Dec 09 2024
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Moving Pictures
Rush
Somewhat attractive album, with interesting and somewhat subversive instrumentation. Easily can imagine this album being influential for rock albums afterwards. Album brings fun retro-futuristic at this point beats, but that's part of what makes it appealing.
However, vocals are at least an acquired taste which I haven't acquired yet, and as such, I don't even have a feeling of what the album could be about.
The further in, and during a relisten I feel like I'm sold on all but vocals.
Red Barchetta feels like an interesting song for me - where Bat Out Of Hell I, Bat Out Of Hell II and Bad For Good were all about having freedom, youth related to having a motorcycle/car, here this freedom is taken away, and has to be taken back.
4
Dec 10 2024
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Harvest
Neil Young
Album provides a positive music experience, hover, I can't help but feel like Neil Young is a bit too self absorbed. One song about loneliness, then he's bedding an actress. Another one, then he has to sort through groupies. And then he gets a wave of applause.
It's an easy 4, although I worry that I might end up not liking it on constant repeat, but the first listen was a pleasant experience. Save for that feeling of Neil not really knowing what loneliness is.
4
Dec 11 2024
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The Clash
The Clash
I think I can feel the lyrics more than they can write themselves, as The Clash tries to be very basic on them in here. Sure, I can feel what the author has in mind, but he wouldn't spell it out for me.
The music itself is enjoyable, even though you won't find anything complex here, and yet, there's a bunch of distinctly different songs.
It's not the lyrics, it's not the melody that's selling the vibe, but you get it anyways.
Wish the album wasn't so simple. It feels like a hesitant 4.
4
Dec 12 2024
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Feast of Wire
Calexico
Feast of Wire feels like it knows what it is and what it isn't, providing a great experience of being *somewhere*. And that somewhere is probably close to Mexico, by the sound of it.
Great album to put into background. I've listened to it a few times already, but I'm not sure if there was anything out there. It's not like The Car or Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino - great background music, but they snap out of it, to deliver you an extra hook, to grab the strings of your heart. Feast of Wire usually stays in the background, even if some tracks go for that extra epic feel.
Very, very strong 4, and I'm risking willing to give it a 5 for being something else, something solid. It's held back only by the fact that I'm not sure if it has any hooks for me to return to it.
5
Dec 13 2024
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The Low End Theory
A Tribe Called Quest
I don't think that it's a bad album at all, but it's not my type. However, it did feel a bit different than the other hip-hop albums that I know of, and there was a bit of two that had my attention. But is it special? Hard to tell for me.
Hesitant, unsure, 3/5.
3
Dec 15 2024
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
After your greatest commercial success you can do a lot of things.
Arctic Monkeys released a retro-futuristic Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, selling you an experience, feelings, ideas, rather than something real.
Fleetwood Mac decided that releasing an underproduced, uninteresting, safe for minor changes in tone album, is the way to go. I'm not sold on it at all.
It does have a few bits which sound like Tame Impala. It is experimental. But majority of it fails. Can't believe it's the same band that released Rumours
1
Dec 16 2024
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Kenza
Khaled
I'm not feeling very strong about the album yet, I don't feel like it's either bad or good.
Definitely I wouldn't call it the best, and then, it's of the length that makes it a bit unfocused, and doesn't encourage a quick relisten.
Hesitant 3, but I think it could be a 4.
3
Dec 17 2024
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Live At Leeds
The Who
Enjoyable, good rock, great in the background, but I don't think it's anything special. Maybe at the time it was. Wish I gave it another listen, but then, I don't think my opinion would have changed to a 5. Solid 3-4 though.
3
Dec 18 2024
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Want One
Rufus Wainwright
Creative, bringing you theatrical energy of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman, somehow, with Julian Casablancas-like vocals - both sounding emotional, and delivered with almost lack of care, but in the opposite direction.
Then, the energy it brings avoid being epic like that of Meat Loaf. But still grand, very much emotional.
My worry is that with next listens I'd find the album samey, too-similar, but that remains to be seen. It lands into the type of music I like, and I think it's somewhere between 4 and 5.
5
Dec 19 2024
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Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
Wheey it's Meat Loaf + Jim Steinman. THE rock opera. The album that no one wanted to release, and then it propelled to the top sellers, and made Jim Steinman a writer of a lot of stars, including Bonnie Tyler and Sisters of Mercy.
It doesn't sound as refined to me as Bat out of Hell II, and it's not my favourite, but with the lengthy, emotional, over the top songs, the engine-like riffs and the feeling of being young again, it's a 5/5. It's like living the youth you never had. It gives me chills. It makes me so happy to listen to it again.
5
Dec 20 2024
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Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti
Femi Kuti is a groovy, funky, lovely to listen self-titled album. Energetic, a bit on one-note, a bit long, but I didn't feel bored.
And you know, some problems really do be stubborn problems.
I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, and I'd find it hard to compare about my favourites, but I think it's very, very solid record.
5
Dec 21 2024
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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
I think it's a good album, but apart from R E S P E C T there are no songs that stand out. Very solid performance, but it's not extraordinary, not for me.
3
Dec 22 2024
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A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Tricky one. I want to believe there's a lot to *A Love Supreme*.
I gave it a few listens. On one hand, it doesn't sound groudbreaking, the other tracks of John Coltrane I've heard resonated with me better.
But then, I kinda start feeling the magic I'm supposed to. Sadly, only in one place so far.
Hesitant 4/5.
4
Dec 23 2024
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Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
Very interesting album, throws an aggressive idea after an aggressive idea. And some... a lot of those ideas still hold up today. Some were there as a sarcasm to show off humanity's fall.
Experiments with changing speed, some songs are perfectly understandable, some make you go 'wait, you can speak that fast?'
Relatively strong 4. I'm not sure if it's for me, but it has something, and it's better than the previous punk 4 I gave.
4
Dec 24 2024
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Siamese Dream
The Smashing Pumpkins
Guitar heavy, a bit noisy. Wasn't sold on first listen, got better on the second, but I haven't yet got hooked. Maybe a third listen would be required. 3-4 territory, with potential to go higher.
3
Dec 25 2024
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Paranoid
Black Sabbath
Paranoid is an interesting album. From one point of view, it doesn't feel complex, I'd even call it a bit basic. But that's maybe because it's a precursor to all the other ones, and then... being a bit basic doesn't mean it's not good.
It employs the tools it has effectively. I knew some songs off of it, but the ones I didn't, I was vibing to them. Feels like the delivery of it is perfect for what it wants to achieve. Well, maybe, for an album called *Paranoid* I'd expect to hear something that makes me feel paranoid, but no. This is my biggest problem with the album, it sells you on the vibe, but not so much emotion.
I'm a bit hesitant to call it a masterpiece, it'd be a 5/6 for me, but it's pretty good and solid. A bit hesitant 5.
5
Dec 26 2024
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A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
Tricky one. I feel given those are pretty old, and classics, BUT not really popular in my country, it's hard for me to judge. They're pretty okay though. Unsure 3.
3
Dec 27 2024
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Dear Science
TV On The Radio
It's not a bad album, even I'd say it's a bit appealing, but I haven't felt hooked once, nor do I have any idea what the album is about.
This is a 3, could've been a weak 4, but then, similar albums have grown on me massively.
It feels emotional, but in a hollow manner to me.
And then as I finish this review, the longer it goes on, the more I'm happy the album finally concludes. Too same-ish.
3
Dec 28 2024
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Synchronicity
The Police
I know The Police and some of their songs, but I've never listened to any of their albums.
Synchronicity is an interesting, and with perfect length to experiment a bit without tiring the listener.
I've enjoyed it, but almost nothing stood out to me. Plus, Every Breath You Take, at first feels like it doesn't fit - then you notice that, hey, it kinda does, but it's just that with it popularity it overshadows everything around it.
4/5, but I see myself giving it a 5 if I could get hooked on it. But still, there remains the problem of one song overshadowing everything else.
4
Dec 29 2024
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Murmur
R.E.M.
Pretty solid, somewhat similar across the board, but doesn't get boring. Instrumentation is pleasant. Very easy to listen to.
4
Dec 30 2024
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69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields
*Astronomy will have to be revised I don't believe in the sun How could it shine down on everyone? And never shine on me*
It's an interesting piece. It's 69 songs! Most of them just keep an idea and go with it - price of them being short, and being one among 68 others. Some are interesting. Some are less.
But it's really hard to get through all 69 of them in one day.
*So there's one thing I crave
When my days become ho-hum and blah
I want a zebra*
And then it went on, and on, and on. And the music got weirder. And at one point I got motion sick. And I'm suspecting half of the experience is so that they can catch you out, unaware.
It's not quite perfect, and it's so long I'd be a bit wary of giving it a 5. And I can't even feel like I can fit a relisten for it, like for so many albums. But I think a 4 fits the album well enough. Maybe one day.
It's just missing yet Another Love Song.
4
Dec 31 2024
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In Utero
Nirvana
Pretty good, attractive, even for an album composed of a lot of aggressive riffs and a lot of shouting. Knows what it's trying to do. Nothing really stood out for me as great though.
My biggest problem with it is that it feels like it's trying to conclude a few times, and even with it's unorthodox feeling, it's throwing me off too much.
4
Jan 01 2025
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Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
It's not bad per se, and I can hear things that could possibly influence grunge and garage rock on this album.
However, for some reason it felt uninspired to me. Was it because in retrospection, after hearing all of those albums already it's kinda average?
And it's just second album of him I'm listening to, and I'm hearing clapping again. Do we really need that?
I don't know, I'm not feeling it.
3
Jan 02 2025
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Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
I've listened to this album, and didn't quite understand it. So I did it again.
And again.
And again.
And somewhere along the way, I've realized that I don't quite understand it still, but I've grown to like it. It's the right amount of experimental. Easy to listen to, a bit hazy, a bit sweet, a bit bitter.
Maybe one day I'll understand this album better.
5
Jan 03 2025
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Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
The album's alright, it's a non-aggressive indie rock, but I just couldn't held my attention to it. It doesn't feel too interesting.
3
Jan 04 2025
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Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
Pretty okay album, but very much one-note and repetitive. Instruments and vocals are pretty good.
4
Jan 05 2025
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Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
An attractive, interesting album with a great start and good finish.
Throughout it, there's plenty of attractive riffs, and it's easy to listen.
However, given the length of the beginning and the end, the album feels ultimately short, and it feels like it's just a tiny bit from sticking the landing.
As you consider whether you like the middle part, it's over, and as an effect it is not half as memorable as the start of the album. Very solid 4/5, and maybe a pretty hesitant 5.
4
Jan 06 2025
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Kilimanjaro
The Teardrop Explodes
Mix The Clash, The Police, The Doors with a hint of maybe of Duran Duran, and I have a feeling like you'd get this album without the low points.
It's not without it merit, and it's pretty okay to listen, but all the high points feel like I've already heard them elsewhere.
3
Jan 07 2025
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Hotel California
Eagles
Such a lovely place, such a lovely face
Why are all entries with 'California' in it sad?
Hotel California delivers a lot of solid songs, not all of them on the same level, but I was quite aware of some singles from here. The lows aren't as low as I've expected of Eagles, The highs are pretty high, as this one includes their most popular work. The instrumentation is nice, although I wish it was just a tiny bit more cohesive song-to-song.
Overall, I'd hesitate to give it a 5/5, but it definitely deserves at least a 4/5 out of me.
4
Jan 08 2025
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The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
It's a tricky one, innit?
I've put it on one more time and it just has gone by just like that.
And I would've given it a 3/5 again, but the more I think of it... it's kinda good that it has gone by just like that. I suspect that it might've influenced music I like, that's why it was so natural.
But I can't see the genius of it yet. Maybe there's none.
4
Jan 09 2025
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The Good, The Bad & The Queen
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
I find it a pretty solid album, easy to listen to, with some enjoyable moments, but it's very much forgettable.
3
Jan 10 2025
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Country Life
Roxy Music
An attractive album, a bit glam, a bit experimentative.
I really enjoyed it, both the style, instrumentals, however the big problem of it is it's totally unmemorable. It's a good experience, but I worry that it's missing that something. A strong 4/5 or a rather weak 5/5. I'd struggle to call it a masterpiece, but I can imagine myself revisiting it
4
Jan 11 2025
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Parachutes
Coldplay
Attractive, pleasant to listen record, but a bit too mellow. I knew this album and I couldn't get into its vibe again until second listen. I wish the first part didn't feel like the album was ending already for ten minutes.
It feels a bit like disjointed sad songs, but, I've gotta give it to Coldplay, they've sold the vibe with all its problems. Wish it was a bit different, it's not my favourite, but I feel like I cannot deny it a 5/5.
5
Jan 12 2025
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No Other
Gene Clark
No Other puts you into a lovely, gently explorative mood, with some tight enjoyable hooks. Every song in here feels like I've already heard it in a good way, and I've enjoyed almost every repeat. Experimental enough, lovely enough, for me to risk a 5/5. Somewhere closer to 8-9/10, really, than a true solid 10/10, but it's very very enjoyable.
Feels a bit like combining the best part of country, eagles, soft rock, soulful music, and a bit of psychedelic experimentation.
5
Jan 13 2025
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Odessa
Bee Gees
Majority of the songs don't land, and they feel like they're ultimately missing something. As if they hired half an orchestra, or forget to put soul into their epic single.
It's not entirely without merit, but I'd rather much listen to something else.
2
Jan 14 2025
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The Cars
The Cars
Feels like The Cars is going into the party, and everything that happens in with confidence, and the way its meant to be. Funnily enough, I find majority of hooks to be predictable, but it just makes me want to sing along with it more.
It doesn't feel like it's trying to be grand, or great, but it executes its confidence perfectly.
Granted, probably won't be my favourite for a long time, but it's so fun now, and it's so listenable, and you can sing along with it, and I just feel like it's very well executed.
5
Jan 15 2025
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Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
An interesting project, fun to listen to, that I'd like to listen a few more times on to form an opinion on. I suspect it's a 4/5...
...but I just can't get over the fact that the highs are too high and the lows are too low, and I'm not willing to go risk going deaf.
I love the uneasiness the album's throwing at me, the weirdness of it. It's weird, I feel being a bit disgusted by it, I feel my skin feeling weird. But the mixing... there's too much things you just can't hear on the standard volume. And there are other ways you could achieve that effect.
3
Jan 16 2025
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Colour By Numbers
Culture Club
Colour By Numbers is... not a bad album, but it doesn't feel like majority of it is too strong. Some songs were catchy, but I couldn't remember them next day.
Strong 2, weak 3. I've enjoyed it a fair bit, but would rather to listen to something else
2
Jan 17 2025
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OK Computer
Radiohead
I don't quite understand OK Computer yet, and I might forget about its existence again sadly. But I think it's a nice piece of art, pulling you in with interesting hooks mixed with futuristic sounding noisier bits. It sounds like a well-executed experiment, it's very cohesive and doesn't feel like it has weak points overall. Plus it kinda was right on the future, right? Just a bit.
5/5, but not my personal favourite. But I respect the craftsmanship definitely.
5
Jan 18 2025
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Grace
Jeff Buckley
Not quite sure how to rate it. It sounds okay, but no part apart from Hallelujah hooked me in. And Jeff Buckley will always be for me Hallelujah guy. But it's a nice version, the songs are rich, a bit dynamic, but the entire album kinda suffers in my eyes from living on the same CD as Hallelujah does. Obviously it's all sang beautifully.
I think it's a strong 3, weak 4.
3
Jan 19 2025
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The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Pretty much a classic, I've heard this one so many times, and it's so tight, so creative, clean production, and it touches on important - even if, at this point, a bit overdone - themes.
It might've been my introduction to concept albums, and I hope to hear multiple many more concept albums still.
Great, emotional, interesting musically.
5