Experimental and inaccessible. If your only reference point for Kate Bush is Hounds of Love (which was the case for me), this is certainly a jarring record. Haters are understood. However, I really enjoyed the soundscape. It was like a dream with nightmares waiting around the corner. Maybe more accurately it felt like one of those really weird dreams where you're not necessarily scared, but you are disturbed and largely confused. Certainly not better than Hounds of Love. I mean, generally, speaking there are few albums that are. However, I appreciate when an artist lets their wildest ambitions run wild in spite of accessibility, particularly when it's this theatrical. Flawed? Sure. Difficult? Perhaps. Authentic? Absolutely. 7.7/10 Favorite Song: Suspended in Gaffa/The Dreaming

People are generally split 50/50 on Prince's greatest work. I fall squarely in this camp. Whereas Purple Rain is a contained, all killer mainstream dream, Sign O' the Times bends the bounds of genre. It's musically inventive, daring, and still a really fucking good time. Its track after track of jaw-dropping virtuosity that cemented him as a peerless composer, especially when you consider a fair number of tracks were spit out at an alarming speed. It may not have his catchiest lyrics, but if that's what you're looking for, go buy a greatest hits album. I'd also argue he rivals Michael as a performer here with how incredible his work in the upper register. Also, it feels almost ancillary given how amazing the music is, but it should be mentioned this album is easily Prince's most successful attempt at being political. It's not complicated, but it never needs to be. The album showcases that his strongest political statements were made via stories of existence and survival, not straight recitations of political statements (I'm lookin at you Welcome 2 America). Androgyny was certainly not a foreign concept in rock/pop, but Prince truly played jump rope with the gender binary, especially on this album. The scrapped Camille tracks offer an interesting dimension to the album and push the boundaries of a gender binary. Prince historically matched the likes of Bowie, but Camille upped the ante. The coolest rockstar artificially pushed his already-falsetto delivery to replicate as much femineity as possible. I'm glad that Third Man Records is planning a release of the remaining recordings, but we are lucky Prince already decided to give us a taste of his alter ego. In short, I can't heap enough praise on this album. A tour de force that perfectly summarizes Prince as an individual. Funny, profane, horny, audacious, and singular. Game, blouses. Rating: 10/10 Favorite Song: Sign O' the Times /If I was Your Girlfriend/Slow Love/ Hot Thing

Bowie does his best attempt at soul without abandoning his glam/pop rock sensibilities. Relative to all music, Young Americans is fun, short, and inoffensive. Bowie takes a back seat in favor of the music, and to his credit the instrumentation/orchestration is well done. However, I think Bowie's contributions get overshadowed by the other vocalists and performances. It is nowhere near the best that the genre has to offer, and, frankly, what Bowie has to offer. Can't be a hater if this is an album you really enjoy, but I was largely unmoved. A+ album cover though. 3.5/5

Not my jam, but I see why a generation loved it.

A lot more intense than Judas Priest, and for that, it gets a bump. With a genre like metal, the intensity and extremity are to its benefit. While I am always a fan of genre blending, diversion from the core ideas begins a tightrope walk that few artists successfully traverse. This is bread and butter heavy metal. Flirtations with glam rock begone. Still not my jam. Across the board, terrible album art. 3.5/5

An album full of so much life. Emblematic of the time and the psychedelic movement. Backed by great, blues-based instrumentation, Janis absolutely owns the album. I never doubted her place in the pantheon of vocalists, but she really is phenomenal. I could feel her physically owning the space in the concert of my mind. This is especially incredible considering how vibrant the genre is. A lesser performer would have been washed out by the music. Really only held back by the fact that I'm not the biggest psych rock guy. Nevertheless, they're undeniable. Favorite Track: Ball and Chain 8/10

Too jangly. I know there's a dad out there that gets transported to the peak of his 20s listening to this. Favorite Song: Forest Fire 5/10

The prog bois just fuckin around. Don't know how I feel about it being keyboard driven. Interesting concept but flawed, boring execution. Feel like it should be harder to make prog rock boring. 3.5/10 Favorite Song: Blues Variation

Experimental and inaccessible. If your only reference point for Kate Bush is Hounds of Love (which was the case for me), this is certainly a jarring record. Haters are understood. However, I really enjoyed the soundscape. It was like a dream with nightmares waiting around the corner. Maybe more accurately it felt like one of those really weird dreams where you're not necessarily scared, but you are disturbed and largely confused. Certainly not better than Hounds of Love. I mean, generally, speaking there are few albums that are. However, I appreciate when an artist lets their wildest ambitions run wild in spite of accessibility, particularly when it's this theatrical. Flawed? Sure. Difficult? Perhaps. Authentic? Absolutely. 7.7/10 Favorite Song: Suspended in Gaffa/The Dreaming

I feel like I'm missing something. It may just be the lack of context, but outside of a handful of songs, this felt like nothing particularly groundbreaking. Not to say it's bad by any means, but I don't get why it's so lauded. I've never found Mick to be particularly captivating on records and the songwriting doesn't compensate for me. Good, not great. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: Monkey Man

I'm sorry this either needed more PCP or more black people. It's music like this that makes the exorcisms at Elvis shows make sense. Pleasent layered vocals and some catchy hooks, but if I'm going to listen to something white from this era, why not just throw on Rubber Soul or the Beach Boys. Like can you imagine watching Jimi Hendrix open for these jingle jangle, step side to side and snap mfers. Nothing bad about the music, but I'm just like this is what y'all listened to when you wanted to have a good time? Rating: 6/10

Floydian with distortion. Kinda insists upon itself, but I'm not offended. I would rather listen to its component sounds/genres than listen to their synthesis. 7/10 Favorite Song: Cop Shoot Cop...

You know I can't say I'm surprised. This is the first album we've gotten that has any black people involved, and I went to check the top reviews. Lo and behold they're fairly negative, which is fine on its face. Then you see its "technically music" or that it "shows its age." Yeah, that's almost all music you dumb cunt. You're telling me you listen to Vivaldi and you're like "did this come out in 2018?" Fuck off. Art is stealing. Color me surprised that there's music now that sounds similar but "better." Unless I hear them say a bunch of slurs, I'm not going to take "it sounds like when it came out" as a serious criticism. Shoutout the review saying it "shows its age[,] could only be from 92-95." Reading skills are preferred but not required I suppose. I'm not saying this is a paragon of quality, but why do you have to question whether its music all of a sudden. I don't even particularly love this album, but I will go to war for it. A fun synthesis of sounds from African, Carribean, and African American culture. Just great vibes. Not do coke vibes (shoutout Belly), which may have been expected from a dance album in the 80s, more like keeping a good groove going in the dance hall vibes. It's a marathon not a sprint. And suck my dick, this has a timeless quality. 7.8/10 Favorite Song: Back to Life (I mean what else could it be)

Get it twisted. You will never become a generational singer-songwriter. Your talents and efforts mean nothing to a cold, indifferent universe that will send Joni Mitchell to mog the ever-living shit out of you. You think you're safe, hiding in your genre. Sitting there thinking to yourself "I don't make folk rock; she can't hurt me." Then out of nowhere, like she's serving a warrant, Joni kicks in your door and says, "I learned jazz bitch." She proceeds to give you a tight, all killer no filler project. Just spitting hot lead for 37 minutes. Pay attention folks. This is how you blend genres. Sad to see it didn't win AOTY, but if you're going up against peak Stevie, I get it. Joni and Stevie battling it out in '75. Can you imagine? In the year of our lord 2025, I've got to seriously consider if Jacob Collier is going to win a Grammy. We used to be a country. 9/10 Favorite Song: Free Man in Paris/Trouble Child

A chill vibe incorporating sounds largely abandoned in the 70s mainstream. A revival if you will. Mark Knopfler has interesting vocal moments on the album paired with punchy riffs and some fun solos. Setting out for good vibes, not to reinvent the wheel. However, I can see how the schtick got stale. At some point we must clap for the piano playing dog because he's good at playing the piano, not because he's a dog. Also, I must say it is funny hearing Brits play roots rock. What's a polar bear doing in Arlington, TX? Favorite Song(s): In the Gallery/Wild West End Rating: 6.8

It's 1997. Tony Blair, head of the Labour party, was just elected PM. Britain and the rest of the western world are welcoming a new age of globalism, advancement, and technology. Fears of these are present, but they are exclusively the thoughts of a minority. Hope is in the air. Within the same time, Radiohead is coming off the heels of The Bends. A commercial and critical success that cemented Radiohead as a band with more to offer than one hit song. True artists who can move the masses, both figuratively and literally to the music store. The label was perfectly happy to be in a position to push another grunge/alt rock followup and rake in the cash. An act to place alongside other great bands like U2 Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Hope was in the air. In the face of all this optimism and excitement, Radiohead secluded themselves in St Catherine's Court and recorded a defiant piece of work, leaving behind a singular masterpiece. A cold, anxious, and dejected synthesis of alt rock and their electronic era to come. Musically it is dense, layered, and practically epileptic at moments. Lyrically, through somewhat elliptical storytelling, Radiohead predicted the quiet horrors neoliberalism and globalism would wreak on society. A culture of apathetic worker drones propped up by opiate technology and anti-depressants. Even to this day we are seeing Thom Yorke's words come to life. A torchbearer of postmodern thought in popular music, capturing a moment that only exists in retrospect. When only the jester could see Hannibal at the gate. Truly one of the most moving things I've ever listened to. It perfectly captures the feeling of the 00's politics and the dawn of the Internet Age. It provides an artificial ice that encapsulates my feelings about the 21st century. An illusory projection of feeling. The ghost of human society trudging about. I can't say much more that hasn't already been said. A basic answer, but it's my favorite cut from Radiohead. A desert island album even. Favorite Song: Let Down Rating: 10/10

You ever get so horny you start layering sting instruments with electronic production? Bjork solidified her place in the Asian-looking but not Asian HOF with this one. I prefer Post but can appreciate the interesting genre combinations on Vespertine. Intimate in a very peculiar way. It's certainly your favorite artist's favorite album, but I'm not your favorite artist. Rating: 8.4 Favorite Song: Frosti

A case of where context drives a lot of the assessment. As the first hardcore LP, it cannot be understated how important this album is. As the sub-genre began populating various scenes across the US, one has to assume the first long form recording played a role in such propagation. If you want a good idea what the hardcore is, it certainly delivers the core concept. Freneticism. Even as a fan of the sub-genre, I find myself wanting more. I really can't stand Crash. I can't really explain why. With plenty of bands following shortly after, I can't say this album is my first choice. Maybe a little too much Johnny Rotten for something that should be more intense, or maybe I've been spoiled by the guttural vocalists that followed him. For better or worse his vocals certainly serve as standard punk fair. It's the rest of the band that really carries the album for me. Pat Smear shows why he became a seasoned performer in the alt-rock scene and Lorna Doom deftly executes bassline after bassline. All of this topped by an incredible studio team. I mean Joan Jett, props. This is how you record and mix bass. Rating: 7.8/10 Favorite Song: Lexicon Devil

Wouldn't have learned it without this album generating, but kinda crazy he's responsible for the basic set up for a band (two guitars, bass, and drums). With everything going on kinda spooky we got a singer plane crash victim. A fun album, but there's plenty of music I'd rather listen to. Shoutout Buddy though. We wouldn't have gotten so many cool whites without him. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: That'll be the day

I think I've found a nuanced and novel critique for Mr. Dylan. My most original thought. I don't like his voice. Don't go gay Bob Rating:5/10 (Full points for writing, -5 for the voice) Favorite Song:

Why does the album cover kinda remind me of Britt Lower in Severance? That aside, what a debut. Drawing on various inspirations to form a real heater of an alternative album, Supergrass effectively capture lightning in a bottle. They embody youth in such a highly effective manner without sacrificing musical virtuosity or technicallity. Rating: 8.3 Favorite Song: She's so loose/Time

I will certainly give it props for how daring it is. In retrospect, its revolutionarily daring. I see why Warhol took special interest. Be it because my ears have been sullied by its progeny or I'm not giving it the fairest shake, it only teeters on great. Lyrically, I don't find Lou to be my favorite writer. Musically, this album just doesn't move me. Maybe it's a little too "proto." Not quite the defined alt sound I want and not quite the polish the band would quickly develop into. A "to each their own" moment I suppose. I acknowledge its importance to a lot of the musicians I praise and genres I enjoy, but my personal enjoyment trumps context. Rating: 7.7/10 Favorite Song: Heroin

For a live album you'd expect the energy to get across, but it didn't. Could not for the life of me tell you why. I'm sure this went crazy in-person, but a somewhat muted mix coupled with a genre I'm only interested to the extent it merges with punk is not a good equation. I'm sure someone could explain to me how, at the time, this was a high-quality live recording especially for a genre like this, and I would believe you. But you fail to consider that I don't give a shit. Rating: 5.7 Favorite Song: Bomber

Doing a vocal jazz album (I know it's not exactly a jazz album) is a tall task. You don't have to just be a good singer you have to be captivating. Nothing less. Otherwise, you have a perfectly agreeable vocal jazz album. This is especially true when we're talking about covers. This is a truly bizarre sentence, but, unfortunately, Norah Jones is a good singer. I'm Really only like two degrees of Kevin Bacon away from Amy. But boy do those two Bacons count. The album tries to trick you into thinking its more than it is by mixing genres, but it fails to be outstanding in either melding or execution of a singular sound. It's like fireworks. You had my attention for a little, but once we're on minute 27 you gotta show me more. Someone very well may be along for the ride for the whole 40 min show, but that ain't my ass. I've seen fireworks before. No shade to Norah. She made an enjoyable album, which is better than most. However, I'm supposed to be putting this shit up against absolute bangers. Rating: 6.85 Favorite Song: Come Away with Me

Fuck Morrissey. Stupid cunt Rating: 8 (The worst person you know makes a good point) Favorite Song: There is a Light that Never Goes Out (If only for the bus-based jokes)

People are generally split 50/50 on Prince's greatest work. I fall squarely in this camp. Whereas Purple Rain is a contained, all killer mainstream dream, Sign O' the Times bends the bounds of genre. It's musically inventive, daring, and still a really fucking good time. Its track after track of jaw-dropping virtuosity that cemented him as a peerless composer, especially when you consider a fair number of tracks were spit out at an alarming speed. It may not have his catchiest lyrics, but if that's what you're looking for, go buy a greatest hits album. I'd also argue he rivals Michael as a performer here with how incredible his work in the upper register. Also, it feels almost ancillary given how amazing the music is, but it should be mentioned this album is easily Prince's most successful attempt at being political. It's not complicated, but it never needs to be. The album showcases that his strongest political statements were made via stories of existence and survival, not straight recitations of political statements (I'm lookin at you Welcome 2 America). Androgyny was certainly not a foreign concept in rock/pop, but Prince truly played jump rope with the gender binary, especially on this album. The scrapped Camille tracks offer an interesting dimension to the album and push the boundaries of a gender binary. Prince historically matched the likes of Bowie, but Camille upped the ante. The coolest rockstar artificially pushed his already-falsetto delivery to replicate as much femineity as possible. I'm glad that Third Man Records is planning a release of the remaining recordings, but we are lucky Prince already decided to give us a taste of his alter ego. In short, I can't heap enough praise on this album. A tour de force that perfectly summarizes Prince as an individual. Funny, profane, horny, audacious, and singular. Game, blouses. Rating: 10/10 Favorite Song: Sign O' the Times /If I was Your Girlfriend/Slow Love/ Hot Thing

Ms. Vega does little to step out of the shadows of her inspirations. I enjoyed the conversationalnism of it all, but I'm not particularly dazzled by any particular component. As an aside The Queen and the Soldier kinda gave Kacey Musgrave Rating: 5.9 Favorite Song: Straight Lines/Neighborhood Girls

The fact this came out in 98 is crazy. There is almost nothing going on. It's just a wall of hard rock (derogatory). It doesn't even have context to help support lackluster and uninteresting musicianship. You had decades of rock music to work off of and this is what you come up with? As for the vocals, has Josh Homme considered adding any life to his delivery? I'm not even sure if drugs would help this one. Rating: 4/10 Favorite Song: Avon

The Smashing Pumpkins hold no particular place in my heart. Amongst the alt-rock acts of the 90s, they rank towards the top, but the gulf between my favorites and everyone else is incredibly large. As such, I similarly find no particular love for this album. It exudes Gen-X to such an extreme degree, and it just doesn't resonate for me. It's got good songwriting and a cool blend of soft melodicism and harder grunge cuts. I don't love Billy's voice, but any misgivings about it are balanced by an enjoyable sound. As someone who frankly doesn't care for destroying squash of any variety, I don't need 2 hours. If you do, fantastic. Rating: 7/10 Favorite Song: 1979

Greatest swan song of all time? Well, it's either him or Dilla. It's truly incredible that as his body was failing him, Bowie thought of music. He thought of us. Looked death in the eye and said I've still got it. Not only that he's still got it but that he was capable of reaching his upper echelon. Not threatened by new challenging artists but instead galvanized. Whatever you may think of this sound or its quality, you must admit it's a testament to what an artist should be. Openminded, unbridled, and thankful for anyone who would lend them an ear. Rating: 8 Favorite Song: Lazarus

Not a bossa nova head, but shout out to Stan Getz. Rating: 7.5

A good time. Nothing more or less. Energetic rhythm guitar, funky basslines, and great sax playing throughout. Although exciting and new for the US, not necessarily for everyone else. Paradoxically, it's when they stick to this tried-and-true jazz fusion that I find myself enjoying the record more. Really didn't need the pop sensibilities. I'll give it props for taking an efficient journey on a well-trodden path. I certainly prefer when the Japanese do it. At least that way you don't have some British bloke in your ear. I hate to punish a fun record for being uninventive. There are certainly worse crimes; however, it's a notable one in an "all-time" list. Rating: 7.4 Favorite Song: Kingsize

I really couldn't get the image of the hip-hop dance class bit from Bob's Burgers out of my head. Rating: 5 Favorite Song: Nothing can stop us

Lowkey when he was like "tubular bells" and then he started playing the tubular bells, I kinda popped off. A close second was when he said glockenspiel and then started playing glockenspiel. Musical wallpaper, otherwise. Rating: 4/10

They replaced better songwriting with flashy accoutrements. Very good. Not their best. Rating: 8.75 Favorite Song: Time

Bowie starts cooking Rating: 8.0 Favorite Song: Life on Mars

I too know what a loop is. Feels like an album that would appeal to someone who would make an album I like. Appreciate new ideas, but I still need to enjoy the song. No shade to Suicide. Rating: 3/10

It's not like critics and fans alike have not lauded a healthy amount of praise on Neil Young. I just worry that as time passes, he won't have as much staying power as other artists at his level (If Bob gets a biopic, Neil should too). He doesn't exactly have the personal intrigue for an everlasting legacy, but he has the discography. This album is certainly front and center as evidence. At this point Neil Young had the money and success to record an outsized album. Instead, he opted for something seemingly off-handed. Simplistic even. The return for such a decision? His most human record to date. Much ink has been spilled reflecting on the grief and sadness of this album. While it is sad, I can't literally relate to Neil. I'd prefer to talk about it generally. This is the afters. This is returning home drunk. This is staggered, but it's trudging along and through the door. It's sitting alone. Pondering where you are. A singular slice of time. The past and future color the borders, but this moment is owned by the present. Feeling the weight of your mistakes. The yoke of the night on your shoulders but embracing life nonetheless. A real paradox of an experience, but not one unfamiliar to any listener. Rating: 9/10 Favorite Song: Borrowed Tune/Tired Eyes

I get it. I just don’t have space in my heart for it. 8.9/10 Favorite Song: Stairway to Heaven

As an LP, this is a new one for me. Not CCR's best, but, at the very least, they continue to deliver a good time. To be fair, it's hard to fuck up something called swamp rock. Can't afford an air boat, but I'm sure a Jon boat will do. Rating: 7.7/10 Favorite Song: Good Golly Miss Molly/Penthouse Pauper

An incredibly percussive album. It feels as though every sound, Fiona included, is used as an extra pad on a drum machine. The least discordant industrial album? Or the most nauseating pop album? I guess the polarizing reviews on this evidence this dichotomy. I get that the mixing and mastering is rough, but I think that lends itself to such a raw sounding record. Bolt cutters don't need to be polished. If it's anything, it's probably not the best introduction. Not my favorite Fiona album, but if it's yours, more power to you. Always appreciate when a piece of art is created in a more DIY fashion. It gives some hope to someone who is only marginally creative. If Fiona Apple can make something this good on Garageband, why can't you. 7.9/10 Favorite Song: Shameika/Fetch the Bolt Cutters/Under the Table

I forgot how much of this is a blues album. The origins of metal are certainly in here, but to me it's still exceedingly proto. Aside from some riffs and lyrical aesthetic, it's sort of a blues/rock album to me. I see why Christgau and Bangs, two critics I respect the hell out of, found them to be hacks, but I think in retrospect they were wrong. I don't love metal, but I need Sabbath to be a little more metal before I can wholesale sign off. As it stands, they are a blues band with edge. 7.5/10

A redefining record for Mrs. Carter. I mean this in the most objective way possible. It sounds very much of its time, and that's a testament to the fact that this helped define it. For such a front-facing r&b/pop artist to embrace alternative sounds is admirable. It's an enjoyable lap for Beyonce fans, but I found myself wanning slightly from Mine through Flawless. Otherwise, a bombastic, blended offering from one of the greatest stars in entertainment history. Also, shoutout to the user base. Y'all really hate music made by black people until it's co-opted by white people and then you think it's good music in retrospect, but you still prefer when the white people do it. For example, only liking a song because John Mayer covered it, but still liking the John Mayer version more. But hey, at least you're consistent. 7/10 Favorite Song: Rocket/Superpower/Blue

I do wish more artists did this. I understand that a label might blowup its hq before it lets any artist that isn't someone at Willie's success level try to release a record of just covers, but a boy can dream. Maybe if there was a publication that paid for the recording an EP of artists covering songs they love. The triple J "Like a Versions" are nice, but I want it in an album format, not a playlist of youtube videos or a 14 hour playlist. Do it like a KidzBop album. It really feels like Willie's love letter to other songwriters. He's in dialogue with other great artists. Jackie Chan boxset you know what Im sayin. While paying ode, Willie reworks some classic pop cuts to create an intimate atmosphere. This record spills over with love as a fan, and from one fan to another, thank you Willie. 7.8/10 Favorite Song: Moonlight in Vermont

It is not lost on me they're good, but they don't make the jump. 8.5/10 Favorite Song: Wild Horses

Important? Sure. But so was Mussolini. Certainly not as evil or abhorrent, but can you make 90s pop music that is? If so, it would at least be more interesting than this. Aside from a couple tracks, this album feels like an attempt by the production team to prove they are competent musicians. Really no shade to Britney, because if anything is to blame for the mediocrity or schlock on this album, it's the everlasting wisdom of a label. Christgau said it best. Madonna next door. 3.5/10 Favorite Song: ...Baby One More Time