higher rating, even after having grown tired of them
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
In spite of sounding a lot like The Beatles, this record is filled with catchy hooks and melodies, specially the ones coming from the female singers. I only wish I didn't search about John...
Fugees
3/5
In spite of having Lauryn Hill, a great choice of beats and some particular ways of rapping and singing, I didn't really connect with this album, which is a shame for me
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I wish I could connect more emotionally to this album, specially with the slowest songs, because Aretha's voice is truly one of the greatest in music's history, showcasing a very powerful and passinate performance through the whole album.
R.E.M.
3/5
This album felt very safe and inoffensive. Yes, I'm aware that they did some experimentation, such as including the using of a mandolin and other sounds, but I think it all just came out very dull.
Tom Waits
4/5
I had to listen to this album several times in order to have a former opinion.
What really shines about this album, and I'm betting that you could also say about this man's whole discography, is the how versatile his voice is. In some songs he mainly whispers while, in other ones it is very present and some other feels like you are listening to a Disney villain.
But not only his voice shines. My favorite parts from this records where when the instruments played wierd and dissonant melodies, which match incredible well with Tom's voice.
Nevertheless, I didn't find the slower cuts to be that interesting as the rest (like 'Time' or 'Downtown Train').
Overall, incredible album
Mekons
2/5
I like experimentation, but this felt messy, and that he style of singing, which was really popular back then, doesn't help. At least I could feel that they tried to do something different, but still feels a bit like every other british rock album from that period of time
Willie Nelson
3/5
Sounds very smooth and relaxing. A very pleasent album to listen too, but I don't think I'm coming back to it anytime soon.
Randy Newman
2/5
I found this boring and uninteresting. Yes, it sounds like a Disney soundtrack, but for me, that doesn't justify it. Not for me.
Steely Dan
3/5
Good rock album, but I can't really say anything more. There's nothing that was outstanding for me, just some old regular rock songs
Mudhoney
2/5
Bland punk/grunge album. I felt like they lack of personality and they added little to nothing to the genre in comparasion with another bands. Maybe an unfair point of view, but if there's music that sounds similar to this and is better, and it doesn't bring anything new to the table, then I don't think it is worth my time that I listen to the music.
The Cure
4/5
What an increndible album. It sounds gloomy, atmospheric and intimate, specially in the second half of the album. The production is stellar. What an experience.
I can see this being a 5 stars for me, but only time will tell.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
4/5
The weirdness and experimentation which this album present makes this a very interesting experience. Loved how you can both enjoy the songs for both being rocks jams or beceause how weird they are.
My main complain about this album would be the production. I'm aware that this album is from 1967, but sometimes it feels messy, to the point where makes things hard to understand.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
A very peaceful and relaxing experience. Really hard to say anything else honestly. They are just three guys being good at their instruments and creating a calming an rural atmosphere.
Wilco
3/5
I'm surprised with myself that I can't connect with this album. The production sounds good, the vocals are kind of catchy, and there's some experimentation by mixing americana and indie rock.
Regardless of being interesting, doesn't do anything for me.
The Boo Radleys
3/5
My experience with british Pop from this list has been kind of miserable, so, after seeing the genre and the reviews of this album, I prepared myself to submit to another bland Pop album.
However, I was surprised. This album is subtle and a bit experimental, as some cuts felt like song coming from Shoegaze and Dream Pop. Certaintly something to standout from the more generic and boring albums from the orginal genre this album comes from.
If I give this a 3 star instead of 4, it's because it is more lengthy than it should have been un my opinion.
XTC
2/5
It is funny that the previous album that I had to listen was also a british rock Pop album, and how I said that it was nice to have an album that feels different from the genre.
But then I got this. I've already listen to 112 albums, and at this point, I just don't want any british Pop rock album from the 80's. Every single singer sings the same way and I'm so tired that every time that a have to listen to this type of singing, I immediately roll my eyes.
So, is this album bad? I don't know, because I could hear some experimentation, and that is something I always appreciate. Is this album good? I don't think so, because I can't stand this type of music. It is unfair? Maybe, but it is definetely unfair that there's so much of this type of music in this list.
So, I'm giving it 2 stars as a thanks to this list for making me hating this genre.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
It is funky, funny and the production is really thick. But this album didn't need to be this long, specially when there're a lot of forgettable songs.
Fats Domino
3/5
I was expecting this record to be really fun, but I did find it a bit dull, so I ended up feeling disappointed with the lack of energy. At least it is really short.
Country Joe & The Fish
3/5
I don't really have anything special to say about this album. It is good, feels consistent and has some rock jams. Nothing that shines by its own.
Boards of Canada
4/5
What differences Boards of Canada from any other artist/band from the IDM movement is their ability to create deep psychedelic and surreal atmospheres. Even if this is not their best or their most mysterious album, in this record, Boards of Canada offers a great entry level to their music.
I love getting lost in their intricate beats and melodies, which are the most beautiful or the weirdest there can be.
What an experience, being both charming and haunting.
Van Morrison
2/5
Starts decent, but at the end I wanted it to end. I'm not a fun of this type of singer songwriter music, so... That's it.
The production is kind of good, though.
Peter Tosh
3/5
A bit hard to rate since I'm not very familiar with reggae. Obviously, I know about the genre, but I don't think I've e era heard a full reggae song before. And I'm not counting the UB40 album I had to listen, which is categorized as a fusion of other genres (and it was and awful experience), while this album feels like pure reggae.
So, what do I think? After my first listen, I felt indifference, but in the second round, I left with a better impression.
I don't think is incridebile, but at least it is enjoyable. It is very relaxing and at the tracks do offer some subtle changes which makes the experience more diverse.
Besides, it my be a bit unfair from me to not bring up the theme of the album, but I was more focused on the instruments than the lyrics, and I didn't understand what he was saying anyway.
In the end, I don't think I'll be returning to this album anytime soon, but I won't be regretting listening to this.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
This was an interesting listening. It reminds me a lot to Danny Brown, but, since this came first, it should be the way around.
So, this album feels a bit goofy, but with charm. The voice feels exagerated and the british accent is very present in it. The beats also contribute, since they're really different from what I was expecting from an album that came out in 2003.
Talking about the beats, something that I have to mention is the fact that I feel this album had an important impact in the rap scene. As I stated, he reminds me of Danny Brown, but the production did also make me think about the modern drill scene, and how similar they sound.
I liked this album, but it is kind of loud and long. From 2 of 3 times that I listened to it, I ended up feeling ear fatigue, so I'd appreciate it if the record was a bit shorter.
Slayer
4/5
This album is relentless, energetic and angry.
The lenght of this album makes the record work, because if it was longer it would become tiresome.
In my personal opinion, I wish it had a little more variety in the middle tracks, as I feel like some songs are almost identical.
Nonetheless, a very solid album and one of the best trash albums of all time.
The White Stripes
4/5
What I really liked about this album are the voice, the guitar tone, the little details that they sometimes add and the diversity (like the fusion with country). And because there's really nothing more to say about this album, I can affirm that this was a really fun and great experience.
Goldie
2/5
I love ambient and atmospheric music. Usually, it is immersive or it might provoke some emotions.
This album, for me, failed at both points. Not saying that it was a completely stale experience, since I think it has its highs, but they are so infrequent in a 1 hour and 40 minutes listen that the album ends up feeling like background music in its majority, without bing offesinvely bad at leas
Radiohead
4/5
What really shines about this album is how heavily textured it is. What I mean by this is that it is very detailed, both in its instrumentation and electronics, and it is production.
But I think you can say that from almost or every album from Radiohead from this time (from Kid A to In Rainbows at least).
I can also add that the vocals, the guitar and bass melodies are super, that it has a sad tone and everything that characterizes Radiohead.
Maybe what I could add is that I don't believe that there's a single track which stand outs from the other. Not that they don't have personality, but more like that they all work very well together, making it a very coherent listen (although it has its low points).
Elliott Smith
5/5
This album took me some listens to finally click with me. But why?
To put some context, I've been listening to Elliot's music before starting this list. But I only listened to the more soft side of his discography, and I'm talking about the Self titled and 'Either/Or'.
By the time I was most into his music, I've tried listening to this record, but it didn't stick with me, because it is so different from what I expected, so I didn't even give it another try.
Until now. When this list presented me this record I saw a chance to finally get into it. And boy, I'm glad I had this opportunity.
As I stated, this is not an acoustic album. This album has very large instrumentation, which, in comparison with his previous music, makes this record feel more positive. But it sounds so so good, and his voice plays along with it so well.
Besides, it may sound a little more charming, but his lyrics still feel and are sad.
So, overall, this album still presents the same personality which characterized his previous albums, but more ambitious in terms of instruments. I'm not giving it a 5, but damn, it is so close.
And to add a personal note, I don't think that any other Elliot Smith song has made feel more emotional than 'Can't Make a Sound' has made.
*Edit: It is getting 5 stars. Super consistent and super emotinal throughout the whole album
The White Stripes
4/5
While maintaining the bright and powerful tone of the guitar, the catchy melodies and riffs, and the variation, I felt that this album was a little less consistent than 'White Blood Cells', specially because of the slower cuts.
Either way, this record is still great and powerful.
Le Tigre
4/5
Enjoyable, charming and simple.
This album offers some catchy melodies with a punk or garage type production and, probably the most important point of the album, themes and lyrics which centers around feminism, making this album very unique.
Björk
4/5
This is a very intimate and sad album, where Björk shows herself at her most vulnerable moments, specially in the first half of the album, being the track 'Black Lake' the most emotional one.
Now that I've described this album, I have to give some of my personal takes.
First, I'm really glad that I discovered Björk before this album and list, because this is not an easy listen, as it took me several days to form an opinion.
Second, I love the weirdness and experimentaion of Björk's music. She always surprise me with her strange melodies and way of singing. For example, a track that really stand out to me for these things is 'Notget'.
In summary, as I said, in this album, Björk exposes her most vulnerable side withouth sacrificing the traits that define her previous works, specially in the first half, which is way stronger than the last tracks.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
While I dind't felt bored listening to this album, I certainly was left not wanting to return.
This is not a bad album, not at all, as it is filled with some nice jams and performance.
But this style doesn't really do anything for me.
People who loves rock and blues, may find this album great, but not for me.
Alice Cooper
2/5
For me, just another bland hard rock album. Unfinished Sweet had an interesting part. A bit weird and drony. And that's it, nothing more interesting to say about the album, since I don't like hard rock.
Mike Ladd
4/5
What a weird and interesting album, one that, after listening to it, makes me wonder how it did land in this list.
Personally, I really liked it.
The strongest point of this album are the beats, and it is not as surprise, since EL-P is also credited as one of the producers of the album. So what they presented here, is a combination of some weird, groovy and futuristic beats, and, for the most part, it works really well, in my opinion, as a relaxing or chilling experience.
The vocals are not bad, but I feel that they don't add that much. This album could be purely instrumental and it won't lose power.
Overall, an interesting an album that didn't demand too much of my attention but kept my head moving to the beats.
Arctic Monkeys
3/5
First of all, this is not a bad album. It is energetic and youthful... But not as much as too resonate with me.
My main problem with this album is that it sounds very loud, to the point of feeling saturated (both my head and the songs).
Either way, a decent album.
Deep Purple
3/5
At first listen, it felt energetic and very powerful rock / proto metal. But with more and more listens, it became a little bland and boring.
James Taylor
4/5
Sounds really pleasant and good. There's also room for some variation, as somes tracks take elements from rock, blues or country.
Still not really my thing, but I enjoy quite a lot.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
This album is very well performed, very soulful (no pun intended) and has some really good melodies.
But I honestly find it hard to connect with it, and some parts I find a bit repetitive, but I won't dare to say that this is a bad album.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Going to listen for the first time to this album, I thought I would like it more than I really did, because Michael Jackson's voice and style is one of a kind and incredible, but this album felt a bit dated for me, both for the instrumentation and some of the songs structures, and I'm not talking about 'Bad' or 'Smooth Criminal', which are undeniable bangers, I'm refering to tracks like 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You' or 'Liberian Girl'.
The expectations really did me dirty on this one.
The Modern Lovers
2/5
The first time I listened to this album was horrendous. The second time, it was better, since I knew what it was like, but still not a great experience. I just can't stand this type of singing, and the instruments felt bland. There's some nice melodies here and there, but not enough to want me to listen to this album again.
And just for the record, Picasso is known to be a misogynist and treating his wifes poorly, so he was kind of an asshole (or maybe I'm missing the point of the song).
The Soft Boys
2/5
The first half of this album is so painfully boring. It is just some standard and bland rock.
Thankfully, the second half has some experimentation, with some weird melodies with the guitars.
Still, I don't want to listen to this ever again.
David Bowie
4/5
I was a bit scared of the 'Glam rock' tag because I'm not a fan of 'Glam metal' and I though that they might very similar.
But what a pleasant surprise this was.
This album sounds incredible and it is full of layers and creativity in every single track.
I don't think it is perfect, but don't think I have anything bad to say.
And this was only my first impression.
Fantastic.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Fantastic flow accompanied by groovy and charming beats.
My only problem is that I think I like it less and less the more listens I give it.
Still a very good album of a very influential rapper.
The Go-Betweens
3/5
I first thought that this was a UK group. After listening to the album and discovering that they are from Australia, I understood why I didn't dislike this album (let me complain once more about all the unberable british pop rock albums from the 80's that this list has).
This album is decent. Sounds nice, but there isn't really anything that stood up for me.
Barry Adamson
4/5
This maybe one of the strangest albums I've ever heard, and I loved it.
It is an amalgation of different music styles:
You have some dark cuts such as 'It's Business As Usual' and 'Dirty Barry'; you have some jazzy moments such as 'The Vibes Ain't Nothin' But the Vibes'; you have some rock moments such as the opener; you have some trip-hop songs such as 'Achieved in the Valley in the Dolls'.... you get the idea.
And if this whole album works is because the songs sound really good. It may lack of cohesion, but it is still very enjoyable.
Radiohead
4/5
I love this album. I really do. But I don't think it is Radiohead's best. I think this title belongs to In Rainbows, mainly because it is more emotional to me. After In Rainbows, it comes this album, which presents some of their best songs ever, such as Paranoid Android, Karma Police, Exit Music (for a Film), Let Down or No surprises.
The rest of the tracks are also very good, showing how creative the group is, but I don' t think they keep up the level of the bests songs , specially 'Electioneering'.
Still, this album is very consistent, ambitious and a great experience.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
This was painful. The majority of the songs felt boring and uninteresting.
It felt like eating a burger with only meat and bread, and in some little occasions, the meat has a bit of flavor.
The production is decent, so at least the meat is well done, and not raw nor rotten, but I would prefer eat something more fulfilling.
And now I'm hungry... for both better music and food.
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
The main purpose of this album is to make the listener dance, and I'd be damned if I didn't.
Almost every song offer some element that make your body move, that being catchy melodies ir very present grooves. I said almost because the last song feels more like a rock tune that a dance banger.
I also have the feeling that the lyrics maybe hiding some deep message, but english is not my mother-tongue and, most of the time, ir I couldn't understand what he was saying ir I was too focused in the instruments.
Billy Joel
3/5
With the fact that I dispise the song 'Piano Man', I was prepared to have a bad experience when I was to have my first listen.
But honestly, I ended up liking it a lot more than I expected. What I don't like about Piano Man is that it sounds too melodramatic for my taste. However, the tracks presented here have a lot more energy and power than anticipated.
Even though I said I liked it more than I though I would, that doesn't mean I loved it. I still don't feel anything from piano rock from the most part, but I least I didn't disliked it or had a bad time.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
This was so painful. It is long, repetitive, tedious, with nothing interesting to offer, just ordinary rock and country. My head hurt very bad after listening to this because this album sucked all of my energies and left me stressed-out.
Dr. Dre
3/5
I honestly though I would like this more than I actually did, knowing that I'm a fan of hip-hop and how influential this album is.
The beats are great and there's a lot of great artists featuring in this album, each one giving the record some personality.
But at the end, this didn't resonate with me.
CHIC
2/5
The main problem with this album is how repetitive it is, specially the first part. The first three songs past the 6 minute mark, the first one reaching the 8 minutes, and in the entirety of these tracks, they don't realy offer different ideas, they stick with the same riffs and vocal melodies, so, when I had reached the half of theses songs, I already felt tired of them.
The good part is that, the last songs, are a around the 4 minutes, so this problem isn't that present.
In the end, it felt boring. If this album was supposed to make me want to dance, it failed for me.
The Verve
4/5
I honestly didn't expect this album to be this good. It is an hour and a quarter long (including the silence between the last track and the hidden one), and I can't say that there was a moment that I felt bored, tired or irritated, and all thanks to the psychedelic melodies presented in all the songs, and the great voice of the singer.
There's some tracks that are weaker, like 'Space and Time' or 'This Time', but they don't ruin the flow or the nice experience of the record.
Also, 'Bitter Sweet Symphony' may be one of the greatest opener to an album.
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Reading some reviews of this album after listening to it, I read that this man was called 'the american beatle', and I totally understand.
This is not just similar to a Beatles' album in its style, but also in its structure, as it is full with experimentation, and almost every song feels different from each other, but I don't it reach the grandiosity of the british band.
This album starts with two nice and catchy rock songs, being 'Gotta Get Up' a really nice opener.
Then you have 'Early in the Morning' which is more of a slow track, a bit of atmospheric to call it something, which doesn't really add anything to the album being honest.
Then you have an acustic and a piano rock song which leads to the biggest song of the album, 'Withou You'. The previous songs are nice but nothing too special, one being led by an acustic guitar and the other one being a piano rock; and following them, you have a balad. Honestly, nothing interesting. I felt like I've heard this type of song a thousand times. Maybe a pioneer for its time, but still mediocre.
After that, you have the strangest song of the album, that being 'Coconut', and all thanks to the style of sining, because the instruments don't really add nothing to the weirdness. Wish it had.
Finally, you have two more songs that reminded me a lot to Elton John, and... that's not really a great thing for me; which they precede the closing track, a nice balad with some great instrumentation which adds a nice layer of intensity.
So, before wraping up the review, one more thing that I need to mention is that the production is stellar. Everything sound incredible.
With that said, I have to give this album 3 stars. I think that, technically speaking, it lands in the middle of 3 and 4 stars, but emotionally speaking, I feel more a 3 than a 4, since the album couldn't make a impact on me.
Pentangle
3/5
This is the first traditional folk album that I've ver heard, and honestly, I'm quite conflicted about how I feel about it.
On one hand, I really enjoyed it at first. The performance are great, specially from the female singer, and it has this rural and medieval atmosphere to it that makes the album kind of charming.
One the other hand, I think it is a bit too long. Towards the last songs, it felt a bit boring, since they are very similar to the first ones.
Overall, it is a good album
The White Stripes
3/5
This is the third album from The White Stripes that this list recommended me, and in comparition, it is the worst of the three.
My main problem with this record is the lack of the presence of the guitar. In the previous works, a lot of the energy came from the incridebile tone and riffs of the guitar. Now, you are just left with a paino, Jack's voice, Meg's, a marimba and some occasional guitars. All of these elements are not bad, in fact, the White Stripes' style and sound is still present and recognizable, but it lacks the punch and power from their previous albums.
Little Simz
4/5
When I first listened to this album, I was blown away and left with the feeling that I might be in front of a 5 stars album. After a course of a week listening to this album, I've come to the conclusion that it is not, but still very close.
I think that the most remarkable aspect of this album are the beats, which are insanely good, but without stealing much attention from Little Simz flow and introspective lyrics.
So the reason that it is not a 5 stars album is because, after the latest listenings, I didn't felt as excited as the first times. Nevertheless it is an amazing album, packed with lots of emotions.
The Cure
4/5
First time I listened to this album, I didn't enjoy it that much, specially in comparition with 'Disintegration', which is the only album of 'The Cure' that I've ever listened until this one.
But with more and more listenings, I start to appreciate it, as it is has its unique atmosphere, that is not present in the album I mencioned before. It has like a movie terror vibe, which is very nice.
I do also have some complains, as it feels a little bit inconsistent and has some questionable production choices (why has the voice in some of the songs to be so so low?)
Overall, it is a pretty unique listening, so I have to go for four stars.
The Go-Go's
4/5
This is a simple and catchy 'new wave' album, and for what it is, I honestly surprised that a liked that much, because, from what I had to heard from this list of this genre, I usually dislike it.
But this is a very consistent album, and kind of fun. Not more to say than it is great.
Jack White
3/5
After listening to three The White Stripes albums, now I'm presented with Jack White's solo material, and I have to wonder why.
I know that Jack is a very influential figure in rock music, but I think including the former groups records in this list is enough, specially when this album doesn't hit as the others.
Although Jack's very recognizable style of singing is present and there's now a variety of instruments in each song, I felt like this album lacks in charisma and power, and it even is a bit inconsistent, but at least is not a bad listen, just forgettable in comparition with His previous works.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Before my first listening, I had my expectations really high, since I love some of his first works. But after listening to it, I was left dissapointed, as I was hoping for 'singing and playing the acoustic guitar' songs, not a pop album.
So, this album lacks the dark atmosphere that is present in his early works. You could say that it is still there, but is very different and it does not have the same appeal, making the whole record feel a bit tiresome.
At least the lyrics keep the dark themes...
4/5
This album is fantastic, it is full of bangers and with some of the bests David Bowie's songs. It is really catchy, creative and consistent.
My only problem with this album is that some songs don't really stick to me as the others, for example, Lady Stardust, but even the lowest points in this record are still really good.
Arcade Fire
5/5
This album is so beautiful and charming. I've been listening to this daily for an entire week and I didn't get bored of it.
I love the little melodies the play with different instruments such as piano, violin and even xyIophone; I love the chord progressions, I love the execution of the changes at the end of the songs. I love everything from this album, and I'm glad I can finally give a confident 5 stars after 165 albums (I have to add that this is could be the third 5 stars, but didn't have the confidence to give the other two albums the proper score)
TV On The Radio
3/5
An interesting album which feels like nothing that I've ever heard before, as it borrows elements from Indie-rock, post-punk, soul, noise pop, experimental and... 'Kraoutrock'. I think this last term maybe the one that describes this album the best, as it is a genre that 'Brings together elements of Psychedelic Rock with avant-garde influences, often incorporating hypnotic rhythms, extended improvisation, and Electronic textures' (sourced from RateYourMusic).
So, the first half is very strong as it is filled with incredible textured instruments and catchy singing.
Then you have Ambulance, which is a song performed only with vocals, and is good but no so much compare with the previous ones.
And after this song, this albums declines, which is curious, because this part is very similar to the first half in terms of style and performance, but it doesn't work as well. The catchy melodies are gone and the songs are longer than it should.
Overall, a nice listen just for the fact that I've never heard anything like this before.
Silver Jews
3/5
For a country record, I think it is very good. The voice is soothing and sad, while the instrumentation borrows elements from other genres such as indie-rock, and it works very well.
I just wish I could connect with it a little more. Emotinally speaking, it didn't do too much for me.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
At first, I though I would really like this album. I don't know why I had that though, beceause this is just another country album like anyother. At least is very short.
Bob Dylan
2/5
First time, I didn't get it. Second time, I also didn't get it. In fact, I also felt way more often that the guitar in some songs feels a bit out of tune, and it is annoying.
I'm very picky about singer-songwriter, and Bob Dylan in this album doesn't do anything of my interest, as I find the singing and the guitar playing a bit bland.
And I know that a lot of this album comes from the lyrics, but it is just not enough for me.
The Streets
2/5
I left my first listening thinking that this album is a bit messy.
The choruses fail to be catchy, and I say fail because I could feel they were trying.
The beats and the singing didn't at anything to the experience.
What I heard is that there's great lyricism, which I totally missed and I don't really want to put myself through this experience again...
Hawkwind
2/5
This album didn't need to be this long.
The first disc felt fun, heavy, speacy, a bit catchy, filled with nice riffs... It was good, nothing very special but at least it was tolerable, even though at the end I feel tired.
Therefore, if I was feeling already tired at the end of the first disc, you could imagine how I felt listening to the second one. It wasn't fun. It is the same material and ideas from the first one.
Nina Simone
5/5
I've been quite conflicted about what score to give this album. Today, I finally made the decision to give it 5 stars rather than 4, and it comes down to the fact that Nina's voice is extremely powerful and does and excelent job in trasmiting emotions.
There's some weakers tracks compare to the best ones, but I'll be damned if I call them bad songs, because they're not.
Truly one of the best singers ever.
The Pretty Things
3/5
A very (very very) Beatles inspired album with some really interesting ideas, but suffers a lot from the recording and production. Some of the songs sound rusty, dusty and a bit muffled, which it is something that throws me out of the immersion.
It is a pity I couldn't appreciate that much this album, because I did like some of the ideas and melodies it offers, such as the ones in 'Baron Saturday', 'Trust' or 'Balloon Burning'.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
At first, this album may feel uninteresting or that it lacks ideas. But with more and more listens, it started growing on me.
It offers a very relaxing and soothing experience thanks to the very clear production and the meticulous ways of playing and singing, both also hide some details and ideas which I could only appreciate with more and more listens.
Pixies
3/5
I have listened to this album several times, and yet, everytime, it fails to stick with me, and I do not have any idea why.
This album is both chaotic and calm. Songs like 'Debaser' and 'Tame' features the singer screaming and dissonant guitars while other tracks like 'He comes Your Man' or 'Hey' are more pop rock inspire.
Despite the experimentation, the mix of genres and the unique personality, I always leave feeling almost nothing.
Iggy Pop
3/5
The self-titled song is incredible catchy and made move along the rhythm. Everything else is alright.
Iggy pop's voice is kind of charming, and I don't think there's anything more I could say about this album that captured my attention.
Decent album but without anything to make me want to return to the whole thing.
Besides, I don't know what it is about the cover art, but it is really creepy. Maybe it is the fact that he is looking directly to the camera. Feels like it pierces my soul.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
My experience with english post-punk and new wave with this list has beeing miserable, to say the least.
But this record is so exaggerated in every aspect, that it differs a lot from other albums of the same genre. It truly feels unique even if it shares similiaritys with works under the genre umbrella.
Still, I don't love it and I'm not planning returning to it.
Guns N' Roses
2/5
In this album you have the hits: 'Welcome to the Jungle', 'Paradise City' and 'Sweet Child O' Mine'; and then you have the rest.
The hits may be the most overplayed songs of rock history, and they can make listening to this album more difficult, depending of how tired you are of them. In my case, listening to 'Sweet Child O' Mine' was a bit troublesome, specially because of the guitar melody...
So, if you don't like those songs, this album doesn't have anything more to offer.
The last 3 songs are painful to listen to, the last one being the worst thanks to the use of moans; and the rest are just formulaic songs.
So, is this a 2 stars album? I don't know, and honestly, I'm very conflicted on what score to give to this album, because at the end of the day, it is a bit fun. I'm certainly not giving it 4 or 5 stars, and 1 star is too harsh, so I'm stuck with 2 or 3.
Did I like it? Mmmmm... not really. Axl's voice is a bit annoying, and there's songs that I don't want to hear anymore; but, production-wise, it sounds good and they are having fun...
Screw it, I'm giving it 2 stars. At the end of the day, this is not my type of fun.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Very uplifting, charming and amusing.
I won't take seriously an album that makes me think of old cartoons and feels like they were having fun.
Electric Light Orchestra
2/5
An album that offers some interesting ideas, has some memorable songs but suffers a lot from its long duration. And why would it suffer if it has variety? Keyword: 'some'.
The majority of the songs felt almost the same, all following the structures of a typical opera/pop rock.
It was kind of a chore to get to the end of the album
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
I listened to this album several times, and I find it hard to come out with a review that is not just 'sounds great' or 'they play very good' or even 'full of nice grooves', but I think I'll have to leave it at that.
It is great. Nothing more to add, really.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I remember discovering Black sabbath about 8 years ago. I used to love their first two albums and I event got a compilation of their best hits from their early works.
After some time, I got bored of them and I specially got tired of Ozzy's voice to the point I couldn't stand it.
Today, after a long period of time, this list makes me listen to their debut album.
I went to listen to this with the expectation of not liking it, but, surprisingly, I liked way more than I though I would, and particularly, I even liked Ozzy's voice.
My problem with his singing style is, when he sings high notes, his voice feels forced, and that irritates me. Fortunately, in this album, Ozzy stays on a lower register, and it feels way more natural.
So, what about the songs?
This albums opens with a beast of a track, 'Black Sabbath'. The atmosphere is so gloomy and haunting. It is mind-blowing. And the fact that it stills this strong and impactful after 55 years makes it even better.
After the opening, all the songs between 'The Wizard' and 'Evil Woman'
are some very strong 'proto-metal' tracks, with strong riffs and catchy melodies, specially the harmonica in the 'The Wizard' and the choruses in 'NIB' and 'Evil Woman'.
The last 3 songs (or 2, if you don't count 'Wicked World' as it was realeased as an exclusive track for the US version) are way weaker and more 'hard-rock' oriented.
'Sleeping Village' starts with a nice acoustic guitar which creates this great dismal atmosphere. My problem with this song is that I wish they would expand the song around the style and idea of this segment instead of changing to a more 'hard rock' track.
Lastly, the last 2 tracks don't really add anything to the experience in my opinion, primarily 'Warning' which is a 10 minutes song that feels its only intention is to show off Tommy Iommi's guitar abilities. Don't get me wrong, I think is very impressive how good he plays knowing the backstory of this fingers, but I do feel it goes for way longer than it should.
At the end, I'm thankful to come back to this album.
Muddy Waters
2/5
I have to agree with people saying that this is energetic, as I did feel that the musicians were giving they best.
But, I didn't really like it. I think it is way long than it should, specially the longer songs, which felt boring most of the time.
Rush
3/5
Listening to Rush for this time, I couldn't stop thinking about some modern prog-rock/metal acts as Opeht or Dream Theater. And that's not good because it is a sound that I grew tired of, mainly because I overplayed it when I was younger.
Still, this is a very decent album. It shows how technical they are playing their instruments without reaching the point of feeling pretentious.
I did also like the overall atmosphere and the production is great.
Emotionally speaking, I didn't do much.
Alice Cooper
2/5
I do not care for hard rock, so this album almost didn't do anything for me.
I liked Blue Turk and Grand Finale though.
Fleet Foxes
4/5
Very beautiful album. The incredibly clear production makes this a really pleasent and relaxing listening.
It is also filled with wonderful instrumentation and powerful and catchy vocal lines, specially in songs like 'Your Protector'.
Girls Against Boys
3/5
I listened to this album 3 times, and yet I had to check the reviews to clarify what genre I was listening to.
It seems like it falls under the Post-hardcore umbrella and I have to agree, as it releis on the heavy production and the hard hitting riffs and drums... But I think this album is just decent.
I would even say that the most redeeming aspect is the quality of the sound and some catchy riffs here and there, as all the songs feel and sound the same, without doing anything very interesting.
Overall, I think it is decent.
Beyoncé
3/5
Beyoncé's voice is one of the greatest there has ever been, and there's no denying it, but I think an 1 hour and 8 minutes is a bit too long, specially when the greatest songs are in the beginning, offering some weaks tracks after these ones.
I'm not saying that these are bad songs. They're very decent, but they don't come as powerful as the first bunch, which makes this album harder to get through.
Love
3/5
First time I listened to this I didn't like it.
Second time, I had a better experience, but I still felt very neutral about it.
Third time.... I didn't listen to this album a third time.
I don't feel like this album has anything that I'm missing. With the two listens I gave it, I may hace enough.
For me, just a decent album. Great singing and playing, but it didn't impress me nor evoke any type of emotion.
Elliott Smith
5/5
I remember listening to this album about 1 year ago after discovering Elliott's self-titled record, and I though that it was just decent.
And to think that now I love it.
Elliott's voice and style of playing the guitar are so intimate, soothing and fragile. Some great examples would be the songs 'Speed Trials', 'Between the Bars' or 'Angeles'.
But he also has incredible powerful performances, specially in 'Pictures of me' or 'Ballad of Big Nothing'.
When you are in the right mood, this album hits so hard. That's why it grew on me so much, because the second time I've ever listened to this album, I was in the right humor for it. Now, thankfully, the timing of this list was in my favor, as I've been feeling a bit down lately.
If I didn't have the proper state of mind, this album would never made into my personal collection.
Immaculate.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
A very interesting album.
For an hour and twenty minutes, it success at grabing your attention through the whole duration of the record, and it all comes down to how detailed the music is, with the use of big choruses, the little melodies that fill the background or the 'weird sounds'.
Maybe it has some flaws here and there, but I don't think there's a bad song in here.
I also want to mention that I find Nick's voice to be very captivating and with a lot of expression.
Really glad I finally listened to Nick Cave's music.
The Kinks
4/5
A very fun, catchy and a bit silly album. It also contains some psychedelic elements, but they aren't as predominant as the memorable and more Pop oriented tunes.
A very solid listen.
James Brown
3/5
A fun live album, but 'Lost Someone' feels a bit repetitive after awhile and, overall, didn't grab my attention.
I had some laughs every time the crowd screamed though.
The Clash
4/5
Very energetic, fun and with attitude.
Liked how they merged the sound of the New Wave movement with punk, but I still preferred the punk-ish side to the catchy side of this album.
Bill Callahan
3/5
First of all, I wouldn't catalogue this as a Country album. Many reviews and even some websites, such as RateYourMusic or AlbumOfTheYear, already pointed this out, so I should also take my part on spreading the word.
This album reminds me a lot to Silver Jews. It is very peaceful and very relaxing. The instrumentation is gorgeous, but the vocals feel very stale for me. It can feel monotonous at times, as the singing it is closer to be spoken words rather than actual singing. And this is a huge factor, since it makes the record a bit tedious for me.
I do also want to stand out that, in spite of saying some positive things about the instrumentation, I do think that it doesn't do good enough to grab my attention, which is focused in the vocals.
At the end, in the three times I had listened to this album, I am always left without any type of strong emotion or even interest in coming back, but I won't say it is a bad album.
The Beach Boys
4/5
A very uplifting and charming collection of short songs, specially the first half of the album, as the second one takes a slower pace approach, having the songs almost feel like ballads (one even could considere them as such).
The Cure
4/5
After approximately 6 or 8 listenings, I still don't have a strong opinion about this album.
I do know that I like it, and I do also know that the main point of the album is how gloomy, dreadful and sad the atmosphere is, and there's some tracks that do work with this feelings better than others. For instance, I think 'A Short Term Effect' may be the weakest cut of the album, and 'The Hanging Garden' is one of my favourite songs, with Robert Smith screaming 'Fall fall fall fall' in the chorus.
Just for the atmosphere, I'm confident enough to give this album 4 stars.
Pearl Jam
2/5
I don't know to what point all the memes and mockery of Eddie's singing has affected me, because I didn't feel anything.
For me, this album did little to nothing interesting in both times I listened to it, but without being obnoxious, at least.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
While I can appreciate the great singing, and the calm tone of the album, it didn't make a real impression on me.
I think I've never heard an album that made feel so few emotions, neither positive nor negative.
The Prodigy
4/5
Energetic, chaotic and powerful.
The sound is electric (pun intended), and love how well done is the transition between songs. Helps to keep the energy alive.
A great album to forget about everything and just have fun.
Japan
4/5
Quite peculiar album, specially for a New Wave one.
And what makes this album interesting? It is the atmosphere and the instrumentation. The vocals where a bit forgettable in my opinion.
This record has a very distinct sound. It feels very sophisticated in comparison to other albums of the same genre, which they tend to be louder.
I was surprised to like this album as much as I did as I'm not a fan of the New Wave sound, but the melancholy and refined production made this a great experience.
Genesis
3/5
This is my first Genesis album ever, and I feel like it is not a great entry point to their discography, as it is an hour and a half long with 23 songs, so it is a lot to digest.
Having listened to this album just two times with a lot of pauses in between, I can only provide a surface level review:
The production is great, singing and instrumentation are very creative, there are some great ideas and has a very good ending with this grandiose feeling to it.
In addition, most of the songs didn't really do much for me.
And that's all I can say about it (which is funny to say because I've said more in this review than in many others I wrote previously).
Steely Dan
3/5
I listened to this album about 4 times. One of them, I wasn't in a great mold and I couldn't even finish it, which is an indicator that I didn't really like it.
This album is a fusion of Rock and Jazz, and it's very noticible as the songs have that feeling of a rock hit while the intrumentation has a jazzy feeling, specially with the fast guitars.
The record has also a pretty solid production. It has a sense of comfort, which is nice.
With the positive points being said, I'd like to move to what I didn't like:
There're some elements that I find tedious, such as the choruses of 'Show Biz Kids'; and the only song that I really liked was the opener 'Bodhisattva'. A very catchy song. The rest is just decent at best in my opinion.
Because I'm feeling generous, I'm giving this album 3 stars, even if I didn't get anything of real value out of it.
Black Sabbath
4/5
One of the most memorable metal albums of all time.
The riffs are impecable and hadn't age a bit, and, in my opinion, this period is the greatest for Ozzy's voice, as I think it becomes unbearable later in his career.
It is heavy and gloomy, as you would expect from a doom metal album (if not a doom metal record, it is, undeniable, the blueprint for it).
I don't think I have a lot more to say about it that hasn't been said before, so I'll leave it at that.
I'm not giving it 5 stars because I'm saving that score for more emotional experiences.
Sonic Youth
4/5
What I like about this list is that it forces me to listen to artists and groups I always wanted to hear but never found the right moment to do do.
Now, I finally had the oportunity to discover Sonic Youth. Never knew what to expect from them.
What I found with this album is that it is very chaotic, very energetic and very very dissonant and noisy, and I loved it.
Feels so good to discover bands that have their own unique sound and that it resonated with you.
Janis Joplin
3/5
This album relies almost exclusively on Janis' voice, as I felt the instruments are only there to accompany the singing.
So, if you aren't crazy about the vocals, as I am, this album is a bit bland.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying she's a bad singer or anything like that. She was undoubtedly talented, and highly influential, as she reminded me to Axl Roses and Jack White.
But when it comes to the impact that this album left me, I have to say that this didn't do a lot for me.
Fiona Apple
4/5
I like how this album feels both a bit angry and with lot of attitude (like in 'Sleep to Dream' or 'Carrion') and very relaxing at the same time (like in 'The Child is Gone' or 'Pale September'), while everything also sounds fantastic and very alternative.
A great experience.
George Michael
2/5
There's nothing for me in here.
No matter how good George Michael's singing is, I always fail to connect to this style of slow and intimate type of Pop music from the 80's.
Giving it 2 stars because his voice is pleasent to listen to.
Barry Adamson
3/5
First of all, I want to clarify that I find this album quite interesting. It is this kind of dark jazz, very atmospheric and a bit experimental, which are some traits that I really appreciate.
But it took me having a pair of moments of peace with nothing else to do to truly digest it. I tried listening to this album 3 times while working and each time, it wasn't a good experiences. And even when I finally had the time to calmly listening to it, I couldn't find anything appealing enough to keep me returning to this record.
It is an ok experience with some interesting ideas. My favorite songs are the ones between 'The Most Beautiful Girl in the World' and 'Chocolate Milkshake', both included. Everything else is just fine.
Björk
4/5
This album shows how creative Björk was even when she wasn't at her peak of creativity.
It is not as experimental or serious as her later projects, but it is still very charming.
I had a lot of fun listening to this one. Very enjoyable, uplifting and full of beautiful melodies.
Sex Pistols
3/5
An undeniably influential album of energetic and youthful punk.
It is very fun until it starts to get repetitive, specially toward the last songs, which I feel they don't add anything to the experience and just makes the album feel a bit more tiresome.
If I liked more the first half, which is the strongest part, I would consider to give this record 4 stars, but because of the points made before, I'll give it 3 stars.
Traffic
3/5
I don't really know what to say about this album. I only listened to it once, and I left as almost nothing happened.
Production-wise, it sound really good and pleasent.
Music-wise, they sing and play nice.
And that's it. There's nothing more. No emotion, nothing really interesting but at least good enough to not being boring or painful.
Just some ordinary folk rock.
Slipknot
2/5
And to think that about 9 to 10 years ago I used to love Slipknot... I even have the Deluxe version of this album on CD!
Coming back to this, I found that it is a very uninspiring album. The only songs with value are the singles, and even them don't offer any true memorable experience in my opinion. The rest are or very messy or inconsistent.
Also, the solos are awful. They feel like moments to show off how technical they can be playing without adding any substance to the songs.
I'll give it 2 stars because I don't think it was boring or painful enough to give it 1 star.
Deep Purple
3/5
I'm very surprised with my own reaction to this album.
Everyone in this album plays fantastic. The singing is passionate, the riffs and beats are fast and very energetic, the guitars and synth solos are intricate and add a lot to the songs.... yet, I failed to connect with this album.
Right now, I'm at the position where I'm not feeling anything but I do appreciate what they're doing.
This is an incredible album for any fan of rock and metal, but, unfortunately for me, it just doesn't stick.
The The
2/5
I listened to this album twice.
Both times I left without wanting to return to it.
If I havelistened to it twice, is because this album feels a bit different from other projects from the same period and similar genres, and it is thanks to a more clean production. I still didn't like it, specially with the inflation of the sound of the drums which is present in some tracks, but at least, the whole style of the production has some personality to it.
I also have to add that I felt a sense of discomfort when listening to it, both times. I wish to tell where this feeling comes from, but I'm not sure what's the origin. I'm going to blame it on this style of the 80's music, which I've never liked, and leave it at that.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
4/5
I loved this.
This album is a combination of beautiful and relaxing passages and weird and psychedelic moments, which adds a lot of dynamism to the whole record.
It is not perfect, but still a great suprise and a nice experience.
The Doors
4/5
I remember when I discovered this album. My friends were talking about how 'The End' would be a great track for the end of the world, and that sparked my curiosity.
So when I first listened to this album, not only I was surprised that 'Break on Through' was also here, but also I found out how good, catchy and powerful the songs are.
There are so memorable moments in here, from the screamed chorus, to the keyboard solos to the epicness of the closer track.
I said all these good things about it, but I'm giving it 4 stars because it isn't one of my favourite albums of all time. Still an excellent experience, nonetheless.
Violent Femmes
3/5
While I find the idea of 'folk-punk' interesting, I didn't find this album appealing enough to me.
The point of this record is that the songs share some elements of punk rock and new wave (or at least the majority of them), but they're primarily played using acoustic guitars. Because of this, most of the songs don't make a big impact of me.
There're some really fun songs, but overall, I'm not a big fun of this music.
At least the production is really well done and the album sound very clean.
Dennis Wilson
3/5
A very well crafted pop-rock album with lot of layers and details with great execution and production.
If this is sound as one of the most generic reviews ever, is because I don't really have anything to say about how this record affected me emotionally.
It is good but didn't do anything special for me.
Tears For Fears
2/5
I'm telling you, through this list, I'm discovering how little I like the New Wave movement from the 80's.
And I don't want to sound as I'm saying that this particular genre is bad, because there's undoubtedly talent in some of the groups, and Tears for Fears is a great example, as there is a lot of work put on the way they sing, play and production.
Is just that, for me, this style and genre are so uninteresting, specially the ballads from this time. They sound so over-dramatic for me.
I do also dislike a lot the sound of synths and over-produced drums from this period, and this album does also suffer a bit from these traits, even though everything else sounds very good.
I can't say I enjoyed this, but at least I can say that I don't hate it.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I find this record to be quite charming, and it is thank to the smooth way of singing and how the guitars do a great job at pairing with the voice. In result, this album has a pleacent and relaxing vibe which is nice.
Nevertheless, I'm not confident enough to give this album 4 stars, as there are some moments that I don't think work as well as the bests parts, specially the longest songs, which feel a bit tiring toward the half point.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I'll start this review telling that, the emotion that this album made me feel the most is disappointment, and it was cause by the high expectations I had after listening to 'Innervisions', which is the first and only album I've listen from him, until today.
So, the thing about Innervisions is that, from what I can remember, it is album with a lot of energy and very uplifting and charming.
In contrast to the previous album, this one is very slow, and it even lacks way too much energy. I know I wouldn't make a lot of sense to make a slow album with a lot of energy, but instead of talking about the feeling of wanting to make my body move, I'm talking about energy as the power to evoke emotions on the listener.
In conclusion, this album didn't resonate with me as much as 'Innervisions' did, but because he is such a talented musician, the production is quite good, and the second half has a bit of energy to it, I'm giving it 3 stars.
Suede
3/5
I listened to this album 3 times, and with each time, I liked it less and less.
I think I could just summarize this album as a compilation of two type of tracks.
On one hand you have a more energetic and riff-focused songs and on the other you have the more sad or melancholic ones, but in the end, both types sound very similar and the majority land on the second type.
I also have to mention that the vocals sounds very unique, and it sounds like they took inspiration on the New Wave sound, or at least that's the feeling I get.
Anyway, this a very decent britpop album, with an energy similar to "grunge", but I don't think it has anything memorable.
Flamin' Groovies
4/5
A lot of people, even Mick Jagger himself, compare this record to the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers".
Unfortunately, I haven't heard that album yet, so I can't say if it is better or worse.
What I can tell you is that this is a very fun and decent rock album with a great performance and a lot of variety, as I don't think there's two songs that I could say are equal or very similar. There's even one song here in which they imitate Elvis Presley's voice.
When it comes to give it a score, I had a conflict between 3 and 4 stars, but I decided to give it 4 because it has being a while since this list gave me something this fun.
Consider this a very very low 4 stars rating.
Prince
3/5
My first reaction when I saw this album as the pick of today was a bit of fear.
My experience with Prince is basically nonexistent so I didn't know what to expect from him.
The reason behind of being afraid of not liking his highly regarded music, just for the fact that he is a pop artist from the 80's. And I have my reason to be afraid of liking 80's pop music, since my experience with this style throughout this list was not very pleasent, to say the least.
So, I've listented to this album twice, and I can agree with the fact that this man was incredible talented and creative, and with a very peculiar sound and style.
Nevertheless, I can't say that I connected with this album, and its length didn't help.
I will give him points thanks to how different he sounds from other artists from this time though.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
I love this man's voice. It is so pleasent to listen to being so smooth and calming. And the instruments also do a great job at accompaning his singing.
With only two listens, I didn't have the time to stop and analyze the lyrics, which is a shame because Leonard is a great poet and I love some os his lyrics in 'Songs of Love and Hate'. But honestly, just because of how good it sounds, I'm confident enough to give this album 4 stars.
Kate Bush
4/5
The first two tracks of this album are absolutely fantastic, specially the first one, which gets me excited evey time. After these tracks it gets a bit weaker, but this record is really great.
I love how good this sounds. The way she sings and makes some weird noises sometimes, the variety of the instruments used (like flutes or pipebags I think...) and the production are fantastic and very unique.
I haven't listened any other album from her before, but this album feels like a breath of fresh air in comparition from the material from this genre and time.
A great suprise.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
A very fun album, with a incredible clean sound. Everything, from the voice, to the horns and to the guitars, sounds superb.
The rhythm and melodies are very infectious, making my body move for the whole duration of the album.
If I had a deeper connection with this album, I would consider giving it 5 stars, but for the moment, I'll give it 4 just for making me wanting to get up and groove to the music.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
The performances and the production are exceptional. This man singing is very smooth and calming and everything else sounds super clear.
So while the sound of this album is high quality, when talking about the songs, this album is quite stale.
Almost every song feels the same, and I believe it is due to both the lack of variation in the songs and charm.
Talking about the lack of variation, it is true that there are songs which introduce elements that are not present in other songs, like the trumpets or the choir in 'Beautiful Child', the structures and the emotions portrayed feel vey similar from one song to the other; and some traits don't even change, like his style of singing, which is very reminiscent of the operatic way of singing of Thom Yorke from Radiohead (and would even compare the whole style of some of his songs to Radiohead).
When talking about the lack of charm, I'm refering to the absence of that power to keep me engage. When written about the previous point, it came to my mind the first three albums of Leonard Cohen. I think that, in terms of variation, what Leonard did with those album are in a similar level as what Rufus did with this one. But I find that Leonard Cohen music to be way more interesting and captivating. Maybe this comparition seems unfair, but the point I'm trying to make is that I don't mind the lack of variation when I find the music charming enough.
So thats the reason whyI feel that this album is very one-dimentional, and even a bit too long. Maybe it would be a better experience to listen to the songs outside of the context of this album.
When it comes to a rating, I'm not confident enough to give it just 2 stars, as I found a lot of quality in the performances and production.
George Jones
2/5
I don't really know what to say about this album.
I have listened to it 3 times. Why? Because I found a bit of comfort in the way it sounds in terms of productions. It feels somewhat relaxing.
But it is still a bit painful to sit through the more and more I listened to it. The third time I was wishing for it to finish when I had only reached the half point.
Also, for once, I decided to look up for the lyrics. I felt curious when one of the times I was able to head the fantastic line which is 'Each night she thanks God for the day she found me'. Yes, these lyrics can get very very corny at times, and all the songs are about love or how he misses or will miss some other girl.
Anyway, I don't really want to come back to this album. I'm very sure that there's dozens of other country albums that do it better.
The Monks
4/5
This is quite an unique record, not only because of its innovative aspect, but also thanks to the fact that this is only album from the group. It adds a lot of mystery to it.
The garage-rock sound of it and the performances make this album a very fun listen. It even feels a little chaotic considering this is a 1966 project.
I also find my feelings to be conflicting. I find this album impressive for how it sounds, but it also didn't blow me mind.
Still, I'm giving it 4 well deserved stars.
Queen
5/5
This is quite a personal album for me.
I remember when I was little and my family and I were in vacations, my dad used to put my sister to sleep with this album as the background. Well, I know I wasn't the one to be put to sleep, but I was in the same room as her, so I can assure you that I was also snoozing with this, so it counts! I liked some of the songs so much that I even download them into my PSP.
I'm telling you, 'Seaside Rendezvous' maybe the most child-friendly of the whole album thanks to the goofy sounds.
I did also like 'The Prophet's Song' and the atmospheric feeling it had, specially the second part of the song, where they use a lot of layers and choruses. To think that my love for ambient music goes as far as when I was about 6 years old is rather fascinating.
There was also a time in my teenage years when I added my fathers CD to my Itunes library, and this was one of the albums. But I don't get as nostalgic about this period as I do for the one when I was a child.
Now, as a 23 years old guy with a much formed opinion in music, this album returns to me. It still is my streaming platforms library, but it has been a very long time since I listened to this project as a whole... and it stills fantastic.
The production is incredible and the performances are insanely good. Even in the weaker tracks, (I'm looking at you, 'I'm in Love With My Car'), the execution is so incredible, that I can get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
At the moment of giving it a score, I took a lot of time, and I finally came to the conclusion that, if I don't give it a 5 stars, I would be lying to myself about how much this album impacted me. Even though I don't think it is perfect, it is personal enough to give it 5 stars.
3/5
This is the first album of this list which lands in the top 10 lowest ranked, but judging by the genre tags, I thought I was going to like it.
How it turned out? Well... I can say that I didn't dislike it as much as people did here, but I still didn't get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
The main problem behind this album is how inconsistent and messy it feels to me. I have this sense that the band had some interesting ideas, but failed to properly execute them.
To the previous point I have to add that the production is very rough, which makes this even harder to listen to.
If there's something positive I can say about the album,I liked some of the songs, like 'Broken Witch', 'They Don't Want Your Corn, They Want Your Kids' or 'Hold Hands and It Will Happen Anyway'; and I find it interesenting enough to give it 3 stars.
Brian Wilson
3/5
Apparently, the context of this album is absurdly deep, and it even has a documentary called 'Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile'. If we skip all the personal life of Brian Wilson, we get that this album was an unfinished project from The Beach Boys that started back at 1967.
That's why it may sound a bit out of place for a album that was released in 2004, since it primarily feels like a project from Beach Boys's golden years.
This album is a compilation of some charming pop-rock tracks, but with a much modern production. What shines the most for me is the notable use of multiple vocal layers.
With that being said, in spiste of the great performances, sound and positivity, I left a bit uninterested, but enough to overshadow my positive feeling about it, so I'm giving it 3 stars.
Cream
3/5
This a composition of great and very decent rock tracks with a pleasent aesthetic, but I feel there's a lack of experimentation or anything that is truly remarkable when compared to other acts from their time, specially Jimi Hendrix, which I think did everything that this album does but way better.
I just wish the riffs and solos were more hard hitting, the psychedelic elements more otherwordly and the production a bit cleaner, since I think it sounds a bit dirty and rough, but that I'll blame it on the technology from the era.
With that being said, it is a quite enjoyable album, specially for the real fans of this genre.
Side note, the last tracks reminds me a lot to that video where british people were singing a chant about how they paid the police hats:
'We paid for your hats, We paid for your HAAAAAAAAaaaaaats, what a waste of council tax, we paid for hats".
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
My first experience with Nick Cave music was with the album 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus', a fantastic project full with diversity and power.
And this album I think it falls under the same umbrella, counting with the very charismatic voice of him, the incredibly powerful performances from the whole band and the quite unique style of rock that characterize the group.
There's also quite the variety, with tracks like 'I Had a Dream, Joe' being very fast pace, 'Papa Won't Leave You, Henry', 'Brother, My Cup is Empty' and 'Jack the Ripper' being very powerful and 'Loom of the Land' being a rather great ballad.
And I wish I could say something more specific and less generic about the record, but I found it hard to describe Nick Cave's music, so I'll end up saying that it is a great record, and I'm slowly becoming a big fan of this band.
Black Sabbath
3/5
A very decent heavy metal album, but when compared with their previous works, I find this record to be a bit underwhelming.
I have to say that I find the sound of this record to be more refined, specially the guitar tone; and the riffs are also great, but, in general, I believe the songs aren't as memorable as in their previous works, excluding 'Supernaut', 'Snowblind' and 'Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes' which are very great.
Also, I have to admit that I don't like 'Changes', at all. For a song that is supposed to be sentimental, I find it a bit stale and boring in terms of performance.
Overall, I did enjoy it, but not as much as I did their first two albums.
The Byrds
3/5
I listened this album four times.
The first two times it felt very dull and stale, but with the latter ones I started to appreciate a little bit more, as I found this record to sound very pleasent. Apart from that, I do still think that this LP is very flat in terms of ideas and experimentation. There's some, but it could be more and better.
Nothing more to add, this is just a decent album.
Garbage
4/5
A very solid and great alternative rock album, with some touches of noise and shoegaze.
I really liked the singing, as it is the responsible element of making this album as catchy as it is, but my favourite trait of this whole record is how great detailed and textured it is, which is expected for an album label as noise and shoegaze, as I mentioned.
Nothing more to add than it is fun.
Cornershop
3/5
I have to give credit where credit is due, I never heard anything like this album, which is something that I usually appreciate it.
This record feels very unique thanks to the combination of different styles like indie rock, trip hop, and, most notable, south asian music.
Apart from the unusual melt of genres, my favourite parts of this album are the more indie rock oriented songs, specially the ones with lyrics, as they usually have a very positive message.
With that being said, there are a pair of aspects that I didn't really enjoy.
One being that there are a lot of songs which are instrumental passages, and they feel very weak in comparition to the type of songs I mentioned before. This makes the album feel a bit inconsistent.
The last one being that I feel the performances could be more engaging. When they sing, they sing pretty well, but I always left the songs with this sensation of expecting a little more.
Overall, it is a decent experience and the production is quite nice.
Before ending the review, I just want to say that the first time I heard this, I dislike a lot, but I'm glad I decided to give it another try, as I left with more positive feelings than negative.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Following the two previosly recommendations of Nick Cave's music from this list, 'Henry's Dream' and 'Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus', now this website presents me this record.
Compared to the other two, this album shows a totally new side from Nick Cave, as this record was made during the authors mourning of his teenage son.
Altough I was already expecting this album to be slow and sad, I was surprised of how deep and emotional it feels.
The first tracks from the first disc are an incredible way to set up the mood for this record, specially the opener. They are the strongest song in the first part of the album, as the latter half of it I feel is a bit weaker, and sometimes it was a bit difficult to connect with them as much as I did with the first ones.
The second disc features only three songs, two of them being the longest songs in the whole project, surpassing the 10 minutes mark:
'Ghosteen' being the starting point of this section, has an incredible beautiful instrumentation and choruses which transition very well into a more subtle and slow singing with delicate synths.
'Fireflies' sits between the big tracks, but it is the only spoken word song in the whole record.
This album ends with the longest song, 'Hollywood' and it may feature's Nick's best performance as I could feel very much the pain in his voice. Besides, it is an incredible way to finish the album.
This album is incredibly beautiful, deep, emotinal and personal. Only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is beacuse I think some tracks in the first disc are a bit weak, and I also need more time to digest it.
Ramones
3/5
First of all, as a person who has studied a little bit of music production, I find it so weird that the guitar sounds so low and it os behind everything else. This basically means that the drums and bass totally overshadows the guitar, making it very hard to distinguish what it is doing.
With that being said, when talking about the songs, I think they are just alright. They won't do anything particularly fancy. They are very simple punk songs played by people having fun.
I'm not feeling crazy about this record, but I'll say it is a quite decent album.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
I do not find a lot of value in this style and I do not find value at all at the lyrics of this album. As everyone points out, the constant themes of love can get tiresome, and in some occasions, the lyrics are just awful. The main example being the first track stating that women were only created to love. Maybe an accepted believe by then, but today absurdly dated.
One more thing that irritates me are some tracks having this fast fade out. They are abrupt and make the songs feel unfinished.
What I do find likeable about this record are the clean production and the performance, which they add this rather pleasent tone to the whole project.
With all the songs having the same ideas and the album a monotone style, I do not have anything more to add.
Liz Phair
4/5
I think this album might be the one that needed the most listenings before I could write a review.
Being a slacker rock record, the first listening felt a bit stale and flat, but with more and more listenings, I started to understand it and liking it.
Liz Phair may not be an incredible singer that do crazy things with her voice, but she has a great attitude, a pleasent vocal timbre, and most importantly, she has a lot to say, telling her experiences and stories through the lyrics of the songs.
In terms of instrumentation, being slacker rock, they don't do anything very fancy, giving the singer all the prominence. But they do have enough variation to not make all the songs feel like they are the same. A great example would be 'Canary', which instead of guitars, bass and drums, only features a piano that gives the song a great and deep atmosphere.
I'm glad I gave this project these many tries. If I didn't, I would have given it a 3 stars, call it bland and call it a day, missing a lot of what the tracks have to offer. Now, I'm giving it 4 stars.
Gene Clark
3/5
I read plenty of reviews and critics in order to see if I'm meesing something particular about thia album, but my feelings and opinions seem to be as everyone's else: an album with a very straight foward sound and feeling of comfort withouth doing anything extraordinary.
What I'll add is that I appreciate the singer not singing with an obnoxious country twang.
Frank Ocean
4/5
An extremely consistent and incredibly well produced R&B album.
This record may feel very straightforward in terms of ideas and mood, with almost every song that is not an interlude having similar structures, way of singing and beats.
However, the quality of the sound is so good that is doesn't matter how monotonous the album may be, it still makes the experience very rewarding and pleasent to listen to.
Besides, there's one single song in here that feels very different from the rest. It feel grandiose and epic and it also is the greatest and longest track of the album. That song is 'Pyramids'. My god, this song didn't have the right to be this good. The instrumentation and the chord progressions make this track spectacular.
This record is a very very high 4 stars.
Prince
4/5
My first experience with anything related to this album was hearing the song 'Purple rain' on the TV when I was a young teenager and I thought that it was one of the most boring songs I had ever heard. Back then I was really into EDM, so I didn't have a good ear for music.
Two days ago, this list presented me this album (I couldn't keep up with all the music), the second one to get recommended after 'Sing O The Times', which is an album that I liked but I didn't love.
Before my first listen of this record, I was a bit afraid of feeling the same way as I did many years ago or feeling as underwhelmed as when I listened to 'Sing O The Times'.
Fortunately, I can proudly say I did enjoy this project way more than I did the other one.
This record is super creative and consitent. There is no bad song in here, and their performances are some of the most passionte I've ever heard, specially Prince's screaming, which is always well placed and adds a lot of feeling.
In addition to the great perfomances, a trait which I did I appreciate the most is that, production-wise, it has a very unique sound for its time. I always felt like 80's pop tend to feel very overproduced, with everything including to many effects. However, Prince did an incredible job to make the sound of this project feel very organic.
When it comes to giving it a score, in spite of talking so positive about this album and very much enjoying it, I don't think I love this enough to give it 5 stars, so I'm giving it 4.
The Byrds
3/5
Aside from 'Artificial Energy' having a great usage of horns, 'Space Odyssey' being the most experimental track, this album is nothing special.
I mean, they sing and play well, and the production sounds good, but I feel that this is just another decent album from the 60's.
Maybe for its time it was revolutionary. However, I honestly don't care.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Never heard of Fela Kuti before and didn't expect this album to sound as it did. It is extremely fun and the performances are full of life and energy. The rhythms are so infectious that they had me moving all along the record.
My only complain is that I wish the more relaxed moments were a little bit shorter, as they can feel a little repetitive when waiting for the more explosive and electric parts.
Overall, I loved this album. So simple but yet so effective.
Tito Puente
2/5
I spent too much time thinking about what to say about this album when all I have to say is the following:
I find the middle part to be repetitive and boring and the rest are just decent mambo tracks.
Maybe a great album for mambo lovers, but not for me.
I wish I could say more, but being an album of just mambo, I don't really have anything to say.
Laura Nyro
2/5
My first listening was decent.
My second listening was pure misery.
My third was alright.
My forth listening was not as good as the previous one.
The thing is that in the first and third one I was doing something else while listening, and the second and forth were more of active listenings.
With that being said, I'll now talk about the album.
This lady has a very peculiar way of singing, and for me I don't perceive it as powerful or as intimate as a lot of people do, from my understanding after reading a handful of reviews across various sources. I even think that it gets tiring towards the end.
I do have to give her credit, because she does hit some really catchy choruses, like in "Eli's Comin'"; and she also has a lot of attitude in songs like "Woman's Blues".
For this album I also took the time to read the lyrics. A lot of times it can be very cryptic, but there's a clear message about woman's loneliness and suffering.
Lastly, the instruments didn't really do anything special or interesting, with their main purpose being a base for the voice.
Honestly, I never want to hear this album ever again, which I'm not proud of saying. This woman seems to be a very very influential figure fo a lot of the most famous songwriter women, some of them I do very much enjoy; but it seems that it doesn't really do it for me.
Following my fellings, I have to give it 2 stars, as I was a bit tired and annoyed when I finished the last listening.
Soft Machine
4/5
The first 5 minutes of this album may be one of the most nightmarish sounding moments in music I've ever heard. Which is something that I appreciate. They felt very intense and calculated.
Since then, the track do a lot of twists and turns, changing rhytms and melodies from one moment to the other. And this is something that repeats through the whole album.
Apart from the start, the rest is a very nice combination of jazz, psychedelic and prog rock with some heavy experimentation and feeling of ambience.
My favorite parts are the ones focused on the ambience and the jazzy ones, and my least favorite one is the first half of 'Moon In June' which feels more like a normal psychedelic rock song from the 60's.
I enjoyed this record a lot, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that I loved it.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Oh man, time for a big boy.
I've never heard this record or any song adjacent to the group, but I've heard that this album is very experimental, and with that in mind, I gave it my first listening.
My inital experince was quite good, but I have to say that I expected it to be way more experimental than it actually felt. Fortunately, this opinion changes with the more listenings I gave it to.
I'll start talking about the songs that suprised me the most:
- 'Sunday Morning' is a wonderful start to the album. The little xylophone melody is beautiful.
- 'Venus In Furs' uses a electric viola and it is very interesting. It gives the song an intense ambiance. It also reminded my a lot of Godspeed You Black Emperor's music.
- 'Heroin' sees the returning of the viola, but now is more in the background, until it hits the last moments of the song, when it starts to sound very noisy and viol-a-ent (sorry, I have to do it) . Beside, one of the most remarkable aspect of this track is the use of crescendos and accelerating rhythms that always end in them returning to the initial pace. This allows the song to feel very dynamic and quite a bit energetic.
- 'The Black Angel's Death Song' is another song which uses the viola. If I didn't make it clear, I loved how they used this instrument through the whole album. Adds a lot of personality.
- 'European Son' is the closing track and also the longest one of the project, and it does an incredible job at ending the album, with pure noise madness.
The rest of the songs, I found them to be more on the 'ordinary' side of psychedelic rock. Nonetheless, I still enjoy them very much, and with more and more listenings, I'm discovering a lot of details which make them feel more unique.
My only complain about this LP would be the production, as it can feel a bit rough or crispy, but this had to be due to the technical limitations from that time.
Overall, an incredible experimental record that I loved.
As a side note, I want to express how good it feels to hear something that really feels psychedelic and experimental from this list. A lot of what I've being getting didn't feel as strange as I wanted to, or even felt bland and uninteresting.
TV On The Radio
3/5
For an album with a great production, solid performances and a lot of details and ambition in the instrumentation, it didn't grab my attention in any of the three times I listened to it.
What I can say is that I found this record to be, generally, way more consistent than the other one, 'Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes', featured in this list.
My favourite songs are:
'Family tree', with a rather melancholic ending.
'Shout me out' because of the high pace that make it quite energetic.
'DLZ' for being the catchiest song.
I don't have anything else to add.
A decent album.
The Young Rascals
2/5
This album is very dull, very standard, very uninteresting, very safe pop rock album.
The more listenings I gave it to, the more I hated it.
The only elements that got my attention were the horns in 'A Girl Like You' and 'I'm So Happy Now'; the flamenco intro to 'Sueno', which last only just 10 sencods before starting to play another plain song; and the distortion of the guitars in 'You Better Run' makes the song stand out from the rest and gives it a bit of attitude.
I'm giving it 2 stars, as in my last two listenings I was doing a lot of skips.
Finally, I want to rant a little bit about these type of records in this list. I don't get it. They feel like pure filler. These albums that clearly didn't do anything to push forward the music boundaries are the ones that makes me hate this list the most. Not the album, but the list.
DJ Shadow
5/5
Have to love the fact that this album got picked the day I had to return to work and that it is one of my favourites.
Before talking about the album, I want to say that I first discovered this LP on my last year in college when I was leaving behind my life as an elitist metalhead and finally expanding my musical taste, so I have a bit of affection for this one.
The main point behind this record, as well as what makes it so interesting, is that it only uses samples from existing songs by other artists, creating entirely new and different soundscapes.
To do so in such a sophisticated as this LP does, is just mind blowing. I can't even imaging how difficult had to be to produce and master all of this and make it sound as good as it does.
So, what else makes this album special apart from how it was crafted?
It sounds beautiful and very spacy. For me, it even works as an ambient work, not to the point as some of Brian Eno's pieces considering the very present hip-hop type of drums. Nevertheless, it still has this meditative, ethereal and dreamy feeling very characteristic of the atmospheric genre.
All of the tracks share this trait and they are all fantastic in their own. Even so, I would highlight the following tracks:
- 'Building Steam With a Grain of Salt' for doing an incredible job at stablishing the general mood of the album.
- 'Changeling', because it reminds a lot to 'Marble Blast Gold' soundtrack (for some reason).
- 'What Does Your Soul Look Like, Pt.1', as I consider it to be the most beautiful song in the album.
It may has it little flaws, but I think this is near perfection and for that, I'm giving it 5 stars.
Underworld
4/5
I found it so funny that this album is in this list.
Back in the start of July, I decided to give it a listen and review in AOTY without me knowing it was a part of the generator. This is my original review:
"With only one listen:
I felt that the two longest song do get a bit boring, even though they have some interesting elements.
With the track 'Rowla' is when the album started to click, to the point that I ended the album before I could notice.
Great electronic album with a nice atmosphere."
Now that I had to dedicate more time to it, I have a more formed and different opinion.
First of all, the first track has become my favourite one. In my very first listen, I didn't catch the main medoly, which is a bit of surprising as it is very very present, and I think is great.
The second track did also grew on me, and one of the reasons why is because it sounds so similar to the Menu Medley from Mario Kart Wii, so the song ends up feeling very nostalgic.
And this is a current theme through the record, and I'm not refering to the similarities with Mario Kart Wii, but to the sense of nostalgia, maybe due to it being a part of a movement that is very distinct of the 90's music scene and not so much in the following decades.
Along with the nostalgia, this album also sounds very warm and atmospheric. It can be very relaxing. In fact, it can be so much relaxing that in my first listen of the day I almost felt asleep. Not a great thing when you are working...
In conclusion, this is a very nice album. I've heard better albums before from or close to this style of music (like Orbital 2 or Selected Ambient Works 85-92), but it reamins very strong on its own, specially thanks to its very unique ambience.
Ali Farka Touré
2/5
At first, this album may sound interesting, being a combination of blues and Songhai Music, a style of music which originates in Mali, from where Ali Farka Touré comes.
The recording is also very very clean. Quite impeccable.
But, from my perspective, this record presents some problems: it gets very repetitive and it feels 'flat' and lacking in ideas or depth, which ends up coming across as background music which I wouldn't pay too much attention.
It frustates me to think that it could be much better, as I believe the ideas behind these tracks do have great potential. In fact, songs like 'Lasidan' and 'Diaraby' are my favourites and they have some great elements which makes them unique from the rest, the first being the most energetic track and the last one having some nice guitar melodies.
Overall, dispite having a great sound, I can't say that I really enjoyed this LP.
Kacey Musgraves
4/5
For an album that made me roll my eyes when I heard the singer's country twang in the first seconds, I ended up enjoying it way more than I expected and I was left very impressed on my first listening.
The charming aspect of this record relies in its instrumentation and production, as I do believe it sounds gorgeous. These traits are what mainly carries a lot of the album, as I found the lyrics to be very mediocre when I gave it a more in-depth listening.
What I found interesting about the instrumentation, which makes this album set apart from other country music, is that it borrows a lot of elements from pop. It has a lot of details and chord progressions that I didn't find in other country releases that I've heard, and I think the greatest example would be the song 'High Horse', having that distinguishable pop rythm and style of singing mixed with a very catchy chorus.
Overall, I did quite enjoy this album and I think it is very consistent.
AC/DC
3/5
For a band that I've know since I was an infant, listening to some of their songs that my father use to play when I was very little and that helped me move from listening to only EDM to Rock, I found this album to be very very stale and quite boring.
From my perspective, the only redeemable traits from this record is the clean sound and the attitude, as I can't deny that it feels like they are having fun and giving all they got, specially in the first three songs.
However, I'm one of those guys that finds this album to be excessively safe, to the point it seems like they used the same exact blueprint for almost every song.
I thought I would like this album more. At least I don't have enough reasons to give it only second two stars, as there's a little bit of personality to it and I'll admit that 'Hells Bells' is a song that I really like.
Sonic Youth
5/5
For the past 5 days, I've been listening to this record, among with the other picks of the list.
The reason why it took me so long, is because sometimes I wasn't sure if I felt it belongs in the 5 stars category, but I finally made up my mind and here is what I feel about the album:
Having only listened to this and 'EVOL', I believe Sonic Youth is a band that really do justice to their name, as they bring both some very interesting and unique ideas and have a very powerful and youthful energy.
In comparition with 'EVOL', this record is not as chaotic or noisy, even though they still bring some noise passages like in the tracks 'The Sprawl' and 'Total Trash'. What truly sets apart this one from the '1986' release, which is unfortunately my only point of comparition, is how absurdly consistent it is. In general, I don't think there's a weak spot in the whole project. Maybe there are tracks that are not as strong as the best ones, but I feel they are incredible eitherway.
In addition, I beleive it presents more emotions in comparition to the former:
-I loved the beautiful melodies of the introductions of 'Teen Age Riot' and "'Cross the Breeze", and the ending of 'The Sprawl'.
-The energetic and intense riffs of "'Cross the Breeze", 'Hey Joni' and 'Kissibality' are superb.
-Tracks like 'Teen Age Riot', 'Eric's Trip' and 'Hey Joni' I feel are very charming.
-'Provindence' and 'Hyperstation' are some of the most haunting songs of the album, but there's also a cople of moments with the same vibes in 'Candle' and "'Cross the Breeze".
At this point, you may have realized that some songs do have differents feelings, which brings me to another of the strongest points of the project:
The tracks are incredibly well put together. Not only how the songs were composed, but also how they transition from one to the next.
In my opinion, the best example would be the transition from 'The Sprawl' and "'Cross the Breeze'" and the last song mentioned. It has a beautiful introduction and an intense and haunting riff.
This album was magnificent, but I would say that I do not think it is perfect.
Nevertheless, given how much I've been enjoying this album, how much I've been listening to it without it getting boring and how consitent it is, I have to say it is one of my favourite discoveries from this list.
Holger Czukay
3/5
I should start reading the album summaries or the Wikipedia articles, as I didn't know this man was part of the band 'Can', which makes a little more sense to add him to the list. Without the context, it would feel very random to add him. It stills feels that it comes from nowhere, but not as much.
Now into the album:
This record is so weird. In the Wikipedia it is described as Art Rock and 'an early experimenation in sampling', and I do agree. It is undeniable that a lot of creativity was put into these four songs, and it makes them as very interesting listening, sounding like anything I've heard before.
Did I like it? Well, yes! But not that much...
Apart from its creative and interesting aspects, one of my favourites traits of the project is how clear it sounds. It was produced wonderfully. In addition, I did also appreciate its groovyness, specially in the last track with its weird rythms.
However, I do believe the songs don't really reach any high or emotion worth coming back.
In summary, an interesting experience, but I don't see myself returning to it.
Miles Davis
3/5
My first Miles Davis album!
I was very excited to hear this one considering the lengendary status of this man.
And I was even more disappointed about how unimpressed this album got me feeling, maybe due to how absurdly high my hopes were.
I must clarify that I do not believe this record is bad. I do really appreciate its sound and the great performances.
What I didn't like about it is how, everytime I listen to it, the whole project pass by without anything sticking with me. I wish it sounded more grandiose and energetic.
So I'll leave it as a decent album, and I'm hoping to have greater experiences with the other albums from this legend.
Norah Jones
2/5
[1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die #259]:
I'll just start saying that I find this album to be very mediocre and a bit boring.
When all the album feels like you are hearing the exact same song over and over again, and that song happens to just be a bit decent, the experience is not going to be pleasent.
I'll have to agree on the fact that this record has a certain feeling of comfort thanks to how nice she sings an how well produced it is. Nevertheless, I don't believe this sensation is enough for me to come back to it, as it is the only rewarding feeling that I get from this album.
I might be giving the impression that I didn't like this album, but it actually stands in a fine line between me enjoying and not enjoying it.
I'll leave the review saying that I find this to be just background music.
The Beta Band
3/5
"And the music we make is not particularly good"
Okay, I can agree on that,
Actually, not really, just with that particular song with those hurried syllables to make them fit with the rhythm and the corny lyrics. The rest of the songs are not that bad though, but they leave a lot to be desired.
This is just a decent indietronica album with some vocals which reminded me a lot to the style of choir that was made very popular in the 60's, specially with the Beatles and their copycats. The problem with the voices is that they stay exactly the same through the whole album, and at the end of it, they just feel uninteresting. It wouldn't be a problem if they had more personality and charisma, since there's a lot of artists and bands that successfully use this style of singing without feeling tiring after some time.
To the previous point I need to add that there are moments that they work quite well. The main example would be the opening track, which sounds very nice. Nevertheless, I think this clarifies the argument that the best material from the record is in the start.
What truly shines in this album are the beats and instrumentation. I don't think they do anything spectacular, but in comparition with the voices, they are a lot greater and interesting as they blend different genres of music such as trip-hop and neo-psychedelia.
I also want to mention that my favourite moment of the whole project is the very upbeat ending of the track 'Human Being'.
In the end, the group manages to create an enjoyable album, in spite of it feeling a bit boring towards the end.
Public Enemy
4/5
This album has to be one of the hip-hop records with most attitude that I've ever heard.
I loved how Chuck D's serious character and impressive flow combined with Flavor Flav hyping persona and angry style of delivery. I did also find very funny every time the guy screams 'YEAH BOY'.
It is thanks to the powerful perfomances that I've coming back to this record several times. Not that it is the only reason to return to it. The production is also insanely good, specially for an album that came from the early stages of hip-hop.
My only problem with this album would be that I find some of the beats to get a bit tedious sometimes. An example would be the high-pitched "scratching" in 'Rebel Without a Pause' (I don't know what to called it, but I hope you understand what I mean).
Fortunately, this doesn't apply to all the beats. I think how they used 'Angel of Death' by Slayer in 'She Watch Channel Zero?!' is absolutely incredible and fits very well with this record mood.
In conclusion, this was a great hip-hop project.
Aretha Franklin
3/5
I've listened to this album so many times, trying to enjoy it or understand what I could be missing, but it never manages to do anything for me, and I'm not proud at all of saying it.
Aretha Franklin is such a spectacular singer with a powerful and very emotional voice. The band does also a great job accompanying the vocals. And yet, I fail to resonate with anything from this record.
This album isn't bad by any means. Is just that I'm not really feeling any strong emotion. At least I can appreciate her talent and the performances
Wish I did liked it more...
Neil Young
2/5
This is my forth Neil Young related project. The initial one was from Buffalo Springfield and the other to from Neil Young & Crazy Horse, so this marks my first solo album from him and also the one I didn't like.
I can't tell what's the difference in his singing in comparition with the other projects, but I didn't like it this time. Maybe is not the vocals, but more the tone of this record, as it feels very dull and flat. The majority of the songs felt way too melodramatic for my taste and the instrumenation felt a bit bland, without doing anything that I thought was interesting
A positive thing I can say about this album is that the it has variety. I didn't felt like all the tracks were the same, and to that I can add that I liked some of the songs, with 'Souther Man' being the one that I liked the most. Neil's voice in this track is a bit more powerful in comparition with the rest of the tracklist, and it also features a nice use of the piano with a great melody to accompany the guitar solo.
Nevertheless, my feelings about this project are not certainly very positive. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was a bad experience, but I truly don't feel like returning to this ever again.
Slint
4/5
I remember listening to this album for the first time back when covid locked all of us in our homes. Believe it or not, my first thoughts were that the record was kind of sweet, specially thanks to the main riff of 'Breadcrumb Trail', which is very pleasent to hear to.
Since then, I keep on listening to it, but not very frequently, so I never had a strong opinion about it, until today.
How ignorant of me to think that this record was charming. When giving it a more deep listening, I started to notice that this album can be very eerie and dark. The intricate melodies and rhythms combined with the changes of volumes and the lyrics create this tense atmosphere and make it feel very dynamic. The best example would be the song 'Don,Aman', which starts with this melancholic guitar melody which transitions into a crescendo which gets and gets more intense, until it reaches the climax with the guitar getting louder and distorted. Then they quickly slow things down back to the original guitar motive, but in a very smooth way. I also want to mention that the lyrics are incredible well placed. While the initial guitar melody is playing, they start describing how a guy, 'Don', is taking a break while standing outside of a recreational place.
Then, the guy decides to enter again, and that's when the crescendo starts building up. My interpretation of this would be that his social anxiety is also kicking in, to the point that he can't take it anymore, to which he decides to go back home to sleep. Is at this moment when the music returns to the slower part.
I do believe that the composition behind of this song is just pure genius.
Speaking of lyrics, I did appreciate a lot how well they describe different scenes:
'Breadcrumb Trail' talks about a man meeting a fortune teller at a carnival and taking her to the rollercoster, which can be considered an allegory of sex, considering how everything is meticulously everything is described, like them reaching their climax at the top of the rollercoster.
'Nosferatu Man' is about a vampire who kills their partner after discovering they lied.
'Don, Aman' I already described, so next would be 'Washer' a track which address the situation of a couple dealing with the burden of one of them having to leave.
Finally, 'Good Morning, Captain', as 'For Dinner...' is an instrumental track, describes how a captain of a ship lost everyone after a storm. It could also be interpreted as the man mourning and missing his youthful days.
In conclusion, this is a very unique album with a very distinct sound and dark atmosphere.
Duke Ellington
3/5
I decided to hear the complete version of this album, as, from what I could understand, it has the original live performance, while the shortened version is a studio recording they did after the concert.
So, this record is 2 hours long. Before giving it my first listening, I prepared myself to focus as much as possible and get the most out of this album in just two sittings, one for the first half and the other for the second one.
After listening to it, I, indeed, not felt like returning to it. Nevertheless, I found it to be quite entertaining, very well performed and very clear in terms of sound.
My favourite parts where the more energetic tracks, like 'Pt.I Festival Junction', 'Pt.III Newport Up' (both the live and studio versions of the two pervious songs) and specially 'Skin Deep' with those insane drum solos.
The rest of the tracklist is alright, but they have a slower pace and I didn't really enjoy it as much as the others.
Not a bad album, but the vast amount of material makes it a bit hard to listen to.
SAULT
4/5
During my first listening, one of the things that catched my attention was how familiar it sounds. When I searched some information about the album, I found out that the producer of this album is the same one that produced some of the works of Little Simz.
Talking about production, one of the things that stound out the most for me were the beats and instrumentation.
You have the minimalistic but flavorful beats, like in the 'Wildfires' and you also got the incredible work of synths in 'Only Smith in Church' or 'Eternal Life' featuring some wonderful singing, which brings me to the next point, the vocals.
This record present a high diversity of styles of singing, like spoken words, gospel and tht style of singing which characterizes R&B. My favourite parts where the ones featuring the last mentioned style, but I did also appreciate a lot the use of spoken word to emphasize the message of the album.
And speaking of which, if there's something that makes the album more special than its mix of genres, is its message. It doesn't just talks about the struggles of the black comunity, like in the song 'Don't Shoot Guns Down', describing how they are very commonly victims of racially motivated police brutality; but most importantly, it tries to motivate those who are losing their identity as a member of their comunity, or at least this is the interpretation that I get from it. And this idea, is something I can relate a lot to, not because I'm black, but because I belong to a little region in Spain, called Galicia, where we are slowly losing our culture and roots due to the globalization and the severe punishment we had to suffer during the dictatorship of Franco.
My only complain about this album would be that some songs can get a bit boring, like the last three songs or 'Why We Cry Why We Hide', in which the lyrics are almost repited throughout the whole track.
I also have to mention that the beat in 'Black' sounds a bit goofy. I wasn't a big fan of it, specially in the context of this project.
Overall, a very decent album, with its very highs and lows.
Fugazi
4/5
An incredibly consistent and solid post-hardcore album. Loved the energy and the attitude, but what I liked the most is how melodic and experimental this album can get. Great examples would be the songs 'Turnover0' 'Repeater', 'Blueprint', 'Sieve-Fisted Find' and 'Joe #1' (if we count the Repater & 3 songs version).
I also feel the need that the sound of the bass in this album is absolutely fantastic. Some of the tracks that I mentioned are my favourites thanks to it.
My only big complain would be that the song 'Repeater' sounds like it has a lower quality than the rest.
In the end, this is a fantastic record and one that I see myself returning to.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
I'll commence the review by saying that this album was a big surprise. My expectations were lowered once I both saw the tags and the ratings of this album. Usually, when a psychedlic rock album has low ratings in this sit, I assume it will be a very generic album. But then I discovered Frank Zappa was one of the members of the group, and that shocked me a lot, as this man is regarded as a very talented musician. This fact did also made me feel a bit nervous, as it was my very first exposure to his work, and I didn't really want to have a bad first experience.
Fortunately, things went in the right direction, since I loved this album.
The main point of this album is its satire of the american culture from when it released, politics and 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. Most of the mockery comes from the lyrics (although is quite clear that the cover of the record is also a parody of 'The Beatles' album), with lines pointing directly to hippies, like "I will love the police as they kick the shit out of me on the street" in the song 'Who Needs the Peace Corps?'; or even politicis, with one of the most interesting phrases in the album being "The Father's a Nazi in congress today" in the song 'The Idiot Bastard Son', due to recent events in the United States (I really wish I could say this line is outdated...).
There's also some direct criticism to American womanhood in 'Harry, You're a Beast'; and some songs reference the ignorance of parents towards their children, like in 'Mon & Dad' and 'What's the Ugliest Part of Your Body?', with the lyrics of the last one being featured in other tracks.
So, while the lyrics are very interesting, they aren't the only remarkable trait. This whole album sounds very pleasent, chaotic, noisy, energetic and funny, all at the same time. The pleasent part would come from the psychedelic aspect of it, featuring the type of vocals, synths and rhythms that are so notable of the genre.
What makes this album so chaotic are the odd structures and the constantly interruptions with weird noises and passages. I'll give two examples, but almost every track has it:
The first one being in the song 'The Idiot Bastard Song'. It starts very nice, but towards the middle, the music dramatically stops and it starts this weird amalgam of unrecognizable voices, only to return back to where the song was left after a brief moment.
The second one would be in the track 'Mother People'. Here there is this sudden cut of the music where they decided to put a gorgeous piece of orchestra.
Finally, I also have to mention that there is this energetic feeling in the songs 'Flower Punk' and 'Mother People' thanks to them having a fast rhythm.
In conclusion, I had a lot of fun listening to this album. It may have its downsides, notably the interludes. Nonethless, I see it becoming one of my favourite discoveries from this list!
Talking Heads
4/5
This album has been growing on me like a virus, in the sense that the tracks are so infectious that they get me super excited and moving like I have the dancing plague of 1518. Well, at least for the first half of the album, as the first four songs are just a constant build up until it reaches the climax at 'Once in a Lifetime', and then my energy starts to banish moving forward through the tracklist.
So, what makes this album so exciting?
First of all, the production of Brian Eno makes this album sounds impecable and spacey. Have to love this man work. Everything he touches sounds amazing.
Then, the layering of instruments and vocals is also incredible. I think the most noticeable example would be 'The Great Curve' having the most funky feeling of all the tracks with all the vocal layers it has.
And finally, this record has a very charming and uplifting feeling thanks to the tiny details, the catchy melodies and rhythms, and the very extravagant way of singing of David Byrne.
This album may seem like one of the most charismatic records of all time (which, at some point, it may be), but it also present a slower and more tone down side with 'Listening Wind' feeling kind of heartfealt with the delicate singing and sound.
The rest of the tracks, 'Houses in Montion', 'Seen and not Seen' and 'The Overload' I think are a bit underwhelming in comparition with the rest, but still very good on their own. Is because of these tracks that I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Very dull and uninteresting.
To me, this record comes across as a technical exhibition of how well they can play without having any real feeling or flavor. Not saying that I can't appreciate musicians with high control of their instruments, is just that I'm very picky with it.
In addition and very important. It seems like this record is an interpretation of a piano suite of the same name by Modest Mussorgsky. It is an interesting fact that I have just discovered after three listenings, but doesnt't change my feelings at all.
To end this review, I'll say that I didn't dislike it as much as to give it a 1 star.
GZA
4/5
An incredibly soild and consistent album with great beats, flow and lyrics (except for that line about abortion being evil in B.I.B.L.E.).
My favourite track was 'Gold'. Loved the mellow beat and the lyrics in this one, specially the line 'And how I changed a ***** name to John Doe' I found to be very clever and cool.
'Cold World' would be also one of my favourites if it wasn't for its weird chorus, and I did also like a lot 'B.I.B.L.E' having the best chorus of the whole album and very speacy beats, but I had to subtract some points for that particular line that I mentioned before.
And that's all. This review may be a bit poor, but while I did very much enjoy this record, I don't really have anything special to say that I hadn't already.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Not so long ago, about four and five months, I listened to the track 'Ain't no Mountain High Enough'. An incredibly sweet track, but I thought it sounded a bit crispy, probably because the technological limitations from that time. This made me wonder if this album could suffer from the same issues.
Nothing could prepare me for how good this album sounds. In fact, it sounds so good, it made me question if this record was produced in heaven. Everything is so clear and beautiful. The singing, the bells, the choirs... The lyrics too! with the main subject being to love and care for everyone.
A very sweet and groovy album. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because there is still room for it to grow on me and I don't think it hit me like other records in the 'favourite' category did.
Anthrax
2/5
With this album I now have listened a quarter of the entire list! I wish I was as excited for this album as I am for this fact.
I've never cared for Thrash Metal, not even when I was a metal-head. It is true that I like 'Reign in Blood' by Slayer, and I used to be a big fan of Metallica's early work, but I've never being interested in this particular scene, and I don't even come back to what I once liked.
And it seems that my feelings haven't changed the slightest. This album hasn't done absolutely anything for me and it felt tiring towards the end.
I can see people having fun with it. It is fast and a bit angry, but I like my angry music to be way more chaotic and noisy, and this record doesn't hit those nails for me.
Lupe Fiasco
3/5
First thing I noticed when I looked up informartion about this album was that Mike Shinoda is credited as a producer in the song 'The Instrumental'. I pointed this out because in my first listening, in which I was paying attention to what song was playing, I instantly recognized the song because of the sound of the beat, and I though that it was realy funny.
Anyway, this album has this very grandiose approach in terms of beats and overall sound. It feels big and loud. But honestly, I wasn't as big fan of it.
It is as decent record and vert consistent, but there wasn't anything that really surprised or stuck with me. Even the 'The Instrumental', the track I talked about before, didn't do anything for me.
What I want to add is that the lyrics can be very relatable. There are as lot of themes about struggles, like being alone and ignored, so there's a lot do people that can get a lot of value out of them. Meanwhile, personally, I wish the performances where a little more impactful.
Lastly, why does the last song have to be a 12 minute track shouting out people...? I only listened to it once and I skipped every other time I heard this album.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
A very bold and fun album, or at least some of the songs.
It starts with its best songs. 'Laura' is super fun, but 'Take Your Mama' is in another level with its comedic theme of taking the listeners mother to party all night.
From this point forward, the record doesn't manage to reach the highs of the first two songs. The closest ones would be 'Tits On the Radio' and 'Filthy/Gorgeous', specially the last one with its incredibly catchy chorus.
The rest of the tracks are a bit of a mixed bag. You have the pink floyd cover, which I didn't like; you have the mellow 'Mary', that I also didn't appreciate; the ending being a slow song but not as bad as the others: and finalmy, the ones I didn't mention are the pop tracks that don't have the same impact as the big songs.
Overall, this was an interesting listening, and I did like the attitude and the falsetto of the singer.
Parliament
1/5
This album feels like people having a lot of fun... except for me.
Before giving any opinion about it, I want to give some context. I listened to this record many times while being stuck in a car for several hours, so this may have a big impact about how I feel about, even though, I also listened to my favourite music and still love it.
With that being said, let's jump right into the review:
I find it to be very uninteresting and boring...
The first song starts with a nice hook, but then you have 3 to 4 minutes of anything until coming back to the original hook. It should feel rewarding but I don't think it works as a good climax.
The second song has a basic melody that is repited through the vast majority of the track, which I didn't like, and the other elements also didn't contribute anything to me, so the song also was a no for me, except for the last minute, which has a change of beat and it becomes slower, and I did appreciate that part.
'Unfunky UFO' is the first one that I liked. The vocals have a lot of attitude and a great funky beat. Both bring the energy I was wishing for this album.
The fourth song falls back into the uninteresting category. Not the most cacthy beat and super repetitive vocals. At least, it has some pauses. If it didn't, it would be unbearable.
The next song rises the bar a little bit with some nice vocal and horns performance, and chord progressions, but it stills feels a bit repetitive towards the end.
Following the last song, comes the nomination for the most annoying one. I can't stand the chorus repeating 'We want the Funk. Give up the funk' through the whole song.
At least the last track sounds a bit funny with the synths sounding like farts and the cave man type of vocals.
When deciding what score to give this album, I had to take in mind that this might be one of the worst experiences I had with this list, so that's why I'm giving 1 star. Maybe in the future, if I return to it, I will have a greater experience.
Gang Starr
3/5
While being a decent album, I can't deny that it felt a bit underwhelmed.
It feels like there's a bit of missmatch between energy and message. The overall sound of this record is smooth and even a bit relaxing or charming, which doesn't add up with some of the menacing lyrics of the record.
In the end, this albums have its fire tracks like 'Check The Technique' and it manages to be quite consistent despite of not doing anything that is mind-blowing or having that conflict between lyrics and attitude.
Eminem
4/5
I discovered Eminem's music about 8-9 years ago, when people was trying to rap the fast part of the song 'Rap God'. It was really funny seeing people butchering it, including myself, since I also decided to participate in the challenge.
Either way, from that moment, I got hooked to the man's music, but really only the singles, so this marks the first time I listen to a whole project from him.
The only song I knew about it was the main single 'My Name Is'. I had never listened to any of the other tracks before listening to the record, so I didn't know what to expect.
My first experience was not great, but the second and third were a lot better. The thing that changed from the first time to the next was reading the lyrics. Eminem is very talented at narrating very bizarre and shocking stories, and if you don't pay attention to what he is saying, you may not enjoy this album very much.
I will dare to say that the majority of what the album offers comes from the lyrics, as the beats, most of the times, only feel like they are there to accompany Eminem's rapping. The delivery and attitude do also stand out and make this album feel very angry.
What stands out too, but not for good reasons, are the singing choruses. There can get very bad, like in 'Cum on Everybody' or 'Im Shady'. If instead he used the same type of choruses as in 'Rock Bottom', "Don't Give a Fuck" or "Still Don't Give a Fuck" this album would be so much better, since they are just the rapper screaming.
Overall, this album has a very peculiar attitude and it makes it an interesting listening.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
When I was getting into rock music I became obsessed with the song 'Stairway to Heaven'. I loved it so much that my father gifted me 'Mothership', a compolation of Led Zeppelin greatest songs, which allowed me to discover a lot more of them.
After that, I decided to borrow a copy of Led Zeppelin IV that muy father had and still has. That was the first time I listened to the whole album.
Thinking about those times, I'm realising that I was, and still am, not too crazy about the record.
I must clarify that I really like this album and all that it offers:
'Black Dog' and 'Rock and Roll' are very energetic, 'The Battle of Evermore' is beautiful, 'Stairway to Heaven' is an incredible epic track, 'Misty Mountain Hop' is fun and 'When The Levee Break' has a very interesting combination of rock and folk.
The other songs, 'Four Sticks' and 'Going to California' I think are decent, but way too dull in comparition with the big tracks.
Overall, a great album, but it never hit any emotional nerve, except for 'Stairway to Heaven'.
The B-52's
4/5
In my first listening, I couldn't even get to the half point of the album. Four more listenings in, and I'm kind of loving this.
It is such an extravagant record. It has some of the wildest and weirdest vocals performances I've ever heard. They are very inflated, making them feel a bit forced but also adding a lot of personality to the record. They even go as far as screaming at the top of their lungs!
When it comes to the instrumentation, they are responsible for making the album not feel like a mess by keeping everything under control.
What a peculiar and weird album!
Kid Rock
1/5
I knew I wasn't going to like this album because of the person he is, but man, I'm so glad that I have more reasons to hate it after listening to it.
The first track might be a bit fun with its wacky chorus and loud guitars, but the rest of the songs, tending more to the country and rap side more than the metal sound, are not as fun. Besides, they could be summarize as an angry white dude who only talks about how great he is and how much hits, sex, money and weed he has. Basically, this record lacks of any interesting topic or value.
Futhermore, nothing prepared me to how painful the song 'Only God Knows Why' is. The terrible use of the autotune makes the track one of the most miserable experiences of the whole project.
What an awful album. The only redeemable trait is the production.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
Even though this album may not be as energetic or atmospheric as some of the most notable works of this genre, it has a sound that I dig a lot and I'm a fan of, as it is very consitent and rich in details.
There a lot of build ups (even though some don't reach a good high point, like in the opening track) and some nice passages, specially in the latest tracks.
Overall, is just a fun album. I don't really have anything more to add.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Very dull and uninteresting. The blues rock-and-roll sound gets tiring after the third track, so this album gets boring really really fast.
The only songs that I liked were 'Sympathy for the Devil', with its catchy chorus; and 'Stray Cat Blues', having a nice energy; but even these tracks aren't exciting enough to want me to repeat the experience.
This record may not be offensively bad, but it lacks on anything exciting or engaging, specially coming from an era and place where groups were pushing the music boundaries in extreme ways.
At least the production is pretty neat.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
So this album got selected the same day I was having a family party, so it was impossible for me to make time and listen to it. So I decided to listen to it the following day.
The thing is, the next day, I had a 12 hour car trip, so I initially though it would be a geat opportunity to give this record all the time of the world and come with a review the same date.
Unfortunately, this album is so quite, that I couldn't understand anything with how loud the car was. Had to postpone the review again...
After 3 days, I finally had time to listen to the album and boy I was surprised.
This album is beautfiful and weird, and it's all due to the singing style, which is the main trait of the whole project. Joanna Newsom vocals are very special. It reminded me a lot to Björk. Very striking and very satisfying to listen to, specially when she hits some of the chord progressions.
Another thing about it is that her lyrics are worth reading, as they paint some wonderful scenes.
But this this not only Joannas' voice and lyrics works. The orchestra that backs her up is also quite wonderful.
In conclusion, this is a very interesting, wonderful and unique record, with its only problem being the how long the songs are. If it was bit shorter, it could be 5 stars, but for now, I have to leave it at 4.
Eagles
2/5
The warm production and the smooth singing and playing allow this album to have a comfy sound which is the only redeemable quality of it.
Very boring and very bland. The first songs might be decent, but after that, it becomes stale very quickly, except that the song 'Earlybird' is kind of interesting thanks to its different chord progression and use of banjo.
Also, today I have to share an hotel room with my parents. My father snores as loud as a lawnmower, so I had a rough night and I hate the Eagles.
Rush
3/5
A decent prog rock album.
It offers a lot of different ideas, some of which I really liked, particularly the start and end of the song '2112'. The rest of them... I felt very indifferent about. I still appreciate the variety. Thanks to it, the record doesn't end up feeling derivative.
I also enjoyed a lot how technical the performances are and how good the production is. What I wasn't a fan of are the vocals. I found them to be a bit irritating, but they manage to be tolerable .
In summary, I liked it but I don't have strong feelings about it.
Bauhaus
4/5
My first thought while listening to this album for the first time was "this reminds a lot to The Cure". They both are very moody and similar in terms of song structures, but I don't think this band reaches the level of emotion of sadness that The Cure achieve in their music.
Either way, this is a very interesting and particular listening. It is very quite so be sure that the volume is set up high enough or you will lose a lot of value. It too has a lot of nice noisy touches, some very eerie moments in the songs 'Hollow Hills' and 'Mask', and most importantly, some incredibly catchy bass lines throughout the whole project. The combination of all these elements made this record a worth listening and coming back to project.
Primal Scream
3/5
With an album with such a heavy psychedelic atmosphere and vibrant sound, I expected to like it way more than I did.
It is pleasent to listen to and it is a very trippy experience, but even after listening to it several times, it seems that I'm not able to fully immerse myself into the whole record, which I feel is the main porpouse of it, to get lost in the hypnotic and repetitive melodies and grooves. I do like some of the tracks though. "Movin' On Up", "Come Together" and "Loaded" are very uplifting and fun.
In conclusion, I wish I liked it more. The textures, samples and production in this album are incredible and thats where most of my enjoyment comes from, but for the moment, I'm going to give it 3 stars, and hope in the future I can appreciate it way more than I do now.
Badly Drawn Boy
4/5
A very sweet, charming and warm sounding album. I don't know how, but for me, it creates an atmosphere that is very similar to be in a cozy wooden house in winter. Maybe it has something to do with the cover art.
My true complain is that it feels a bit long and it is due to the songs feeling a bit too similar towards the end, even though I didn't dislike any of them.
Portishead
5/5
Damn, invisible ninjas be chopping onions again...
Before talking about the record, I want to give a bit of personal background.
About three years ago, I decided to check out 'Mezzanine' by Massive Attack, as I was getting into the trip hop scene. Once I got familiar with that album, I moved on to 'Dummy', as they are both regarded as the primal examples of Trip Hop. Nevertheless, I felt quite dissappointed with this one.
What I love about 'Mezzanine' is how insanely good the production is. Listening to that album is a similar feeling to touching the smoothest material of the world.
Meanwhile, Dummy's sound is more stripped back and rough when it comes to the beats. This is the reason why I've never really got into the album... until not so long ago.
About a year ago, I started to listen to some of the songs of the album again, and its sound started to grow on me little by little, but still haven't returned to listen to the full project.
Now, this list gave me the opportunity to give this album another try that I was waiting for. Conclusion? Absolutely worth it. This record may be one of the darkest, saddest and more emotional albums ever. I don't think I've ever heard this level of pain and sorrow being portrayed in a human voice. Makes me consider Beth Gibbons as one of, if not the greatest singer of all time.
But is not all about her. The beats are also a crucial element to creat the dark atmosphere of the record. They can sound a bit rough at times, but they always do a great job accompanying the voice and adding a lot of character.
So yes, this album may not be perfect, but it is incredible. My favourite songs are 'Sour Times', 'Wandering Star' and 'Roads', but every song here shines in their own way.
Aphex Twin
4/5
I remember listening to this album for the first time when I was studing for my final exams in my third year of collage. As anyone else who doesn't know anything about this project, I thought this album was going to be full of pure ambient tracks and be very similar to some of the ambient works by 'Brian Eno'. So I put it on believing that it would be a great background while I was focusing on my studies.
Turns out, this album is not quite an ambient project. It is true that it is very atmospheric, but it doesn't reach that level of pure ambience. Either way, from what I can remember, it did is job at being a great companion. What I can also tell you is that 'Richard D.James Album' is not a great album to listen to while studying..
So, months passed withouth returning to the album, until I decided to do so. I wish I could remember exactly my first thoughts and opinions. I knew I liked and it is thanks to this LP that I am now a big fan of this man's work, but I can't really tell what I specifically liked about it at that time.
Today is a different story. This album is incredible and what really shines about it is how good it sounds and how great the atmosphere is. The basses are drowned in reverb and add a very peculiar feeling of being underwater while the high pitched sound very futuristic.
Another thing that makes the album very unique are the weird sounds and the best example is, in the track 'Green Calx', he uses a spring or a stock sound of a spring. This add a little sense of goofiness, which leads me to the next point, the different emotions portrayed, because there are quite a few.
The main melody in the tracks 'Green Calx' and 'Schottkey 7h Path' feel very melancholic, while 'Xtal', 'Heliosphan' and 'Ptolemy' are super fun. And I can't forget about how nightmarish the song 'Hedphelym' is.
So overall, this is an incredible album and one of the best electronic album of all time. I think it aged quite well thanks to its uniqueness and I have to add that I don't think this is his best work. That title would go to 'Selected Ambient Works 2' in my opinion. Adding to this last point that I think the last two tracks pale in comparition to the rest of the songs, I came to the conclusion that it is a 4 stars album.
Leftfield
3/5
This album started with such a great ambient intro, but then it turned into a house track that got me expecting the Macarena track to start playing at any moment.
The rest of the album is just fine. I think the first half is the weaker side, and the second half plays it safer, so I could stand it way more.
The main problem with it is its length. The avarage song lenght is about 5 minutes, and they tend to get repetitive due to the ideas not being very interesting. For a genre such as House and Trance in which repetition is key, it is vital that those ideas can be played over and over again without feeling exhausting.
If I'm not giving it 2 stars, is thanks to how great and clean the production is and me not being as bothered about it as it may seems I was. I wouldn't mind it having as background, but there's so much better techno music out there that I don't think I'll return to this.
Lou Reed
4/5
My only experience with Lou Reed's music up to this point in time is having heard the album 'The Velvet Underground' before, so I was going absolutely blind and I didn't know what to expect of it when listening to this for the first time (I didn't even know 'Walk on the Wild Side' was in this record).
So it seems like Lou Reed decided to depart from the psychedelic rock scene and lean towards the glam rock sound with the help of David Bowie in both the production and the songs as backing vocals, acoustic guitar and keyboards. And honestly, he did an incredible job.
I found this album to be extremely likeable thanks to the rich instrumentation, his charming voice and the interesting lyrics,
Fantastic album. Not perfect (some of the latests songs are a bit weak), but still incredible.
Brian Eno
3/5
When it comes to Brian Eno, I was only familiar with his ambient projects and some of the works he produced, but never ever I have heard anything from his rock era. And for a man with such a legendary status and how much I love the things that I already heard from him, I expected to like this way more than I actually did.
My big problem with the album are the vocals. They sound very forced to my ears. Thankfully, the wide diversity of ideas displayed on the album make up for the singing and even turns the album into an interesting experience.
It feels like there are not two equals or even similar songs, something that I very much appreciate even though I didn't love everything it offers, like the song 'Driving Me Backwards' with its daunting melodies which, believe it or not, it was driving me a bit crazy; but I still really like some of the tracks like 'Blank Frank', which sounds like a Primus song and 'Here Comes the Warm Jets', being an incredible beautiful track and the best one by far.
In conclusion, what makes this record so intriguing is how packed with a ton of ideas it is, in spite of me not liking the singing.
Billy Bragg
3/5
What a bitter suprise this album was. I have heard 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' before, and I hope I'm not remembering it wrong, but it sounds way different than this album. From what I can recall, the country aspects of that album weren't even that palpable, and I thought this record was going to be similar. It seems I stand corrected, because this project bleeds from country influence.
First of all, I found Billy Braggs singing to be incredibly tedious. Nine out of ten times I dislike country twangs, and Billy Braggs' is no exception. Thankfully, half of the songs are sang by him and the other by the singer of Wilco, which I found to be a lot more pleasent, even though his voice sounds very aphonic in the song 'Hoodoo Voodoo' to the point of even feeling painful to the listener.
When it comes to the instrumentation, I have to said that this is what I liked about the album the most as it is what adds the variety it needed to not be just plain country.
I also want to mention that I appreciated the political driven lyrics in the songs 'She Came Along to Me', 'I Guess I Planted' and 'The Unwelcome Guest', even though I didn't like at all their musicality.
I guess I'll give 3 stars thanks to the instrumenation, which carried the whole album, but it is very close to be 2 stars.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
4/5
I've been constantly listening to this album for the past 5 days and I have to say, it is one of the catchiest records with a dark sound I've ever heard.
This album is very simple and yet effective. It is a post punk record with the first half focusing in the catchy side, presenting a more comercial sounding material while having obscure themes and lyrics; and the second one focuses way more in creating obscure and moody atmospheres with the instruments. A great example would be the ending song 'Voodoo Dolly' with its noise build up.
In the end, a fantastic album with powerful performances. Only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because I think some songs, like 'Monitor' our 'Head Cut' become a bit repetitive over time, but they are still incredible.
The Who
3/5
I find everything in this record to be incredibly inoffensive: the singing, the riffs, the drums, the melodies, the lyrics... everything.
It is not bad. I certainlly didn't mind it and I can't say I was tired or bored while listening to it, but I also didn't care.
So yes, it gets a 3 stars out of pity.
Finally, I'll add a couple of things so the review isn't too bare bones.
One, I'm worried about anyone whose partner is so dangerous that they need a minigun and a tank.
Two, Pete Townshend is a jerk for not caring about the environment.
The Smiths
4/5
My first The Smiths album, and also my first contact with this band, as I don't think I've ever heard any song from them, and my expectations where kind of mixed when listening to this for the first time.
On one hand, this band has a legendary status, and I was very curious to know why.
On the other hand, I wasn't sure if I would like it considering Morrissey's opinions and controversies, that have keeping me away from his music.
So, what was the conclusion? I liked it! (as anyone could see from the given score).
I have to say, the thing that scared me the most was the one that I liked the best. Morrissey's voice is very smooth and pleasent to listen to, and his lyrics can be very touching and emotional, treating subjects of abuse ('The Headmaster Ritual') or depression ('That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore'). There's also the song 'Meat Is Murder', which talks about how any killing of animals is considered murder. Even though I don't totally agree with the message (I support vegetarianism and veganism, but I believe it is a natural thing to kill for food), the song may be one of the saddest in terms of how it sounds.
When talking about the instrumentation, it is very vibrant, wonderful and very well produced (yeah, I don't really have much to say, as I was focused on the lyrics..)
In conclusion, a very sad and great experience.
The Doors
3/5
I have listened to this album serveral times, and never could appreciate it. Everytime I wondered if I was missing the point of the album, but I guess that blues is just not my thing.
However, its not like I despise it. Theres some really cool moments, like the build up in 'L.A. Woman', the kind of intense atmosphere of "L'America" and the catchy chorus of 'The WASP'.
Unfortunately, not an album that I can say that I enjoyed. I feel very neutral about it, but thanks to liking some elements of it, I can at least give it 3 stars.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
This album stands out for the use of the voices. Everyone here (the 4 main members) have their moment to shine individually, but also collectively when they sing in harmony, as the best and most beautiful melodies are the ones sang in choirs, like in 'Our House'.
I wish I could say the rest is as good as the vocals. The instrumentation, while sounding quite pleasent, I think is overshadowed by the singing.
I do have to give credit where credit is due: the music in this album has a great range, alternating between rock and folk/country. This variety is something that I always appreciate and view as a very postive aspect.
With that being said, I wasn't the biggest fan of the record. Folk rock from this time is a sound that never appealed to me, and that's why I'm giving it 3 stars.
Love
4/5
My second Love album. My first one was 'Forever Changes', and I felt very neutral about it. However, my feelings about this record are way different.
The first half of the album is incredible.
The melodies on 'Orange Skies', '!Que Vida!', 'The Castle' and 'She Comes In Colors' are absolutely wonderful and beautiful thanks to their intricate melodies.
'Stephanie Knows Who' and '7 and 7 is' are very energetic and weird, specially the latter when they scream 'BOOM-BIP-BIP, BOOM-BIP-BIP, YEAH'.
My big problem with this album comes with the last track, 'Revelation'. It is a 19 minutes jam session, and it comparision with the rest of the material, I find it to be quite bland. There's nothing here that was impactful or even interesting, but at least is passable. If it wasn't because of how much time it takes from the project (literally half of it) I might have given it 5 stars.
With that in mind, I think I may need to check out again 'Forever Changes', because it is considered to be their best by many people, but now for the moment, as I'm not up to date with this list.
Santana
3/5
In my first listening, I ended up with very good impressions, but the more and more I listening to it, I think I like it a little less.
First of all, this album is incredibly smooth and the elements of rock and latin blent very well one with each other, and makes this album a very unique and interesting experience.
So, what is not to like about it? Not much really, I think I just was getting bored of it, or at least its second half, since the first one has the best moments and I don't think I ever got tired of them.
There were times that I wondered if I should give it 4 stars, but after my lastest listenings, I decided to give it 3.
Elvis Presley
3/5
My only experience with Elvis Presley is hearing some songs of a compilation album (the 30 #1 Hits) when I was a kid. My parents have the CD and they used to play it a lot in the car. However, I can't remember almost any of the tracks, except for 'A Little Less Conversation'.
Back to the album, this marks as my first real experience with an actual Elvis Presley record, and I must say that it is just fine. It basically works more as a compilation of tracks than a cohesive project. Not that it is a bad thing, as a lot of great records do the same thing, but in this case it doesn't work as well mainly because most of the songs feel very standard rock and roll with nothing interesting going on.
What I can say is that I find his voice quite appealing (as so many people did back in his days) and the production to be incredible good. I must have heard a remixed or remastered version without noticing it, because it sounds incredibly clear for its time.
In the end, a project which sounds decent but that doesn't have any real substance to make me come back.
Elvis Presley
3/5
Two Elvis Presley albums in a row. In my current state, that is 1 in 618.582. I think I should buy a lottery ticket.
This album is very similar to 'Elvis is Back' (it should be the other way around, but I've heard that one first). It is basically a compilation of standard rockabilly songs. The difference with this one is that some of the songs have more energy, such as the intro track; but also has a bit worse singing from Elvis. Neverthless I think this is slightly better.
Radiohead
4/5
Certainly not the strongest material from Radiohead.
Recorded in the same sessions as Kid A, this album is considered to be its predecessor B side's. The songs on this record go for the same aesthetics and expereimention with electronic music as the other one, but they aren't as fulfilling in terms of ideas or emotions.
Still, this album, like any other Radiohead record, is incredibly well textured and also one of the moddiest albums I had heard from them. It contains a very dense, eerie and sad atmosphere which made this a very unique experience, even for Radiohead.
So while this may be the weakest project from them in the list, I can say that I enjoyed it a lot.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
With my first listenings, I wasn't sure if I liked this album, but when I had the opportunity to sit down and calmly listen to it, I did enjoyed it quite a lot.
This album is wonderful, sweet and filled with beautiful melodies, interesting lyrics with very positive messages for those who are abused (specially women) and rich instrumentation like multiple guitars, flutes, horns, piano, electronics, bells and more.
If I had to pick the songs that I liked the most, I would choose 'Electornic Renaissance' for how different it is from the rest, 'We Rule the School' for its beautiful flute and 'My Wandering Days Are Over. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that I don't think there's a bad song in here.
My only complain would be that the vocals feel a bit rough sometimes. It is hard to tell why, but I think it is because of how it was recorded and his sibilant voice.
The Police
3/5
When I think about 80's pop, I think about very loud and artificially inflated music, and I had the impression that The Police music would be the same and that is the reason why I had very low expectations about it. Surprisingly for me, this record turned out to be more quite than expected and very organic, and I ended up liking it a lot more than I thought I would.
This album feels sophisticated. In part it may be thanks to have a very controled sound volume, but the composition and ideas are also very ambitious. It is catchy and filled with complex melodies and rhythms.
With that being said, I didn't like the album as much as it might seem. It certainly did not blew my mind and neither I emotionally resonanted with it. I believe it is a nice listen and I'll leave it at that.
Billy Bragg
1/5
To anyone reading this review: if you like british folk rock and lyrics with political messages, this album might be for you. It would also be for me if I didn't despise his voice.
I have listened to his collaboration with Wilco prior to this project, and if I didn't like this man's voice back then, imagine how much I disliked it now having to listen to an album where he is the only one singing. Besides, another comparition between these two is that this one feels very loud and over-produced, with the singing feeling very inflated and forced.
As much as I appreciated some of the lyrics and instrumentation, I'm not willing to subject myself to Billy Bragg's voice anymore.
The Pogues
4/5
I've never expected to like a celtic rock album as much as I did. In fact, for the last week, I've been constantly wondering if I should give this 5 stars, but I ended up giving it 4, and I'll explain why in a second.
First of all, I loved the energy of this album. It is super fun and charming. Almost every song feels like you are in a party (see what I did there? hehehe) in a pirate ship or in a pub. With my first listenings, I was laughing and grinning from ear to ear. But there's also tracks that are way more serious like 'Fairytale of New York' or 'Thousands Are Sailing'.
Futhermore, I liked how energetic the performances are and how super exagerated the accent and the attituted of the singer are.
The only reason I'm not giving a higher score is because, after so many listens, I started to feel that the last songs are a bit derivative. Still very enjoyable, but they drag the album a little bit.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Having listened to "What's Going On" and loving that album, I expected this to be a very similar or equal experience. However, I liked this way less than I imagined.
He maintains the super clean production, sweet singing and very groovy instrumentation, which are things that I appreciate very much. What changed in this album are the lyrical themes, focusing only on love, and I do believe the melodies are not as impactful or beautiful as the ones in the previous record.
Everytime I listened to this album, I lose my concentration after a while and it ends up as background music for me (but very groovy background music) , so that's why I'm giving it 3 stars.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Along side with many other metal genres (like 'Power Metal','Speed Metal' or 'Glam Metal'), 'New Wave Of British Heavy Metal' is a style I have never invested my time into neither I was interested to. And this applies to Iron Maiden, as they fall into this category.
What I disliked the most about the record is Bruce Dickinson kind of operatic singing. I find it to be a bit irritating, but it is not a particular problem I have against him, it is something to do with this style of voice in general.
For the rest, it is very decent. The band certainly feels like is having fun and that they are very talented musicians. In addition, I wouldn't say that there is a bad song in here. Nervertheless, this album didn't change my opinions and feelings about this genre.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
What truly makes this album interesting is seeing all the ideas that would be developed and perfected in 'Loveless', the following project to this one. Like in that one, there are the mellow tracks like 'Lose My Breath', 'No more Sorry' or 'All I Need' and the hard hitting ones with those heavy riffs like '(When You Wake) You're Still in a Dream' and 'Feed Me with Your Kiss'.
The main differences between these two is, for obvious reasons, the production, and it is not just that this album has a worse production when compared with 'Loveless', is that, in general, the production is very weak, specially for the voices. They feel very very flat, and even though some of the vocal melodies are pleasent and nice, a lot of times the singing comes across as out of tune or lacking in energy. This alone was detrimental enough to give this album 3 stars, regardless of how much I liked the dream aesthetic this album present with the wall of noise made by the instruments.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Just like the other Emmerson, Lake And Palmer album in this list, this comes across to me as a soulless project that only shows how fast and great they can play and feels devoid of any interesting ideas.
Having said that, I don't think it is despicable and there are even very few interesting moments. Still very boring though.
Miles Davis
4/5
I'm so happy I liked a lot this album. I had to listen to 'Birth of the Cool' before, and, while I liked it, I wasn't crazy about it and I was afraid of feeling the same way for any other Miles Davis' work. However, this record demonstrated to be a whole different beast. It goes for a more relaxed, calm and moody sound with a very controlled pace and some chilling melodies, which is basically the opposite direction of the ideas in 'Birth of the Cool'. Instead of being energetic, the album focuses on creating a quite unique dreamy and soothing atmosphere, and it works fantastically.
But I always end the album feeling there's more about it. Like there's still a lot to unpack from the record, and that's why it has being growing on. I've heard the album so many times and I yet feel like I don't know it. It truly is mesmerizing.
I'll give it 4 stars at the moment, but I do believe it has the potential to become one of my favourite records ever in the future.
The Pharcyde
4/5
An incredible funny album. It feels like everyone is having a blast, telling crazy and absurd stories with some incredible smooth and funky flows and beats.
I think the only problem this album has is that the second half doesn't hit as hard as the first one. It might be not in the same level, but it is very close. Basically, every song rocks.
I'm also thankful that they didn't add any recording of sexual acts as skits. In fact, the skits can also be very funny and there's not even a single one that breaks the flow of the record.
T. Rex
3/5
With a cover art like that, I expected this album to be a hard rock album. Instead, I got a glam / blues rock project. Even though I prefer how it actually sounds to what I was expecting, I have to say that the record didn't do anything for me.
When compared to the big names of the glam rock genre, like David Bowie or Lou Reed, I think T. Rex doesn't offer anything as fancy as the others do, and decides to focus way more on the blues part, and it turns out I'm not as big fan of blues rock. Maybe an unfair comparition, but when they share some common sounds, I believe it is valid to do so.
What I can positively say about it is that the tones of the guitar sound very good and the singing is smooth and pleasent.
So that's about it, just a decent album.
Also, add me to the list of people who knew about the song 'Get it On' but didn't knew its name and artist.
The Adverts
3/5
This is a decent and safe british punk record from the late 70's. It doesn't do anything that captivates me nor anything that I disliked. It is very in the middle of the road.
I don't have anything more interesting to say as it is a very simple sounding record, but at least I wasn't bored.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Okay, this was... underwhleming. Having the incredible status this man and this album have, I expected way more out of this project.
I'll start by the positive points. The production in this album is fantastic. Everything sounds superb and incredibly smooth. I prefered a lot more the sound of this record more than the one of the album Bad, as that one feels kind of loud and artificial due to the over use of the effects on the instruments, which was very popular in the 80's music.
Another big point of the LP, and the most obvious one, is that Michael's voice is divine, and the most remarked aspect of the whole.
So, into the negative:. I think that most of the ideas of the album are dull. In comparition with the big three tracks, all the other ones are super weak and don't have anything as interesting to offer. They sound good, but they don't impact me in any shape or form.
So, maybe a disappointment, but the record is still great thanks to its excellent execution, and I can at least say that it isn't bad, regardless of me not feeling like returning to it.
Black Flag
4/5
I think I could summarize this record as "I'm so angry, I'm going to drink a beer, crush the can with my hands, and then I'll throw it as far as possible, and I'll scream as much as I can while I see it fall".
That may seem very dramatic, but so is the album too. From start to finish, Henry Rollins is screaming his lungs out while touching several topics like depression, rebellion or... drinking beer with friends? Well, most of the tracks of the album might feel very serious, but there are a couple of songs, those being 'Six Pack' and 'TV party', that are a little bit goofy, specially the last one, which even sounds very happy (that's why I included the beer part in the introduction).
The singer might be one of the highlights, but the rest of the members don't fall behind. There are some killer guitar riffs and bass lines; and the pace is so fast and energetic that it makes me headbang.
However, there's a problem. The instruments can feel very undeproduced. For an album that sounds so aggressive, I wish it was a bit louder.
Another complain I have is that, towards the end, it may feel a bit monotonous. Nevertheless, it is a sound that I enjoy, so I could take it.
Overall, really great album.
Jane's Addiction
2/5
I reached a point after experiencing this album several times that, every time I hear the singer try and reach very high notes, I imagine himself squeezing his testicles. I'm sorry for anyone who had to read that. I understand if you feel disgusted. I'm just trying to express how forced this mans singing is. It might be fun in the first couple of listens, but it gets incredible tedious after that.
So, the voice is annoying. The rest? Is just alternative rock music and I'm not crazy about it. The production is super clean, but there the instrumentation doesn't do anything for me, except for the bass, which is kind of funky and energetic.
And to make things worse, the tracks from the second half are all super long and tedious.
Regardless of all the negatives, I think I have way worse experiences.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
The only thing interesting that I can tell you about this is that I was surprised when 'You Don't Own Me' started playing. It make me believe it was written by her. However, I was even more surprised when I realized that there is not a single original song in here. I shouldn't be shocked really, as this was a common thing back in those days, but I guess I got my hopes up listening to the mentioned track.
Does it make it bad? Not really, as she is a really good singer and all the songs sound very sweet and charming, but I'm not familiar with the original songs, so I can't make any comparison between them. If the material here turns out to be blatant copies of the original, it could impact very negatively the score. Nevertheless, I don't have the time to check them out, so for now it gets a positive rating.
Wild Beasts
4/5
An incredibly beautiful album. It is very spacey and atmospheric. It reminds a lot to the sound of modern post-rock, but without the crescendos.
The vocals felt a bit unwelcoming at first, as they are very extravagant, but after a couple of listens, I ended up liking them a lot. The range from screeching highs to very low, and that adds a lot of dynamic to the project.
But what takes the cake in this record are the guitars. Mixed with the big production, the melodies played with them are absolutely wonderful, and are the main responsible of creating the atmosphere.
My only reason to not give this 5 stars is because I feel like there are some weak tracks (like 'Underbelly' and 'Empty Nest') compared to the best ones (like 'We Still Got the Taste Dancin' On Our Tongues' or 'When I'm Sleepy...'). This doesn't mean I think these songs are bad, as I do believe every thing in this album is super solid.
I'm very thankful to have discovered this wonderful album.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
The Flaming Lips, the group who composed the '24 hour song'. I remember listen to maybe 1 hour of that project. It was years ago, but I liked what I heard, even though I've never return to it.
I think it is important for me to talk about that song, because it left me with the impression that this band has a really weird and heavily psychedelic sound. However, what I got form this album, 'The Soft Bulletin', is different from what I've expected. They do have the psychedelic elements that I was anticipating, but I thought it was going to be a way weirder experience and I thought I was going to like it way more than I did.
First of all, the record is very ambitious. It features a ton of different sounds and instruments. The first two tracks have a very distorted drums that never gets to be played with that same sound ever again; and every other track introduces a new element which make them unique on their own.
The record also has some very beautiful melodies, both from the vocals and the instruments. Some of the stand outs of the album by this metric are 'Race for the Prize', "Buggin'" and 'Sleeping On the Roof'.
Regardless of this very high positives, this whole project doesn't actually click with me. I liked it, that's very clear, but I didn't love it and I wasn't moved that much by it, which is kind of surprising considering the heart felt lyrics of songs like 'Suddenly Everything has Changed' and 'Feeling Yourself Disintegrate'. In addition, I can even say that it felt a bit long sometimes.
It is for these reasons that I'm giving it 3 stars. Hope in the future, if I ever come back to it, I could appreciate it more.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Why is this album so long?? Maybe being a live album of a jam session explains why. However, it still is incredibly long and boring. Main reason I feel is so lengthy is because I didn't find anything to be interesting except for the song 'Feedback', because they just decide to play noise. All the other songs feel to me like bland improvisation that never achieves any point.
I truly don't get it.
Beatles
4/5
This album may be marked as the watershed in The Beatles sound into more psychedelic territory, but it doesn't have the weird sounds and ideas of the following projects, In fact, I find it to be quite stale in terms of ideas.
However, the incredibly clean production, the superb singing and the general catchiness of the entire record is enough to make a very enjoyable experience.
Mj Cole
3/5
I didn't expect to like this. My first reaction was thinking it was incredible boring and tedious, but now I can stand it way more.
However, I keep thinking that the album can get a bit mind-numbing. Some of the longest cuts would benefit from a shorter duration, specially the ones that continue on repeating the same melodies without adding anything, like 'You're Mine'.
What I did like about the record are some of the eerie atmosphere aspects. Songs like 'Attitude' and 'Bandelero Desperado' have this very particular and creepy sense that has me feeling like I'm in some sort of abandoned civilization.
I did also appreciate the nice singing and some of the electronic melodies. Nevertheless, this album stills suffers a lot from being very lengthy and repetitive.
50 Cent
3/5
Before listening to this album, I was aware how divided are the general opinions about it. One side claims this is one of the best club rap albums of all time, and the other says is incredibly overrated. I think I land in the second group of people.
This album feels incredibly one dimensional with the the repetitive lyrics themes, the same structures, very similar sounding beats and flows and lacking of variety. The first 5 to 6 tracks work incredibly well, but after that is when the record starts to feel monotonous.
Having said that, I don't think it is a bad album. I wasn't that bothered about it, but I didn't love it.
ABBA
5/5
"Oh man ABBA, what a great pick! Love some very innocent and catchy songs"
Me when I heard the first track:
"SHE DID WHAT?"
Okay, jokes aside, this album is fantastic. Everything here sounds incredibly. The voices, the melodies, the production... everything is top notch. Just the performances along make this a great experience. It also is incredibly catchy and memorable.
In addition, ABBA is a band that has being present in almost my entire life. My parents use to listen to them a lot when I was a kid, and I even participated in an interpretation of the musical 'Mamma Mia' when I was in highschool, so it brings me good memories.
I was thinking of giving it 4 stars, but after reading my own review, I convinced myself to give it 5.
Tim Buckley
1/5
Incredibly boring, tedious and uninteresting. The worst thing about this project is his voice. I couldn't stand it. Feels very inauthentic and pretentious.
The only redeemable aspects are some of the instruments, like the strings in 'Make it Right' and 'Sweet Surrender', or the change of pace at the end of 'Get on Top'. Nonetheless, I think the composition is very tame in general.
On top of everything said, most of the songs are almost 7 minutes long, so yes, I didn't like this at all.
Madonna
3/5
The sound of this album took me totally off guard as I didn't expect an electropop album from Madonna. But I did like it.
I think some of the mixes between the trance sound, the glitch effects and Madonna's voice are done really well. 'Music', 'Runaway Lover' and 'Amazing' are the best tracks to show how well the blend works.
Unfortunately, not all the tracks work as well. From the point you reach 'Amazing', the rest of the songs slow things down and abandon all the interesting electronic elements, and feel way more standard or commercial, and don't offer anything appealing in their own, except for 'What It Feels Like for a Girl', which not only has a great message, but also has a great electronic base.
The worst tracks, in my opinion, are 'Impressive Instant' and "Nobody's Perfect" because the have way too much autotune. I don't usually have a problem with autotune, but I don't see it working with her, specially when her voice is as amazing as it is.
Overall, a decent electropop album.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Am I ascending??? Because this album is ridiculously beautiful.
I think I listened to this album about one and a half year ago (maybe two) but by that time I didn't really get it. Now that this list made me return to it, I can't believe I've being ignoring this record for so long. It is full of absolutely gorgeous orchestration and singing, droning guitars and climax that ascended me to heaven. It is unbelievable how wonderful and emotional this project can get.
I must add one thing. I had to be in a certain relaxed mood to really get the best experience out of this album. I tried listened to it while being a bit stressed and it almost ruined the LP for me. However, instead of making and average of how I feel in both situations, I decided to only considering my feeling when I liked it the most, and that's why it gets 5 stars, as this thing is incredibly close to perfection in my eyes.
Prince
3/5
With this list I'm discovering that I find it hard to enjoy albums that focus on expressing the male singer's sexuality. Some examples I'm thinking of are the Tim Buckley's 'Greetings From L.A.' and "Sing 'O' The Times" by Prince. Don't think it is a bad thing, just something that I cannot connect to, and the same happens with this record.
So, if my lack of my ability to resonate with it was already a problem, then it adds the fact that this album is super long. It last 1 hour and 10 minutes, and some songs surpass the 8 minute mark, which made it way harder to enjoy it.
Thankfully, Prince's remarkable creativity and expressive performances are some traits that make me appreciate the album. Thus, I don't think it is a bad experience, but certainly not made for me. Maybe if it was shorter, I could enjoy it way more.
Suicide
4/5
It would be impossible for me to not feel like an hypocrite when I'm disliking albums for being too stale and then liking this.
This album is incredibly minimalist. Every song is basically a static drum beat and bass line that keep repeating until the end of the track, with the singer singing or screaming over it, and times to times, they add some synths melodies.
So, what is there to like about the album? Honestly, I think it is very groovy. I do like a lot the fast paces and bass lines. There's also the overall sense of bleakness thanks to some of the lyrics. 'Ghost Rider' mentions American exploiting its youth, 'Rocket USA' talks about a guy speeding and not caring if he dies and 'Frankie Teardrop' is in another level. It is the dreariest song, narrating the story of a guy called Frankie and how he kills his wife, child and then himself out of desperation of not having enough money to survive. What I really like about it is that the singer does some very gory screams every time someone dies and I think it is incredibly fitting.
In conclusion, a very bleak and groovy album and undeniably something for people with an acquire taste.
Lou Reed
3/5
When compared to 'Transformer' I feel this record is underwhelming. I loved that album for its incredible range of ideas and sounds, but in this one, Lou Reed slow things down way too much for my taste, and it thinks it loses a lot of the charm that characterizes his art.
Either way, it is a decent album with great lyricism, instrumentation and sad tone. I specially liked 'Caroline Says II', 'The Kids' and 'The Bed', with the last two feeling very personal and touching both for the dramatic themes of a mother losing the possession of her kids and then taking her own life.
Overall, good experience, but there wasn't anything here that really grabbed my attention.
Kraftwerk
4/5
For a 1978, I found astonishing how good and futuristic it sounds. The work put on the synths is top notch, even for today's standards, I'll dare to say.
Apart from the clear definition of the sounds, I loved how this album was able to mentally transport me to cyberpunk type of scenes. While listening to this, I was constantly thinking of the aesthetic and moments of certain cyberpunk animes such as 'Akira' or 'Neo Tokyo', with cities composed by super tall skyscrapers and artificial lights. I think the tracks that accomplished this feeling the best are 'Spacelab', 'Metropolis' and 'The Model'.
The rest of the tracks, while still being quite good, I think they don't reach the same highs as the mentioned ones, specially 'The Man-Machine', which I think is the weakest one. The synth melodies are not as memorable and it has the most repetitive vocals.
Nevertheless, a very unique experience. Really liked this one.
The Replacements
4/5
Expected this to be a generic rock album from the 80's. Turns out, the combination of jangle pop, punk and garage rock made this quite the interesting record.
It has a lot of attitude, with the singer almost screaming instead of singing in most of the songs. The guitar riffs can also be very powerful, specially in the more punk inspire tracks, like "We're Coming' Out" (which accelerating pace at ending is very cool) or 'Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out'.
It also has some intimate moments. 'Androgynous' is one of them, as it is a ballad about two non-binary individuals being in love with each other. Have to appreciate the inclusion of the LGTBQ+ community.
One more thing that I liked a lot about the record is that it feels very organic and genuine. I believe that a lot of music from this time riles too much in effects, while this album doesn't feel as processed as others do.
In the end, I don't think this record does anything specially fancy or groundbreaking, but it manages to be very solid and catchy album.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
2/5
This reminds me lot of the live album 'Live / Dead' by Grateful Dead because they are both very mind-numbing jam bands with a very forgettable sound. There are a handful of interesting moments, like the choir in 'Calvary', but overall, is full of stale ideas that are not interesting nor they reach any interesting point.
I also think that the instrumentation was very bland and mediocre.
I didn't hate it, but it is far from me liking it.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
The first three tracks may have a little bit of attitude, but after that, it becomes an incredibly generic blues/rock/pop album. Neither the clear production nor her good singing can save this album from getting slow and derivative with all the ballad it has.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I've heard this album from two to four times every day since it got recommended (about 5 days in total). Not because I love it, more because I don't know how to feel about it, and I'm still struggling today to have a solid opinion on it.
I'm facing one of those situations in which an album, in general, doesn't make me feel almost nothing good or bad. I'm not engaged nor bored.
But at least I can say that I liked some melodies and I do appreciate the clear sound and great performances. To say it in another way, my positive feelings comes from me understanding it more than the emotions it makes me feel.
My plan is to keep returning to this record and hoping by someday it will have grown more on me. I could just leave it unrated, but I prefer to give a provisional score and move on.
Kanye West
3/5
The most expensive hip hop record ever! With an title such as this, anyone would think that it also might be one of the greatest rap albums of all time, and, well, a lot of people would agree with that , or at least that's a very popular opinion within the hip-hop circles. But personally, I disagree.
What I liked about the project is how massive it sounds. The production and sampling in this record is insane and makes you understand why it costed so much to produce this album. The beats are as maximalist as they can get.
'Dark fantasy' has some wonderful choirs accompanied by beautiful strings and pianos that make for an enormous entry to the album.
'Power' also has an incredible use of female voices that helps the track feel very big.
'All of the lights' has some very loud drums, horns and voices.
'Devil In a New Dress' may have some of the best sampling ever done by Kanye West. The beat mixed with background singing is just wonderful.
'Runaway' is one if not the most iconic songs by him thanks to the sad melody brought by the piano.
'Blame Game' has very interesting usage of the track 'Avril 14th' by 'Aphex Twin'.
To add to the overall grandiose sound, the attitude of the voices just elevate this thing even more. I honestly think that the singers are the truly highlights of the album. Kid Kudi, Rihanna and Bon Iver did some incredible jobs with the choruses in their respective songs ('Gorgeous', 'All of the Lights' and 'Lost In the World').
What I didn't like so much about are the overall project is the length and the lyrics.
In terms of lengthiness, the whole project feels too long, with the songs 'Monster' and 'So Appalled' having way too many features, each one with their own moment, and thus, making the tracks longer; and 'Runaway' and 'Blame Game' having some unnecessary ending sections.
When it comes to lyrics, Kanye West can be both very serious, goofy and funny or be an atrocious lyricist.
On one hand, there is the more serious and funny side of him. 'Gorgeous' is the best example for both cases, as it is criticizes the injustices in the some great examples of funny lyrics I would say are the verses "And what's a black Beatle anyway, a fuckin' roach?" and "'Cause the same people that tried to blackball me forgot about two things, my black balls".
On the other hand, there is the bad lyrics spectrum. First one that comes to mind is: why does 'Runaway', the most melodramatic sounding song, start by talking how Kanye send a picture of his dick to a girl? It ruins the immersion! If he said it while laughing or with a comedic purpose, I wouldn't mind, but because he said with a sad tone, I just can't take it seriously.
Another example would be 'Hell of a Life' which I would dare to say that is a bad song. The beat is super tedious, the interpolation of 'Iron Man' by Black Sabbath in the chorus is horrible and the lyrics about wanting to marry a porn star and make nuns cums are just terrible.
In the end, from my point of view, I think the bad parts of the album are detrimental enough to justify my score, regardless of how much I praised the beats and some of the singing.
Elvis Costello
2/5
I'm not sure how much the annoying voice of him affected my perspective of this record, but I feel that this album is very stale and bland pop rock without nothing interesting going on. Well, some people mention that the lyrics are good, but I have read them and they don't do anything to me (maybe because I was already annoyed by the singing), but at least they don't come as generic, which is always a plus in my book.
Besides the super forced singing, there's also one thing that was particularly annoying to me and I couldn't see anybody else brought up. Why the snare sounds like a can? Is irritating. Is not St. Anger's level, but it can get very jarring in some of the songs.
Having said all of that, I don't think it deserves a 1 star. Although boring, the instruments are good enough to not make this a miserable experience, despite of them not doing anything truly remarkable.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
This might be one of the most bare-bones hip-hop records I've ever heard just because how rudimentary the beats are and how little detail are added to them in general. In fact, the song 'Perfection' only has rapping and drums. Nothing more.
So what truly shines in the project is the incredible chemistry between the two rappers and how fun their delivery and tone is.
For me the highlights would be 'Peter piper', 'It's Tricky', 'Walk This Way' and "You Be Illin' ", with the latter one having some of the funniest lyrics I've ever read talking about who a guy ordered a Big Mac in a KFC or how one of them mistakenly ate dog food as dinner. Hilarious.
Unfortunately, I think being an album so simple works against it favor and makes a bit too repetitive, but it manages to be solid.
Red Snapper
3/5
This album starts very well with a track that sets a very dark and eerie tone which gets ruined by the following tracks. It goes from a nice cold atmosphere to very uninteresting, boring and very repetitive songs that can feel long and tiresome.
'Some Kind of Kink', 'Shellback' and 'The Rake' feautre these very annoying vocal chops or samples which are hard to listen to.
'I Stole your Car' and 'The Rough and the Quick' have some very repetitive vocal melodies with the last one getting absurdly obnoxious.
From 'Alaska Street' to the end of the project, it gets very decent. The mentioned song has a nice chord progression which is followed by some beautiful and relaxing horns in the next track, 'Belladonna'.
Overall, a very inconsistent album, but I'm not giving it a bad score because I think the electronic base of the worst tracks are a bit decent.
Ice Cube
3/5
While being a very decent hip-hop record, with great flows, nice beats and ability in storytelling, the more times I listen to it, the less I want to return to it. Feels like I reached a point where the album doesn't offer me anything more (and I just listened it bout 5 times..) and it ends up dragging.
As I said, not a bad album. Ice Cube's attitude and flow really makes this stand out among other hip-hop projects, but I'm not that invested in the sound of this particular project.
Sister Sledge
4/5
In its core, this album is just disco. It doesn't do anything really different from any other disco project from the time.
The thing is, "He's the Greatest Dancer", 'Lost In Music', 'Thinking of You' and 'One More Time' are some of the best true disco tracks I've ever heard. Incredibly catchy and groovy.
The other tracks aren't as impactful, and come as very standard songs for me, but at least they keep the great performances and super clean production.
Pixies
3/5
I've listened to this album several times and I liked it every time. It is a very consistent alternative record from the 90's. I liked the weird melodies, the pleasant singing, the screams that sounds like a cat, the overall catchiness. Basically, there is nothing here that I can say that I actively disliked.
However, I don't see myself returning to it. For all that I liked, I am not having the rewarding feelings I should get, and that by itself is kind of disappointing, not the album, but me. I am disappointed in myself for not enjoying it as much as I should, because I think this should be right up my alley.
Consider this a very high 3 stars rating.
David Holmes
3/5
This album gets incredibly numbing. It may be labeled as breakbeat and trip hop, but is neither trippy, nor energetic nor interesting. Is very dull.
The tracks may have some decent beats and good moments, but the vast majority are extended past the necessary.
I think this album is in the borderline between bad and good. However, as background music, it gets more tolerable, so I giving it a positive score.
PJ Harvey
4/5
First of all, why is this album so quite? I have to turn the volume way more than I usually do in order to not miss anything important.
Second, her voice. I started both loving and hating it, but with more and more listens, her style of singing has being growing on me, although there are some moments I don't really like, those being the choruses of 'O Stella' and 'Water'. In these parts of those song, her voice sounds very forced to me. But overall, I like them. Her voice can be very powerful and some of the voice melodies are super catchy.
I did also like a lot the alternative sound of the 90's with some touches of grunge that this album has. Mixed with the rough production, it gives the whole project the feeling of being raw and in your face.
Very solid album, and I'm thrilled to discover more of her music.
Green Day
4/5
Never in my life I would expected to enjoy so much a Green Day album again, and I should give a bit of context.
Green Day is one of the primordial groups that helped me to get into rock music. I use to love them and listen to their singles in YouTube in repeat. I even got myself a copy of American Idiot and a bootleg that my parents gifted me. But with time, I started to get bored of them and disliking their music to the point that it has been many years without listening to anything by them.
Now, this list presented me this record, which I actually have never heard the whole thing. With a pity face, I pressed the play button on the album... and I loved it. It is super energetic, catchy and even depressing once I read the lyrics about loneliness, depression and paranoia. It is not super dark or sad, but I think Billie Joe does a great job portraying his feelings with direct messages. The riffs are and melodies are also very punchy, and the bass sounds fantastic.
So yeah, incredibly surprised by this one. Not perfect material, but very much enjoyable and full of bangers.
Paul Simon
3/5
What truly makes this album special and interesting is the blend of the singer-songwriter style and the various styles coming from the south african music. The rhythms, the voices and the melodies taken from these genres add a lot of personality, charm and energy to the overall sound.
However, after multiple listens, I'm not that interested anymore. I think Paul Simon takes a lot of energy brought by the abroad sounds, with his calm voice. And his lyrics also didn't do anything for me.
Either way, still a good album and I wasn't really bored at any moment.
Youssou N'Dour
3/5
It is quite funny that this album got recommend right after Paul Simon's 'Graceland', an album which borrows a lot of elements from African music. Thankfully, this one is a purely African album, coming from Senegal instead of South Africa.
Now, about the album: I've never heard anything like this, so being a totally new sound, I found it to be quite interesting.
First track is super good. It is very very charming and high-spirited, so it was super fun to listen to with all the rhythm changes and unusual way of singing. For the rest of the album, I don't think the songs match the same energy as the first one, with the second and third ones feeling a bit too long.
Still a very good album with a very unique sound.
White Denim
4/5
A genuinely fun record. It feels like a combination of genres like jam band, modern progressive rock and psychedelia. When these are mixed with a high pace in short songs, you get a sense of chaos and disorder, and I think is fantastic. Makes the album very frenetic from start to finish.
Even though I still feel like I have yet a lot to unpack and discover, I feel very confident with the given score.
Soundgarden
3/5
Guys... I don't think grunge is my thing... or at least this style of grunge in which bands like Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden fall. I think is quite different from what Nirvana were doing, as the sound of this band is very raw and energetic with the fast pace and chaotic performances; while bands like Soundgarden focus way more on creating slow and moody atmospheres. In theory sounds good, but in practice, I don't think it works that well. I believe some Sludge and Doom Metal acts do very similar things but way more effective.
This album has that same atmosphere that I talked about, but the riffs didn't appealed me nor the vocals, and I know that might be blasphemy to some people. I'll give credit where credit is due, Chris Cornell was a very talented singer with an incredible range. However, I never liked this style of singing, which is very used in grunge, so not even Chris Cornell's technicality can change my opinion on it.
At least I don't think it is a bad album, but I'll dare to say it is quite mediocre. There are even some moments I liked, like the riff in the chorus of 'Superunkown', 'Black Hole Sun', the haunting tone of 'Limo Wrech' and the punk inspired 'Kickstand'.
I also believe I would like way more this album if it wasn't that long (one hour and ten minutes is way too much).
3/5
This is a progressive soul-funk album in which every song feels quite different from any of the others.
The first track is my favourite. It is very funky and funny. People point out that it incorporates elements from Latin Funk, but my first though was that it sounded very reggae like.
Second song is more Soul inspired and it is also quite funny with the great use of harmonica, but it doesn't reach the same level as the previous one, feeling a bit repetitive.
The following three tracks are the longest tracks on the album, and it is from this point that I lose the interested due to their length.
'City, Country, City' feels like a prog-rock song with all the different solos from different instruments, but that don't really add anything.
'Four Cornered Room' is a very slow soul track that keeps the same pace and melodies through the whole 8 minutes it lasts, making it quite tiresome.
'The World Is a Ghetto' has some nice vocals lines and a great saxophone solo. But again, I wish it wasn't 10 minutes long.
The final track, 'Beetles In the Bog' is a great closer to the project that comes back to the ideas from 'The Cisco Kid', but this time, I can see the Latin influences.
Overall, a good album, but I wasn't crazy about it with how long some of the songs are.
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
When looking up for photos of Dinosaur Jr., I thought they would be a 'dad rock' type of act. Damn I was mistaken. This is some really cool noise rock and it sounded kind of familiar. It feels like a combination of the noise rock of Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth, the very powerful energy of Nirvana and the smoothness and wall of noise of My Bloody Valentine.
The instrumentation is incredibly distorted and loud, to the point that sometimes the vocals get buried underneath it; but I love how this sound adds so much power to the riffs.
What is not distorted is the voice. I found it to be very pleasant to listen to, regardless of being a bit out of tune at times. Well, there's actually an exception in which the vocals are not smooth at all. That will be in the closer song "Don't". Nothing prepared me to how raw and emotional is the performance on that track coming from how grotesque the screams from the singer are. It is undoubtedly the most distorted song of them all, and it can be quite disturbing.
If we ignore the last track, which I must say is one of my favourites, this album is very fun to listen to.
Janelle Monáe
4/5
What an ambitious soul / contemporary R&B and pop record. The first half of this thing is incredible. It has the best tracks of the whole project and they are incredible vibrant and energetic, with impeccable singing and super rich instrumentation. Every song in this part of the album absolutely slaps, I'm telling you.
The second half I would say is a bit weaker. I always find myself losing my focus once I reach the last songs. Nevertheless, I can say that it offers some of the most experimental cuts of the whole project.
'Come Alive' feels like a Disney villain song, and it is super fun.
In tracks like 'Mushroom & Roses' and 'Neon Valley Street' she uses autotune to apply effects on the voice. In the first one her singing feels very trippy and in the second one it seems like a robot is singing.
There is also the song 'Make the Bus' which features the band Of Montreal and she doesn't sing at all while the singer of the other band takes the spot.
Overall, very enjoyable, ambitious and uplifting.
Femi Kuti
3/5
I have to agree with many people with the opinion that Femi Kuti is overshadowed by his fathers work. Or at least this album. I also only listened to one record by Fela Kuti (that would be 'Live!'), but it was incredibly energetic and frenetic, and these feelings are missing, to some degree, in this project. It still manages to be quite uplifting, but not at the same level.
What I can say at least is that it is charged with some very heavy political messages. They can be a bit difficult to catch though, as they are buried in broken English, but I think they made quite clear that he is fighting for Africa to be a better place.
In the end, it is a great album, but I'm not seeing myself returning to it.
Tom Waits
3/5
My only real experience with Tom Waits is having heard the album 'Rain Dogs' which I think is fantastic, and my only point of comparison.
What I really like about 'Rain Dogs' and that this album lacks is how macabre it feels. It is full of incredibly strange melodies the contributes a lot on the building of Tom Waits 'bad guy' character. In the case of 'Heartattack and Vine' the music relies in a way more standard blues sound, which is not a bad thing because it is really well done, but I think it doesn't make it as unique as Tom Waits music can get.
However, the singing is as good as in 'Rain Dogs'. I found his gurgling and deep voice to be very pleasant to listen to.
The lyrics are also very strong. This man really has a great ability to describe bizarre scenes.
In summary, this is a great record, but not his strongest material, as it lacks a bit personality in the instrumentation end.
TLC
3/5
What I expected from the name of the album is different from what I got. I thought that this would be very fun and energetic, and instead I got a rather slow, intimate and sexy record.
All songs follow a very similar line of romanticism, sexual expression and defense of the women figure, which makes the album very solid.
However, if I'm being honest, I am not a big fan of this sound. Neither the voices nor the beats appealed me enough to make me return to the project, regardless of how much I appreciate the feminist messages.
Kate Bush
4/5
I'm a person who is very critic with 80's pop music as I find it to have the worst sound in comparison with another trending styles. I think the synths sounded super cheesy and the drums artificially loud.
But once in a while, I'm wrong, and it feels great to be wrong. This album is one of those moments, since this record sounds fantastic, and it manages to sound incredibly big thanks to the spectacular orchestration.
Ironically, this album starts with the only song that follows a way more conventional pop song structure. 'Running Up That Hill'. There are synths, guitar, drums and vocals as any other hit from that time. But it is incredibly well done.
But then the song 'Hounds of Love' comes, and it is when the string instruments start to appear, and apart of Kate's singing, they are going to be the main protagonist of the whole album.
Well, I said that, but in the following song, 'The Big Sky', what truly shines is the incredibly funky bass. Still has some particular moments of big orchestration, like the start or the piano that is in the background of the whole track. However, everything is overshadowed by the superb bass.
So, after the very energetic opening with these three songs, the album lands in its first slow moment, 'Mother Stands for Comfort', and what an incredibly powerful track. It talks about how much a mother figure is capable of doing for her children, (which makes it already a standout), while Kate gives the most calm, impactful and sincere performance of the whole project.
Then comes 'Cloudbusting', which brightens the mood left by the previous song by bringing again those spectacular string melodies. So catchy and strong. It may not be as energetic as the first songs, but still a highlight for how beautiful it is.
After it, is the song 'And Dream of Sheep', a very subtle track, but also the first one that I'm not that crazy about. It sounds wonderful though.
However, the following song may be one of my favourites. I love how intense and serious 'Under Ice' sounds. The combination of Kate's singing in a very low register and the low string melodies are absolutely fantastic.
Next is 'Waking the Witch' a very interesting song thanks to its narrative. It starts with a very beautiful piano and a lot of voices asking Kate to wake up. Then the piano is interrupted by Kate's glitchy voice, followed by a very low and spectral voice which will be interchanging lines with the singer. Mixing all of these elements with the casual prays Kate recited, the song ends up creating this narrative of her waking up frightened while something is trying to posses here, and she trying to escape it.
Thankfully, things calm down with the song 'Watching You Without Me'. It is very similar to 'And Dream of Sheep' in both being subtle and how I feel about it, but this one does something very cool that the other doesn't. In this cut, Kate sang the lyrics backwards, but then she reversed her voice so anyone could understand what she is saying while giving it a very peculiar effect.
And then comes 'Jig of Life', a very charming and catchy Irish folk song, followed by 'Hello Earth' a song that feels slow but also has two very dramatic and powerful build ups with big choirs and strings, that I wish didn't end so drastically.
Finally, the last track 'The Morning Fog' ends the album in a charming and positive note way. I have to say that I don't think it is that strong of a song, specially considering it is the ending, but still great.
In conclusion, this album is super fun and colorful, packed with some incredibly ideas and performances.
Dire Straits
2/5
What a snoozer. I don't think I'll ever like slow rock songs / ballads from the 80's, which is how I'm summarizing this whole album. There are some redeemable aspects from the album, like the classic and cool riff of 'Money For Nothing', the synth melody of 'Walk Of life', the saxophone in 'Your Latest Trick' and the loud moments in "The Man's Too Strong". But overall, this album is incredibly uninteresting, dull, slow and long. Not even the best songs can escape from feeling boring. The worst tracks are 'Why Worry', 'Ride Across The River' and 'Brothers In Arms'. They are the incredibly tedious, being some of the longest cuts of the project and super slow with almost nothing happening in them.
Haircut 100
3/5
This album is mediocre and fun. It is fun because the instrumentation is very vivid, with the horns playing some very uplifting melodies and the rhythm being quite energetic. There are also some interesting solos here and there, like the jazzy piano solo in 'Marine Boy'.
But is super mediocre because the vocals are super bland, the lyrics boring and all the songs are way too similar and they don't do anything interesting towards the end of the album.
I listened to this thrice, and it was getting worse with each time, so I'm going to stop before I start disliking it.
The Birthday Party
4/5
What an incredibly bizarre album. This record sounds filthy, aggressive and super macabre. If I have to compare the sound of this record to another bands, I would say that 'Big Black' and 'Swans' are very similar groups, and it makes sense because some of the labels given to this project are 'Pig Fuck' and 'No Wave'.
The guitars of this album are as bright and distorted as in 'Songs about Fucking' by Big Black, and some songs do also feature the same raw energy so characteristic of that project. The best example would be the song 'Dead Joe', which features a very furious and fast drums.
But the songs can also be very slow and heavy. The introduction to the album, "She's Hit", and the ending 'Junkyard' feel as dense as some of the material in 'Filth' by Swans, an incredibly hard and disturbing 'No Wave' record, which came a year after this project.
However, the most remarkable aspect of the album is that the singer is none other than Nick Cave. Discovering this fact was very surprising, as I would never associate this man to this type of music. But he did a great job. His voice is still as distinguishable as ever, doing the same operatic singing he does in his future works. Nevertheless, this might be the instance in which he sounds the most like a mad man. The performances he does in this album are truly insane, and by that I mean crazy and demented. He screams, growls, do weird things with his voice... anything than can make him sing as absurd as possible.
Overall, I was very surprised by this album. I don't love it, but I am very invested in the insanity and the bizarre sound of all the tracks.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
What a way to celebrate a year completing this list.
This is a decent psychedelic/garage rock album with just a bit of experimentation or anything really worth talking about, because, in general, it is very ordinary.
My favourite moments were:
- The tense melodies of the pre-chorus in the intro song 'I Had Too Much to Dream'
- 'Sold to The Higher Biider' has the best vocal melody and it also feature a very high pitched string instrument
-'Get Me to The World On Time' for being the most energetic.
And that is all. The rest is just okay. There might be some details that I'm missing, but I don't I'm leaving behind anything important. Three or four listens were enough for me to get everything this album offers.
The Sonics
3/5
This is basically an album of covers. Only 4 of the 12 songs are original material, the rest are covers from other artists, so I won't emphasise on them, but I'll say that the group at least brings some personality with the distortion and rough production of the garage rock sound.
So, this leaves me with 'The Witch', 'Boss Hoss', 'Psycho' and 'Strychnine'. Except for 'Boss Hoss', I think they are truly the best tracks of the record, and also believe the 'proto-punk' fits well, due to the high pace, the attitude of the voice mixed with some screams and the riffs, which are some traits that are also noticeable in the covers. But there isn't much to talk about, honestly.
I wasn't a big fan of the record. I think it is alright and I get that it is influential, but didn't impact me nor interested me.