As a survivor of the great ska scare of the mid-nineties, I have mixed feelings here. A message to you Rudy is a bop, I can hear the Costello influence on the whole album. Clearly the best of the genre. It is a comfortable blend of punk and reggae, as opposed to the rock/pop influences of later bands. The specials want to change my mind about ska music. They don’t, but it was close.

Reverb is the fourth band member.

Hit after hit. An album I definitely enjoyed listening to. In retrospect, I guess some of the lyrics are a bit problematic (father figure?). But genuine bops nonetheless.

Hey ho let’s go! The punk bank that defined the genre. Angst and indifference meet cynical humor at a relentless pounding beat with constant growling guitar and fat bass driving the melody. Catchy punk rock tunes that stick with you long past the 30 minute album stops spinning. The album cover that was imitated thousands of times over the next nearly fifty years is the perfect artwork for this classic.

Immediately recognizable vocals of the legendary Al Green in a soul/pop crossover album. Best listened on a speaker vs in-ear backing vocals can be mixed a bit heavy and the occasionally hard panned brass can be distracting. Let’s Stay Together is a great pop start, then a handful of solid soul tracks, The cover of How Can You Mend a Broken Heart by the BeeGees is genius - so heartfelt where the original was a bit cheesy.

There is so much to listen to here. One is of course the big hit single, but deservedly so - the track shows off everything Metallica has to offer. Storytelling, relentless beat like he’s getting paid per strike, melodic bass and beautiful guitar work, and the vocals carry the emotional weight of a truly unique piece of music. The remainder of the album is a bit more straightforward metal, done by the best. To live is to die shows off their musical artistry. Only down side for me is the production compressed the music so heavily where the dynamic range is practically nonexistent- to hear a live version will take the listening experience to another level!

Hard to listen to in one sitting- moments of funky edm, but mostly just annoying. Praise You is the most listenable track. Not a fan of the genre, clearly. Why does it sound like the dentist's drill?

Inarticulate anger. I get it. I’m a woman in Trump’s America. I’m angry, but not this angry. It’s just raw energy and no outlet. I don’t get the catharsis that should come with angry music, I just get angry that I’m listening to this.

Absolute classic. So listenable

Strong rap album.

As a survivor of the great ska scare of the mid-nineties, I have mixed feelings here. A message to you Rudy is a bop, I can hear the Costello influence on the whole album. Clearly the best of the genre. It is a comfortable blend of punk and reggae, as opposed to the rock/pop influences of later bands. The specials want to change my mind about ska music. They don’t, but it was close.

A historically important moment for the music industry. 2 guitars, multitracking were innovative for the time. The fat double bass and the loose snare drum made “rock and roll” a sound. All the songs are short and catchy for optimal radio play. Buddy Holly had a unique sound and a big personality. This is the model the music industry mimicked for decades.

Gospel album produced like an 80s pop album. Undeniable vocal talent, very indicative of 80s pop music.

Not the best Beastie Boys album (Paul’s Boutique). This is a bit all over the place, which I understand was intentional and kind of a trend at the time. Bands didn’t want to be limited to a single genre, so albums like this happened. Little bit of rock, little bit of rap, couple of funky jazz songs- shows off the range but creates a disjointed listening experience. Sure Shot and Sabotage are A++ songs that make the album worth the listen.

It sounds like what you would hear when watching a Hallmark movie where the main characters are in a band, so they have original music created for the movie and everyone acts like they are the most talented band ever, but we as the audience have to suspend disbelief for the sake of the storyline because the music is objectively bad.

Had to listen to this one twice to appreciate it. Not a fan of the lofi choice, but the jazz/hip hop sounds were great. I wasn’t sure if I want to describe it as eclectic or “all over the place”

Chills. More emotional resonance in one note than some artists have in their entire discography. This album is a gift, and I am grateful for it!

Enjoyable at times, but occasionally devolves into grating and atonal sounds with no direction. Title track was the worst offender. Cold is the most listenable song on the album.

A monster of a listen. An absolutely beautiful anthology clocking in at well over 3 hours. Ella Fitzgerald elevates the music of Gershwin with her immaculate vocals. The production is clean, and the collection is beautiful to listen to. The only downside is that this isn’t so much an album as a collection of work- a legacy piece. I’m not sure what the criteria are for this list, but I would argue that anything more than a double album is not really an album.

I’m aware of the historical significance of the album and its influence on following punk albums and bands in the US. That being said, I’m not sure the music is best served recorded. I think the true value of the band really only came across live. The album was fine, well produced and clean, but that’s not very punk rock, is it?

The popular tracks are popular for a reason- great songs. Deep with significance to the political climate of the time. The more obscure tracks are obscure for a reason also. Something about a jazz flute solo that just sends me to a dark place.

I forgot about the great harmonica resurgence of the mid 90’s! Angry woman music, but also Canadian so not too rude about it.

Part of the great folk uprising of the late 60’s (British Version). Thinking lace bell sleeves and lots of swirling around in a field.

A cinematic listening experience. It’s dramatic and sweeping and feels like one whole piece of art instead of a collection of pieces. This album is best listened to in its entirety, but the middle tracks are great on their own as well.

A truly entertaining listen. Storytelling at its peak! “Old western” style country music where horrific tales of violent death are set to a jaunty tune.

Feels like an experimental art piece. The production is a hot mess, levels and distortion that is so obvious and irritating it has to be intentional? The artist seems to also be a big fan of ambient sound and features it is most songs. Not a fun listening experience

I would not have clocked this as a debut album. The vision is so clearly executed beginning to end. Growling bass definitive of grunge era, but this is more indie rock with a feminist bent, but I can hear the grunge to come in tracks like Victory and Sheela.

Not my favorite Bowie, but Changes is a classic! This is a piano forward Bowie, less guitar - an amazing talent and creator.

Is intelligent rock a genre? The Dessners come up with unique and unpredictable melodies, The Devendorfs love a syncopated rhythm and the vocals of Berninger pull it all together. Kind of a downer if that’s what you are into, but a solid album

Live recordings feel like an oxymoron. The albums just don’t capture the live experience, at best, they can make you feel like you wish you were there to experience it live, but it is never a better listening experience than a studio recording, and never as exciting as a live show. I’m sure this was a great live performance?

Unexpectedly enjoyable. Peppy-depressing-rock-punk hyphenate. Bjork’s vocals are ethereal and raging in turns. Birthday is a highlight

Eh. Not my jam, but some people like it.

Ugh. Another British Electronica. This one is more of an atmospheric thing. Great for being high, or for soundtracking I guess.

10/10 Generation-defining album. Intense debut album blending grunge with classic rock. Thirty years later, it still sounds fresh.

Uneven hard rock album. Strong baselines. Some songs are very listenable, others, not so much. I personally don’t find the sound of feedback very musical, but to each their own.

Reverb is the fourth band member.

Classic. They way the harmonica sits with the guitar and bass, and then Muddy Water’s vocals that are smooth and growling at the same time. A masterpiece

Best intro to a rock album ever - this album broke us all out of the glam-hair-metal of the late 80’s and brought rock back.

Hit after hit. An album I definitely enjoyed listening to. In retrospect, I guess some of the lyrics are a bit problematic (father figure?). But genuine bops nonetheless.

Great vocal quality. A style of music I don’t particularly enjoy, and don’t find memorable at all.

Classic blues album. Cohesive, fits together beginning to end.

Educational with Ravi going over and explaining the common tempos and progressions of popular Indian music at the time. Informative and enjoyable

I think I would enjoy reading Bob Dylan much more than listening to Bob Dylan. The harmonica shoots straight through my head like a nail. And his vocals are just not appealing. Musically, I can’t get on the bandwagon, but the poetry is great.

The most soothing musical listening experience I’ve ever had.

Solid hip hop album. Steady strong beat, great samples. Layered lyrics that deserve more than a single listen.

I enjoyed it and loathed it in turns. Great background music or the most annoying sound on earth depending on the track