Straight Outta Compton is a classic rap album from the 80s that I knew of the popular songs from, but not the whole album. I discovered there were hidden gems on this album. There was unfortunately much misogyny however the raw lyrics put you in a place where these men were being oppressed and you can feel their frustration with the world and those around them. I enjoyed the background beats and authentic feel of the instruments used.
This album made strong points regarding the justice system and government control in its lyrics however after just a few tracks I found myself getting bored with it. The point was made and had interjections of guitar riffs that ended up blurring into one. I was unimpressed overall but can see how this could be a revolutionary album at the time. I think the Gen Z in me is over it.
Adele uses strong vocals to describe love and strength in her album 21. It is a good album but not life changing for me unfortunately
Quite possibly the most deranged album I’ve ever listened to. This album was made by a man for men for sure. This is peak male manipulator music. Gave me the ick. Had me laughing and horrified. I will say it had a lasting impression. I’m scared.
Tapestry was a lovely album to listen to, full of hope and love and friendship. I would definitely listen to this album again. Carole feels like a mom who I’d want to hug.
This album had smooth vocals and included dreamy piano melodies that I enjoyed a lot. I had to listen a few times to really get the feel of it but I think I’ll be listening to this one again.
The Modern Lovers was a fun upbeat album that had a retro and modern feel to it, much as I think was wanted by the vocalist. His voice sounded similar to current alternative rock bands like The Strokes and Carseat Headrest. I found myself thinking about how much the time has changed since this album was released in the 70s, and how the band must’ve felt the same way regarding the 50’s, as they mentioned in one of there songs. I thought this album was fun and I enjoyed listening to it.
Your generic hit or miss classic Christmas compilation :)
The instrumentals in this album are excellent. The vocalist caught me somewhat off guard with his theatrical vibrato and grandeur, although it was definitely unique. He sounded somewhat like he was turning his sentences into big yawns at the end. Some songs were strange, others surprisingly pleasant. I liked how different this one was. Def gives 2009 indie.
I do like R.E.M. but this album didn’t especially stand out to me. Like I listened to it on Friday and reviewing it now on Monday and I barely remember it other than it was pleasant.
This album was a pleasant indie album outlining the joys and woes of growing up in a small town, and lots I could resonate with. I enjoyed their sound and even gave a few songs a like.
Radiohead gets a bad rap by musicheads but they’re actually pretty good. The type of rock they produce is unique and catchy. Their bad reputation SHOULD go to bands that actually deserve it like NINE INCH NAILS!!! Now those guys are the creepy ones.
I am so glad I finally got a jazz album, I’ve been waiting for one!! This album was so pleasant to listen to early in the morning doing some stretching. Their voices were so silky and the saxophone was so smooth. I loved it. I can see myself cooking dinner and drinking wine to this.
These guys were just straight jamming.
This album by CCR was better than I expected, it was before their war stuff and more focused on what home was to them and it was almost “softer” in a way. The singers voice is very characteristic of the band. I did like this one.
Out of The Blue was a fun upbeat album that you could tell was heavily influenced by The Beatles. You could hear it in their melodies, and in the way they sprinkled in some strange high pitched spooky riffs out of nowhere. I liked listening to this one and added some songs to my oldies playlist :)
This album really got me thinking because when I was listening to it, I was pretty unimpressed. The album was majority electronic beats that didn’t seem too exciting. However in MJ Cole’s bio it said “easy to overlook” but he was a trailblazer in EDM beats in the 90s. And since this album was from 2000 I guess it was one of the first of its kind. So now I’m torn.
This album was an interesting mix of 90’s pop and synthwave sounds that caught my attention and kinda had me grooving. Lots of the songs were about lady troubles but my favorite was about English royalty LOL
You know I’m gonna be unhinged with this one :( This man has the world record for largest crowd at a concert ever for these lowkey goofy beats. Bro played synth and put alien laser beam notes over it like Ross in that episode of friends. Like this guy had the first synth ever that had those sound effects built in and went stupid with it. Part 6 got an animal crossing ahh beat. I’m just so unsure how to feel about this one. This is similar to MJ Cole like I’m sure it was groundbreaking but just idk.
I was so happy to get this album :) I love these songs and it reminds me of when I was younger and my Dad would play Zeppelin songs. I also didn’t know 2 of the songs so it was cool to listen to them as well. I was listening driving up to Vermont and it was lovely.
I guess I judged David Bowie without actually listening to his music, as I didn’t have high hopes for this album. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the niceness of his music, especially with the background vocals. I liked the first song especially.
This is a 70’s funk album and boy they wouldn’t let you forget it was funk. There was a funk pun every 2 seconds. The instrumentals were groovy and the songs were catchy but I was like eh. Also the last song sounded like 5 minutes of flatulence.
Listening to Buddy Holly felt so comforting in a way. He was very influential in the 50’s and I can see why. He had a beautiful voice.
This album had me wishing I could be a swing dancer is the 60’s. I totally would’ve gotten down to this. I loved the fact it was live. I also found it interesting that one of the songs was the original to one of the songs I liked most on the CCR album I listened to previously
Johnny Cash has a good voice, I can’t deny. (although in this live album he had some major voice cracks idk if they were purposeful or not) But also his music is like , we get it bro, you’re an outlaw. Like he won’t let us forget that everyone wants to kill him and he’s always on the run from jail (bro died in his 80s from diabetes)
This album was actually extremely pleasant, it pretty much lulled me to sleep by the end of it. I would listen to this album and more by Simon & Garfunkel now that I know they are such a calming folksy duo. Of course I knew sound of silence and thought it was kinda corny, and maybe they are corny fellows, so now I like them even more for it.
I think in their bio it says this album is the very first hard rock or heavy metal album ever (which of course is very mellow by todays metal standards.) So of course, I have to give them credit for playing loudly against the carefully constructed class of their time, however Hendrix was also playing before this came out and Blue Cheer’s riffs kinda sound like Walmart Jimi
Santana is a good band (guy?) and they produce good music and sound, it’s mostly instrumental and I enjoyed listening. I wouldn’t call it life changing.
I had really high hopes for this album when I learned it was a duo of the lead men from Arctic Monkeys and The Rascals. Maybe it’s just my bias getting in the way because AM has that slow and intimate feeling to their songs that I like, and this album was SO high tempo and upbeat I felt like I was running in a race and my ears couldn’t keep up.
This album of course has some classic (for my generation) songs that always bang at the campfire, but I also found some new ones I really like. The Killers have a distinct sound.
I have been meaning to listen to some of Björks music, especially after I went to Iceland. I knew it would be good, and it definitely was. She for sure has a unique and different style ( her bio called it avant-garde) that combined elements of jazz, pop, EDM, and poetry like lyrics that was fun and interesting to listen to.
This album was excellent. It always confuses me and blows my mind that George was a Beatle because I really only ever knew him as a solo artist. His music is wonderfully mellow and I discovered some new songs off the album that I really enjoyed.
Not really sure what to say about this one. Nothing popped out to me as special or impressive. Kinda already forgot what it sounded like. His voice wasn’t even that good.
I have such an admiration for older rap albums, and just the way you can hear the flow of the freestyle and it’s all just authentically good. This album was really enjoyable. I could tell they were getting some inspiration from the N.W.A. album I listened to, and it’s cool because I noticed that new gen rap like Nicki definitely got inspiration from this one :)
On first listen, this album is good and Jacks voice is powerful. Although it still doesn’t strike me as special. I’m guessing the curator of this list just had a liking for this album lol. It’s not bad but also kind of a random choice in this guy’s discography.
Illmatic was Nas’s debut album, and you can hear the heavy influence of New York rap styles in it. The flows were excellent and the beats were good. Just like the other older rap albums, I heard lines borrowed from new artists which I always think is super cool.
Listening to this album by The Smiths was a pleasant experience though I will say as a side note to my project that while I was listening driving my car I was having lots of racing thoughts/anxiety so I don’t think I listened to this one well enough :( The lead vocalist of the Smiths has a unique sound though and I’m pretty sure I enjoyed this one a lot lol
The sounds of the VU were surprising and not what I was expecting at all. The only song I knew by them was Oh Sweet Nothin which gave Grateful Dead vibes so I was expecting more 60s calm hippie-ish vibes from them, but instead I was caught off guard by suspenseful instrumentals, literally crazy ass lyrics and a long story(?) The Gift was insane to listen to haha. Definitely feels way more modern than 60s music so I can appreciate what they made.
I really listened to an album named Dookie huh. Anyways I’ve always thought the lead vocalist of Green Day had an annoying voice but it didn’t sound as grating in this album, maybe because he was younger. Sounded like typical teen angst punk, which I’m sure they were trailblazers of.
I’ve known of War’s famous songs like Low Rider and Why Can’t we be Friends, and in this collection of songs they held a similar style which was very groovy. I was surprised that it actually was mostly jazz instrumental, although I wasn’t unhappy about it.
This album was lovely to listen to while cooking and some of the tracks seemed like psychedelic rock which must’ve been newer at the time, as this was a late 60’s album. Also I didn’t realize I was going to recognize a song off of this either which was cool.
Lorde’s music has always been the type where you want to listen on a late night drive, I’ve thought. I’ve never listened to this album but I think it fits in with the theme of the rest of her music. Very calm and vibey. She has a beautiful voice.
The first few songs here were quirky and different which I had an appreciation for, though further in the album there were slower songs with sad undertones which I guess wasn’t bad but also lowkey a buzzkill. I still enjoyed their sound and would listen to the first few songs again.
The Hooks!!! This album was funky but an interested choice? As they only have 6k listeners on Spotify but I was happy to listen. I was nervous it was gonna be rudimentary EDM like MJ Cole according to their bio but they actually had fun beats and the lead vocalist had a nice voice.
MJ!! The king of pop! I was just telling Chris the other day that I was looking forward to getting a Michael album. This one had some classics on it but gave me a look into some of his slower love songs that I hadn’t heard. His depiction of love is beautiful and passionate and his voice is nostalgic. Ironically the song Thriller is my least favorite lol
I’m sorry but miss PJ thought she was hitting that shit but she was not. Those high notes had me cringing and some of the repetitive lines too. I’m glad she had a good time finding herself in the city and growing tough skin but I grew enough listening to this album.
Okay. So I was obviously trying to go into listening to this album without bias because I love Mr. Buckley’s son Jeff (he was my top artist of 2024 after all). HOWEVER after hearing the stark difference between the two it was hard to contain my emotions fr. Jeff’s songs are beautiful love songs with raw emotion. Mr TIM was just writing about fucking raw and cheating on his woman and being the absolute worst??? Like lowkey I had a NIN moment listening to this. I couldn’t believe it but it lowkey made me appreciate Jeff’s music more? Ok I will admit the instrumentals were kinda good but the lyrics oh man
I regret to inform that this is the first album I did not listen to through cover to cover :( it was 2 hours and I did not have the mental capacity for that much Metallica. This was the entire live performance of them with an orchestra - cool idea but also a strange vibe mash. I’ll give it a 3 for default and the songs I did listen to were good.
It’s interesting to be getting repeat artists at this time, because I can also take into consideration the growth of them. I definitely thought the other album I listened to by Tribe was stronger, but since this one was their first album, it makes sense. One thing I did think was really cool was they used this voice warping effect in multiple of their songs which was sick in regards to the cohesiveness of the album. I still enjoyed this one a lot.
This album went crazy! I ended up enjoying this way more than I thought I was going to, admittedly. His voice was so raw with emotion and his screaming was so more harder than I thought Lincoln Park was. The lyrics may be a little corny but I’m sure that’s just me being judgmental and they probably helped out so many people.
I’ve always loved Sting’s voice, but there’s definitely different vibes to his work in a band versus him as a solo artist. This album was a little all over the place: calm, loving, erratic, screaming? The mother song definitely caught me off guard LOL. I’ve never really been a fan of Ill Be Watching You. This album unfortunately didn’t impress me much.
I couldn’t catch the vibe of this album as a whole. There were spooky parts, bagpipe sounds?, synthwave, repetitive instrumentals, tones of sadness, but upbeat vibes? Maybe that’s what makes it good was it’s diversity itself but somehow it still doesn’t stick out extremely well amongst other albums. Confusing experience.
Mr. Stills of Crosby, Stills, and Nash. He has a beautiful voice and is a talented instrumentalist with the guitar and piano. This was a pleasant album though I must say this also seemed like an odd pull from his work.
Another Mr Bowie album, once again I didn’t hate it. He was definitely tapping into his weirder side at this point. I really need to rate the albums as I listen so I don’t forget my thought processes :(
This is a Cuban album that puts me straight into the world of Pablo. I feel like I should be lying in the sun while my husband smokes a cigar and then we dance the salsa. The guitar in the back is lovely and the vocals strong. This feels very ethnically true to Cuban culture and in their bio it said this was very culturally impactful, and even though I can’t understand all the Spanish it was nice to experience this music.
I will admit I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Stones, even though I have a few of their songs liked. This album did show some of their variety with slower songs like Wild Horses and the jazz solo part in Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, which I did enjoy. Jaggers rough raspy voice is fitting for the band but never especially stood out to me either.
YEEEESSSS i’ve been WAITING for an album to absolutely wow me, and Mr. Gene did exactly that. This collection of songs actually gave me chills as I was listening. It made me feel. I wanted to smile and cry. It kinda gave some pink floyd vibes and the guitar was wonderful. The backup vocals were so powerful as well as Gene’s voice was heartbreakingly beautiful. 10/10 will listen again.
Neil Young’s album with Crazy Horse is very mellow with elements of rock and blues that you can groove to but also imagine yourself driving to the beach. The low bass lines feel comforting in a way.
First impressions that bro is speaking in cursive, kinda slurring his words (makes sense in his bio it says he’s a raging alcoholic). But the use of a variety of instruments like saxophone and guitar was lovely. Over the Hill was super pleasant except the jump scare line about drugs. And May You Never? Also pleasant but then a jump scare line about a sister?? This album is CONFUSING!!
I listened to this album while out on a run and it has not stopped being a bop all throughout my life. I did have the realization that I’m an idiot with what I thought about Liberian Girl 🤦♀️ Anyways the album was as good as ever and I was happy to listen to it
I thought this album was the perfect mix of punk rock and rap mixed in with fun beats and experimental noises. I was surprised to hear a lot of instrumental only songs on this track. The frontman has a distinct raspy voice that has definitely influenced many artists I listen to now like Evening Elephants and Joey Valence & Brae. I could hear the influence of Tribe in this album right from the beginning and I was like YOOO when Qtip himself appeared on one of the songs.
fittyyy! 50 Cent is an OG artist and he has deep songs about his upbringing but also club bangers. I discovered some new bops. His backtracks are honestly simple but so catchy, and that’s probably what’s so great about them is it doesn’t need too much to be great.
Quite unsettling, yet interesting. The frontman has lots of emotion in his voice, he sounds almost crazy. The use of split audio was really cool, especially for the 70s. I feel like I’m on drugs in a bad trip listening to this. And it’s kinda awesome? Okay Codex is scaring the crap outta me. Mixed feelings fs.
I like system of a down purely for how chaotic they are. But also like this guy can seriously hit a crazy vocal range. It’s just so unhinged they really keep it interesting for you, and I was definitely in the mood for a heavier album so I was ecstatic to hear this one. Love it
This is a classic album filled with the soulful vocals of Otis Redding and others that combines elements of funk, jazz, and R&B. They share their experiences of being black and how music influenced them. While not something I’d probably add to my playlists I can appreciate this music greatly.
Sarah has a beautiful and strong voice that it’s crazy to even think this was live and not edited at all. The jazz ensemble was also great behind her and together the track was calming and beautiful. Tbh sounds like something you’d hear at olive garden.
The dynamic of the sound of this music is so confusing. The background guitars are screeching and constant and overwhelming. The vocals? Underwhelming. Like even the lyrics match the instrumental like this should be hard and loud and badass, talking about girls and riding motorcycles but then the vocals are so soft and quiet? It doesn’t go well together.
Christina has one of those strong, memorable, and recognizable voices that everyone likes. Her album was very headstrong and showed off her independence and feminism, maybe even a little too much. She also showed intense emotion and vulnerability. I thought this was a good album.
I didn’t pay as much attention to this album as I should have. I had always given old metal a bad rap as a young metalhead because it sounded way duller than new age metal. However listening to this album changed my more mature mind about that because it was actually really good. Even their slower more mellow songs I enjoyed a lot.
This album was pretty good, once again just beats. I wasn’t blown away nor was I disgusted so this belongs right in the middle I think. I was hoping for a little bit more because I really liked the album cover lol
An album by the Temptations is not gonna be bad, that’s kind of a rule. I listened to this one cooking dinner for my love and it fit. I think I liked this one more than the other one I listened to.
The Beach Boys are so classic and their music is timeless. I feel like you have to dive a little deeper into their music rather than listen to their mainstream beachy top hits to get to the more psychedelic melodies and trippy songs (not that either side of them isn’t a total vibe.) The song about being a tree almost made me cry and I found some songs that easily were added to my oldies playlist. I’m glad I listened to this one.
This was an album of grandiose love songs that I had an appreciation for. I honestly was down for it right up until the last songs which totally gave me the ick. It was definitely an album that would’ve stood out in the 90s when everyone else was about punk and rebellion.
At this point I’m over Bowie man like the first album was good, the second one okay, this one I’m like ugggg. This was one of his earlier albums and less rock and more strange. I understand the reputation now more tbh. I’m probably not giving it a fair rating I’m just done with his ass LOL
My first impression was these little fuggly British boys are lowkey annoying 😭 their voice just grating and the “punk” just kinda corny. They get points for being funny talkin bout Parliament like “they’re just old and fat” LOL. I really just am not feeling this one.
The grungy sound of Nirvana is just so unique and revolutionary in its kind. The vocals can be screeching but also soft and melodic, same with the guitar. Although that kind of range within an album isn’t necessarily new, it’s still impressive and done in a powerful way. The lyrics can be confusing but it’s fascinating of course knowing Cobains backstory and trying to decipher what was going through his mind. This album rocks
This is an indie rock album from the 2000s that has such a charming feeling. I recognized the name and knew it would be really good. They had some elements of psychedelia that reminded me on tame impala but also that classic indie feel. One thing that stood out to me was their harmonics and how it seemed so effortless and blended in with the rest of the music so well.
This album is supposed to be dark and gothic but it was honestly just boring. Bro has the type of voice that wavers and makes him sound like a 90 year old about to collapse at the mic. It definitely gave 80s vibes. Talking about “her hallway” made me cringe so bad. You guys are NOT mysterious and cool just musty I bet.
This was an album that combined elements of blues, jazz, country, folk, and rock. Honestly it was a nice little taste of everything. I think Chris would really like this album. Taylor’s voice was smooth and the guitar was lovely. I thought I was going to hate the country-ness of it but it wasn’t too much and the folk-ness was perfect.
Kanye has a reputation for being unapologetically himself and it definitely shines through in this album. The album highlights Kanye’s progression to fame and denounces traditional ways to making money like going to school (almost too much). This album was funny and hard and told a good story.
The Pixies definitely have a loud sound and strange lyrics that make them interesting to listen to. In their bio it said they influenced bands like Radiohead and Weezer, which checks out. I liked the sound of it but also not my exact cup of tea. Very screechy and grating at times.
I think I found this album more appealing than the rest of the EDM albums I’ve listened to previously. I’m not exactly sure why but this one just felt like there was more depth and layers to it. There were some psychedelic aspects to it which I enjoyed, but some goofy sounds too which I was like bruh. Mostly only instrumental.
The genre of the album could just be described as “noise.” Like I could barely hear the vocalist over the instruments, and sometimes that’s okay, but I also wasn’t drawn in by the musical part of it either. There were no memorable rifts or catchy hooks or anything.
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this album, made by two women rockers, is on the Rolling Stones top 500 albums. Honestly the guitar work is impressive and they sound like a precursor to Paramore. I’m sure they were an inspiration to women everywhere. Not sure if I personally would listen again, but I see the appeal.
I liked this funk album more than the parliament album, which after some research I really couldn’t figure out if they were some of the same people or not. This album was not strictly funk but had some rock in it and the guitar riffs were spectacular. The Doo Doo song was very offputting. Chris’s contribution is that “there were a lot of unexpected sounds I felt so silly.”
I’m not sure why I assumed this was going to be a Soul album (probably the name of course) but I was pleasantly surprised to hear a hip hop album. The whole album was enveloped in a “game show” type skit. The lyrics were comical and it was a fun listen.
We listened to the album on the way to the Catskills in NY! From first impression I got definitely a Bowie vibe from the vocalist. The vocals were a little out there but the music had us bopping our heads to the beat. Nothing especially exciting but good nonetheless.
I am very excited to have a Sinatra album! This is strictly a love album outlining the woes of heartbreak and emotions that come with having and losing love. Sinatra’s voice is like butter, like it doesn’t get much better. This album felt like a Disney soundtrack with all the emotions poured into the orchestral background. All of it comes together perfectly to form an absolutely classic compilation of songs.
ZZ Top feels like the type of music I should be riding a motorcycle in a leather jacket too. They have the more punk version of (dare I say?) Skynyrd in terms of vocal similarities and bass rips. I did enjoy this album though and it introduced other sides of this band I had never heard before.
R.E.M. never fails to bring sweet melodies and mellow vocals that come together just to make wonderful music. You really just can’t not like these guys. This album featured two of their most memorable songs “Everybody Hurts” (which ironically is not my favorite) and “Man on the Moon.” Their other songs were great to listen to as well and there were definitely some stand outs for me that were strong on guitar.
I definitely had to strap in for this one as it was a whopping 1 hr and 33 min compilation album by only the best, the Beatles. Good thing I was taking a 2 hour journey each way to the rmv on a foggy warm rainy day. This album was an experience. The shear range from the Beatles never fails to impress just based on who’s singing and the vibe they go for. There’s rock, acoustics, psych, and straight up weird. I got through the whole Revolution 9 without dying. I was excited to get a Beatles album in this process and this definitely did not disappoint.
Remember yesterday when I said I had to strap in for an album that was 1 hr 33 min? Yeah well this one just totally humbled that with a whopping 2 hr 27 min lol. Unfortunately it was actually so long that all the songs kinda started blurring together but I did stick it out and listened to all of it. There were some spooky vibes and some really weird songs (rock n roll toilet like are we kidding). It was cool to learn this band influenced big names like R.E.M. and such. It didn’t stand out to me too much, I’m exhausted now.
I was kind of expecting this to be another funk album based on the youtube comments but honestly this album was so much better than that. It was so calming and soothing to the soul. His voice and the background music was so peaceful. This is the best way I can think of to describe it. I really enjoyed it and could see myself buying this on vinyl and playing in my kitchen while cooking or kissing to.
Another odd pull. I don’t have too much to say about this one, other than it was an upbeat pop/rock album. The lead voice was okay. Nothing standing out to me.
This album challenge already turned me on to Stan Getz so I was more than happy to get another Getz album. The first one I listened to in fact is one of the only albums I have relistened to after getting it. This one was a little different in that there were no vocals at all and it was strictly instrumental. The saxophone was more pronounced though and I absolutely loved it. The emotion was still in the music and the sax was basically a substitute for a voice, like she was singing. Another fav!
Okay so this was my fourth Bowie album, and I had been rating on a downward trend. But honestly I really liked this album pretty much just as much as the first one I listened to. From what I gathered Bowie recorded this one just before he died, and I could hear the more depth to the album. (Except for the whore song that was a curveball.)
This album was quite the experience. There were a number of super weird songs that felt surprising for ‘67. It definitely had an experimental sound to it and I liked it. The lead vocalist had a very gruffy sound. The bands bio said the vocalist had an impressive octave range and I am a little disappointed that I didn’t hear that too much in this. I listened to this on a nice walk through an unmapped part of my neighborhood.
Suzanne Vega basically tells stories in her songs, almost like spoken word but with more lively background music too. She does sing a little as well and it is pleasant although this just wasn’t fully my jam. It did get a little monotonous after a while.
I knew and liked a few Smashing Pumpkins songs before listening to this album, but listening to this one really helped me to appreciate them more. There was so much depth to this album. It was definitely overall a rock album with their characteristic guitar but there were also songs that had deeper instrumentation that was lovely. I learned this album is on the Rolling Stones top 500 and I can definitely see why.
So I knew of Hand in My Pocket, of course it’s a popular song, and I was like “oh I like this song this’ll be a good album.” But through listening to this album Morissettes voice got a little more shrill each track and I was thinking this is kinda eh. Then I got to the song I knew, and I realized after really listening that it’s actually ANNOYING! So unfortunately this album did the job of changing my mind and I was not exactly enjoying my time listening to it : Okay update (I wrote the previous without yet finishing the album) I did also know the song Ironic and I still do think it’s a good song, so that one did save it a bit.
A Night At the Opera follows its name quite well, with grandiose themes and dramatic music. I like the layering of the vocals and sound effects used in this album. A hot take is that I’ve never really been a fan of Bohemian Rhapsody however really listening to it again I liked the first part, the second still a little annoying tbh lol. Mercury does truly have an impressive range though.
I really liked the lead singers voice, even though it wasn’t necessarily unique or completely outstanding, but I just really liked the sound of it. It was smooth but he also had that grit you know? This album was very upbeat and I found myself bopping my head along to it. I was very happy to see this band is still making music, they definitely deserve more recognition. I added some to my playlist, I liked this one a lot.
Billy Joel’s music feels like a hug. Vienna has been a comfort song for me for a little while now, but the rest of his music is nostalgic and wonderful. The piano is beautifully composed and the melodies just take me away to a place where I feel safe. I definitely enjoyed this album and would listen to it again and again.
Okay so I can’t believe I got another Bowie album this early on, like this is my 5th one now. Also this guys voice changes in every album I swear, like I had to check if his song featured someone else but nope just him. I also got such mixed vibes like it felt Pink Floyd and then it was giving Beatles so I was all confused. Not the worst Bowie album also not my favorite.
The creator of this list was definitely laughing at me when I was complaining my last album about having another Bowie album, and then giving me this one back-to-back with it. This is my 6th? 7th? Bowie album? I’ve lost count. And I know there will be more lol. This one unfortunately I will say had more flops than good songs. As much as I’ve listened to him at this point I still can’t get a grasp on his vibe. Maybe that’s what makes him good? I’m not sure. Until next time Bowie.
This is a upbeat jazzy soul album that seems like it’s a soundtrack to a film which unfortunately I haven’t seen. However I really loved the music, enough so that I would consider watching the movie (Im not a huge movie person.) The emotions were strong in this album. It was a mix of lyrical and instrumental songs.
The first song gives outlaw country with the harmonica but then the rest of the album flows into more rock vibes. Love the shout out to New Haven :) Blue Sunday sounds like the Beatles song Michelle? I wonder if it was based on that? This sounds like the type of music to be played at a dive bar and everyone loves it. That being said though I didn’t feel much emotion or anything from this, but it was groovy.
My first feelings when listening to this album is that these songs definitely belong on one of the CDs my mom used to listen to in the kitchen. It’s a nice blend of house music and EDM that really embodies the 80s essence. As I got further into the album I did start to feel less that way and more feeling like this is a bit more unique and creative than other 80s house music. The adlibs (?) or background noises were surprising and kept you on your toes. I had to listen to this one on YouTube and everyone commenting that this album had a special place in their heart when they played it on vinyl on repeat almost made it more touching for me to listen as I felt it was like I was sharing an experience with strangers :) The song with the telephone went pretty crazy. I also picked up on some rifts and vocals that had been originated on this and used for samples in other music.
So I’ve heard of the name Fatboy Slim probably in passing or in media but I never knew what he was actually about or what kind of music he made. In listening I found out that it is electronic dance music and the song “Rockefeller Skank” is actually recognizable probably to anyone, as it is a very popular EDM anthem. The rest of his music is very catchy and I could see myself jamming to it. I could almost imagine him in the studio absolutely just jamming saying “oh yeah this cooks” LOL. Why did I almost get a feeling of MJ influence from the baseline in Soul Surfing? And I thought Gangster Trippin went absolutely crazy. Overall I really enjoyed this album and can see how it must’ve heavily influenced the EDM game.
David Gray has a beautiful voice and I think the thing that really stands out in this album is the lyricism. The messages stand clear and the songs are lovely. The only thing I’ve been thinking while listening to Babylon is that the background music almost doesn’t fit his voice and message. I feel as though it should be almost more acoustic and less synth involved as the vibes kind of don’t match up? Going further into the album he does introduce more guitar and piano (with the occasional odd sound that still feels off) but I do believe the vibe matches up more and I can really appreciate the soul and emotions that poured into this album from him. His voice reminds me of Mt. Joy a little bit, which of course I love. Overall I think this album was more a work of complex language rather than sound that catches the ear, but I did enjoy it and following along to the lyrics.
The White Stripes are a duo that seemed to have defined and embraced early garage band sound. I appreciate the raw energy and hardness of the guitar, sounding like the amp is right near you. Unfortunately I must say though that a lot of their songs seemed like gibberish to me as there was no coherent thought process to the words and I was confused as to what bro was trying to get at. Maybe that was the point? I’m not sure. But I feel like listening to them in moderation or having a song of theirs on a playlist is great, but listening to the whole album through got slightly obnoxious.
It is easy to see why this band had such a heavy influence on the music scene. The lyrics are highly rebellious and questioning of authority and power. I can see how this was deemed radical in the 70s. It is also very cool to see that in the band’s bio, there were a bunch of bands in there that stated they were influenced by GOF who also had albums in this list that I’ve listened to so far (ie REM, Sleater-Kinny, LCD soundsystem, etc). Their influence was definitely palpable, never mind the catchy heavy bass lines and guitar riffs. One sound they used did remind me of Resetti from animal crossing lol. I like how 5:45 alluded to the name of the album saying that bloodshed and governmental corruption is all for entertainment as it is publicly televised and it’s supposed to just be eaten. A deeper dive could definitely be taken into the meanings of all the songs and I’m interested to see what everyone else has to say about this one.
