Solid Elton John pop album. Lots of hits. I still don't like the original Saturday Night's Alright, but that's just me.
It's jazz. Piano, Drums, Bass. It's also a live album, and for some reason they decided to add multiple takes of the same song on the album. I already don't like jazz, and it all sounds the same to me, and then you put two takes of each song on the album with no discernable difference? That's just confusing.
Sorry man. You're talented, but I hope I never have to listen to you again.
Not my thing, but it wasn't unlistenable. It was worth it just to listen to "Son of a Preacher Man" and her rendition of "You've Got a Friend".
Very different than what I was expecting. Brash, loud, smooth, amazing. Hearing Brazilian Portuguese sung like that was a wonderful difference than what I'm used to hearing. It won't go on normal rotation, but I'm glad I heard it.
It's ok. I'm not a big White Stripes/Jack White fan. It was catchy.
It's Aerosmith. I didn't realize some of those songs had such interesting intros to them, as I'd only heard them on the radio.
I'm sure that the Avant-garde jazz folks love this album. I can tell the musicians are talented, but.... It sounds like a bunch of folks on stage just noodling away with their instruments. I liked the couple of bits of flamenco guitar in there, but that was an accent on one piece, not even enough to say it made up a song.
For me, 1/5. Please, no more jazz.
Why is this album on the list? There's isn't a single notable song on the entire album. Nothing that screamed at me "listen to me again". The only song on the album I'd heard before was "Up on Cripple Creek", and that song really isn't that good. It's just '60's roots rock nothingness.
Rating: 1/5. Hard pass.
I hadn't listened to the entire album, but I knew some of the songs. Pretty good in it's entirety, even though it's supposed to be a musical.
I don't think I'm alone in the idea that you have to be impaired in some way to enjoy Pink Floyd. This album requires the least amount of impairment. There's good songs on here that everyone has heard multiple times on multiple classic rock radio stations. It's not the genius album everyone thinks it is, especially the diehard Floyd fans. It's good, but not that good.
I'm not impressed. I get that he is a talented musician, but I don't get the point. I'm not turned on by any of it. It sounds like every other '60's era folk/pop. Nothing notable.
My rating: 1/5
This is more like it! I hear the beginnings of nine inch nails in here, early club techno. Lots of good stuff here. I need to listen to it more, but this is one I can actually listen to again.
My rating: 4/5, based on one listen. I also want to check out other albums in their catalog.
Eye opening! Portishead has a new fan. While I can't point to a single track that grabbed me, I was pulled on through the whole thing. I'll be checking out the rest of their catalog.
It's ok for a ska album, or pre-third wave. Not something I would have sought out
It's AC/DC, and one of their earlier albums. Raucous, loud, awesome.
It's Simon and Garfunkel. You know what you're getting into when you put them on. It's a couple of singer songwriters, singing calm songs from the late 60's and early 70's. It might be a little protest, but it's not outrageous. "Scarborough Fair" is a little nod to the past.
Bjork. Never boring. She's different, and the music reflects that. Bjork sounds like this huge voice trying to escape from this tiny body. I'm going to have to listen to more of her.
It was... Interesting. Tom Waits has an interesting soulful wail to his voice. It's not something I would normally listen to, but I'm more likely to check out his other work now.
Ok, good album, but I probably won't listen to it again. It was weird to hear rod Stewart hotel like a wolf in the middle of a song.
It was ok. I'm not a rap guy, but it's LL Cool J, and his stuff is mostly reachable. a couple of hits I remembered from the '90's, the cereal song was funny.
Interesting. I thought Bob Dylan only sounded like he does in the opening track, and never have it a second thought. He's good. I can see why so many people like him so much. Solid.
My rating: 4/5, looking forward to other entries of his on the list.
Meh.
I can understand how this was a blueprint for Indie rockers all around, but I didn't really like it much.
Not digging this. I don't like his delivery, the music itself is a little jazzier than I like. It's not folky, it's just weird.
I wouldn't say it's banger after banger, but it's a good album. You can definitely see where a lot of other acts took inspiration from CCR and John Fogerty to build their own sound.
Got to hear a few of the CCR standbys as well as some other songs that were good.
My Rating: 3/5
This album is no longer available on Spotify
Pre punk pop? I wasn't impressed.
This is garbage. There's nothing danceable or poppy on this. It's Avant Garde rock jazz noodling, but then it had like new age/ambient bits to it as well. Not what I expected from David Bowie, and it's no wonder why I had never heard of it.
Also, David Bowie has too many entries on the list.
It's alright for a soundtrack, but I don't think they should have broken the "No Soundtracks" rule for this. There are much better soundtracks out there that are more historically significant to music than this one. It's not bad music, I just don't think it belongs on the list.
That being said....
Meh. It's an 80's pop album. This guy was a one-hit wonder, and I don't know why he's on the list. There wasn't anything special about the album. His straining to hit higher registers got annoying.
I liked this more than I normally like Bruce, which is not at all. It sounded closer to Johnny Cash than his normal work, which sounds like he's recorded everything while he's on the john. I like that it was stripped down to just him and his guitar, instead of a full band. That being said, I won't listen to it again.
Very dark album. Being his last album, he has something like a five note range. The songs are haunting and chanted, more than sung. It's not bad, just... not my thing.
I still don't dig on Bruce.
It's not as bad as his later hits where he's straining to get the music out. It's just him talking about how hard life is in Jersey, but it's hard everywhere, man.
No. Just no. It's over-the-top brit pop, it's silly, and there are references that just aren't relatable outside the isles. And they're not even proper british, they're irish. I just can't any more.
This is not for me. It's kinda like a mashup of Enya and Bjork and something else. Maybe Linda Rhondstat? I dunno. I want to like it, but it's just a little too off-putting for me. She has an interesting quaver to her voice, but it's not enough hook me.
Sorry Kate. You're cute, and you have an awesome voice, but it's not for me.
My Rating: 2/5
Ok, this is weird.
It sounds like a more modern version of Sgt. Pepper era Beatles.
The instrumentation is interesting, but the vocals just throw me off.
I'm not hooked by any of it. Nothing is pulling me in to make me want to listen to it again.
"Greenman" and "Your Dictionary" had some decent lyrics, but nothing that made me want to listen to them again.
My Rating: 1/5
Nope. Still don't like Tim Buckley. This album is alright, if you like him. The lyrics are interesting.
It's ELVIS! How can you rate down Elvis?!? He's foundational to American musical culture???
Actually, quite easily. It's not banger after banger. It's good. I'd listen to it again. It's memorable. But I don't like it enough to flag the entire album in my favorites.
My Rating: 3/5
Umm, I get that this is "post-punk", but it sounds chaotic. Maybe it's controlled chaos, but it's a lot of noise for me.
Ok, it's a good album. I never really got into Alice Cooper. It's an old heavy metal album. Pretty good, nothing really objectionable.
I'll admit that I LOVE Adele's voice, even before listening to the album. Something about it... just... mmm.
Enough of my soulful songstress crush. Anyway.
I won't say this is banger after banger. I don't think I'd heard Remedy before, and it was touching. Like deeply touching.
I really liked "Million Years Ago".
All in all, a good album.
My Rating: 4/5
A formative album of my childhood!!!
Almost every track on this is good, especially for the metalheads. BUT!!! It's very commercial and palatable for the radio audience, which is how this album was marketed at the time. Big departure for Metallica from their previous releases.
I don't even need to listen to the album to rate it.
My Rating: 4/5
It's ambient. Before ambient was a thing. I mean, for background music, it's GREAT! But to put on rotation, maybe not. You need something to zone out to in order to get something tedious done, it's awesome. But I wouldn't listen to it on the regular for driving down the road or jamming with friends. Because I dig ambient for its purpose, I'm going to rate it high. But I still wouldn't listen to this album on the regular.
OK, first time listening to this album.
Not a horrible album for 60's psychedelic rock, but not notable. I'm glad the song I actually like from the album is all the way at the end, so it's a treat for listening to it.
My rating: 2/5. No thanks, guys. But I LOVE the story about the Zombies that another reviewer posted.
Neil Young. Man, this album started out strong. Cinnamon Girl? Classic. After that, it WAY drops off into 60's singer songwriter guitar noodling. And the violin noodling on Running Dry sounded more like Chinese music.
No, Neil. Just no.
My Rating: 1/5
Atmospheric ambient electronica. The vocals are added in as another instrument, not really anything to sing along with. Good for vibing out, having a chill evening.
Ok, I listened to part of it. I couldn't get through it. I'll admit, I was 9 when this came out, but I can't listen to this. Maybe his later works will hit me better.
Iconic pop album of the 80's. So many good songs on this album. Thriller, Beat It, Billie Jean, PYT. And even the non-hits are good. Michael was the king of pop. When I was a kid, this was THE album to listen to. And it still holds up as good music.
My Rating: 5/5
CHEMICAL BROTHERS!!! This is my speed. I could listen to this one over and over. Solid 5/5. It's interesting to hear some of the motifs in this album that they reuse in future albums.
5/5. I can rate this without listening. Amazing album.
Ok, for ensemble bluegrass, it's pretty good. It's not something I might intentionally put on, but it's not bad. It DOES go on for a little longer than I expected.
For me, there wasn't a single remarkable track on the entire album. Seems like R.E.M. and Michael Stipe was kinda atonal and semi-punky from the beginning, and this just doesn't do anything for me. Yeah, their hits are poppy, but this album has nothing hit-worthy on it.
My Rating: 1/5
This was an amazing album. Loved the music. Everything felt together, it all flowed from one track to the next.
I tried. It all sounds the same. The droning was driving me around the bend. Can't do it.
Pretty good album. Some more tracks from this album deserved radio play, and some sound like they would be better off on a movie soundtrack. They're very sound-bitey. But a decent album overall.
My Rating: 3/5
Good rocker of an album, without being tiring.
Amazing album. Kept me engaged. I really liked a lot of it.
This is, by far, the WORST ALBUM I have ever listened to. This is 41 minutes I will never get back in my life. This is horrible, avant-garde garbage in a music costume. This album and any works by this band belong on the "Never Listen" list, not 1001 albums you must listen to.
This album should come with a warning that it has the musical qualities of a pack of cats being run over by a steamroller, accompanied by 1000 toddlers banging on various preschool instruments randomly.
If I could rate this a zero, I would.
My Rating: 1/5
I don't normally like live albums at all.
I wish they hadn't censored him.
Compared to the Folsom Prison album, it's pretty similar in vibe.
Really fun album, especially if you're a Johnny Cash fan.
Man, I wish I could have seen him in concert.
My Rating: 5/5. You really do need to listen to the whole album in order, you can't just shuffle it.
Annunciation would be lost on them. I get they're doing their own thing and trying to be revolutionary, but each song sounds the same, and the lyrics are all muddled.
They're like a darked version of The Cure, with less pop payoff. If you're into proto-goth synthwave, this is the album for you. I felt like I was lied to, with the name of the band not matching the sound of the band. Very few female voices.
Lots of nostalgia for this album. It's a lot poppier than I remember. Thriller felt like pop-rock, but this feels like super light bubblegum pop. The couple of big hits from album are good, but I could have not listened to the rest of the album and been happy.
My rating: 3/5.
Why was this on the list? Maybe because they influenced a lot of hair metal bands? The music was not incredible. There's nothing I'm coming back to on this album, but now I can say I've heard New York Dolls. This album was a new York 2. It would have been a three in other cities, but... New York has higher criteria.
My Rating: 3/5
It was a decent album for what it was. 60's rock. Nothing special to write home about. I favorited My Back Pages, because it struck a chord with me. Maybe a bit of nostalgia, I don't know.
Can we try again? Basic 60's pop, sounding more like the Beatles than a real band. Just.... no. Sorry.
My Rating: 2/5 It was bearable, but barely so.
I had never listened to a Bowie album before. From reading other reviews, this should not have been my first. There was nothing special about this album. The music was good, and I could tell he's very talented, but nothing grabbed me and made me want to listen to it again.
The songwriting is really good, but I do not like the whole hippy-dippy vibe of all of it. I get that was the thing in the 70's, but it's horribly dated.
Good album. I'm not a jazz fan, but you can't deny the talent of Miles Davis. I might use it for background or music to unplug to.
It was interesting. I already had "White Rabbit" from here favorited on Spotify, and I picked up another. It was standard 60's rock. I could listen to it again, but I doubt I will.
My Rating: 3/5
Such a bland album. It was ok, and it was an interesting blend of styles to put on a single album, but nothing jumps out.
I'm not a big hip-hop/gangsta rap fan.
The beats are really good, foot tapping head bobbing beats.
Lots of usage of old kung-fu movie samples, which is to be expected from a Wu-Tang alum.
Interesting exploration of faith and religion in here.
I might check out more of GZA.
My Rating: 3/5
This album rocks hard! I wish the vocalist didn't sing in that range, but it works.
So, so bland. There are times that Chris Martin sounds like Dave Matthews, and then he sounds like a 10-year-old whose balls haven't dropped yet. The falsetto in every bloody song is damned annoying. I hope I never have to listen to another full Coldplay album again. So bland.
I wanted to like it, but towards the end it turned from new wave funkiness to just dark ramblings. And it felt like it wanted to sound like the Talking Heads.
I liked this one. The mixing of French into a couple of the songs was a good nod to their heritage and origins. The theming between the songs flowed well.
Awesome album, but definitely dated.
I know this album so well. Johnny Cash's American recordings are all amazing. I could listen to them all over and over, and I don't like doing that normally.
5/5!
Bland. Nothing I want to come back to. They really feel like Sgt peppers Beatles with less acid and less talent. Why is this one in the list?
Pre-listening note: I got a feeling I'm not gonna like this. Reggae is not my normal wheelhouse. There are a few Marley tunes I like.
Post listening: it's not horrible music, but it's just not my jam. Maybe I come back to it.
So many big hits on this album. This album is actually deserving of being on this list. There's a could of songs you've probably never heard if you're a casual zeppelin listener, or only heard them on the radio. But there's also plenty that you have heard. Solid album, soup to nuts.
Classic Soul. Aretha never fails to deliver. I think I like her version of "Groovin'" better than the Young Rascals.
She's an AMAZING singer, but I can't do the overly-theatric music. Every song sounds like a showtune.
I'm not a big disco fan, but Savoir Faire is an awesome background track! Yeah, it's disco. It's commercially popular, accessible, catchy, danceable... everything you want for record sales. It's fun. Good album all around, but not something I'd want to listen to every day.
Yes, this one belongs on the list.
My Rating: 4/5
The root of Industrial music.
While I won't be coming back to this album, it is key to understanding where bands like Nine Inch Nails and Ministry came from. Never did I think I'd enjoy listening to German men scream at me while somewhat rhythmically beating on trashcans. It's not the WORST album on the list, in spite of everyone's hatred of the album. It's definitely not the best either. I don't think there's a traditional instrument played on the entire album.
My Rating: 5/5. Only so I can help put Kid Rock where he needs to be. Actually it's a 3.
Save the turtles!
Love this album. Solid all the way through. An album made for people cheating on each other by people cheating on each other, as the joke goes. Not really, but it's good music.
Two songs in: It sounds like standard rocky singer-songwriter. Like your dad's singer-songwriter. Springsteen has always sounded like he's singing through being constipated to me.
Halfway Thru: (Right after Empty Sky) This is such bland tripe. There's a reason I stopped listening to Bruce. Just because he's Bruce Springsteen doesn't mean we need to worship everything he does.
I got to "Let's Be Friends" and I'm tapping out. I can't do it any more. This is mid-tier dad rock at best.
My Rating: 1/5.
This felt like the prog rock equivalent of a jazz master. Endless noodling on instruments, songs longer than they needed to be, and nothing you can really dance or jam to. Some of it sounded like prog background music. I only recognized one song, and it's not one I'll stick in regular rotation.
Sorry guys.
I am an electronica junkie, and this album hits on all cylinders for me. "Da Funk" and "Around the World" are big hits that carry the album. "Revolution 909" and "Fresh" are good as well. Towards the end it kind of drops off.
Schlock. Over the top satanism with bad music. I like metal, and this is kinda just noise around edgy lyrics.
Lots of good hits. Opened up strong with Peter Piper.
Umm.... why?
This album is bland and boring. There was one song that had me tapping my foot for a second, and then nothing. I didn't even bother to look at the name of the song, it was boring. Just more '70's pop. BLAH!
My Rating: 1/5
Were I feeling like I was super manic happy and needed something to bring me down to ground me, this might be an appropriate album. Dear God, this album needs to come with a prescription for Prozac. So melancholy, so down, so emo. No thanks. I don't listen to music to bring me down, the world does that enough for me.
Great if you're an emo fan, horrible if you're not.
No thanks,
1/5
As crucial as this album may be to American Music, being the last Allman Brothers album with Duane Allman, I can't. It's six hours of jazz rock. They're talented, sure, but... sorry.
5/5 for talent
1/5 because it's jazzy rock noodling.
overall: 2/5.
It was ok. It's standard 70's rock. When you grew up with this sound, finding a standout is rare.
Boring. Dear Lord so boring. I could have watched paint dry and it would have been more musically interesting.
It's clear this guy is talented. VERY talented. For me, this is akin to listening to Joe Satriani or Steve Vai. Very talented musician noodling away on a piano. BUT... piano never did anything for me.
Sheer musical talent: 5/5
Good music: 5/5
Would I listen to it again?: Probably not.
Should it be on the list?: Maybe not, but I'm glad it was.
My rating: 4/5
Bland 60's country rock(?). Roots rock? I dunno. Nothing grabbed me. Just another boring album. Maybe back then it was attention grabbing.
She's got a beautiful voice, and a way of weaving a story. Definitely belongs on the list. At least something by her. Nothing on this album grabbed me, but I wasn't bored listening to her.
My rating: 5/5
It's ok. It's pop, and a member of the Beatles. Not that I have any love for the Beatles. I'm not impressed. I've heard Band on the Run and Jet before, and I think maybe I listened to this whole album before, which tells you how much it stuck with me.
I think the version on Spotify is about six songs longer than it needs to be.
My rating: 3/5
Not really a big fan of punk/punk pop/ whatever this is, but I really enjoyed the album. It was interesting, in a way that I really enjoyed. Never boring.
Plus... boobs.
My Rating: 5/5
Well, it wasn't horrible, but it wasn't interesting. Boring. Dear God. But it was better than his first.
Eh.
I wish I could say there was a standout hit, but I can't. They're solid musicians, but I was bored through it.
2/5
I did not know what to expect here.
I am over the moon happy this album exists and is on the list. This is what the list is about. I likely would not have heard about this band through other discovery systems. Amazing album, soup to nuts. I'll be diving deep into their catalog, face first and full depth. The right amount of anger and soul. Calling them "clit-rock" feels a bit reductionist, though. They're a rock band. Full stop.
My rating: 5/5
For someone who hates jazz, this is an awesome album. Front to back, all the way, I was hooked by every song. Layered, transcendental, wonderful. I got lost in the songs and was left wanting more.
My Rating: 5/5
Interesting album. Fun music, lots of talent, very cheeky. It's like listening to a guy who stumbled out of the bar and got on a mic. Good tunes.
My rating: 4/5
Hauntingly beautiful. I'm not a big folkie person, but this was really good. Opened up strong, kept that vibe going for an hour. Even with the two added tracks for the remaster/Spotift version, it's good.
My Rating: 4/5
Listened through Spotify, so I got a 30th Anniversary version.
The music is simply beautiful, but because it's in a foreign language, it's hard to pick out where one song stops and the next one starts. I'm not hooked, but it's good background music. As long as the Xhosa clicks don't throw you off, because you're going to hear them.
Does it belong on the list: Maybe not. I could have lived my life not hearing it.
Am I glad it's on the list: Absolutely.
My Rating: 3/5
Listened to the 2018 Remaster on Spotify.
Not a big fan of the Pet Shop Boys, obviously I've heard their hits. This is a really good album. Solid, all the way through. Their hits are fairly representative of what this album sounds like, so strap in for an accent to come through. Simply good music. Loved "Being Boring", "My October Symphony", "Only the Wind"
My Rating: 4/5
This was a weird album. He plays with discord like it's his favorite toy. There were a couple of songs that were boppy for me, but as a whole, I could never listen to this album or any song on it and not miss anything in my life.
Interesting lyrical choices, but, oh my lord this album will shock you. He's not hiding anything about what he wants. Musically, it's very glam rock.
Having never knowingly heard Velvet Underground before, if this is what they normally sound like, I don't want to hear another album. The only reason I can think this album would be influential is if every garage band wannabe hears it and thinks "I can do better than this" and they DO. I get pushing boundaries and letting your art be your art and doing your own thing, but that doesn't mean it has to influence everyone. "The Black Angel's Death Song" has that haunting viola in it, but the hissing detracts from the song. "European Son"? Garbage.
I feel like I could have gone my entire life without listening to this album and been happy.
My Rating: 1/5
All the songs sound the same, and he sounds like he's just short of breaking into a crying fit on every song. I know it's proto-goth and all, but... I couldn't get into it.
If you take the Beatles for what they are, this isn't a bad album. The Beatles are NOT a rock band. They are a boy band. For a mid-60's pop album, it's pretty good. Catchy, hooky, boppable. You can sing along. Everyone knows the hits. Even the non-hits are "good". But it's the Beatles.
My Rating: 3/5. At least there's no sitar.
I don't know what to think of this. It felt like a trancier version of Enya. It would make good background music for brain work, but I don't think I could put it into rotation for much else. It's not bad, just a little weird.
All you emo kids thought you knew sadness. Frankie wears sorrow like it's his favorite overcoat, and sings all about it. This is, by far, the bluest blues album I have ever heard. "Mood Indigo"? "Can't We Be Friends?" "I'll Be Around"? Come on. Emo kids are writing haiku about rain and Frankie pulls this tearjerker of an album off with grace and panache. The sighs between the lyrics punctuate the sadness over lost love and longing like nothing else.
My Rating: 5 tears
Awesome album. Jim Morrison, lost in his prime, shortly after this album came out. Classic hits on this one. It's a lot more bluesy than I expected.
Interesting. She sounds like a mashup of Cyndi Lauper and Enya. I wish I had known before I popped it on that it was a partial concept album, because then then last seven tracks might have made sense that they were telling a story. Not a bad album, but I won't be putting it on rotation.
I didn't realize this was a double CD before popping it on, and then after listening to it felt it carried on for twice as long as it needed to. The concept was lost on me. The songs didn't seem to tell any story, and as others have said, Billy Corgan rhythmically shouts and moans into the mic rather than singing. The hits are hits because they're catchy, but they're far too seldom for a release of this length. I'm glad I didn't buy this one when it was released, because I had disposable income back then.
Nope, sorry. 1/5
Very comfortable album, bringing back memories of my childhood. I probably heard this album numerous times with my dad. For being only 30 minutes, there's a lot of tracks on here, one less than a minute long. Willie sings with a purity of someone who's lived sorrow and loneliness and the range, and the arrangements are so clean they smell of sawdust and beer. Just an honest album, no pretenses.
My Rating: 4/5
Quite an appropriate album given Ozzy's recent passing.
Man, the roots of metal are STRONG here. Crunchy bass, killer riffs, occult themes, and non-stop rocking. This is required listening for all metal heads. The Wizard, NIB, Wicked World, Sleeping Village. Awesome tracks. You need this in your life today.
My Rating: 5/5
I am NOT a jazz fan.
However
This is a very good album. Smooth, energetic, foot tapping head bopping jazz. It's only five tracks and runs 43 minutes, so the tracks run a little long. It's wonderful music, great for zoning out.
My rating: 4/5
Great hits from this album. This was very hooky and catchy. U2 has figured out how to eke every dollar out of the radio here. It's a great rock-pop album. Or is it pop-rock? I still don't get the fervent fandom of U2, but whatever.
My Rating: 4/5
Classic 70's rock. I think the remaster went on a little long, but solid.
Classic Dylan.
There are a few of good more popular songs on here, and most I'd never heard before. His lyrics are amazing. His singing style grates on me. Sometimes singing, sometimes "rapping". Meh. Not a Dylan fan.
My rating: 2/5
This was a different album for me. I'd never heard of Fred Neil. His cover of Everybody's Talkin' felt thicker and more resonant than Nilsson's original. The whole album seems to dance between folk and country and jazzy blues. The last track "Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga" is a weird Indian sounding thing that was good but felt like it was just a flex on his talent. It didn't feel like it belonged with the rest of the album, and felt like it was filler to pad out the album.
My Rating: 3/5
Common lays down stories and trials and tribulation with a smoothness and vibe that can't be matched. Luring you in with smooth beats and a steady voice, not brash and in your face like other rappers. Jazz and soul influenced, steady gentle backbeats. It works.
My Rating: 4/5
It sounded like underproduced Jesus Jones. Light, punchy bass. Lots of 80's synth. Like, I could have dropped any of these songs into an 80's teen movie and it would have felt in place. Nothing stuck, nothing hooked me. I seem to remember "Perfect Way" playing on the radio, or maybe in a movie I saw, but it was just the faintest of memory. The whole thing felt a little like "We wanna be classy jazz players, but we got into a record contract and we have to produce this pop crap." It's all very formulaic, like it's meant to be played on the radio, but //not quite good enough// to hook the kids.
My Rating: 2/5. It's listenable, but I'm not coming back voluntarily.
A live album that doesn't sound live.
I really like The Who. When I saw "Live" I was expecting a noisy concert album, and this isn't it. "A Quick One, While He's Away" was amazing, but I would never expect that to be played on the radio. It's a wonderful little gem. The different medleys work.
My Rating: 4/5
Nope, can't do it.
This sounds like two kids who got a copy of "the dummies guide to music production", gave it a scan, said to themselves "cool, we can do proto -industrial jazz ", and then broke all roles in the book. I've heard better lyrics at freshman night at the student union beat poetry reading circle. Why is this shit on the list? This is utter garbage. I finally found an album that makes me WANT to listen to Kid Rock. Dear God.
My rating. -10/5.
70's country rock(?). This isn't grabbing me. It's good, it's just not grabbing me. It's incredibly dated. They're very good musicians, able to play different styles, it just doesn't feel like there's anything to differentiate them from other 70's roots rock acts.
My rating: 3/5
The music is adequately dark and sombre, making the mood all gothy and moody. And then Robert Smith comes in with his non-singing and completely ruins the mood. And through the whole thing there's no poppy relief to let you out of the mood. So it's all dark and gloomy, and now I want to forget I ever listened to this album.
No. Don't listen to this album
My Rating: 1/5
Layering retro sound clips over modern music is an interesting take. There's not really a notable track on here, but I didn't hate any of it. It's not something I'll put on regular rotation, but I wouldn't fuss if it got played. It's good.
My rating: 3/5
I don't even need to listen to this to rate it. I heard it so many times growing up that it's ingrained.
This album comes on like a freight train and speeds you through with all the swagger and rebellion you'd expect. All the hits you remember. I didn't remember Nighttrain being as good as it is. Everyone thinks of this as Dad Rock, but I think, even with the current kids, this should resonate.
My Rating: 5/5
Look, I could have gone my entire life without hearing this album. It's alright, just not hooky enough for me to want to listen to it again. Nothing to grab me. Beetlebum was interesting. M.O.R. was good. Song 2 brought back memories. Outside of that, nothing notable.
My Rating: 2/5
Automatically, -1 because it's the Beatles, the most overrated band in the world.
-1 for all the stupid animal references that don't make sense, except for Black Bird, which is really a good song that I somehow hadn't heard before.
-1 for going for too long. This did not need to be a double LP, especially since y'all went to a TM session and still couldn't get your mess straight.
+1 for having SOME non-boy band tunes.
-1 for Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da.
-1 for stupid skiffle songs.
Bloody "number 9... number 9... number 9....". Are you kidding me with this "song"?
My Rating: 1/5. I hate the Beatles.
This was weird. Grungy, but not too grungy. Rocky, but not too much. The singer's voice is good, but not enough to pull me in to want to pay attention
This album sounds like a dude was listening to the Ramones or Violent Femmes with his girlfriend after sex, she says "I wanna travel the world, we can do better than these guys" and they tried it and failed. It sounds like he's vomiting the lyrics because they taste bad in his mouth. I didn't think I've heard anything more repulsive. Well... Maybe a couple since starting the project. This is one of the worst. Thank God they only cut one album.
My rating: 0/5.
This definitely belongs on the list. So many good songs, even though some of them sound dated. Classics that everyone has heard. I'm not a big fan of the disco in some of the songs, but it's good all the way around.
My Rating: 5/5
Different. Post-grunge, but still sounds grungy. Poppy, but not poppy enough for radio play. The whole album feels like what would happen if Nirvana, The Ramones, and The Beatles got together in a music making orgy and had a little record baby together. I don't necessarily like it, but I don't hate it. It's weird.
My Rating: 3/5
Not what I expected from the album art.
It's electronica, but definitely not danceable. This album invites you to sit down on a velvet couch and get comfortable with your existential dread. Just vibe with the songs. It's good and interesting, but I think I could have gone without listening to it. It makes you think.
My Rating: 4/5
Lots of drum work and screaming female vocalist. Not enough good guitar work to keep me interested. The songwriting feels repetitive and derivative. There's just not enough to keep me engaged. The styling is good.
My Rating: 3/5
Classic album. I know the style is a little dated, but you can't deny how central this album is to music. Amazing songs, peaceful sound.
My Rating; 5/5
Another sixties singer songwriter. He's good, I just can't do it.
My rating: 3/5
There's a reason that beat poets are a niche thing. They should stay niche. This was somewhat listenable electronica with garbage lyrics.
No
Solid pop album, works today even though it was made 50 years ago. I'm not really into pop or David Bowie, but it's good music.
My Rating: 3/5
Tom Waits... man... this guy always puts out unique music. You may not like it, but it's different. This one opens up with "Underground", which I would guess more than a few people have heard outside this album. It's all good music if you know what Tom Waits sounds like. If you don't, it's rough.
My Rating: 4/5
Notes from before listening: oh boy, a girl punk album. I'm gonna hate this.
Notes from after listening: ok, so I didn't hate it. It was a little better than expectations, but not much. I wouldn't call any of it catchy. Their cover of "I Heard It From The Grapevine" is an interesting take. I wouldn't listen to this again, but I also wouldn't voluntarily put it on.
My rating: 3/5
It's an album of 80's country loves songs. It's exactly what you'd expect from Bonnie. It wasn't my bag when it was new, and it's still not my bag. It's not bad, just not for me.
My Rating: 3/5
Outkast! Awesome album, good energy. I prefer SpeakerBoxxx to Stankonia, but this is a good album.
One of the few instances where I will forgive a live album. This album felt so alive all the way through. Raw, unfiltered. Good blues entry.
My Rating: 4/5
Awesome music, even though it was mostly in Portuguese. You can't get update by bossa nova. It's like a cozy warm blanket in a lounge lizard kinda way.
This album is smooth as silk and sweeter than honey. Wonderful soulful love songs, bittersweet blues.
My rating: 5/5
This was a really smooth blue-eyed soul album. So sweet, so soft. Like a warm hug.
My Rating: 4/5
I kinda knew what I was getting into, because almost everyone has heard the opening bit for tubular bells. But dear Lord that first track could have been split up into three maybe, dear Lord it goes on forever. I love electronica, but this is a little much. I need a break, Mike. Come on.
My rating: 4/5
It's not horrible, but I'm the wrong demo. This album hits like a weed guy decided to cut an album. The whole thing feels like a guy saying "Smoking weed is great, right? Everybody should smoke weed!" The only standout for me was "Till Your Well Runs Dry", which sounds like it could have been a forlorn country lost love track, but then the bouncy reggae riddim kicks in for the chorus and kills the vibe.
My Rating: 2/5
Not a Bowie fan. I get that he's grappling with his own death, and that this album was very significant to the body of music at large, but none of it hooks me. To all the Bowie fans, I'm sorry you lost your hero and all, but I don't really like any of it. It's too avant garde and jazzy. RIP David, I'm sure you're jamming with the best.
My Rating: 3/5
Aerosmith. Solid rockers. I still can't listen to Aerosmith without mentally seeing Steven Tyler's damned trout mouth, but it's good music. This one comes out strong with "Back In the Saddle" and lets you off easy with "Home Tonight" like it's a last call. Solid all the way through, but through the middle it all sounds the same.
My Rating: 4/5
Very New Wave, before New Wave was a thing. The front half of the album felt very poppy and proto-Duran Duran, and the back half felt more like The Cure. I wouldn't go looking to play this again, but it's not bad.
My Rating: 3/5
This album is not available on Spotify
Late night melancholy. It's good, but not what I'd go looking for.
I still don't like Tim Buckley.
This one was very raw. No imagery, very cathartic.
Classic Beach Boys. There's a lot to like about this album. It's not just a pop album. They used a lot of different instruments, which makes the the entire thing feel so much richer and more vibrant.
My Rating: 5/5
This was a good album, and I'm not a huge fan of hip-hop.
There were times I thought Shaggy 2 Dope or Everlast had collab'd with them to produce the tracks, and it was just the four guys riffin'. Really good, kinda silly. A little dark in spots, but that's ok.
My Rating: 4/5
80's through and through. I was not interested in the Collector's Edition that Spotify was streaming, with way too many remixes and versions of the same songs.
Rio is an amazing album, synth and 80's new wave all the way through. The hits are there, and the tracks that flew under the radar are pretty good. Thanks for the nostalgia.
My Rating: 4/5
It's ok. Which is bad for music. It doesn't stand out. The hits are recognizable, but the rest of it is rather bland. Two songs does not an album make.
My Rating: 2/5
Very good album. Solid rocker, couple of weird songs. Lyrically interesting.
I could not finish a single track of this album. She's got talent, sure. This album sounded like a high school choral director's album when she failed at producing music and decided to take up teaching to make ends meet. Sorry, Laura, this didn't do it for me.
My rating: 2/5
Amazing album! Solid rocker all the way through. There's a reason so many bands list Led Zeppelin as inspiration. This one opens strong and stays strong all the way through.
My rating: 5/5
Interesting. I'm not a big fan of the lead's vocal stylings, but it's good. The lyrics were good an engaging. Specifically liked "The Cutter", "Clay", and "Gods Will Be Gods". I stopped listening after "Fuel", because I didn't think all the alternate versions would add to the album.
My Rating; 3/5
Opens with a gospel flavor to lure you in and then hits you with the club tunes. And then, and halfway through when the MDMA is wearing off, it lulls you to sleep with a bunch of trippy light stuff.
It was ok, sounded a bit like a more chemically enhanced Jesus Jones. If it had kept up the intensity from the beginning, I would have liked it better. But that let down really killed the vibe.
My rating: 3/5
Beautiful bouncy 80's pop. I especially liked the big hits, plus "This Town", which I had heard before, but I don't think it got a lot of radio play.
My Rating: 4/5
Such a lovely album! I normally don't like jazz or live albums, but the audience fully appreciated the performance, only interjecting a couple of times when appropriate. The mistakes she made during the recording made it feel very immersive.
My rating: 5/5
Dark, sludgy. Felt like prog-industrial. The droning on "We Carry On" just about drove me spare. Really good album.
He's a really good singer and composer (at least I hope he's written and composed all these songs), but it all feels very theatric to me, which sets me off. Good music, but not really for me.
My Rating: 2.5/5, rounding to 3.
Good one. She's got some range. There are a variety of styles here, and I was just expecting more like "Criminal". I LOVED "Slow Like Honey".
My rating: 4/5
This was a good one for me. Trancey, but not like current trance. Felt like what was going to be trance. Not a lot of vocals to get into, but 808 was always good for being light on vocals, and heavy on getting you into the dance vibe.
I don't think this is his best work. There are a few good ones, but I think Odelay is a better album.
Lots of emotionally available stuff here. John's little outbursts in the middle of songs really throw me off. It's still the Beatles, though.
Amazing rock album and lots of little gems that never get any attention.
I really enjoyed this album. It felt like a bar band, and the whole album carried that through. Solid rocking music. They sound a bit like a more approachable, rocky-er version of REM.
It's no wonder Iron Maiden is so influential in heavy metal. This is mind blowing, especially for 1979. This feels like THE ORIGINAL heavy metal band. Sure, Led Zeppelin blazed the trail, but Iron Maiden sets the standard. First time I've heard this album, and just ... Wow.
My rating: 5/5
No. I did not need to hear this album before I died. I could have lived a very happy and full life not knowing this album ever existed. It's not bad music, but it sounds like an album that you'd find at a Renaissance Faire. If I wanted to listen to RenFaire music I'd go to a RenFaire.
My rating: 2/5 swords.
I respect that the Japanese audience didn't make a lot of noise during the songs, she I appreciate that. There were some of the big hits, and some some that is y never heard before, because I'm not a big Deep Purple fan. But the "second" disc was largely unnecessary because it was the same bloody song three times, and I only needed to hear it once. And the lead singer scatting the guitar notes was annoying.
My rating:2/5
Nope. Could not do it. I dig world music and that's the whole reason I got into this project, but this felt like a weird mix of Indian and troubadour music. I couldn't even use it for background music.
My rating: 1/5 bongos
Love this album. Feels like little Havana in Miami.
Not impressed. Just more 60's era rock. I didn't think there was anything groundbreaking here.
My rating: 2/5 tabs
Meh. Just another female fronted rock band. Nothing stood out, nothing special. Just more blah, boring music.
I wish I had minded the bollocks because that's all the sex pistols ever amounted to. Yes, they're the original British punk band. That doesn't mean they're good. Not a single song I'd ever want to hear again. Johnny Rotten sounds like the tosspot that would stand in the back of the Christmas pageant and sing off key at the top of his lungs just to ruin the show, and then giggle with his friends afterwards behind the gym whilst smoking a broken cigarette he stole from his dad. Revolutionary, yes. Do they belong on the list, yes. Are they good, no.
My rating: 1/5 earplugs.
The Kinks? I thought this was the Beatles. Or the Monkees. Or any one of half a dozen crap British pop bands from the era. This does not belong on the list.
Wonderful rustic album. Dolly is always a pleasure. She's the most wholesome trashy woman in the world.
Really good rap album, but I think it's before Eminem got really good at chopping. He's still dealing with a lot of demons here.
It's Aerosmith. You know what you're getting. It's not bad them, but it's also not awesome.
Good for background. The Portuguese makes it all blend together, and it sounds more jazzy than anything.
Good album. The only track I'd heard before was "Call Me Al", which anyone learning to pop radio in the 80's heard about a thousand times. Every track has some African influence in it, and some are collaborations with make African performers.
Felt like more modern jazz than jazz. Interesting.
It's different and interesting, but I didn't really like it. Techno and electronica should make you want to dance, and this does not. It would be ok for a chill game soundtrack, but not much else. It's not atmospheric enough to be ambient, but not bouncy enough to dance to.
Oof, this was a weird one! Imagine if you took someone who studied music from Tom Waits, and then took away their lithium. And then they took songwriting cues from a room full of kindergartners. They broke all the rules of music, but it's not together enough to be jazz.
I have listened to this album so many times. Released during my sophomore year of college, and shaped so much of my headspace. You can feel the rage of Zach de la Rocha pouring from the speakers.
My rating: 10/5 megaphones!
He has a wonderful bass voice. Very soothing. It's just not my thing. It reminds me of 70's singer songwriter stuff, but it was released in 2009. It's not bad, just nothing jumps out at me to listen to it again.
My rating: 2/5 eagle feathers
I know this is straightedge, but it reminds me of skater punk. Not that I mind skater punk, but I have to be in a certain mood to appreciate it. I might give it another listen when I need this style.
Ah yes, The Flaming Lips. The band that proves to me every time that it's possible to be TOO progressive. Completely incapable of writing a hook. I'm sure their fans love them, but it's just musical masturbation. Cut it out.
My rating: 1/5 lips.
Not impressed. Early prog rock, which means we're gonna try to be jazz folks but we don't have the credentials to actually be jazz folks. It all descends into musical masturbation. Let's cut it out and quit being pretentious.
My Rating: 1/5 joints
I was blown away by this album. Just completely amazing.
This was about interesting as listening to paint dry. I need another pseudo psychedelic 60s rock band to listen to like I need a second right pinky finger. Utter pap. Cut it out, the 60s weren't that great for music. Neither were the 70s.
Not impressed. Actually bored listening to it. I just couldn't get into it.
I hadn't heard anything from this album before, but I was familiar with Supertramp's other work. There are a couple of songs that have that "waka-chicka" sound that we all associate with disco and the 70's. Good album all the way through, but not really notable. There's a reason this one didn't get a lot of radio play.
My Rating: 3/5 jail cells
This album does not belong as the worst album in the project.
This is not a conventional album. This isn't the band you go to see live, even though they did at least one live album. This is a band for appreciation through headphones. It's not ALL noise. The noise is interesting and thought provoking, sure, but not all of it is noise. Tracks like "AB/7A" are proto-ambient/proto-electronica. These guys laid some of the groundwork for bands like Ministry and Skinny Puppy and early Nine Inch Nails.
Let's save the worst slot for the truly bad, like the plethora of 70's pop that the author thinks are "all that". Or every dog-shit album the Beatles did, because they're not all rockers.
I might not listen to it again, but I'm glad it's on the list and that I listened to it.
My Rating: 3/5
This is a critically underrated hip-hop album. Sure, they had hits come off this album: "People Everyday", "Mr. Wendell", "Tennessee". More of this album deserved radio play and acclaim. "Mama's Always On Stage" is a proper banger. "Children Play With Earth" is so positive. Every track deserves a second listen.
My rating: 5/5 daishikis.
Ok, i can see how this is the start of heavy metal and progressive rock. I can see where bands like Yes and Coheed and Cambria come from. I did not need the expanded version Spotify gave me, as the extra tracks added nothing to the album. It stood just fine without them, like King Crimson intended. This isn't my style, but it wasn't bad.
My Rating: 3/5 Crimson Crowns.
I did not enjoy this album. I get that it's a punk album, and it's supposed to be discordant and noisy. No redeeming qualities for me, and probably worse than Einsturbende Neubaten.
My rating: 1/5 sniper rats
Reggae. At least this wasn't all "we wanna smoke more pot and not get in trouble for it". But you had to really pay attention to get that. This isn't an album that you can listen to idly. It's good, but if you listen idly, it'll just sound like every other reggae album with the bouncy beat and the weak chord progression.
My rating: 2/5 chain links
Ah, yes. Part of the ammunition for the PMRC. It's not a bad album, but at points it sounds like kids trying to look tough and maintain cred. And Easy-E has horrible trigger discipline.
Mostly covers. Not what I expected for a debut album. Young Stones are good, and just trying to showcase their chops here.
Pretty good. Even for a confusing debut album labeled "IV". It felt a little like Billy Idol.
My rating: 4/5 stuffed heads
This kind of stuff is why we're here. Did I understand a word they said? No, I did not. Is it good music? You're damned skippy it is! These guys rock! It's a 50's meets the new age kinda vibe. Rocky beats, snappy guitar riffs, lots of feeling. I'm so glad this one came up.
My rating: 5/5
Decent album. A few hits I remembered from early post graduation. I wouldn't come back for the stuff I didn't recognize, though
I could smell the Marlboros and stale beer while listening to this album. It's not so album I would have chosen to listen to, but I'm glad I did.
Interesting album. There are a number of classical feeling pieces mixed in with the couple of hits you've heard from the radio. I might keep this one in regular rotation.
My rating: 4/5
There's magic in here between the hit tracks or "Tainted Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go?". The whole album is cheeky and fun and surprising. Poppy and a little dark if you think about what they're saying.
I wasn't particularly enthused by this album. It felt a lot like poncy people noodling. The music was alright, it just didn't grab my attention, and felt like jazzy people trying to play rock music, which is what happens when you have a prog album.
My rating: 3/5 umbrellas
It's Cheap Trick. If you know the band, you know what you're getting. 70's rockers. The crowd noise was mixed in too much for my liking. Not horrible, but they lose a star for the extra crowd noise. It was interesting that they had a special intro and outro song. I think I enjoyed the outro song more than the rest of the concert.
My Rating: 3/5
Opened up hard and never slowed down. Some of the tracks are a little long, but it's good.
What an awesome funky album!
I have never heard "The Cisco Kid" before, just "War" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?", so this side of the band was really cool to hear. I never knew they were so funky. It was great that they had the avenue to let each performer shine on "City, Country, City" like they did. So much talent.
My Rating: 5/5
Awesome branch out for Willie to sing American standards with his stripped down country styling. Albums like this pave the way for modern country crossovers. I'm glad this was on the list.
My rating: 4/5
Well, it's not "Brown Eyed Girl", but it's a wonderful album. I thought the title track was a cover or one of those American Standards, and it is, because he wrote it. "Glad Tidings" was such a wonderful way to end an album.
It's an alright album for brit pop, but... you definitely lose two points for putting 8 minutes of dead silence in the last track to hide a "hidden track" and maintaining that silence in this day and age of streaming. For a spoken word track. Don't be a ponce.
My Rating: 2/5 flashbulbs
Brings back childhood memories. The raw emotion is amazing here, even though they might not sound the best. I could have done without the extra tracks.
I loved this bit of Americana, and appreciated hearing more if his work than just "American Pie".
The songs are well done, but most of them are covers. I don't know that this really needed to be on the list. I'm happy to have listened to it, but once you've heard one Dusty album you've heard them all.
My Rating: 3/5
I was expecting 70's singer songwriter. This is not that. It was interesting. It felt a bit like Björk in the delivery. Not the pixie dreamgirl, but how the music takes turns you didn't expect.
They're rock, with some industrial influence. They come so close to having a good hook, and stop short, which keeps them from getting too deep into your head. Will definitely look for more from these guys.
Lovely album. I didn't think it's possible to be upset listening to samba. The bear bounces along and her voice is lovely.
Wow. This is like a darker, more somber version of James Taylor. His guitar work is amazing. "At the Chime of a City Clock" almost painted a picture of him being in the city waiting for things to happen. I really enjoyed this, and I hope there are more of his albums in the list.
My Rating; 5/5 shoes
Such a weird album. Each track felt like the audio track from a David Lynch film. Complete with the actors voices. If artst-fartsy music turns you off, don't bother.
I obviously remembered the hits. The rest of the album is delightful, but maybe not radio worthy.
A very appropriate pick for Christmas Day.
Well done, festive, and just far enough from the classics to be it's own twist on those songs, while nodding back at the originals. Will definitely keep in mind for Christmas breakfast cooking next year
Pretty good Jimi Hendrix album. It takes a special kind of disconnection from reality to properly appreciate Jimi's lyrics. When he starts singing about flying on a dragonfly as a perfectly acceptable and logical means of conveyance, you know he's HIGH. Like, higher than you've ever been on today's chemical enhancement, and this was in the 70's, when the weed wasn't as good as it is today.
Amazing album all the way through. It's missing someone when listening to it streaming, though, because you don't get the divisions of the two LPs and the extended EP that shipped with the original pressing. I was recognizing the origins of hip-hop tracks from Stevie, and I'm glad he got composer credits over there.
It's not a bad album, it's just not good. I was bored. And the falsetto in every bloody song is just annoying. The electronica touches were nice, but it was like... are they a rock band or an electronica band? Make a decision, embrace one or the other, don't try to do both.
My Rating: 3/5
DUDE! This is a must listen.
Trip-hop before trip-hop was cool. The basslines creep into your spine and force your head to bob. Serge Gainsbourg's voice is DRIPPY. So smooth over the bassline, enhancing it, just slipping in there, delivering the lines. This is an album you'll want to keep in your back pocket. It's all in French, and one day I hope to become fluent enough to understand all of it.
My Rating: 5/5. I'd give it 10, but I can't.
This is not your comfort album. It's an odd blending of electronica and psychedelia and industrial. Lyrically sparse, and not really hooky. It's not bad, just not something you can settle into and vibe with. I liked it, and I'm glad I heard it, but I don't know if I'll return to it.
My Rating: 3/5
Rolling in like fog through the swamp, this album wraps around you in a comforting southern‑rock blanket. “Good Golly, Miss Molly” shows up in a deliciously funky swamp‑boy groove, “Proud Mary” finally sits in its proper habitat instead of floating around on the radio or a Greatest Hits disc, and even the deep cuts feel like overlooked gems. Lines like “If I were a politician, I’d prove the monkey talk” land with a strangely prescient bite in today’s climate. After hearing this album, I’ve changed my New Year’s resolution to choogle more and hopefully keep on chooglin’ on…
My Rating: 5/5 swamp rats
He's too showtunes for me. It's very theatrical, which I'm not looking for.
Came on rocking hard and carried that all the way through.
It was good to hear all these standards sung by her, but I did not need ALL of them all at once. Three hours is a little much.
Bee Gees before the disco era. I thought I was getting disco, but I got post-Beatles boy band. A couple of the tracks that Robin leads on makes him sound like Jim Nabors. It was alright, but I don't really think this one belongs on the list. There's nothing groundbreaking or spectacular here.
My Rating: 3/5 ships
