The foundation of grunge, though you can hear the other influences so clearly. I’m not a big fan of grunge and all these songs sound the same to me — muscle and testosterone. Good hooks, but they’re all hook, with no space to reflect and contemplate between the riffs. Still, Soundgarden influenced pop rock for a decade, which is impressive and probably led to something interesting. As an album, it’s just too 2-dimensional. It’s a 2.

Excellent musicianship, of course. Structure with no structure. I’m guessing this set the stage for great jam bands of the 70’s and beyond. But, in the end, jams are indulgent & you have to be willing and ready to go along for the ride.

This album introduces the REM sound. But they refine that sound in later albums. It’s a good effort, but here they sound like a very interesting and talented bar band that hasn’t yet figured out what its point is.

Another “here’s a new sound” album. Listening to Bowie is always interesting and a joy. But he hasn’t yet come into his own on this album.

Fantastic opening and closing with some high points in between. Not a “must have” as an album because it’s a bit overindulgent in places. It actually feels like the soundtrack to an interesting stage-play. Great, but not as funky as WAR can get.

Beautiful, musical, & sharp from beginning to end. Has a strong through-line (like an album should). Everything is Everything, and this album is everything. Desert-island album.

Cyndi Lauper can sing!! I don’t necessarily love her voice — but lady hits those notes, every time. This album so very creative & it showcases Lauper’s huge & diverse musical range — it could have been named “She’s so unusually talented” Also, the album made an important contribution to female empowerment in the 80’s through 90’s — not to mention its influence on the lgbtq movement. The album could also have been named “Everyone is so Unusual & Just Wants to Have Fun (show them respect)” This is a powerhouse compilation with some great songs. I’m not the target audience and, i prefer smoother vocal styles, so it’s not a desert island album for me. But this is creative transgressive and well executed pop music. Great album — much respect.

This album is politically active & eerily prescient. REM foresees the growing corruption of politics into warring factions weaponizing misinformation and the cynicism & disdain for political engagement that results. It may also (unwittingly?) encourage the anti-intellectual nihilism (“If you believe they put a man on the moon”) that started in the Reagan 80’s & came to define American politics in the 2010’s. If Murmur suffers from REM not yet having found its purpose, Automatic for the People suffers from the opposite — its delivery is a bit too “on the nose” and earnest. The lyrics are all audible, and in some cases, there is no effort to be poetic. This is a moment where an edgy band lost its musical edge for a moment. There is inspired music here, though. If you Believe is *such* a great song! A solid album that people should hear for its insightful political commentary — but not “great” as an album.

What you get when you mix whiskey, red bull, & misogyny in an angry & maybe not-so-nice “bro”? This gets a 2 (“Did not need to hear this but I got all the way through”). There are a few good grooves, and some interesting lyrics. And the album clearly inspired a decade+ of imitators. But, most of the tracks sound similar — guitars layered over a sinister bass drone (which never achieves the dark vibe of, say, Deep Purple) with gravelly-voiced dude belting out his anger/pain/wounding. They do a good job doing what they do— i can understand why this is an influential album — but it’s overwrought, humorless, and repetitive.

Sonic wonderland! Sharp rhymes, cutting insights, slick samples, non-stop rhythms with tight transitions. Serious messages wrapped in creativity and humor. What more can you ask from an album? An essential classic.

I can’t hear Ray Charles sing without smiling. And this album is influential because it was such a departure from Charles’s usual genre. But the arrangements on this album — all sweeping strings & stilted choruses — are super dated and out of place. The same kind of arrangement works and sounds so natural on the Billie Holiday album in this collection— but here, it’s a painful distraction from a great performer. It’s a 3 on the strength of Ray Charles’s singing and playing and on execution of the concept—reinterpreting country/western songs in a very different style.

So much diversity on this album that it’s hard to find a throughline. It opens with a great rap piece (Dance or Die) and migrates through some really smart R&B (Locked Inside), though it’s hidden under a too standard pop melody and production. Then we’re on to what might be a Bond theme (Sir Greendown) + some very proper-sounding British torch songs (Oh, maker). Symphonic pieces are mixed in with tunes that give Pharrel (Tightrope) & Outkast a run for the money. Definitely hear some of Bowie’s influence, which is well applied. It’s a lot. But, Monáe is so talented, her delivery is so energetic, and the production is generally so interesting, that it makes me want to stick with it and understand what she’s up to. It’s a high 3, verging on a 4 — but I might come back to this and raise the score.

How did i miss this growing up? I guess I was just put off by Ozzie’s shtick? (And I’m not a big fan if his voice). But man, this album rocks! Tremendous licks & great musicianship all around (but, Ozzie’s voice 🙄). Black Sabbath was clearly leagues beyond the many imitators that followed. Needed to hear this great album before I died (4⭐️), but not sure it’s coming to the desert island with me. But maybe…?

Nice sounds, nice songs. This album is in my core genre, but there’s not a lot that’s surprising about it. I like it (3) but, I’ll take Neil Young to the desert island instead.

Tasting notes include The Clash, INXS, Peter Gabriel/Genesis, and do i detect a whiff of LCD Soundsystem? But this doesn’t hold a candle to any of those artists. I could not get through this album, but that might be partially due to my current setting — if i was dancing at a party, club, concert, I’d might appreciate this sound. But, listening to it closely for musical entertainment, as a whole album, straight through — no thanks. (1). [note — this listening experience stuck with me in a bad way, so i had to come back to downgrade.it to a 1).

Some bangers in here. Production is highest level. The youthful flip flop between sexual naivety and aggression comes across as a little dated now. We’re living in a different world musically. A three for me.

You can tell this album is a 5 in the first :30 seconds

That voice! She could sing the phone book and it would be a 5. But it’s a great album in its own right — nothing is forced. Even the dated orchestral arrangements are on point and work well with her delivery. I can’t say how influential Ms Holliday has been, because frankly, there’s never been anything like her before or since. This is coming to the desert island with me. An emphatic 5.

A great concept album that’s well executed. The music is great too, although a lot of the pieces are there simply to move the plot along. Undeniably influential on rock operas and concept albums that followed (eg, the Wall).

Seems like a great and influential classic in the rave scene. Very interesting samples mixed over endless industrial beats. But this is not music for sitting around and listening to — it’s music for dancing. Hard to score against music intended fir a different purpose. I’ll give it a 3, but could be a four based on its influence in the club/dance/rave scene. Or it could be a 2 because you just can’t listen to a whole album of this stuff repeatedly.

Ugh. I hate this sound. I think the Smiths might be a major reason that I stopped listening to pop music in the late 80’s and 90’s. I mean, the instruments are played well and the underlying music is fine. But that crooning, preening, emo “tra la la,” talk-singing that is the same on every song is SO grating. Plus, you can tell the lead singer doesn’t care about the rest if the music as his vocals are disconnected from the rest of the mysic in almost every imaginable way (rhythmically, at the sound mixing level, melodically). It’s a 1.

Solid modern R&B musically, hi production value, backing lyrics that are straight porn. I don’t need the graphic play by play of sex acts with my R&B. Not sure what got this on the list other than shock value. I realize many many bands have nasty lyrics and themes — but the metaphors, word play, & double entendre make it more interesting than this.

Good fun rock and roll (Alternative Rock) Sounds like an (better) inspiration for the Rembrandts. Maybe it laid the foundation for the “Garden State” sound? Guitar work sounds very Boston (the band/album) to me. Also, the REM influence is clear, but with “surf rock band” energy.

Cartoonishly simple music and overwrought lyrics. Most songs sound the same and the others are barroom anthems. Lead singer has pipes, but almost all lyrics are spoken rather than sung. Still, it’s better executed than i thought it would be.

This is a great album — sounds better in headphones than i imagined it would. Good studio artistry happening here. Not really my style of music — over-earnest, overproduced, too poppy. It’s a 3.

Kings of Leon have a sound. The sound is layered guitars over propulsive rhythms. Sometimes they do really good things with that sound — other times it’s boring.

Important because… early Björk. Lyrics are kinda hilarious. She’s great and the music is interesting. But not sure I’ll listen to the whole album again. Afraid this is a 2. (Downgraded after listening to other albums)

A classic. So influential on the rap and rock that followed. Rhymes and rhythms are *tight*. On the downside, it’s definitely “of an era” that’s passed, so a little dated. But it’s still great! A 4. Will listen to it again.

A crooner, with an influential sound. Seems like the basis of a lot of modern country that i do not like, though this is basically just songs from a singer/songwriter. Doesn’t stand up against Johnnie Cash, Merle Haggard, or Hank Williams.

The Who really love the concept album. Unfortunately, their songwriting does not always reach the heights of their imagination. There are some gems here, and the sound effects prefigure autotune and digital voiceovers. I’m down with the anti commercialization, but I’m not buying this album. It’s a 2.

The musical definition of the phrase “take a chill pill.” Bombastic rap rock by bros that takes themselves way too seriously. One of these songs, with their multi-layered assault of power chords + hip-hop scratching might gave been interesting. But a whole album? It all sounds the same — predictable and way too earnest.

Musically interesting. Mostly torch-songs. Worth another listen.

This album is extraordinarily creative music, laid over a blues-rock chassis. I feel like every rock/modern pop song i’ve heard since this album is somehow contained in these songs. Not all the songs are easy to listen to, and Vleit’s voice is not super pleasant. But this is good — really good!

In the early days of Pandora, I found that the playlist for all my stations would converge to the Black Keys. I liked what I heard, but never chose to listen to them proactively. Why?!?! The Black Keys are like Doritos for my ears — designed in some chemical laboratory in New Jersey to be the perfect mix of rock, blues, and soul. Always grooving hard, but remaining in the pocket. Nothing is forced. 5 stars.

A great album of fantastic songs. Dylan is unmatched in the song-writing department. But he definitely is matched in the singing department, which is why so many of his songs become popular hots when covered by those who can sIng. It’s a 4, for sure — but it’s not recommended for heavy rotation.

The sound track of my childhood, this album still generally holds up. Mostly great (though occasionally lazy) song writing, with inspirations from the Beatles and disco mixed with the obligatory sax that became a sonic meme for most of the 80s. Respect that Joel is a writer of tight songs, respectable piano player, and reasonably good vocalist — a complete package. On the downside, it’s hard to ignore the inflated self-image & bravura of a 20-30 year old boy here. This was a feature. Joel was speaking to the boys & young men of newly middle class suburban families who were, let’s say — dramatic romantic hotheads. The cheese was en pointe. The album is so influential that it became the model for much of the less well-crafted easy listening and lounge music that came after. But, in the end, this album is like a cuatro formaggio pizza — too much cheese. It’s a 3

Fantastic album. So creative rhythmically and melodically. Joyful. This is a four star.

Elvis is the Bob Dylan of the garage-pop genre. A truly amazing song-writer. He’s not a tremendous vocalist but he’s better than many and the passion he has fir his characters is obvious and endearing. This album lacks the recognizable hits on many of his albums — but he’s channeling Roy Orbison, REM, and others into his world of loveable ruffians. It’s a 3, but might be a 4 on a second listen.

This is really interesting music —orchestral, ethereal— and that voice is … something else. Everything, from the rhythms, synth landscapes, to strings, and vocals is well crafted & intentional. It’s not music i want to listen to every day, but I’m glad I listened to it (at least once) before I died. Rating this a three might suggest I’m ambivalent about it, — I’m not. It’s too engaging. But a four might imply that I “like” this sound and will listen to it a lot — I probably won’t (too much work). I give in — it’s a 4.

This is not good. The vocalist makes it basically unlistenable.

Here we have a very good Bar Mitzvah band in 1963. They play songs that are tight and arranged in the style of the day. But, if you strip away all that the Beatles do after this album, there’s nothing exceptional or highly creative here. It’s fine — there’s nothing wrong with it. But, aside from a few really fun tracks, there’s little about this album that I had to hear before I died. It’s a 2.

Many energetic performances here. But. it’s too much of the same thing — and that thing is angsty-anger. They have a particular sound and it’s a lot.

Energetic, creative, wry, and funny party music. But not the pinnacle of the Talking Heads art. It’s a 3 — might be good to listen again, when not on a plane.

Good and interesting music. Southern California morning songs for the Laurel Canyon set. Sort of a male Joanie Mitchell with orchestral arrangements (but not as necessary to my music collection as Joanie). 3 or 4, depending on the weather.

Electronica overlayed with French-fairy lyrics. Most of it is happening at the same pace — and it relies too much on the notion of melody as rhythm. It’s danceable, but it’s hard to take it seriously musically. A lot of noodling around for effect. 2

This is a good example of the modern R&B sound. Singer has a nice voice; songs sound good. Not sure why it’s an album i needed to listen to before i died, but now I have.

I think I’m at a disadvantage because (a) i don’t understand Portuguese and (b) this particular album was only available on YouTube, which sucks as a portal. But, while it sounds original and well-produced and the vocals are great, this is basically just a pop-album that seems to have led down the dark path to smooth latin jazz. Not something I really needed to hear in any language. It’s a 2.

I love The Band. But this is not their very best album — the Last Waltz is the touchstone for Americana. And I’m surprised the critics who made this list wouldn’t have put Music from Big Pink on the list, since that’s “where it all began” for The Band.

My ability to rate this suffers from my limited exposure to the form I’ve listened to Indian music for a long time, but I’m not a student. This music is so expressive, soothing, exciting. Always tasteful. Just beautiful— now I have a new artist to follow! Still, I think there are Indian musicians that I’d listen to before I listen to this album — Ravi Shankar, Roop Verma, and Arjun Verma come to mind.

Derivative. Derivative of some good stuff, so not objectionable really — just not captivating. It’s a 2 or a 3 — depending on the mood.

Kanye is a sick man. But that doesn’t change the reality that the music is the highest quality. Still I’m not taking a self-described Nazi to the desert island. The rhymes are political, creative, tight. The musical backing is great. Still the seeds of Ye’s illness are apparent. Between some if the amazing tracks, are lazy and indulgent tracks. At times, he’s riding the line between revealing the lives of his characters (eg, the kids choir — which is hella funny) and exploiting them. Looking back with 20:20, it’s clear that sometimes (eg, Slow Jamz) he’s mocking his subjects. He might not have meant that at the time — but that’s where it went. Too bad, because this Kanye is super-talented and has important things to say. It’s a 4 — would have been a 5 with some more editing discipline.

Indescribably fantastic. I have no context for the music. But every time i hear these ragas and Khan’s chanting, I smile. Must have this music in my life. Five!

Very good raw punk power. But punk is not my thing. Played like this, it’s just too repetitive at multiple levels. The pacing and rhythm are one speed. But it’s quality work in that genre, as far as I can tell. A 2.

You can wear this to work or to the club. Listenable and danceable. Sadè-like (but not Sadè, of course). It’s a 3.

I am simply amazed by how well it holds up. The craftsmanship is fantastic and its influence on rock undeniable. Unfortunately, so many albums, groups, and whole years of rock and roll attempted to replicate the joy & passion of this album but lacked the musicality, authenticity, and talent of the original. The studio work (arrangement, mixing) is impeccable. The harmonies soar; the guitar hooks groove hard, but remain unforced. A favorite & part of the desert island collection.

Electronica meets vaguely “world music.” Interesting samples and overlays. Good as cafe music, to create a vibe — or slower pieces in ecstatic dance, I guess? Creative and interesting enough to earn a 3.

Listening to this album allows us to hear Stills’ hard charging blues influence on CS&N. There are some good songs here — classic Stephen Stills funky guitar licks & a great rhythm section. His voice sounds good, though I’m surprised he had an old man tamber even this early in his career. But there are some duds on this album too — several not great “country” songs. And even the better songs sound familiar at this point. Maybe this is where the Stephen Stills sound started (?) but it’s a well trodden path. As an album, it’s a 2 for me.

Like air, there’s not much here. It’s listenable, usually inoffensive, and ultimately forgettable. It’s almost the perfect definition of a “2,” but sometimes it verges close to a “1” for repetitiveness & lack of creativity.

This is a really good album. Trip-hop and sampling aren’t usually part of my listening diet, but here, it’s mixed seamlessly with middle-eastern and Indian music. The combination is more than the some of its parts. The artist is very talented and i look forward to exploring more of their discography. A four (which might become a 5 with more familiarity).

Sounds flat, heavy—but not in a good way— and repetitive. The mixing is not great —“singer” sounds disconnected from the musical backdrop. And, the vocalist is mainly talking through the lyrics. A 2, but on the edge of a 1.

I’m not so into the burlesque sound of some of this album. But the blues tracks rock! I appreciate the creativity. Definitely want to give this another listen.

This is a fantastic album. An essential tool in the box for political advocates, the band synthesizes the frustration, anger, and critiques of punk, metal, & some strains of rap. Speaking of rap, the flow is unique — a staccato that is timed with the rhythm so the words actually hit you. The rhythms are propulsive and swaggering. While it’s political, this music puts you in your body. There are flaws. A few of the rhymes are lyrically strained. And this is not music I can listen to for too long, like I could have 30 years ago. But, it’s still essential and relevant — and it rocks!

Beautiful, complex, moving, juicy music. The artists are masters, fully in command of the sound and their audience. I could listen to this all day! A 5.

I love Johnny Cash. And this album really shows how big his heart and soul were. The connection he makes with his audience is intimate & empathetic. Musically, this is not his best work -/ it’s hard to get the best in any live venue performance, let alone in a prison hall. Also, the dialogue is all interesting and touching, but, if you’re listening for music, the talking becomes a distraction (think of listening to this album twice in a row). It’s a 3. I hope there are other Johnny Cash albums to review on this list.

AC/DC’s sound is iconic & their influence is immense. They set the standard for the bad boys of rock & roll. Some of their songs are fantastic, but others are repetitive and/or sound the same. The vocals are epic at times & just screechy at other times. This is a three.

I would give anything to have been at this show. The sound quality is great for a live show of that era and the band & Cooke’s voice are so perfectly tuned. Alternately joyous & moving. A five.

Filled with classic jazz/samba pieces. This is the soundtrack to a happy life. Five.

Provides insight into the origins of modern country & Americana, though i’m not sure this is the best example. The harmonies are great — the folk and gospel influences are clear. Good for studying roots of modern popular music, though, again, I think there are other better examples of the same influences. It’s a 2 or three.

This is really good. Club/party music is not in my wheelhouse, but FBS has produced an accessible, yet really interesting, album worth of beats, riffs, and samples that are designed to keep your dance floor hopping. It’s fun & listenable, very well crafted, and showcases the artist’s talent & sharp instinct for what keeps the flow flowing. Four.

Fantastic! Diversity of sounds; excellent musicianship. Fun!!

There’s a fine line between an album that represents a cohesive sound and one where the artist shows too much of their range & produces an incoherent set of (possibly very good) songs. This album demonstrates the other end of the spectrum: when the focus on the band’s sound results in a bunch of songs that all seem the same. The sound here is recognizable (probably because it was pouring out of every radio & speaker in the late 1990’s), but it’s hard to tell one song from the next. Testosterone-driven lyrics over a wall of guitar power-chords — got it, don’t need to keep listening.

I’m not the 30-60-year-old-middle-class woman demographic on whose concerns this album focusses (a slightly different group than the subject of her most famous song, “Angel from Montgomery”). But the songs are obviously great — lyrically, musically, and vocally. The songwriting artfully (though narrowly) skirts sappy sentimentality and stereotypes. And Raitt’s vocals and guitar playing are superb. The album holds together as a single work of art. My only reservation is that the album seems overproduced— I’d like to hear these songs as an acoustic set live, without the synthetic drum tracks and vocal backing chorus. I’ll always welcome a Bonnie Raitt song though — so it’s a 4.

Imagine being a band of great instrumentalists who jam really well together. All you want to do is jam out, trade solos, and ROCK! But, your A&R man says you need songs — you can’t just jam. So you write some songs , just so they’ll let you jam. Although two or three of the songs are really good — most exist simply to provide a funky base line & space for soloing. That imaginary band is Deep Purple. The guitar work, organ/synth, and base lines are propulsive & fun! Richie Blackmoore’s talent is undeniable. And, Ian Gillen is among the best Rock vocalists ever. Songs like Smoke on the Water & Child in Time (not featured on this album but one of the top 10 songs in the history of rock) are iconic. But most of the songs (eg, Space Truckin’) have no reason for being, except to organize the band musically. Unfortunately, the songs as a collective effort make this a 2.

Groundbreaking in the 1980s Hip Hop scene, those tracks sound dated now. But the fusion of street party vibes with international music is fun and lively— precedes and paves the way for the 90’s world music craze. Need another listen (airplane), but this could be a 3 or a 4.

So much fun! The rhymes are from a different era (and often a little juvenile). But the party vibe is timeless— turn this in at a party now and people will think: “that guy/gal throws a great party.” Will listen again when I’m not on a plane. At least, a four.

A great album! Cash is in his element in front of a prison crowd. Listening to this made me realize that Cash is best known for sympathetic songs about really bad people. It’s a little creepy that he’s celebrating murderers who “killed a man in Reno, just to watch him die,” for instance. But, I’ll leave psychoanalysis of American culture for sometime when I’m really Jonesing for a hit of depression. Jonny Cash is an icon, and an American Original — and this album shows us why. His voice, delivery, and personality are all on display. But, unlike the other Cash-goes-to-prison album(s) on this list, the music takes center stage here. And the music is great. It’s a four.

A masterpiece! Combines funk with the symphony to define a whole sound of the 70s. Will want to relisten because of airplane background noise. A four, for sure.

Marvin Gaye’s voice and signature sound always bring a smile to my face. But these are barely songs — more like musings that he’s chosen to sing and set to music. Not necessarily bad, but disappointing given the man’s talent. It’s a three, at best.

I really enjoyed this, my first exposure to Radiohead! I am told that their earlier tracks are overwhelmingly emo & self-loathing, an approach to music I do not like at all. But i don’t see much self-loathing here. The album has some very interesting songs, beyond the traditional molds for pop songs. It features polyrhythms & complex layering of samples and soundscapes. Very creative, engaging, and musical. It’s a four, for sure — but with more exposure, I might move it to a five.

This is great listening! Jay Z has superior skills in front of the mic, as well as in production. The rhymes and flow hit hard and the storytelling is masterful. My only complaint is that the range is limited to battle-rap & misogyny. I’m not offended, but I can tell Jay-Z can say & do more. It’s a four, but I wish it was a five.

Because of this project, I’ve learned that Def Leppard is purely derivative of Judas Priest. In some ways they might be better than the original because their hooks are better. But it’s pretty simple music with juvenile themes. Three of the songs are bangers, but the rest miss (particularly the first track). As an album, it fails.

Grizzly Bear is what happens when Crosby Stills Nash and Young join forces to write songs with Steely Dan that are performed by the Flaming Lips. The sound is not as good as those bands, but not bad — it’s highly creative and melodic, but lacks any hooks. A three for now, but could be a four if I became more familiar with the music.

The foundation of grunge, though you can hear the other influences so clearly. I’m not a big fan of grunge and all these songs sound the same to me — muscle and testosterone. Good hooks, but they’re all hook, with no space to reflect and contemplate between the riffs. Still, Soundgarden influenced pop rock for a decade, which is impressive and probably led to something interesting. As an album, it’s just too 2-dimensional. It’s a 2.

A Classic. Such a distinctive, soulful sound that has never been replicated. These are great songs, unlike the M. Gaye album i reviewed earlier, which was all his sound, without the song. A five.

It’s fine, often verging on good. But did I need to hear this before I died? No, I don’t think I did. A two.

This album is really interesting and creative. Not my kind of music — their sound is tortured, post-punk. But it’s clearly very well done and makes a statement. A three for now, but i may come back for another listen.

I listened to this album a lot during a very down period — it did not make my life better. Obviously, because I listened to it frequently, I won’t say it’s not a good album — in fact, it performs best because it is an album. But if i wanted to listen to the Lament of the Heroin Addict, I’d listen to Pink Floyd instead. This is a two.

On the border between 4 & 5. It lacks much of the mystery and depth of feeling of their earlier (but not earliest) work. Life’s Rich Pageant and Fables of the Reconstruction are, to my ear, their best albums. “The one I love” is such a tremendous merger of passion and cynicism, on par with “Boots of Spanish Leather” that it almost tipped the whole album into the 5 zone. But, there are definitely a song or two i could skip and i think it’s too straightforward to be an REM “5”. They can do better. It’s a four.

Has several hallmarks of music i don’t like. Techno, high pitched waffly male singer, etc. But this is really good! Seems strongly Bowie-influenced in a great way. Despite its techno roots, this album is (intentionally) underproduced and sounds homemade/DIY. Also, the tracks have a high degree of musicality, which I appreciate— it’s FUN listening. A four.

I hate this album. I am actually angry that I listened to it. I like Paul Simon, and previously regarded him as a savant. But this is pure trash! This album actually sounds like it emerged as a joke, or a dare (“you can’t write, record, and produce an album in under 5 hours”), or as a threat from his accountant (“You’re broke! Put out an album, STAT!”). The first song is about his allergies. I shit you not. It sounds like it was written by a pre-teen. And there’s an intensely earnest instrumental section and a guitar solo that are completely at odds with the lyric. Then there’s the song about writing a song that sounds like it was made up on the spot. Several other songs are total dogshit. The title song is very good, and I’m told it’s about his failed marriage to Carrie Fisher. It’s endearing and thoughtful, but it cannot save this album. The only mitigation for this monstrosity is that it is the album before Graceland (which is brilliant) and, if you see it as warm up finger exercises for that album (the characters and storylines are similar), then maybe it’s ok that he put this utterly awful collection when he really should not have. Why it’s in the 1001 list is really beyond me though.

Troubador with a good voice and sweeping orchestration. Couldn’t make heads or tails of it and will beed another listen. A three, for now.

Over -earnest, over-wrought vocal of affected lyrics. Orchestration, similar, though some pieces jam a bit. Overall, annoying.

Supertramp have a sound —springy organ synth, choral harmonies, loopy 58-pound weakling lead singer— that I don’t hate. But even though each song is internally creative, they all sound similar — that Supertramp sound is pervasive. This whole album, while somewhat entertaining, sounds derivative of itself. It’s like every song could be in a sonic sequel to Tommy.

I can’t find this album anywhere. I listened to a few tracks. Good DJ’ing. Good jams. Don’t know that I’d want to hear a whole album as a sitting experience l. But i give it a 3 — provisionally.

Interesting (and early) electronica. Great for dancing, good for the gym. Not really sitting-around-listening-to kinda music. Three.