Jan 22 2025
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Transformer
Lou Reed
The good points of this album are great, but I'm not sure that they are enough to lift this above some of the cheese here to make this to a truly great album, one that I'd go back to. At least for me, it's more likely that I'll keep songs like Perfect Day and Walk on the Wild Side on general playlists and leave much of the rest as forgettable. There are a couple hidden gems--Vicious perhaps, Hanging Around and Andy's Chest.
Others like Satellite of Love are flawed, while Wagon Wheel, Goodnight Ladies, and NY Phone are straight cheese. In fact, if this were a five song EP that ended at Walk on the Wild Side, it would have been a much better product.
2
Jan 23 2025
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At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
3
Jan 24 2025
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Figure 8
Elliott Smith
This soft rock album is pretty even in tone, and I can see it's strengths for the kind of people that like this stuff. It's a little whiny for me, too much high treble, and generally a perfect example of the kind of rock around in the late 90s/early 2000s. It's funny that this is the second album in this list I get, right after Lou Reed's Transformer. It seems like this is almost a spiritual successor to that album. That being said, it's probably less cheesy overall than Transformer, and maybe a better, more even-toned album.
So overall, not for me, but I appreciate how some people may like this. It's well done for what it is. I could see myself sipping quiet tea listening to this at a coffee shop and not being totally annoyed.
3
Jan 26 2025
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Hot Rats
Frank Zappa
I haven't listened to this album forever--I used to like Zappa and the Mothers a lot when I was teenager. This albums starts off as a psychelic trip with Peaches Regalia--I always found it astounding that Zappa didn't do drugs based on their sound.
Like many Zappa albums, this is often instrumental, like a rock orchestra. I'm not sure if it's the best place to start on Zappa--he has dozens of albums. But it's certainly one of the better ones from what I remember. I didn't like it as much as a teenager--I preferred Joe's Garage back then. But it's great to relisten to this as an adult--I think my appreciation has grown for the sounds.
4
Jan 26 2025
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Parachutes
Coldplay
Seems like their classic album, and it's pretty well done. I'm not a cold play fine, so it's a little whiny for me--this list is heavy on the whiny soft rock album for me so far. Kind of depressing as well, but it fits right in there with Radiohead for suburban soft rock depression masterpieces.
3
Jan 27 2025
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A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
Super classic jazz album, and one of the ones I listen to the most after probably Kind of Blue. I don't have the jazz savviness to write a more in depth review about how good this is--I'm just an amateur passing fan in this category, but about as near to perfect as you can get for this style. Wild and frenetic but controlled in some chaotic way. Awesome.
5
Jan 28 2025
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The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
Classic big band jazz. Everything you'd expect to get. Just surprised this was released in the late 50s and not like 3 decades earlier.
4
Jan 29 2025
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Highly Evolved
The Vines
This album is all over the place. Raw rock riffs, ska-like beats, and some high treble early oughts sounds mixed in, though not enough of the latter to make this a complete write off for me. The album definitely stands above its era, though that isn't saying much. They certainly have energy. I may go back to this album.
3
Jan 30 2025
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Smash
The Offspring
A classic of mid-90s punk. A lot of people looking at this album, and probably Dookie by Green Day, may blame them for the subsequent watering down and pop-ification of punk. In other words, would there be any Blink 182 if it wasn't for these albums? I'm not sure what the answer to that is, but the answer doesn't change the fact that this album is rock solid, with banger after banger. It holds up from my teenage years--I've actually listened to it quite often in recent months after probably a big break. I'm not as familiar with their albums after this one, but none of the Offspring stuff I've heard gets near this album as a complete package. Raw energy, great melodies, social commentary.
5
Jan 31 2025
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Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Starts off with a total classic, and ends with a grunged up better version of it. I love a ton of Neil Young songs, but have always found his discography daunting. This is supposedly the birthplace, or precursor at least, to grunge, the second half of the album. It's a good album, though I may prefer After the Gold Rush myself. Also impressively raw for the era in mainstream rock, which had gone in another direction. I'll definitely go back to this one.
5
Feb 01 2025
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Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
I have mixed feelings about this album. In a sense it's a pretty good album. But it also represents peak new Chili Peppers, basically the type of sound that started with Under the Bridge has nearly completely dominated their sound. The funky rifs are all but gone at this point--only maybe Purple Stain and Around the World have that old Chili Peppers sound. I don't love Scar Tissue or Californication, they sound too generic, like just worse remixes of Under the Bridge. Other Side sounds like that too a little, but the haunting melody in that one gives it a little more merit for me. So all in all, this is great for people who began listening to the Chili Peppers because they liked Under the Bridge. Not so much maybe for the fans of funked up rap-punk OG Chili peppers. It kind of reeks of sell-out in that sense. But 25 years later, I'm sure they don't care, the Scar Tissue side of them is what defines most of their career at this point.
3
Feb 02 2025
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Soul Mining
The The
Hmmm, new wave. I've hated this era of music for most of my life. Goofy vocals and sounds effects, goofy styles--it always seemed so affected and forced. This album has all of that, but that being said, it is listenable, probably good for the people into this genre, and the songs sometimes manage to rise about the genre's inherent cheese--especially the last song, Giant. New wave typically doesn't age very well, though I can see that many albums like this one laid the ground work for bands post-2000.
3
Feb 03 2025
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Connected
Stereo MC's
I'd heard these guys' names back in the day but had never really listened to them before. A strange but sometimes soothing mix of early 90s house and rap. Not really unlike a lot of house that often had a verse of rapping, only this lasts a whole album, and the album is consistent rather than just one or two radio singles then a bunch of filler. It definitely has a kind of Lost in Time type feel to it. But it's definitely unique.
3
Feb 04 2025
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After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
I got this one right after Rust Never Sleeps on this list, so cool to compare them in that way. I didn't think I'd like the latter more than this album, but I have to say that after a full listen of each, Rust Never Sleeps is more consistently good, whereas After the Gold Rush has some slow bits that come off a bit whiney for my liking. Perhaps that's why I've always seen Neil Young as an amazing song writer, but not necessarily as a great album maker. The high points are super high--Southern Man, After the Gold Rush. Then lots of forgettable filler.
3
Feb 05 2025
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Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
Most post punk, whatever that means, but I haven't really heard of these guys other than the name. Much better than The The, which I just had before this. This is a rawer sound, and doesn't have the goofiness of new waves. Some really good songs on here. Dumb Waiters is a banger. Hot drums on It Goes On. There's a lot more here to like that I didn't hear on a first listen. I'll probably come back to this album, good discovery.
4
Feb 06 2025
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Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo
MC Solaar
Classic foundational French hiphop album. Funky, great word play, great beats. MC Solaar sits somewhere between a Big Daddy Kane, Q-Tip and Guru in terms of style, flow and wordplay. Great to revisit this album, it's been a while. Worth listening to even if you don't speak French, as the beats are great, representative of the 1991 sound. Great album.
5
Feb 07 2025
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Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
This is wild, experimental, visionary, groundbreaking, and close to unlistenable. I can appreciate that this is important for the development of jazz, and looking this guy up, I see he collaborated with thrash metal dudes, which kind of makes sense. But I probably won't be listening to this album ever again. And I typically like jazz and even some thrash metal. Maybe if I developed a meth addiction I'd listen to this at 4am. Ecars was pretty good, all that being said, and the closest thing to a track with melody on the album.
3
Feb 08 2025
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Jazz Samba
Stan Getz
A lesson in smooth. Cool to see how Getz started getting into samba before the Girl From Ipanema, collabs with Jobim and Gilberto. You can still hear some of that "getting to know the style" type vibe in this, like experimenting. Also, as far as jazz goes, this is like the polar opposite to the John Zorn Spy Vs. Spy that I had on this list immediately before this album. Short sweet and pleasant.
4
Feb 09 2025
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Imagine
John Lennon
I tend to prefer John Lennon written songs when it comes to the Beatles, and post drug albums. But listening to this album made me realize there's such a thing as too much Lennon and too much drugs. Maybe the other three guys tempered John's excesses. In any case, there are a few good songs here, Imagine obviously and I really liked How do you sleep? but I'd never go back and listen to this album as a complete package. How? Is also OK. Kind of just shows you the start of the decline more than anything. Keep in mind when I write this, I'm only a passive Beatles listener, not a massive fan. I enjoy some of the best later stuff, but not crazy about them.
2
Feb 10 2025
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Music From The Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
A strange but soothing album. I don't exactly know what it is, but it might be something I'll listen to again when I'm in a kind of zen need to relax mood. Or at least mostly soothing. It has some very strange breakdowns here and there, odd solos, strange instruments or sounds that come from I don't know what. But it works.
4
Feb 11 2025
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1999
Prince
For the longest time I thought the title song was actually made in 1999 because they played it so much on the radio that year. I always wondered why the sound was so dated and clearly not 1999 at the time. Anyway, having learned it was released in 1982 makes sense. Probably right at the beginning or in the thick of the synthy 80s sound.
Listen, I know prince is incredibly talented, and I've even grown to like some of his hits like Red Corvette and When Doves Cry over the years. But the sound just doesn't speak to me as an overall rule. So it's tough to appreciate a full album. Songs like Delierious are just straight goofy. Then again, there are some slept on funky gems here like DMSR that I might add to a playlist at some point. I just can't see this as an album I'd groove to on the regular, not my scene. Prince songs are best enjoyed here and there on the radio for me.
3
Feb 12 2025
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Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
Raw and lots of power here. I can see why this is called proto punk, you can kind of draw a pretty direct line from here to the Stooges and such. This album is decent, and is certainly something I tend to like. I just didn't find it that memorable. I'll probably give it another listen at some point though.
3
Feb 13 2025
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Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Eurythmics
Kind of exactly what I expected to hear. A lot of strange, kind of dark 80s synth. The darker edge of this makes it a little better for me than a bunch of the goofier 80s synth pop stuff. Almost premoniscient of Nine Inch Nails in some ways, though nowhere near that dark, obviously. Especially the sounds of tracks like "I Could Give You a Mirror." The song "Sweet Dreams" is obviously a pop masterpiece, but surprisingly that's the only one I've heard before. "This is the House" is a little cheesy, but that's about the only real 80s-style pop cheese on this album. I'm surprised to find this so palatable for an era and genre I typically don't like.
4
Feb 14 2025
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Freak Out!
The Mothers Of Invention
I just listened to this two days ago after pulling the Hot Rats album on this website. It had been like three decades since I'd last heard it. This time I at least knew what I was in for--as a 16 year old kid expecting something in the lines of other rock at the time, I had no idea what to make of it. Back then the only song I really loved was Trouble Every Day. Upon re-listen, it's easy to see why. That's definitely the most accessible traditional rock song. But then again, you get the sense that he just does songs like that to prove he can before delving back into weirdness--his bread and butter. Another example of this is Anyway the Wind Blows, which is a solid doo-wap kind of early 60s rock song.
Other songs like Hungry Freaks have promise, but then why the wazoo? I guess the wazoo is one Zappa's things. Outside of that, the album is all over the place. But that's kind of Zappa's thing. In some ways, it fits in with acid rock of the era, like Jefferson Airplane or Love. I Ain't Got No Heart is decent... I just don't love many of Zappa's choruses. It's like many of the songs that have promise go off into strange choruses, bridges or breakdowns, which is pretty consistent through much of Zappa's work.
I didn't find this album as good as Hot Rats, which seems to have polished some of the concepts that Freak Out began. Frank Zappa is always like this though. When he's on, it's really good. But you also never know what kind of spaced out stuff you're going to hear on a given album. A genius for sure, but one who often gets lost in weirdness. And this album is probably among the less weird of his vast discography.
In any case, it's fun to listen to Zappa again after all these years, but I can't say I'll go back to this for another decade or two.
3
Feb 15 2025
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Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
Dylan goes electric. Classic album, lots of classic tracks like Subterranean Homesick Blues and Mr. Tambourine Man. But this isn't just a few hits and a bunch of filler material. Lots of slept on tracks here, like Gates of Eden, which I love, 115th Dream and It's Alright Ma. It's when he went partly to crossover to rock, but there is still plenty of classic folk here. Might not be my favourite Dylan album, but certainly top five, maybe top three.
5
Feb 16 2025
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Siembra
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
Pedro Navaja is the obvious biggest hit here, but there are a lot of other good tracks as well from these two Fanias members. I guess this is the top selling salsa album ever, which kind of makes it an odd inclusion on this list, which I've found so far has tended towards experimental and innovative rather than just plain good and universally liked. Anyway, back to the album. It starts off super strong, with a lot of the salsa dura type stuff I prefer, and none of the whinier type of "corta veina" salsa I don't like. For that alone, this rises above some of the other Fanias classic albums that I don't find as easy to listen to all the way through. Many of the latter just seem to have more filler. Ojos is a solid track, and Siembra super solid. Only seven songs and no faults here.
4
Feb 17 2025
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The Specials
The Specials
I'm surprised I've never listened to this album, or really familiarized myself with these guys. I've certainly heard Message to Rudy. I guess these guys are among the first of the ska revival, which is probably why this album is here. So cool to hear on that level, as I'm a fan of later punk ska bands that built on this like Sublime, Operation Ivy. The sub-meta text on the fact that Little B*** uses a sample from the Stones' Brown Sugar, adds an additional issue to an already mysoginistic brutal song that I'm not sure people picked up on.
3
Feb 18 2025
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Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Album starts off with a bang, almost circus like. But not completely unpleasant. Driving along kind of goofy. Third track, Early in the Morning, is solid. Coconut is odd but cool, and I'm sure I've heard that one before. Jump into the Fire is another great track. End track definitely on the weird side, and lots of other filler that sounds kind of dated. But I guess this album sounds like it fits the required experimental chops to make the list.
3
Feb 19 2025
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The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
Strange mix of milongas and jazz. Kind of cool in many instances. Others seem to go off on tangents a bit. It's soothing background music for the most part. Like afternoon literary coffee shop type music.
3
Feb 20 2025
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The Trinity Session
Cowboy Junkies
A very soothing album in a way I didn't expect. My mom used to love these guys when I was like eight, so I can of have a vague recollection of it. Certainly not something you want to listen to all the time, but it has a definite appeal. The Sweet Jane version is awesome, and the songs following that are good too. Might go back and listen again at some point.
3
Feb 21 2025
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Viva Hate
Morrissey
Not super amped about this, but then again I don't really love the Smiths either, so go figure. It's a little poppy for me, and a little too mainstream 80s. It seems like a decent album for people into that kind of thing, just not my schtick.
2
Feb 22 2025
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Violator
Depeche Mode
More new wave. This list should be titled "900 new wave 80s albums to listen to before you die, plus 101 bonus tracks that aren't new wave."
Anyway, despite being sick of new wave, I liked this album better than I thought I would. I always seemed to think of Depeche Mode as one of the main villains of 80s synth rock. These guys are a lot darker than I envisioned they were. I may listen to this again in the futrue.
4
Feb 23 2025
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Fifth Dimension
The Byrds
So the Byrds go from a Bob Dylan cover band that apes the Beatles sound to a real band. Or that's how the wikipedia entry seems to describe them. I don't know much about them other than that David Crosby started here before Crosby, Stills and Nash. Definitely psychedelic elements here that sound like they probably inspired Jefferson Airplane, which is cool. Just not quite as polished or epic in the songwriting. More like fourth dimension, where Hendrix, the Doors and Jefferson Airplane are the fifth dimension... May listen to this again though, parts definitely give me that "worth coming back to" vibe.
3
Feb 24 2025
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John Prine
John Prine
Country is certainly not my thing. This is sometimes more folky than country, which makes some of it tolerable, but still. Hard to get into this on any level.
2
Feb 25 2025
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KIWANUKA
Michael Kiwanuka
Newest album I've had so far on this list by a long shot. This one is pretty interesting, and something I'll probably go back to. First song is refreshingly epic. Kind of reminds me of Apache or something. The songs are pretty original and also very good. Not just typical rock themes here--you've got soul, acid rock, 70s funk and other elements. Getting introduced to stuff like this is what I hoped for from doing this list in the first place.
5
Feb 26 2025
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Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Simon & Garfunkel
This is a pretty good album by Simon and Garfunkel, though not sure it's their best. Scarborough Fair is a classic and I wasn't familiar with most of the other tracks in here, but found some good gems. A Simple Desultory Philippic is a banger. There are a few tracks like that which sound a little more rockin than S&G typically sound. A harder sound that is a nice break from their normal quiet type harmonizing.
3
Feb 27 2025
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Who Killed...... The Zutons?
The Zutons
This reminds me a lot of the White Stripes in some ways, especially in the first few songs. It is also much different, what with use of horns and such--stuff that departs from your average rock trio. It's pretty good, from an era that I don't know much about and mostly hate the rock I do know about, at least for the first half. It gets a little on the cheesy side on the B-side of the album. Not sure how well the country crooner elements work, for example, in the last track.
2
Feb 28 2025
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Ten
Pearl Jam
Finally I get an epic grunge masterpiece from this generator. The funny thing is, growing up I was a huge Soundgarden and Alice in Chains fan, and Nirvana to a lesser extent, but only really knew the Pearl Jam singles. I've gotten more into the latter in the years since, though.
Four of these are genre defining, and for me Even Flow and Alive are transcendent grunge classics. Jeremy and Black are merely excellent. But the album as a whole is not just the four singles. There isn't a dud here--the other six tracks are slept on for sure but still good. Porch and Garden are really growing on me over the years, for example. Release is a great kicker song.
5
Mar 01 2025
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From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
I'm not an Elvis fan in the least but this one sounds better than most of what I hear. Bluesy, lots of crooning, but it works pretty well. Seems on top of his game here. I don't really listen to Elvis, but if I ever feel the urge, I guess I'll go back to this album.
3
Mar 02 2025
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Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
Wow, holy trebble on the intro there, Batman. Certainly not a fast way to my heart. Second song is just goofy--the computer buzz solo sounds like a discount knock-off of Daft Punk. Baby's On Fire, slightly less dumb, but still dumb. Driving Me Backwards.... skipped halfway through. On Some Faraway beach is the first tolerable song. Then a bunch more skips basically. This was the first album I was struggling to even finish. And the first 1-star I've given out.
1
Mar 03 2025
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At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
A classic Johnny Cash album. I'd only heard the original release of this, but I listened to the Legacy edition this time. It was perhaps a little too long--it could have done without the outtakes at the end. But it does add some flavour that the regular one lacks.
But anyway, the original is great, and is Johnny Cash at his prime. I'm not a country fan at all, but Cash is the man.
5
Mar 04 2025
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Moondance
Van Morrison
I remember listening to this years back and thinking it was better just as a few singles than a complete album. And it Stoned Me is classic, and the track Moondance. Coming back to it is good, more stuff to appreciate that I probably glossed over the first time I heard this. Overall good but perhaps not among the greats of this era.
3
Mar 05 2025
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The Yes Album
Yes
I really had no previous knowledge of Yes other than Owner of Lonely Heart, which I always got mixed up and thought was by Boston anyway.
Starts off pretty cool, the first track, very prog rock. Lots of almost bluegrass-like breakdowns. Very southern rock in some moments, even though they are English. Singing is very early 70s. A little heavy on the organ in some tracks for me. In other senses, I get some definite Rush vibes.
3
Mar 06 2025
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Here, My Dear
Marvin Gaye
This is a solid Marvin Gaye album, perhaps his second best after What's Going on. Perhaps the best thing to come out of a divorce settlement, ever. I remember giving one of my exes What's Going On as a present once. I should have given her this CD when we broke up. Thematically, it's really a cinematic album, with the "When did you stop loving me" weaving in and out of the tracklist. Super soulful track too.
5
Mar 07 2025
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The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
Solid DJ Premier work here in the early platinum age of rap, in a year full of absolute classics in the whole genre. It's been a minute since I listened to this album. Da Bitchez is the best known classic and Can't Stop the Prophet, but there's tons of great music often slept on here, like Mental Stamina, Ain't the Devil Happy, My Mind Spray. And underground producer-nerd-out tracks like Come Clean, with water drop sound... "You want to front, whatttt?"
4
Mar 08 2025
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The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
I remember listening to this a decade or so ago when I was trying to get hip to indie rock or whatever this is. Back then I used to think all Indie rock of the mid-zeros was basically high treble songs about spatulas. This album pretty much confirmed my prejudice.
Listening again didn't change this impression overall, but it did reveal some nuance. Some good tracks, some stuff worth going back to. Sprawl II is a pretty good track, but it also kind of sounds a lot like MGMT. Not an album I'll go back to, other than to maybe harvest a couple tracks for a "best of the zeros" rock playlist. (That playlist is pretty short).
2
Mar 09 2025
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Konnichiwa
Skepta
I'd never heard of this guy, but glad to finally get another rap album. The album starts off strong, hard funky type beat on title track. Ladies hit squad pretty good. Not sure I love the rest of the album, but it's not bad for sure. Better than much of what's out there in rap these days, at least. Perhaps worth another listen. Base lines hit pretty hard in some tracks, but for others the beat is just more irritating than anything. Some tracks the lyricism sounds a little on the lazy side, like delivery on chorus on Numbers, for example. Shutdown is a pretty solid track, and That's Not me. Last trackis pretty tight as well. 3.5 stars.
3
Mar 10 2025
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Destroy Rock & Roll
Mylo
Pretty good electronic album. I didn't recognize the guy's name, but some of the tracks rang a bell. Sonically this is a nice journey, and something I'll probably come back to. Solid album, that really doesn't have any duds. Very listenable.
4
Mar 11 2025
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I Should Coco
Supergrass
Ok, just doesn't really sing to me much. Kind of generic, but at least better than the terrible rock from late 90s. We're not supposed to a little on goofy side--sounds like the Chipmunks on helium.
3
Mar 12 2025
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Butterfly
Mariah Carey
Peak 90s R&B album produced by rap producers era. Some Q-Tip, Mobb Deep, Bad Boy, etc. Production is good, lots of hits. Features by Bone, Thugs. Despite all this, I can sometimes stomach Mariah, but just like honey, a spoonful is usually easier to take than a whole jar. A full Mariah album is the jar.
Aside from the fact that I would never listen to these kind of diva balladeer albums, the problem for is that while there are a few decent upbeat dance tracks that most would recognize, most of the rest of the album is vein-cutting whiney schlock. It's just not consistent.
But then again, who am I. I'm clearly not the market for this stuff.
2
Mar 13 2025
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Ctrl
SZA
Not really my kind of music, but not totally unpleasant. Her sounds do sound a little repetitive after a while, but it's also kind of hypnotic, I guess.
2
Mar 14 2025
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Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)
The Kinks
Starts off normalish on the first track then the second track kind of takes off. A little silly for my liking, even though it has an interesting cinematic concept. My problem is with the execution, not necessarily the idea in the first place. Of course Kinks fans would love this. I enjoy some of their singles, but this album doesn't do it for me. Australia and Shangri-La are both pretty good tracks for example. In general the second half is better than the first half. Well, at least until Princess Marina... ughh.
2
Mar 15 2025
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So
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel. Ya, well, I tried. Not really my thing, and can't even see how this holds up in any longer sense. Just seems data rather than avante garde. And not super exciting.
2
Mar 16 2025
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Duck Stab/Buster & Glen
The Residents
These guys sound like what would happen if you removed all the best parts of Primus, Frank Zappa, and maybe Kool Keith and just kept the weird junk. It's like they militantly reject harmony. And any time they have some cool element like the drum beat on the second track, or the base line on the third track, they ruin it with random annoying noise. On that note, I feel like this album would serve best in a hiphop producer's record collection, as a repository of random samples that nobody would ever track down to the original album. But it probably wouldn't be a good producer using them.
Blue Rosebuds sounds like a witch's spell, told with annoying cackle and everything.
Albums like this are why I'm starting to lag behind on my listening list on this generator--I've had too many lately. The song "Bach is Dead" is funny because the poor guy's probably rolling over in his grave listening to this. The last song isn't entirely unpleasant, which means it's a highlight here.
1
Mar 17 2025
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Actually
Pet Shop Boys
Synth pop. Ya. Well, I didn't dislike it as much as I imagined I would, but I still didn't love it. This list seems to have every single synth pop album ever made.
2
Mar 18 2025
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The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Fascinating Rhythm is a great song I'd never heard before. But a lot of these are wonderful. They have that hypnotic quality of voice. Great album, if long, but you feel like you emerged from a flashback trance from decades ago.
5
Mar 19 2025
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Live At Leeds
The Who
Not sure I've ever heard this whole album, but great energy here. Also some gems I hadn't heard in a while and forgot about like Young Man's Blues and Substitute. Maybe this isn't such a work of art as Quadrophenia, Tommy or some of the other studio albums, but great energy and driving rock power. Basically a greatest hits album. Also a good refresher from the type of experimental schlock albums I've been getting on this list recently.
4
Mar 20 2025
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Slipknot
Slipknot
I remember when these guys came out I kind of thought they were a little gimmicky. I was into 80s and early 90s metal, Megadeth, Metallica, Pantera, Slayer etc., but these guys' costumes kind of threw me off and never really listened to them much. Hearing this years later, they have a lot of energy, tons of thrash and a little groove. Nothing really stands out to me on this album as a track though, seems more like a jam band.
3
Mar 21 2025
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Snivilisation
Orbital
Orbital at its best. This album invokes that sense of wonder overlaid with the harsh industrial type samples that make for an amazing contrast. These guys are great for invoking a special mood, always go back to them. I prefer Insides a little to this one, but this is still great, and some classic Orbital on this.
5
Mar 22 2025
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Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
Groovy album. Soulful rendition of Change Gone Come, Wonderful world, and My Girl. Lots of Sam Cooke tracks there. Other solid tracks like Shake. It's a good overall listen, but I'm always hesitant of getting behind cover albums like this. I nearly always prefer original material.
3
Mar 23 2025
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They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Liars
Great, noise rock. Why the hell did we need this category of music. Another one of the few albums on this list where I couldn't bear to listen and skipped some tracks, especially early on. It's kind of like industrial but bad, takes out any of the melody etc. of say Nine Inch Nails or something. It does get a little better as the album goes on--the first three tracks are just like a warning. Last track is kind of cool on a sailer shanty/industrial/Tom Waits level.
2
Mar 24 2025
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Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
Decent mid-70s rock. Not totally my thing, and don't love Frampton, but this was better than I thought it was going to be. I like his acoustic instrumentals. Funny that his original version of Baby I love you way is definitely worse than the Big Mountain cover. Probably won't go back to. Definitely not something that should be one of biggest selling albums ever, but then again, I've never really had mainstream taste.
3
Mar 25 2025
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Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
The title of the album pretty much says it all here--you get exactly what you came for. Classic cowboy movie soundtrack plunder on this track list.
3
Mar 26 2025
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Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
One of my favourite albums of all time, and probably my favourite Hendrix album. Everything comes together here in peak performance, from the heavy wawa use to the rampant psychedelia. The album listens like a glorious acid trip, and is sonically something else. Hendrix is incandescent here, making his guitar talk via wawa glory on Still Raining, Still Dreaming, which picks up on where Rainy Day Dream away left off a few tracks early. Then there's the ornate riff of Burning of the Midnight Lamp--a masterpiece of psychedelia. The riff on Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) and the muted intro that predicts hip hop scratching and the solo on All Along the Watchtower, one of rock's alltime greatest solows. And it isn't just the guitar work here--this is a band effort. Noel Redding's Little Miss Strange sounds like the Beatles on more acid than usual while the drumming on House Burning Down and Gypsy Eyes drives the amazing rhythm of those tracks.
5
Mar 27 2025
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You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
I listened to this for the first time not too long ago as I saw it on a list of some of the best of Cohen's albums. Definitely a little more contemporary in sound, though this is mostly due to recording techniques--his sound is typically kind of timeless. The title track is amazing, vintage Leonard Cohen. Treaty is great writing. Traveling Light, Steer Your Way and It Seemed the Better Way are awesome. It's a great, complete album, and though I'm really only familiar with his earliest albums, this one definitely holds up. 4.5.
5
Mar 28 2025
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Seventeen Seconds
The Cure
Darker than I thought the cure was. I always kind of associated them with somewhere between New Wave and Synthed up pop rock, neither of which I like. Understated vocals and dark guitar tones. It's not bad at all. 3.5
3
Mar 29 2025
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Highway 61 Revisited
Bob Dylan
Solid Dylan album all the way through. I think this was my dad's favourite Dylan album. A lot of timeless classics like the title track, Like a Rolling Stone and Tombstone Blues. And some lesser known great tracks like Desolation Row and It Takes a Lot to Laugh. For whatever reason, I've never much liked Queen Jane that much. The rest of the tracks are pretty good as well, there isn't really filler on this album, though it's probably not in my top 3 for Dylan. 4/5
4
Mar 30 2025
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Felt Mountain
Goldfrapp
Starts off sounding like the intro song from a James Bond movie in feel. Well, at least until the spooky solo comes in.
From there it pretty much stays spooky. I remember not being into the songs I heard when these guys first came out, but I was 19 back then. Now I can see the appeal. Kind of cool in a throwback way. Definitely unique. 3.4.
3
Mar 31 2025
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Fuzzy
Grant Lee Buffalo
Not bad, but not super exciting. Wish You Well is a pretty good track. I'm not sure I'll go back to these, just not interesting enough.
2
Apr 01 2025
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Revolver
Beatles
The Beatles start doing Acid, and become a truly great band. I'm not a huge Beatles fan, and mostly prefer their post-drugs albums to their early poppier stuff, so this one is for me. Starts off strong with Taxman, and stays strong. Eleanor Rigby is a song that I didn't initially like years ago but it's grown on me--now I think it's a great tune. A lot of sleeper songs that I'm not as familiar with but that are pretty solid songwriter as well, like I'm Only Sleeping with the backwards guitar solos, and Love you To with the tranced out sitar and Indian drums. Doctor Robert solid.
I hate Yellow Submarine--mostly because of the stupid sounding polka like jangle--but that's mostly the only fault I have with the album personally. The rest of the tracks more than make up for it. Then by the end, Tomorrow Never Knows takes you off into space. 4.5/5
5
Apr 02 2025
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Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
Jesus, second noise rock album in 2 weeks. I'm not sure I'm up to the task. At least it's better than the Liars. There are more riffs, for examples, and less of a sense of just industrial pots landing on the ground. At least this kind of sounds more punkish. Even if the singer just kind of sounds like he's having a seizure, but hey--that's something. Anyway, there are moments of greatness, like the final solo of 2 Towers is pretty cool sounding. Starts of grating like most of their songs, as if even your noise rock CD is skipping, then turns into something pretty epic.
Anyway, listening to these guys makes me think somebody needs to make a mockumentary like This is Spinal Tap, or even maybe just a hilarious documentary, about this movement. Just thinking about the studio decisions here makes me laugh... "No guys, that's not the crash I was hoping for... could you bang less tea pot and maybe smash a wok or something? And maybe turn up the fire alarm. I'm not feeling it yet..."
2.3.
2
Apr 03 2025
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The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
I remember when I bought this when I was 15 even the jacket cover on the CD was epic--it looked more like an old vinyl album cover than a CD. This was one of those I bought back in the day before I even heard any of their music--music life before the internet--so I really didn't know what I was in for. I remember laying on the floor in my bedroom and listening to the whole thing through.
Now, 30 years later it's a gloomy day and I'm in the perfect mood to listen to this masterpiece. A masterpiece in production that basically rewrote the book on industrial rock. Trent Reznor's rage perfectly synthesized. One of the great things about this, among many I haven't gotten into, is the hard to soft and back again balance that NIN achieves so fluidly in this album.
5
Apr 04 2025
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Songs The Lord Taught Us
The Cramps
Kind of a novel sound. Taking some of the goofier punk elements and sending it straight into rockabilly. I'm not sure if it was an influence, but I feel like Jello Biafra and Dead Kennedies took a bit of this into making their sound--maybe not this album as they DK was already around at this point, but maybe earlier stuff? Not clear on timeline there, but some affinity. The raw, screechy guitar sound really works for this kind of punk. I'm not sure I'll listen to this a lot, but may go back to in the future. 3.4
3
Apr 05 2025
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Tusk
Fleetwood Mac
I like Rumours but am otherwise not a huge Fleetwood Mac fan. This album starts off with a few forgettable tracks before Sara, which is a solid one. "What makes you think you're the one" isn't a great track, right after. Storms has a certain hypnotic quality. Maybe I just prefer Nicks songs to Buckingham songs, which is generally true of their other albums as well. "That's All for Everyone" is a decent track though, then "Not that Funny" is just kind of goofy. "Sisters of the Moon" a solid track as well, so ya, I'm mostly a Nicks fan. "That's Enough for Me" is a dumb jangle. Then "Brown Eyes" is pretty cool lowkey sleeper track. "Beautiful Child" is pretty good. "Tusk" is a great track to close out the album.
Overall, the whole album is kind of a mixed bag for me. But that's mostly how I feel about Fleetwood Mac in general. Their best moments are great, but there is a large amount of forgettable material in between. This certainly isn't quite the album that Rumours is.
3/5
3
Apr 06 2025
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Mott
Mott The Hoople
Just not into this glam rock, and this isn't even a great example of it. Just like a Bowie side project. Gives me the vibes of like, when rappers make it big then try to put their less talented buddies on. Helping Iggy Pop get his career going was a great move. These guys, I dunno. When this album isn't outright annoying, it's boring.
Randomly, the book these guys based their name on kind of sounds interesting.
1
Apr 07 2025
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Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
A lot of this sounds like some wannabee schlock that sits somewhere between the Beatles and the Beach Boys. There were plenty of super great things happening in rock in 1968. This wasn't one of them. Then again, the story of this album is crazy, having just learned it. And the Time of the Season really is something else, rises above the rest of the material. Still, one good song and a bunch of other average tracks does not an album make.
2
Apr 08 2025
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You've Come a Long Way Baby
Fatboy Slim
Fatboy is f**ing and f**ing and f**ing in heaven....
Epic album. Takes me me back to grade 12. And then the Big Beach Boutique II concert, while I was living in Brighton, just around the corner from Norman's studio. This album, along with Dig Your Own Hole, Homework and Orbital's Insides are what first got me into electronic music, which was initially a hard sell as I was mostly into rock and rap. Love Norman's rap and funk sensibilities. The high points are super high on this album, aka Funk Soul Brother, Praise You, and really the first few tracks. There is some filler in the middle though, which is why I dropped this down to a four.
4
Apr 09 2025
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American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
Solid Jonny Cash late in his career. Cool to hear him do songs by Nine Inch Nails, Paul Simon and others. You can definitely tell this has Rick Rubin's touch on it.
4/5
4
Apr 10 2025
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Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
I'd never heard of this guy. Pretty interesting album, both in lyrical content and in terms of the guitar work. Definitely sounds punkish in the sound of his voice, and then folkish in his kind of cadence and subject matter. Like electric folk punk. This is probably one I'll go back to at some point. 3.4/ 5
4.5
3
Apr 11 2025
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The Madcap Laughs
Syd Barrett
Die hard Floyd fans may love this, but while I love Dark Side of the Moon, The Wall and maybe Wish you were here, this album is a little liminal for me. There are some decent moments, but it's not something that really shines like a crazy diamond, pun intended. Late Night is maybe the most interesting track for me. 2/5
2
Apr 12 2025
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21
Adele
I know some of these songs from the radio. Or the first two anyway--the first track is pretty decent, and Rumour Has it is excellent. From there it gets pretty whiney for the next two songs. But some rhythm and soul comes back in Set the Fire and He Won't Go, the in I'll Be Waiting. Take it All, unsurprisingly, more crying. I guess the surprise here was that the album wasn't all crying, and not as depressing as I assumed an Adele album would be.
Someone Like You was the track one of my exes sent me a few months after dumping me.
3/5, higher than I thought I'd be rating an Adele album for sure. It's mostly just not my thing.
3
Apr 13 2025
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The Village Green Preservation Society
The Kinks
I listened to this a few months ago for the first time out of curiosity about the Kinks. I really only knew a few of the hits, but heard they were good so listened to a couple of their more highly esteemed albums. I kind of forgot about this after listening. On my second listen today, this really came off a pretty solid album. Five tracks in and they are all bangers, then it keeps on strong. Animal Farm is a great track. Too bad some of this stuff doesn’t get much radio play anymore, they kind of stayed underground I guess. Anyway, I’m glad this came up, and that I listened to it again, because I’ll probably come back to this one.
4
Apr 14 2025
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Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
The greatest funk soul album of all time.
I first heard of Curtis Mayfield from the Dead Presidents soundtrack, which was a solid intro into funk/soul when I was a teenager. Then my good buddy gave me a copy of this album on vinyl--each of his parents had one apparently, and his father had passed recently anyway. Solid gift from a great guy.
So where to start. I guess with the album itself--I'm not sure many new fans to this have heard of the movie first, but I later bought it on cheap VHS. The intro with the white caddy made that like a dream car for a while for me.
This album has absolutely everything. Hard social commentary, amazing music and great falsetto. The horns that Mayfield has are harder than almost anything short of Fela Kuti, and even that's debatle between legends. The percussion... basically this album's only weaker points are Cocaine, and even that song's grown on me. Pusherman, Little Child, Freddie's Dead--I have those on multiple playlists. In fact, nearly every song here is on a playlist somewhere.
I wish they never remade this movie, mostly because the remake has such a garbage soundtrack.
Clean 5/5 as one of top 5 soul albums of all time, and likely my GOAT.
5
Apr 15 2025
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Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
A classic album, both in execution and the back story behind its making. I remember watching the documentary about its making in a Latin American studies class in university. All these musicians, super popular decades before, were apparently working odd jobs to make ends meet before they were all brought together for this album. Given the fact that many hadn't been playing for so long adds to the timelessness of the sound. Almost like they picked up where they left off rather than having modernized over the decades.
Easy 5/5
5
Apr 16 2025
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O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
The OG of OGs. The originator OG. For some background, this album came out in 1991 when gangster rap had begun to pick up real steam for the past few years with groups like NWA, the Geto Boyz and others. But Ice T, along with Schooly D on the East Coast, were probably the the first two gangster rappers--the former with 6 in the Morning that was released in 1986. So half a decade later, this is Ice T declaring that he has always owned this shit. It's been a minute since I heard this album, but the stand out tracks are New Jack Hustler and the classic title song. But it stays consistent all the way through. Mind Over Matter, Mic Contact... classic. It's also probably the predecessor of metal rap, with the Body Count track.
4/5
4
Apr 17 2025
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Shalimar
Rahul Dev Burman
Bollywood movie soundtrack! Ok. Starts off with some chase scene type music then Indian Cha Cha Cha... Already know I'm in for a journey here. Sitar Cha Cha Cha that makes fun of itself. There are a lot of just orchestral tracks -- some very Ennio Morricone via Sergio Leone sounding -- and a few actual songs, which are pretty decent. But at the same time, I'm not sure how to rate this as it's way out of my experience. Naag Devta has some appeal. Baby Let's Dance Together is kind of funky. Not exactly full on Bollywood, some of these songs, which I guess is why it's unique in that genre?
3/5 because I don't know how else to compare this.
3
Apr 18 2025
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American Pie
Don McLean
I've never listened to this whole album, and probably really never another song besides the title track. My impression was McLean was a one-hit wonder. Listening to the album kind of confirms that, unfortunately. Basically there is the one song, then a bunch of whiny soft rock schlock. Not my scene. Winterwood is decent, I guess. I'd give this album a 1 out of 5 if it wasn't for the one classic track.
2/5
2
Apr 19 2025
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Red Headed Stranger
Willie Nelson
I'm not a Willie Nelson fan--he's typically too country for me. This one is a little better than most of his other stuff as it has a folkier feel. Probably still not something I'd go back to, but better than other Willie Nelson stuff I've heard, for sure.
3/5
3
Apr 20 2025
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Exit Planet Dust
The Chemical Brothers
This is a pretty industrial sounding techno album from back in the day. That being said, it still has groove. I'll always prefer Dig Your Own Hole to this one, but this still has its moments. Chico's Groove is the standout for me. Kind of has that slightly wistful sense that Chemical Brothers came to be in later albums.
3
Apr 21 2025
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Gorillaz
Gorillaz
I'm not super familiar with this album other than the Del track. Being more of a Del fan than a Blur fan, I kind of gravitate towards that side of things. Interesting that this album came to be in part due to Deltron 3030--a truly epic album I hope is on this list. And in some ways you can draw a direct line from Kool Keith's Dr. Octagon album to this project. There are definitely a lot of hiphop sensibilities beyond just the tracks with Del rapping on them here.
Anyway, all that being said, I've never really been a huge fan. Relistening doesn't really change my opinion on that. 3/5
3
Apr 22 2025
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Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
As well as I know most CCR singles, I'm not super familiar with their studio albums, so this is a great opportunity. Opens with a classic track, then followed by a great one I'd never heard in Bootleg. Third track a blue deep cut. Also Proud Mary, and a solid jam track to bring this short album to a close. Classic, short and sweet. Not a five but rounds up to a five.
4.5/5
5
Apr 23 2025
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Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Jurassic 5 is the classic answer to the terrible state of most commercial rap by the late 1990s/early 2000s, the so-called bling or jiggy era. These guys were underground, true to hiphop roots, and talented. I'm pretty familiar with Quality Control, but had never heard this album before--a definite oversight. Highlights for me on this first listen were I Am Someboy, and A Day at the Races--awesome to hear Percee P and Kane. Every rapper on that track goes hard, but man, Percee's flow and rhyme schemes... wicked posse cut.
Thin Line is the one track I think I've heard before, and a great beat. Chali 2na is on point rapping throughout with his distinctive delivery and baritone voice and some tracks showcase the wordplay of the other MCs. Full props for dropping the hilarious Kool Keith freestyle in the middle.
Anyway, there are definitely some filler tracks that could have been left off this album, but it's mostly pretty good all around. I'm not a huge J5 fan but always respected them.
Rounds up to a 4 probably. 3.7 or 3.8 in reality.
4
Apr 24 2025
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Berlin
Lou Reed
I used to have this idea about the kind of artist Lou Reed was based on some of the singles I'd heard before, then I heard Transformer and I was pretty sure that I mostly didn't like Lou Reed. Or at least at his albums were slow, depressing and boring.
This album has restored some faith. It's also depressing, of course--kind of Reed's vibe--but there is a lot of character here, and it doesn't get too cheesy like Transformer. I don't know any of the songs on this album, but it was a pleasant overall listen and concept album.
3/5
3
Apr 25 2025
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Take Me Apart
Kelela
Not really my style, but her voice has a hypnotic quality and the beats are pretty good. She doesn't delve into complete whining either like some divas. I'm not sure what else to say about this. 3/5
3
Apr 26 2025
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Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
Some of these tracks give me a Pink Floyd vibe, others something like a MGMT vibe. It's not unpleasant, and kind of a cool consistent vibe all the way through. Some psychedelia.
3.4/5
3
Apr 27 2025
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Another Green World
Brian Eno
As soon as I saw this I was like FML, another bloody Eno album in the same month. While that sentiment wasn't entirely proven wrong, this album is a little more palatable than Here Come the Warm Jets, which was a solid 1 star for me. This one is at least inoffensive ambient music with some weird ticks, which is a huge step up from the other one. Progress, right? I just read that this guy produced Bowie and U2 at some points. Well, to quote the poet and philosopher Oshea Jackson, "stick to producing." Two lofty stars, which is pretty solid for Eno.
2
Apr 28 2025
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Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Produced by Johnny Winter--now there's a name I haven't heard in a while. My dad used to have one of his albums on vinyl, and several Muddy Waters album. Anyway, this is solid blues. 4/5.
4
Apr 29 2025
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2112
Rush
I had a couple Rush albums back in the day, and always had an appreciation for this musicianship, but I'd never heard this album for whatever reason, or even most of the songs. It's a pretty solid rock album as a rock album, forming kind of a bridge to their earlier Zeppelin-esque sound and their later super synthy progressive stuff. I like it because it still has enough rocking in it. Geddy Lee is still on his shriek level on vocal delivery, which I kind of prefer to his later delivery. A Passage to Bangkok is sweet--love the riff. Slayer must have loved that song. Not so sure about Tears. 3.8/5, rounds up to 4 stars.
4
Apr 30 2025
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There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
I love Curtis Mayfield, but not super familiar with this album, so this is a great listen. It's certainly not up to the epic level of Superfly, but that's maybe the greatest funk/soul album of all time--it's incomparible. First two tracks are solid, and So in Love is a decent love track. The gospel track 4 is pretty iffy, but it's not bad musically, I guess. Just a little much for me. Hard Times is the standout track here--deep funky groove. Also the sample for a Ghostface or Raekwon track--I can't remember which "There's no love to be found..." Love to the People is a great finisher. All around short but sweet album.
4/5
4
May 01 2025
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Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
Have never really listened to her music, but this album is kind of cool in a unique, and different way. There are a lot of good tracks to listen to here, and this is something I'll probably listen to again. Solid songwriting here. 4/5
4
May 02 2025
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Talking Heads 77
Talking Heads
All I can think about when listening to these guys is Fred Armisten and Bill Hader's knock of in Documentary Now. What I didn't expect is that the the real band sounds even sillier than the mockumentary band. Really not my thing--I can't get over the goofy vocals. Not to mention the lyrics are stupid and nonsensical half the time, even on a rock level. And I don't love the music backing tracks, so it's not even like it's just the singer. As others have mentioned, Psycho Killer is the high point here. But not something I'd want to listen to more than once every half decade.
1/5
1
May 03 2025
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The Clash
The Clash
Lots of energy in this album, as you might expect. I haven't heard this album, just a couple of their later ones. This one seems more even on tone than the others. Kind of cool to see the reggae cover of Police and Thieves--punk and reggae were hand in hand right from the beginning I guess. 4/5
4
May 04 2025
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Entertainment
Gang Of Four
As soon as I saw this was post-punk, my eyes rolled back in my head because most things described as post punk end up being some nerdcore high synth new wave junk like the Talking Heads.
This is not that. This is really just punk. Or maybe a bridge between early punk wave and the skater punk of the early 90s. This is great album full of good tracks that I'll probably listen to again. 4/5.
4
May 05 2025
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The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
The loss of the World Trade Center on September 11 was terrible. But so is this album, for the most part. It almost just sounds like he's trying to stay relevant well into his career by doing a tribute album to the tragedy. Worlds Apart is pretty decent. But even at that point, I'm feeling like do I really have to listen to 8 more tracks? I just don't get the argument for including this album on this list--especially as I'm sure the list lacks of ton of great stuff 100% more deserving from anybody who isn't an absolute die-hard Springsteen fan. Seems like they included it out of a feeling of guilt--like "It's about 9/11 so we better include it." Anyway, there's a difference between dated and classic. He has older stuff that doesn't sound dated, but classic. This 2002 album sounds super dated. 1/5 not because it's as bad as some of the other art rock albums on this list, but because I see absolutely no reason it's relevant on any level.
1
May 06 2025
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I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Aretha Franklin
Seriously solid album. I've never heard a ton of Aretha beyond the few singles. This album starts off with the biggest of those. But there are a lot of good deep cuts here. Love Save Me especially. Love discovering Pete Rock samples by accident too, speaking of the latter track. 4/5
4
May 07 2025
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A Night At The Opera
Queen
Haven't heard this whole album, just the singles for the most part. The first track is a great progressive metal track though. And the album is mostly good into Seaside Rendezvous, a goofy lowpoint that singlehandedly is bad enought that it almost negates the positive impact of You're My Best Friend, if not Bohemian Rhapsody. Luckily things pick back up in The Prophet's Song, which is a solid one. Love of My Life is a little soft and whiny for me. Good Company is kind of a dumb song as well. Anyway, I'm not sure where this album stands among Queen's discography as I'm by no means a superfan, but I'm not sure it stands up as a truly great album, though its high points are certainly high. 3/5.
3
May 08 2025
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Synchronicity
The Police
The only track I recognized right away was Every Breath You take. Walking in your footsteps is alright, and O My God. King of Pain is probably my favourite track on this album. Murder by Numbers is OK. Otherwise I'm not really a huge fan of this. Not sure if it's just that I don't love the Police or that this isn't their best album--I don't mind Roxanne, Message in a Bottle etc. 3/5
3
May 09 2025
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The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
This is album is kind of a vibe. Not really my usual vibe by any means--I've tried to get down with country but can't. This is kind of like folk flirting with country though, so I can tolerate it. My mom really likes this kind of stuff, so it kind of reminds me of her music. I'm not sure that I can pick out any individual tracks, but the whole thing sounds pretty evenly done at least.
3/5
3
May 10 2025
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Disintegration
The Cure
This wasn't bad, but I actually enjoyed the other Cure album, Seventeen Seconds, a little more. First few songs were decent then it kind of sounded all the same. Not terrible, just not very interesting.
2
May 11 2025
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Moby Grape
Moby Grape
Cool album from a band I'd never heard. They certainly sound similar in some ways to early Jefferson Airplane, though the songs aren't quite as good it has that same early psychedelic rock feel. I'll probably give this one another try--there were certainly a few tracks I liked. A high 3.
3
May 12 2025
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Trio
Dolly Parton
I feel like I probably heard this as a kid since my mom listened to this stuff, but it's hard to tell these songs apart from just Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt solo. I tried to give this a chance in her honour, but this is all a little too croony and whiny for me for the most part. I don't feel a burning urge to feel lonesome. Little Darling is a solid solid though.
2
May 13 2025
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Odelay
Beck
A great album, and Beck's high point by a long shot, where the stars align on all the eclectic musical interests he has. The album isn't even of course--you wouldn't really expect a Beck album to be. Minus is a minus, for example, and High 5 is a little grating. But the high points of the singles--Devil's Haircut, New Pollution, and Where it's At--as well as deeper cuts like Hot Wax, Novocane and Jack-Ass, far outweigh the misses. 5/5
5
May 14 2025
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Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
I've only heard this album a couple of times and didn't remember it well. My problem with many of Stevie Wonder's albums is there are a handful of solid hard funk/soul then a lot of whiny songs that lack that hard funk edge. So most of the first disc doesn't suffer from that, it's best moments are transcendental--I Wish is my favourite, but Sir Duke and Pastime Paradise are obviously absolute classics as well. Have a talk with god isn't the kind of track you'd think would have a deep funk groove, but it definitely does. Second disc opens with a longer album version of single Isn't She Lovely which made me think my baby daughter was talking before I realized it was the track. Joy Inside My Tears... pretty whiney. Black Man is a solid funk track. Then the latter half of the second side gets a little slow for a while, with some high points. As is good, then Another Star solid.
4/5, would be a five if not for some filler--could have been shorter. Probably Stevie's best album.
4
May 15 2025
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Bridge Over Troubled Water
Simon & Garfunkel
Tons of hits on this album like Cecilia, The Boxer, and El Condor Pasa. There are also many slow points on this album--though I get Simon and Garfunkel are kind of known for being slow, you get what I mean. Keep the Customer Satisified is a pretty bad track, and the title track isn't great. In fact, outside of those three tracks, and maybe a couple other decent ones like Bye Bye Love, the album isn't stunning as a complete piece. Most of their albums are like this. It's just that those singles--especially Cecilia and the Boxer, are generational hits. 3/5.
3
May 16 2025
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The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
Among the two Lou Reed solo albums I've heard on this list--Berlin and Transformer, this is far super and much more listenable. Transformer was the worst, and Berlin was just kind of OK. It seems like the Velvet Underground somehow managed to rein in Reed's goofier and more "experimental" urges for the most part and just made low key soft rock that mostly works. The only song I'd heard before here was Pale Blue Eyes, but most of the rest is pretty even. I'm Set Free is a good track. Murder Mystery is a pretty good song, and something, randomly, that sounds like it would be a great System of the Down cover. 3/5
3
May 17 2025
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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
It's tough to see Kanye for what he was based on everything he's become. Kind of one of those situations where you hate the artist but can't hate the art. Anyway, this is definitely a great album, among his best--I don't listen to his albums enough to say for sure whether it's better than the three early albums. But it's solid all the way through. Beats are on point, he raps well. And his inner mania and psychosis doesn't get as annoying as it can be on other albums. But it's also the beginning of the end. It's not a clean 5/5 like some albums on this list I've rated, but it's close enough to round up.
5
May 18 2025
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Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
This is seriously an awesome album. I'd never heard of these guys, but definitely getting early Jefferson Airplane vibes in songs like Tam Lin as well as the lead singer's voice. There are also really cool folk elements throughout. This is definitely a complete album, and something I'll put on my list of stuff to go back to. That rare 5/5 that I'd never heard or even heard of.
5
May 19 2025
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Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs
Derek & The Dominos
I remember first listening to this whole album years ago after my dad played the title track for me, on vinyl. Back then, I didn't love a lot of the songs on this album, other than the obvious one. And I've tried again a couple times over the years, but still--it's just not there for me. I feel like the sound here isn't as groundbreaking as the Clapton's stuff in Cream, and the album overall isn't as good as Cream's best albums. A little too southern rock sounding perhaps. Some bland blues. Anyday has its moments and Tell the Truth, but Derek and the Dominos--taken as an entity--is really just a one hit wonder. His Little Wing cover should put people to rest on the fact that Hendrix is a better guitar player, but I suspect that argument will never die. 2/5 because I really can't justify the 3 even despite how good the title track is. This list is supposed to be about albums, not singles.
2
May 20 2025
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Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
I've never heard a full Elton John album, and this one is pretty good. Bennie and the Jets and Yellow Brick Road are classic hits. I literally didn't know the latter was Elton John. Anyway, aside from that much of this album is pretty rocking, and not as slow-paced as I imagined Elton John to be for some reason. The only real terrible song is Jamaica Jerk Off, which is not only goofy and bad but near offensively bad. 4/5 but I could see how fans of this era would give it a full five. It's a pretty complete album--my only qualm is I'm not fully into Elton John in general.
4
May 21 2025
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Penthouse And Pavement
Heaven 17
I've never heard of these guys, but this list seems to have every single synth pop album ever made while having nothing but a dim notion of genres like rap, so I guess that's not surprising. Anyway, it's weird as most synth bands are, and goofy, also like most synth bands. Not the worst synth pop album on this list--there is too much competition on the crap end of that formula--but pretty close to it. The first song is OK. Much of the rest sounds a little too heavy on the experimental side and low on the listenable side. Like "hey, we discovered electronic beeps and whizzes. Cool, let's put them all on the album at the same time." At least this album is short. 1/5
1
May 22 2025
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Truth And Soul
Fishbone
Sometimes it's hard to say why I don't like something but this really doesn't appeal to me. And it should, it's not like I dislike punkish ska and rock. It just seems all a little goofy for me. Like, too much of the goofy side of the 80s. I also like funk, but not cheesy 80s funk. Slow Bus Moving is kind of cool with the Clint Eastwood style. The last track, Change is pretty good as well. 2/5
2
May 23 2025
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Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
I typically hate country, so this review is going to be coloured by that. The first track has a nice jangle to it at least though, it isn't as soulless as most of the genre. I don't mind the slide guitar here and there, and the guitar work in general elevates this above your average country rock album though. 3/5
3
May 24 2025
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British Steel
Judas Priest
Starts off pretty high energy with Rapid Fire. Breaking the Law is a classic, obviously, probably the song I know best by JP. Well, and Living After Midnight. The singing on Grinder sounds like it inspired Dave Mustaine from Megadeth. This is probably one of those albums that will get better on subsequent listens, but not sure I love Judas Priest as much as some of the other OG metal bands. 3/5
3
May 28 2025
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Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
I don't know whether this is early emo, crossover punk or what. I can see why it would end up on this list as it's fairly experimental. Definitely seems to have made a lot of influence on 2000s rock bands. "You're still in a dream" seems to anticipate the Foo Fighters. All that being said, it isn't something super easy to listen to. Kind of grating at some points. Like the first track, where the weird noise seems off beat. "No More Sorry" and the next track after are like tripped out noise, Velvet Undergroundish. "Several Girls Galore" is a cool-sounding track. "You Never Should" is decent as well, also reminiscent of Foo Fighters--Dave Groll must have been a fan.
So I guess this is shoegaze music? Just learned about the existence of this trend. I don't really feel like I missed much there. That being said, it's a decent album. Better than some of the indie rock it seems to have inspired in the 2000s. It has a lot of energy at some points, and I guess that's something. 3/5
3