191
Albums Rated
3.5
Average Rating
18%
Complete
898 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Funk
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
33
5-Star Albums
4
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A Seat at the Table
Solange
|
5 | 3.01 | +1.99 |
|
The Scream
Siouxsie And The Banshees
|
5 | 3.04 | +1.96 |
|
The Colour Of Spring
Talk Talk
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Repeater
Fugazi
|
5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
|
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
|
5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
|
No Other
Gene Clark
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
|
Pink Flag
Wire
|
5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
|
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady
Charles Mingus
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Appetite For Destruction
Guns N' Roses
|
1 | 3.72 | -2.72 |
|
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.29 | -2.29 |
|
The Rising
Bruce Springsteen
|
1 | 3.05 | -2.05 |
|
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
|
2 | 3.82 | -1.82 |
|
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
|
2 | 3.74 | -1.74 |
|
Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
|
2 | 3.7 | -1.7 |
|
Follow The Leader
Korn
|
1 | 2.66 | -1.66 |
|
Hotel California
Eagles
|
2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
|
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
|
2 | 3.59 | -1.59 |
|
1984
Van Halen
|
2 | 3.5 | -1.5 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Miles Davis | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (33)
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Popular Reviews
Derek & The Dominos · 1 likes
2/5
Well it's right there in the album name, Layla...and other side pieces of songs. Crying on the floor? Check. In love with his best friend's woman? Check. Reading about Clapton's troubled life made more sense after listening to this.
I like Little Wing, but found out later it's a cover of a Jimi Hendrix song. It's still a good lead up to the iconic Layla. I felt like I had to wade through a lot to get to Layla, but by that time I was too broken, I was almost on my knees. The Layla guitar intro is so hype/Clapton's guitar work is great and almost picked me up though (hence a higher than 1 rating). This album would have been way more enjoyable as a transient live blues bar jam show.
Wire · 1 likes
5/5
After taking a "musicology of the 1970's" course in my senior year in undergrad, Wire became one of my favorite bands. I listened to Pink Flag on repeat back then. Now, more than a decade and many life transitions later, it's back. And it's amazing. I am in awe that this is their debut album, and that they paved their own genre of "post-punk" in the already nascent years of mainstream punk. This album is for professional haters who like their social commentary with a quick, rapid-fire bites of dry humor. And it's for haters of PDA/big displays of emotion/how modern society portrays romance sometimes.
There are no fillers here. Yes, all 21 tracks are masterpieces. Though short, each track is like fully submerging into a experimental ocean of sounds. I love the color and number motifs. And how some tracks just abruptly end when they reach a climax. Some favorites:
"Reuters" - a great intro to how dark and dry this album is. Great commentary on news/media and our attachment from atrocities/fall of humanity that we consume on our screens.
"Three Girl Rhumba" - one of the more fun songs with a cool progression. Feels like playing a game, magic trick, or trying to solve a Schrodinger's cat like puzzle, with all of it to just become chaos at the end.
"Pink Flag"/ "Commercial"/"Straight Line" - I like the sequence of these three tracks, with the title track describing a dire scifi level of destruction, followed by an instrumental jingle, then followed by a destruction of self and our carnality ("Brazil" is kind of like this too).
"Strange" - another silly song with a heavy crunchy guitar that REM expertly covered.
"Mannequin" - the ultimate hater song, but a good commentary of the lack of real substance that is pretty prevalent. Upbeat.
"Champs" - I like the driving guitars with a slight tinge of something scary around the corner. Lyrics can have meanings on many levels, including sports, living recklessly, or living with a need to win that can lead to death of self.
"Feeling Called Love" - a silly parody of love songs.
"12 X U" - very punk.
Ok, listening to this album led to a deep dive into all things Wire.
The Clash · 1 likes
5/5
I love this album, some of the tracks sound like 50's early rock (even album cover referencing Elvis amd the Clash's leather jackets are reminiscient of that style) but there are so many styles represented here, which show off how talented the band is. I like the combo of stacattos and legatos as how the other band members will weave in and out of vocals as they accompany Joe Strummer, along with the ad libs and random noises Joe make through the album.
This album is peak punk - there are no rules, a lot of free expression, anti-establishment, critical, and oh so catchy.
Favorites: Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermaket, Clampdown, Guns of Brixton (instrumentals are goofy for a serious topic), Death or Glory, I'm not Down, and Train in Vain.
Miles Davis · 1 likes
5/5
I wonder if this site is sentient and suggests albums that fit the season (I mean Norah Jones around Christmas??). This album is perfect for the holidays. Mostly because Kind of Blue is really that magical. I could listen to this on repeat. Thank you to this site for making it a weekend album.
The magic comes through in that similar to some great classical music, instruments here behave like characters in conversation, while also telling a story. But also, they set up the moods and rhythms that set the foundation for so much of modern music and what "cool" means. C'mon, this came out in the 50's! I was not a jazz band person (I was a snooty strings player), but I envied my brother and friends who played Miles Davis classics for their ensemble showcases. I wondered if they got "lost in the music" while playing as much as I would get lost while listening to them live.
1-Star Albums (4)
All Ratings
Arcade Fire
4/5
What a maximalist indie darling. Lots of nostalgia from high school days. Favorites are Neighborhood #3 and Wake Up.
John Lennon
2/5
This was not a smooth album for me, had to take multiple breaks. I suppose it's avant garde because of some of the discordant lofi guitar riffs and primal scream therapy? More like a high concept art project and not much substance aside from some of the mummy issues.
I can see why it's pivotal and gives insight into who John was, but not my fave. My favorites from John are when he goes into slightly more uplighting ballad mode, like "Love" or "God"
Van Morrison
3/5
I liked Van Morrison's voice and his homage to jazz/blues greats like Ray Charles, but the musical genre fusion and instrumentals really stood out the most. Overall, I enjoyed this!
Spacemen 3
2/5
Had never heard of this group before but I can see the threads of this album to the current indie lo fi scene. Definitely grew on me.
Supertramp
4/5
I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed this - actually had this on repeat and I only knew Supertramp by their three biggest hits before listening to this. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals, but it really worked with the desperation in some of the lyrics. I prefer this prog flavor of Supertramp, even with the pop piano and guitar flourishes. Favorites: "School", "Hide in your shell", and "Crime of the century." The title track is so timely and introspective, the sweeping melodies sound like a budding antihero growing out of the ashes, love it.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
sure, there are big hits here that are almost like cultural touchstones. but most of the album is nothing special compared to what actual blues artists create.
The Pretty Things
3/5
nice background prog rock listening. i especially enjoyed the riffs and the compositions of "Old Man Going" and "Lonliest Person"
Deep Purple
4/5
loved this proto-metal album. Child in Time stands out for guitar solo and the crazy vocal range in the "Ah-ahs", I find myself impersonating the Phantom as he commands Christine, "SING my angel of music" lol. knowing that the song is about the cold war and the BS of the time provides a smidge of comfort in tyring to understand today's nonsense.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
"Paint it black" and "Under my thumb" are my favorite RS songs (despite the second one's lyrics, and I love the La Roux cover) but most of the album frustrates me. "Stupid girl" gets too cruel and too stupid. Still, I like this album more than Let It Bleed.
Elbow
2/5
The album definitely feels cohesive and a single body of work with some nice instrumentals/strings (very 2000's indie style), but the minimal-range vocals and the plodding nature of the album don't do it for me. I found myself craving Lil Wayne for a weird reason. He released a much better album in the same year, but for some reason it's not on the 1001 albums list???
Slipknot
3/5
I liked this album more than expected (2.5 rounded up). I think it's because these guys are so dramatic and emotional, just so over the top in their expression. The beginning of the album starts out kind of rough, but then I start head banging? And then get emotional near the end?
Eminem
1/5
Sorry, but just no. I get that Slim Shady is like a dark urge alter ego and that Eminem is going for shock factor, but this made me want to throw up. I guess I'm Zoe. The one plus: It is cool to see him start blossoming into his angry boy rapping flow that made him so good, with the standout tracks of Just DGAF and Still DGAF.
Buena Vista Social Club
5/5
finally, music not centered in athe US or the UK. this is a delightful album where the artists not only show off their immense talent, but do it so casually that the music really does feel like hanging out at a club - either dancing, chatting with the locals, or in just soaking in the music.
Elliott Smith
4/5
this album brilliantly captured meloncholy and introspection and was huge for my teenage self. 3.5 rounded up
Christina Aguilera
4/5
Surprised by 1) how much I like this, though also not a surprise because Christina makes her own mark in R&B (and some rock too!); 2) the mention of Britney from track #1. Christina was always such an amzing vocalist but perhaps her style was not as mainstream/groundbreaking/diva-status. She definitely has some nice surprise tracks in here, and I love her vulnerability
Harry Nilsson
2/5
It's a nice album with the best "Without You" version. But mostly just ok generic rock to me, though the first track did make me think I was listening to the Annie soundtrack for a few seconds.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
A Tribe Called Quest really shows off their sample game here, with tracks that give a great, relaxed vibe while also rich in storytelling. I enjoy this a lot.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
isn't this what got him his pulitzer prize? it's deserved. kendrick truly is the goat. this album is a poster child of socially conscious and lyrical rap. the layers of meanings, the history lesson - not just in the lyrics, but also in the musical styles (jazz, parliament/funkadelic...)
i remember when this came out and i was in grad school, grinding away at literally grinding of metal to characterize. i listened to this during the late nights of this task, and listened on repeat because it took me time to understand his message. those were some of the grad school moments that i cherish.
DJ Shadow
3/5
I was not familiar with DJ Shadow, but his influence is obvious - there is crazy skill to the complex art form of DJing/mixing, and doing it well. "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" somehow hit me hard.
Devendra Banhart
2/5
I really looked up to Devendra as a young teen as a fellow mixed culture/multiracial kid. But that was with his later album, Cripple Crow, which is soooo much better. I did not like his singing here - there were some flourishes of beautiful guitar work, but the vocals/lyrics/guitar/composition did not connect.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
I appreciate the fusion of genres and how these guys are just jamming and having fun with their music. They almost have a defiant attitude in their approach to music, making them criminals I guess. And in this, they invite their listeners to join in the fun
Sebadoh
3/5
I wanted to quit while listening to the first track, "Soul and Fire", but the album progressively became more interesting to me. Not necessarily in bangers, but really how the tracks melded into each other with this underlying sad tone in both the singing and guitars.
Le Tigre
5/5
Really some fun, jump-on-the-bed head-banging riot grrrl punk that pokes jabs at yucky dudes (damn Giuliani, you have been a menace for how many decades??) and pays homage to legends and even childhood neighbors (Les and Ray) for helping Hanna and Le Tigre bring such a unique slice of women-led rock into the forefront. This album shows that riot grrrl is not just angry feminism, but can also be sensitive, snarky, energetic, and most of all, a pure delight.
Solange
5/5
this is a near perfect album for me. this album helped usher in a resurgence in r&b, which is doing so well now. solange has industry giants like lil wayne and q-tip on here, but i also love seeing a baby sampha. so many of the songs have beautiful melodies, are catchy in syrupy slow way, and have both introspective and social commentary. "cranes in the sky" is such a great calming anthem and escape for an anxious person trying to figure out their independence and identity out.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
Well it's right there in the album name, Layla...and other side pieces of songs. Crying on the floor? Check. In love with his best friend's woman? Check. Reading about Clapton's troubled life made more sense after listening to this.
I like Little Wing, but found out later it's a cover of a Jimi Hendrix song. It's still a good lead up to the iconic Layla. I felt like I had to wade through a lot to get to Layla, but by that time I was too broken, I was almost on my knees. The Layla guitar intro is so hype/Clapton's guitar work is great and almost picked me up though (hence a higher than 1 rating). This album would have been way more enjoyable as a transient live blues bar jam show.
Beatles
4/5
This album has it all - amazing instrumentals (strings, sitar, big brass band), themes of loneliness and death, and psychedelic whimsical jams. Also had no idea that Got to Get You Into My Life was not originally Earth, Wind, and Fire.
Big Star
4/5
It's cool to listen to the music that inspired REM and Replacements - the jangly rock that later groups just took to another level. I am happy to have been introduced to "The Ballad of El Goodo", "Thirteen", "Give Me Another Chance". and the "ST 100/6" outro.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Transcendent while also down to earth.
Ghostface Killah
4/5
Ghostface is one of the best rappers of his generation, I like his style of lyricism and how he uses his almost shouting voice as an integral instrument in itself, especially when he vocalizes the rhymes. There's great production here, with a great use of samples. Listening to Ne-yo in the collaboration in "Back Like That" was a nice throwback - they don't make hip hop/rap like this anymore. However, I see a lot of modern kpop groups emulate the formula that make "Back Like That" and "Be Easy" so great.
Black Sabbath
5/5
maybe it's because im listening to this >50 years after release, but it is a little corny for satanic proto metal, but the foundation is there and the riffs are iconic. i can listen to planet caravan on repeat for hours.
The Zombies
3/5
Solid psychedelic album with many forgettable tracks for me. But Time of the Season is just so good and oozes sexiness. I love the keyboard/organ solos especially.
Guided By Voices
2/5
I like the idea of this way more than actually listening to this.
The Band
2/5
Aside from a couple tracks, this was very meh. I wish Helm had vocals on more tracks, his twang was great on The Weight.
Wire
5/5
After taking a "musicology of the 1970's" course in my senior year in undergrad, Wire became one of my favorite bands. I listened to Pink Flag on repeat back then. Now, more than a decade and many life transitions later, it's back. And it's amazing. I am in awe that this is their debut album, and that they paved their own genre of "post-punk" in the already nascent years of mainstream punk. This album is for professional haters who like their social commentary with a quick, rapid-fire bites of dry humor. And it's for haters of PDA/big displays of emotion/how modern society portrays romance sometimes.
There are no fillers here. Yes, all 21 tracks are masterpieces. Though short, each track is like fully submerging into a experimental ocean of sounds. I love the color and number motifs. And how some tracks just abruptly end when they reach a climax. Some favorites:
"Reuters" - a great intro to how dark and dry this album is. Great commentary on news/media and our attachment from atrocities/fall of humanity that we consume on our screens.
"Three Girl Rhumba" - one of the more fun songs with a cool progression. Feels like playing a game, magic trick, or trying to solve a Schrodinger's cat like puzzle, with all of it to just become chaos at the end.
"Pink Flag"/ "Commercial"/"Straight Line" - I like the sequence of these three tracks, with the title track describing a dire scifi level of destruction, followed by an instrumental jingle, then followed by a destruction of self and our carnality ("Brazil" is kind of like this too).
"Strange" - another silly song with a heavy crunchy guitar that REM expertly covered.
"Mannequin" - the ultimate hater song, but a good commentary of the lack of real substance that is pretty prevalent. Upbeat.
"Champs" - I like the driving guitars with a slight tinge of something scary around the corner. Lyrics can have meanings on many levels, including sports, living recklessly, or living with a need to win that can lead to death of self.
"Feeling Called Love" - a silly parody of love songs.
"12 X U" - very punk.
Ok, listening to this album led to a deep dive into all things Wire.
Johnny Cash
3/5
There are some nice covers and originals here ("Hurt", "Give my love to Rose", "Personal Jesus"), but these are still not as good as the original NIN/Depeche Mode songs. Most of the album is Cash's signature deep but off-key voice singing mediocre covers.
Guns N' Roses
1/5
I think Cobain said it best when he said that GNR had very little substance under maximalist hard rock. The legacy of this album is now captured in obnoxious and cheeky Marvel and Marvel-like movies.
Van Halen
2/5
Definitely better than the GNR cock rock, mostly for Eddie Van Halen's guitar wizardry and the group's maximalist style that fused a lot of the burgeouning pop and rock styles of the time - synths, riffs, big hair. But similar to GNR, lack of substance.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Whew, what a stormy quiet storm. There is clear turmoil here layered in some smooth jazz and soul. I love "Sparrow".
Otis Redding
5/5
At first, I was like, Oh no, another album of mostly covers (I was not a fan of Cash's album of mostly covers), but Otis Redding really brought something fresh and so dynamic to this music, ironically helped usher in our new understanding of soul music with older songs. I love the emotionally regulating trumpets and instrumentals that complement his voice.
Funkadelic
5/5
This is peak P-Funk and a great companion to Mothership Connection. The album gives this energy of a collective with a clear vision of afro-futurism and unity. I would give anything to see the shows of that time, where yes, they were scat-obsessed even on stage (one of their guitarists, Shider, would only wear an oversized diaper), and even though Parliament/Funkadelic/George Clinton still perform live, it is not the same, and they are a bit SCAT(tered) in their booking and cancelling of venues (I have some recent experience tyring to go).
Though some of the ideas seem outrageous and maybe just a shallow groovefest, there is a deeper sense of a connection of waste/rotting away and the earth. Maggot Brain (Hazel's guitar solo!!!) is my most favorite P-Funk output ever, and it is nice they included a live version on this album, along with "Think, it ain't illegal yet". When will we unite in our fun, sometimes outlandish/poopy ways, and rise up to the system that doesn't want us to think critically anymore?
Common
4/5
Imagine you're a Chicago-area kid in the fall of 2005, sitting in homeroom, and the school is lit with energy. The White Sox just won the World Series, the ladybugs are clinging to the corners of the classroom ceiling, and Common's GO! is breezing through the radio waves while autumn air breezes through the window crack. The homeroom teacher pretending they do not hear the song lyrics. The other kids chatting about out how Kanye is about to the greatest rapper ever. And even though we are north of the city, some kids pretending they have street cred because they have family in the Southside.
Common brought poetry, Kanye production, and that amazing intro bassline to a great album that gives walking on autumn leaves in the beautiful windy city energy.
Black Flag
4/5
I only knew Black Flag through "Black Coffee", an anthem for my drug of choice. But instead of fun, biting punk, this is more depressing, introspective, and angry - the chaotic and discordant instrumentals reflecting the torture in the mind and soul. It's taking hard rock and punk, and stripping it down to - tell us how you really feel, which can feel angry sometimes. the TV song has analogies to my favorite Pink Flag, but I like raw this whole thing is.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Eagles
2/5
They are technically skilled, and the highlights for me are the times the guitars duel, like at the end of Hotel California. But everything screams corniness for me. I prefer more punk-laden social commentary, not this.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
What gorgeous textures, instrumentals layered upon each other, melding into a funky jazz. Some instruments stretched and taken to layers I didn't know were possible, like the blowing into beer bottles with a groovy bass/ drums on top in "Watermelon Man", sounding like velvet weaving through lace. I'm definitely adding this to my music to listen to while writing playlist.
Anthrax
3/5
I enjoyed this way more than expected. Lots of 80's music had this weird dichotomy of going hard but also being cheesy? In general, I love the drama that thrash metal brings, and Anthrax brought it.
Faves: "A Skeleton in the Closet" - what a crazy story and guitar solos
"Indians" - good reminder of what America is really like, especially in light of Reagan politics of the time
"Imitation of Life" - I enjoyed the screams, and I too hate plastic people, but it's too late, we are all made of micro-plastics at this point
The Soft Boys
3/5
Wow that took awhile. This definitely grew on me. I think I would appreciate the album more and the multiple versions of the same song with more listens. This is a nice change of pace from boys that really try to go hard. Really somewhere between a 3 and 4.
Steely Dan
3/5
Overall, I enjoyed this, it was easy-listening soft rock. There were some interesting instrumentals here, like the intro flapamba in "Rikki" and the cover of Duke Ellington's "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo", relying on guitar wah-wahs instead of a brass section. Perhaps most of the tracks were a little too soft-rock/clean, everything was a nice mainstream neat package.
Nick Drake
5/5
"Please, give me a second grace. Please, give me a second face."
Belle and Sebastian got me through some depressive high school times, but I was not aware of Nick Drake, even though he did this 20+ years before Belle and Sebastian (and his music is all over TV/film). This was a lovely album, very pretty in the instrumentals, but not overly twee. This is one of those albums that would be great for a road trip through gorgeous forests/mountains while pondering life.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
No one can sing like Joni Mitchell - she has such a unique style that is difficult to replicate, and she has some interesting stories/poetry in her lyrics. I enjoyed the build up in the title track, and how the whole album feels so 70s. But, it's a bit rambly.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I like this album slightly more than yesterday's Court and Spark for its heavier jazz composition. I respect Joni Mitchell's songwriting and genius, but for some reason, there's a barrier somewhere in which I just cannot resonate with her music as much as I want to.
Frank Ocean
5/5
I do recognize that I have a strong bias for albums that came out during my formative years, in this case, my early 20's, and that I may associate big life transitions and emotional rollercoasters to these albums, but danggit, Channel Orange did capture that for me back in 2012. The lyrics of unrequited love, turmoil in love, or the hypocrisy of the wealthy, all backed by some funky synths - all changed the r&b game and I loved it.
"Thinkin Bout You" is sad and lovely, and such a classic, but my favorite is "Pyramids." I remember listening to this for the first time while driving in Cincinnati summer, and just going "whoa" during the mid-song transition.
Supergrass
4/5
James Brown
3/5
It's difficult to deny the charisma and influence James Brown had, as evidenced by the screams in the audience (like how he croons "I believe somebody out here love someone" and someone shouts back "Yeah, YOU!!"). This album and live show set him up for his huge huge hits in the 70s which are pretty ubitiquitous by now. I see this album as a preview to those.
And I'm sure this is like half of the artists on this list, but Brown was also a known abuser. It's unfortunate that he used his talent and fame to take advantage of the many women in his life.
Korn
1/5
I usually love some nu metal, but this was difficult to get through.
Pantera
2/5
The album is mostly a snoozefest, even when trying to be loud and in your face. There are some interesting ideas here in the lyrics.
The xx
3/5
This one is tough because on any other day, this would be a 5/5 (including when the album first came out and Intro was mindblowing to listen to), but for some reason my brain registers these specific soundwaves as void of emotion, too simplistic, and annoyed at the guy's singing voice for sounding too much like a weed addict bum ex.
Patti Smith
4/5
This is nearly perfect for me, from the album art to Patti Smith's unique voice and poetry throughout. I adore the intro "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine" and how Patti Smith puts care and emotion into every syllable she sings. "Free Money" is devastating. I can see how she inspired atmospheric and more lyrically complex punk/indie/alt rock musicians that followed her. 4.5 rounded down but really can go either way.
U2
3/5
U2 has an impressive discography - so many hits! This album solidifies their position in mainstream, very popular (like selling out arena) rock, and I don't see how that moves the needle. Sure, there are catchy songs, but also kind of commercial and mediocre.
Marty Robbins
3/5
Marty has an angelic voice, but some of these tracks are straight from real hell, like "160 acres" or "strawberry roan", which have that creepy obnoxious cadence that "happy" by pharrell williams has (goddamnit i hate that song).
Some pluses: has some nice lyrical storytelling, I like the background vocals (especially that bass voice), and there are some nice, less creepy (more sad) songs, like Big Iron and El Paso. I can see the clear influence Marty has had on country and culture today (including obsession with guns?).
Death In Vegas
3/5
I really like the atmospheric and hazy sounds here, especially in Dirge and Aisha. Some other tracks don't add much or kind of drag though.
The Clash
5/5
I love this album, some of the tracks sound like 50's early rock (even album cover referencing Elvis amd the Clash's leather jackets are reminiscient of that style) but there are so many styles represented here, which show off how talented the band is. I like the combo of stacattos and legatos as how the other band members will weave in and out of vocals as they accompany Joe Strummer, along with the ad libs and random noises Joe make through the album.
This album is peak punk - there are no rules, a lot of free expression, anti-establishment, critical, and oh so catchy.
Favorites: Spanish Bombs, Lost in the Supermaket, Clampdown, Guns of Brixton (instrumentals are goofy for a serious topic), Death or Glory, I'm not Down, and Train in Vain.
Beatles
3/5
3/5 but still a great Beatles album, especially the first 3-4 tracks, which are Lennon-McCartney originals. I love the youthful excitement in "It Won't Be Long" and "All My Loving" and the pretty sustained vocalizations in "All I've Got to Do". Almost half of the album is covers - was that a normal thing of the time? And mostly Motown covers, where the originals are much better imo. I think this shows how much Motown has influenced the Beatles and helped propel them into stardom in their early careers. Even "All I've Got to Do" is very Smokey Robinson coded, and it works. Unfortunately, the later part of the album runs out of that steam.
Even with their Motown covers, I can see how fans went crazy for the Beatles. They are so charming here and just so innocent and simple in their emotional lyrics.
Violent Femmes
3/5
There's some great stuff here musically, 3.5 rounded down. I like the raw teenager energy and some of the guitar work. "To the Kill" is a beautiful song and I'm glad 1001 albums introduced this to me. Though I like the youthful energy, some of that may be revealed in the lyrics though in a negative way - side eyeing the lyrics in "Gimme The Car." "Add it Up" is similar, but it makes up for it with the raw chorus "Dayyyy after dayyyyy...".
Sly & The Family Stone
4/5
Sly and the Family Stone were integral to funk music - melding more rock and large ensemble sensibilities with funk, bringing this into the forefront of the mainstream - songs or parts of songs from "I Want to Take You Higher", "Everyday People", and the "yeah yeah yeah yeahs" intro from "Sing a Simple Song" are pretty ubitiquous in modern music of all genres. So many artists have rushed to cover these songs.
The band and their tracks showcase their idealism for unity and integration - from being one of the very first integrated bands with a black lead to their songs calling for acceptance in "Everyday People", though this idealism isn't exactly naive - there's snark in "Don't Call Me N****" and "Somebody's Watching You."
Maybe it was childlike optimism to love "Everyday People" so much when I was younger, back when I firmly believed all people had some goodness and common ground. Even the lyrics and the cadence of "There is a blue one that can't accept the green one...Scooby Dooby Doo" sounds kind of childish. I still adore this song and its message, maybe I need more of this outlook these days.
Sly himself is a very interesting figurehead who evolved in his outlook and musical style - I can't wait for the band's next album to appear on this list.
The Band
3/5
There were more interesting notes and lyrics in this one compared to Big Pink, hence the 3 (compared to 2 for BP). I guess it's a win that this project made me like The Band incrementally more, but I still don't like them like that.
Napalm Death
3/5
Going into the album: the album art is scary, will I like this?
First ten seconds: Hmm, interesting drum setup.
Next ten seconds: What in Satan's name is this? He's chanting a curse isn't he? I'm legit scared, gonna hit that pause button and play some electropop instead.
Ten hours later, I finally go through the album. I respect it and their deconstruction of what makes music music. I like the low, rumbling guitar work in some tracks, like "Scum", "Siege of Power", and "M.A.D", and especially the last few seconds of the entire album in "Dragnet". They're weirdly calming, like a massaging of the deep recesses of the brain. I'm still a little scared though.
5/5
The Temptations
4/5
It's difficult to give Motown, let alone The Temptations, below a 4 or 5. They all interwove their huge range of voices so seamlessly. This is after they removed the talented but very abusive and troubled David Ruffin (he is mostly responsible for Tami Terrell's death, the young duet partner and friend to Marvin Gaye). 1969 was a huge transition year in many different ways, and it was musically for The Temptations as well. They start sprinkling in the funk/rock in this album and began to really think about what kind of message and music they want to put out there.
I'm not super fond of the long "Runaway Child" but I can hear the seeds planted for some of my favorite Temptations, like "Ball of Confusion" and the masterpiece "Papa was a Rollin' Stone", so I appreciate the album as a stepping stone to those.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
There are so many huge hits here, and the album is almost flawless. The track "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was used a lot in various forms at church growing up, and reading about gospel as its inspiration makes sense. I love "El Condor Pasa", though similarly, that is also ripped off Peruvian musicians. I suppose impactful folk music always has its predecessors and inspiration to get there. The highlights are the true Simon originals of "The Boxer" and "The Only Living Boy in New York".
4.5 but there's something about Garfunkel's and Simon's vocals, though beautiful, that doesn't resonate with me as much I would like, similar to Joni Mitchell.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
The middle school level graphic design of the album cover should have been the first sign that I wasn't going to enjoy this that much
2/5
I like Loretta's voice and how some huskiness comes out in the vocals. But hoo boy, the instrumentals are uninspiring and the lyrics are just toxic.
The Doors
5/5
ZZ Top
3/5
There is some cool technical guitar work with synths overlaid (very 80s). But the subject matter/lyrics just have the same ol same ol "lusting after hot woman" theme that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, just live tv dinners do. "Legs" is actually one of the more respectful ones and has my favorite instrumentals.
William Orbit
3/5
This was difficult to finish as a casual listener. But, there were a few things I respect here and kind of have this nostalgia for, even though I was too young to register much in 1993:
1) playing around with trance music and sounds, though they don't seem super polished - but I think it was on its way there.
2) how this album is so 90s and so of its time. there's like this leather-jacket club (with no phones) sexiness and simplicity to it. just like kraftwerk's synths were just so cool back in the 70s, the industrial sounds in this album kind of harken to a nihilism about society and work in the 90s.
Fugazi
5/5
The Smiths
4/5
I forgot how pretty and emotionally devastating the Smiths/Morrissey could be. But it can get a bit too much - especially with the "Meat is Murder" track - I suppose it's effective. I also didn't realize how amazing the guitar/bass work is here. 3.5 rounded up.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
such a gorgeous album, and just seems more expansive than the previous day's Smiths' album, which I thought was also very pretty, but in a different way.
Beck
3/5
plus: guitar work that ranges from rumbling bass+melodic high notes to all surrounding soundscapes.
minus: im not a big fan of Beck's voice and his forced nonchalance sometimes
Dagmar Krause
3/5
ok, this is different. kind of bizarre and scary, but I respect it. I don't think I know of what cabaret music is outside of the Broadway musical, so this definitely helps give a sense of wtf it is from someone who composed this generations before.
Gene Clark
5/5
I thought this was a gorgeous album. When I first saw "country" and a monosyllable artist name that I hadn't heard of, I admit I went in not expecting much. But I was pleasantly surprised by the existential and psychedelic lyrics and melodies.
Television
4/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the guitar riffs and drums in this one
ABBA
4/5
Some great pop classics. 3.5.
Big Black
4/5
At first, I thought this was pretty grating. But then, the words they chose in their deconstructed tracks kind of drew me in, and in a strange way, this album was a relief from the very pretty and poppy albums from earlier in the week.
Also, they formed in my hometown - Steve Albini was huge in the Chicago area as an audio engineer and recently passed away, which was all over the Chicago news at the time. It is kind of mind blowing that this grating, but transcendent? piece of art was released in the mid-80s and that they probably attended college with my dad, a guy who thought he was already so counter-culture by adoring classic rock and emotionally-charged music. I think this album is the white noise refuge from all of that, it's that underground underground, and I am thankful I learned more about this group and Steve.
New Order
3/5
Look, I love New Order and new wave in general. But I oscillated constantly between these two states:
1) when the hard-hitting synths played: locking eyes with a mysterious hot stranger across the night club as the teal/pink lights flicker, what a vibe. Perfect Kiss is fun like that, including the froggy sounds.
to
2) as soon as the vocalist Bernard...vocalizes?, especially way out of his range (think of like 1:40 in Face Up), I just shrivel inside. No more hot mysterious stranger. More like embarrasing overly obnoxious cousin. It does seem like he finds his suitable vocal range (and/or just improves) in later albums.
Brian Wilson
3/5
the album is overall pleasant, reminds me of church at times. it's alright.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
one of the GOATs
The Strokes
4/5
so many fun tracks, love the spunky guitar
The Pogues
3/5
im brand new to this group, and enjoyed most of the album, but found it dragged most of the time. i see this as an album that could really grow on me with more listens - there's a lot of heart.
Marilyn Manson
2/5
2.5. there is some enjoyable swarmy devilish music here but it's also this guy
TV On The Radio
4/5
I adore TV on the Radio for contributing to and continuing art/math rock. "Staring at the Sun" is definitely the highlight here.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I remember watching the live verson (and the Hollywoodized version) of this, and wow, Cash has such stage presence and performing in a prison lets you sing about the most depraved topics.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Kraftwerk
4/5
It's really cool to see how Kraftwerk's industrial and electronic sounds have helped shape the so much of today's music - the synthy pop, atmospheric rock, industrial metal, and probably way more. I love their haunting sounds. Are they human or are they machine? Either way, very European.
Aerosmith
3/5
it's solid rock
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
The album cover reminded me of a fantasy novel, bringing me into a musical rendition of grief that sounded pretty magical.
The Offspring
4/5
I see Offspring as more punk pop, not really punk, but yes, it's catchy. I prefer their sound in later years and this album kind of wavers into just white noise for me at times.
But, "Self Esteem" is on here, and that is such a classic. Just the title already captures so much of that teenage angst, but then there's the guitar riff/wah/las that open up the track, and then driving bass that is keeping it all together. And then the key change/bridge section. The lyrics "The more you suffer, the more it shows you really care. Right?" are universally felt too.
There is also some interesting jamming going on in the last track that I appreciate.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
Yes, the guitarist is one of the best alive. But I cannot stand the lead singer's vocals.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Sheryl Crow
2/5
wow, this got me into a deep dive of the controversey surrounding the album and the credits, which made me sideeye Sheryl Crow a bit. favorite track is "Strong Enough" but even that is a bit mid
The The
3/5
very zany, very much of its time, reminds of musical theater. very unique. 3.5 rounded down
Miles Davis
4/5
This got me reading up on the origins of the slang, "cool", which is attributed to 1940s jazz. This album sett a milestone for the specific genre of "cool jazz."
Tt's interesting to listen to the albums that precede an artist's magnum opus (in this case, Davis' Kind of Blue), as you can see the toeing the line of classical music (and though relaxed, cool jazz has the seriousness of classical) and something else, something new - that though there are intricacies in the composition, there is more improvisation, and at times, more emotion. I see Davis buliding the foundation for these complexities and emotions in this album.
Perfect for sipping a coffee to, writing to, or just daydreaming to.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Blue Suede Shoes was the only track I enjoyed. I don't like his voice in general.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Nothing was that memorable (or new) in this album, but I'm grateful because 1) I didn't really know about Dusty before this, love learning about lesbian icons; 2) She really does have an amazing voice
Madonna
4/5
Like A Prayer is so good, along with some great pop bangers. There are also a lot of duds. 3.5 rounded up.
Gram Parsons
4/5
I enjoyed this more than I thought. I really enjoyed the duets with Emmylou, what a legend. The Love Hurts rendition hit all the right tones for me.
Wilco
5/5
wonderful revisiting this after many years. a great chicago band with great chicago album art, and obvsiously american. I used to tear up during Jesus Etc, and now that im older with a hardened heart, I can feel the song massaging the parts that haven't been so embrittled.
Jack White
3/5
The Byrds
2/5
The Bees
4/5
I enjoyed this, a nice meld of psychedlic and jazz. did anything really stand out? not really, but there is a place for effective background/mood-setting music, and this helped me with some work.
50 Cent
3/5
"In Da Club" dominated airwaves and the clubs, and only after careful listens, I realize how much contempt 50 Cent has for women in his music (and this was used well in the recent Anatomy of a Fall, where "P.I.M.P." is a a huge part of the story). Still, this was such a staple of the millenial party scene, with danceable and kind of spooky beats that made hip hop so mainstream (and admittedly, kind of dull in some ways, later on).
Nas
4/5
"I never sleep, 'cause sleep is the cousin of death". Oh wow, this album feels like a movie, or at least an excellent soundtrack to a movie, where NYC becomes pretty vivid through the beats, samples, and lyrics. I only knew of "NY State of Mind" coming into this, but was nicely suprised by the other tracks, like I enjoyed "The World is Yours".
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
this was a hoot.
Grateful Dead
3/5
this was one of the most middle of the road, non controversial album i have heard on this list so far. this band even states they used the crosby stills nash young formula to sound good. the jams must sound amazing live because i don't the deadhead fervor, sorry
Black Sabbath
4/5
i rated paranoid a 5/5, and this was close - if anything, this excellent debut album could walk so paranoid could run.
Motörhead
2/5
i hate to admit, but i had a teeny tiny bit of fun with this, while alternating with a stank face (+1) for teeny tiny bit of fun.
to add to comment from tom about the general horniness - i have seen this nastiness prevail among a group of former coworkers who are motorhead fans. i think we can separate artist from art or fans from the art's message a lot of time, but seeing this firsthand gives me a nudge to think otherwise sometimes.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
a nice listening album, though nothing really stood out. solid solid stones. 3.5 rounded up.
Tears For Fears
5/5
Ok, this is going to be a long one.
As someone born after this album, their huge hits were more of the background sounds buried into my recesses of my brain as a child. That is, until I was about I was 13/14 years old and as a kid typically does while staying up late, came across the infomercials for music compilations, and in this case, 80's hits. The thing is, these infomercials included music video clips, and when I saw 1985 Roland Orzabal with his single earring and mullet sing "Shout" into the English coast with an angsty expression, I became OBSESSED. I was that weird girl who became a rabid STAN for TFF (this rabidness resurged for Kpop in much later years) that I followed message boards, watched all their live recordings online, and even subjected my classmates to the ~7 minutes of "Shout" during open music exercise time in PE.
Roland and Curt were really troubled kids who experienced childhood abuse. Music, along with Janov psychology, was a type of therapy for them, and though there is the poppy synth-heavy 80s sheen in their music, there's the underlying layer of darkness and sadness. Their debut album, The Hurting, does this so well, especially for their trippy song "Mad World" (1983 Roland is so hot in that MV btw). The Hurting set up TFF as cryboys where a lot of the focus was their own trauma, but Songs from the Big Chair set them up as 80s pop idols - they took these ideas along with bigger ideas - nature of the human condition, the root sin of the Cold War, etc. Along with some great synth beats, guitar riffs, and drum kicks, they gave us some of the best pop songs of the 80s, song we could relate to.
Sure, "Shout", "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," and the perfect pop song, "Head Over Heels" are the heavy hitters, but there are no fillers here. I like how "Broken" seamlessly moves onto "Heads Over Heels", and all the tracks are connected - whether they are lound proclamations, or more quiet, subdued reflections. All of this to say that I am definitely still head over heels for TFF.
Supergrass
4/5
I enjoyed this, felt more snappy and polished than I Should Coco. I'm not sure if I would listen to any of these tracks in isolation - they really work as a cohesive album.
Massive Attack
3/5
did not include their big hit, but the album was still a nice ambient listen
Sex Pistols
5/5
this shows you don't have to be formally trained in music, but the overall energy and message can produce a 5/5 record. the edginess and questioning of norms from one of punk's most high profile groups have influenced generations, though (i know i sound like a boomer here) - are there any new voices in today's music punching up and defiling authority? can we get them to be as famous as the sex pistols?
Dire Straits
2/5
This is a 2.5 for me, there's undeniable talent, and but song really feels like it's shoehorning its way into the 80s aesthetic while still trying to claim it's real rock n roll. I like their rock from the 70s a lot more. I enjoyed "Money for Nothing" when I was a kid (without really knowing the lyrics) but now it's just, wow you really thought you had something deep to say here, huh.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Pink Floyd is made for this 1001 albums list - they are a concept album band, though some of the singular songs stand out, like "Wish You Were Here". I'm partial to the sleaziness and rollicking guitars, as well as the portrayal of greedy corporate sellouts in "Have a Cigar"
Iron Maiden
4/5
Found myself head banging to this one. Favorite track was "Remember Tomorrow" and made me realize that a lot of 70s/80s are the other side of the coin of schmatlzy ballads - they are essentially ballads that go hard, and I love that.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
I agree that DateRape song is weird, but the rest of the album really feels like the 90s in a wholesome way. They still excel with the sampling and the lyricism in this album. 3.5 rounded up
David Bowie
3/5
Huh, this was one of the Bowie personas I was not familiar with. Even based on the title and the tracks, seems like this is a transitional album into his later era. I was hoping that loving 2001's Knight's Tale (RIP Heath) would have me loving "Golden Years" again, but it was not as sparkly this time in the context of listening to the entire album. I get that Bowie was super prolific, but he always had a large team behind him and I feel like he would do covers as filler tracks, like "Wild is the Wind", which is ok, but I don't think does justice to Nina Simone's original.
Speaking of, how is this our group's FOURTH Bowie album but we haven't been graced with Nina Simone yet???!!
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
I'm not very familiar with Nick Cave (though I adore PJ Harvey), but I enjoyed this mythical, dark, and emotionally-charged album that has a mix of holy anger and profound misery.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
It's difficult to review this one objectively. As a teen coming to grips with faith, I resonated deeply with Sufjan's music. Illinois has everything: coming to age ballads, Illinois-based trivia (and not just fun facts from Chicago, either, but of the entire state), and the questioning of faith and maybe who we are at our core. The album balances whimsy with a strange sadness that sounds like Sufjan is about to break down weeping at any moment.
4/5
This was fun, and I always appreciate Harrison squeezing his sitar revelations into Beatles albums
Genesis
3/5
This was a bit exhausting to get through. I initially opened the "Deluxe" version, which was almost 4 hours and was like hell no. But the original at about 1.5 hours was doable. There are some gorgeous songs here that exhibit prog rock well, with experimental and ambient songs in the mix with long guitar solos. My fave was "The Colony of Slippermen"
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
It drones a bit, but I enjoyed this debut, and in general really like The Chemical Brothers.
Moby
4/5
Excellent just for a lot of the sample choice alone, highlighting some great blues classics.
Elton John
2/5
Elton John made some nice pop music. But I find I find the full albums a little bland and not pushing any needle whatsoever.
Green Day
4/5
Just such a fun punk album all around
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
it's pleasant in a somewhat cheesy way.
Pixies
5/5
One of the best results of the 80's and I love Kim Deal's artistry on the bass.
Einstürzende Neubauten
3/5
most of this felt like I was just immersing myself into the tonal intricacies of my neighborhood construction zone, but I appreciate what was trying to be done here with industrial "rock". I actually liked the title track.
Paul Simon
3/5
he does a great job taking "world music" and making it feel-good dad rock, but why do i always see allegations of plagiarism when i read about an album he was part of? hmmm. it's clear that if he didn't have the spice of his collaborators, he would be left with something bland.
Deep Purple
3/5
The guitar riffs really save this album.
Because yeah, how are you going to sing about how a woman's value is tied to her hotness and compare her to a car, to just feel sad later in like half the album because she left you? Dude.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
I'm good with just Come On Eileen.
The National
4/5
Ohio represent! The National has some lovely guitar work that meshes well with the depressed, but hopeful vocals
Talk Talk
5/5
First, I adore Talk Talk. It's not on this album, but they have one of the best songs to come from the 80's - "This is My Life", which captures desperation and raw emotion in the vocals and instrumentals. They are mosty regular family guys who liked making music, had music videos that featured wildlife documentaries, and later on let go of what was popular to go all in with the experimental/art rock route. Oh, and I love the artist for all of their album covers. All of their album art gives a sense of nostalgia, though I wasn't even alive for much of their musical career.
In this album though, they really set themselves apart from their previous new wave/synth/new rom musical roots and from the many other bands in this genre. Here, they removed all synths. Many of the singing feels like diary entry narration and does feel like a new beginning, or a new spring. Letting go of synths, letting go of 80s trends, letting go of your old self - to finally learn and lean into who you really are. And now, let's take life by the horns ("Life's What You Make It").
My favorite track is "April 5th." I love the mystery and subdued nature. So pretty when Hollis goes high. This track and "Chameleon Day" are sneak peaks to their more experimental music work. I love how Talk Talk is inspired by the books and philosophers they read, with themes of existentialism and transcedentalism in a lot of their music, like "Living in Another World." My second favorite track is "Give It Up", with the organs and earnestness in Hollis' voice. And then there's some interesting spiritual stuff that I don't quite understand? With the religious musical overtones (organ) and the track of "I Don't Believe in You", etc.
Such a Shame this band is not as big or recognized as they should be (RIP Mark Hollis).
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
Sonic Youth
4/5
I really enjoy this, there is a sense of envelopment and taking up of space.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I used to adore this concept album but maybe I'm a little more jaded and I don't appreciate the dreaminess here as much.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
this is a chill soul album. "son of a preacher man" is a classic but overall this track and the rest of the album are a bit dull.
Ian Dury
2/5
This is not a family friendly listen for Thanksgiving, that's for sure.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
Not the biggest fan of the drawling and monotone vocals, but I appreciate Rufus' lyricism and guitar work.
Van Halen
3/5
Van Halen is so talented and a bit before their time, but the style is not my cup of tea
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Smashing Pumpkins and Billy Corgan's voice is best when it gets scary, dark, and goes hard/heavy like a creepy outsider punk. So about half of this album is works (Zero, Bullet with Butterfly Wings, Where Boys Fear to Tread, XYU - and not in this album but I love their Batman and Robin music) but I don't care for the lighter songs, though the instrumentals can be nice and they have been so influential. 3.5 rounded up.
King Crimson
5/5
They gave us prog rock and helped usher in my favorite (and I think most interesting) decade of music (70s) in their influence
The Beach Boys
3/5
I have always enjoyed the Beach Boys for their harmonies and jangles, and I like how this sunny concept album still has an undertone of sadness. Important album, but not something I can listen for leisure. 3.5
Gorillaz
3/5
having a virtual identity, all the concept art, the mix of britpop and hiphop, gorillaz is overall really cool. 3.5. looking forward to Demon Days if that's on the list.
4/5
Have never heard of this band before, but was pleasantly surprised. First listen - ok interesting, but it's another 60s/70s rock band, whatever....then did more listens and grew to really enjoy this. I like the mix of folksy rock/prog rock in the ominous Natures Way, and the brass and vocals in Mr. Skin. I'm grateful for this list when it introduces albums I would not have otherwise listened to!!
Can
4/5
First few seconds: feels a bit clunky, instrumentals feel disconnected
After a couple minutes: Actually, I quite like this. Everything is coalescing and sucking you in a sonic hypnosis.
The first few tracks: I am feeling more and more connected to this album. "Oh Yeah" has a sadness and depth I can't put my finger on, and the rhythm sections of the tracks just get better and better. From the description, I know that this is German in origin, but the nature of the music and vocals make it difficult to pinpoint the roots - the vocalist (the wonderful Domo Suzuki) sings in Japanese, and I'm intrigued. I pause to read up on this, and see that Can worked hard to incorporate world music elements. One of my favorites, "Halleluhwah", comes on and I am beginning to grasp the out of world experience that the album is striving for, really emulating the "kosmische Musik", or cosmic music - the alternative name of krautrock. I am floating in space. I am nothing but a speck in this vast universe. And yes, sometimes, you need almost 20 minutes to mentally get there.
Here I am, thinking I'm in this fun adventure in deep space. Oh, how I was fooled. "Aumgn" comes on and this cosmic rock is actually cosmic horror. This is the most terrifying track I have ever pressed play on. I cannot finish it for the fear of demon posession. This is not the fun kind of satan worship. This is that Event Horizon BS. Especially if you watched Event Horizon as a kid who legit believed in demons.
"Peking O" provides some relief and maybe is supposed to be a transformation track after whatever type of trauma "Aumgn" tries to instill. And then, I love "Bring Me Coffee or Tea" as kind of a cute existential rebirth track.
I'm not familiar with Can, but I can see the genius in this. Sometimes there is a disconnect between respecting artistry and actually liking it. But I enjoyed this, with the exception of "Aumgn" which I will avoid for the rest of my life (and why this is 4/5 and not 5/5).
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Garbage
5/5
Love how Manson's vocals intertwine with the guitar work here. It's a lengthy album, but there are a good number of change ups and enough versatility to keep me on my toes. I love Milk.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
I blame my US history classes in HS for making me a CCR fan. But yeah, what an impactful, unique, and long-lasting sound.
Slipknot
2/5
I appreciate some of the drums. But. No joy has been sparked while listening so I'm good without this.
Norah Jones
3/5
this is nice. jazzy and calming. what's the balance with having some stand out tracks with some fillers versus everything just sounding the same?
Miles Davis
5/5
I wonder if this site is sentient and suggests albums that fit the season (I mean Norah Jones around Christmas??). This album is perfect for the holidays. Mostly because Kind of Blue is really that magical. I could listen to this on repeat. Thank you to this site for making it a weekend album.
The magic comes through in that similar to some great classical music, instruments here behave like characters in conversation, while also telling a story. But also, they set up the moods and rhythms that set the foundation for so much of modern music and what "cool" means. C'mon, this came out in the 50's! I was not a jazz band person (I was a snooty strings player), but I envied my brother and friends who played Miles Davis classics for their ensemble showcases. I wondered if they got "lost in the music" while playing as much as I would get lost while listening to them live.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I'm neutral about this album. Bruce tried conveying a low among a career of a lot of highs, and I appreciate that. Musically, it's pleasant/somber but also a bit one note.
4/5
Enjoyed this way more than I expected - there were other tracks outside of Wonderwall that held up! Overall, fun britpop
5/5
I really enjoyed this, the album is like a dark, moody, and maybe downright depressing version of Sex in the City captured in music. PJ Harvey has this sadness but also a power that reminds me of Sylvia Plath or Patti Smith. Sad, messy, but knows exactly what they want. I love the collaboration with Thom Yorke in The Mess We're In. I also really enjoyed We Float - there is a sense of something uplifting on the other side in this entanglement of messy, lost people.
Michael Jackson
3/5
I'm torn, because the hits on this album are some of favorites from Michael Jackson (Dirty Diana, Smooth Criminal). I hate help but be in awe of his range in vocals, the catchiness of his music, his visual performances like the lean move in Smooth Criminal (who dances and sings these days outside of kpop???), and the INFLUENCE of the music - I can hear a lot of the Weeknd in some of these tracks. But as I ponder about and fear how generative AI music is taking the soul out of music, I realize I cannot fully separate the art from the artist. Maybe troubled souls create amazing music, or maybe the output from troubled souls should not be celebrated.
I'm a solid 3.5 here rounded down with these points in mind. Some of the tracks kind of annoyed me (Liberian girl, I Just Can't Stop Loving You), but that said, with his music, influence, vocals, MJ deserved the king of pop title.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
CCR is great - great balance and composition. However, this is one of those albums that I would prefer to listen live with all of the jamming.
Stereo MC's
3/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected. 3.5. Dance music typically doesn't rate well in our group, and maybe in general on this site, because it doesn't seem to age well tor a genre that emphasizes the evolution and tech advancements in DJing as these advancements are pretty transient and become outdated quickly. However, I like these albums because it makes me nostalgic in a subculture/phenomena that I was too young for - the club scene in the 90s where social media didn't exist. Where the youth would just get lost in the beat and dance into the morning. Before rave/club scene, where DJs could simply push buttons to get their setlist going.
Charles Mingus
5/5
Wow. I began the album thinking I was listening to jazzy farts to appreciating the guitar work and how beautiful the storytelling was just through instrumentals. As someone who just listened to the Nutcracker on repeat over the holidays, I can see how this was intended to be a ballet, and an emotional rollercoaster of one. Looking up the album, there were subtitles for the tracks with an indication of that story, but the album works so well universally as a redemption arc that begins simple/sleazy/dark/angry to something complex:
"Stop! Look! And Listen, Sinner Jim Whitney!"
"Hearts' Beat and Shades in Physical Embraces"
"(Soul Fusion) Freewoman and Oh, This Freedom's Slave Cries"
"Stop! Look! And Sing Songs of Revolutions!"
"Saint and Sinner Join in Merriment on Battle Front"
"Of Love, Pain, and Passioned Revolt, then Farewell, My Beloved, 'til It's Freedom Day"
Miles Davis
4/5
After listening to Kind of Blue a couple weeks ago, it's cool to hear how Davis evolves his sound to something more funk rock, but in a subtle, quiet way.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
at first I didn't like Nick Cave's yelling singing, but his later songs had some cool mythical storytelling and I envisioned him as a drunk bard in a tavern.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
This album has so much of a loaded legacy as a product of this vibrant avant-garde movement out of NYC, a lot of it funded by Andy Warhol. It's cool to see that movement as one packed with visuals and sounds.
As for the music itself, it was clear that Velvet Underground was doing its own thing. I love that one of the key members (John Cale) was a violist and had a hand in a lot of the experimental sounds, like the strings in "Venus in Furs". I also adore Nico's vocals. After the first listen, I had "Sunday Morning" stuck in my head, and I love the ethereal feel from the celeste and viola.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Not a fan of this musically but it's hard to enjoy patriotic art like this, now.
Eagles
3/5
I enjoyed this more than Hotel California. Part of that could be because the album states its thesis very clearly - Take It Easy, with the banjo, nice harmonies, laid back vibes. And the rest of the album follows that for the most part, with a track from left field, Most of Us Are Sad snuck in there, and ending with a song about Tryin' (though yeah, take it easy mostly).
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Just so good. There's something about Jimi's guitar work that is beyond just guitar sounds. How does he do that?
Beastie Boys
4/5
I enjoyed going through the lyrics while listening - a lot of "huh?" moments followed by a chuckle or a nod of respect to the wit. Also enjoyed the punk rock elements. Though the album isn't something I would go to for leisurely listening, it was quite a ride. 3.5 rounded up.
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
Had a lot of fun with this!
-Peter Piper: dang this cowbell sounds so familiar - then I realize it's in Missy Elliot's "Work It", another classic
-It's Tricky: you can't go wrong with a simple playground like rhyme/beat combo like this, that's why "Mickey" (or even the sampled "My Sharona") and today's Kpop "APT" are so catchy and popular. I watched the music video and felt so much exhiliration from 1) seeing younger Penn and Teller! 2) when Run-DMC uses their voices as percussion, like when DMC jumps up going "uh huh uh huh uh huh" while also jumping up and down in the driver's seat 3) the growly bass from the sampled "My Sharona" really works with the yelling rap
-Dumb Girl: dang, was my mom a secret Run-DMC fan? Because I swear she has said all of these lyrics to me while growing up
-Son of Byford: wow, the beatboxing sounds super raw and you can hear the saliva coming out. This is a great transition to Proud to be Black, another banger, where they use their voices and growls to go well with the scratching
The Cramps
3/5
Although antithetical to this exercise. I find myself biased against bands I have never heard of and decided to just dislike this from minute 1 when the lead singer, Lux Interior, belts out in his very 80s new wave/no wave voice. But over the duration of the album, I warmed up to this thread connecting blues, rockabilly, and a psychedelic/new wave, with a great finish of "Fever"
Kate Bush
5/5
My sense of this album is that opposed to individual tracks serving as hits, the overall album is a fantasy adventure where our protagonist goes through many trials and tribulations in a world filled with fairies, elves, and witches. It's giving me Never Ending Story/Labryinth/Willow/etc. nostalgia.
Strings are used beautifully here, and almost every track provides an emotional payoff. Kate Bush uses her vocals, literary inspirations, and beautifully creepiness which can be jarring at times (I love the deep demonic voice in "Waking the Witch" juxtaposed with 80s synths). Of course, there's "Running Up That Hill" but I also adore the sadness of the scientist father-son relationship in "Cloudbusting" and the otherworldliness in "Hello Earth", which has moments of mourning chants, but also has lyrics that indicate rebirth?
There's a lot here I don't fully understand, but I am so appreciative for Kate Bush for paving the way for future quirky female artists who artfully portray emotional depth, like Bjork, Florence and the Machine, among many others.
Songhoy Blues
5/5
though I feel like blues music is really the foundation for a lot of modern musical genres, sometimes it can be difficult to hear how it can sound fresh. this is so fresh and fun to listen to and im grateful to be able to see how blues is incorporated with Mali music. fascinating to see a genre that originated in the US but with African influence make its way to Western Africa to something new
Dinosaur Jr.
4/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected. I find that sometimes I enjoy the crunchy guitars and buzziness and I can't fully explain why
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Some great rock here, but everything about this group and this album (ugh that cover art) kind of puts a scowl on my face
Stan Getz
5/5
Enjoyed listening to this over the weekend, hunkered down while awaiting and watching the heavy snow blanket us. There are some latin dance classics here, and while not as fast as typical samba, the slowed down jazz aspect made this danceable while also relaxing to listen to. "The Girl from Ipanema" is in my head now.
The Specials
2/5
you know what, these guys sound like they're having a blast making music, so good for them. the only song I would go back to is "A Message to You Rudy", a cover of a reggae classic from a decade prior.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5
Siouxsie is such a goth icon. It's so cool to see how a teenage groupie of the Sex Pistols who was just around for vibes and rebellious behavior then later develop her own band and sound, culminating into this debut album.
The band's balance is great. I love the spookiness of the bass-driven songs and though I dressed up as Siouxsie Sioux for Halloween, I wasn't aware of how much better listening to the band's entire albums were compared to their hit singles. The spookiness works so well in the less structured and more sonic tracks for me where the songs hint toward depression or a mental breakdown. Really enjoyed Jigsaw Feeling, Metal Postcard, Suburban Relapse, The Staircase. 4.5 but have been feeling generous lately. Music has been getting me through this frigid winter!
Lambchop
3/5
i generally really enjoy chamber pop and many of the instrumentals in this, but it was too all over the place. going falsetto doesn't compensate for the shortages in the vocals either
KISS
2/5
This was so bland. Like nothing really interesting in the rock, felt so straight shooter. I suppose the glam JoJo Bizarre Adventures visuals were a big part of the appeal to make up for how bland the music was.
The only tracks that kind of worked for me were 1) "God of Thunder" because I could see how would wow audiences in live shows, but I don't like the kid screams in the background :/ and 2) "Do You Love Me", because it is so bland and straightforward, that it kind of works as ideal background music during union breaks back when i worked on a factory floor
The Cars
4/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected, especially the second half. The synths are so 80s, but so good and give the album a sense of magic. I'm hearing some cool guitar riffs that feel so common in the later skater boy punk rock 20-30 years later, like Sum41/Blink-182, especially in tracks "Just What I Needed" and "Bye Bye Love". Hands down the best track for me is "Moving in Stereo" - it's like punk psychedelic meets cheesy B-grade scifi films from the 60s/70s. This is a 3.5 for me, but rounding up. It's so 80s, but I'm hearing the sensibilities of pop punk that I adored in the early 200s.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Bert Jansch
4/5
The Kinks
4/5
Steely Dan
4/5
I'm not familiar with Steely Dan, I have passively heard of the classics but I enjoyed what I heard here.