Really interesting record. Starts with some big band era swing, moves through golden era Blue Note bebop and ends with my favorite track, the post-bop 'Sameeda.' It's blowing my mind that this came out in 1986. It sounds like something from the mid 60s. The trumpet and saxophone are what make this project sing. But the group as a while is very tight.

I didn't like this album when it came out, I don't like it now. Bowie was inspired by To Pimp a Butterfly and Death Grips while recording this, which is intriguing. But it doesn't make me like it anymore. I love the jazz group he hired to play the music. They are super dialed in. The drummer is especially tight. I'd give this a higher rating if it was just instrumental. The last track is the most Bowie sounding, and it hits harder because it was the last song to be released before he died.

Listening to Hotel California is my Hotel California. I feel trapped and unable to leave. They are undoubtedly good musicians. But this is cheesy and the music is overplayed. If I never heard the song Hotel California again in my life I could die happy.

That they could sound this good and tight without in ear monitors or auto tune is a testament to how good these musicians were. What I wouldn't give to sit in on this show. This album gave me stank face the whole listen through.

My uncle has an Adam and the Ants record that I remember spending a lot of time staring at when I was a kid. But this is the first time I've listened to them. It's fine. There's some interesting stuff. 'Don't Be Square Be There' is ultra catchy and the baseline is incredible. I liked the sample on 'Killer in the Home.' but most of this just runs together. And what the fuck is Jolly Roger? New Wave pirate music sucks.

I believe there is an audience for noise rock. I'm not that audience. I do dig Dracula Mountain and Two Towers though.

I wore this tape out in high school working out in my basement. It's so singable. The three track run at the beginning is unbeatable. This is peak new wave. Which may not be everyone's cup of tea. I love the synths, the hand claps, the at times country sounding guitar, and the unique sound of Ocasek's voice. Of all the skippable songs played on classic rock radio, I'm never turning off Thee Cars.

Ho boy, I am not a fan of Joni Mitchell. I just can't do the rambling run-on stream-ot-consciousness poetry.

Welcome to elevator hell. Hope you like the music.

It's hard for me to be objective in reviewing this album. It was the soundtrack to my junior and senior year of high school. But 22 years later I can say with confidence, this is not a 'you had to be there' album. It's an all time rock and roll classic regardless of age and era. Time Travel with me back to 2003 when garage rock and The The bands were all the rage. The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Vines, The Hives, The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, etc. These bands and music videos were all over MTV. Who was going to rise to the top? Enter Seven Nation Army. Before the song was ubiquitous, and before it had been co-opted by high school bands and sports teams, it electrified the nation, reminding us how good simple rock and roll could be. That's a hook to remember. And Elephant could have easily ridden that single to the heights it got even if the rest of the album was mediocre. But this is not a single only album. From the other hard rock songs like Black Math and There's No Home For You Here to the softer tracks like You've Got Her In Your Pocket and even the Meg song In The Cold Cold Night, the album covers a lot of ground and does it really, really well. For my money, Ball and Biscuit is the best White Stripes song and can stand alongside the best rock songs of all time. I'm listening to this on earbuds while getting my kids ready for school and having the same visceral reaction to it as I did when I was a 17 year old. That should say something because there's a lot of music I listened to then that no longer hits. The White Stripes rule. Long live Jack White, rock guitar's weird uncle who continues to keep the genre alive decades on.

Quintessential 60s garage, blues-tinged psychedelia. The guitar tones are so crisp and buttery at the same time. Janis is at the top of her screechy, wailing game, which may or may not be a selling point depending on how you feel about her. At times the songs feel unfocused. And there are a few clunky transitions between tracks. But this is a classic in the genre for a reason. It's wild that Rolling Stone originally panned this record.

Really solid brit pop/rock. Sprawling, experimental at times. I'm always surprised by the number of instrumental interludes.

If you don't listen to closely, it sounds like somewhat standard 60s British invasion, with psych elements. Occasionally they interject a 50s Doo-Wop and song. But then the kazoo kicks in which perks up the ears. Then pay attention to the words, and rlyou realize this is a weird fucking band. Which makes sense because it's a Zappa project. This is a lot more tolerable to me than Captain Beefheart (which I'm sure we will have to listen to at some point). I love this era of music and am a big fan of psych rock. But I don't love Zappa's weirdness for the sake of being weird. I do 💯 agree with the sentiment "I'm not black but there's a whole lot of times I wish I could say I'm not white."

This album sounds like 1999. I don't love dance music, so I had no problem listening to a minute of a track and then skipping. I do appreciate his use of old blues and gospel samples. Southside was a banger when it was on TRL. It still slaps now. Honey, Natural Blues, Bodyrock, and Run On are still great tracks. I didn't like Porcelain when it came out, and I still don't enjoy it.

Sexy music made by nerds for nerds. I loved this when it came out; I love it now. It's so funky and smooth. Thundercat is a phenomenal bass player. The combination of jazz, r and b, and hip-hop just hits a sweet spot for me. He's undoubtedly a weird dude, but it feels like more of a genuine weirdness. This is who he is, living his best life. This is as opposed to Zappa, who used weirdness to provoke in a way that felt disingenuous. Also, Michael McDonald? That's a killer guest spot.

The production is so crisp. There's a reason Premier is one of the best and most sought after producers in the game. This is just top notch jazzy boom nap. Guru is also a great rapper. He manages to carry the album's vocals by himself and drops fire bars after bars. The 91-93 run in hip hop history has some of my absolute favorites.

I have never listened to anything by DMR except Come on Eileen. I probably never would have. But this was pretty good. There were a couple throwaway songs (including the one that sampled Werewolves of London) but most of it was really solid. I love Rowlands voice. Reminds me of Orville Peck. I will be returning to this.

If you close your eyes and take out Jay Moe's vocals, Peace Frog would make a great Cake song. This album is weird and all over the place, just like the Doors. The song transitions are crazy, from super high to super mellow (roadhouse blues-waiting for the sun, Peace Frog-Blue Sunday), but I think it works. The back half slows down after Land Ho, but the songs themselves are still very good. There's just some stone cold classics on here: roadhouse blues, peace frog, land ho! But it's also good as an entire album. The mix of acid rock and blues is perfect, and it never drags, like some other Doors music

For such a legendary lineup, this is unfortunately boring standard brit rock. The only influence I hear here is from Damon Albarn. The rest of the band might as well be studio musicians.

This album makes me want to grow out a mullet and buy a jean jacket. It's not their best record, but it's quintessential Metallica. And it's the on that list the Grammy to Jethro Tull. The Grammys still can't get this category right. Hatfield is the king of thrash rhythm. And Hammett is a soloing monster. Everyone is tight through all the time signature changes thanks to Ulrichs direction. Essential Tracks: One, Harvester of Sorrows Skip:To Live Is To Die

I would never have listened to this album except that Ryan Adams released an entire cover album of it when it came out. I'm glad he did because I would have missed out on some really masterfully written pop songs. This is not the kind of music I would normally listen to. But I can't deny it's good. The pedigree of producers is top notch. The synthy 80s style maximalist pop and vocals are really fun. And it's catchy as hell. I'm not a Swiftie by any stretch of the imagination, but I will defend this album.

It's impossible for me to take Kiss seriously. I really liked them in high school. I skipped a soccer practice to see them and Aerosmith (and saliva weirdly enough) which came with a stiff 30 lap penalty the next day. Totally worth it. This sounds like music a high schooler would like. As a discerning adult, it's just cheese. That this got conservative Christian's panties in such a bunch is hilarious. There are multiple ballads in this beast that undermine any heavy persona they are trying to portray. Detroit Rock City still rips though. Bonus star for that song. But then Great Expectations rips that star away. So many of these tracks sound like Styx songs. Flaming Youth and Sweet Pain would fit right in on The Grand Illusion

Making Whoopee, a great song about fuckin' and it's consequences (spoiler alert, the consequence is children). It's Frank Sinatra, it's kind of hard to criticize. It's perfectly pleasant music from a different era. All the tracks glide one into another, which is probably intentional. Not my jam, but totally inoffensive. Pennies from Heaven is a stone cold classics. And Anything Goes is in Temple of Doom, so that song also gets a bump from me.

Really interesting record. Starts with some big band era swing, moves through golden era Blue Note bebop and ends with my favorite track, the post-bop 'Sameeda.' It's blowing my mind that this came out in 1986. It sounds like something from the mid 60s. The trumpet and saxophone are what make this project sing. But the group as a while is very tight.

Pretty ballsy to start the album with a long noodly guitar solo that at times seems to go nowhere. Guitar Hero has embedded Killer Queen permanently into my brain. But it's such a good song, I can still listen to it Lily of the Valley rips so does Now I'm here. Great combo of tracks. Bring back that Leroy Brown is...a weird choice. It's weird even for Queen, who are the queens of weird.

Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun. What a hell of a way to open an album . This album is pure party, pure sex, pure funk. Prince can really do everything. I wish he shredded more, since he definitely can. That's what makes him so good, he's shows a ridiculous amount of restraint, even while being bombastic. This album is all vibes that just build throughout the tracks. The funk bass, synth, and drum combo just move. It's wild this came out in 82. So much from that time and onward owes a debt to this record. There are no duds here.

I don't know how to rate world music. I don't have enough experience to know if something is 'good' or 'mid' or 'bad'. All I can ask is do I like it? Does it vibe? This vibes. But it also gets repetitive. And I'm not really sure what Cooder adds to the mix.

To me this sounds like early 2000s indie folk, thanks to it's connection with needle drops from movies I was watching at the time. It's hard to place it in it's actual setting, 1972. But understandable that amongst his British counterparts at the time, he wouldn't stand out. Which is too bad. This is beautiful music. Quiet, intimate, understated. He does a lot with a little. His wispy voice definitely sets the melancholic tone. I'd have to be in the mood for this. But looking outside, cold and wet, it appears that the mood is now. Did some digging. Man, his life was really, really sad.

Ooh, this is the kind of psych rock I can get behind. This album rules. The polyrhythms are off the charts. Every track feels like a journey. The horns! The hook on Is and Is and Is goes so hard.

I was pretty skeptical because all the connections to the white musician enlightenment thing. But there were some genuinely exciting passages. The guitar was pretty good. There are parts that just sound beautiful. The musicianship is there. And unlike the previous world music album, it's not repetitive. I started the day super skeptical, but now I'm on board

Wu Tang again? Yes, again and again! Depending on the day, this is my number one (or number 2) hip hop album of all time. The beats are so grimy and dusty and dialed in. The samples are so perfect. Kung Fu and hip hop? Yes Please. RZA's production on this will never be matched. The rhymes are insane. These guys just got in the booth for hours and looked for ways to one up each other. The skits are actually worth listening to. We get some of the most memorable hooks in all of hip hop. And just some of the best rappers who ever played the game. GZA, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Method Man! Are you kidding me?! We're introduced to ODB, raps insane dirty uncle who lays down some of the funniest bars. I have listened to this album countless times, and I still hear new things. 10/10. It's a perfect album

Oooh baby! This is peak -era Stevie Wonder. It's funky, it's jazzy, it's soulful, it's even a little weird at times. It doesn't have the heavy hitter singles of some of his other records around this time, but the songs are no less good. for my money, They Won't Go When I Go might be his most moving song. Speaking of moving, the backing band here is incredible. So tight. And that bass tone just sends me. Absolutely interstellar. It's a little down tempo at times and there are a couple tracks that drag. But this is still top tier Stevie.

Most of us are sad 🤮🤮.

So much noise and parts that go nowhere. Sonic Youth is pretty high up for me on bands I want to like but don't. I've listened to this album a number of times before, and it's just never caught on for me.

The one where the band exits 90s alternative and starts getting weird. Admittedly I'm a basic bitch and like The Bends more. But this album continues to grow on me with each successive listen. It's really densely layered, I know I'm missing some things. As much as I like sing a longs, there is something really satisfying about a record that rewards multiple close listens. *That Exit Music for a Film was written for Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet might be one of the most 90s things of all time.

I'm an unabashed Soulquarian fanboy. Questlove and J Dilla in the same space? So much genius and skill there. And the music on this doesn't disappoint. The beats are so tight and complex. Everything is carefully constructed and dialed in. There isn't a single note out of place or extraneous part. That attention to detail they have here is inspiring. Now, Common on the other hand is not my favorite rapper. He's pretty middle of the pack, and his career is spotty. But man, they do manage to elevate him here. The blatant homophobia and misogyny is really, really unfortunate. It distracts from everything else that is so good. Cold-Blooded and The Light are just phenomenal songs.

I'm pretty burned out on most "classic rock" bands due to oversaturation, and Led Zeppelin is no exception. However... Immigration Song, Celebration Song, Since I've Been Living You and Out on the Tiles.. are just incredible rock and roll songs. Tangerine and That's the Way are beautiful, especially back to back. And then the album ends with two acoustic blues songs that are also really good, if not out of left field. The only skip for me is Friends, which isn't a bad song either It's hard to argue against Jimmy Page's talent. And Robert Plant's voice is about as recognizable as Brian Johnson's. There are many imitators. But only one RP (unless you count his female counterpart Janis Joplin). I honestly didn't expect to like this album as much as I do. The sequencing is a little weird, but that's a pretty small complaint.

It's disco Mike! Disco, Funk's popper, fancier cousin. It's hard to argue with the catchiness of these tracks. The horns and wiki-wiki guitars are a sexy combination. Michael has amazing breath control. I mean, there's a reason he is the king of pop. It's not something I'd put in regular rotation, but it is full of bangers. Besides the singles other tracks like Workin' Day and Night are pretty stellar.

Green Day's 'sellout' album. I mean, the singles on this defined punk in the 90s. Basket Case still hits as hard as the first time I heard it. Mike Dirnt is just annihilating his kit. Tre Cool is in the background shredding the bass. Billie Joe is about as intelligible as Eddie Vedder but you still want to sing along. You've got the whole MTV generation singing about masturbating. Non-single She is probably my favorite Green Day song. This is the definitive pre American Idiot Green Day album . What more do you want? Holy shit, I forgot about All By Myself. Hilarious and creepy.

Yacht rock fueled by kick ass musicianship and guitar wizardry.

Despite never having lived in NYC or used heroin, I really like The Velvet Underground. The band and the album. Pale Blue Eyes is one of the best love songs of all time.

Father and Son and Wild World are undeniable classics. Cat Stevens is a style, not my personal favorite, but not bad by any stretch

Upbeat Brit-rock, catchy enough and fairly pleasant to listen to. Some of this feels like 'you had to be there' music. I'm just wondering now if I don't really like 90s British music all that much, outside of Oasis and some odd singles (Blur, etc).

The live tag at the end of Head Over Heels is wild. This whole album feels like quintessential 80s synth pop, but it also feels better than that label

Man, this album rules. Coldplay have been around for so long, I sometimes forget they began here. And finally, some really interesting brit rock. Complex, poppy, and full of heart. Chris Martin has an amazing voice and great breath control. He knows when to hold back and when to go for it. I started to list all the great songs on here, and I realized I was just typing out the tracklist. I didn't realize how much I liked this album. Yellow is still an incredibly beautiful song 25 years later.

So funky, so soulful. The Temps were some of the best who ever did it. A vocal group where each guy had a special voice and new exactly where they fit in. And this is that special album where they're trying to tackle current issues. Which still hits even if we aren't in that same space. Dennis Edwards replaces David Ruffin, which is just such a sad situation. Ruffin was the voice for a time, but Edwards also brings a lot to the table. A little gruffer but all soul still. And the backing band totally crushes here. Hits all the right notes.