393
Albums Rated
3.3
Average Rating
36%
Complete
696 albums remaining
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Oceanic
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Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1990
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
21
5-Star Albums
6
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Atomizer
Big Black
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
|
4 | 2.02 | +1.98 |
|
Junkyard
The Birthday Party
|
4 | 2.16 | +1.84 |
|
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
|
5 | 3.27 | +1.73 |
|
Low-Life
New Order
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
Daydream Nation
Sonic Youth
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
|
Heaven Or Las Vegas
Cocteau Twins
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
Either Or
Elliott Smith
|
5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
The Idiot
Iggy Pop
|
1 | 3.21 | -2.21 |
|
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
|
1 | 2.74 | -1.74 |
|
Graceland
Paul Simon
|
2 | 3.73 | -1.73 |
|
The Joshua Tree
U2
|
2 | 3.66 | -1.66 |
|
Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
|
1 | 2.6 | -1.6 |
|
Hotel California
Eagles
|
2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
|
Cheap Thrills
Big Brother & The Holding Company
|
2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
|
Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
|
2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
|
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
|
2 | 3.41 | -1.41 |
5-Star Albums (21)
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Popular Reviews
Curtis Mayfield · 3 likes
4/5
Went into this expecting a 4/5 since I've really enjoyed what I've heard from Curtis Mayfield before, but also expecting it to show some age.
It absolutely didn't. Soulful, funky, amazing. Title track and Freddie's Dead being my standouts.
I'll have to listen again to see if I want to playlist anything, but this is an amazing record.
Edit: After sitting on this for a while, knocking it down to a 4. Still a fantastic record, but haven't really felt like going back to it since I got it.
Stephen Stills · 3 likes
3/5
More blues rock. COUNTRY blues rock, at that. Not that it's actually bad, I'm just burnt out on the genre. Everyone complains about britpop being overrepresented on the list, for me its blues rock.
It's very hit and miss for me. Some great folk rock tunes like Both of Us (Bound to Lose), It Doesn't Matter, and Colorado, but then there's country stuff like Hide It So Deep, Don't Look At My Shadow, or Jesus Gave Love Away For Free or blues tracks like Jet Set (Sigh) that just do nothing do it for me. Really its the country and blues tracks that let this album down for me, the folk rock stuff is great. Once in a while you'll get a song thats a bit too close to Grateful Dead like How Far, but still.
Overall, good album, I'm just burning out on blues rock type stuff.
Sonic Youth · 2 likes
5/5
I've listened to this album before, and loved it (knew it would be an instant 5* the second it popped up) probably a few times, but I've never really *listened* to it.
But damn is this thing perfect. You can probably credit this album/Sonic Youth for a good majority of the 90s alt rock bands on this list, along with a bunch more that aren't on the list, but are shockingly missing. Sleater-Kinney, Nirvana, Modest Mouse, Slint, even Portishead for their album Third, etc. Hell, the opening of Silver Rocket sounds like a riff that would be used in a dissonant black metal track, something Deathspell Omega would come up with (Cross the Breeze verges on dissonant black too, as well as my previous comparison to Portishead's Third).
What strikes me the most is the guitar tone and drumming on this album. Especially on songs like Teen Age Riot (probably the best song on the album, but thats not to discount the quality of the rest of the album. That song is just transcendant) and Cross the Breeze. The drummer really loves his 16th notes, and I appreciate that. Love how Cross the Breeze starts off with a more uplifting sound only to devolve immediately into a harsher, dark vibe.
And don't discount the bass, that is not always super prominent, but when it is, is always fantastic (see Teen Age Riot).
Total Trash where it takes the main riff and devolves it into a dissonant noise bastardization of itself. Honestly that's kinda a story on quite a few songs. Not only do they do some of the loud quiet loud, but they switch vibes up at the same time. Nice here, dissonant and dark there. Candle does the same thing.
But probably my favorite thing about this is how much drive it has. Obviously Teen Age Riot, but The Wonder is amazing for that with the anxiety it has while just MOVING.
So yeah. An absolute alt rock masterpiece that singlehandedly charted the course for alt rock through the 90s.
Morrissey · 2 likes
3/5
Honestly was not excited for this one when I saw it come up. As far as the other The Smiths and Morissey albums I've listened to go, while not being bad, I've just never really cared for them. For post-punk, they've generally been too thin sounding and jangly for my tastes.
This one however has some teeth and power to it, with Morissey having a more full sounding voice thats very forward in the mix. And his singing is pretty on point compared to the other stuff. The opener and You're the One For Me, Fatty are my standouts with their reggae/surf rock vibes.
That said, I don't think its hitting me hard enough to quite give it the four. One of the highest 3s I'll ever give.
Marvin Gaye · 1 likes
4/5
Timeless, lush record. Every track is a winner on this one. Only track that I'm not super hot on is Save the Children. A little too on the nose for me, but still good music wise.
Don't got a ton to say about it, other than I appreciate that this album has two inductees on the "Marvin Gaye's Clueless Ass" playlist with What's Going On and What's Happening Brother.
4-Star Albums (149)
1-Star Albums (6)
All Ratings
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
The The
4/5
Very Bowie in singing. This is the Day is playlist material.
Pixies
3/5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Maps is always great, and the rest of the album slaps.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Tears For Fears
3/5
Good album. Not a huge TFF fan, but when they sound more Depeche Mode, it's great.
Radiohead
3/5
Good album. Doesnt hit me like the rest of Radiohead's discography, but thats not saying much. Best 3/5 you'll ever listen to.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
This one kinda gets screwed by the fact that I'm American who doesn't really listen to foreign folk music (aside from some European folk music when its involved in black metal), and when it does come up, it's used as a novelty or as soundtrack music in a movie to convey a specific culture, so that is (unfortunately) the association I immediately get listening to it.
Basically a me issue, and not a fault of the music itself.
That said, it's really good music (or at least, as best I can tell. I don't have anywhere near enough experience with bossanova to be able to tell if this is exceptional or run-of-the-mill as far as the genre goes), just something I can't ever see myself going back to listen to. If it came up sometime randomly, I wouldn't turn it off though and would chill to it.
So yeah. Default 3/5 because I don't know how to rate it, but it was a fine listen.
Mariah Carey
3/5
Was going to give this a 4/5 based on the first half (despite not being thrilled to listen to it when it came up. Mariah is very much not in my wheelhouse as far as artists go, and I'm not too well versed in R&B to be able to accurately rate it), but the second half hit, and while not bad, the songs tended to drag a bit and could have used some cutting down. No reason for The Beautiful Ones to be 7 mins long. Lots of stuff getting close to 5 mins too.
The more hip-hop, darker vibe songs (The Roof) are the better tracks. The more stereotypical, 90's slow ballad R&B songs are the more forgettable ones IMO.
Honey also, despite doing everything in its power to be as repetitive and annoying as possible also managed to be a standout. Definitely grew on me. Very much a song that sounds ahead of its time and not trapped in the 90's like a lot of the rest of the album.
Surprising album to me. Better than I was expecting.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Listened before, knew beforehand would be a 5/5, but good excuse to relisten. Don't think it's perfect, not a fan of "For Free? (Interlude)" and the album version of "i" is not as good as the pre-release demo version IMO, but this is a modern classic. Can't get anymore 5/5 than this. Absolute masterpiece.
Soul II Soul
2/5
Just not my thing, honestly. Part of it is, it's just really dated sounding (the raps are that really simplistic 80's style which just have not aged well IMO), and partly I just don't really care for it.
What really turned me off was the 6 minute long African Dance which was basically one beat the whole song with (an admittedly good) flute solo. But 6 minutes of it was way too much. Then they followed up with the track Dance, which had the same exact beat, just with a dude telling me I should move to the music and how great it is. Did not need 3 more minutes of that beat drilled into my head. Unfortunately put it down there.
It gets the 2 because while it's not for me and I wouldn't in a million years go back to it, I can understand why someone would like it, and despite my complaints, it's competently made.
Mudhoney
3/5
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Have listened to it before, but couldn't remember much from it other than the big singles that bookend the record. Kinda understanding why I didn't remember them. Never was a huge Stones fan, and especially am not a fan of their slow blues tracks. Not that they were bad, just they don't do anything for me (and honestly, time is starting to get to them). I like when the Stones are more rock than blues, and this album is heavy on the blues.
This record for me gets propped up on the strength of Gimme Shelter and You Can't Always Get What You Want.
Roxy Music
4/5
This album was made in 1974? Jesus this album feel incredibly ahead of its time. It wouldn't sound out of place in the 80's I wouldn't think on some songs.
Always meant to listen to it, just never got around to it. Really good stuff, especially the lead song The Thrill of It All.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
Kinda the same issue I had with Tanto Tempo. The unfortunate association I have with this music is either soundtrack or dance music, and not listening music. It's really good for those things, but not something I'd ever go out of my way to just put on and listen to.
Beatles
5/5
Great album, nothing but classics.
Funkadelic
3/5
Really good album. Just not my genre. Probably would have been a 4 or 5 if I was into classic funk.
Frank Ocean
2/5
I really want to like this, the production is amazing, and some of the music is fantastic, but I just can't stand his voice. When he's low it's that monotone Drake type voice, and when its high it's that high pitched R&B voice I dislike. He sounds a little more Bruno Mars on Bad Religion, which I don't mind, but still.
Not a lot of heavy hitting songs either. Pyramids I guess, but a lot of downtempo R&B stuff.
Forrest Gump is probably the standout for me, but even then it's a tepid standout.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
Was debating between a 2 or a 3, but ultimately I just can't get past Janis Joplin's voice. She sounds like if Marge Simpson tried to sing after chain smoking five packs of cigarettes.
It works on Piece of My Heart purely due the fact I've heard that song so much over the years that I've gotten used to it, but its just not working for the rest of the album.
Music and talent is great, but just her voice is not doing it for me. That, and that 60's blues sound is just starting to feel too dated to me.
Johnny Cash
4/5
This one surprised me. Not that I don't like Johnny Cash, I just went into it thinking it'd be just fine, a solid 3/5. Ended up finding myself enjoying it quite a bit though to the point I put it on for a second spin.
Guess it just hit the spot.
Eagles
2/5
It shocks me that a band can write absolute classics like Take It Easy and Witchy Woman, and on the same album also write absolute garbage like Chug All Night, Most of Us Are Sad, and Earlybird.
The lyrics in Most of Us Are Sad are unforgivable.
Even the last single, Peaceful Easy Feeling is pretty mediocre.
I almost was super generous and about to give it a 3 purely on the backs of the first two songs, but yeesh Earlybird. The sampled bird noises and the banjo are awful.
I never understood the hate for the Eagles, but that was before I heard their non-singles. I get it now.
Duke Ellington
4/5
This feels like some good Fallout-core, and I'm always down for that. Just good jazz.
Talking Heads
1/5
Yeaaah, this one just isn't it for me. It's extremely repetitive, some of the songs sound like they were constructed from really cheesy music sample packs, I'm not hearing anything that's catchy, a lot of songs grate on me.
To be fair, I've never been a huge fan of Talking Heads, even on the songs I do like (Burning Down the House and Psycho Killer), but this is just not good. Maybe I'm being too hard on it, but stuff like Electric Guitar and Drugs are awful.
Like, I can see where they were going on *some* of the album, but it just doesn't work at all.
This'll be my first 1/5. Really struggled between a 1 or a 2, but yeah, nothing on this comes close to being enjoyable for me.
(I somehow came out of this record with Psycho Killer stuck in my head... what?)
Adam & The Ants
3/5
This is a really interesting album to get immediately after Talking Heads' Fear of Music, especially since I couldn't stand that album. This album feels a lot like that Talking Heads album, with the repetitive rhythm based music, some songs lacking in catchiness, really cheesy instrumentation here and there.
All things considered, I should hate this album same as Fear of Music, but I don't. I think it's just due to how sincere and *fun* Adam sounds like he's having on this album whereas the Talking Heads' album didn't sound fun at all and felt way too up its own ass, I guess? Like they're doing all that weird experimental stuff because it's "true art", whereas Adam and the Ants are just fucking around and having fun. It may not work all the time for me, but at least it's fun.
Pantera
3/5
Metal is basically one of my bread and butter genres, however I didn't really get into the genre until I was in college, and by that time, I was mostly into bands like Mastodon and Gojira, branching out into more technical, atmospheric stuff like Dillinger, Converge, Wolves in the Throne Room, Krallice, Gorguts, ISIS, etc ("hipster" metal, if you will, lol).
So groove metal (aside from whatever Gojira mixed into their music) was never really my thing. Kinda always found it too "meathead" for my tastes.
That said, while I probably wouldn't go back to listening to Pantera after this, it's definitely a good fun listen. Rhythms on drums are great, Dimebag's guitar work is fantastic, Anselmo has got a unique voice somewhere between Hetfield and Jens Kidman (Meshuggah).
Walk sounds like one of those songs that are somehow 90's as hell, but also timeless.
Not really my thing as far as metal goes, but it earns it's place on this list, not just from its influence and legacy, but just being a solid as hell metal album.
Bert Jansch
4/5
Really good folk music. Particularly liked Alice's Wonderland and Angie. You can definitely hear this guys' influence all over bands like Led Zeppelin, The Who, and The Rolling Stones. Some songs feel like unfinished ideas, but you still get the full emotional punch he was going for.
Just a solid, great folk album.
R.E.M.
4/5
It's just good. One of those "I can't really explain why I like it or why it's good, it just is". Can't say anything on it is playlist, but I enjoyed listening to it, not a dud on the album.
The Doors
3/5
Never really been a fan of The Doors. A lot of the stuff on this album just feels incredibly dated to me, with the only thing propping it up being the singles, which have aged a lot better in my opinion (or it could just be that I've heard the songs so much, they don't sound as dated due to familiarity).
PJ Harvey
4/5
I feel like I've listened to her album Rid of Me (or maybe I'm mixing it up with Sky Ferreira's album Night Time, My Time, although thats definitely not punk???), but with an album name like Let England Shake, I was expecting more rrriot girl punk type stuff, not jangly indie pop/folk, haha.
Either way, really solid album. I'll have to give it a few more spins.
Yes
3/5
15 years ago, this would have been my jam and would be an easy 4/5 assuming I had hopped on the Yes boat back then (as far as prog rock went, I was more into Pink Floyd/Coheed and Cambria, and then the metal stuff like Dream Theater and Opeth).
Unfortunately since then, I discovered technical metal, post-rock and metal (similarly black metal) and punk music, which to me are kinda the opposite of prog. Especially punk, but technical metal accomplishes the virtuosity of prog without feeling noodly (assuming they're not sacrificing feeling/humanity/emotion for pure technicality). Post-rock and metal/black metal gets me the long run time that I do like, but allows me to just vibe to it which I can't do with prog. And punk music is self-explanatory, haha.
So yeah, my tastes have basically changed to want music that is functionally not prog, lol.
That said, still a solid album, the sounds on this thing are nostalgic to my childhood (parents big into classic rock), and the musicianship is great. I've Seen All Good People is a stone cold classic. Just, my tastes have changed, and I don't have a ton of patience anymore for prog rock noodling beyond what has been grandfathered onto my playlists.
Rod Stewart
4/5
This one surprised me a bit, and made me realize Rod Stewart is very Rolling Stones-esque.
Never really thought to listen to a whole album by him, but it was a good listen. Like Stones if you cut out heavier blues stuff. Which I like a lot, because the deep blues stuff Stones do kinda has aged a lot to my ears.
While Stones I think are better in general on their big singles (Nothing on this album comes close to something like Gimme Shelter), I liked this album as a whole better than Let It Bleed.
Maggie May is a classic, and Every Picture Tells a Story and (Find a) Reason to Believe are fantastic. That's All Right is the only song I'm kinda "eh" on and even then, it's still solid, just doesn't justify it's length IMO.
Great album.
Elvis Presley
2/5
It's fine I guess, but the whole time I was listening to it, I was just thinking how there is so much better rock music from around the same time.
Doesn't have the songs I like from him, and a lot of his vocal affectations kinda annoy me/are all over the place. It's like there's three different singers on the record, and they don't really mesh.
Was hoping for some good Fallout-core and unfortunately did not get it, haha (Although Fallout music is more 40's, but still).
Queen Latifah
2/5
Feel like if I was listening to hip hop back then, this would have been great, but in a world with Kendricks and Aesop Rocks, this album just feels ancient.
Not necessarily aged poorly, just that the beats and rapping are very simple, there's a lot of "I'm a great rapper, I'll destroy you at the mic" lyrics. That late 80's "I need to hit every beat extremely hard with my rhymes" with a very hard flow (which is now, unfortunately, synonymous with awful corporate training videos that try to be cool).
A lot of the music is great and some of the sung choruses are great (The Pros, which weirdly has some of my least favorite rapping on the record. Which is funny because the sung choruses have better "rapping" with rolled/trilled lines that the actual rapping does not).
Monie Love was great on Ladies First.
Also, recognized the sample used on Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children as it was used in an episode of Better Call Saul, fun fact (Scorpio by Dennis Coffey).
But overall, it gets the 2/5 simply because this style of rapping, to me, has just kinda been left behind and does not really work for me in today's landscape. Not necessarily a knock against the album itself and more just a reflection of how far hip hop has progressed since this album came out (and how far it's progressed due to this album's influence).
Eagles
2/5
Just like the debut, two great singles (Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane) and a middling single (New Kid in Town) surrounded by awful to middling tracks. At least this album felt like it went by quick despite multiple songs dragging on way too long. Wasted Time felt like it wasted my time, and the reprise was wholly inconsequential. Pretty Maids All in a Row had awful singing, and The Last Resort was about 4 minutes too long.
The Eagles are a singles band. Don't ever bother with whole albums, just listen to their greatest hits records.
Sabu
2/5
Kinda in the vein of Tanto Tempo and Siembra. Vibe/experience music that isn't something I'd put on while in the car or just listening to music, but could get behind in the right contexts (Dancing, soundtracks, etc).
Only difference is, a lot of it is just rhythm based with minimal music, so a lot of the album does not do anything for me really.
I'd give it a 3 if it weren't for the rhythm based stuff.
David Gray
2/5
Gonna be honest, don't really see why this album belongs on this list. It feels incredibly derivative and just bored me to tears. Reading on Wikipedia, it says it's pretty influtial to artists like James Blunt, Ed Sheeran, etc., but I wouldn't put any of them on this list either, so I don't really get it. Maybe it's a situation of the "original" feeling passe because everyone today does it now, but like I said, it feels incredibly derivative (Singing is like Bob Dylan, but not in a good way, a lot of the songs sound like folk music I've heard that was made prior to this album).
Yeah, just a very forgettable, boring album to me.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Some really great afrobeat/jazz. Apparently some scathing political themes that got his mother killed and him nearly beaten to death, but not going to be able to dig into that for this review.
Ultimately though, while I recognize it's great, it's just not for me. I'm super picky when it comes to jazz (Mostly just like 50's jazz and jazzy conscious hip-hop type stuff), so it just isn't for me.
Beach House
3/5
Don't got a ton to say about it. 10 years ago might have been a 4, but not really looking for this kinda indie rock right now, personally.
Dead Kennedys
5/5
One of the best hardcore punk records out there with biting lyrics that feel just as relevant today as they likely did back then. Every song is amazing, but especially stuff like Kill the Poor, Let's Lynch the Landlord, California Uber Alles, and Holiday in Cambodia.
East 5/5 for me.
Suede
3/5
Don't have a ton to say. It's very Bowie, pretty good. Just not really into it much, and sounds pretty dated for a 90's album.
The Pretty Things
4/5
If you took The Beatles and gave them The Who's penchant for rock operas?
Half the songs on this album I expected the chorus of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds to break out. It's very Sgt. Peppers.
Great album. Balloon Burning weirdly sounds a bit like a late 2000's, early 2010's indie rock song.
Don't think I'll ever go back to it or playlist anything on it, but its very good.
Maxwell
2/5
I'm thinking this is a case of an album aging particularly poorly, but this album just sounds dated and cheesy as hell, which is what I imagine happens to most sensual "bedroom" R&B music (Marvin Gaye excluded). The funky record scratch type guitar sound (someone help me here. I dont think its a flanger, whats the pedal used for the guitar sound that comes out right away in the first song, assuming it is an effects pedal?) just dates this album so hard.
Also comes off as a bit elevator-music or dentist music-y at times.
But even still, I've listened to much better neo soul before (D'Angelo's Black Messiah is fantastic, and D'Angelo is a much better singer), so even for the genre, disregarding how poorly it's aged, it's still not good IMO.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
The lack of an Oxford comma notwithstanding (I won't ding it for that, but I will register my dislike of it not being there. Mentally painful to not be able to write that comma in), solid album, but S&G have always felt like they never had enough of an edge for me. A little too cozy a lot of times, although 7 O'clock News/Silent Night does go hard. Thinking back, Mrs. Robinson is a political song, but I never thought of S&G as political despite coming from the 60's. Maybe should pay more attention to their lyrics.
The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine felt very Beatles, so points for that.
LTJ Bukem
3/5
Feel like Logical Progression is too good of a title for this record, to the point where it's kind of a detriment. The evolution of the record is so slow and drawn out that it just blends together and doesn't feel like you're hearing individual tracks so much as a two hour long song. And no album can sustain itself at that length IMO, even if all the tracks manage to differentiate themselves.
It gets a 3 simply because what's there is solid outside of the 2 hour runtime, but I really, really didn't need 2 hours of very similar-ish music. EDM just escapes me everytime.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Pretty much see my review of At San Quentin. Just a solid live record. His voice is a little more strained on some songs, but it gives it character rather than taking away from the performance.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Went into this expecting a 4/5 since I've really enjoyed what I've heard from Curtis Mayfield before, but also expecting it to show some age.
It absolutely didn't. Soulful, funky, amazing. Title track and Freddie's Dead being my standouts.
I'll have to listen again to see if I want to playlist anything, but this is an amazing record.
Edit: After sitting on this for a while, knocking it down to a 4. Still a fantastic record, but haven't really felt like going back to it since I got it.
George Jones
2/5
It's fine, not offensive. Definitely not the type of country I like. It's very twangy and "generic" (maybe wasn't generic in 74 and that's just a function of a lot of country since then through the 90s sounding like that), and the lyrics aren't doing much for me outside of The Grand Tour. Well covered ground for these topics in country.
Would be a 2.5 if I could give half points.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Feel like this album is feeling it's age a bit with some of its sounds, but its still basically one of the best examples of that sound.
I do prefer Jackson's harder edge on some songs here, but Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are the only songs that I'd really come back to. Very much don't really care for the lighter R&B songs here.
The Stone Roses
3/5
Like if The Beatles and The Who had a baby who also were also slightly into shoegaze? Obviously a lot more influences than that, but those are the ones that jumped out at me.
Good album, just doesn't hit me like I assume it hits a lot of other people.
I'd just rather be listening to The Beatles, The Who, or My Bloody Valentine/slowdive, haha.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
Absolute classic of an album.
Excited to get this one, because I remember listening to it years back and not really being able to get into it aside from the big singles.
But for some reason it's hitting right today. Kinda got that grunge edge to it, really raw and hurt lyrics. Of course the singles are great with You Oughta Know clearly being the highlight of the album (And one of my go-to karaoke songs, although Right Through You might be added to that, haha).
Really want to give it a 5, but think I'll settle on a 4 simply because I can't put it into the upper echelon of albums like Abbey Road, Dark Side of the Moon, To Pimp a Butterfly, etc. It's an amazing, classic album, but not quite a masterpiece.
The Style Council
2/5
This is... not good. The first half was generic, but inoffensive jazz pop type stuff. And then the second half came with the bad hip hop song. Then it just kept up with the terrible songs.
Props for the attempt at genre hopping, and the talent is there on the first half, but this is just bad.
I've had one other album I said I don't understand why it's on the list, but at least that album seemed to have been influential in some way. But this one's claim to fame seems to have been getting a reappraisal due to its inclusion in the 1001 albums book? At least if I'm reading the dates in the Wikipedia article correctly.
So yeah. Album IMO that has no business being on this list, unfortunately.
Scritti Politti
1/5
Gonna be honest, couldnt even get halfway through this thing (although I did skim the later songs just to confirm I wouldn't like those either).
This album feels like it was specifically designed for me to hate it. It's excruciatingly 80's. You couldn't make a more 80's sounding record. The vocalist is insufferable to my ears and it's like they tried to take every 80's music trope, sound, and production technique, and cram them all into one 40 minute album. Like they took a soundboard of every cliche 80's sound that exists and made sure to hit every button on the board.
Frank Zappa
4/5
Not really a Zappa fan, although I've enjoyed pretty much everything I've heard from him before, and when I saw this this morning, was kinda not looking forward to it because just wasn't in the mood for weird progressive, bluesy, jazz rock type stuff.
Not that it's appears on much aside from like the first track, but he has a knack for taking really cliche, overused sounds that come off as super dated and making them sound extremely fresh and interesting.
But its undeniable that this thing is amazing. Definitely gets a bump up for being almost entirely instrumental, although I don't really dislike Zappa's singing, just that sometimes I am not in the mood for it.
System Of A Down
3/5
Not that I don't think this album should be on the list, but if we're only picking one SOAD album for the list, it should be Toxicity.
Anyways, I generally like System, just never really dug into them outside their big hits. This album is good, but I'm missing the melodies from their later stuff. And it feels more standard nu-metal compared to their later stuff, which I'm not as big as fan of.
Drive Like Jehu
4/5
Was definitely looking forward to this once I learned it was post-hardcore.
Like if Nirvana and Sunnyday Real Estate had a kid who made post-hardcore music. Can definitely hear some Slint on here too.
Great record, only complaint is the songs tend to be too long. Coulda used a little cutting down (30 second feedback to start Super Unison was a bit much), but other than that, fantastic.
The Cardigans
4/5
Didn't realize I knew Lovefool until it came up, and yeah I understand why that was the big hit off the album. But while that is undeniably the best song on the album, I feel like the rest of the album is more interesting. Very unique sound, basically funneling a 60's sound through the 90's, with a fantastic vocalist and great lyrics.
Also, one of the most interesting covers of a song I've ever heard, covering Black Sabbath's Iron Man.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
My process of listening to this was initially thinking I'd give it a 3, halfway through struggling between 3 and 4, and by the end thinking I'd end up giving it a 5, but honestly don't think I can put it on the same level as an Abbey Road or TPAB, but it's a fun as hell record.
If a greaser from the 50's traveled forward to 1978 and made hipster new wave music. Some of best 80's pop rock I've ever heard, and the record was made in 78. Never really been a fan of male fronted new wave music, but this just hits right. Great pop songs, Costello's got a fantastic voice. What I imagine truly cool/hip music from that time sounds.
Hilariously I've only heard one Costello song prior to listening to this, Pump It Up (on Rock Band), and honestly that's probably the weakest song on the album.
Don't even think I can pick highlights, whole record is class.
David Bowie
3/5
Was super excited to get this when I saw it last night, but unfortunately was a lot different from what I was expecting.
I will give it praise, for an album that was composed on the spot in the studio, and lyrics being written as he was in front of the microphone, the album sounds insanely cohesive with a flow between the songs, to the point where halfway through I was curious if it was a concept/rock opera with a ton of time and thought put behind it.
That said, the biggest issue I have with this record is the production. It's a lot, raw, and its loud. I'm not a big fan of electronics that sound raw and grating, I prefer electronics to be a little more produced in sound (but not so much that it becomes soulless).
The first two tracks were the ones most heavily affected by that, so I didn't care much for them.
The next 3 tracks were solid, with Heroes (classic song) and Blackout being my favorites. Then the next couple tracks felt kinda like nothing tracks.
Honestly wasn't huge on the instrumentals either. They didn't feel fully fleshed out, but the detraction isn't necessarily from that fact as I don't think there was more to be done, it goes back to the album feeling like a rock opera. What the instrumentals are missing is a movie/story to be set to them.
Overall, solid record, just not really for me unfortunately, which is a bummer because I love Bowie and Heroes is a classic song.
4/5
Funny how not random true-random feels. Got Bowie's Heroes yesterday, and today Ziggy Stardust.
Anyways, went into this expecting a very easy 5/5 and while it's still a classic, surprised at myself for not liking it quite as much as I was expecting. Still a fantastic album with no bad songs, but mostly I just enjoy the big hits like Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, and Suffragette City. But this album has the classic Bowie acoustic guitar sound, so it's great.
Duran Duran
4/5
I typically am not a huge fan of 80's pop and some of the sounds on this album are overplayed to me (but haven't aged like a ton of 80's pop), but this album is pristine and basically perfect. The songs are all so cohesive together. Extremely consistent sound through the whole thing.
Shocking that this reviewed poorly when it came out.
Last Chance on the Stairway and Save a Prayer are fantastic cuts, along with the two songs I've heard before, Rio and Hungry Like A Wolf.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Still not a huge Stones fan, although I liked this album as a whole better than Let It Bleed.
You can hear this album's influence everywhere, from La Grange by ZZ Top to Shania Twain.
Overall though, solid, just wasn't blown away.
Radiohead
3/5
Dunno, but this album feels like a transition between old alt-rock Radiohead and experimental Radiohead, and it isn't working for me.
The lighter, airy-er tracks work (High and Dry, Fake Plastic Trees), but the more alt rock songs just sound dated. Also don't know if it's just me but I'm noticing a slight alt-country tinge to a lot of the music, and I'm not a huge fan of that either.
Overall though, decent.
Jamiroquai
4/5
Not much to say, just a super fun album. Although hearing this makes it clear that Jamiroquai has a sound and sticks to it. Not the album with Canned Heat on it (Great use of that song in Napoleon Dynamite), but Canned Heat wouldn't sound out of place on this record despite that song being recorded 6 years later.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Perfectly fine folk rock, would be good music to listen to while sitting in a cabin on a lake (which makes sense as I hear it's influence on Bon Iver's For Emma, Forever Ago all over this record).
Mrs. Robinson and Hazy Shade of Winter being the standouts.
But overall, I'm just not a huge S&G fan. It's got its time and place to listen to for me, but not something I'd go back to regularly.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Never listened to Joni Mitchell before, so didn't know what to expect, but wasn't necessarily expecting a fantastic jazz-tinged folk record. Incredibly dense for folk music, but still accessible.
Definitely gonna spin this a few more times to pick out some playlist stuff, but immediately my favorites are In France They Kiss On the Streets and Edith and the Kingpin.
You know an old record is great when you read that reviewers of the time thrashed it for being "too experimental", and then you listen to it and it doesn't really sound particularly experimental because it's influence is heard all over modern music (Bon Iver, Radiohead, Gorillaz). It just sounds like a damn good, classic record. It's funny because the one song they picked out as good, The Jungle Line, is easily the most experimental track on the record, and IMO one of the "weaker" cuts (still good).
Weird pull, but this album has Animal Crossing vibes. Would not be surprised to hear Totaka took influence from this album for the soundtrack to those games, haha.
Nine Inch Nails
5/5
Perfect the whole way through, from the weird industrial jazz of Piggy to my favorite track Heresy. Closer is overplayed and a meme at this point but it's still the best track on the record being an emotional low point on a record that somehow manages to dig down further after that. A song that on any other album would be the most brutal song on the record lyrically, and here it's downright cheerful in comparison to some of the other tracks.
The Becoming somehow managing to keep finding ways to one up the anxiety when you thought it was taped out. Reptile with its scratching that bores into your brain. And the finale, Hurt, which has kinda been overshadowed by the Cash version at this point, but is still a fitting and poignant end to this brutal, despairing album.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Fantastic album that's just really not my speed. Superstition is a classic that feels slightly out of place on the album.
Couple other tracks I'm enjoying, You Got It Bad Girl and Lookin For Another Pure Love, but overall, just not my speed. Some songs just feel a tad long.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
3/5 out of context
1/5 based on context
Halfway through this album I was extremely confused as to why this album was rated so low. Music is solid, got a vibe to it, was enjoying it but not something I'd necessarily go back to. But looking up the context, yeah. Lyrics about grooming an underage girl. Fun. There's separating the art and the artist, and then there's the artist just straight up writing these lyrics. Maybe I'm missing context due to the language barrier, but my short time looking up the album doesn't seem to paint the plot of the album in negative light or some sort of cautionary tale, it's just straight up cool with it.
I guess the album was vaguely based on his relationship with Jane Birken (who was thankfully 22 at the time of meeting him, but still side eyeing that relationship with him being close to 20 years her senior), but still. Hard to not feel uncomfortable listening to this album.
I guess it influenced Portishead, so at least it did some good in having a part in making one of my all time favorite albums, Dummy?
Muddy Waters
3/5
Just some damn good blues, and the re-records on this are reminding me of this dudes influence.
Unfortunately, I'm just not a blues person. Good for sitting in a bar during a live performance, but not something I'd put on in the car or just to listen to.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Timeless, lush record. Every track is a winner on this one. Only track that I'm not super hot on is Save the Children. A little too on the nose for me, but still good music wise.
Don't got a ton to say about it, other than I appreciate that this album has two inductees on the "Marvin Gaye's Clueless Ass" playlist with What's Going On and What's Happening Brother.
The Zombies
2/5
Gonna be honest, wasn't a fan of this. Mostly it's issue is just being incredibly dated to my ears, and having a penchant for having fluff that doesn't really feel substantial. Stuff like Changes and Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914). That weird sound 60's music had that sounds like psychedelic ren faire music. Incredibly thin sounding. Just not my thing. Super simple piano lines that feel like they came out of a beginner's piano practice booklet as opposed to something I can actually sink my teeth into (A Rose For Emily).
This is everything I don't like about a lot of psychedelic 60's music.
Time of the Season is the only track on the album that really feels worthwhile and substantial to me. Stone cold classic song. Although Care of Cell 44 I thought was fairly solid.
Yeah. I know this is a widely regarded album, but not only is it dated, but its got that issue where the big hit sounds nothing like the rest of the album, and I just feel weirdly let down by it. You expect one sound, and you get another. And unfortunately that other sound is a sound I dislike.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Firstly, I am objecting to this album's inclusion on the list for one reason, that it released too recently IMO. Feel like there should be a minimum of 5 years wait after an album releases before it gets added. Even in the rare case when an album comes out of the gate that's a clear instant classic (Nevermind, for example), waiting five years won't kill it. 99% of the time, there's no way you can judge an album's impact or influence on release.
And this album got added in the 2021 edition too, so went on immediately.
That said, still a great record, and Lana Del Rey definitely belongs on the list eventually. I slightly prefer Norman Fucking Rockwell!! as far as Lana albums go, but this still has great tracks. Breaking Up Slowly is great. Dance Till We Die has a fun little portion towards the end that breaks up the slow/chill vibe in a good way.
Not a ton to say about it though, it's just good.
Yes
3/5
Pretty much same as the past Yes album. Would be higher if I was into prog music.
Roundabout and Long Distance Runaround being the standouts and classics here. South Side of the Sky and Heart of the Sunrise are solid cuts too, but there's a lot of short little interludes that really don't smoke much for me.
Kanye West
4/5
First of all, dude's an unhinged nazi and aside from re-listening to him for the purposes of this project, I make a point of not listening to his stuff because I don't even want to give him $0.0001 for listening to his stuff on Spotify. Don't feel good even spending fractions of cents to bankroll his platform.
But for the purposes of this project, since his awful views aren't present in the lyrics/materials of his albums included on this list, I will rate them based on the art present (whereas previously I got a Serge Gainsbourg album that has lyrics talking about grooming and raping an underage girl. Regardless of the quality of the music, that gets a 1 from me).
All that said, this is an all-time classic of an album. So many great hits. POWER, All of the Lights, Monster, Runaway. This was Kanye at his absolute peak. Sure there are still the cringe bars that Kanye always had, but damn if this album isn't catchy and amazingly produced. The vibe/instrumental of So Appaled is insane. Shoutout to Nicki Minaj's verse on Monster, easily the best verse in her career, absolutely blowing both Kanye and Jay Z's verses on that track out of the water. Bon Iver closing out the track is just icing on the cake.
There are a few songs that aren't as solid as I remember, Hell of A Life and Lost in the World/Who Will Survive in America, although still good. Blame Game did not need that outro. But still a fantastic album.
Joan Armatrading
3/5
Pretty good album that has a decent breadth of sounds. I really liked the opener as it was very Bob Seger. Join the Boys definitely influenced Big & Rich's Save A Horse (Ride a Cowboy). Somebody Loves You is giving me slight vibes of Katrina and the Waves' Walking on Sunshine (Armatrading obviously making her song first).
But like Big Brother and the Holding Company and Rolling Stones, blues rock doesn't do much for me. Definitely enjoying this one a bit more than the other blues rock records I've gotten so far. Joan had a great voice.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
Like if Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, and Father John Misty had a baby together, but not as good.
The music itself is actually fairly top notch but the singing just feels derivative, and the lyrics feel like Father John Misty (especially on If...), but without his weirdness and whit to stop them from feeling dumb.
Throw this on the pile of albums I honestly don't think belongs on the list. Apparently the album's biggest claim to fame (aside from being used as a theme for a British TV show) is being included in the book, so thats the biggest tell to me.
Prefab Sprout
3/5
Gonna be honest, I audibly groaned at seeing it was a sophisti-pop album. Feel like I've gotten one or two of those before and didn't like them.
That said, pretty solid album. Think the first half is stronger than the second half. Appetite is great.
Even when its trading in a lot of 80's sounds and production styles that I normally would dislike, it doesn't come off as unbearable to listen.
And compared to other sophisti-pop records I've listened to, it's very consistent in sound and style throughout.
That said, it sounds like a lot of music that I do dislike, it just happens to be the best version of that music I've heard, so while it's still not really my thing, I can appreciate that it is good.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
Just some great bar jazz. Type of stuff I'd love to hear while sitting in a basement speakeasy, eating a salmon dinner, and drinking a whiskey cocktail.
Love some of the teasing riffs they got going on here. Some passages that are almost catchy and would be if they repeated or had a few more notes put on, but aren't. Also love when the bass leads or the drums do the shuffling (like on the first track).
The album is on the long side, but the quality is consistent throughout.
Really enjoyed this, just chill listening.
Spacemen 3
2/5
It's almost offensive that this album is called Playing With Fire. Revolution is the first track that actually has any grit or bop to it (five songs in!!!), and it still manages to drone on and bore. Why was How Does It Feel so long? Honestly, it feels like my time was being wasted. Can the song Suicide please end, my God.
At the very least, what is here is at least pleasant, if excruciatingly boring, so it doesn't get a 1, but this album is tough.
John Martyn
2/5
Up front, not a fan of the porny jazz-funk.
It just sounds cheesy and embarrassing to me. Maybe when it came out it didn't have that connotation, but it does now for me.
But honestly what's really doing this album in for me is the god awful singing. Can't stand his voice. Even on the one decent song, Dancing, it absolutely ruins the track.
Close to a 1, but there's enough talent here (and the instrumental of Dancing) to save it from scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
This type of music is tailored made to get a 3 from me. Not because I'm not into it or because it's just not great, but moreso it tends to be experience music (dancing, soundtracks, restaurant/bars music) and not listening music for me. Like 99% of the time I can't imagine myself listening to it in the car or something.
And this album kinds still is that, but this is special. There's layers and little stuff in it that makes it stand above most other music of similar styles I've heard. Songs like Chan Chan, El Cuarto de Tula, Das Gadenias, and Buena Vista Social Club just have a vibe I love. Very dark speakeasy type music.
Some of the more upbeat tracks I'm not so hot on, but they're still solid.
If I had a real complaint, it'd mostly be that some of the songs (especially early on) tend to be repetitive and overly long, but there's enough riffing and soloing that it doesn't bother me a lot.
Steve Earle
3/5
I can't help but notice this album feels like he took the best parts of 80's rock and just added country into the equation. Whether he was the influencer or the influenced, I don't know, but ultimately it's generally just fine to me? I'm not huge on country so it takes something special to get me interested, and I'm not hearing anything I haven't before (although thats partially a factor of it being 40 years old).
That said, and couple tracks on the back end are solid, Fearless Heart and Little Rock 'N' Roller. But yeah. Not really my thing.
Feels like John Mellencamp but Mellencamp did the heartland rock thing better.
ZZ Top
4/5
This is the type of blues rock I can get behind. Not the deep blues stuff Rolling Stones do (not that there's anything wrong with it, just isn't my thing), but blues rock that's primarily rock.
Classics all around on this album. Consistent throughout in sound (although a bit to a fault). Feel like Gibbons heard Duran Duran's album Rio and decided ZZ Top needed to keep up, but just in a blues rock way instead of moving to New Wave.
Some questionable lyrics and one dud of a song (I'm looking at you TV Dinners), but overall a very enjoyable record.
New Order
4/5
So I kinda skipped ahead and listened to some Cure, Joy Division, and New Order records before getting them on this list (didn't care much for Joy Division. Liked some of The Cure. I can't remember the New Order record I listened to). Didn't listen to Technique ahead of time though, but I will say listening to those albums ahead of time has definitely helped me appreciate 80's post-punk/new wave/synth pop music a lot more. Previously I really only enjoyed Depeche Mode and a little bit of Souxie and the Banshees because a lot of these bands trade in 80's styles that aren't really my thing, and tend to be sickeningly bittersweet. And I generally wasn't huge on male fronted new wave in the past.
That said, aside from a shaky start on the first song, this album is back to back to back bangers. Lyrics can be a bit off (not a fan of the "I do so much for you but you keep picking assholes who don't appreciate you, I could love you better" lyrics of Love Less, but the music and singing are great).
This album comes off as very Depeche Mode but in major? Which is probably why I ended up enjoying it so much, because Depeche Mode is great.
B.B. King
3/5
Very good blues. Generally not my thing, but got enough of a Fallout-core thing going on that I enjoy it a little more than most blues. The crowd reactions are great and his voice is fantastic.
Buffalo Springfield
3/5
It's fine. Don't really got anything to say about it, just doesn't do much for me.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Very close to a 4 for me, but somethings not hitting my ears right. Definitely parts of it is Win Butler's vocals I don't think are very good.
Wake Up is a classic, and I generally enjoy most of the rest of the record, especially everything after Wake Up, but yeah, just not quite doing it for me.
The Band
3/5
Another one of those good albums that just don't do much for me. The Weight is a classic and while the album comes off to me as a better Grateful Dead, it still doesn't do a ton for me. No complaints from me, but minimal praises.
3/5
This is probably that hardest album for me to rate so far. I can't give it a 4 because stuff like Duran Duran's Rio and New Order's Technique are just clearly better (which I gave 4s to). This album wears its influences on it's sleeves and isn't particularly original even if it is influential itself (I thought I heard The Look of Love Pt 4 before but nope, I'm remembering Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time. Better song, but clearly influenced by ABC).
But I also don't want to give it a 3/5 because it's clearly a cut above. It may not be original, but its easily one of the most competent 80's pop records I've heard. I will say the flow of the lyrics/singing is the weak point. Kinda got a slight 80's hip hop Hit. Every. Word. On. The. Beat. feel.
The most 3.5 album to rule the world, lol.
But it'll have to settle with a 3 because it's just not Duran Duran.
Sepultura
4/5
Finally some more metal, haha. This list is in desperate need of it.
Not usually a big fan of groove metal. Previously gave Pantera's album Vulgar Display of Power a 3/5. And while this album has a lot of that feel, it's got enough death metal in it along with the Brazillian tribal grooves to elevate it for me.
Weirdly, the biggest song from the record, Roots Bloody Roots, is probably the weakest track for me, but its still solid.
The album is on the long side so can't really pick songs out specifically, but its very consistent the whole way through. I'd cut the album down personally, but there isn't a wasted minute on this thing either.
Prince
3/5
This one's gonna get me crucified, but I'm not a Prince fan. It's a collection of immaculately produced and performed songs that just do nothing for me.
And every time he goes into his high pitched screeches, it just takes me out of it.
The one song that I enjoy, When Doves Cry still has the issue of being two minutes too long.
Let's Go Crazy is a solid track too, but that's my extent of enjoyment from this record. It's just too pristine and doesn't have enough grit for me, and even when he tries to add the grit I'm looking for (such as with the aforementioned screams/screeches), it falls flat for me.
I admit this album is good (and probably great), it's just not for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Great record. I think maybe better than Fever to Tell? Have to go back to that, but I gave that a 4 as well.
Heads Will Roll and Dull Life being the standouts.
If I had a nickel for every great piano driven song called Runaway (Kanye's and now YYY's), I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but its weird it's happened twice.
I will complain a little, as great as both YYYs albums are, I don't think the list needs two records from them. Be tough to pick which to keep though.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Was really good, just didn't really wow me either. Kinda like an OK Computer era Radiohead if they mixed in Billy Joel influence?
Genesis
3/5
So I'm not really a fan of prog. Used to be when I was younger, but ended up growing out of it when I decided I wanted more concise or "intentional" music (punk, technical/math rock), or, if you're gonna have ten minute long songs, it needs to be a vibey/atmospheric type thing (post-rock/metal, black metal).
But even among prog, this is still one of the weaker ones I've listened for this project. I still gave them 3s, but I preferred the Yes albums. Mostly because those are rock, whereas this album is more folk influenced. Which is weird because I'm always down for folk, but I don't know what it was with some of those 70's prog bands and wanting their music to sound like a ren faire soundtrack.
Mostly, though, this album is just fine for me, although The Battle of Epping Forest tries my patience. It's all over the place, some really annoying (if intentional) vocal inflections, and some really weird crushed guitar picking that feels out of time. Very plinky in a select few spots.
But yeah. It's fine. Music is well done/performed. Mostly just isn't for me.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Very light four, not the type of music I'd go back to (although I did playlist the title track). If it weren't for the lyricism and the context around this album, would have been an easy three for me.
The title track goes hard. Couple songs that are fine generally (although lyrics are great throughout Leaving the Table especially) but musically aren't as interesting to me. Travelling Light and on though are on the same level as the title track.
Overall, fantastic record, and emotionally harrowing listenening to him basically on his deathbed recording this.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Charlie Brown-ass music. It's a very high 3, and I was going to give it a 4 at one point, but it went on a little too long, and for a 60's inspired folk album, even 41 minutes felt a tad indulgent. Maybe cut one song towards the back end or something and it'd be a perfect length, around 35-36 minutes.
Me and the Major is probably the standout for me. Easily the most urgent, fun song with some great harmonica. Dunno if I'll playlist it, but yeah.
Screaming Trees
3/5
It's really interesting how with any grunge band you can generally pick out their major influence that they then work into the grunge sound.
Soundgarden was Zeppelin/Black Sabbath. Pearl Jam was classic rock like The Who. Nirvana was punk/Melvins/Sonic Youth type stuff. Screaming Trees is apparently 60's psychedelic/Beatles type stuff.
But yeah, I generally prefer the big grunge bands over the smaller ones (Screaming Trees, Tad, Green River, Mudhoney), and I think there's a reason why the Nirvanas, Pearl Jams, and Alice in Chains got big while the others didn't, and the influences they drew from were a bit more accessible compared to the smaller bands. Maybe that's a more in hindsight thing, but yeah.
It's no different here for me. Dust is a fine album, but I'd rather be listening to an In Utero, Badmotorfinger, or Dirt.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
Another one that isn't really my thing, probably won't go back to, but I appreciate that it has its own unique sound as opposed to sounding like a million other bands I've heard. Probably appreciate it a bit more so than the other 4s I've given recently.
Really enjoying the spacey sounds on this album. Giving me racing video game space level song vibes, like from Diddy Kong Racing (there's a pull, haha).
But yeah, this was a nice breath of fresh air after yesterday's Screaming Trees album. Not that I didn't like that album, just that it sounded like a lot of grunge I had heard before (just with psychedelic rock slapped on top). It's cool to get an album that you hear and go "Yeah. I could pick a Pet Shop Boys song out of a lineup after hearing them once" whereas I couldn't do that with Screaming Trees.
Adele
3/5
An album that jumps back and forth between great tracks and tracks that do nothing for me.
Rolling in the Deep. Stone cold classic. Rumor Has It? Annoying chorus. Set Fire to the Rain, fantastic. Take It All? Not a huge fan of the gospel.
He Won't Go is a great R&B track though, that one surprised me.
Generally, her slower ballad stuff bores me, and when she gets the shrill highs, it takes me out.
Fine record with some great classic, but the deep cuts generally let it down for me.
Madness
3/5
What a weird album. Feels really experimental, and kinda all over the place genre wise, but manages to stay consistent in tone/sound throughout. When Our House came up I was shocked since I was not expecting to recognize anything on this. And honestly, the fact that anything on this album broke through and became a hit is insane to me considering how much this album just does not care whether it's accessible or not.
Overally, enjoyed the album for what it was, but it was kinda silly a lot of the time and generally sits in a style that I find hard to take seriously I guess. A lot of dated sounding bass and instrumentals that while they don't sound dated in the context of the songs (In fact, they manage to make those sounds come off as really unique and fresh), it's tough for me to separate them out from other music I hear those sounds in and are extremely dated/cheesy themselves.
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
Gonna be honest, I'm thinking I'm harsher on this album than I normally would be since I'm kinda feeling like I'm not in the mood for this record. It's something I might be able to appreciate more if I give it another shot in the future, but gonna go off my listen now.
That said, I still don't think its particularly great. Extremely, distractingly overproduced, just way too much going on. Also way too long. Hour and 12 is indulgent, especially for how stuffed/overproduced this thing is.
Kinda feels like budget Kanye to me.
I Gotcha has a terrible beat. Like he's rapping over an Animal Crossing tune. Those two things don't mix unless you're K.K. Slider.
Some solid tunes though. Sunshine (even though the start with the stutter was annoying, Hurt Me Soul has a similar start), Kick Push, Daydreamin'.
But overall, I'm just not feeling it.
Beck
4/5
Really enjoyed this album. Fantastic country-tinged folk with some slight weirdness you'd expect from Beck. Spacey, dark at times, and beautiful.
Definitely wasn't expecting an earnest folk album from Beck given his previous output, but it's welcome. Playlisted Lost Cause, Already Dead, and Little One (weirdly that ones giving me Nirvana vibes. Like if Cobain made a folk song).
Paper Tiger is probably the weakest track on the record, but that won't stop me from giving this full marks.
Overall, impressed by this record.
Edit: Thinking back on this one, while still fantastic, I don't really find myself going back to it. Think it'll fit better as a 4.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Despite this album showing it's age (especially with the flow and some of the lyrics), I really liked the raw production and the beats on this thing. Not used to hearing raw production I'd usually find on black metal records on a hip hop record (lots of crackling, sound levels vary across songs, etc), yet here we are, haha. The beats too have this really unique style to them I haven't really heard anywhere else. This really dark, uncomfortable vibe that's really cool.
Definitely hearing this album's influence particularly in other ungrounded hip hop records like Dr. Octagonecologist (just without the juvenile humor and sci-fi weirdness. Will say Dr. Octagonecologist is a fantastic record).
D. Original and You Can't Stop the Prophet being my standouts.
The Sonics
3/5
First of all, this album is perfect the way it is.
That said, this album sounds like absolute shit, lol. I don't think I've heard a worse sounding album this side of black metal.
The drums sound awful, the guitars/bass gets buried a lot of the time in the mix. It sounds like a live record recorded in their grandma's basement. But again, I wouldn't have it any other way. It gives it charm.
Mostly the songs worth anything on this record are the covers and not the originals. They really add a hard punk edge to the covers that's great. The Originals I could take or leave. You can definitely tell when they're covering something and when they're playing originals (even if you don't know the originals). Strychnine is probably their best original.
As much as I'm enjoying this record, I can't give it more than a 3 purely due to mostly being a covers record.
Barry Adamson
2/5
Sure.
Immediately dissapointed by the dated funk of the first song with the cringe Right Said Fred vocals. The music on this record is generally fine, but way to kitschy too be enjoyable.
Stereotypical elevator/mall-ass music in Miles. Some decent jazz (In a Moment of Clarity) that I'd enjoy a lot more if it weren't surrounded by all this cheese.
Cheesy spy music around too, with The Big Bamboozle.
Probably my favorite song is The Sweetest Embrace. Which makes sense, being the song with Nick Cave on it. Probably the most accessible, "standard" song on the record?
Overall, just think this album is too silly. And I don't necessarily have a problem with that, it's just whenever you make music like this, it's very liable to age quickly. And this album is no exception. It might be good music, but hearing some of these songs out of the context of an Adam West Batman or 60's James Bond film (for example) isn't going to do this type of music favors.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
It's weird, I think this is a better album than Talking Book, but Talking Book (If I remember right) was more listenable? Generally Innervisions sits in a very vibey space, whereas Talking Book has more bangers.
Higher Ground and Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing being the exceptions on Innervisions. Those are bop.
Either way, gets a 4 same as Talking Book for me.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Gonna be honest, although this has nothing to do with the quality because it's a good album, but this album probably shouldn't be on the list.
Fundamentally I just dont think albums that are primarily covers albums should be on the list. But that's just me.
That said, yeah, still a good album that I think is heavily buoyed by his magnificent cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt. Brutally haunting reinterpretation of the song.
Most of the rest of the album is solid country/folk songs that vary in quality in comparison to their originals (at least the ones I've heard before), but they're never unnecessary I feel. For example, Bridge Over Troubled Waters is solid, but the original Simon & Garfunkel is better and Cash's cover doesn't particularly stand out (although nice to have Fiona Apple on Cash's cover). Same with In My Life.
Can 100% understand where the idea of the Personal Jesus cover came up. Similar to him covering Soundgarden's Rusty Cage, they just recognized that the song is basically a country track, and went with it. Basically, the best covers are the ones where he takes a song from outside his wheelhouse and reinterprets them, as opposed to straight covers of folk/country tunes.
The originals are solid too, Give My Love to Rose is great.
But overall, with the exception of Hurt, it's just good.
Leftfield
2/5
This album generally sits between annoying and boring for me. Starting off with the Macarena sounding Release the Pressure, and then following it up with Afro Left where they do that thing with their tongue and make a noise with it against their lips like a school kid taunting someone... yeah. Not enjoying this one.
Otherwise it's kinda atmospheric dance beats that are repetitive, and wouldnt be out of place on a video game soundtrack. Didn't listen to the whole thing, kinda skimmed around when I realized early on that I wouldn't like it.
Was kinda enjoying the vibe of Original, but the vocals ruined it. Dunno what it is with EDM records and their monotone talk-singing, but it just doesn't sound good to me.
Some songs like Original and Inspection (Check One) almost verge on Massive Attack-esque trip hop, but its not enough, and not good enough.
On top of that, and hour and nine minutes of this is entirely too much.
Joy Division
3/5
So listened to this album previously because I was curious, and wasn't a huge fan of it. Getting it today, don't think my mind has been changed. Generally prefer New Order simply because they tend to have a more well rounded, full sound in my opinion.
Joy Division, for me, just feels like it's either lacking a dimension or the sound is dated in a way I'm not a huge fan of.
Generally for post-punk I'm looking for either a melancholic sound if they're going in a goth direction, or a new wave sound if they're going in more of a pop/upbeat direction. For the more goth songs on this record, they tended to be the more old-school Monster Mash type vibe as opposed to more melancholic like a Type-O Negative or Have A Nice Life. For the more pop/upbeat stuff, they were missing that new wave sound New Order tended to have.
Probably my favorite track was the opener, Disorder, which came close to the New Wave-y New Order stuff that I like, but I'm not fully into it.
Still a solid record, just not what I'm looking for in this type of music.
Paul Simon
2/5
Inoffensive but boring IMO, nothing special. Not as good as the Simon and Garfunkle records I had before (gave those a 3).
Basically what an entire album of songs that sound exactly like Rusted Roots' Send Me On My Way would sound like (so listening to this album, it's obvious what RRs influence was). Fine song, but I don't need an entire album of Send Me On My Way.
Pere Ubu
2/5
This one's weird, but easy. Music is great. Real World being the standout, instrumental wise. If this album were instrumental, it'd be getting a 4 from me.
It's just consistently let down by the really annoying vocals. I get that's the point, but I just can't. Dude sounds like a manic Peter Griffin, haha.
The Who
3/5
Perhaps it's unfair to judge them based on their debut when they were still in their Mod sound, but a lot of this album just doesnt "feel" like The Who to me. There's some songs that are definitely The Who, namely My Generation (and some even when they're still in their mod sound, like The Kids Are Alright and I Can't Explain, although the latter isn't on the original tracklist, so I won't grade the album with I Can't Explain included). Keith Moon isn't quite as manic and explosive as he will become a lot of the time. Feels like on some songs he's being handcuffed from doing what he wants to do, mainly because the music on this record wouldn't compliment his insane style.
The music can be a bit too "pretty" or standard sounding compared to their monstrous dinosaur rock they'd develop later on. The covers don't feel quite right for them either, even though they were definitely influenced by those bands, it wouldn't really be indicative of their later sound.
Overall, still a good album, but it mostly hints at what's to come, which is some of the best rock music ever produced and my favorite classic rock band.
As a side note, Quadrophenia being left off this list is unforgivable.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Kinda a begrudging 4/5 here. Dunno why I'm resistant to giving it a 4, but I am. Just can't justify a 3. Think it's just I'm not that big into Jackson, and when I don't care for one of his songs, I just really don't care for it.
I liked this more than Bad. The softer songs are generally better than on Bad, even if I'd rather leave them than take them. The song with McCartney's a little too cute for me though.
The three song run of Thriller, Beat It, and Billie Jean is legendary though, and some other songs are solid (PYT, The Lady In My Life). The first couple tracks I did feel were a tad long though. Human Nature is probably my least favorite track.
A very low 4. Legendary highs, but most of the rest of the album is just solid.
Iggy Pop
1/5
I can't figure out how anyone could possibly enjoy this record, and yet it's somehow regarded as a masterpiece?
Mid tempo slop with musical ideas that couldn't sustain themselves for 30 seconds, let alone the 7 and 8 and a half minute runtimes on some of these songs. Iggy Pop doing his worst David Bowie impression (and while it shouldn't be a shock, it was surprising to me that Bowie was involved on this record), sounding like he's phoning it in the whole time. 90% of this record the music refuses to do anything fun or interesting, with absolutely no drive to it.
China Girl and Tiny Girls are the only tracks that have any meat on the bones, and even then they're tepid.
This album is the musical equivalent of spoiled milk. It's incredibly off putting, like it was left out in the sun too long and now it's starting to get that stomach churning curdled smell.
It's hilarious reading the professional reviews of this album because they're perfectly describing the album yet somehow arriving at the conclusion that it's good?
"A necrophiliac's delight!"
"[He] doesn't sound alive ... he sounds automated."
"Iggy's got the tainted charisma of a dead poet."
"A very strange, morbid, obscure and unsettling [album]"
Like, my man. Just because it has a good backstory (Iggy and Bowie trying to kick a drug habit) and Bowie is involved doesn't mean you have to like it. You're allowed to say a Bowie project is shit. Be free, rid yourself of this awful album, and you'll never have to listen to it again, lol!
Suffice to say. I felt like an Idiot listening to this album.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Just a damn good soul record. Respect is obviously the big one, but Don't Let Me Lose This Dream, with its tropical vibe just hit.
The second half of the record is not quite as strong IMO. Good Times and Save Me is a tad old school blues for my taste, and am not huge on the country-soul of Do Right Woman, Do Right Man, but its still great, and the soul aspect of all those elevates them enough for me.
Nina Simone
4/5
Dunno if I have a ton to say about this. One of those albums that while I don't think I'll playlist anything, its one of those albums that just "feels" great. "I don't need to pay attention to the lyrics to know they're great" kinda music.
Side note, how the hell is Pastel Blues not on the list?
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Listening to this album is like listening to a Frankenstein's monster of a bunch of other artists, and its much lesser than the sum of its parts. I will say, most of the comparisons I have are to artists who came after this record was released, so props for likely being very influential, its just if it is influential, those artists just do it better.
It's like the weird slacker vibes of Beck mixed with the blues of The White Stripes (and Beck), with the flow of Kool Keith/Dr. Octagon, with the alt rock/hip hop experimentation of Gorillaz, with some early Red Hot Chili Peppers funk.
But again, all those artists are just so much better. I will say I quite enjoy the weird, bluesy, laid back/loose/sloppy vibe and instrumentation. The drums particularly are great. But what does this album in are the vocals/lyrics. G. Love's vocals are basically the same vibe as the instrumentation. Loose and sloppy, but they don't work for me. And he's giving us some absolutely deep and thoughtful lyrics such as "I like cold beverage, yeah/Uh, 'cause I'm feelin' kinda thirsty". Truly a lyrical genius, haha. Not that lyrics necessarily matter, I listen to plenty of bands where I don't care at all about the lyrics, but the lyrics here just seem so noticeably dumb that I can't ignore them. Naming his backing band "Special Sauce" tracks.
Special Sauce has the special sauce, but G. Love does not.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
Country/bluegrass isn't really my thing, especially old school stuff like this, but I can at least appreciate it if it's good.
And I'm not gonna hold it against it, but 2 hours is maybe a tad much.
Nashville Blues goes hard though. Kinda feels like that song is a very early precursor to genres like gothic country, dark folk, or murderfolk. Good stuff.
Devil Went Down to Georgia jumpscare with Lonesome Fiddle Blues as well. Gonna be honest, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band did it better.
2nd disc really leaning heavy on stuff that's either old country/bluegrass standards or music artists in the future have definitely "borrowed" as I'm hearing a ton of licks and stuff I've heard before.
Aphex Twin
4/5
If you know me, EDM is not my thing, so me giving this a 4, you know its good. Dunno what it is, its just a good vibe. And it sounds like it was extremely forward thinking. Wouldn't expect this sound from the mid eighties to early 90's. Feels more 2010s to me.
Gives me John Wick vibes, but if he were bumping around in the Mirror's Edge universe. Maybe a little Metroid Prime-y on Hedphelym.
Supertramp
3/5
Pretty solid prog-pop. A classic in Bloody Well Right, but the rest didn't really hit me. Couple songs that I didn't like (Hide In Your Shell and Dreamer). They got a kinda silly, childish sound that I feel like a lot of 70's prog bands would dip into and I'm not a fan.
Overall though, baffles me this album was picked over Breakfast in America, which has way more hits on it. Not that this record doesn't deserve it, but BiA should have been put in before Crime of the Century was even considered.
Solomon Burke
4/5
Fantastic soul record, and damn near perfect. Every song is a winner, just pretty samey throughout.
Not much more to say.
Sex Pistols
3/5
Honestly, going into this after never hearing it before, I was expecting a really poorly produced, unlistenable mess, especially with what I've heard about it before.
But what I got was a generally well produced, catchy punk record. Problems I think is the standout to me. The shenanigans of the members outside the band notwithstanding, its just a solid record I felt. Pretty repetitive and the longest 39 minutes I've ever listened to (which is insane for a punk record. Usually these things feel breezy), but the repetition kinda wore.
Not something I'd ever go back to, theres much better punk records out there, but yeah, solid.
George Harrison
4/5
Don't have much to say other than nearly everything on this record is a winner (if not everything. Hard to remember stuff when its nearly 2 hours long). I mentioned yesterday how The Sex Pistols album was the longest 39 minutes I've listened to (despite liking the record), this is the shortest hour and fourty six minutes I've listened to, haha. Even silly little songs like Apple Scruffs are good.
And you can tell a lot of these tracks feel like holdovers from his Beatles days. Had The Beatles used some of these, their records would have been different, but still great.
Don't know if the instrumentals at the end "count" as part of the original tracklist (they were there originally, but they're different from everything else on the record), but those could have been left off, honestly, even if they too are great. Especially the Chuck Berry worship in Thanks for the Pepperoni.
Definitely gonna listen to it again to see if I want to playlist anything and see if my opinion changes (I could see it getting a 5 on subsequent listens, my only problem really is the length even if everything is great. Double/triple albums are gonna struggle to get a 5 from me no matter how good they are. But off the top of my head, this is the best one I've heard).
Sisters Of Mercy
4/5
As far as post-punk goes, I tend to prefer the more new-wave type stuff (New Order) or the stereotypical goth rock type stuff (although I didn't care for Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division as that was kinda proto-goth), which this album falls into.
Lucretia My Reflection and Driven Like the Snow being the standouts for me, with the bass just laying down the vibe. Not as big on songs like This Corrosion, with its more stadium rock/pop drum sounds and guitar solos. I want more melancholy/morose vibes, and that song does not provide it, haha. Cool guitar/strings work on Never Land - A Fragment and some interesting Egyptian (?) sounding guitar licks on Flood II.
Still a great goth rock record though.
Calexico
4/5
Really enjoyed this record. Eclectic mix of indie folk, alt country, americana, Mexican folk music, and some folky jazz???
Got some good Walking Dead-core (music they'd 100% use in the show or Telltale games, similar to a Wye Oak, Sharon Van Etten, Alela Diane, Anadel), in here with Quattro (World Drifts In).
I will say though, the record does feel a bit unfocused. First song (Sunken Waltz) is very Decemberists, then the aforementioned Walking Dead-core, then a very Chelsea Wolfe doomy folk song in Black Heart. Indie folk in Not Even Stevie Nicks, some old-scool western soundtrack stuff in Close Behind. Taquiera music in Across the Wire. Noir jazz country in Crumble.
The individual tracks are good enough to avoid a 3, but most other bands I'd knock the score for it. Maybe could have used some structure and focus.
Sade
3/5
An immaculate, absolutely perfect album from any angle you look at it... and an album that does absolutely nothing for me.
Couple things working against it for me. First, at this point it kinda is almost a parody of itself? Like it almost sounds like a parody of Sade music, yet its the real deal. It feels a lot like what I imagine watching the old school James Bond films felt like right after Austin Powers came out. On top of that its not aged all that great to me? Like this feels 80's, and a tad painfully so.
But secondly, and this isn't the album's fault, but I'm very much not in mood to be listening to this right now. I've been putting Gorguts' Obscura on repeat lately, while throwing in some Ulcerate for good measure, haha. Dissonant, atonal death metal Sade is not.
So yeah, this is getting a 3 because I'm not the correct person to be reviewing this right now. Doubt it'd ever get a 4 from me, but still.
Pink Floyd
5/5
While this isn't my favorite Pink Floyd record (that would be Animals, criminal that's not on the list), its still damn near flawless, and one of the greatest albums of all time.
At one point in my life, Wish You Were Here was my favorite song of all time, and the lyric "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl, year after year" is easily my favorite lyric of all time. Never fails to get me to tear up.
The psychedelic prog epics of Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts 1-5 and 6-9 are masterful, and never feel indulgent, masturbatory, or like a Frankenstein's monster of different songs like a lot of prog does (Yes, Genesis, Dream Theater - but to be honest, Pink Floyd has never "felt" like stereotypical prog. Their music, even at the longest run times always felt focused. Perhaps its the psychedelic aspect shining through).
Welcome to the Machine is one of the best The Wall songs (Hey You is the only track on that album that matches the quality of Welcome to the Machine), and its not on that record. I've never been a fan of The Wall, and I'll get to that when the project throws it my way, but Wish You Were Here is the record The Wall wishes it was. Focused, concise, whole tracklist of bangers.
Have a Cigar is the only track on this record that I think doesn't rise up to the same level as the rest of the track list, it's got some of the style of The Wall that I don't care too much for, but its still a great song.
Overall, masterpiece of a record.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Enjoying this more than Sinister (which I gave a 3). She's Losing It is a fun and great singalong.
Just feels like its got more interesting instrumentation going on compared to Sinister.
Still Charlie Brown-ass music though.
Kate Bush
4/5
This is a weird one, because its not one I think I'll go back to, but its effortlessly great.
Almost comes off as experimental, but I don't think Kate Bush isn't trying to be experimental, that's just the type of music she makes, hence why I said it comes off as effortless. I've listened to her before, 50 Words For Snow, and if I remember right, that was a far quieter, more subdued album, so this more bombastic 80's pop style threw me for a loop.
I did like Under Ice and Waking the Witch a lot with the odd horror vibes/experimentation. Also noticed quite a bit of this album feels oddly influenced by The Wall era Pink Floyd? Particularly in the basslines/sound/tone in songs like Mother Stands for Comfort.
Gorillaz
3/5
Finally listening to this again after 15 years. Just stuck to a single or two in my playlists, and yeah, I see why.
Not that anything other than Tomorrow Comes Today and Clint Eastwood aren't solid, just that the vast majority of this album can't sustain itself with the musical ideas present. Generally those musical ideas are solid (with a few exceptions), they just need some heavy fleshing out, even on good tracks like Latin Simone, 19-2000, and Rock the House (Del can only do so much with the material he was given).
The best music is front loaded. Re-Hash and 5/4 are solid tunes even if they aren't completely fleshed out. New Genius (Brother) is Damon trying his best to make a Portishead song and not really accomplishing it, but at least its a good vibe. Man Research (Clapper) though is honestly a nothing song and shoulda been cut, especially with the awful vocals. Punk is a decent Ramones-esque song. And it basically is just that type of stuff going forward. Fine, but mostly just unfinished musical ideas that needed more time in the oven.
Honestly would be a 2 if Clint Eastwood and Tomorrow Comes Today weren't absolute bangers.
Didn't expect to be this down on the album, but yeah.
Finally, there's no reason why Demon Days or Plastic Beach should have been left off the list for the debut. Both are much better and are more fully realized albums.
Demon Days has more hits and is their most popular one, even if the back end of the tracklist does fall off a cliff (the last 3 tracks mostly, Dare is fantastic) and Plastic Beach is their most consistent one and them at the peak of their ability.
Fugazi
4/5
Can definitely tell this is an incredibly influential album.
Very ahead of its time, sounds kinda like if you mixed Modest Mouse with Red Hot Chili Peppers (heavier of the Modest Mouse though) and one of the singers were Jello Biafra from the Dead Kennedys and maybe a little Beastie Boys style vocals here and there too, haha.
I enjoyed it though, moreso when they were in their post-hardcore sound as opposed to a more standard punk sound. Will have to listen again.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Whoever the bassist is, give him a raise. Some great work on this record. Especially on songs like Second Head.
That said, its generally just a fine record to me. Throw another late-70's/80's post-punk/new wave/goth rock record onto the list I guess. I'm definitely getting a deeper appreciation for the genre due to this project, but this is definitely an overrepresented genre. I'm 130ish albums in and have gotten a ton of post-punk, and there's no end in sight, haha.
Elbow
3/5
Feels like a mix of Coldplay and Radiohead, with their own added flair. A bit reductive, but that's what it sounds like to me. Could have sworn I've heard Grounds for Divorce somewhere. Good song although very different from the rest of the tracklist.
But ultimately, not really my thing. Maybe part of it is I'm not from the UK, so this band isn't an "essential" band in the US (although I think I've heard of them before), but yeah, not feeling this one. It's fine.
Pink Floyd
3/5
I've mentioned before (particularly in my review of Wish You Were Here, which I gave a 5/5), that I'm not a fan of The Wall. Of all of Pink Floyd's post-Syd Barret albums that are the most well-regarded (Meddle, DSotM, Wish You Were Here, Animals, The Wall), The Wall is far and away my least favorite.
Going into this listen, while I didn't care for it, it was always tough for me to pinpoint exactly why I didn't like it, mostly that I didn't like the sound of the album (it was too "gray and yellow" sounding, vague discription) and that it was too long/indulgent. I will say after listening to it this time, and paying far more attention than I ever did before, the gray and yellow criticism I don't feel is as accurate anymore. There's a lot more dimension to this record than I gave it credit for (in terms of colors, more blues and purples that I never noticed previously). I still don't particularly care for the sound of this album and I'll get more into that later as I do have new things to talk about, but it does get points for that.
Complaint B however, is still relevant as it is an overly long, indulgent record with some songs that just don't work for me.
But ultimately, getting back to my problems with the record, what I noticed this time around is that The Wall just doesn't work well as a listening experience. Aside from the singles (Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2, Young Lust, Hey You, and Comfortably Numb), most of the tracks on this album can't sustain themselves (along with some, while intentional, poor singing that grates). Not in the sense that they needed more time in the oven, but that there is a visual component missing. I've never seen the movie, but I imagine I'd appreciate The Wall more in that form, or especially in the form of a stage play. So many of these songs sound like they were made for a musical production. The thought of someone singing these on stage, acting out what's going on and whatnot sounds like a perfect match.
That said, I will say some of the singles are great, particularly Hey You which is easily one of the best Pink Floyd songs in their entire discography, with Another Brick Pt. 2 and Comfortably Numb being fantastic as well. I'm not super hot on Young Lust though because it has too much of that stage musical "sound" that the rest of the tracklist has, which I don't care for. But the thing that sets these songs apart from the rest of the record is that they work perfectly fine even if you divorce them from the rest of the album, I can actually playlist them, have them come up in shuffle, and enjoy them.
Overall, gained a greater appreciation for this record, but unfortunately that "greater appreciation" wasn't always positive. I would have given this a 3 previously, and while the reasons for that 3 have changed, the score has not.
Hole
4/5
I've listened to this before but feel like I've kinda written it off before as just more grunge (I've definitely gotten a bit fatigued from overplaying grunge in recent years), and was put off with how messy Courtney Love was/is (although there is a mountain of context behind that, some deserved, a lot undeserved).
Listening to it again, I'm enjoying it a lot more the second time around as it doesn't sound grunge in the way Nirvana, Soundgarden, AIC, Pearl Jam, etc. sounded. Honestly sounds more in the vein of a Sleater-Kinney (guitar tone on some songs) or even something like a Death Cab for Cutie or Built to Spill, just with the trappings of grunge (more distortion, loud-quiet dynamic). It's got more of that Pacific Northwest "cloudy, drizzly, saltwater" sound than any of the grunge bands ever had.
Definitely have to give more listens, but yeah, great record.
Everything But The Girl
3/5
I first heard about this band in a Todd in the Shadows review and remember enjoying the song he clipped, and remember it sounding trip-hoppy, but other than that track, everything I've heard from this band sounds like this record. So yeah, I went in originally (Not for this record but the band in general) expecting a trip-hop vibe and I definitely did not get it, haha. This music wouldn't sound out of place as waiting music or in a soap opera. That isn't to say those are criticisms of the music, that's just the fact of the matter.
I will say, the amount of 1's this record is getting in the reviews both surprise me, and don't. In no universe is this a 1/5 record, it's just too good. The sheer quality of the songwriting is amazing, so many great little ideas, licks, bass notes, etc. all over this thing. But on the other hand, the amount of 1/5s does not surprise me at all in the sense it reminds me that it's sometimes a bigger crime to be boring than it is to be bad. Because at least with bad, you have something to talk about, to have fun with ripping into something. With something that's boring, even talking about it is boring (Although there are some good one liners in the reviews. I liked the "Everything But The Tunes" one).
That said, I don't think this record is necessarily boring, it's just a victim of it's style. There's no real upbeat song to engage the listener, and it quickly becomes background music. Every last track on this album is a slow ballad, with maybe a tune or two evoking a slight tropical vibe to get you out of the dirge of feeling like you're listening to the credits of Days of Our Lives.
For my tastes, this is a 3/5. It's not something I'd ever go back to, or the type of music I'd ever listen to, but it's just too good to be getting all these 1s and 2s. There's too many unique, little ideas in every song.
Definitely one of those, if this were up my alley, it'd be an *exquisite* record type situations. For what it is, it is damn near perfect, just not my vibe personally.
(I'll reserve my opinion for when I get the other EBTG album on the generator, but one record from them feels enough, haha. Lastly, shoutout to the name Everything But The Girl. That's a great name for a band).
Edit: I'm an idiot, and the Todd in the Shadows review was about EBTG (originally thought he mentioned them in passing). Also an idiot in that the song, Missing, is not trip hop, and its closer to a 90s EDM type thing, although Todd does compare it to Trip Hop even though it really isn't.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
Classic album. Generally the singles are better than the deeper cuts. Simple Man being the best track on the album.
For my money, Green Grass and High Tides by The Outlaws was always the better epic southern rock song vs Freebird. Green Grass just kept the same feel and vibe through the whole song, even in the solos, whereas Freebird switched it up and I always felt the two halves of the song kinda fought eachother.
Still a great track, just overplayed.
3/5
I always dread 70's blues rock coming up on this list not because I dislike them, but because I feel like theres nothing interesting to say about the records? Like this album is fine. 3/5 for me, but I just don't really got much to say.
It's a little more interesting a listen than most psychedelic/blues rock, got some more interesting stuff going on, but still can't really point anything out.
Really only thing I can say is this band sounds at their best when they're more in a folk rock mode as opposed to blues or psychedelic rock.
Also, is this just the band that everyone and their mom rips off? I know of the Taurus/Stairway allegations, but Jesus, so much of this album sounds like later music I've heard. Like Animal Zoo I feel sounds like Steal My Sunshine by Len. They're definitely not the same, but they're similarish, lol.
The Beach Boys
4/5
Honestly surprised by this record. I generally like the radio hits from The Beach Boys, but have never been a big fan. Remember listening to Pet Sounds and not really caring for it. But this is an extremely strong record. Some really interesting, unique ideas all over this record, particularly the song Long Promised Road. Take A Load Off Your Feet and Lookin' At Tomorrow (A Welfare Song) are also highlights.
Student Demonstration Time is probably the weakest song, but that's mostly due to the sound effects and not the song itself.
The album is a tad top heavy, but generally the whole album is strong. Probably one of the better psychedelic rock records (outside of Pink Floyd) I've heard.
The Adverts
3/5
Perfectly serviceable punk, but yeah, just more British punk in the list. It's really interesting because this is the second punk/post-punk album I've got recently where the music's fine, but give that bassist a raise, lol. Gaye Advert's got some great basslines on this.
The highlight is Safety in Numbers. It's got a darker vibe to it compared to most of the album, which I like.
The Cars
4/5
A very good album, my only problem is I'm kinda burnt out on The Cars. One of those "Its good, but if I never hear it again, I wouldn't be sad" albums/artists. Along with bands like Boston and Foreigner, I just really don't need to listen to them anymore, even if they are good.
Still getting a 4 because it is a good album, but yeah.
The Stooges
3/5
Much, much, MUCH better than Iggy Pop's The Idiot. Absolute night and day.
Anyways, garage rock's never really been my thing. I like a song here or there (Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet, for example), but I'm not really clamoring for this type of music. Perfectly fine listen, but just not really my thing.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Never really been a Springsteen fan, always thought Bob Seger was better as far as Heartland Rock is concerned (and after listening to this album, it hasn't changed my mind). Bob Seger just has a grit that Springsteen is missing sometimes. I will always thank Manfred Mann for covering Blinded By the Light and making it an actual good song.
That said, I can't deny this is a great record. Some classics like Born to Run and Tenth-Avenue Freeze Out, and the rest are generally very good. Some of his singing can be hit and miss. He has a tendency to sometimes sound like he's swallowing his tongue when singing (She's the One, I'm looking at you).
Still a great record though.
The Allman Brothers Band
4/5
Fantastic blues/southern rock, and the ability of the players is on showcase here being a live album. The 20 minute jam of You Don't Love Me is fantastic. But it's another album in the "I recognize it's great, it's just not really doing much for me" category. The further I get into this project, the more I'm realizing that I'm just indifferent to blues rock. There's some stuff that I like purely out of repetition from hearing it since I was born, but I can't bring myself to care about any music from the genre that I'm discovering now.
That said, I do have to question the idea of putting a live album on here from Allman as their only album on the list, as opposed to putting on something like Eat a Peach (which is still partially a live album to be fair). More of a philosophical debate as opposed to a commentary on the quality of the live records on the list, but I just prefer to lean towards the idea that live albums should have a harder time getting on the list. At the very least, a studio album should be considered before adding a live second IMO.
However, I'm aware this album was basically their breakthrough, and they belong on the list, so I'm basically arguing a losing battle here I feel, haha.
Bob Dylan
4/5
One of those albums I really don't want to give a 4, but I can't deny it. Can't explain why, but yeah. Really good album, and will probably listen again eventually, but what's really doing it is the lyricism is great.
I never really understood the whole "Bob Dylan" is a bad singer thing, dude just has sounded like he was 80 years old since he was 20, that's all it is.
But yeah, good album. Dylan probably doesn't need as many albums on the list as he has, but don't think this is one that should be cut. Will be interesting to listen to the others on the list.
Sugar
4/5
Generally have difficulty talking about 90's alt rock albums. I like them, just don't really got a ton to say. Think mainly just because a lot of 90's alt kinda just sounds similar to me unless it's very unique like Sleater-Kinney (or this band).
But I really enjoyed this record as it breaks the mold of a lot of the stuff that was coming out at the time which for me has been overplayed a bit (grunge). Not used to power pop being this effects-laden and fuzzy/grungy though, which is a breath of fresh air.
If I had a complaint its that the production is both a little all over the place and overly consistent/flat at the same time. Like the best tracks are the ones that are fuzziest. The Act We Act, Changes, A Good Idea. But those songs are very flatly produced. Not dynamic at all. Then we have songs like Hoover Dam (probably the weakest track) which is missing all of the fuzziness and grungyness. Sounds like a completely different band.
The Beach Boys
3/5
I've listened to this album before, and honestly it didn't do much for me at the time. I will say my opinion has improved upon it for this listen, but feel like it's still not an album that I'm super into. When the album hits, it absolutely hits. Tracks like Wouldn't It Be Nice? (Best track on the album), Sloop John B, I Know There's An Answer, and Pet Sounds are great. But when the album doesn't hit for me, its sitting in a slow or mid tempo spot that I'm not a huge fan of (You Still Believe in Me, Don't Talk, I Wasn't Made For These Times). Top it off with it being one of those psychedelic records with that really sharp, high pitched keyboard/piano sound. Think I referred to it as the sound of Ren Faire or something on previous records I've gotten. Don't think its quite that sound, but not far.
I will say, this is probably the best album of its genre, easy, just not my thing. I do prefer Surf's Up from The Beach Boys.
Fats Domino
3/5
Solid record, but nothings really hitting my ear. Not Fallout-core enough to be in my wheelhouse, although You Done Me Wrong does scratch that itch. Mostly sits in a tempo thats *just* slow enough to not really grab my attention, especially with his vocals not being as bombastic as other artists around his time. Couple somgs verge into blues which I've found with this project that I'm just not big on. But still, solid record.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
Not enjoying this one as much as Born to Run. Never realized how repetitive the title track, and some of the songs are a bit too poppy/country for me (Darlington County).
Still some good stuff on here though, Downbound Train, No Surrender, Glory Days (classic). Springsteen's vocals continue to be hit and miss.
Generally though, this album is just fine for me.
Big Black
5/5
Don't know what I was expecting going into this listen, but wasn't expecting an amazing proto-industrial post-hardcore record. The second the first song came on with its abrasive, lo-fi, but also clean production, I knew I was gonna like this thing. Checking the reviews, it's shocking to me that this is getting 2.7 average because with how noisy this record is, I'd expect harsher reviews.
The sound of this album is immediately influential from the first notes, basically predicting stuff like Godflesh's Streetcleaner, and even dance punk like Death From Above 1979 or synthpop/EDM bands like Crystal Castles.
Overall one of the best discoveries I've come across on this record that I hadn't heard before. Wasn't expecting it, but easy 5.
Kraftwerk
4/5
Not that it doesn't deserve a 4, but I feel like I'm gonna be giving this album the 4 more based on it's influence than my personal enjoyment. Feel like when I started this project, I made a point to not do that and rate purely based on my enjoyment but this record kinda defies it. This album's sound is hyper specific and for me, not really one that I could put on just to listen to. It's basically a soundtrack and not an album to my ears, if that makes sense? And it's purely due to how it's influence has manifested since it's release, basically being a framework for every sci-fi film and video game going forward (and even some early 8 and 16 bit horror). I will say the back half is less soundtrack-y but still.
Mass Effect, Tron, Metroid (less so, but still), Axiom Verge, etc etc etc. all owe their existence to Kraftwerk and this album. Outside of those, Daft Punk, LCD Soundsystem, and Depeche Mode. Their influence is undeniable.
Great stuff. Not something I'd necessarily go back to often (Metropolis was playlisted), but yeah.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
First couple songs were great with their kinda Depeche Mode meets New Order vibe. Seriously thought I was cruising towards an easy four on this one.
Quickly though, that dark vibe gave way to 90's pop type stuff, ballads, new jack swing, etc. Not that those aren't good tracks to go down, just I'm not feeling them as much in this context especially with the first couple songs being the vibe I was expecting. Fine album, but not really grabbing me.
2/5
Hoo boy. Well, guess I'm glad I'm getting this out of the way early???
I've never listened to Limp Bizkit before outside of whatever songs I ended up hearing inadvertently out in the wild, but I've basically made it a point to avoid listening to them like the plague. So while I'm giving this album the best shot, I can't avoid the fact that it's basically impossible to be objective, especially with how this album has basically been built up as a legendarily bad album.
That said, I'll start with the good. The music itself isn't offensive. It ranges from bad in an average way, to fairly solid, backed up with Wes Borland's guitar playing, which is easily the best thing about it. Some really cool sounding guitar parts, particularly in songs like It'll Be OK (probably the best track on the record music wise, very P.O.D. sounding but yeah), with the melodic parts. Boiler sits in the same kinda P.O.D./Tool lane, which is solid.
Otherwise, the music just kinda sits in a fairly repetitive and derivative space. Songs like Rollin' just repeat the same parts over and over again, and its not good. Lots of stuff aping off of bands like Incubus, Tool, and their other contemporaries.
But now for the bad, and what's bad is, yeah, shockingly bad. Firstly, I don't typically remark on this, but my God the artwork and the name of this record. I'd be embarrassed if I ever bought this. But what honestly does this album in is Durst's lyrics and vocals. The lyrics can be embarrassingly bad/cringe at times, and it's not helped by the high pitched, whiney vocals. The terrible interpolation of Nine Inch Nails in the first song proper was not a great introduction to what this album has to offer, and a lot of the lyrics on the first half of this album continue to just be awful. To be honest, second half I stopped paying attention to the lyrics, partly because there's only so much I can take, and partly because the music generally improved and gave me something positive to focus on. Also, what's with that awful sample of The Eagles? I don't even like The Eagles that much, and I'm offended for them.
The whiny/high pitched vocals though are the real killer of this album. You know those memes where someone posts a photo of a celebrity, and then photoshop a short version of them with the caption "Don't talk to me or my son ever again"? Yeah, that meme is Fred Durst on this record. Regular Durst is normal with the harsher, shouted vocals, while high pitched Durst is the tiny Mini-Me. Which is a hilarious image, but for the music itself sucks. Basically, he's trying to sound imposing and angry, but what it ends up accomplishing is him sounding small and whiney. Like if he got into a fight, he'd just end up doing the "I'm just a little guy, it's my birthday" routine, haha.
Lastly, this thing does not need to be an hour and fifteen minutes long. It doesnt *feel* that long, but it would have done the band better to release it as two separate LPs.
So yeah. Hard to be objective with this one, and yeah, it's bad, but with the music being passable to halfway decent, kinda surprised I'll be giving this a 2 instead of a 1. I can imagine a world where if they had a better vocalist/lyricist, they'd actually be a pretty decent band. On the other hand, without Durst's genius ability to brand, most likely wouldn't be anywhere near as popular as they were.
Billie Holiday
3/5
Up front, this is not doing a ton for me. It's good, but nothing I haven't really heard before (probably due to Billie's influence, honestly). The singing in particular isn't great, but my understanding is this is one of the last things she recorded and by then her voice had lost a lot of it's punch. Additionally, there's not much daylight between the songs, they all sound very similar.
Interesting that this is the only Billie Holiday record on the list, especially with a bunch being higher rated on Rate Your Music. Wouldn't be opposed to getting an earlier Billie album on the list.
Kinda as a non-sequitur, I recently listened to The Caretaker's dementia project albums (An Empty Bliss Beyond This World and Everywhere at the End of Time), and this album kinda reminds me a little of the ballroom music Kirby sampled for those albums. So much in the same way I call music that sounds like it could be used in the Fallout games or show "Fallout-core" (40s/50s jazz/rock), I'm gonna start calling music that'd work for an Everywhere at the End of Time project "Alzheimers-core", lol.
Edit: Went ahead and listened to Lady Sings the Blues to get a feel for her vocals before her alcoholism and heroin use did a number on her voice (although it sounds like the deterioration had already started by this point). Definitely enjoying this more than Lady in Satin, the vocals are livelier and more consistent, and the backing band is more upbeat and interesting. Not to say Lady in Satin isn't good, just Lady Sings the Blues is more my speed. Lady in Satin feels like a record that requires context to enjoy fully (her health issues) whereas the enjoyment of Lady Sings the Blues is more straightforward.
I wouldn't remove Lady in Satin from the list, it's important, but I would definitely add Lady Sings the Blues to give a fuller picture of her life and career.
The Strokes
5/5
I feel like I've tried to listen to this album multiple times in the past and could not get into it. And what's weird is I flat out don't remember it sounding like this. Dunno what it was, but I would have given it a 3 back then and just be done with it.
But what's nice about doing this project is it allows you to revisit stuff and realize albums you didn't get into before are absolute bangers. For some reason, this album is just hitting hard for me. It's fun, bouncy, sunny, happy. Everything you want in a great album. Honestly, I think the reason I'm able to get into it this time is me gaining a deeper appreciation for post-punk through this 1001 album project. Not that this album necessarily sounds like the other post-punk on this list (maybe closest to New Order, which their album Technique is easily my favorite post-punk record I've discovered on this project), but there's just something there that kinda unlocked my appreciation for this record. Great record. Will have to listen to it more to figure out what to playlist.
(Whoever decided the original cover was too risque for the US and made them make a new one needs to be shot, lol)
The Dictators
2/5
Don't got much to say other than I'm not a fan. Guitar work is pretty solid, but otherwise it's not impressing me. Singing can get kind of annoying.
A middling cover of I Got You Babe by Sonny and Cher is here, I guess. Some songs that are good like Weekend, but yeah, basically just some passable proto-punk, but just doesn't do anything for me.
Def Leppard
4/5
Not much more than to say this is just some good fuckin' classic heavy metal. Classics like Photograph, Foolin', Rock of Ages, and Too Late For Love, and the rest of the track listing goes just as hard [although I'm not huge on Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop)]. Comin' Under Fire is a great deep cut.
Beastie Boys
4/5
Initially, thought I'd get past the old-school flows due to the whole frat bro rapping angle, and the magic never fully wore off, but couldn't always suspend the disbelief. Not to say that I dislike that style of rapping, but like all the old school hip hop records I've had previously, it's just not what I'm looking for in hip hop. That said, there are still some absolutely bangers on this record like No Sleep Till Brooklyn and Fight For Your Right.
Additionally, the sample work on this record is top notch, and its insane how they did this back in 1986 and yet artists today struggle to do anything more than the absolute bare minimum of rapping over the original track unchanged.
Still gets a 4 though because the musical ideas on this thing are still miles ahead of a lot of hip hop records today.
Stephen Stills
3/5
More blues rock. COUNTRY blues rock, at that. Not that it's actually bad, I'm just burnt out on the genre. Everyone complains about britpop being overrepresented on the list, for me its blues rock.
It's very hit and miss for me. Some great folk rock tunes like Both of Us (Bound to Lose), It Doesn't Matter, and Colorado, but then there's country stuff like Hide It So Deep, Don't Look At My Shadow, or Jesus Gave Love Away For Free or blues tracks like Jet Set (Sigh) that just do nothing do it for me. Really its the country and blues tracks that let this album down for me, the folk rock stuff is great. Once in a while you'll get a song thats a bit too close to Grateful Dead like How Far, but still.
Overall, good album, I'm just burning out on blues rock type stuff.
The Who
4/5
Even though The Who are pretty much my favorite classic rock band, I've always passed this record over. Not that I don't like it, and I've definitely listened to it before, just it never really grabbed me like their later records.
Regardless, this is still a massive record from The Who, the one that I feel basically cemented the sound they'd be known for with Keith Moon absolutely destroying the drums and Townsend coming into his own as a writer. It's not quite them at their full power (Their next record, Who's Next, would be them achieving that, with Quadrophenia after being their magnum opus), but Tommy is them coming damn close.
Definitely as a rock opera, I feel this album has some of the same issues that The Wall by Pink Floyd has, mainly that as a listening experience by itself it isn't 100% satisfying as some of the tracks do feel like they need a visual component (It's A Boy, There's A Doctor). I will say though, The Who being more straightforward rock helps to make a lot of these songs listenable on their own, whereas The Wall's prog rock sound kinda forced it into a stage play sound that requires a visual component.
But this album has great tracks like Pinball Wizard, Go To The Mirror, I'm Free, etc.
Overall, an extremely strong record that barely misses the 5 for me, but they'll get there with their next record (also, I'll mention this in every The Who review, but whoever decided Quadrophenia didn't belong on this list needs to be shot).
The United States Of America
2/5
Avant garde psychedelic music with some slight jazz influences is certainly a mash up. Can't say I'm a fan. Psychedelic music is already a genre I'm not crazy about, but the sloppy avant garde angle isn't helping. Mostly its fine when it's just treading in a mostly psychedelic area, otherwise its a tougher listen. Songs like I Wouldn't Trade My Wooden Wife For You, Sugar, and The American Metaphysical Circus are not great. Stuff like Hard Coming Love and Cloud Song are decent enough. I will say, when it doesn't sound like a clown trying to make psychedelic music, the vibes are some of the most interesting in psychedelic music (Where Is Yesterday).
This record being an hour long is tough though. Not really my thing overall.
Van Halen
3/5
Never been big Van Halen fan. Good album, some classic bangers, but got distracted halfway through, and am not really super interested in continuing. It's fine, just not a huge fan of them.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
This is a weird one because it bounces back and forth between great dinner jazz (Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba Lues-Are, Bemsha Swing) and weird, slightly "sour" experimental stuff ( Brilliant Corners, Pannonica). And I both like and dislike the experimental stuff. Feel like I'm gonna settle on a 3, but its an interesting record.
Roxy Music
2/5
I remember liking Country Life a lot more than I like this record. Music generally is fine on this one. Definitely could be the type to veer into an Iggy Pop/David Bowie post-punk sound that I dislike, but it doesn't.
But the singing and production is what's hurting this record for me. I don't remember the singing being this bad/weird on Country Life, with this one having a lot of wailing and odd choices (I figure the singing inflections are intentional). The production to me also sounds kinda flat to me. Overall just not enjoying this one as much as Country Life.
The Cure
4/5
Haven't gotten it yet on this project, but I've previously listened to Disintegration, and that was an amazing album.
This one (compared to what I remember from Disintegration), is great, but in a different way. Whereas I remember Disintegration being a more sad/melancholic but sweet record, Pornography goes in a darker, harder direction which I really appreciate. Songs across the board are great and Smith's voice adds a great contrast to the darker music despite still having the more melancholic/pleading voice he'd use later on Disintegration.
Great record all around. Will definitely spin this more.
10cc
3/5
Pretty neutral on this album, starting off extremely strong with The Wall Street Shuffle, which is just a banger of a classic rock song.
After that though, the silly art rock comes out, which to me feels like more "high art" versions of gimmick classic rock songs like Mr. Roboto by Styx or Ocean Man by Ween (I know that was 1997 though). Like if David Bowie wanted to make Ringo Starr type goofy songs.
Good, but not really something I'd go back to.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Tale of two albums on this record. You have the absolutely monumental classics like Livin' On A Prayer, You Give Love A Bad Name, and Wanted Dead Or Alive, then the rest of the album is just lukewarm reheats of songs from bands like Van Halen and Def Leppard, or like if Bruce Springsteen made glam metal.
Good Bon Jovi songs have this specific vibe (It's My Life and Have A Nice Day also have that vibe), and other than the singles I listed, nothing hits that vibe.
Giving it a 3 based on the strength of the hits, but otherwise a pretty tepid record.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Feeling like this sits somewhere between a Dr. Octagon, Gorillaz, and a Aesop Rock? All of those being better though. Overall, this is a pretty solid record, the beats/sounds are a tad repetitive/vibey, but the rapping is good. Author really likes his underground rappers though. But his choices are kinda weird, leaving off the aforementioned Aesop Rock but putting on a Lupe Fiasco? Maybe the list could use an El-P project or two. Run the Jewels or something. This pick feels a bit of a stretch, but good pick none the less.
Will say I'm enjoying this more as I'm going on. Usually not huge on vibey hip-hop, but this one's good. Could use a little bit of cutting though. An hour is a bit long.
Beastie Boys
4/5
The mastery over sampling continues on this album, same as License to Ill. I will say this album sits in a more vibey spot than License to Ill, which I both like and dislike in comparison. Just comes down to which I prefer at that moment. The vocals aren't bothering me as much as on License though, and its a more varied album. A lot more interesting guitar work and sample usage of guitars on this one.
Animal Collective
3/5
Feel like I've tried listening to this album previously and not really getting into it, but don't really remember it either. Not recognizing it this time.
Either way, I'm not really getting the hype despite its status as a hipster classic. I think that's mostly the age on this album. This album could only have been made around the time it was. Does not really work for me in the year 2025. Its generally a fun, quirky, happy album, very Beatles influenced, just not doing it for me. Kinda felt the same way about the Beach House album I got early on in this project. Probably would have given it a 4 back in the day, but now, its a 3. Great album art though.
a-ha
4/5
Yes, yes Take On Me is one of the greatest songs of all time, and a blast at karaoke. Cool. Whatever (shout out to Reel Big Fish's fantastic cover though. Every classic song could use a good ska cover).
Can we talk about how the rest of this album is nothing but certified bangers? How the hell are they a one hit wonder (and I'm honestly guilty of this)? I know they were huge in Europe, but how come Take On Me was the only thing that really got big in the US? The fact they weren't huge in the US is probably the biggest musical crime in history.
Either way, what I think is propelling this album is the lingering melancholy throughout the whole album. I'm quickly learning that 80's music generally needs some sort of edge of somber to work well. Otherwise you get sickeningly upbeat trash like Scritti Politti (and no I won't give that album a break). And A-Ha have the melancholy down to a science. It's not as down as The Cure, more on the same wavelength as New Order, but it's still there and it's fantastic.
a-ha deserved better.
Ramones
3/5
Perfectly serviceable punk with some classics (Blitzkrieg Bop). Overall for me, old school OG punk is just a bit too simplistic and one note for me to really get into. A lot of the songs sound similar, the singing is very one note throughout. Love how prominent the bass is in the mix though.
Faith No More
4/5
For my money, Mike Patton is probably the greatest vocalist of all time, and easily top 10 singer of all time. The things he does with his voice are insane, and he's no slouch on this record. From his very Prince-like nasal delivery, to all his inflections and sound effects, dude is the GOAT.
This album is fantastic as well. From the Prince-influenced funk metal tracks (From Out of Nowhere and Falling to Pieces), to the Coroner-esque thrash metal (Surprise! You're Dead!, Zombie Eaters), it's all great. I mention the apparent influences though not to say its derivative because they definitely add their own take on it all, and no other band has ever sounded like this before or after. The title track being a great example of Patton going all out with his voice.
I will say, I'm not the hugest on the Prince-like funk metal stuff, but it's still great.
Some could argue this album helped, unfortunately popularize rap metal/nu metal, and sure, but creatively this album stands heads an tails above pretty much anyone. Even still, we wouldn't have bands like Dillinger Escape Plan (top 5 bands all time for me) in their current form were it not for albums like this.
Shivkumar Sharma
3/5
Much like the bossanova and salsa records I've gotten previously, this is one of those "It's really good, but it's not the type of music I'd go out of my way to simply listen to". For me, it's good soundtrack or background music.
As such, it's simply getting a 3.
What I will say is that at the least, I can see this type of music's influence, usually in prog metal, weirdly. Tool and Intronaut use this style of drumming from time to time, and it's generally cool in those contexts.
The Residents
4/5
My thought process: "Ooh, I'm getting some good punk tod- why is it rated so low? Oh, this isn't The Descendents or The Replacements..."
So anyways, this is a weird one. It's a Looney Tunes horror show by way of Primus, and Bugs Bunny is on LSD or something (well, the other way around. This is Primus before they existed. Insane to imagine there is a less accessible Primus).
Maybe I'm just in the right kind of bad mood today, but for some reason this is hitting? Is it something I'd ever listen to in my free time? Absolutely not. Will I ever go back to it? Probably not.
Like, I get why this is one of the lowest rated albums on the list, and it kinda deserves it. It's not a comfortable listen, and I don't think there is a single pleasant sound on this thing. Everything is screechy, dissonant, high pitched horns and electronics and intentionally bad vocals. But I'm weird and can enjoy uncomfortable things if its got a weird horror vibe, albeit a messed up cartoon version.
I'm kinda afraid I'm overrating because its rated so low, but I kind of like this thing also? It's weird.
Metallica
5/5
Honestly never been a huge Metallica fan. Always preferred Slayer and Megadeth. Slayer because they're more extreme, and being a big fan of drums, Dave Lombardo is easily the best drummer in the Big Four of thrash (always hated categorizing bands like that). Megadeth because they generally just had more range in their music. Metallica kinda always felt like they fell into a formula. And I probably would say I like Metallica over Anthrax, but Anthrax is a more fun band.
That said, it's been a long time since I've really sat down and listened to Metallica, so we'll see if this holds up once I get the other Metallica albums, but I always thought this was my favorite Metallica album. Everyone rates Master of Puppets higher, but I remember not liking the back half of the tracklist on that album.
But this record starts off with two fantastic classics, and just keeps the quality up. Love the aggression of Blackened, and the proggy riffs and licks throughout ...And Justice For All and Eye of the Beholder. It's very lightly treading on territory Coroner laid down (probably my favorite thrash band), just more in a prog direction vs technical.
Then you got classics like One which as much as I hem and haw about how Metallica has never really wowed me, is still one of the greatest metal songs of all time, and thats inarguable. Probably their opus song wise. And for better or worse, the song that they've kinda been chasing ever since.
The rest of the tracklist is great too, especially Harvester of Sorrow.
The only thing kind of holding this album (and Metallica) back is Lars' drumming. Not that its necessarily bad. Its fine and does exactly what it needs to do (lays down a beat, follows the guitars), but for a band that treads in a prog direction, you kinda want more interesting drumming with fills that do more than just basic snare rolls. It contributes later to the whole feeling of Metallica being formulaic, with Hammet kinda always feeling like he's trying to remake One on later albums. Will say, Lars' drumming on Harvester of Sorrow is legit good, with some nice bass kick patterns.
Lars is kinda like Anthony Keidis from RHCP. Clearly the weak link of the band by a wide margin, but they wouldn't be the same without him.
That said, I don't think I can knock this album for those gripes because this is just a damn classic album. Went into it thinking I'd give it a 4, but honestly feeling a 5 now.
Miles Davis
4/5
Don't got a ton to say about this, it's just some damn good jazz. Not quite the vibe I look for in jazz, I tend to like jazz that gives me suits, cocktails, and dinner vibes and this is more straight live music setting for me with it's more fusion/almost-verging-on-funk style, but yeah. Can't really explain it better than that. Second song, In A Silent Way is more the vibe I like.
I was always more of a Coltrane fan though, to be honest, but Miles is fantastic.
Big Star
3/5
Album started off really rough. If it was just Kizza Me, this would be a 2 or a 1. Mainly due to the vocals being so rough.
However, it picked up pretty quick after that. Still not big on it, never been a huge fan of Power Pop, but it's cool to find out Alex Chilton is a real person and not just a character in a (fantastic) Replacements song, haha.
Can definitely see how he gained so much influence in indie scenes though. This sounds like pure, distilled Pitchfork-core. From the Beatles/Lennon (?) vibes of Femme Fatale to the country/folk vibes of some other songs Oh, Dana, this sounds tailor made to be hipster musicians' favorite band that no one's ever heard of.
Fo me however, its just fine.
The Go-Go's
4/5
I've only ever heard We Got the Beat from this record, and while it is a great song, honestly it might be one of the weaker tracks. The three songs before it, Tonite, Lust to Love, and This Town are a pretty damn good run of three, with their post-punk urgency. You can also hear how influential they are, drawing a direct line to Kathleen Hanna projects like Bikini Kill and Le Tigre, and Sleater-Kinney.
Dunno if I'm surprised by this album being so good, but I definitely wasn't expecting a slight post-punk vibe. Plus, I'm a sucker for some good bass, and Kathy Valentine is providing that in spades. But all the members are at peak form here.
Side note: Aside from We Got the Beat, I've mostly only known them from Jane Wiedlin being on VH1 in the 2000s constantly? Don't remember much other than I think I had a crush on her, but it's weird I remember that, haha.
The Youngbloods
3/5
Darkness, Darkness really promised a lot in the first half of the song that a lot of the album couldn't deliver. Starts off with this very heavy, European-ish folk vibe, but then the vibe changes into a psychedelic feel that I just don't care much for. Really wish the rest of the album sounded like that.
Sunlight is a great little folky track as well, but then it's back to the psychedelic.
Quicksand is also a nice tune, kinda Beach Boys-esque, but again, just wish they kept the dark folk through the whole record. Ends on a bit of a high note in Ride the Wind, with it's California/Hawaiian beach resort vibes.
I don't think they really sound similar, but this reminds me a lot of the Spirit record I got previously. When they're laser focused on a folk sound, they're great. When they're not, it's just doing nothing for me.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
You know, this should be the type of jazz that's right up my alley. It's classy, she's got a fantastic voice, treads a bit into Fallout-core, very much dinner/cocktail jazz. But for some reason, its just not doing much for me, and can't quite put my finger on it.
I will definitely say that the instruments do feel a bit low in the mix. I wish they were more prominent. When the music gets more upbeat, they tend to come out more, but then Sarah's vocals also get louder, so it feels like this competition between the two that I'm not a huge fan of.
Good stuff, just not really hitting for me.
Update: I think I know what I'm struggling with on this album. It's "too" dinner/cocktail jazz. It kinda falls into the same spot as salsa/samba/bossanova albums where for me the music only works in certain situations (Soundtracks accompanied by visuals, at specific places, etc) and doesn't work as music that I can just listen to. For example, Poor Butterfly, if you take out Sarah's vocals, that's just straight up funeral home music. Which is fine, it's not bad, but I don't want to listen to that type of music outside of that specific setting.
The Blue Nile
4/5
Gonna be honest, when I got this album I audibly groaned. I had never heard of this band or album before, but this thing screams 80's brit pop in a way I dislike. And honestly I wasn't far off. Got the 80's right, but it's Scottish sophisti-pop.
Not that I've had a particularly bad experience with sophisti-pop on this project (except for Scritti Politti, yeah, you're not getting away from me in this review), but I always recoil whenever people come up with a genre like "sophisti-pop" or "art rock". Implying your music is somehow "better" than "low brow" genres like regular old rock or pop annoys me (I still haven't heard a single sophisti-pop song better than Kesha's Tik Tok. For all your sophistication, you can't beat out the person who brushes her teeth with Jack, lol). I know the bands usually disavow those genres names (similar to post-rock/metal and djent bands do), but still. I'm mostly ranting here as a joke aimed at fans of the genre as opposed to the artists, but yeah, those genre names are stupid as hell.
That said, very pleasantly surprised by this album. Usually when I hear sophisti-pop, I imagine an album that's kinda all over the place in sound, painfully and sickeningly 80's, or just all around so up its own ass that its boring.
But this record has an urgency or desperation to it that I enjoy. In a previous review I mentioned the difference between a good 80's pop record and a bad one. Good ones, to me, have a sort of melancholy to them, whereas bad ones don't and are generally just sickeningly upbeat. I'd like to amend that as I don't really get melancholy from this record. So good 80's pop records, to me, need melancholy and/or desperation in them. If its just upbeat that's content with itself, it's going to suck.
And all around it's a very pleasant sounding record. Vocals wise, it's clearly Bowie-inspired. Definitely not as good as Bowie, but it works.
All in all, I enjoyed it.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
Oh man, my excitement when this record popped up. Never listened to this album or the Cocteau Twins before, but knew a little bit about them. Dream pop, shoegaze before shoegaze became a thing.
The second her vocals popped up in Cherry-coloured Funk, I knew this was going to be an easy five. It's got a strong ethereal vibe without sacrificing a driving force. I feel like a lot of dream pop (and shoegaze) can get lost in it's own vibes a lot and meander, but this album is laser focused with purpose.
But yeah, her vocals are the high point in an album that is nothing but high points. Strong, confident, ethereal. Add in half the time I can't tell if she's singing English, let alone any language at all and it gives a beautiful, detached, alien feel that puts the dream in dream pop.
Love the goth rock/post-punk elements too. The bass feels straight out of New Order or The Cure, and I love it.
Overall, extremely easy five stars. Knew basically the second I put the record on and the first couple notes hit. Incredible.
R.E.M.
4/5
I got R.E.M.'s Green early on, and I believe my review was "Don't really have anything to say, it's just good".
Kinda feeling the same about this one too. R.E.M. kinda defies reviews for me, along with a lot of 90's alt rock. It's just good. You know it when you hear it.
If I have to say anything, its I'm starting to notice how much alt-country seeps into their music. They can get a little cowpokey at times, such as on Man on the Moon.
Beatles
3/5
You know, I honestly haven't listened to this one before, surprisingly. I know a couple songs off it (All My Loving and I Wanna Be Your Man, both classics), but the rest of the tracklist feels kinda pedestrian, especially for The Beatles. It's good, but nothing really special. Kinda derivative of other artists at the time (Elvis, Chuck Berry, etc.).
Obviously, they'd go on to make much better, and interesting music. But as it stands, this album is just OK.
If ever there was a Beatles record to drop from the list, this one could definitely be in the running. Even during this era of The Beatles they had much better material.
Elliott Smith
5/5
This one's a little tough for me to review. One of the few albums where I'll really have to dig into it multiple times. That said, I think I have listened to this before, it's just been so long that I don't remember it at all.
But I'm really liking what I'm hearing. Very subdued but beautiful album that has a ton of unique little vocal tricks and guitar licks. I've heard music similar to this, but never music that is so specific on the little details. And everytime I get to a song that I think is just gonna peter out, he opens it up for a great finale, lik 2:45 AM. To my ears, kinda sits somewhere between a folk version of Nirvana and Foo Fighters. I'll have to dig around, but there's a specific Foos song that sounds like a lot of this album, especially Ballad of Big Nothing (which also sounds like a Foos song name). Other good tracks are Alameda and Cupid's Trick, but honestly the whole thing is great. Definitely one I'll be listening to through the rest of the day.
Edit: I'm thinking of the Foos song Big Me.
Green Day
4/5
American Idiot was "my" Green Day album growing up. I knew the singles from this record, but didn't really listen to it.
That said, knew this was gonna be a banger because this album is half singles. Not quite as good as American Idiot for me (but that is also partly due to nostalgia goggles), but you know this thing is special during the transition from Chump to Longview. It goes from a decent punk record to a classic in that instant.
When you have Longview, Welcome to Paradise, Basket Case and When I Come Around all on the same record, you're getting something great.
And along with Chad Smith from Red Hot Chili Peppers, I'll die on the hill that Tré Cool is one of the most underrated drummers of all time.
Black Sabbath
4/5
One of those "Don't got much to say, but it's great" records.
Actually never listened to this one before. Definitely have listened to their debut and Paranoid before. But all around some great doomy heavy metal. Snowblind and Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes (heaviest songs) probably being my favorite songs.
That said, I'm not the hugest fan of doom metal or the blues inspired stuff here. But it's a small nitpick, because as far as those genres go, this is probably the best of those I've heard.
MGMT
4/5
Another record that I don't think I've listened to but know the popular songs off of.
Kids and Electric Feel are fantastic. Usually not a huge fan of synth/psychedelic pop, but this is some really good stuff. Of Moons, Birds, and Monsters is a fantastic and beautiful track as well.
James Brown
3/5
Fantastic R&B and soul record. Just not a huge fan of it myself. I did recognize I Don't Mind though since it was on The Who's My Generation. Cool to hear the original.
For once I'm not gonna complain about a live album being on the list, but what I will say is, how come a lot of these old live albums are (I assume) heavily cut down from the original performance? I have a hard time believing Brown only played 30 minutes of material. Is it a "We only have so much space on the vinyl, so we picked the best tracks" situation?
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Well, finally got this album. Been curious about it due to what is honestly a really bad cover art that looks like the cover art to a random record you run into in the record shop thats being sold for $0.50 because literally no one has heard of that band. And the album is inexplicably in bad condition. Although it weirdly fits too.
That said pleased to see that this is a case where the cover art is not indicative of the quality of music on it. Definitely can see why Harry Nilsson was considered the American Beatle. Gotta Get Up and Down are very Beatles-esque, although Down has the more bar blues feel of an American band. Didn't realize this was the Coconut band either. Can't particularly call it a good song (although I oddly do like it, it goes weirdly hard), but it's been used/referenced in a lot of stuff I like (Alan Wake) so there's that. And Without You is an all timer of a song though, holy.
Overall good record. Kinda inbetween a 3 and 4, but since I don't really see myself going back to it, probably will land on a 3. If the rest of the record kept up with the style of Gotta Get Up, would probably have gone with the 4.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
This album for me has always been both amazing and frustrating to me (this is one of those albums that I go back to from time to time to see if it clicks, and it never quite does). A lot of the jazzy vibes are right up my alley. The first song kicks off fantastically along with Jazz (We Got). However, what frustrates me is the old school style of rapping. It's not quite as archaic or Hit. Every. Beat. On. The. Note style, but it's not far off. Beastie Boys kinda had the same thing going on, but the whole frat boy angle kinda blunted my annoyance of that style.
That annoyance isn't blunted as much here, but like I said, the jazzy vibes are fantastic.
All that said, I will say this album is clicking for me a little more this time. Dunno what it is, but maybe the jazzyness is just hitting a little harder this time. Dunno if it's an album I'll ever fully appreciate (The Roots provide everything this album does without the outdated rapping style), but it's a classic for a reason.
Shout out to the album art though, easily one of the best of all time.
U2
3/5
Full disclosure, I groaned when I saw this come up. I've never really liked U2 despite never really listening to them or disliking them for any real legitimate reason. Just whatever I got from cultural osmosis was an impression of them being annoying (I wasn't even affected by the whole iTunes shoving their album down everyone's throats episode, although that definitely wasn't a good look).
That said, I've definitely heard the songs Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year's Day before (who hasn't), and those are good songs. Didn't really know U2 were a post-punk band (albeit a much poppier/commercial version of the genre).
This album is definitely better than I was expecting though. I was expecting more of a commercial pop sound, and while that's still here a bit, the post-punk does shine through. What I don't like though is how most of the time Bono is constantly at 110%, belting everything out. Not that it's necessarily a problem in this specific song, but The Refugee is a pretty terrible song (along with Red Light. That opening was weird and the sax was entirely unneeded). But songs like Sunday Bloody Sunday and Drowning Man are Bono with zero restraint. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
But yeah, better than I was expecting, but whether I'm merely just whelmed, or my preconceived notions are getting in the way, I'm not particularly feeling this either. Probably not a band I'd go back to outside of this list.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
This is a very frustrating album, because it seems the band forgot the part about needing hooks. But what's there is still pretty good. It's like all the songs are missing is the hook, it generally has everything else.
Costello's voice is great, they still sound impossibly cool, but I think they tried to be a bit *too* cool for this record. No matter how cool you are, you can't survive not having hooks. Every song I'm just waiting for that catchy chorus or riff, and it just doesn't come. And once in a while I'll get it, but the song is too mid-tempo for it to actually be catchy.
Best songs are The Long Honeymoon and The Loved Ones. Human Hands is a solid track too.
Overall solid record, just missing the hooks. One of those, if I kept going back to it, I'd appreciate it, but probably won't be going back. I'll just listen to This Year's Model instead.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Surprised this album is from 1993, feels like something that could easily slot into the late 90s as music that would get picked as a track for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode. At points almost verges on Shania Twain type country, but never fully commits, and it adds a nice twang to some of the songs without being too much while also maintaining that 90's more upbeat alt sound.
Not quite sure how I feel about it though. I like it, but I don't know if I like it enough to go back to it in the future. Maybe if I'm looking for that specific late 90s vibe. Will say at 52 minutes, it's probably a tad on the long side, and could have used a song or two being cut.
Side note after I wrote the review: Apparently she was actually on an episode of Buffy, performing her songs. I called it, lol.
Billy Joel
4/5
Absolute classic album.
Every song is a gem.
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)
The Stranger
Just the Way You Are
Scenes From An Italian Restaurant
Only The Good Die Young
She's Always A Woman
All fantastic. Staple of classic rock radio in my childhood.
Will say, still giving it just a 4 because, despite it being a perfect album, it's just not one that hits me like the ones that I have ranked 5s.
Beatles
4/5
Third Beatles album (fourth if you count All Things Must Pass by Harrison), and I'm pretty sure I've listened to this before, but am not recognizing some of the deeper cuts.
Will say, being a double album, this one probably could have used some pruning. It's a weird dichotomy between some of the best work they ever did in their career (While My Guitar Gently Weeps is probably the best song of their career, along with other fantastic tracks like Back in the USSR, Ob-La-Di, Helter Skelter, and Revolution) with some really weird, nothing tracks (Wild Honey Pie, really?) and decent but not especially great tracks in the context of the Beatles (Rocky Raccoon).
Definitely hearing them going heavy on the "proper" British Royalty sound they'd have from time to time with this record (Piggies), along with a slight American 50's diner-esque sound.
Still, some great deeper cuts like Martha My Dear and Blackbird. The Beatles really have a knack for making weird, gimmick songs legit. Ob-La-Di, Martha My Dear, a lot of the great Ringo songs (not just on this record). This is definitely a McCartney/Harrison record where Lennon's contributions weren't quite as strong (aside from Revolution).
But yeah. Great album, just inconsistent. Runs the gamut from greatest of all time to puzzling why specific songs were included. This would be a 5/5 if it were cut down to a single album about 60 mins instead of the 93 it actually is.
Lou Reed
4/5
My previous experience with Lou Reed has basically been limited to the albums Velvet Underground & Nico and Lulu with Metallica, and I can't say I enjoyed those ones (although I should go back to Lulu just out of curiosity, it's been years so I don't really remember it).
Couple that with seeing the psychedelic rock tag on the generator along with hearing it's a "challenging" '70s album (generally, I struggle with those. Gave Talking Heads' Fear of Music and Iggy Pop's The Idiot both 1s), and I wasn't having high hopes for this one.
Lucky for me, this doesn't really sound like either of those albums, nor does it sound psychedelic (although I get why the tag is there). To me it sounds closer to if David Bowie and Frank Zappa worked together.
Feel like the highlight of the album to me is the drumming. If I'm not mistaken I think I hear double bass in there at some points? Great drum tone and sound.
Really feels a lot like Pink Floyd's The Wall, just cut down to a manageable length.
As for it being challenging, perhaps, but it manages to have some good hooks and can be pretty upbeat when it wants to, despite the dark subject matter, whereas with some of the other "challenging" '70s albums I've heard, it feels like they are allergic to hooks and catchiness.
Think my standout track might be Oh Jim.
Maybe not an album I'd go back to, but it is really good. Shocked this got savaged in reviews when it first came out.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
My fourth S&G album (counting Graceland by Simon), and 200th album of this project!
Out of the S&G albums proper on this list, probably my least favorite of the three (gave both the others a 3 as well). Not much really stood out to me aside from Baby Driver (love the movie the song inspired as well). But everything else is pretty solid. The title track, I swear I'm more familiar with a cover of it but I can't figure what version that is. None of the covers (or original) I'm finding on Spotify are as bombastic as I remember.
But yeah, good album. Couple great tracks. Weakest of the three S&G albums on the list, but they're all some flavor of 3 to me. But better than Graceland which I gave a 2.
The Prodigy
3/5
Not really a fan of electronic music, but all things considered this is pretty solid stuff. Kinda at the intersection of pump up club bangers and Tony Hawk-esque skateboarding soundtrack.
Recognized Kool Keith on Diesel Power, which is cool.
Overall though, not really something I'd go back to, but was a pretty good listen. Had a good time being transported back to the late 90s.
Stereo MC's
3/5
You know, while it's definitely a solid, pretty pleasant listen, I don't really see what this album particularly brings vs artists from similar genres (Acid jazz - Jamiroquai, trip hop - Massive Attack/Portishead, hip hop - everyone). Can definitely hear a little influence this album had, particularly on the first two Gorillaz albums.
At an hour long it's a bit long especially given that it kinda rides the same vibe throughout.
But yeah, probably didn't need to hear this one before I died. Solid, but nothing special, and doesn't feel particularly influential or well known enough. Definitely an album that'll have it's die hard defenders though.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Normally I would complain about an album that made me sit through two hours of music. Anything more than 50 minutes is usually pushing it for me, with 60 minutes being an absolute maximum.
However, not so for Mellon Collie. This album has absolutely no filler, which is insane for an album of this length. The only other double/triple LPs I can name off the top of my head that come close or equal to the quality of this one are George Harrison's All Things Must Pass (Gave it a 4/5) and The Who's Quadrophenia (Would give it a 5/5 if it were on the list).
All this to say, I'm VERY skeptical of any album that thinks it can sustain quality over 50 minutes. And yet Mellon Collie could probably have a THIRD LP on it and still be great.
Anyways, Mellon Collie. Absolutely a vibes album, and one of the best to ever do it. You basically have two types of songs. You have the Tonight, Tonights which exemplify the accompanying art of the record (Whether it's the album art or Tonight, Tonight's music video in all its A Trip to the Moon early 1900's glory), and you have the metal/noise rock songs. And all of it is perfect.
The two LPs are pretty front loaded with the best tracks on the record (Tonight, Tonight, Jellybelly, Zero, Here is No Why, Bullet With Butterfly Wings; Bodies, In the Arms of Sleep, and 1979), but don't let that fool you, the rest are still insane. The Smashing Pumpkins knew when to add little flourishes and sounds to elevate everything on this. You could cut this double LP up in just about any way to make a single LP, and still have a banger of an album.
Went into this knowing it'd get a 4 at least. Only thing is, was the length justified to get it to 5? And the answer is more than yes. If anything, like I said, they could have added more and I wouldn't have gotten bored.
Taylor Swift
4/5
You know, I'm starting to think the author of the book kinda sucks at picking albums from the year 2000 or later. This isn't a criticism of evermore (I actually quite like it), it's more that I just get the feeling that the author is out of his element when it comes to modern music. Putting on Queens of the Stone Age's S/T over Songs For the Deaf? System of A Down instead of Toxicity? Then it's putting albums on WAY too early before the album had a chance to gain influence, especially when there's much better picks from the same artists. Fetch the Bolt Cutters over When the Pawn...? Chemtrails Over the Country Club over Norman Fucking Rockwell!!? It's like the author either understands a band should be on the list, but doesn't listen to the band, or he wants to be ahead of the game with declaring an album an instant classic, and whiffs every time.
evermore definitely falls into the second category with albums getting on way too early. Sometimes an album comes along that is quite clearly an instant classic (I'd argue Chappell Roan's The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess is that), but evermore is not that. Hell, it's not even Taylor Swift's best folk album from that same period, that would be folklore. And I don't even think folklore necessarily should get onto the list itself (Although I'd hear argument), despite it being what I think is her best album.
That said, evermore is a fantastic, cozy little winter album. The best thing Taylor Swift ever did was hunker down, write lyrics that focused more on telling a story instead of continuing to rehash her relationships, and make these folk albums. Not to say that what she was doing before wasn't good, just this is a breath of fresh air that she needed. Compared to folklore however, this one I think tends to fall into a little bit of repetitiveness with a lot of the songs kinda just carrying on the same vibe without trying to evolve or crescendo. It doesn't have the emotional gut punch of a song like exile (feat. Bon Iver). But I do like it a lot. Songs like no body, no crime (feat. HAIM) with it's very Carrie Underwood Before He Cheats vibe and coney island (feat. The National) really stand out for me (And I swear the songs with features aren't the only good songs on these albums, cardigan, the next great american dynasty, and invisible string all from folklore are great as well. From evermore, long story short has a great drive to it, and generally the rest are all solid).
Overall, great album, just not a great pick for this list. There are better picks from her discography (folklore), and it feels like way too soon to be adding this to the list anyways.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Started off great, ended great with Layla. Lots of overly long blues songs that kinda bored me (despite Clapton stuffing those songs to the brim with good stuff). Was thinking initially I'd rate higher, but then the bluesier stuff kicked in.
fIREHOSE
2/5
Tough to really explain my thoughts on this one, but fIREHOSE feels like one of those "Your favorite band's favorite band" bands. Like, they are hitting on a lot of good ideas in this record, but none of them really coalesce into good music? And your favorite band was able to take what they heard from fIREHOSE and repackage it into good music. Like I don't know if they were influenced by fIREHOSE, but some of Fromohio reminds me of Sunny Day Real Estate, just without the emo? A touch southern rock or country meets late 80's indie rock.
It's tough to describe though, but I always went up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan as a kid for vacation, and this music reminds me of the feeling of crossing the Mackinac Bridge on the way home from vacation and you get into the lower peninsula where the grass is just more brown, its hotter, and you don't see the lakes anymore. Just a vibe of returning back to life after having a great time. Weird analogy, but that's what popped into my head. Dry, hot music that while isn't sad, just makes me sad.
Simple Minds
3/5
Pretty solid new wave/post-punk record. But it's very 50/50 for me. Kinda switches off between stereotypical, upbeat 80's music that I'm not a big fan of (Glittering Prize), and more melancholic post-punk in the vein of The Cure, which I like quite a bit (Somewhere Someone In Summertime). But its kinda in that "When I have The Cure, I'll just listen to The Cure" situation. Just goes to reinforce my theory that good 80's music needs a darker, melancholic, somber edge to it. If it's just upbeat, its not going to be good.
Solid, but not anything special for me.
The Clash
4/5
Man, goes to show preconceived notions can be wrong. Not that I thought this would be bad, but of the little I know of The Clash, I was expecting just standard old-school punk, similar to Ramones or The Sex Pistols, just better. And it being a double (although a short double), I thought that would wear thin past the 30 minute mark.
But almost immediately, they go off the rails and launch into a bunch of different styles and genres, whether its surf punk, new wave, post-punk, reggae, ska, etc.
Just all around fantastic stuff. Great little licks, production ideas, added instruments everywhere to really flesh it out. Even on the punk songs like Clampdowm which does sound like a song that wouldn't be out of a place on a Ramones record, there's guitar licks, cowbells, synths and whatnot that'd never get in a hypothetical Ramones version.
I will say, it still does run a tad long, but great album.
Nico
4/5
Make that two albums that have surprised me vs. what I expected. Going into this, I only knew her work on Velvet Underground and Nico, which I do not care for at all with it's psychedelia (albeit experimental). Was not expecting experimental folk.
Really beautiful and melancholic stuff here. Still some of the psychedelic stuff I would normally dislike (Winter Song - almost ren faire vibe), but am quite enjoying it here. There's just a richness here that the fast majority of psychedelic music doesn't have. Can't remember where or who mentioned it in this sub, but someone said something to the effect of "Psychedelic music from that time was a mile wide and puddle deep. So many bands that had one great song but couldn't keep it up through a whole album", and I agree with that, but Chelsea Girl is the exception to that. While not the whole album hits on those sounds, when it does, its fantastic.
Definitely gonna check out her later stuff eventually, especially since it sounds like she moved in a post-punk/goth rock direction, which is interesting coming from where she started.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Really great gothic folk. Love how dark and macabre it is. Definitely think it is a tad front loaded. Not that anything is bad, just a song like The Kindness of Strangers didn't hit me as hard, being more of a "sweet" ballad when the rest of the album stuck strongly to the really heavy and dark gothic folk vibes. O'Malley's Bar is a tad long, but great itself. Love when Nick Cave is in this mode. Up Jumped the Devil from Tender Prey operates on the same wavelength, just more horror than gothic folk.
Elastica
4/5
When I saw the genre listing, wasn't thinking much of it. Surprised me to find this album has more in common with the Seattle riot grrrl/punk scene compared to bands I'd more associate with brit pop and post-punk.
The bass work is fantastic, and between that and the guitar, its got a deep and weird Sleater-Kinney vibe to it. Really liking stuff like Car Song, S.O.F.T., and Hold Me Now.
Didn't think the British had PNW grunge/punk in them, yet here we are.
4/5
*Man listens to Sleater-Kinney once*
Man, this sounds like Sleater-Kinney. Mostly I joke, because I said the same with Elastica yesterday, but the guitar tone and style is giving me some SK vibes as well, just with some more standard late 90's/early 00's alt rock vibes. Similar to what I said about Aimee Mann's record, but some of this record could easily slot into an episode of Buffy.
But yeah, this is a great record. Not much specific to talk about it, but I'm liking it more than Let England Shake (which I gave a 4) because of the aforementioned SK-isms. Really cool Thom Yorke feature on This Mess We're In.
The Fall
2/5
There's some musical ideas on here that hit for me, but almost across the board the vocals are doing it in for me, both male and female. The vocals are operating on a very B-52s wavelength, but without it being entertaining and fun.
I'm finding for me to like post-punk, it needs to have goth or new wave influences in it. When it's just sitting in a purely punk side, it always comes off as irritating, overly full of itself, and nauseating. It doesn't have the drive or joy that punk does, and doesn't have the melancholy of new wave or goth. It always feels like they just took punk, and removed an essential component, while adding grating dissonance.
That said, like I said, there are some ideas that hit, particularly the song L.A. where that hits in a more goth/new wave direction. And you can definitely hear this album's influence, whether its Sleater-Kinney (three days in a row I've mentioned them. You'd think they're the only band I've listened to), Sonic Youth, or Gorillaz.
But it's gonna be a no from me, dawg. There's nothing here that entertains me, quite a bit that annoys me, and at over an hour long, it's too much.
Side note, sad I couldn't keep the 4-streak going. But I did get five 4s in a row!
The Specials
3/5
Generally I'm not a huge fan of ska (unless it's ska punk like Streetlight Manifesto, only ska band where I like whole albums). Thought I was gonna get a treat with this one leading off with Gangsters, with its very gothic ska, Scooby-Doo ass vibe. Unfortunately the rest of the record is just regular-old ska. Maybe some other stuff thrown in like a little ska punk here and there. Not that it's bad, but it's not something that wows me either.
So yeah. Gangsters is easily the best track on the record with the rest being decent ska.
I will say as a side note, being produced by Elvis Costello tracks. I'd be curious to see the listing of how many albums artists appeared on in any capacity on the list. If so, throw another Costello album on due to this, lol. Bowie's definitely much higher with guest spots and production spots probably all over the list.
Beck
3/5
Another good album from Beck, although not as fantastic as Sea Change. More of a vibes album rather than one that impacts you, despite kinda continuing the feel of Sea Change, just with a southern/western vibe. Dunno if anything is particularly hitting me from this. Doesn't seem to have the emotional punches that its predecessor had.
Although I do remember E-Pro from playing it in Rock Band 2.
Ultimately though, this feels like an album that could be dropped from the list. Sea Change covers this era of Beck well, and you got Odelay for the 90s stuff. Feeling somewhere between a 3 and 4, but don't think it'll be something I go back to much, so I'll stick with a 3 for now.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Don't really got much to say, but this is some decent classic country/bluegrass.
Unfortunately, it's just not for me. It's a little too oldschool for me, and the higher singer is a bit piercing. In the Pines is a pretty solid track though. Reminds me a lot of the Nirvana cover of Leadbelly's Where Did You Sleep Last Night?
Butthole Surfers
2/5
This is one of those albums that I can respect and appreciate, but I don't think I can like it.
It sounds like the unholy spawn of Nirvana, Black Sabbath, and The Residents.
Black Sabbath right off the bat with Sweat Loaf, basically just turning Sabbath's Sweet Leaf into a noise rock song. Graveyard sounds like the noise bridge or breakdown to a weird Nirvana song like Milk It (My favorite Nirvana song by the way).
Pretty sure U.S.S.A samples or recreates the looping machinery sound from Pink Floyd's Welcome to the Machine? At least, it sounded like that.
Kuntz kinda sounds like a Middle Eastern/Indian tune fed through the context of a 60's psychedelic track.
But mostly there's not an entire song I can sink my teeth into on this. I think it's really just Pittsburgh to Lebanon and Human Cannonball that are the only tracks resembling a fully formed song, not that they were trying with the other ones. Whereas the other ones run the gamut from a looping musical phrase or just noise rock jamming.
But yeah. It's a fantastic album, definitely one to be respected for it's creativity, influence (On grunge and sludge), and boundary breaking; but in the context of this project, I can't really give it anything higher than a 2. It's not one I have much interest in going back to.
4/5
Kinda feeling this the same as The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. Went into it not expecting to be that into it, but coming out of it liking it quite a bit.
That said, with how much he already has on the list, do we really need a live album? I'd probably cut this one and probably another of his albums off the list to make room for underrepresented artists/genres.
Violent Femmes
4/5
I remember listening to this like 10-15 years ago and disliking it quite a bit aside from Blister in the Sun. This go around, now that I have a better appreciation for folk punk (AJJ, Harley Poe, and Stick and Poke), I'm enjoying this quite a bit more.
Definitely seeing this band's influence on Harley Poe, just without the misanthropic murder folk vibes. So yeah, if you like Violent Femmes, you'll enjoy Harley Poe. Singer sounds similar too.
I will say though, this album sounds shockingly ahead of time. It blew my mind this was released in 83. Production is great, clear, and this album could have easily released in the 2010s with no one thinking it was dated.
Bee Gees
2/5
Today I learned the Bee Gees weren't always a disco/R&B band, and in fact had eleven (!!!) albums before making one with R&B influences.
Definitely feeling this album though is at the intersection of stuff like Beach Boys and the Grateful Dead??? Folk rock, baroque pop, country influences.
But honestly, almost immediately this is boring me. It's fine, but not really what I am looking for and at over an hour long, its a lot to ask. Very much "grandma" music to my ears. I'd definitely rank the best of their disco output as better than this.
Fairport Convention
3/5
After getting Bee Gees yesterday, getting another 60's folk album wasn't really what I was hoping for. But overall, this is a pretty solid listen.
Definitely feeling the Joni Mitchell influence on this album, especially with a song like The Deserter. I do tend to prefer the rockier cuts on this record, although as mentioned, The Deserter is really good.
Deep Purple
4/5
Some goddamn great, classic heavy metal. Got the classics here like Smoke On the Water, Space Truckin', and Highway Star. And great deep cuts to back it up.
Not much else to say. If you don't like this, you're just wrong, lol.
Aerosmith
3/5
Never was a big Aerosmith fan, with this kind of proto-hair metal, arena rock generally being hit and miss for me (Along with hair metal in general, but for example, I like Def Leppard, but Van Halen I wasn't big on either).
That said, listening to this, it's pretty solid, but mostly it doesn't change my opinion of Aerosmith. The hits are generally good (Back in the Saddle, which is on this record, Dream On, Train Kept A' Rollin, Sweet Emotion, etc.), but I'm not really enamored with this record.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Was expecting country when I got this, honestly, but happy that's not what it was.
Pretty much this whole album is beautiful and perfect, just not a ton is jumping out at me. Every so often though, a song catches my attention and its fantastic, particularly The Windmills of Your Mind. I've definitely heard Son of a Preacher Man before.
I might listen to it again, but right now feeling a very high 3 right now.
Hookworms
4/5
If a 2010s indie artist was influenced by M83 and MGMT, while also having instrumentals that are inspired by the original Tron movie (or at least what I remember/think it was).
Good stuff though, generally enjoying it.
Jeff Buckley
4/5
Absolutely hauntingly beautiful album. Every song knows exactly how much it needs. Its neither overproduced or too stripped down.
Definitely hear the influence on bands like Radiohead (particularly on OK Computer) and Muse. As well as maybe some of the alt rock stuff from the early 2000s. Matchbox Twenty and whatnot.
Was debating between a four and a five, but think I'm gonna land on a four. Too many songs follow the pattern of soft, light opening -> crescendo to an amazing finish. Which isn't necessarily bad, but I tended to prefer the music in the crescendo part as opposed to the openings. If there was a little more variety, it'd easily be a five.
Will say, wasn't expecting the heaviness of Eternal Life to hit.
Janis Joplin
3/5
Basically the same as Big Brother and the Holding Company for me. Some good blues/soul, I just can't do Joplin's voice. I will say I think she has a little more range on this one, so when she's not going high/screeching, it's pretty good.
And I do like this more than Big Brother, but not enough to get it to four stars.
4/5
Honestly, surprised I'm not giving this full marks as I thought going into it, it'd be one of the easiest 5s I would have ever given. Totally get why this album is being reappraised down while Abbey Road is going up.
That said, still a fantastic album, just kinda hits a lull through the middle (She's Leaving Home -> With Or Without You).
But when I think of The Beatles, the quirky, silly stuff is what I think of. Stuff like With A Little Help From My Friends, When I'm Sixty Four, Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, etc. Just has that super unique sound no one else has been able to come close to (despite trying). And not that it's a quirky silly song, but A Day in the Life is top 10 Beatles songs, easy.
Boston
4/5
Just an album that is undeniably filled, front to back, with absolute classics. Every song on this thing is a track I've had drilled into my brain since I was born, with More Than A Feeling, Peace of Mind, and Foreplay/Longtime being the standouts.
I will say though, aside from Let Me Take You Home Tonight, which manages to standout from the rest of the tracklist in its sound, every track on this record basically sounds like the same song. Same vocal inflections and melodies, same guitar progressions, etc. But like I said, every song is a winner despite that.
And while I'm grading this album based on what I said above, I do have to admit, I've really got no interest in listening to Boston anymore. I've just heard them way too much, despite enjoying the music, to the point that I wouldn't be sad if I never hear them again. Great album that's just been overplayed for me.
Randy Newman
3/5
Start off to say, I do really enjoy Randy's style. Clear that the Toy Story song is his general style, and that song was great, so hearing a full album of tunes like that was a good time.
But I think (and it's the general elephant in the room) starting off the record with Rednecks was certainly an introduction and choice. And while I get the point of the song, I can't help but think the song lost the plot by the extremely liberal use of slurs. For comparison, the Dead Kennedy's song Holiday in Cambodia is also one where that slur is sung by a white man, but its used once as an extremely jarring and cutting point. And that song is fantastic. So I do feel Redneck's point could have been made more tactfully.
That said, I generally enjoyed this album, it's a little repetitive in sound and probably isn't one I'd go back to, but yeah. Newman gets points for the superior Rollin' (Sorry Fred Durst).
The The
4/5
Don't got a ton to say other than I'm confused why this is getting lower reviews compared to Soul Mining. It's been a while since I've listened to that one, but this one doesn't sound too different, albeit maybe a little more experimental/post-punky?
Anyways, yeah, solid album. For a non-goth post-punk record, for once I'm enjoying it because it sounds like the band is actually having fun and not trying to specifically create "art" (trademarked). I especially liked the song Heartland.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
Not for me/5
Honestly though, good singing, good country. Just doesn't do anything for me.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Don't got a ton to say other than this is damn good soul/blues. Couple classic tracks like Chain of Fools and (You Make Me Feel) Like A Woman. Groovin' and Ain't No Way are fantastic closers as well. Aretha was just the best at what she did, and that's just how it is.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Weird journey I went on with this record recently. I loved it when I first listened to it back in like 2012. Relistened to it last month, and wasn't as enamored with it. But I listened again today, and its back to being fantastic. Highlights have always been Fight Test, Yoshimi Pt. 1, and In the Morning of the Magicians. Love the acoustic guitar and the unique synths they got going on in this record.
Will say, though, only thing keeping it from a 5 is Yoshimi Pt. 2. They went too much with the synths in that track, and it just doesn't mesh with the rest of the tracklist. Had that song not been included, I'd seriously be considering giving this a 5*.
Iggy Pop
4/5
See, this is what I was hoping for when I got The Idiot early on. Unfortunately I couldn't stand that album. It had no hooks, was really off putting to listen to, Iggy's vocals felt phoned in.
But this album feels like the complete opposite. Still feels very Bowie (apparently also collab'd with Bowie on this, but Pop had more control on this album, which honestly was the right choice after The Idiot), but in the best way possible.
Always liked The Passenger (coulda sworn I heard it in an episode of Breaking Bad, but apparently its not in the show), but the rest of the album has the hooks and fun that The Idiot was missing.
Great album. It's got a drive and heat to it that feel pretty singular.
Queen
4/5
I was curious about the albums from Queen outside of A Night at the Opera (which I've heard before). Generally the vibe I've gotten is that Queen is a singles band outside Opera.
But listening to Sheer Heart Attack, I don't agree with that at all. It's generally a good album all the way through. It does drop off a bit at the end starting at Misfire, but before that is consistently great, with the singles leading the way (Killer Queen, Flickr of the Wrist, Stone Cold Crazy). Tenement Funster is a great track too.
So yeah. Great album. Don't agree at all with the "singles band" criticism. Get the feeling that's just people's dislike for their goofier, showtunes-y songs.
Beck
4/5
It's interesting how the generator seems to really like giving me certain artists albums all at the same time. Feel like I got all the Beck albums within like a 100 day span, haha.
Generally enjoying this one more the Guero with its more 90s vibes vs the tex-mex vibes of Guero (although still has some of that sound). Weird Beck is on full display here. Really enjoy songs like Lord Only Knows. A little surprised that this album is vibier than I was expecting. Was expecting something a little more rocky, in line with other songs of his like Loser.
But yeah. Good album, but still think Sea Change is my favorite from him.
CHIC
2/5
Perfectly fine disco R&B that just isn't my thing. Not even a big fan of Le Freak. Savoir Faire is probably the best track on the album with its Clapton-esque guitar, but the vast majority of the album has an issue with the songs being way too long. Every song could have used one to four minute pruning. Especially songs like At Last I'm Free which is dreadfully plodding and didn't need to be seven minutes long.
And if you thought DJ Kaled was bad with announcing his name, check the first two songs on this album, haha.
Brian Wilson
2/5
This is a weird one, because I'm not really disliking anything on it, but feel like I'm going to settle on a 2 for a couple specific reasons. Firstly, it's weaker to me than Pet Sounds and Surfs Up (which I gave a 3 and 4 respectively).
But also, this doesn't seem to have any hooks or catchy bits for me to latch onto. It's not plodding, but the flow of the album feels very uniform without a ton of distinct verses or choruses.
And lastly, I'm just not a big fan of this type of psychedelic chamber pop. Even Pet Sounds I'm not big on.
So yeah. This isn't actively doing anything I dislike I guess, but I just don't "get" it I guess?
Jurassic 5
3/5
The second this started playing, I was like "I recognize that deep voice", and I was right. Chali 2na was in Ozomatli (never really listened to them, but my drum teacher liked them), and he did Neil DeGrasse Tyson in Epic Rap Battles, which was a great episode.
Anyways, generally enjoying this. It's got a more classic hip-hop vibe (pre-gangsta rap) with more modern flows/production. Got some of that jazz hip hop I like from bands like The Roots and Tribe. That said, I'm not super sold on this being an album that I "must" listen to. This feels like a VERY Robert Dimery pick, picking something more underground but not necessarily something that I hear a ton about in music circles (similar to Jeru the Demaja, Lupe Fiasco, and Mike Ladd, although that Jeru album was great).
Marianne Faithfull
2/5
I'll have to listen to her stuff earlier in her career to see what she sounded like before the drug use took a toll on her voice.
Unfortunately, I'm just not a fan of the vocals on this one. Musically, it's solid (although I'm not huge on the blues of Brain Drain and the bluesy new wave of What's the Hurry?). It's odd that this album is described as new wave though. Mostly sounds closer to a bluesy/folk post-punk on certain tracks (Broken English, Guilt). Definitely an album that's weirdly all over the place genre wise, but also feels pretty cohesive. Guilt kinda feels like a punky Pink Floyd, if you can imagine that. But the vocals just aren't doing it for me, and even the backing vocals don't gel with the leads.
So yeah. Good musically, unfortunately not my thing vocals wise. Broken English and Guilt are probably the only tracks I really like, despite her vocals.
Arcade Fire
3/5
Got nothing really to say about this. It's fine. Funeral is better. Neon Bible doesn't really do much for me (but honestly that's Arcade Fire in general).
Peter Gabriel
3/5
I feel like this is an album I would need nostalgia for to enjoy. As it stands though, I'm not really feeling the heavy 80's vibe of this record, especially with the ballads not being quite as strong as the bangers like Sledgehammer and Big Time (great bassline though).
Oddly, We Do What We're Told is probably my favorite song? It's got a very vibey, Nine Inch Nails feel.
But yeah, pristine pop album that isn't really doing much for me.
Aerosmith
3/5
A really solid album with great singles, but is hampered by deep cuts that feel derivative of other bands. Round and Round is straight up a Black Sabbath song, there's a couple songs on there that sound very Lynyrd Skynyrd. And the weakest track on it is easily Big Ten Inch Record. Those lyrics are painful. Understand that's a cover, but probably should have left it off.
That said, like I mentioned, the singles are great, Walk This Way and Sweet Emotion.
Solid album with good singles, just derivative.
Silver Jews
4/5
I've been familiar with David Berman's (Rest in peace) work for a while. Mostly songs from the Silver Jews like How to Rent a Room or his final project Purple Mountains, and generally it's all been fantastic.
I will say, sometimes with Silver Jews being indie alt-country/rock, it does sometimes lose me when its a bit too cowpoke/country, but overall this is a great record with Horseleg Swastikas and Transylvania Blues being the standouts as their more western sounding vs country, along with being fuller sounding.
The Mars Volta
4/5
If I may indulge a little bit here... absolutely terrible, godawful album art. Have always thought that. Does not affect my opinion of the album, but yeah.
Now that I got that out of the way, have always been a fan of this album (Even if I've fallen off the prog train) along with Frances of the Mute and the stuff Cedric and Omar did in At the Drive-In. What sets this album aside from a lot of other prog projects is the different genres The Mars Volta take in their music, whether it's jazz, latin, and especially the post-hardcore influences. Punk is anathema to prog, but the post-hardcore influences do a lot of the heavy lifting of elevating this record beyond just being another overproduced, indulgent prog rock record. It adds a sense of intention and drive to all the music instead of sounding like a masturbatory session on the guitar.
Overall, just a fantastic record. Highlight for me (Probably obvious) is Inertiatic Esp, but songs like Cicatriz Esp and Take the Veil Cerpin Taxt are great too.
Louis Prima
4/5
Now this is some proper Fallout-core. Probably the single most Fallout-core album I've gotten so far.
Anyways, great, fun little jazz rock album. I listened to the expanded edition, and honestly the added songs weren't as strong as the original tracklist, but it was still fun. (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal goes hard, especially as a closer.
Cat Stevens
5/5
Gonna be honest, I can't be objective on this album. This album gets a high rating for a purely personal reason (although it is fantastic objectively) despite the fact I've never heard it before.
My grandfather passed away in 2006 and my uncle in 2008. I remember breaking down one time and having to leave while visiting my grandfather while he was going through chemo, and that was the last time I saw him.
After that I promised myself I wouldn't avoid my family members when they were going through similar health issues. So I made sure to be there when my uncle passed. Father and Son was one of the songs my uncle requested be played at his funeral and that's stuck with me ever since.
With that bit of incredibly sad backstory out of the way, yeah, this is an amazing album. Of course Wild World is fantastic, but other cuts like Miles From Nowhere, Longer Boats, and On the Road to Find Out are amazing. The cello (bass violin, I dunno, too busy breaking down in tears listening to this) in Longer Boats is exquisite. This is music that would fit incredibly well for driving through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (UP-core, if you will).
Cat Stevens has an amazingly full, warm, and comforting voice.
But yeah. This *might* be a 4/5 without the personal connection to Father and Son, but I can't justify anything less than a 5 due to that. Honestly breaking down in tears writing this review, this is tough. I'm a mess listening to this.
Didn't think this would hit me this hard tonight, yet here we are. This album has too many personal feelings (including stuff I won't mention here) and issues wrapped up in it for me, so yeah. 5/5, 9/5, fucking whatever out of five, doesn't fucking matter. I both did and did not need this tonight. Fuck you Cat Stevens for destroying me tonight, and thank you for the amazing music, and for reminding me of the important things in life I have been neglecting. FUCK.
"All the times I've cried/
Keeping all the things I knew inside/
It's hard, but its harder to ignore it"
Rest in peace Uncle Vince.
Ministry
4/5
Generally, industrial isn't something I'm too big on, but when I like it, I really like it. Bands like Nine Inch Nails and Godflesh (their album Streetcleaner should be on the list) are great, along with whenever Chelsea Wolfe and Blut Aus Nord incorporate industrial into their music.
Mainly, when I don't like industrial its when its more electronic/dancier. I like my industrial to be dark, heavy, and dissonant (although I do like NINs electronic/dancy stuff too).
Ministry luckily falls into the more dissonant/heavy vibe.
That said, I'm not super crazy for Ministry. But I liked their album The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, Thieves off that album is great. And listening to this album, it's just more good industrial metal. I think a lot of the songs can get a bit repetitive, really driving the riffs and drum beats into your head. I do like that Ministry have always sounded like they used power tools to make their music.
But yeah. Just some good industrial metal.
Pixies
5/5
You know, I've listened to this album before and I thought I knew where I was gonna settle on this one (with a 4). But listening now, it's just scratching an itch that I didn't know I had.
Of course, theres the songs I loved before like Wave of Mutilation and Gouge Away, but other tracks like Debaser and Tame are hitting for today (and Here Comes Your Man and Monkey Gone to Heaven and There Goes My Gone). Album full of bangers here. And what's driving it all is Kim Deal's basswork. Simple, but driving and prominent. Along with Black Francis' vocals and shouts, its fantastic.
So yeah. Fantastic record of front to back winners.
Side note, speaking of Kim Deal, why The Breeders aren't on the list is puzzling to me.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
One of those exquisitely produced and made albums that just isn't really my thing. A perfect soul/R&B record.
But with the extreme song lengths (Average of 11 minutes, one of them is 19 minutes long!!!) and this just not really being my thing, just don't got a ton to say about it other than it's fantastic, just not for me.
The Police
3/5
Classic album. Obviously Message in a Bottle is one of the biggest classic rock staples out there, but thealbum does have some great pop punk tracks like Bring on the Night. Stewart Copeland always locks down the drums, easily the best (and most underappreciated) aspect of The Police IMO.
Will say, getting to the second half of the record though, it's kinda losing me. Some weird vocal choices, and odd musical ideas. Thought this was gonna be better than it is.
Don McLean
3/5
Well the title track really promised a lot that the rest of the album didn't really deliver. Went into it expecting more rocking folk tracks like American Pie, but aside from one other song (that's basically American Pie 2.0), the rest were really slow, acoustic folk songs. Good folk songs mind you, but nothing that particularly impressed me. I've definitely heard Babylon somewhere though (Edit: Mad Men. Man, it's been years since I've watched that. Surprised I remember).
So yeah, solid album. Just not something that wowed me.
Björk
4/5
Up front, I've never been a fan of Björk. She's been one of those artists that I want to get into, but just can't. Tried multiple times to Stockholm myself into liking her, but just can't. However, I am finding myself "getting it" this time around.
Between this album and Post (which has her best song, Army of Me - her only song which I previously have actively enjoyed and playlisted), this is her at her most accessible, with solid tracks such as the previously mentioned Army of Me from Post, but also Human Behavior and Venus as a Boy from this record. But there's also the stuff that's starting to hint towards her weird, experimental albums to come like There's More to Life Than This and Aeroplane.
But the album does have a handful of great cuts here or there too. Big Time Sensuality with it's Prince-esque 80's vibe and One Day with it's chilly sci-fi vibe. One Day might actually be my favorite track on the record. I like the vibe of Come to Me.
Overall, this is a solid 4 from me, surprisingly. I'd be surprised if her later albums get a higher or equal rating than this from me though. I'm already not too into the more experimental stuff on this record.
The Cult
2/5
Barely two songs into this album and I already know everything I need to know about it. This is without a doubt the most unnecessary add to the list that I've gotten so far (250ish albums in).
It wasn't a really big practice back when this came out, but this reminds me of the stuff Nickelback would do. Basically workshop an album until it is the most boringly middle of the road slop that "anyone" could enjoy. The difference is, at least Nickelback had How You Remind Me. To be fair, apparently The Cult started outside a goth rock/post punk band? I'd much rather listen to that then this lowest common denominator hard rock music that doesn't have a single unique idea in it.
Overall, it's not bad, per-se, which is why it's not getting a 1. It's just beyond derivative and boring. This thing was made in 1987? Only two years away from Nirvana? Way to fuckin date yourself immediately. And they're aping the 70's, not even trying to cash in on hair/glam metal. Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and Aerosmith was doing this stuff better back in the seventies.
If I were to re-do this list, this honestly would be the first album I'd drop from the list, and it isn't even close. At least every other album I'd drop has *something* unique about it. There is no originality to be found here. If there's ever an album that feels like it got on purely because the band is British, it's this one. Why there needs to be a 70's throwback album from 1987 on the list confuses me.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Well this was an interesting introduction to Grime music. Impressive that he did this when he was 16. Probably not something I'd go back to, but it was a solid listen. Kinda feels like it predicted Kanye's Yeezus a decade in advance. Yeezus wothout the industrial aspect. Cool stuff.
New Order
5/5
At this point, New Order is jockying with The Cure as my favorite post-punk/goth rock band. And this album just makes it tougher to decide between the two.
Low Life is probably their most consistent album, along with being their best by a slight margin. I got Technique previously and absolutely love that album, however, it does stumble right of out the gate with Fine Time, probably the weakest song from what I gather are their top 3 albums (Power Corruption and Lies, Low Life, and Technique). That song alone stopped me from giving Technique a 5 (although another song or two start with intros that I'm not super hot on).
While Low Life doesn't quite hit the highs of Technique (Dream Attack), it also doesn't have the lows (Fine Time). PC&Ls is hit or miss for me. Age of Consent and Leave Me Alone are fantastic, but the rest of the track list I really am not big on.
Low Life though has a great tracklist the whole way through (I'm not 100% sold on Face Up, however. Points for being silly though). Especially songs like Sunrise and Sooner Than You Think. Elegia is a great instrumental, and I quite like This Time of Night as well. Low Life really strikes a balance with their previous sound vs the sound they'll develop on Technique, and it's just great.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Old school hip hop similar to Beastie Boys stuff just a lot more stripped down and sparse. It's fine, just not something I'd really go back to. Walk This Way is the obvious highlight as its got more going on.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Yeah, not enjoying this one. Between his vocals and the lyrics just being juvenile, it's gonna be a no from me. Musically, it's fine, ranging from bluesy jigs and glam/hard rock cuts, but everything else is just not for me.
Nick Drake
4/5
Some really fantastic folk here. Some of it's got a western vibe that gives me shades of Jose Gonzalez and Gustavo Santaolalla (particularly his work on Last of Us) with songs like Three Hours. Some jazzy southern Lynyrd Skynyrd-like stuff like Saturday Sun. Weirdly Time Has Told Me is giving me Alice in Chains vibes? Maybe some Elliot Smith on some of the songs too. Suffice to say, Nick Drake is highly influential.
But yeah. Beautiful folk music with an amazing warmth to it. Was excited to get some of his stuff because I saw people always give his albums Bryter Layter and Pink Moon great reviews. Was not disappointed with this one.
Green Day
4/5
For my money, this is the last great classic rock album. For an album from the mid 2000's, it definitely has that air of classic rock bombast that comes from bands like Led Zeppelin and especially The Who, even if it isn't really borrowing from the sound (But again, it does have some Who-like qualities, setting aside the rock opera aspect).
I will admit, part of me giving this a perfect score is from nostalgia. I still vividly remember getting the CD for this album for Christmas, and absolutely running it into the ground playing it. But even aside from that, it's just a damn good record that still resonates today.
American Idiot obviously is still the most applicable song on the record to today's political climate, but the record rattles off a string of classics after that with Jesus of Suburbia (Probably my favorite song on the album), Holiday, and Boulevard of Broken dreams.
There are some songs that don't hit those highs such as Are We the Waiting, Give Me Novacaine, and Extraordinary Girl, but they're still fun enough to where I wouldn't consider them skips. Additionally, Wake Me Up When September Ends and Homecoming (With it's 50's vibes) are great tracks. Generally, when the album slows down is when the songs don't hit as well for me. The hardcore punk section of Are We the Waiting/St. Jimmy is great, but the slow part like I mentioned is what brings it down a little. Letterbox is better than Extraordinary Girl.
So yeah, fantastic record, probably my favorite Green Day record and their most cohesive (Although it's definitely a generational thing, as a Millenial who grew up during the Bush years, I'm contractually obligated to prefer this album over Dookie).
And I'll keep repeating this until I start hearing other people say it, Tre Cool is one of the most underrated drummers around. His work on this album is great.
Also, side note, definitely one of those albums where the "PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT CONTENT" sticker is synonymous with the album, which is always fun, haha. The album art wouldn't be as good without it.
Edit: Despite me going on about it being a 5 due to nostalgia, I am thinking back on this and just seeing the rest of the albums sitting in my 5 rank, and realizing it doesn't quite stack up to those. So yeah, whoops.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Costello continues with his 50's inspired new wave sounds, sounding as effortlessly cool as ever. However, I will say that it's just not really grabbing me. Luckily, they remembered to have hooks this go around (Imperial Bedroom was hookless), but yeah. Just not hitting my ears like Next Year's Model did.
It's better than Imperial Bedroom, just Next Year's Model is my benchmark for 4s when it comes to Costello, and this doesn't hit that level.
Solid album though.
Nick Drake
4/5
Generator random strikes again. Got Nick Drake 3 days ago, and got him again now.
And again, just another fantastic set of folk pop tracks. Although I will say I do prefer Five Leaves Left. Bryter Layter is great, but for my money, it's a tad too lush and orchestral. Some of it reminds me of Joni Mitchell with it's slight jazziness, but it's just not hitting me like Mitchell does. Hazey Jane II might be my favorite track, with it's Charlie Brown ass sound, feeling like it's a huge inspiration of Belle and Sebastian.
So yeah. Great album. Just slightly prefer Five Leaves Left.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Wasn't really excited for this. Aside from Neil Young's solo stuff, I hadn't really been able to get into any of the other guys' stuff or what I thought I've heard from CSN&Y.
That said, pretty shocked when the first two songs I recognized and regarded as fantastic, along with Woodstock. This is some primo Upper Peninsula driving music.
The second half of the record does let up a tad (although Country Girl is fantastic, but its to be expected with Young singing), and I'm not the biggest fan of the more country tinged stuff, but this is a fantastic record.
The Incredible String Band
1/5
Honestly trying to give this album a fair shake, but everytime it hits on something halfway decent (Witches Hat before it gets into the annoying lalalas), the sharp, high pitched sitar/instruments come in, with weird/silly vocal and instrument choices come in (kazoos for instant).
It's way too silly for how straight their playing it. And there's a dissonance to it that sometimes just sours me.
It sounds like a mixture of Ren Faire/medieval vibey music mixed with a really bad attempt at replicating the Beatles' sound when they were getting into their weird, drug fueled psychedelic stuff. And no surprise, the Beatles knew what they were doing, whereas I feel like these guys don't.
Waltz of the New Moon might have saved it, but the singing is just killing it for me.
I really don't want to dish out the 1. It's not viscerally hitting me like some of my other 1s, it's at least just barely tolerable. But I also can't honestly sit here and say I enjoy any bit of this either. It's just consistently mediocre. Robert Plant apparently heard something in this to be influenced by it, but it's going right over my head.
This is either the highest of 1s or the lowest of 2s. But I think I'll have to give the 1. I just don't enjoy it.
Brian Eno
3/5
Feel like this is an album that, had it come out in the 2000's or later, with all of the sounds and influences that go along with that, I'd like it a lot more than I do (even though this album would be what influenced my hypothetical record - some real Back to the Future shit there). Not that it sounds dated, it doesn't, just that it's not doing a ton for me.
This does feel like a Flaming Lips record before the Flaming Lips existed, so I guess what I'm asking for is this record if it were made by the Flaming Lips in the year 2002.
Anyways, it's a solid album. Some interesting stuff going on, like on the song Little Fishes with it's slightly unnerving wobbliness, or the very Flaming Lips-like Sombre Reptiles. I tend to like the synths they have going on this thing.
While I wouldn't characterize most of the album as ambient (most of the instrumentals have too much drive IMO to truly be ambient), Becalmed definitely hits that mark amazingly, and is probably my favorite track on the record. Very Outer Wilds.
But overall, it's just a tad too odd for me to enjoy fully. Not much on here that I would go out of my way to listen to again, even if I do appreciate it.
3/5
Surprised I'm ambivalent on this one, because noise rock stuff tends to be up my alley.
Most of the songs just feel repetitive in a way that loses my interest, but I will say starting at Hold Hands and It Will Happen Anyway, things get interesting. They Took 14 For the Rest of Our Lives had an uneasy repetitiveness that was cool.
Good album. Will probably listen again sometime.
Meat Loaf
3/5
High energy, fun, silly, and bombastic.
Just an insanely fun record with it's 50's rock style.
However, for me it's not doing much. It's a bit too cheesy. But still a classic that absolutely belongs on this list.
The Charlatans
3/5
I've never been huge on 90's Brit Pop. Oasis isn't really my thing, I only really know Song 2 by Blur. The Beatles influences come in hard with The Charlatans (Along with Oasis), so it doesn't really feel like a genre that does anything particularly new other than funnel 60's British bands through a 90's alt sound. Not particularly exciting for me.
That said, this is a really solid album with pop rock bangers the whole way through. Only Teething is a great Beatles-esque bluesy song. One thing I'll give them is they do have affinity for Bob Dylan, which adds a nice wrinkle to their music.
But overall, it's just not a sound that excites me.
3/5
Perfectly fine pop punk, with some genre experimentation.
Overall though, just not really speaking to me.
Depeche Mode
5/5
Gotta say, while I've always liked this album, a lot of the stuff on it that I didn't really focus on is a vibe now. Stuff like World In My Eyes and Halo are fantastic.
There is some stuff I'm still not vibing with such as Personal Jesus (Electronic goth country is just a really fuckin' weird mashup. Although I'll say I'm not hating it as viscerally this listen around).
Obviously tracks like Enjoy the Silence are standouts, but my absolute favorite has got to be Policy of Truth. It gets heavy rotation on my karaoke Playlist.
The lyrics for Depeche Mode tend to be pretty great and unique too. Usually a dark loneliness and isolation, with touches of sexual submissiveness (usually not my thing, but works really well in the context of Depeche Mode's sound and Gahan's vocals).
Overall, I went into this expecting to know what I was getting into and what I was gonna give it, but it's just hitting perfectly today (with the exception of my continued dislike towards Personal Jesus).
Full marks.
Grateful Dead
2/5
Honestly not a huge fan of Grateful Dead. I like some studio singles of theirs that aren't overly long jam sessions, but thats about it. So a live album thats basically all jamming is honestly not doing a single thing for me. Honestly bores me. Technically it's good, and the sound is pleasing, but it's just not my thing.
The Monks
2/5
Psychedelic proto-punk/garage rock that just isn't really for me. It's fine and an interesting mash up of genres, just isn't scratching my brain right.
Linkin Park
3/5
I don't have a lot of nostalgia for Linkin Park personally (aside from a few songs), but there's no denying their place on this list. Honestly should not have dropped them from the list from latest edition (or preferably, in my opinion, swapped for Meteora).
That said, this is a solid debut. A little derivative of the other bands in the nu-metal scene at the time (especially Chester really channeling Fred Durst in certain songs, but this is a much stronger music than Limp Bizkit)
And obviously there are the standouts like Crawling, Points of Authority, In the End, and One Step Closer.
Solid debut for a band who will eventually find their voice and release more interesting stuff later on (as early as their follow up, Meteora).
Marty Robbins
4/5
Was excited to get this. Love how the guy on the cover looks like a PS2 era character model, haha. Fantastic western tinged country. Definitely the best country album I've gotten so far on the generator. Some slight shades of Fallout-core which is always welcome.
El Paso is a standout as well. Didn't expect a 50's album to have explicit lyrics about getting shot and killed.
Does start off with its best track, Big Iron, but everything else is really good too.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Honestly enjoying this album more than Low End Theory. LET has its tracks that I love a lot (Excursions and Jazz We Got), but that album does slightly escape me. The rapping can be that old school staccato style that comes off as dated for me, and some of the instrumentals just aren't my thing.
However, despite being their debut, I think the rapping is just, in general, smoother on People's Instinctive Travels and across the board I'm enjoying the instrumentals, with them being less stripped down and minimalist. Footprints and After Hours being my standouts. Great record, and kinda annoyed I never listened to any other Tribe album because I just couldn't get into Low End Theory and figured that since that was considered their best, everything else wouldn't be my style.
TLC
4/5
I owe you an apology TLC, I wasn't really familiar with your game.
Not that I was expecting this to be bad, but aside from liking No Scrubs (and mostly because its great for karaoke), I just was expecting to be ambivalent to this one. But there are some vibes/bops on this thing. Songs like Creep and Case of the Fake People. Obviously Waterfalls is a classic.
Obviously there are tracks that I just am not into, such as Red Light Special. I think it was Todd in the Shadows in his review of Adina Howard's Freak Like Me (fantastic song, BTW. Break that out at karaoke too) where he said a lot of artists trying to be sexual felt like they were trying too hard and like it was work (which is the vibe I get from Red Light Special) whereas Freak Like Me sounds like Howard is having fun and being legitimately effortless about it.
The interludes honestly could have been cut, especially Sexy - Interlude. I'm not going to hold them against the record in my rating, but if I were to, that one in particular would knock it down to a 3 by itself. Just horrid.
Onto some more good though, I don't think they were directly or intentionally influenced by TLC, but honestly you can see the through-line from TLC to acts like Eminem and Kanye even. It's pretty impressive.
But yeah, went into this expecting it to just be OK and I'd never touch it again, but found myself enjoying it quite a bit.
Portishead
5/5
Honestly, for my money, the best album on the entire list (although Dig Me Out by Sleater-Kinney comes painfully close).
Absolutely adore the sexy, mysterious vibe of this music. Also channels classic spy music (particularly on songs like Sour Times). Beth Gibbons' voice is absolutely perfect with just the tiniest amount of husk to it, while also being pleading, sexy, light. Barrow and Utley's compositions are absolutely perfect on this record (and honestly everything they've done with Portishead).
My personal standouts are Mysterons (with its very weird, halloween-season vibes), Wandering Star (its dark, pulsing, weird, and teasing basslines), Numb (the drum tone plus Gibbons' higher voice and eerie keyboards), Roads (just all around the best pop song on the record, Gibbons' sad, resigned pleading vocals here are amazing), and Glory Box (insanely sexy - and we know where Billie Eilish got the idea for the breakdown at the end of Bad Guy from); but the whole tracklist are 10/10 winners.
Easily one of my favorite albums of all time (Isis' Oceanic is the only album that beats it for me), and THE trip-hop album to end all trip-hop albums. No albums vibe harder than this one.
Talk Talk
2/5
Honestly, its just 80s in that Peter Gabriel way that I'm not caring much for, on top of me not really liking the vocals. They're too anemic and mixed down.
I like some of the instrumentals though (Give It Up is a solid one).
Morrissey
3/5
A month for two ago I listened to the Smiths' The Queen is Dead on my own. Couldn't really get into it. For post-punk/pop alt, it was a bit too light for my tastes. Not enough punch. I can't remember a ton about that album, but this one is giving me the same vibes, even if I think I like it a bit more than The Queen is Dead.
Morrissey's voice is honestly... not great? But it's one of those voices that kinda makes the music as well, similar in that sense (Not sound) to an Anthony Kiedis or Bob Dylan. A better singer wouldn't have produced a better album, in fact, it would have made a worse album. But still, I'm not caring much for his voice, especially when he goes into his "Oh ohhhs".
Overall, this kinda just strikes me as a weaker version of New Order, without the post-punk. I'll just listen to New Order.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Honestly wasn't expecting to get a lower-key Nick Cave from this album. I know he does do chiller albums (Like Ghosteen), but was expecting something more along the lines of Tender Prey or Murder Ballads.
Eitherway, still a great record. Enjoyed songs (Are You) the One That I've Been Waiting For and Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere.
Some songs do feel formulaic a tad, and reminiscent of other popular songs (One of them honestly sounds a bit like Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen), but it's still classic Nick Cave.
Ray Charles
4/5
Now this is some damn good Fallout-core (you cannot stop me from identifying songs that are Fallout-core), especially songs like Half As Much.
Not a ton to say about this album, but reworking country/western songs in the classic R&B, soul, and jazz styles is great.
David Bowie
3/5
I'm starting to notice a pattern with Bowie's music. I get an album, get super excited, then when I listen to it, realize I'm not vibing with it as much as I thought I would.
Don't know what it really is, but a lot of his music sounds pretty dated to my ears. Which is interesting, because he basically either pioneered these sounds, or perfected them. Just happens to have picked genres that have aged IMO, rather than feel timeless.
It's a solid album. Tracks like Speed of Life and Always Crashing in the Same Car are great. But most of the vibes of these songs just aren't hitting my ears. Felt the same way with Heroes.
Ziggy Stardust is about the only album of his so far where I've been able to enjoy the majority of the album.
Will say the second half of the album is more interesting. In kind of a reverse of Heroes, where the instrumentals were the weak part, this one has the instrumentals be the better side. Somewhat Kraftwerk-y sci-fi vibes while also being jangly. Can definitely see Sufjan Stevens being influenced by this album.
So yeah. Good stuff, just not really interesting me much.
Circle Jerks
3/5
It only being 15 minutes really helps. But yeah, standard hardcore punk. Not a ton to say other than to me, it's fine.
David Bowie
4/5
Probably the best Bowie album I've gotten since Ziggy Stardust (also got Heroes and Low). Easily the catchiest of them with the exception of Ziggy. Pretty good crack at R&B, soul, and funk and just more proof that Bowie is a chameleon who can adapt to anything.
Of course, Young Americans and Fame are great, but songs like Fascination and Right are great as well.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I don't remember much about the previous Divine Comedy album I got, but I think I'm liking this album more than that one. At least a couple songs are standing out to me (Becoming More Like Alfie and Songs of Love).
Album basically sounds like if The Beatles and Bowie discovered big band music.
That said, some stuff is still a little too silly or niche for me. Perfectly good album, but just fine to me.
The Zutons
4/5
You sometimes hear me ask "Why is this on the list?", and this is definitely one of those albums that make me think that. If this band weren't English, they wouldn't have sniffed the list.
But just because it probably shouldn't be on the list doesn't mean it isn't a worthwhile listen. Found myself enjoying this quite a bit. Genre wise, its a little all over the place, but it's cohesive none the less.
Blend of garage rock, folk, ska, 2-tone, some classic rock influences like Led Zeppelin and Grateful Dead.
I liked songs like Zuton Fever, Havana Gang Brawl, Nightmare Pt. II, and Dirty Dance hall. Basically whenever they are at their most Scooby-Doo, haha.
So yeah. Good record, maybe shouldn't be on the list, but fun to get an album like this from time to time because you might find something fun.
Teenage Fanclub
4/5
Dunno what I was expecting with this one (Both an amazing and absolutely dogshit album cover, haha). But getting some early 90's alt-rock that kinda predicted stuff like Death Cab for Cutie or even Foo Fighters. So much of this album feels like early Foos that I wouldn't be surprised to hear that Dave Grohl was heavily influenced by this, definitely with some of the vocal melodies at least. Songs like Alcoholiday feel super Grohl/Foos to me along with some songs earlier in the track list.
Basically, if Foo Fighters were a more indie-oriented band, they'd be making stuff like this.
But yeah, very pleasantly surprised by this record. Not that I wasn't expecting a bad album, but didn't really have any expectations going into it. Great record.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
My third Springsteen album from the list, and as they go on, they get worse for me.
I quite liked Born to Run, although it didn't really change my mind on being lukewarm on Springsteen. Never was a fan of Springsteen's music, much prefer Bob Seger as far as Americana/Heartland Rock goes. But couldn't deny how good the record was, and gave that a four. Biggest issue was Springsteen's vocals on some tracks just not being great, but it wasn't a huge issue.
For Born in the USA, still a solid record, if a little too poppy for me, giving it a 3.
However, this album basically has everything I dislike about Springsteen. The terrible vocals (Almost through the entire album. Sounds like he has cotton in his mouth, or he recorded his vocals immediately after getting dental work done and his mouth is still numb. Just awful singing), the jangly piano. This is going to sound weird/stupid as hell but there's a femininity to his music that I just don't like. The music just does not have the masculine grit I want from this type of music that a Bob Seger seems to have. Which is weird because I usually have the opposite problem with bands. If something's too meathead masculine, I hate it.
But anyways, yeah. Perhaps it's just hitting me at the wrong time, but I did not like this record and it's just a perfect storm of everything I don't like from Springsteen. Hopefully Nebraska hits better, with what I understand, a more stripped down, darker vibe.
But honestly Springsteen doesn't need five albums. I'd cut two of them, and if it were up to me, I'd start with this one personally.
Neil Young
4/5
I mean, it's just a classic. Heart of Gold and Old Man are some of the best songs ever written but the whole album is gold. Out on the Weekend is great along with Alabama and The Needle and the Damage is Done.
Couple songs I'm not huge on like Harvest and A Man Needs A Maid (don't really care for the orchestra, still don't in There's A World).
But still a great record.
The Undertones
3/5
Pretty basic punk/pop punk which isn't really my thing. Sounds like a poppier Ramones, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but much prefer pop punk circa the 90's or 2000's.
Plus, I'm just not a huge fan of the poppier instrumentation while they still keep the more standard punk vocals.
So yeah. Fine, just not really my thing.
The Who
4/5
Probably one of the best live albums of all time, and while I generally side-eye live albums on the list, if there were ever a live album to include, its this.
Just some really fantastic performances, especially on Young Man Blues, but every song is great.
I am judging it based on the original track list which shockingly is only 6 songs long. I never understood why live albums were always cut down from the full performance back in the day.
But yeah, fantastic live album, great performances all around.
Digital Underground
2/5
Tried listening to this before since I heard it was similar to Dr. Octagon's Dr. Octagonecologyst.
Honestly, couldn't disagree more.
The concept I guess is in the same realm, but it's just not as interesting or funny for me as Dr. Octagon is.
Combine that with the more old school rapping/rhyming, and the incredibly repetitive beats (along with the songs a lot of times being overly long), and I'm just not feeling this. Nothing in it is really offending me, it's just nothing is interesting to me either.
Spiritualized
3/5
Much better than the Spacemen 3 album on the list, but probably still not something I'm crazy about. I like my dream pop/shoegaze to be more structured whereas this album is a lot more spacey and ambient.
Still, really good album. Kinda sounds like if The Beatles were a shoegaze band. Angel Sigh is the standout for me on this one.
Can
2/5
If the Rolling Stones were experimental and more psychedelic.
For me though, nothing in this is really grabbing me. Some of it is not pleasant to listen to (Parts of Aumgn), and I'm just not that big into the psychedelic/experimental blues.
Will note that as the album goes on, it gets far more experimental, dropping the more conventional blues and even psychedelic stuff. Interesting, but not fun in a Residents way as far as experimental music goes.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Not really much to say other than its a great album. Some of the songs are a tad long for my tastes, but thats an extremely minor gripe. It's been a minute since I listened to Freewheelin', but I think I slightly prefer that one? I'll have to relisten sometime.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Honestly ends up in the same spot as a lot of the bossa nova, salsa, etc. music I've gotten on this list. It's soundtrack/envionment music, and not listening music to me. Still pretty cool French music I'd expect to hear in a restaurant/French film, but yeah.
T. Rex
2/5
This was a DNF for me. Not that it was offensively bad, but I just am not with the vocals or guitar tone on this one. Weirdly feels Bowie-esque but not in a way that sounds like they were ripping him off. Just not for me.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
Really great, emotive piano playing. Especially liked the part of the first song between the 10 and 20 minute mark. However, this does end up fading to being background music without additional instrumentation IMO.
Antony and the Johnsons
2/5
I regret reading the reviews on this, because now I can't really hear anything other than the vibrato. Not that I likely wouldn't have zeroed in on it myself, but it kinda feels like my dislike for this album is more suggested than natural.
Anyways, yeah the vibrato is distracting, especially since ANOHNI puts vibrato on pretty much everything. I'm not opposed to vibrato (Absolutely love Sleater-Kinney with Corrin Tucker's vibrato), but here it's just too much and too in your face. At times (Like on Fistful of Love) it verges on sounding like Elvis, and it's weird.
Combine that with, personally for me, quite boring music (Of what I did listen to, it kinda falls into the Everything But the Girl issue where every song occupies the same kinda vibe and tempo). It's beautifully crafted, intricate, vibrant music, but it's just not doing much for me.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Perfectly fine pop music, but he will go on to make much better stuff. Some of the tracks do overstay their welcome, like the opener, but generally everything is solid.
The Kinks
3/5
Kinda reminds me of what would happen if The Beatles had Boh Dylan in the band. Probably one of the better albums in the baroque pop/Psychedelic rock genres. Still not really my thing, a little too antiquated for my ears now.
Blur
4/5
A lot more eclectic than I was expecting. Usually 90's britpop feels like nothing more than Beatles worship fed through the lens of alt rock. Which this album has a bit of, Beetlebum is straight up (I Want You) She's So Heavy.
But you got more alt rock ragers like Song 2, and stuff that's predicting Albarn's work with Gorillaz. My only real complaint is whoever chose Beetlebum as the opener is a moron, lol. That's a closing song if I've ever heard one.
Rage Against The Machine
4/5
Absolute classic filled with bangers, that's still as politically relevant today as it was when it released. Morello's inventive guitar is fantastic, Commorford's basslines perfect, Brad Wilk an incredibly underrated drummer, and on top of it Zack de la Rocha's punchy, immediate vocals bring the energy. Standouts for me are Bombtrack, Killing in the Name, Know Your Enemy, and Fistful of Steel.
The Undertones
3/5
Pretty much the same review as the Self Titled. Vocals aren't bothering me as much, but yeah.
2/5
I'll give it credit, they managed to make an album that sounds 20 years ahead of its time, but when that sound fits in with your Matchbox 20s (who I actually like the singles of, for the record) and other bands of that late 90s, early 2000's adult contemporary ilk, its not as glowing an endorsement to say it was ahead of its time.
The first three tracks were the soundtrack to the most bland radio rock I heard in the 2000's that I was waiting to end for the next song to come on, hopefully that I liked. And it doesn't help all the big songs off this album that I remember hearing all sound the same, with the same high pitched guitar sound (tremolo picking?).
Bullet the Blue Sky is a straight rip off of Ted Nugent's Stranglehold (good song, but being compared to Ted Nugent is not something you want). Yeah, I just don't like U2. Some of the most toothless sounding music I've ever heard. Apparently they have cutting political commentary, but I wouldn't know with the music being so ineffectual and dull. Writing political lyrics but setting it over really bland, uplifting stadium rock isn't a good mix.
The Birthday Party
4/5
I both understand and weirdly don't understand why this album is hated so much. It is pretty abrasive, but honestly I was somehow expecting it to be even more abrasive and experimental, closer to noise.
It mostly sounds like if you took the most abrasive Nirvana songs and made them goth rock/post-punk. And there are some less abrasive, more traditional type stuff on it like Several Sins.
Honestly quite enjoying this. Stuff like Dim Locator and Several Sins are great. Not the best Nick Cave project I've listened to (Murder Ballads and Tender Prey rank higher for me), but this is some good stuff.
Os Mutantes
3/5
If The Beach Boys were from Brazil, basically. Interesting enough to not get a bad score from me, but as always, I'm not a fan of 60's psychedelia.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
For a country record, this album really ping pongs back and forth between country and R&B style pop. The opener is pretty great, but once ot gets beyond that its a lot of standard country or 80's style pop rock similar to Huey Lewis.
But overall, not really enjoying it. Not much that I haven't heard before.
The White Stripes
4/5
Fantastic bluesy/garage rock. Two genres I generally am not huge on, but The White Stripes knock it out of the park. Well deserved induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And I'll defend Meg White's drumming until the end of time. Sure, she's not technically the best drummer, but she is exactly what The White Stripes needed. Put any other drummer in her spot, and the band would be demonstrably worse, and it'd be worse by many factors.
Hit after hit after hit with great deep cuts like The Union Forever. Great record.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
First things first, I've always hated Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. For the longest time it was easily my least favorite song of all time (with What's Up? By 4 Non Blondes in a very close second). Nowadays it's not bothering me quite as much, but Lauper's vocals on the song still annoy me.
Which is hilarious because Time After Time is an all timer of a song. Absolutely amazing. So those two songs canceling eachother out, the rating basically falls to the rest of the tracklist... which is generally just fine. Some not so-great songs like She Bop, some pretty solid cuts like All Through the Night.
So yeah. A real mixed bag of an album.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
Man the 90's were a wild time for music. Honestly, for my money, the best decade in music. That's not necessarily in relation to this album, its merely fine for me, but this album does exemplify a lot of why the 90s were so great. 90's were a time where pretty much anything could get radio play (in no other decade would Beck's Loser or The Butthole Surfer's Pepper ever be allowed to get airplay) and a lot of it was fantastic. This album is very 90's in sound while also kinda vibing with that "anything goes" mindset. Damn thing even has a jazz cut in We Do What We Can. Effortlessly smooth as well.
But yeah, it's generally just fine for me. All I Wanna Do is a fantastic song. We Do What We Can is great too. But the rest don't do much for me.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Well this is definitely an interesting mess of an album. I definitely can see the comparisons to The Beatles' White Album. Basically a tale of two albums honestly. Buckingham's terrible experimentation (such as on The Ledge) vs Nicks and McVie hard carrying this album on their backs (mostly Nicks, who wrote the best songs on this album, particularly Sisters of the Moon, but McVie has some solid cuts). It's funny reading Christgau's comments saying the opposite, but he couldn't be more wrong.
Basically, the closer this album gets to sounding like Rumours is when its at its best.
Funkadelic
3/5
Gonna be honest, this is one of those albums that I've kinda always judged based on its cover. I know the album art is considered classic, but I've always hated it and stayed away based on that. But listening to it, its a lot better than my misconceived notions of it were. However, being funk it's just not really in my wheelhouse. Dangerously close to getting the 2 purely based on the fart and bathroom noises at the end of the album, but it'll still get my "Good, but just not really what I'm into 3".
Morrissey
3/5
Honestly was not excited for this one when I saw it come up. As far as the other The Smiths and Morissey albums I've listened to go, while not being bad, I've just never really cared for them. For post-punk, they've generally been too thin sounding and jangly for my tastes.
This one however has some teeth and power to it, with Morissey having a more full sounding voice thats very forward in the mix. And his singing is pretty on point compared to the other stuff. The opener and You're the One For Me, Fatty are my standouts with their reggae/surf rock vibes.
That said, I don't think its hitting me hard enough to quite give it the four. One of the highest 3s I'll ever give.
Goldie
3/5
Fuck me, another two hour long drum and bass album. It sounds fine, and I kinda actually enjoy it, but again, two goddamn hours of music that all sounds the same.
Take your 3 and leave me alone.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Of Zeppelin's "heavy hitters" (everything up to this album), honestly this is one of my "least" favorite of theirs, although that's not saying a ton since its still great. My only real complaint is the length of it. While nothing on it is bad or even just fine, its all great, sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, and it drags. Second half does change things up a bit with an extended string if chiller songs, so thats welcome, but still not enough to stop it from wearing me out by the end.
As a side note, its kinda funny that while after this album is where Zeppelin kinda took a step back, they still managed to have my two favorite songs from them on those later albums (Fool in the Rain and Achilles Last Stand. Two killer Bonham tracks).
Chicago
4/5
Honestly don't got a ton to say other than this album has a ton of nostalgia for me. It's the soundtrack to going to Cedar Point as a kid, since the first time I went with my family, my dad had the greatest hits playing in the car on the way there. Songs like Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is, Beginnings, Questions 67 amd 68, and I'm A Man are fantastic. Couple tracks on here that could have been cut, particularly Free Form Guitar, but yeah.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
Divorced Dad-Core: Country Edition
There's definitely a sexist double standard when I sit here and praise/sing along with country songs by women who talk about killing their exes, but then recoil at Dwight here doing the same, but the recognition of that double standard does not make it better for me. Bro, she cheated on you. Just cut her loose and move on. You don't need to kill her execution style, you fucking psycho.
But yeah, on top of the awful, misogynistic lyrics, you got bog-standard, stereotypical country music with the twangiest of the twanged out vocals. I've heard the music from this album a billion times before. About the only redeeming thing on this is the slight Mexican influences in the instrumentation, but thats not enough to save it from getting the 1 for me.
Queen
4/5
Queen's best album, no doubt. I will say the more straight forward rock tracks are generally the weak points on this album (I'm In Love With My Car, Sweet Lady, Love of My Life). But then you got the epics like Bohemian Rhapsody and The Phophet's Spmg which are fantastic. Along with those, you got the silly cuts like Seaside Rendezvous and Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon. Special shout to Death on Two Legs though. At one point my favorite Queen song, and one that just goes hard.
The Prodigy
4/5
I remember liking The Fat of the Land the first time listening to it, but being a little more reserved listening to it for this project.
The opposites happened for this one. Liking it quite a bit on a second listen. Will say that it does get a little less interesting/simpler later in the track list, but I do enjoy the dark vibe of it. I'll have to listen to it again and listen to The Fat of the Land again, but for right now, I think I prefer it.
Motörhead
4/5
Honestly don't got a ton to say. Just a fantastic slice of classic speed metal. Songs like Ace of Space and (We Are) The Road Crew are fantastic.
Album does get a little repetitive, but that's not a bad thing with a band like Motorhead. If Motorhead didn't sound like Motorhead, that'd be a huge problem. Some bands you don't want them having music that all sounds the same. But some you do. AC/DC is another example of that. I want every AC/DC song to sound like Back in Black. And Motorhead is the same, every song should sound like Ace of Spades.
But anyways, yeah. Amazing record. I probably wouldn't have given it a five anyways, but having a song like Jailbait makes it easy to not give the five. What's with 70's and 80's bands having a pathological need to make a song about wanting to get with underage girls? Embarrassing and gross.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Honestly never been big on Jane's Addiction. Didn't care for Nothing's Shocking when I listened to it years ago. Mostly because of Perry Ferrell's vocals. Just this sharp, high voice that cuts through everything and isn't pleasant to me.
That's not to say the rest of the band aren't good though. Dave Navarro's guitar work is great and Stephen Perkins' drumming I really enjoy. But musically, it never quite coalesces into something I enjoy, especially with Perry's vocals cutting through everything.
Pretty much the whole track list is just fine for me, although Three Days in particular is great. Honestly, I prefer the back half of the track list starting at that song, but the rest aren't quite as good as Three Days for me.
So yeah. Solid record, but I'm just not enamored with it.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Until, and even at the start of Moonlight Mile, I was strongly feeling this review would be "Like every other Stones album, great singles, don't care about the rest because I'm just not down for the bluesy stuff".
But Midnight Mile managed to right itself pretty quick after a shakey start. And there are some pretty solid deep cuts like Sway as well. Just slightly the best Stones album I've gotten so far.
William Orbit
3/5
So I accidentally listened to this album on shuffle, haha. So can't point out any specific songs in this review.
But overall, like most electronic music, its fine (tm). Nothing bad, but nothing that particularly jumps out to me. It's perfectly decent background music if you're looking for sci-fi type sounds.
Julian Cope
4/5
Listening to this album, I'm downright shocked this thing is rated less than a 3. I can generally get a vibe of what the rating will be for an album while listening to it. Absolutely floored at it being 2.77, was not expecting that. It should honestly be up around 3.2 minimum. Maybe it's trying to do too much, and that's why people are bouncing off it, yet it feels cohesive anyway, and I'm not seeing complaints about that specifically. Mostly just people accusing it of being too long and pretentious.
Every song on this album (or almost everything, Pristeen kinda sucks) has something awesome going on. Sure, its long, but it's class. From the Bowie/Pink Floyd vibes of Safesurfer to the 90's as hell groove of If You Loved Me At All to the very REM sounding Drive, She Said to the Chili Peppers-esque East Easy Rider to [Insert the next sound Julien tackles on every song on this album], with a somewhat Nick Cave/Depeche Mode singing type voice.
It's just a fantastic, varied, something-for-everyone album. Probably not something I'm gonna go back to, but still a great record.
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Is it really a live album if you need to overdub part of it to make it presentable (claimed to be as much as 25% overdubbed)?
I don't know if it's suggestion or what I'm actually hearing, but I feel like I can definitely tell that this thing isn't 100% live. Some of it has an overly glossy production that really pulls the punch out of it (sometimes it feels like it was recorded in an empty room), particularly the first half of the record.
Musically, the album's fine. Cuts like Massacre, The Boys Are Back In Town (classic), and Warrior are great. But on other tracks, its just lacking punch.
But yeah. I'm already not enamored with live albums (I've always argued they shouldn't be on the list as they're a glorified greatest hits/compilation - but I doubt I'd win that argument), and knowing that this album is possibly significantly overdubbed doesn't help.
Fun album, but I'm not crazy for it, mostly for the production. Live? Partially. Dangerous? Absolutely not.
Cream
3/5
Good album. Some classics, but as before with psychedelic music, its just not my thing.
LL Cool J
2/5
Honestly not what I was expecting from this. For some reason I was thinking LL Cool J was more around the late 90's/early 2000's, so was expecting more complex rhyme schemes.
As it stands, this is just not working for me. It's that old school, style of rapping that I don't really care for. The instrumentals are solid, but not particularly standing out to me either.
Elvis Costello
3/5
The fourth Costello album I've gotten for this project, and probably the best one I've gotten other than This Years Model. Hookier than Armed Forces and Imperial bedroom, but still with a bit of an issue with writing good choruses (Sometimes even when there is a chorus, it doesn't feel like it, which is weird for pop/rock music to me).
I mention this in every review, but Costello still manages to be the coolest artist on this list 20 years into his career.
But yeah, while This Years Model is still superior, this is the best I've gotten from him since then. Think I'll still give it the three though, but just barely. There are a couple songs here or there that are just not doing it for me, particularly the more ballady or hookless songs.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
You know, I went into this expecting not to like it since I don't really like Velvet Underground and Nico. That experimental psychedelic sound isn't for me. But the whole time I was listening to this though, I was enjoying it and wondering why it was reminding me of something. Mostly I was thinking "Does this sound like 90's pacific northwest music, like The Spinanes", which it does... but halfway through That's the Story of My Life it hit me. This sounds a lot like Belle and Sebastian. So yeah. This album honestly sounds way ahead of its time, which is why I'm enjoying it.
Great record.
Killing Joke
3/5
This album did not start off great for me, mainly due to the singer. Honestly can't really get into his voice. But it evened out by Bloodsport, and the album was generally good the rest of the way through.
Shout out to the songs The Wait for its very Beastie Boys-Sabotage-esque riff (honestly you could sing Sabotage over it, and it'd work) as well as the Ministry-Thieves-esque riff to Change. Probably the two highlights off the record and proof that this is influential (since those riffs were basically lifted for Sabotage and Thieves, lol).
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I feel like, individually all the ideas on this record are fantastic. My only issue is that they tend to be dragged out for minutes on end in a slow build up, with no changes (no choruses, bridges, etc). I want the music to change up, give me a hook or something, and it just refuses to do so. So what I'm left with is a 9 minute long song that has the same beat/vibe that just keeps getting stuff added to it. And it ends up dragging for me.
3/5
Again, some really great funk music that just isn't my thing. I do like the prog soul touches, and the little jazz flourishes, but I just am not a funk guy. A lot of the songs are also a tad long for my tastes, even if they're great all the way through.
The Who
5/5
While I think Quadrophenia is their best record, this is easily them at their peak and most trimmed/muscular. The first album of theirs that I would say contains the sound they are known for and what I refer to as "dinosaur rock". Rock that is massive, hard hitting, and feels like its been around since the universe came into creation. Not a wasted second on this album with even the non-singles like Love Ain't for Keeping and Getting In Tune holding their own with the mega-hits from this record.
Special shoutout to the Entwistle cut on this album, My Wife, probably my favorite non-hit of theirs.
But yeah, perfect record with some of the most essential hits of rock history with Baba O'Riley, Behind Blue Eyes, and Won't Get Fooled Again, and some other fantastic cuts like Bargain and Going Mobile.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
First of all, easily one of the best album covers of all time. Really encapsulates the beautiful, dreamyness of the music.
That said, generally this album isn't really my type of post-punk. It's a little too upbeat and happy for my tastes, but starting at Thorn of Crowns, the album really picks up for me, particularly with the song The Killing Moon.
So yeah, took a while for me to get into it, but once I did, it's a really great record.
The Roots
3/5
I'm a huge fan of The Roots' album Things Fall Apart. Honestly one of my favorite albums of all time, and if it were up to me, I would have put that album on the list instead of this one.
Not to say Phrenology isn't good, it is. But it's not Things Fall Apart.
Mostly, I'm just not feeling most of this album. A lot of the instrumentals are really repetitive and I'm missing the heavy jazz vibes of Things Fall Apart.
That said, The Seed (2.0), Break You Off, and the beginning of Water is a great one-two-three punch on this record. Pussy Galore is also a really solid track, kinda feeling like they channeled an Eminem/Dre beat a little bit (While channeling it through The Roots' style), not something I was expecting from The Roots.
But yeah. I've heard this album a few years back, and I'm kinda understanding why I playlisted The Seed (2.0) and Break You Off and didn't really go back to it. Just not hitting me like the previous album did.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Easily Stevie's best, and that's saying something because the previous albums I've got were fantastic in their own right.
Pretty great that the album is basically just banger after banger for nearly two hours. Almost no fillers (Village Ghetto Land didn't really hit for me), classics in Sir Duke and I Wish, and my favorite discoveries on this one being Black Man and Another Star. Fantastic album, and definitely understand why its considered one of the best of all time.
Gram Parsons
3/5
This is one of those albums where my immediate reaction was not good, but quickly found myself enjoying it. His singing honestly isn't great, but it works, and having Emmylou Harris backing is fantastic. Some of the more honky tonk stuff I'm not a fan of but songs like Brass Buttons are great.
Overall, decent record.
Sonic Youth
5/5
I've listened to this album before, and loved it (knew it would be an instant 5* the second it popped up) probably a few times, but I've never really *listened* to it.
But damn is this thing perfect. You can probably credit this album/Sonic Youth for a good majority of the 90s alt rock bands on this list, along with a bunch more that aren't on the list, but are shockingly missing. Sleater-Kinney, Nirvana, Modest Mouse, Slint, even Portishead for their album Third, etc. Hell, the opening of Silver Rocket sounds like a riff that would be used in a dissonant black metal track, something Deathspell Omega would come up with (Cross the Breeze verges on dissonant black too, as well as my previous comparison to Portishead's Third).
What strikes me the most is the guitar tone and drumming on this album. Especially on songs like Teen Age Riot (probably the best song on the album, but thats not to discount the quality of the rest of the album. That song is just transcendant) and Cross the Breeze. The drummer really loves his 16th notes, and I appreciate that. Love how Cross the Breeze starts off with a more uplifting sound only to devolve immediately into a harsher, dark vibe.
And don't discount the bass, that is not always super prominent, but when it is, is always fantastic (see Teen Age Riot).
Total Trash where it takes the main riff and devolves it into a dissonant noise bastardization of itself. Honestly that's kinda a story on quite a few songs. Not only do they do some of the loud quiet loud, but they switch vibes up at the same time. Nice here, dissonant and dark there. Candle does the same thing.
But probably my favorite thing about this is how much drive it has. Obviously Teen Age Riot, but The Wonder is amazing for that with the anxiety it has while just MOVING.
So yeah. An absolute alt rock masterpiece that singlehandedly charted the course for alt rock through the 90s.
DJ Shadow
4/5
One of those albums that I desperately want to give a 5, but its just not quite there. The little interludes kinda break up the vibe for me, and some of the music is just slightly dated to me ears.
But its still a hell of a vibe with its breakbeat/trip hop leanings. I particularly love the tracks Building Steam With A Grain of Salt amd Changeling.
Probably one of the best (if not the best) records in the plunderphonics genre. I slightly prefer The Caretaker's Everywhere at the End of Time, but Endtroducing..... is a landmark in music.
The White Stripes
4/5
I mean, pretty much just see my White Blood Cells review. Incredibly influential and essential alt blues rock band. I've often complained about being burnt out on blues music, but what sets The White Stripes apart is the added dimension that the alt rock genre adds to it.
Obviously Seven Nation Army is one of the best openers of all time but this album is filled with fantastic songs like Ball and Biscuit, The Hardest Button to Button, and In the Cold, Cold Night.
Probably their best record, and all around a joy to listen to.
Mylo
4/5
You know, didn't expect to enjoy this as much as I am. Obviously the title of the album is way more provocative than the actual music. This album isn't going to bust a grape in a fruit fight, but the album isn't trying to Destroy Rock and Roll. Dunno why people hold it against the album, clearly its referencing the sermon sample in the title track, and samples rock and roll bands.
Anyways, yeah. Enjoying this quite a bit more than I thought I would. Kinda brings me back to the lately 2000's, early 2010's vibes with its sunny, airy electronic vibe. Quite a nostalgic sounding album.
Some songs veer a little too much on the dance side vs listening side for me (with at least one song that annoys me, that being guilty of love where the hook is just a rising synth riff that doesn't feel like it has a resolution), but I had a good time with it.
Various Artists
3/5
I mean, it's Christmas music. It serves its purpose. But its not something I'm going to *listen* to, you know?
But yeah. Its fine.
Common
4/5
Listening to this, not a shock Kanye produced this, and not a shock its so damn good.
But Common is great here. Don't got a whole lot to say, but this album is chill as hell, got a very April/May Spring vibe.
Just a damn good hip hop record. Plus, with it sitting at a svelte 42 minutes, it doesn't wear out its welcome like a lot of hip hop albums did (such as My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye five years later).
808 State
2/5
Started off good, aside from the really bad vocals in the first song. Next couple songs were solid aside from some random noises they'd add in repetitively. After that though, things started falling off a cliff a bit. Don't think I've ever had an album start off at a 4 but bumble its way to a 2 before.
Decent enough electronic music, but yeah, too many issues, and the music just isn't solid enough.
The Gun Club
3/5
Some decent early punk music. Kinda sounds a little like Violent Femmes if they were voiced by Francis Black from The Pixies. However, both those bands are much better, and both manage to go without having racist lyrics (For the Love of Ivy). Maybe I'm missing something in the lyrics (for example, Dead Kennedy's do it in Holiday in Cambodia, but its use clearly has a point), but that lyric definitely caught me off guard.
So yeah. Perfectly fine punk music, with some questionable lyrics. But not enamored with it.
Coldplay
4/5
Man, I guess I've been sleeping on Coldplay. I pretty much only knew them from their radio hits, and my general impression was a lot of boring fluff. There's a little bit of that here on the popular stuff like The Scientist and Clocks, even if they're still solid.
But you got stuff like Green Eyes with its bouncy country vibes are great. Definitely a little derivative of early Radiohead, but that's not a bad thing.
Overall, great record.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Pretty good, unique punk music. Kinda got a Sleater-Kinney/Elvis Costello thing going if they were a little more hardcore punk. Some horns/ska stuff going on as well.
Will I go back to it, probably not, but it was an enjoyable listen.
Bob Dylan
3/5
OK, so a bluesier Dylan album. I can definitely see where people get the "Bob Dylan sucks at singing" from with this album, but again, he's always sounded like an 80 year old singing, only this time he was older when this album was made (55ish), so it still makes sense.
But yeah, bluesier stuff I'm burnt out on unless it's more alternative (See: The White Stripes). So I'm not super enamored with this one. But it's still solid.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
There's a lot of really good, unique stuff going on here, particularly with the vocals being very R&B/soul inspired (definitely some Whitney Houston inspiration).
But I don't know if its the limitations of the genre, or if the band is just wearing their influences on their sleeves a bit too much, but the alt metal genre is just really letting all the unique stuff going on down. A lot of times I'm sitting here going "Oh, that sounds like Korn. Oh that sounds like Soundgarden. Oh that sounds like RHCP". It never really manages to standout out beyond the vocals for me. Songs like The Skank Heads are a dime a dozen for the genre, and it really feels like the band wasting their talents on stuff like that. Most of the rest of the album is at least less derivative than that song is, but not by a ton.
Decent enough album for the genre, but nothing that stands out on its own unfortunately, and nothing that manages to wow despite that.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Listened to this before, but never latched onto it. Used to be a huge prog fan, but kinda fell off when I discovered punk music. Just kinda prefer music thats more to the point/not noodly.
That said, so far probably the best prog album I've gotten so far. Who knew the trick to making good Ren Faire type music is to funnel it through prog folk and not 60's psychedelic, haha. But yeah, definitely the folk aspect thats helping me out with this one.
Of course Aqualung and Locomotive Breath are great classics, but the rest is still fantastic.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
It's been a minute since I listened to What's Going On, but this one feels about the same quality. I might slightly prefer Let's Get It On simply because Save the Children was a bit on the nose for my tastes.
But don't got much else to say compared to What's Going On. Let's Get It On is also a timeless, lush record that's a delight to listen to. Only downside is there are no inductees for the "Marvin Gaye's Clueless Ass" playlist from this album. Sad, 2/10, would not listen again.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
I can't really put my finger on it, but this feels aggressively OK for the most part. Part of it is expectations going in. Maybe it's just him losing cultural cache, or maybe he just was never culturally that big, but I can't really imagine Lenny Kravitz being important enough to be included on a list like this?
But a lot of this just feels derivative of stuff I've heard before. And when it's not good (Like the straight up porn music going on in Fear), it's a little off putting.
And holy cow did I not need Lenny's voice so forward in the mix in the beginning Does Anybody Out There Even Care? That made my skin crawl.
But yeah, I don't really know about this one. I think some preconceived notions are affecting my rating on this one, but yeah, I'm just not feeling it.
Fugees
4/5
I can't remember if I've listened to this one before (I've definitely listened to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill), but not recognizing anything from it other than the big hit, Killing Me Softly.
But yeah, totally understand why this is a landmark in hip hop music. It just vibes and goes. Particularly the songs Ready or Not, The Score, and The Manifest, at least for me. The rest of the tracklist is no slouch either.
I will say, this would have been an easy five star all day every day if it weren't for the skits peppered throughout, particularly that Chinese Restaurant one. And it doesn't help that some of the skits are included in the same tracks as actual songs. Just really broke up the flow for me.
Django Django
2/5
Yeah, this one isn't working for me, dawg.
Once in a while, I can get behind psychedelic music if it meshes well with another genre (Candy Claws mixing it with shoegaze for their album Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time is great). But mixing it with 2010's indie rock only ends up reinforcing the janglyness and thinness of the 60's psychedelic rock they're channeling. Honestly, some of this wouldn't be out of place in the 60's, such as the song Waveform. And for me that's not a good thing.
Forgot Rod Stewart was in a band before going solo.
Anyways, solid blues rock album. Some really good tracks, but mostly falling into being burnt out on this type of blues rock.
Motörhead
4/5
Honestly, probably the best live album I've heard (Live at Leeds and the Johnny Cash prison albums are close).
See Thin Lizzy, THIS is how you produce a live album. It's raw, noisy, chaotic, messy, and just all around fantastic. It's not produced to within an inch of it's life like Live & "Dangerous" was.
And of course, it's got the classics on here. Ace of Spades is a fantastic opener, with Overkill and (We Are) The Road Kill being some of my favorites.
I still struggle with the idea of putting live albums on this list (They're basically glorified greatest hits most of the time), but regardless, this is great.
Carole King
5/5
So I actually listened to this album previously because of this project. Saw it was in the list, and decided to listen to it ahead of time (did the same with a few other albums). And holy shit is this an amazing album. It's one of those albums where every song I feel like I had heard before. I Feel The Earth Move, So Far Away, It's Too Late, You've Got A Friend, and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman most prominently.
Impossibly smooth, but also with the slightest edge.
Easily one of the greatest albums of all time, and for me, prime up north driving/cabin music.
Side note: Can't go wrong with an album art featuring a cat, haha.
Kraftwerk
2/5
This one's honestly disappointing me. I wasn't huge on The Man Machine, but it was still pretty good. This one though is just stretched out within an inch of its life with overly long, extremely repettitive tracks. The triple threat of Trans-Europe Express, Metal on Metal, and Abzug really wore me down. And then immediately into Franz Schubert, with basically the same synth riff for four minutes.
And the cool sci-fi vibe of The Man Machine is not here, with this one having a more "futuristic travel" vibe, which... yeah, fair given the title, but its just not my vibe.
Yeah, this one just isn't doing it for me.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
Oh hell yes. I've always wanted to listen to this album due to that absolutely beautiful, amazingly terrible artwork. Like what the hell even is that, haha.
Almost tempted to give this album a 5 purely for the armadillo tank, despite knowing going in I won't like the album.
And yeah, I don't like it. But as one of the greatest philosophers of our time, Taylor Swift, said, "It's me. Hi. I'm the problem. It's me."
This might have been an album I enjoyed in my teenage years when I was heavy into prog, but once I discovered stuff like punk, post-rock/metal, and atmospheric/ambient black metal (music that either gets straight to the point or vibes, two things prog is openly hostile of doing), I couldn't go back to most prog music. Especially prog like this. This is prog in all of its masturbatory glory, for better or for worse, and unfortunately, for me, its for worse.
On this album, ELP want you to know exactly how much they jerk the keyboards off. There's no tender loving here. It's a furious jackhammer trying to fit in every position in the kamasutra. But at the very least, they slow down from time to time to allow some good Pink Floyd-esque guitar solos and the vocals to come in and not completely overshadow them (the vocals).
SO THATS JUST THE FIRST SONG. Then we get the comparatively basic next six songs which are simple addition compared to the 20 minute opener's calculus. Jeremy Bender is a kinda nothing Beatles-esque silly track with an almost Whose Line Is It Anyway? hoedown/Irish drinking song-like jig (in that it is a repettitive riff you could easily improv lyrics too).
Bitches Crystal is back to the prog, just manages to keep itself in check instead of cramming a million different songs into itself.
And it kinda just continues with that bite-sized prog on the rest of the songs. I'll give it something though, Are You Ready Eddy? taking a 50's greaser jig and periodically perverting it with 70's prog was pretty cool, even if it's not good.
But it's shocking how exhausted I am after listening to this given that its only 38 minutes long. There's just way too much going on that it wears you down. You can't vibe with it, it DEMANDS attention, Clockwork Orange, eyes-forced-open style.
So yeah. I'm sure this is a fantastic album. It's just a type of music I am incapable of appreciating anymore. My idea of good music is diametrically opposed to everything this album is. Unfortunate, but hey, that's taste for you.
Nirvana
5/5
I mean, there isn't anything really to say (I will have stuff to say though) about this one. This is about as perfect as an album you can get on this list short of an Abbey Road or Rumours. I was only three years old when this album came out, so I don't really have any frame of reference on the impact it had at the time, but I have to imagine that this thing was basically an atom bomb on the music landscape, reordering things in the span of a second.
But yeah, it's been a minute since I've listened to this record, so getting it here is a good excuse to really dig into it. And I have always had my favorites (Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Breed, and Lounge Act), but this re-listen is allowing me to pay attention to the tracks I haven't had on my playlists for decades. It's a testament to the quality of this album that it takes until the sixth song that I can say there's a song that doesn't quite hit 10/10 for me (Polly), and it's still a great fucking track.
I've always known Krist Noveselic's bass playing was fantastic, but damn some of his work on here is amazing. Especially on tracks like Lounge Act and Stay Away where it's just so prominent (Stay Away being the type of song Grohl would go onto make numerous times for the Foo Fighters). Also, it's cool listening to this album for the first time since I got really into Seattle/Pacific Northwest type punk and indie rock music like Sleater-Kinney, The Spinanes, and Built to Spill. Grunge music (And Nirvana as a result) always sounded kinda separate from that scene despite being from the area, but hearing songs like Drain You and On A Plain, I can definitely hear a through line to those other PNW bands. Those songs in particular just sound "Seattle" to me.
So yeah. One of the best records of all time.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
This is one of those albums where I recognize the greatness, but soul/funk is not one of my go-to genres, and having Marvin Gaye's Let's Get It On so recently (And getting What's Going On? a while back), it's tough to really be into this record in comparison.
Some really great stuff here, particularly the title track, All About Love (First Impression), and Africano. Never was huge on Shining Star despite it's popularity.
So yeah. Great record, just not really my thing, and there are other records out there from this genre that I much prefer and would rather go back to.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Definitely one of those albums that I'm just not going to get into because I just am not a part of the culture. Like samba, bossanova, etc., this is more "vibe" music to me and not listening to music.
That said, a lot of the sounds on this album are pretty dated in an 80's pop way. I'm just not feeling this one.
And generally I'm not one to speak on whether or not an album is deserving of a place on the list when it comes from a country/culture I'm not familiar with, but this one I'm confused on. One of the lower rated in his discography on rateyourmusic, no article for the album itself on Wikipedia (While others of his do). When I look up the genres associated with this album, Baaba Maal nor this album tend to rank very high (Aside from his album Missing You being #1 for Fula Music). I probably shouldn't expect an answer to this, but getting some context of this album's inclusion would be appreciated.
The Icarus Line
3/5
Just generally not feeling this one. It feels if the White Stripes were a noise rock band, but more on the classic blues rock sound vs White Stripes' alternative side. And I'm pretty bored with that classic blues rock sound.
Singer sound's like the singer from Jet as well (Or one of those late 2000's garage rock bands), and while I do like Are You Gonna Be My Girl?, it's not a voice I am really enamored with here.
Overally, this is generally just fine, but this is definitely an album I'd drop from the list for a more important/influential/better album.
OutKast
3/5
Starting with the Speakerboxxx side, just not really into this southern hip-hop sound. Some good stuff, beats, flows on this, but the vibe in general is doing nothing for me. Some standouts though like Flip Flop Rock.
The Love Below definitely has more variety I feel, but a lot of it is just too smooth for my tastes. Hey Ya obviously being the standout single here.
But yeah, two hours later, and I'm just not really that into this album. I tried listening to Stankonia a while back, and remember feeling similarly underwhelmed by it. It's good, but not really the type of hip-hop I go for. And at two hours long, it's a slog. Even each side by itself is a bit exhausting.
Buck Owens
2/5
This one is probably a victim of it's age at this point. Just really basic, old country music. And unfortunately, with the exception of Act Naturally, this album is not Fallout-core.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Never really been a Grateful Dead fan, but will say they are the ultimate good weather summer band.
Mostly this album does nothing for me, but Box of Rain is easily the best track.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
This is an interesting album because I remember trying to listen to it previously (Couple years back) and absolutely not liking it. And going into it, I was expecting not to like it.
Listening to it not, I honestly can't remember why I didn't like it, it's a really solid album. The first half of the album has some absolute bangers, especially Tightrope.
However, the second half of the album does fall off a bit for me. Between the length of the album and it really falling into (This is a poor description, but it's the only thing I can think of) Disney soundtrack-isms (?) and some psychedelic pop that I don't really like, the second half just isn't my thing. A lot of the second half doesn't really have the bangers that the first half did.
Was ready to give it a 4, but it kinda fell off to a 3.
Air
4/5
Started off a little shaky for me (Although I think that has more to do with not really knowing what to expect going into it. Figure if I give it another spin, I'll retract that statement), but once I got accustomed to the sound, I found my self enjoying it quite a bit.
Really feels like the love child of Dark Side of the Moon era Pink Floyd, The Beatles, and Akira Yamaoka (Of Silent Hill fame). Especially songs like The Word Hurricane, Dirty Trip, and Ghost Song. Highschool Lover just sounds like a straight up rip off of Dark Side's Great Gig in the Sky (I say this complementingly).
So yeah, quite surprised by this one. Really enjoyed it. Will say though, I'm not opposed to soundtrack/scores on this list, and don't particularly take issue with this album being on the list out of context of the rest of the list, but with there not being a ton of film scores/soundtracks (Or any video game soundtracks) on the list, this one should not have been picked over some other huge snubs, like anything from Morricone, John Williams, Hans Zimmer, the aforementioned Akira Yamaoka, Koji Kondo, etc.
Definitely a place on the list for this one, just not without those others having a spot.
2/5
The sound of a saxophonist playing while falling up the stairs lined with rubber chickens. But in a good way?
I don't like or even really enjoy this (Honestly, what I've heard of Ornette Coleman I didn't care for, was already too experimental), but I respect it. The thought of playing jazz, but taking inspiration from hardcore punk and grindcore is interesting. Doesn't particularly "work", but I don't think that's necessarily the point. The experimentation and drive to push music "forward" is the point.
It does hit moments of enjoyability from time to time (fleetingly) when there are portions where I can actually make out some sort of beat or repeated phrases to lock onto (That basically sounds like the soundtrack to Mario Kart 8, haha), but mostly it's just free jazz noise through most of it.
Weirdly reminds me a bit of the later albums in Caretaker's Everywhere at the End of Time series. Where it's mostly noise, but once in a while a recognizable riff shows up.
So yeah. I don't particularly like this, but I respect it.
On the flipside, I've lost a shitton of respect for Dimery on his choices for this list. Why the hell is an Ornette Coleman cover album on the list and no actual Ornette Coleman? Are you telling me that this album is somehow more essential than the guy they're covering? This literally wouldn't exist without Ornette Coleman's music in the first place. Fuck man, just put The Shape of Jazz to Come on the list. No disrespect against Zorn, but honestly kinda insulting to Coleman to snub him but have this. I have no qualms with this being on the list, but without Coleman on as well is a bad look.
Miles Davis
4/5
Just an absolutely perfect record. For my personal tastes, think I prefer Sketches of Spain to this record. Some of the tracks sit on the same riffs and themes for a little longer than I'd like, but they're damn good riffs, so it isn't really that big a deal.
Nas
4/5
Feel like I have listened to this album before, but honestly remember nothing from it.
Fresh ears though, yeah I understand why this is considered one of the best hip-hop records of all time. Do feel like some of the songs stretch on a tad long (Which is crazy with this album being a very trim 39 minutes long).
Previously I got Jeru the Damaja on the generator, and I'm hearing a ton of similarities between the two (Pretty much the dissonant keys, but it's a lot more subdued on Illmatic), but it's obvious why Nas became the household name and Jeru didn't. Nas was just far more accessible a sound whereas Jeru was just too dissonant for mainstream appeal (Being the closest thing I've heard to the rap version of Captain Beefheart - Trout Mask Replica or Gorguts - Obscura, maybe not in experimentation, but definitely in dissonance).
But yeah, standouts for me are songs like N.Y. State of Mind, The World is Yours, and Represent. Amazing record.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Pretty funny because in the past week, I sat down and basically marathonned Sonic Youth's highest rated albums (Already got Daydream Nation for the generator previously, but in the past week I listened to Goo, Sister, Dirty, EVOL, and Washing Machine).
All fantastic records, and I'm usually against bands having this many records on the list, but honestly with Dimery leaving off Washing Machine, they might actually be *underrepresented* on the list.
But yeah, I don't think any of those records are quite as good as Daydream Nation (gave that a 5), but they're all at minimum a 4. Of the non-Daydream albums, Sister is probably not my favorite (right now I think its EVOL, but its really hard to evaluate 5 records when you shotgunned them in a week), but its still a fantastic record. More noise rock than on Daydream Nation which is why I think it's holding me back from enjoying it quite as much (other than Goo, Sister might be my "least" favorite right now, Goo is definitely the "weakest" of the albums right now for me, but it'd still get a 4).
But still some standouts like Schizophrenia and Catholic Block. Wasn't expecting the Beastie Boys-esque "rapping" in Master-Dik.
Overall, great record, and overall Sonic Youth really are that great a band that I have no qualms saying they deserve 5 albums (honestly 6 with Washing Machine) on the list. Incredibly influential to 90's alt rock.
Queens Of The Stone Age
4/5
This is an interesting one as this is absolutely the wrong QotSA album to pick for this list. One of the most egregious examples of malpractice when it comes to picking albums for this list (Dimery also got the wrong Foo Fighters, Slipknot, Gorillaz, System of a Down, and Daft Punk albums, to name a few).
Songs for the Deaf should have 100% been the pick, or MAYBE Like Clockwork...
That said, this is a solid desert/space rock album with a very unique vibe even within QotSA's discography. Does feel a bit rough around the edges, and after this QotSA would build towards better and more popular stuff.
Rush
3/5
Man, even Rush is catching strays from my souring on prog rock music in recent years.
Other than Pink Floyd, I would have expected Rush to be the one band to have avoided that, but unfortunately that isn't really the case.
That said, this is probably the best classic prog album I've gotten on the list thus far (Aside from Pink Floyd's stuff and Jethro Tull's Aqualung). And that's because, like Pink Floyd, Rush probably had some of the better pop sensibilities of those classic prog bands (Pink Floyd also blended enough other genres like psychedelic and whatnot that they didn't sound stereotypically prog).
This album however does get a little more noodly than I remember a lot of the classic Rush songs (Particularly in the title track, 2112). I expect Moving Pictures to score higher for me than this one, seeing as that album is definitely more single/pop oriented, and I'm much more familiar with it than 2112.
So yeah. Best prog album I've gotten so far on the list barring Pink Floyd albums, but unfortunately I'm just allergic to prog at this time in my life.
The Byrds
2/5
Every once in a while this album hits on something really damn good. The riff to Everybody's Been Burned, the verses of Thoughts and Words.
But then something always comes and ruins it or undercuts the good stuff. In Everybody's Been Burned it's the awful lyrics. In Thoughts and Words, it's the choruses where they weirdly decide they want to ape The Beatles.
Additionally, all the psychedelic backmasking sucks. And what was with that weird alien child at the end of C.T.A. - 102?
Overall, this album is just fine. It's very dated in spots, and just doesn't work well to my ears.
I don't doubt their need to be included on the list, but five albums seems very excessive.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
Finally got a Dexys album to see what they're all about. Unfortunately, they're not impressing me at all.
They're basically operate in one of two modes on this album.
Either they're chasing the sound from Come On Eileen, or they're making (What is to my ears) bog standard 80'd bar blues.
Like, they straight up ripped off Werewolves of London's riff for One of Those Things. Can we leave that poor song alone and stop sampling/ripping it off for a song that is nowhere near as good?
So yeah. Perfectly fine 80's bar blues, but that is not a genre that is going to get me excited for the music. Dexys probably belong on the list, but 3 albums is egregious. Just keep the album with Come On Eileen on the list and call it a day.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
Once I got to the third song, I felt like this one might be a song by song breakdown (First time I've done this, and don't plan to do it very often again), so here goes:
1) Heaps of Sheeps: A little pretentious, not really my thing, but it's fine. 2/5
2) The Duchess: Holy fucking shit what is this garbage? His singing is awful where he devolves into mumbling halfway through a phrase, or trails off into nothing. And the experimentation in the instrumentation is just offputting. 0/5
3) Maryan: Actually liking this. Kinda reminding me of some of the avant-garde type sounds in 00's/10's rock metal (Particularly when it comes to Kayo Dot or maudlin of the Well - which makes sense because apparently others have compared them to Wyatt). Singing is still a little rough, but it's good. 4/5
4) Was a Friend: A little long and repetitive, but enjoyed this one a bit too. Very Kraftwerk if they decided they needed avant-garde jazz saxophones in their music. 3/5
5) Free Will and Testament: Musically, pretty good. Vocally, kind of annoying. Like a far more annoying Damon Albarn. 2/5
6) September The Ninth: Some good avant-jazz here, tad long though. 3/5
7) Alien: Some good bass and fun drumming. Again, very Damon Albarn-ish vocals. A little repetitive, but the pianos coming in at the end are nice. 3/5
8) Out of Season: Feels like an undeveloped piece. Just there. 2/5
9) A Sunday in Madrid: Kinda wasn't paying attention to this one, but it seemed fine. 3/5
10) Blues in Bob Minor: Like the drive of this one. First time I've truly enjoyed the vocals too. 4/5
11) The Whole Point of No Return: More of an end-terlude, but it's good. 4/5.
Overall, mixed bag, but I think I'm settling on the 2. Some of the vibes on this thing are great. But some of the more weird stuff just doesn't work for me.
The Isley Brothers
4/5
Damn, was surprised at this one. Normally am not huge on 70's soul and funk, but this one just starts off blazing out the gate with That Lady, Pts 1 & 2. I've definitely heard it before, but maybe their original vocal R&B version from the 60s?
But I mostly recognize the song from Kendrick Lamar's sample of it in his song "i" (And on a tangent, the demo version of that song is superior to the To Pimp a Butterfly album version). Kendrick had a fantastic ear for that sample.
The album does kinda have trouble keeping the same momentum through most of it. That Lady is easily the most driving, intense song on the record until the guitar solo in their cover of Summer Breeze.
Another thing I'm slightly off with is with a decent chunk of the album being covers, but that said, they're all great covers that translate into the Isley Brothers' style perfectly. I wouldn't say the covers are better than the originals, but they're definitely a necessary cover in the grand scheme of things.
Overall, fantastic record.
New York Dolls
2/5
Probably a "They've been copied so much that their original stuff seems very generic", but this sounds like every hard rock album to come out in the 80s (this was released in 73!!!). If you like KISS, Twisted Sister, Alice Cooper, etc. you'll love this album.
But I just am not feeling it.
The Band
2/5
I'm gonna have to file a restraining order against blues rock at this point.
Not that this is bad, I just don't have the patience for it anymore.
Plus, I'm not enjoying the singing on this.
Will say, best song is probably The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down
Its fine. I just don't want to listen to this type of music anymore.
Norah Jones
2/5
This album is aggressively alright. Somehow manages to feel like a slog even at only 45 minutes. Each song by themselves is good, but all together, it's just exhausting.
Highlights are Don't Know Why (Which is the one I think I recognize) and I've Got to See You Again (With it's more interesting jazzy vibes).
But other than that, kinda a snoozefest.
Fiona Apple
4/5
It's interesting to get this the day after getting Norah Jones.
Not that Norah Jones is jazzy like Fiona Apple, but she does play around with it a tiny bit. But comparison wise, Fiona Apple absolutely blows her out of the water.
Obviously the two standouts, Criminal and Shadowboxer are amazing. But the rest of the album just has this jazzy, rainy by sunny spring day vibe to is (A vibe that I remember being even more pronounced on her album Extraordinary Machine).
Don't really got a ton more to say, just that it's some great jazz pop music.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Huh. Not on Spotify, so had to dig it out on Youtube.
Will say, knowing nothing of this album other than the cover, I have been curious about it as I do like the cover. But it was a crapshoot for what genre I was going to get. It was either gonna be some electronic music, indie folk, or some sort of noise rock.
Welp, I got the indie folk, haha.
And I quite like it. It's a little understated for my tastes (Although when it does pick up like in Madeleine-Mary with it's echoed guitar lines, it's great), but it's a nice listen. He's got a good voice, piano and guitars are nice. It's just a nice sounding album in general.
Couple songs are verging slightly on Pink Floyd-isms like Song for the New Breed. Album's just got a very similar darkness that Pink Floyd's music has. Maybe some Neutral Milk Hotel vibes as well, such as on Black.
So yeah. Really good indie folk. Wouldn't mind taking another listen sometime.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
Surprised at how almost-Western sounding this is. Starting off, it kinda just sounded like a blues jam. Pretty quickly its like "OK yeah, traditional Islamic music" but for a bit it did have me thinking of blues, haha.
But yeah. Same as most non-western traditional/folk, I just don't have the experience or vocabulary to really engage with this. It sounds good. But I don't know of a situation where I'd sit down a listen to this in my daily life.
The Smiths
4/5
Maybe I'm just in a mood that's good for this album, but I'm liking this a lot more than I remember when I first listened to it a couple months ago, and like it more than the Morrissey albums I've gotten so far.
Mostly what I don't like about it is Morrissey's vocals, although they're not bugging me much here, aside from some annoying riffs he does.
And at first I wasn't enjoying the very empty room production it's got going on, but finding myself liking it as I listen to it more.
Overall, really good album. Think my standouts are Bigmouth Strikes Again and Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others.
I fear Morrissey might be growing on me. Fuck.
Tom Waits
4/5
Okay, I get why Tom Waits is divisive with his sound.
But this album kinda sounds like a bunch of other artists, just funneled through the lens of experimentalism.
Like the bastard spawn of Nick Cave, Harry Nilsson, Bruce Springsteen, and expermental bands like Diablo Swing Orchestra (deep pull there, lol), but obviously all those artists were likely inspired by Tom Waits vs the other way around.
Weirdly, I kinda enjoy it. Don't think I'd ever go back to it, but its definitely good, and very interesting. Never a boring moment on this album.
Scott Walker
3/5
This album goes from really interesting proto-butt rock/hard rock stuff (The Old Man's Back Again - like its not those at all, but its got the chutzpah. Reminds me of 80's hard rock bands that do a dark ballad), to some really "its perfectly fine" songs. One of those albums where I don't really know where I stand with it. But I think I'll settle on a 3.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Once in a while this list has some really great stuff that, while I don't think are great picks for the list itself, are still great albums. Take Me Apart by Kelela is another one (haven't gotten it yet, but I have listened before).
The guitars go hard on some of the songs, especially Hero. My other standout is the opener, You Ain't The Problem.
I will say, a lot of it is a little on the chill side for my tastes, but its still great.
Overall, just some really great psychedelic soul.
Public Enemy
3/5
Yeah, this one's not really doing anything for me.
Old school style rapping never really has unless the band is named Beastie Boys.
Just sounds dated in a way that I can't get into.
It's fine, but not for me.
Moby Grape
3/5
Probably one of the better psychedelic rock albums I've gotten from the 60's. Definitely can tell they're from California, which I think is helping (Although I'm not really a fan of Pet Sounds), along with the slight country rock vibes it's giving.
Unfortunately, still not really my thing.
Hawkwind
3/5
Some pretty good jamming space rock.
It's pretty long winded for my tastes, and not something I really think I'm going back to, but it's a solid time.