Great album. Kashmir and in my time of dying both killer songs. Some of the lesser songs drag a bit along the way.

This was really good. Not really a big Willie Nelson guy typically (but maybe I should be?). Just very pleasant, mellow jams. On the other hand, this album doesn't have a ton of tonal contrast, but it was pleasant as I did my work. Highlights: Blue Skies Georgia on my Mind--Is this an original take? I don't think so, but its a great standard performed well Don't Get around much anymore and someone to watch over me is a very strong finish for the album

Uhh, this is fine? Kinda unremarkable 80s pop vibes. I’m guessing it was added to the list because it started the 80s sound or something historic. Nothing wrong with this album, but I find it pretty forgettable. Though I guess I always like albums less on a first listen.

-1 for sounding like off-brand Pixies, but without their distinctive weirdness and humor--like what if you sucked their soul out and replaced it with horny teenager energy. Not very original. I guess heart-shaped box is pretty good, but if it's the hit meant to redeem this album, it's woefully insufficient (All Apologies is also good, but better when covered by others). But in "rape me" (a dubious song to begin with) they quote the "smells like teen spirit" riff--which they already stole from Pixies U-Mass! Makes me wonder if Nirvana really just put everything they had into Nevermind, with no ideas left for the rest of the work

Huh, they have multiple albums. Who knew? (apparently lots of people) First 30 seconds: ooh some interesting vocals. This could be a more interesting approach to post-punk(?). Yeah this album is fun and fresh. Love so many of these songs: California waiting and Joe's Head are a blast. Like the Modern Lovers with less grating of sensibilities. This is a great artist discovery; how did I never listen to these guys?!? Huge.

I've encountered War before, but a different super-funky album. This is a mellower offering from them. City, Country, City is is extremely pleasant. The melding of funk, jazz and the twang of harmonica is great. Still, feels like something is missing here. But I don't know what, and my revealed preference (listening to this album 3 times this weekend) suggests I'm a fan.

Discovering that I actually loved Bruce Springsteen in 2019 after years of making fun of him was an early lesson in backing off of my pretension. Compared to later albums, this is a very tight album, and more thematically consistent (though Nebraska has it beat there). But when they let it all out in Jungleland it's cathartic. It's a great album, and a sign of the wonders to come.

I like the darker vibes of the album (I'm the one of us who likes Depeche Mode), but I'm not really getting thing out of the lyrics, and the sounds are dissonant without my really getting much out of it. Compared to, say, sisters of mercy or Siouxsie and the Banshees, which are goth, but feel like there is intentionality behind it. It feels like the post punk era people know they have a new genre on their hands, but haven't quite figured out what to do with the sound. That said, I could see myself coming around on this if I listen more. But that seems unlikely.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯. Sounds good. I don't have an ear for jazz at all (also I had to listen on youtube, so it was interrupted by ads, because one song isnt available on spotify). But this felt like it had a meandering tone that didn't really go anywhere (somewhat true of all jazz), which didn't help. And Jazz without words is harder for me to get into. But anyway as far as Jazz goes, I find I like Esperanza Spalding and Dave Brubeck more than this for reasons I can't describe. This was fine though. I liked The Wedding and the second half better. 3 stars.

This was real fun. Pretty straightforward (to my modern ears; I guess they were revolutionary in their time probably) indie rock. Almost a power pop sound.

Great album. At times a little schmalzier than my standard fare, but Stevie keeps it a little more grounded. And the integration of gospel into this funkier stuff is good. You Haven't Done Nothin' for some reason doesn't bother me with its very Superstition-y riff like other cases of very similar sounds. Probably because he's doing something different with it instead of hopelessly trying to recapture past glory (ahem, Nirvana). Initial listen was maybe 3, Second listen pulled it up. Plausible that this is a five star album once I know it, but pretty likely I never get more familiar with it.

An all-time great A-Side. Big enough to admit that high school me didn't listen to the full length album enough to be as sure about the second half. The quiet start rising into the full dynamic contrast in the first 2 minutes: ooh you know it's gonna be good! And the start to Neigborhood #3--oh man. Update: 2nd half is very good. Not quite as good as the first, but this is good stuff, folks. Oh am I a pretentious hipster for loving this? Don't care this is exactly as good as its reputation suggests.

As an irritating partisan of George Harrison in all thing Beatles internecine fighting, I was prepared to hate this. And... it's okay? He's kinda doing a Bob Dylan impression in the first half, but without the cleverness and nuance. But the vocals are okay (note that Yoko does not sing on this album). And then it's like a store-brand Beatles for the second half. Now, the Beatles are one of the great bands of all time, so store brand is still passable, but it's just like if you took the best Beatles stuff and replace it with somewhat bland platitudes. "god is concept by which we measure our pain" o.k. pal. "I just believe in me, Yoko, and me, and that's reality" wow this is ground breaking. Still, musically defensible.

In general this album is very soft. My primary complaint is that van Morrison doesn't have quite as much edge to him--a little too smooth. Some Ray Lamontagne vibes on this album, which is a good thing. This album's hits--Into the Mystic and Moondance--are a lot of fun. And the rest are pretty passable pleasant folk/soft rock. Rounding a 3.5 down just because that feels right.

I really liked this. The combination of minimalist synth and bluesier stuff was a lot of fun. And it feels different that pretty much anything I've heard. Kraftwerk+Arcade Fire or something? Anyway, I doubt this is everyone's cup of tea, but this was great for me. I've never heard of this band and their significance is completely lost on me, but I'm glad to have been introduced.

Wow. Supertramp is one of those bands that has always been on the periphery of my interests but I’ve never given them a real shake. A ton of really cool sounds and pieces. I’m not sure I’m a big fan of the whole, but the musical ideas with which they play are all very interesting. Adding the musical complexity of prog with the more relaxed tone of something poppier? Excited to see more of them on later albums!

This album is nice. Gimme Shelter is obviously a perfect song. You got the silver is underrated and midnight ramble is very solid. I'm at like a 4.5 on this. Imma take the over.

Fairly unremarkable 60s era britpop. Looking this up, I guess it's "one of the first rock operas," which is neat. But the thing about rock operas is that I don't get them until listen several times, and it's unclear why I would do that here. Plenty of good riffs (balloon burning is fun musically) and some really nice transitions between songs (really cohesive album!), but the competition in this genre is intense, and this doesn't rise above.

I didn't know we were doing live albums here! I'm a fan of Ain't That Good News, but don't know any of his other stuff. This was nice. I've never been a huge soul person, just because I feel like it is too soft and smooth and I'm a little taken aback by such straightforward earnestness. But if you want smooth soulful earnest love songs, Sam Cooke does it about as well as anyone.

So, Take Me Out is an all-time banger. Would probably make a list of best tracks of the 00s, though I'd have to think about it. I was happy to see the album listed for today: "Oh I love that song, but have never listened to the album. Wonder how the rest is" And, uh, Jacqueline is good too. Darts of pleasure has a memorable last 20 seconds. But the rest of this album leaves much to be desired. And as I understand, we're rating albums not the best song on each album. And I doubt I'd ever listen to the album again.

Oooh early metal! As someone who likes metal but never really understood it's classic era, I'm always excited to learn more about this stuff. But this one is more a historical curiosity the anything that gets me really going. Several of these songs have stuff going for them, but they never come together quite right. The end effect is that I was a bit bored. 2.5 stars rounded up because of historical import.

I only knew Under my Thumb and Paint it Black beforehand, and everything else is fine, but unlike Let it Bleed, I think the non-hits are more filler here. 3.5 Stars, rounding down. A lotta misogyny on this album (even though Under My Thumb is a great tune), so, not sure what to do with that...