Didn't think I would give any album on this list a 1 star, but this is by far the worst album I heard so far, maybe even ever. This album get's it wrong on so many levels for me. For starters, musically it's really boring. Most of the songs sound exactly the same, with a drum beat and simple melodies in the background. Like something you would make in 2 minutes in your bedroom. Second, and this is a big one, the lyrics and themes are so bad it's unbelievable that other people who worked on this album didn't try and put a stop on this being released. I am not familiar with the work of the Smiths or Morrissey in general, so I am not sure if all of the albums are like this, or did he slowly descend into some sort of madness. The album is pretty much a pretentious rant all the way through. Whatever and whoever he doesn't like, he makes fun of, but in a really immature way, like a teenager entering puberty who starts hating the whole world. He tells America to fuck of with the hamburger, sure dude, that'll tell them. The only "good" song for me was First of the Gang to Die, with a catchy chorus.

Didn't like this one as much as the previous 3 releases from the band. They stayed true to their style, blending hip-hop with differemt genres such as rock, jazz, electronic, metal, punk. The albim sounds similar to RATM a lot of the times. But it seemd more experimental and progressive than the other albums they did. Songs don't progress linearly and there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns with instruments and arrangements. Still, there are some cool songs on here and the music is not bad, it's the crown of their style.

One of the best grunge albums, full of emotions and big riffs. Chris Cornell is as impressive as ever, showing of his vocal abilities. The riffs are grand and range from punk/rock to doom/sludge. Lyrical themes are powerful, dark and perfectly convey the emotions of the 90s.

A classic album, maybe a bit monotonous, but still a classic.

Not something I would usually listen to, but a good album, especially modern considering when it came out.

The concept of the album is fine, but the execution lacked in my opinion. The vocals are buried in the mix and the instrumentals are too simple at times.

Haven't heard of this band before, but their style is pretty interesting. I especially liked the two guitars and their lean towards jazz, instead of blues, which is unusual.

Very laid back and chill album, with nice lyrical themes.

Modern blend of jazz and soul, intertwined with cool guitar riffs. Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Cool album, oozing with sensuality and great musicianship.

Ok album. The execution was a bit lacking from my perspective, but it had some good parts and ideas.

Ok country album, a bit bland at times.

Not something I would usually listen to, but I liked the album for it's simple licks, nice chord progressions and lyrics with modern themes. It's not perfect by any means, but it resonates. Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Now this is a fine example of great musicianship. Well executed and produced album, with nice themes. Easy to listen to, both casually and with close attention.

This band was a pleasant discovery for me. Very good album, a blend of punk, classic rock riffs and psychedelic elements. All packaged in with a heavy dose of british sexappeal.

Didn't really like it that much. Lacked strength and energy in my opinion.

Just ok for me, not bad, but not too special either.

Seems more like a group of songs than an album. Some are great, some are just ok. Still, solid musicianship. Would give it 2.5 if I could.

Fine album, don't really like the Stones that much, but it was a fine listen. More bluesy than I expected.

Enjoyed it more than I anticipated. Had some sonically interesting songs.

Nice album, very musical. Blend of country and blues.

Never listened to Radiohead that much, they always seemd kind of dull and boring. I listened to this album a couple of times today and I think this band definitely deserves a deeper dive in the future, considering their cult status. For now, this was not bad, but also not too good for me. I get the songwriting, but it's a bit bland sonically at times.

Expected a bit more. I usually enjoy funk/psychedelic music, but this was a bit more mellow and less energetic than I presumed. Still, it was a nice listen, especially considering when it came out.

Enjoyed it more than Exile On Main Street. The songs are more detailed and musical. There are some nice balads on here as well. Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Nice album with good energy and guitar work. I was surprised at the amount of enjoyable bluesy/punk riffs.

Didn't listen to much gothic rock before this, but the album grew on me. I listened to it for 4 times during the day, and also got into the genre as a whole because of it. The albums has a great atmosphere, regardless if you like that style of music or not. It has a gloomy, dark, moonlight vibe, with the 80s guitars, drums and effects. Fully manages to transform you to a different emotion. Every song would be perfect for a movie/tv show soundtrack.

As with the previous album by this group in the list, this wasn't bad, but sonically it just didn't appeal to me. The music and lyrics didn't manage to awaken an emotion or to make some sort of a connection with me.

Seemd weaker than OK computer. The atmosphere and the lyrics didn't resonate with me as much. Sonically it was interesting, but not that complex or inovative. All in all, the album seems a bit too simplified.

Well, this was interesting to say the least. I enjoyed the album, it has unusual lyrics and instrument combinations, pretty much anything you hear is unexpected. But, even considering this, and this is one ohe things that I enjoyed most about the album, it still manages to convey an atmosphere and emotion it intends too. Also, this is pretty impressive considering when it came out.

Not sure why this is on the list. The only reason would be that the remainder contains folk/traditional music from all over the world and that this is just the start. Nothing wrong with the album, it's just that the folk music is more about the culture and the customs of the groups which made it, rather than about musical virtuosity and the art of making music itself. The music is monotonous and repetitive, but does reflext the culture and the emotions of the people who made it.

A classic, so many good songs and riffs are on here. It's a shame that such talented musicians didn't pursue a more complex and interesting style of music. But that was their choice and they made a mark all the same, perhaps reaching greater mainstream popularity as is. The riffs and the tone are out of this world. Eddie really transformed what people thought was possible to do on a guitar. The drums are also pretty tight on this. The lyrics and themes are lacking a bit, they are close to the classic 80s vibe.

Didn't listen to this artist before, but I was impressed by the clear guitar melodies, vocals and the emotion the album radiates with. It's dark and melancholic, like sadness expressed in a great manner. Not sure if I would listen to this kind of music often, but it shed some light on a different perspective.

Not a bad experience, but sort of meshes together about quarter of the way through, so it's hard to differentiate where one song ends, and another one begins. Classic brit pop/shoegaze album sonically. Lyrical themes lacked a bit in my opinion. Would give it 2.5 if I could.

The album might not be the peak of musicianship, but it's damn fun to listen to. I've listened to it on repeat for the whole day, it's also cool for work, and doing stuff around the house, due to it's easy-going grooves. Nice beats, nice rhymes, having a good time, reminds me of old school hip-hop in my country. Definitely something I will listen to again.

A classic, this album is so well done and produced that your ears feel like they are in heaven while listening to it. There are a couple of well known hits on here, along with some nice ballads. Sonically perfect, the songs flow nicely and the atmosphere is consistent throughout.

Not a bad album, but nothing really stood out to me. It's a light listen, songs sound mostly the same. The production is nice, the vocals and acoustic guitar sound rich and prominent. Would give it 2.5 if I could.

A fine soul album, nothing too special caught my attention. Sonically it's good, with nice mixing and separation. Vocals are pretty good, but the melodies are a bit plain and not inspiring. Classic soul themes regarding the lyrics. All in all, don't think I would listen to it again.

Didn't listen to this for a long long time, forgot how violent the album is. Technically the rapping is great, it's fast and well articulated. There is no doubt about the theme of this, it's fuck everybody, I don't care about anything. Dr. Dre did his part regardign beats, the album is pretty tight in that regard, perhaps just a bit repetitive. There are some great songs on this, and there are also some really bad ones. Makes you wonder what could have been if the themes on the album were just a bit less aggressive and hostile towards pretty much everybody (women, homosexuals, other musicians etc.). But then again, maybe that's the reason the album got so famous in the first place. Having said all that, the album is still a classic and for sure worth checking out, both for the music and the context in which it came to be.

This is one heck of an album. The beginnings of Sade, with some of the greatest hits on here. The music is so sensual and smooth it unbelievable. I think this group was one of the first to combine jazz, r&b and ophisticated pop. All of the tracks bring out Sades voice, as well as the nice and laid back instrument section, which provides a musical background, without being boring. Including nice bass lines and drum fills. I'm assuming other albums of the group are also on the list, so I resisted to listen further.

Listened to it 3-4 times during the day. Nice, easy going album, with a perfect title. While listening to this, you feel as if you were crusing through space, exploring the surroundings. The album takes you on a journey into the future. There are nice lead lines and riffs throughout the album. The atmosphere is created by nice arrangements and background noise. Being an electronica album, this is really not that repetitive and keeps the listener engaged. Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Didn't hear of this rapper before, but considering the time when this came out, it's no wonder, since there were a lot bigger fish in the sea back then. The album is pretty interesting, with strong and unusual beats, classic boom rap style. The technique is also pretty good, not as good as some of the other rappers of the time in my opinion. This explains the lack in popularity I assume. All in all, a good album to listen to, even more importantly, something new but well executed in the hip-hop sphere, where I tend to listen to the classics a lot, and not much else. So this was a nice breath of fresh air. Would give it 3.5 if I could.

Good pop album with some of the bands biggest hits on it. The album is fun, dynamic, easy to listen to, and there is not a single bad song on here. The songs are a bit similar at times, but this is not uncommon for pop. Was between 3 and 4, but I think the vocal centered mix prevailed in it being a 3, since it's not as balanced as it should be on a great album, in my opinion. Which is a bit of a shame really, since the melodies and riffs are quite good and deserve a bigger place on the album.

What a great album! All of the song are great, with most of the bands hits on here. It really takes you on a journey down south. Thematically this is a great example of classic rock, with southern/country influences. Every song has a great atmosphere and perfectly conveys the message it intends to. Sonically all of the instruments come through well. Drum, bass, guitar and keyboards are all represented well in the mix, and are full of great licks and fills. Tuesdays gone and Free bird are one of the best classic rock ballads and songs of all time. Would give it 4.5 if I could, very little wrong with this album.

Interesting album, it doesn't contain any of the many hits the band have produced, but it's still a strong outing. The album is filled with fast guitar riffs, interesting bass lines and non-linear lyrics, typical of the New wave style. It's dynamic and fun to listen to, with plenty of substance. Was between a 3 and a 4, I know the band has even better albums, so I'm giving this a 3.

Quite an interesting album, a mix of psychedelic, progressive, folk and hard rock, with a little flute sprinkled in for good measure. It's like being in a medieval tavern with electric guitars. Guitar work on this is excellent, the riffs are big and powerful, yet simple and rhythmic. In my opinion the flute blends in pretty well and has a tone which fits rock music. Didn't expect so much acoustic guitar, but it really helps create the midieval atmosphere and goes well with the vocals. There are 3-4 really good songs on here, and also no bad ones. The album doesn't have a singular theme, although the religious aspect is prominent throughout the second part.

I'm generally a fan of glam metal because of it's riff focused music, big sound and high vocals. Having said this, I was never a fan of this album, it just wasn't as fun as some of the other ones I liked. It doesn't have that much riffs or great solos and the vocals are somewhat washed. The album sounds like an over produced, over commercialized version of glam metal, which was already heavy it that regard. Now for some positives, there are 3-4 really catchy songs on this, the songs are easy to listen to and get in your head quickly, perfect for a party. The production is a bit too much, but at the same time the album sounds huge, everything is made bigger, drums, guitar, vocals. Giving this 3 stars, no idea why. I guess because of the cult status and big sales numbers.

Nice britpop album with a lot of great songs on it. The song structures are pretty good, with different melodies and motifs in all of the songs. The Beatles influence is evident, which can never be a bad thing. This is a more modern take on the 60s-70s pop, and the band did a great job developing the sounds further. The songs are both catchy and memorable, as well as musically well made.

Didn't think I would give any album on this list a 1 star, but this is by far the worst album I heard so far, maybe even ever. This album get's it wrong on so many levels for me. For starters, musically it's really boring. Most of the songs sound exactly the same, with a drum beat and simple melodies in the background. Like something you would make in 2 minutes in your bedroom. Second, and this is a big one, the lyrics and themes are so bad it's unbelievable that other people who worked on this album didn't try and put a stop on this being released. I am not familiar with the work of the Smiths or Morrissey in general, so I am not sure if all of the albums are like this, or did he slowly descend into some sort of madness. The album is pretty much a pretentious rant all the way through. Whatever and whoever he doesn't like, he makes fun of, but in a really immature way, like a teenager entering puberty who starts hating the whole world. He tells America to fuck of with the hamburger, sure dude, that'll tell them. The only "good" song for me was First of the Gang to Die, with a catchy chorus.

A great reggae album, easy to listen to and sing along. You feel included in the music from the very start. Musically it's often simplistic, with similar rhythms across most of the songs. Which breaks up ever so often on some of the better songs which have more character. Lyrical themes are where the album most shines. They tell a story of love, fighting for freedom and enduring tough times, which is inspirational and conveys an emotional atmosphere throughout.

Cool album, not phenomenal, not terrible. A blend of pop with folk and classical themes with flutes and strings. Arrangements are nice, clean and low key. The vocals are strong with good actuation, but they sometimes don't quite fit in with the background melodies, as if they were parts of different songs. This is the main reason the album doesn't feel too great to me.

A good blues album, but not much more than that, featuring Jeff Beck on guitar and Rod Stewart on vocals. Expected a bit more from the album, considering the line-up, which includes Ronnie Wood as well. The songs are mostly covers, the style is a slightly harder version of pure blues. Beck doesn't show that much on guitar, with only a couple of good solos. The brightest light for me was Rod Stewart which fit into this album pretty well and sang with nice passion and intensity. The album seems like a proto/demo Led Zeppelin album, but is not as well done as LZ albums were.

Didn't like this one as much as the previous 3 releases from the band. They stayed true to their style, blending hip-hop with differemt genres such as rock, jazz, electronic, metal, punk. The albim sounds similar to RATM a lot of the times. But it seemd more experimental and progressive than the other albums they did. Songs don't progress linearly and there are a lot of unexpected twists and turns with instruments and arrangements. Still, there are some cool songs on here and the music is not bad, it's the crown of their style.

I've been a long time Metallica fan, although I haven't listened to the band as much in the last years. If we look at the album in the context of their previous releases, then this is for sure a step down and a simplification of their music. On the other hand, if we look at the album on it own, without any other context, this is a damn good album with a bunch of really great songs on it. The genre can be categorized as thrash 'n' roll and heavy metal, more than the thrash/progressive metal Metallica is known for. The songs aren't than complex for their standards, but are very much so speaking in general terms. They still stay true to their style of detailed song structures, massive riffs and nice solos are all over the place. There are no bad songs on here, some stand out as really good, but the lesser known song aren't bad by any means. Some bands are happy with 1 or 2 hits on a single album, there are at least 5-6 on here. Considering what I've heard so far, I can't but give this album 4 stars. This is an objectively great piece of music, no matter what you listen to. Considering the aim of the album was to commercialize and mainstream their sound, I think they accomplished just that, without sacrificing too much.

Wasn't that familiar with Grime before hearing this, can't say I enjoy the genre a lot, but this album was pretty ok to me. The album gives away an impression of a fairly well produced piece of music, so it can be considered a step up from the original Grime, but the lyrics and the flow still match what the style is about. The point of art is to make you feel certain emotions when you hear/see it. This album captures the UK gheto atmosphere well, you feel british, you feel angry, you feel like a gangster. The beats hit hard and the flow and the vocals match them pretty well. All in all an ok piece of music which captures the atmosphere of the place it is coming from. Probably not a general listen, but can be included when you need to hype up for some training sessions for example. The skits are a bit longer and get in the way of the music.

Well, this was an out of body experience. Didn't listen to ambient techno before, but I know that it's a favorite amongst audiphiles, and for good reason. This album somehow managed to both - sound like it's from the future, and be one of the earliest albums of it's kind. It captures an atmosphere and emotion really well, you feel like you are drifting through space, having a party and chilling with aliens. The beats aren't crazy complicated, but they are so well blended together that it doesn't even sound like somebody made them out of different sounds. They are just one unit of sound which draws you in and dips you into a pool of intraterrestrial sludge, where you float around and just let go.

Liked this more than I anticipated, the songs are well made and the piano and arrangements match Eltons voice perfectly. The album falls somewhere between pop and rock, with more rock than I expected. There are some really good ballads on here as well. Recognized Indian Sunset from the Ghetto Gospel collaboration Elton had with 2Pac. I liked that piano part of the song a lot for quite some time, but didn't know Elton was behind it, which made me like the album even more.

Another prog masterpiece from these guys, what a band. You have everything you might possibly want on this album - roaring guitars, soft violins, crazy bass and drum fills, windchimes and infinite rhythm changes. There's very little wrong with the album, but there are still better ones out there, even from King Crimson themselves.

What an album, a complete jazz masterclass. It's hard to decide which instrument is more impressive, drums, keyboard or the saxophone. The album is short and doesn't mess around, not even for a second. It's half an hour of action, all the way through. Is there a higher form of music than this? Highly unlikely. These people push the boundaries of music theory, virtuosity and improvisation to the very limits. Our role is just to witness what can be perceived audibly, to learn and to admire.

Solid album, one of the pioneers of the genre. There are some great beats and sounds on here, everything is nicely produced. The album is an easy listen, you can put it on it the background and chill. Having said that, there's nothing too special or stand-out for me on this.

One of the best grunge albums, full of emotions and big riffs. Chris Cornell is as impressive as ever, showing of his vocal abilities. The riffs are grand and range from punk/rock to doom/sludge. Lyrical themes are powerful, dark and perfectly convey the emotions of the 90s.

Solid punk album, the only notable one from the band. The album is a jolly old British kick in the bollocks, it oozes aggression, rebellion and anti establishment themes. It's a middle finger to authority and a thumbs up to anarchy. Music is straight forward, with only a few songs standing out as a bit more creative than the rest. The vocals were the best part for me, with clear articulation, great accent and color. The album doesn't impress too much musically, hence a 3 star rating.

Another solid pop rock outing by the band, not quite full of hits as some of the other release though. Oasis introduced their style on this debut, which is light and airy British pop, with nice song structures and positive lyrical themes. Nothing is too good on this album, but there is also nothing bad, it's a light listen.

Great album, as usual from Jimi. It's way ahead of it's time, both musically and lyrically. Jimi had a way of expressing himself clearly and simply, but at the same time virtuously. The riffs are out of this world and the lyrics are profound, they speak of a buddhist like view of life. Where everything flows, is one and love is the answer. This is also evident on the album cover. Not Jimi's best, but still a phenomenal album with a lot of great songs, which speaks volumes about his artistic body of work.

A pretty good album, expected a different sound, but what I got was a nice blend of alt-country and indie. I'm not a huge fan of indie music in general, but I am of some quality country. So this one leaned more towards the country side for me. The album is pretty light on the sonic side. There are clean and precise drum, piano and guitar sounds, with similar stuff happening on the vocal side. The vocals are well articulated and easy going. The country style and feel is well represented on this album. Everything is there, the nice easy melodies, clear vocals, down to earth struggles and real life lyrical themes. Reminded me of Johnny Cash on more than one occasion, which says a lot. I was between 3 and 4, will give it a 4 since it was a really fun and light listen.

Solid rock/blues rock album, there are a couple of the bands big hits on here. Wasn't aware that this album was so old, always thought of Aerosmith as a more of a pop/glam rock band. But when I listened to the album now, it does fit into the mid 70s style, which I like. The songs are solid, there are a lot of interesting riffs, melodies are solid and the vocals are strong, high and fit into the arrangements very well. Aerosmith for me always had sort of a Rolling Stones vibe of intertwined instruments which blend in together and you are never quite sure who is playing what and what exactly is played. I was between a 3 and a 4, giving it a 3 in the end because there wasn't enough to wow me.

Brutal and raw OG album. This is one of the first true modern hip-hop albums, paving the for what hip-hop was going to become. You have everything you might want from an album of this kind. The beats are raw, heavy and hit hard. The technique and delivery are spot on, the lyrics are clear and the flow is great. The themes are mostly political and deal with the oppression of black people in America, and criticizing the American society in general. You could say it's an act of fighting back against those who mistreated you. One final thing I have to add, the guys even sampled Slayer's Angel of Death on She Watch Channel Zero, what more can you say.

Never listened to much Bob Dylan, always knew he made some great songs, but something about him just didn't click with me, or so I thought, and boy was I wrong. You can hardly find a purest form of music than this, a guy with a guitar and harmonica, singing about real world problems, spreading love and joy, instead of war and miss fortune. The lyrics and themes are excellent, they sometimes have a humorous note to them, but they are always down to earth and talk about the problems and struggles we are facing as a society. The album is infinitely fun to listen to and is really easy going. This album was a nice breath of fresh air, looking forward to more of Bob Dylan.

What an album, got pleasantly surprised by this one. Sonically, this is one of the best album I have heard, in general. This is so well mixed and mastered that you are literally taken on a journey through sound. You just have to sit back, get a good pair of headphones, and let the album happen to you. I guess you can call this prog soul, since this is taking the genre to a whole different level musically. The vocals are great, they are deep and mellow most of the time, and high and strong when needed. The melodies are smooth as butter, but also really powerful and loud when the song is taken in that direction. The only downside of the album, from my perspective, is the intro of the last song, which is 8 minutes long and gets a little boring after a few minutes. But putting that aside, this is a phenomenal album, which I will for sure listen to many more times.

Can't say much about the album, it didn't impress me in any particular way. Sonically, the mix was strange, vocals are getting lost a bit, and the rhythm section and the melodies are way too close to each other. Also, the dynamics just aren't there, the songs seems to be at pretty similar volume throughout. The songs sound similar and nothing stands out about any of them. I feel like the album could have been a lot better, at least for me personally, had the sound engineering side been improved.

Had a tought time deciding how to rate this one. On one hand I don't like U2 very much, they always seemed bland and boring, with unimaginative melodies and this "wall of sound" that they create with effects. This kind of ruins the musical experience because of several reasons. One being it removes sound stage and imaging out of the equation, which makes the songs really boring to listen to, because there is no feeling of space and coexistance of frequencies and different instruments which are supposed to create the song together. On the other hand there are some famous songs on this album, the band have achieved significant mainstream success, and the songs aren't bad per se, there is just not that much positive I can say about them. During listening to the album, I figured out that all of their hits are actually just songs which have a melodic chorus, where the vocals create the actual melody, and not the instruments. So people just remember those few words of the chorus, which are honestly, sometimes pretty good. Was between a 2 and a 3, giving it a 2 in the end.

Solid and quality folk album, nothing stood out to me as very special, but also there is nothing wrong. The melodies are nice and clear, some songs feature great guitar riffs, which I enjoyed. Everything is well made, mixed and mastered, all of the instruments, and the vocals, sound clear and there is a good separation between them. The lyrical themes are easy going and typical of folk music. The album is a nice and easy listen, you can put it on, relax and enjoy the good times.

Pretty average album in my opinion, nothing special or even solid about it. The beats are raw and loud, but in this case this isn't a good thing, they seem a bit unpolished and basic, often way to repetitive. The melodies are weak and not memorable. The vocals aren't blended in the usual way for techno music, but rather jump in unexpectedly, when I think about it, the album sounds like mixing the song structures of pop music into electronic music. The whole album seems like it needs more work in the studio, mixing and mastering, finding a better balance and maybe adding elements here and there. Having said that, there are also some fun songs and melodies on here, just not that many. Not sure why this made the list to be honest, the album isn't even that popular to begin with.

Great folk album, it wakes just the right emotions inside of you. The vocals are the star of the show, with great color, articulation and emotion. The melodies are great and easy going and they accompany the vocals really well. They aren't usually the star of folk albums, but they do their job perfectly on this album, with great dynamics and being loud and quiet when needed. They feature guitars, bass, piano, and even some brass instruments. All in all, I was really impressed sonically, with both music and vocals. The production could be better, but it really doesn't do much harm to the album, which is top notch either way. Showing once again that either you convey an emotion with your art, or you don't, other things don't matter as much. Some of Vans biggest hits are on here, but other songs don't sag far behind, this is a quality album through and through, and I will listen to it again for sure.

Interesting and unusual album, it was fun to listen to, reminded me of new wave albums from my country. Generally, the album is a mix of punk and new wave, it also contains some Shadows-like instrumentals, which sound quite nice. What pleasantly surprised me about the album is the fact that there are some guitar riffs on here which are borderline hard rock/metal, which for me, being a fan of these genres, was great to hear and they also fit in quite well with the music. Honestly, the album isn't anything too special, but it's a fun listen and isn't boring at any point.

Turns out that the majority of the songs from this album have been removed from streaming services, so I am not able to review it in it's entirety. Considering this, I will give the album the middle, 3 stars. Out of the songs I managed to listen to, the album fits in with the sonicscape of the late 60s, but doesn't quite have the quality of some of it's contemporaries. There are some nice guitar solos and melodies on here, as was the style of that time, which I liked. What I didn't like as much is that none of the songs were memorable, there are no hits or singles which stood out to me.

Another one from Radiohead, I really have to set aside time and deep dive into this band. This is the second album and the last one before they hit insane levels of popularity with some of their next releases. This fits more into the mold of UK pop-rock bands of that time and for me personally it's a bit more engaging than the other releases, where they moved to a more abstract sound and feel. Arguably though, this album doesn't transport you to a different world like the later ones do, it just doesn't have that emotion and style. From this album it's definitely evident that they began to develop their sound, which is half way between UK pop-rock and "classic" Radiohead. There are some signs of their future work on here, but they are also mostly using the usual song structures and big choruses. Sonically it's pretty straightforward most of the time, with guitars and the rhythm section. I liked the guitar work on 3-4 songs, where they played some nice, complicated, riffs. Lyrically it's also in line with Radioheads usual sad, depressing and slow style. All in all a solid album from my perspective.

What a great album, there's so much energy and emotion on here. Stylistically, this is a blend of classic rock, blues and country, all with a southern twist. While researching the album I saw it described as swamp rock/blues, which is as good as description as any. Listening to this is like sitting in a saloon, drinking whiskey, and telling stories with your friends. You are completely transported to a different time and place. The album is crawling with great guitar riffs, rhythms and lyrics, pretty much every song is great, you would struggle to find a subpar song on here. This, combined with the somewhat typical album length for that time period of just under 30 minutes, provides a quality album through and through. There are also some really nice blues solos. The vocals of John Fogerty have such a great color and raspiness to them, they fit into the music and themes absolutely perfectly. This one is definitely going into the favorites as an occasional listen.

This one is a favorite of mine for years, it just has that west coast vibe, with nice mellow bits and smooth flow. Most of the songs on the album are great, the intensity mostly stays at a high throughout. The beats are killer, pure 90s old school hip-hop, this is what it's all about. Lyrically the themes are typical west coast rap, drugs, women, gangs and chilling with your homies. Snoops flow is also really good, there are some more advanced rhyming techniques, nothing brilliant, but still a nice addition to the vanilla stuff. This creates a style which flows smoothly and is perfectly in line with the music. This is one of the classics in my book, a pure quality old school album.

Well, this was a hell of an experience. Thematically, this is quite the unusual and strange combination, I mean, just the description alone is insane - homicidal, extraterrestrial, time-traveling gynecologist and surgeon, wtf. The beats are raw, minimal, trip hop, funky, space sci-fi, and at times horror oriented. There are also a lot of quite graphic porn and disease references, some of the skits are also just samples of porn scenes. One of the most impressive things about the album is the vocabulary. You have heard hundreds of albums which rap about women, drugs and violence. But have you heard an album which raps about space travel, surgical procedures and aliens? I don't think so. The flow and the delivery are top notch, they convey the message and fit in perfectly with the beats. Rapping is erratic, asynchronous and kind of progressive sounding, taking the technique to a new level. There are multiple patterns used, so you can never guess what's coming next. The major downside of the album for me are the overly graphical scenes of sex and different kinds of diseases. I get that this is the main theme of the album, and would go on to be the main theme for Kool Keith, but for me it's just too much and I don't think these over the top elements gave the album anything positive. I think most people would appreciate the art and the good parts of the album way more, have the profanities been toned down or removed all together, while still keeping the same themes. The guy can still be a doctor, just not a gynecologist surgeon. One of the things I didn't like as much are the choruses, which felt bland and repetitive. On almost all of the songs they are just 2-3 word phrases, followed by another word, and then repeated over and over 4-5 times, with no special rhythm or purpose. But this does have it's purpose, considering the album can be classified as abstract hip-hop as well, breaking the mold. All in all, I am happy that I listened to this album. Even though it has it's flaws, it's still a technically great album and has a lot going for it. Also, you are quite unlikely to find sci-fi hip-hop lyrics at this level. Would give it 3.5 stars if I could.

Another great album by the band, the culmination of the "thrash era" and rightfully so. Setting aside the obvious drawback of the bad mix, which features no bass, this is a solid album throughout. Highlights of the album are, as usual for the band, the riff galore, great lyrical themes, technical precision and advanced song structures. The band lean more towards the thrash side on this album, there are still prog elements, but they are not as prominent as on Master of Puppets. It would be a shame not to mention One, which is one of the best metal songs of all time, gives me the chills every time. To anyone who loved the song I recommend the movie Johnny Got His Gun from 1971, which talks about the soldier who was the inspiration for the song One, that is some dark and disturbing stuff. It's a real shame the internal quarrels got in the way of the music and Jason's bass was removed as a result, because of primadona Lars. There are versions online which add the bass back and the album, of course, feels more alive and natural, and less hollow and artificial. Although, I have to admit, the lack of bass gives the album this robot-like feel and precision. Considered to drop this to a 3 star because of the bass/mastering issues, but leaving it at a 4.

Strange album, I was kind of expecting more with this one, but it didn't leave a strong impression on me. None of the songs were that memorable, they all look alike and are somewhat similar. Not sure how I would classify this one, perhaps as psych-pop. One of the things I liked most are the psychedelic guitar and synth solos. Don't think the genre resonates with me, I will have to do more research to understand the topic.

Not sure this album deserves to be on the list, especially as it was released a couple of years ago. The album is somewhat monotonous, all of the songs sound similar since they hardly feature any melodies, chord progressions or rhythm. The whole album feels like the same simple ballad. The vocals themselves also aren't that impressive to me, since they are heavily produced and feature several effects. Having said this, the album is not terrible, some songs are fun to listen to and feature more music than the others.

A solid country album, the twang is there, but for me personally, it's not up to par with the genres grates, it's just doesn't have that emotion. Having said that, this is still a fun album to listen to, the guitars and piano feature some really great melodies and sound pretty good. Lyrical themes are in line with the genre. I saw the guys switched direction from more of a psychedelic rock to country. Their biggest hits came in the former, and the switch might have caused a loss in popularity, but this album is still a pretty solid country album. One more thing I have to mention is the decent production, everything come off well, clear and balanced.

What a great, quality, album. This is a mix of funk and soul, with some jazz elements here and there. Stevie's vocals are great, full of emotion and feel, and so are the lyrical messages. Every song sets an emotion and takes you on a ride, a smooth funky story about love, life, personal growth and struggles. The album is just so pleasant, down to earth, but yet so profound and with strong messages of love and peace. The music found just the right balance of being complex enough to be noticed and appreciated, but also not so complex to take the songs over completely. The focus mainly stays on Stevie and the lyrics. The piano is one of the stars, the chord progressions are full and interesting. The percussions and the rhythm section feel like they are one more step back, like being perfectly executed by great session musicians. All of this makes the album sound really polished, smooth and professional. This one goes to the list of favorites, looking forward to more from Stevie and the crew.

Not sure why this made the list, the album isn't bad, but just as with some other albums from different cultures, my stance is that you either put at least one album from every culture in the world, or just don't include any if they aren't musically relevant. This sounds similar to folk music from my country, interesting little melodies, predictable song structure and chord progressions, and emotional lyrics talking about the struggles of the common man, sung with much vibrato. Songs sound pretty similar and nothing stands out of the mold, except Imagine perhaps. All in all, I'm still glad I listened to the album, it's something new and I appreciate new experiences, but just not sure if it's worth a spot on the list. But then again, it's a matter of do you want diversity or pure quality on the list, which is a subjective decision in the end.

Never knew Madonna was one of the first artists to incorporate more electronic music in pop. This sounds way before it's time, rave/dance version of Madonna. Also, the album was kind of a surprise for me, since I related Madonna to a different kind of sound and vibe. Never listened to her that much, but I have heard the popular songs. Turns out once I read the album summary that this was a departure from her previous work, and a one for the better it seems. One of the highlights of the album is definitely the production. Everything is crystal clear, the beats come of nice and round, the mix is quite loud and there is a lot of stuff going on most of the time, but the sound is still balanced. Madonna's vocals take a bit of a step back in this kind of genre as opposed to being the absolute center in her previous work, but this is handled without issues. She blends in with the grooves really well, singing in a lower register than usual I think. The album also gets dark at times, with oriental and eastern melodies, hard grooves, and straight to the point lyrics. Having said that, the songs do sound similar and the album gets a bit monotonous. All in all, a pleasant surprise, a well produced album, .

One hell of an album, pure raw energy. This one is on the favorites list for quite some time, so I listen to it occasionally. The album just works, everything is working towards a common goal of expressing ones anger and rebellion towards authority. It's hard to pick something that stands out, everything is great. The guitar work of Tom Morello is phenomenal, the riffs are heavy, interesting and diverse. The rhythm section does a great job, there are nice drum fills and hi hat work. The bass is also great, with nice solo riffs here and there. The vocals and the lyrics are a single unit, they fit in perfectly. The themes can pretty much be summed up as "fuck the system". The album is loud and fast most of the time, but isn't afraid to get slow and quiet when needed, with powerful lyrics taking the front seat. The band has two more solid albums, but this one stands out as the special one, one of the best from it's era for sure.

The first album of one of the best known virtual bands ever. There are some pretty good songs and hits on here, but ultimately the album feels mid. Not bad, not that special, but damn fun to listen to most of the time. Clint Eastwood is phenomenal though. I listened to this album when I was younger and I didn't know back then that the guest rapper on Clint, and Rock the House, is Del The Funkee Homosapien. The guy has a pretty nice flow and vocal color, the two songs which feature him are my two favorites from the album. If the band somehow managed to create at least 3-4 more songs of the same caliber, the album would be better. They did, I believe, manage to do this on the next album. Sonically this is a mix of several genres, the grooves and the melodies are nice, but not refined. The vocals and the lyrical themes are usually simple, with a few exceptions. Solid album and a start for the guys, some songs definitely stand out compared to the rest.

Quite an unusual album, it's really creative and finds a way to be different, but still musical and interesting. The album is a blend of different styles and a transitional one for the band, since they started moving from a more traditional punkish new-wave, to funk/art/talking heads type of sound. One of the things I liked about this album, as with their previous release, is the unusual guitar rhythms and melodies, you are never sure what's coming next, which is true for other instruments as well. The bass lines are also quite interesting throughout the album. The songs are fun to listen to, and the themes are engaging, but they just weren't that special to me. The bands trademark sound is here, but for me there is a lack of bigger singles/hits, although, most of the songs are memorable and have nice themes and sounds. Was between a 3 and a 4. Giving it a 3 in the end because the album just wasn't that special for me.

Another lesser known album from a different background, this one was more fun to listen to, but it still doesn't feel up to par for this list. Sonically the album fits into Latin funk rock, with some hip-hop mixed in. This description itself creates a fun and upbeat image in ones head, and in reality this album sounds exactly like that. There are fun Latin rhythms with different percussion elements, smooth guitar and piano melodies. The best parts of the album for me were the songs which featured hip-hop vocals, the blend worked really well in my opinion. Now for the not so good parts, the album doesn't bring anything new, it just goes through the same, well treaded, paths. The music, mix and vocals aren't well done or refined, they are just average. All in all a fun album, but nothing special.

Quite a mix of genres on this one, the whole 70s are contained on a single album apparently. There are pop, prog, rock and art elements on here. Not sure I if listened to something like this before. Despite the interesting and changing song structures, this album can't be categorized as pure prog rock, at least in my opinion. There are way more elements of pop on here. Maybe progressive pop? Nevertheless, this is a really fun album to listen to, you never know what's coming next. There are great melodies throughtout, on piano, guitar, but also on winds for example. The album features two different singers, which makes the songs even more unexpected and different. This is a quality album, it's really well done, the production is good, nothing is overly aggressive. Everything is polished, from the music itself, to the mix. I just have to mention that harmonica into, it's one of the best album intros I've heard. A pretty cool album. Wasn't sure if I wanted to give it a 3 or 4. This could be one of the best pop albums I ever heard, just for the sheer musicianship and craftsmanship. Giving it a 4 for that.

What a cool and sensual album, I enjoyed listening to every song. I don't listen to much Pop and R&B, but this album feels so smooth and polished. The beats and the mix are like butter, the vocals are soulful and nicely blended in. I also liked the hip-hop elements which are also mixed in well and the crossover between vocal styles is seamless. The album also feels so 90s, the vibe is 100% there, which is a good thing in my opinion. There is nothing exaggerated on here, the album is sexy, but not overly so. The vocals are tamed and there are no crazy highs or falsetto. for example. Solid album, an easy listen on any day.

Quite the unusual album, based on the cover I expected psychedelic electronic music, in the genres I saw indie and britpop and expected that, but in the end the album was something different for me altogether. One of the favorite things on the album for me was that it dabbles in prog, I think I would prefer it much more if it had more of these elements across the board. I liked all of the unexpected elements, death metal was mentioned, didn't think I would actually hear it after 4-5 pop songs, but it did come for a brief moment on vocals. There are also some blues/country elements, every now and again there is a nice guitar riff. Another genre which found it's way into the album is techno. Somehow, all of this works and nothing feels out of place on this album. I think the album had great potential, it manifested a whole lot, but not the whole thing, at least in my opinion. This could have been even more insane and wacky. Glad I listened to the album, one of the biggest surprises on the list so far.

What a fun and hit filled album. Never listened to Billy Joel, but then while doing research I realized I actually know, and love, a lot of his songs. The album is easy going, with nice, upbeat, melodies, strong and clear vocals, and good and not overly complicated production. What I found interesting is that all of the songs somehow have a positive note. Even when performing ballads, the album manages to sound fun and happy. The music is not complicated, and could even be characterized as simple, but in this case this is perfect, it creates a perfect mood for the vocals. It also goes into the direction of jazz from time to time, which works really well. There are no bad songs on here, the album is a coherent unit and it's not too long. Great album, I listened it for 3-4 times in a row, definitely goes on the favorites list.

After Innervisions, I was expecting a similar quality album, I was wrong. The album isn't bad, but the quality just isn't there on most of the songs. There are a lot of simple, filler, songs on here. Stevie's vocals are still great on every track, but it's not enough for me to enjoy the songs if the music and melodies are simple, repetitive and unimaginative. Superstition stands out massively. You would think that the rest of the album is made in a similar style at least, they don't all have to be hits, but no. The rest of the album is just simple, filler, love songs. If they included one or two of these then it would be fine in my opinion, to take a break with a simple, yet emotional song, but not the whole album. I kept catching myself expecting something to happen in the empty parts of songs, a guitar/piano riff, bass/drum fill, anything, and they would fit in great, but that is just not what the album is about. Again, not a bad album, but I was expecting more, everything I loved on Innervisions, the great musicianship, a wide range of instruments, tasteful and complex melodies, interesting rhythm sections and great production which fits everything in, just isn't found here.

What the hell did I just listen to. This album is the epitome of "there's a fine line between genius and madness". The album can be categorized as art/avangard classical pop, don't think I ever listened to something like this. Most of the songs are classical pieces, with various other instruments dissonantly coming in and breaking the balance. This gives the album a unique, progressive and uneasy feeling. What it manages to do perfectly though, is set the mood. This does feel like cafe music, but just not for a cafe on this planet. You are completely transported to a different reality, like in a dream. The dream being somewhere between blissful, most of the time, and a nightmare which comes from intermittent dissonant passages. The cover is genius, somehow, it manages to explain the album perfectly. It's a nice, casual, day, and a naked man with a penguin head is talking to a penguin, not weird at all. Really interesting album, one of the reasons all of us started listening to a list like this. You don't just bump into stuff like this. Wasn't sure whether to rate it a 3 or a 4, giving it a 3 in the end because I'm unlikely to listen to this again, I can't imagine a situation when this will come to mind.

Quite an interesting and unusual album, Jefferson Airplane meets the Doors. Avangard, art, jazz, experimental rock. The music fits into the mould of a band from the late 60s, psychedelic, ahead of it's time, unique and inovative. This band being one the most unique ones of the bunch, and with the most experimental and complex music. They only released this one album and it's a shame they didn't go on in the same fashion as some of their contemporaries. The opening track is straight out of a horror movie, the lyrics and themes would be a great base for a movie. The female vocals are great, very Jefferson Airplane like. If drugs made noise, they would sound like that. Glad I listened to the album, not sure if I will listen to it again, so giving it a 3.