1001 Albums Journey

Recording quality a bit distracting. Horns - LOUD! Crowd noises - LOUD! James Brown is James Brown, great singing/charisma Bouncy bass = fun Repetitve instrumental - soothing Stop trying to fuck the crowd it's weird Soul is good, soul feels good Themes of longing/yearning are well executed. Worth a revisit. Fave track: "I Don't Mind" Least fave track: "Try me"

I am familiar with some of Depeche Mode's other projects. Good stuff, but nothing too mindblowing. Excited about this one! Synths SYNTHS! Extremely catchy first track, amazing last minute. 5/5 Little bit janky transition (Spotify) Holy layers! 50 sec ish transcendant synth-line, reminds me of Kraftwerk Mantra-like lyrics fit well with the cold spooky atmosphere of the track. 4.5/5 Janky transition again. Opening sets an eerie atmosphere Fun synth riff. Certain effects seem a bit dated (lasers). The synth drum fills are too much at times. Catchy chorus. Hypnotic ending. 4/5 Great transition. Religious vibes freaky contrast to earlier songs. Unexpected. Some awkwardly written vocal lines. Meh chorus, cool synth breakdown post chorus. Vocals a bit too far back in the mix at times. Interesting perspective. Ends excellently. 3.8/5 I hate gnawing synths here. Jarring to the ears. Is this a serial killer song? Uncomfortable. Cool instrumentation at around 3 minutes. Needs revisiting. 3/5 Bassy! Panflute-like sound? Fun instrumentation. Sounds like falling down a neon staircase. Would be a great driving song. (duh) Weird lyrics but ok. Extemely catchy, dark and almost gothic. Fun track 4.8/5 My ears, stop sucking them. Acapella-like start is truly fucked. I respect the placement in the tracklist for this. Experimental, cold, almost industrial at some points. Outro is large and powerful. The sucking must stop friend. 4/5 Old russian radio is spooky at 4am. Intriguing, gothic, grainy, vocals a bit unclear. Drumline and background synth reminds me a bit of The Cure. Spooky. 3.5/5 Awkward, sudden transition. Bassy. Metallic. The bassline carries this song. The pessimistic/apathetic nature of the lyrics fits with the robotic uniformity of the music. 3.5/5 infinite-staircase-ca-mario64-core.wav Who summoned the end game boss? Ok boss is in phase 2 oh shit Layeeeeers baby. Don't drop those keys... Epic 5/5 Spooky helicopter-bug going crazy Instrumental dark gothic synth is fun! The little guitar riff is a nice addition to that particular part. So dark and electric. Jumpscare! Really atmospheric. I enjoyed this a lot. Fav track: Pimpf Least fav track: Little 15

I am very familiar with Radiohead's discography, having listened to most of their albums. Last time I heard this album was probably around 2020. I remember feeling indifferent about it then. Interested to see what I think about it now. I enjoy the energy of the first track. Solid opener. Fun switchup. 3.8/5 Atmospheric. Builds well on the piano loop. Electronic bass is deep and fuzzy. Great layering. I enjoy the mix. Electronic section is a strong addition. Plays welo with the drums. Fantastic bassline. 4.5/5 Distant sounding instrumentation at the beginning sets the tone of the track. Guitar is well executed. I enjoy how much space there is in the song. Radiohead(tm) vocals. Really enjoyable harmonies. Cold track. Relisten. Tentative 4/5 Not sure if I like or if I hate the panning effect here. Reminds me of Kid A. Noise elements are integrated well. Intriguing instrumental section. Underwater vibes, feels like experiencing pressure at the bottom of a pool. Liked it 4/5 Instrumental contrasts heavily to the last song. Alt rock aucustic guitars, faster tempo, production tries to make it sound big though it ends up feeling a bit empty and almost uninspired. A bit boring 3/5 Opening bassline shows promise. Vocal effects immideately noticable. The bass and synths keep me interested. Vocal melody is very well written. Beautiful background effects. Electric guitar adds grit to an otherwise smooth musical landscape. 4.3/5 Claps and piano combined, usually a personal red flag. Opening vocals come off as a bit jarring. Gorgeous vocal layering. Builds into a chaotic break, interesting. Haunting background vocals. Mixed thoughts, song works, might need repeat listens to fully get. 3.5/5 Static is not pleasant playing loudly through headphones. Sparse underneath the very electronic instrumentation. Cold and technological, the repeating vocals add a nice atmosphere. Enjoyed that overall 4/5 Rythmic. Catches the ear immideately. Exelently crafted vocal melody. Instrumental switchup comes at the perfect time. Builds upon the vocals to create a very fun pattern. Background guitar sounds great. Bass needs a mention too. Best track so far 5/5 Simple and eerie. Strange delivery. Interlude/5 Builds up strongly at the start. Funky instrumentation. Repetitive tendencies, gets a bit boring after a while. Piano too loud in the mix, overpowering at times. Could be a grower but for now 3/5 Tight and loud electronics with slurred drunk sounding vocals. Ugly sounding. Overstimulating. Does however feel like it's done on purpose to drive home the point of the song. Hard to judge on a "first" listen 3/5 Guitar is nice. Passionate delivery. Builds up into beautiful moments. Great execution of a great and relatable concept for a song. 4.5/5 Stressful, lyrically dense. I enjoy the release that comes with the howl at the end. Confusing. 3/5 Fave track: There There Least fave track: Go to Sleep

Notes got deleted. Overall fine album, foundit pretty average. The production of the album proved challenging with my setup. The best songs were the high energy "deep cuts". Favw track: Stare it cold Least fave track: She talks to angels

I've heard this album before. It's great. Intro. Not much to say, establishes themes present througout the whole album. Lost ones. Opens the album with a solid bop. Beat is bouncy, verses are well rapped, and the singing on the chorus is marvelous. Ends in a solid interlude. Production does not take the attention off Lauren Hill's performance. 5/5 Ex-Factor. Soulful. Strong RNB track. Produced excelently. Great layering of vocals. Passionate and oozing confidence. Love the windchimes, and the background vocals. Large and powerful ending. Guitar solo carthartic. 5/5 To Zion. The Latin guitar brought by Carlos Santana immediately sticks out as something fresh and different. Rougher mixing than the previous track. Religous themes well executed. Passionate and epic. The storytelling brought by the interlude is intriguing. 4.8/5 Doo Wop (That Thing). Gets into the action quickly. Great energy. Classic. Great beat. Solid flow on the first verse. Horns contrast well against the instrumentation so far on the album. Iconic chorus. Always a pleasure 5/5 Superstar. Starts a bit weaker than previous tracks Slower, vocal focused track. A bit sparse. Repeats itself a bit too much for my taste. 3.5/5 Final Hour. Flute sample is cool. Fun bars. Rhyme scheme is impressive. Confident. Horns deserve a shoutout for their inclusion, subtle. Singing wraps up the song nicely. 4/5 When it hurts so bad. Bass immediately sticks out for it's deoth and groove. Vocals float over the background music in a really natural way. She does a great job on some really difficult sounding vocal parts. Clear cut and straight forward messaging about opportunity. Well written track front to back. 5/5 I Used to Love Him. A bit sharp on the ears when the opening line enters the track. Fantastic bass. Somber and reflective. Quite beautiful. Great feature. Builds upon itself into a really catchy and infectious tune. Had to instantly replay. 5/5 Forgive them Father. Immediate contrast to the previous track. Catchy. Great beat. Great use of the (horn sample?) Classy and just straight out cool. African american struggles are well communicated in the lyrics. 4/5 Every Ghetto Every City. Funky. Triumphant. Nostalgic, reflective track, mirrored in the funk inspired instrumentation. Fun track about of the good ol' days. Decent enough, probably more significant if you understand the references. 3.8/5 Nothing Really Matters. Smooth. D'Angelo is a gem. Lovely harmonies. Momentous. So so smooth. Minimal instrumentation really gives the song the space it deserves. Sensual and sweet. Amazing 5/5 Everything is Everything. Chaotic. Not sure about the instrumentation. A bit too loud to the point of it being distracting. Well performed. Layering on the chorus is exceptional. Decent. 3.5/5 The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Sums up the themes of self-empowerment, faith and building one's own path. Soulful and passionate. Organ and piano plays well off each other. Simple and effective. 4/5 Can't take my eyes off of you (I need you baby). Great cover of a classic track. Interesting to hear this song from the perspective of a woman. Subtler and less bombastic than the original. Makes it her own. 4.2/5 Tell Him. Acustic guitar plays a nice little melody. Passionate. Wraps up the themes of love nicely. Present and aware. Powerful backing vocals. Great closer. 5/5 Absolutely stunning album front to back. Fav track: Impossible to chose Least fav track: Superstar

An album I've been meaning to listeb to for a while. Having listened to Nick Drake's other albums I'm expecting more of the same. Time Will Tell You. Calming, sparse at times a little hypnotic. Flavourful and strong. 4/5 River Man. The strange delivery makes Nick Drake sound like he's from a distant time. The strings are a good addition to the simple instrumentation. Feels like a fairytale soundtrack. 4/5 Three Hours. Opening sounds mysterious. Mysticism vibes continue. Psychedelic in a way. Great track. 4.5/5 Way to blue. Moody land owkey 4/5 Day is done. Lullaby-like. Background violin is beautiful. Guitar plucking makes a nice melody. 5/5 Cello song. Really pleasant guitar melody. Cello is used effectively. Poetic lyrics. Percussion is interesting. 4/5 The thoughts of Mary Jane. The delivery is a bit rougher on this track. Flute playing a contrasting melody. Sounds like a quiet wet summer morning in the garden. 4.2/5 Man in a Shed. The mixing does not sound good in my headphones. Can barely hear the vocals. Jazzy piano and upright bass is umexpected. A bit boring. Let down by the mixing 2.5/5 Fruit Tree. Opens up with what sounds like the start of a campfire song. Great poetry so far. Sad and depressing. Dramatic instrumentation. Liked it 4/5 Saturday Sun. Opening piano sets the tone well. Starts off optimistic, but ends off sad and defeated. Surprisingly jazzy at times. Gloomy. 4.5/5 Really sleep deprived and tired when listening to this. Needs a relisten in a better mood. First impression might be somewhat skewed. Fave track. Day is done Least fave track. Man in a shed

Heard of but never listened to. Ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space. Instantly captures my attention. Calm and serene. Elvis interplatation is a wild choice which works wonferfully. Definitely feels like floating in space. Backing vocals are powerful. Meditative and psychedelic. So far right up my alley. Had to immediately replay. 5/5 Come together. Alternative rock angle is a wild shift from the previous track. Bassline slaps. Great energy. The use of the backing vocals carries nicely over from the previous track. The addition of horns is a surprising inclusion which shows up at an interesting time where my interest in the track seems to lull a bit and brings me right in. Ends chaotically. Interesting. 4.5/5 I think I'm in love. Transitions nicely from the previous track. Trippy beginning. Unexpected harmonica. Vocal effects add to the psychedelic vibe. Hope it manages to keep my attention for the entirety of its 8 minute runtime. The changeup is welcome. Hypnotic rhythm. Doors-esque. Original, will return to. 5/5 All of my Thoughts. Piano and strings opening is great. Really explosive psychedelic madness contrasts well to the low-key vocal focused parts. Fantasticly dissonant, chaotic and large second instrumental parts is a real highlight. Great 5/5 Stay with me. Really open, full of reverb. Western like at times. Eerie whispery vocal delivery. Synths make the song sound large. Electric guitar adds to the largeness. Slowly builds up to a really dense and pleasant soundscape. Really interesting. 4.5/5 Electricity. Organ!!! Did not expect a fuzzy garage rock track. Noisy and full of energy. Bass is mixed really well. Awesome solo. More heavy-psych goodness. Contemporary comparisson immediately goes to King Gizzard's heavy psych songs from their live-shows. Hell yeah! 5/5 Home of the Brave Loudly mixed unrefined vocals over strange dissonant instrumentation gives a really eerie, somber and moody vibe. The noise taking over as the vocals quiet down paints an awesome visual image. Immaculately produced and strongly written. 5/5 The Individual. The noise carrying over from the previous track makes for an amazing transition. What an eerie and frankly scary soundscape. Unpleasant in the best kind of way. A dense piece of noise with the quiet background bass adding a human element. Feels like a lonely wanderer in a terrible hellscape, perhaps the titular "individual"? Powerful 4.5/5 Broken Heart. Space-like. Ambient at the start. Reminds me of Brian Eno's Apollo early on. Distant brass instrument contrasts well to the quiet vocals. Beautiful violin. Really sad. Film-score like instrumentation is unexpected but excellent at conveying the themes of heartbreak in the song. Beautiful, powerful. 5/5 No God only Religion. Jumpscare! Noisy, somewhat jazzy. Great bass. Sounds like a violent sea, the drumming made me make this conclusion. Large with individual elements working together in disharmony. Sounds transitional. Really enjoyable. 5/5 Cool Waves. Interesting vocal effect. Violin and harmonic work surprisingly well together. Chorus feels like a welcome release. Emotional. Church choir sounds great. Wow. 5/5 Cop shoot Cop. Love the western vibes. Delay on the guitar is fun. Crunchy bass. Taking it's time to build up was a good choice. Fuzzy psychedelic guitar is a great early peak for the buildup to build up to. Shreds. Could listen to this forever. Stimulating. Holy noise! Return of main instrumental with minor changes comes at a good time. Horror-esque. Definitely justifies it's 17 minute runtime. 5/5 Great album. One of the best I've heard in a long time. Frustrated that I've let it slip by me for so long. Fave track. Broken Heart Least Fave track. Stay with me

First impression before listening: That's a horrid album cover. Pre "The Bad Seeds" Nick Cave sounds like an interesting listen. Blast Off. Loud. Erratic. Unclear recording, suspect. I like the bass playing so far. Full of punk rock energy. Good. 3.5/5 She's Hit. Gothic. Great vocal delivery. Not sure about how the drums are mixed. Paints a vivid image. Distant background guitar adds a disconnected uneasiness to the track. Haunted. Goes on for a bit too long. Anothet decent track. 3.5/5 Dead Joe. Feral. Horror movie chase scene vibes. Guitar sounds possessed. Noisier parts of the song are well layered. Who's Joe? Unsure, leaning towards good. 3/5 The Dim Locator. Haunted carnival vibes. Those are some interesting sounds. Demented vocals. Gets stale after a bit, but still fine. 3/5 Hamlet (Pow Pow Pow) Interesting bassline. Edgy lyrics. Hectic and extra vocals. Jim Morrison on an extended drug trip rambling core. The bass carries the song. Getting more into it at the end. Good. 3/5 Several Sins Switchup in energy appreciated. Spooky chorus is suprisingly catchy. Ghoulish 4/5 Big Jesus Trash Can. A blusier track than previous. Harmonica is a cool choice. Cool concept. More of the same. 3/5 Kiss me black. Compressed. The distant echo effect is interesting. The Guitar riff works well. Ultimately too unstructured and erratic. 2.5/5 6" Gold Blade Great opening riff. Gothic. Nonesensical creepy lyrics. Vocal performance is great, the screams add an interesting layer to it. Rambly and weird. 2.8/5 Kewpie Doll I like the bassline. Really don't like the vocals here. Sounds terrible. The drums are mixed weirdly, and sit in an uncomfortable place in my headset. Avant-Garde. Dislike 1.5/5 Junkyard. Nightmarish. The vocals has a lot of depth to them. Sounds violent and almost psychotic. The repetitiveness makes for a cool rhythm. Cathartic ending. Strong track. 4/5 Bonus track Dead Joe - 2nd Version Not much to add that wasn't noted already. Ultimately feels similar to the other version. 3/5 Release the Bats The difference in production is instantly noticable. Vampire imagery is fun. Fun gothic vibe. 3/5 Strange album. Feeling mixed on this one. Not much sonic difference between tracks, and weird production. Some great ideas and performances. Can defintely see that something like this could be influential. Maybe I just don't fully get it. Fave track. Junkyard Least fave track. Kewpie doll

Album cover is bland and uninspiring from a band with an uninspiring name. Never listened to them, though they seem to have a lot of streams. Could be good. Precious. Moves along nicely. Drum tempo is cool. Vocals sit oddly in the mix. I like the attitude of the vocalist's performance. The panning guitar effect could've lasted longer. Overall fine 3.5/5 The Phone Call Awful vocal effect. Garagey guitar performance. Sonically stagnant. I like how it ends. Average 2.5/5 Up the Neck Instrumental is a vibe. Verse structure is well fitting. Love the guitar and bass on this track. Cohesive. Gives strong post punk vibes. Solid. 4/5 Tattooed Love Boys. Sus title. Upbeat vibe was unexpected. Danceable. Bass sounds great. Vocalist sounds confident and like she's having fun on the track. The guitar solo doesn't work for me. The different sonic palatte is welcome at this point in the album. Perfectly fine track. 3.5/5 Space Invader. Solid bassline to start. Crunchy. The drums are a little too muted. Good panning effect on the guitar. Cool but a bit sparse. 3.5/5 The Wait. Vocals stand out over a bland instrumental. Chorus has great energy. Garagey guitars return. Standard solo. Danceable. 4/5 Stop your Sobbing Acapella opening is a choice. Not sure if I like it. Kinda annoying chorus. What a weird concept for a song. Unimpressed. 2/5 Kid Western vibes from the guitar. Lacks the attitude from the previous tracks. Bridge was good. Chorus feels a bit underwritten. The fade out stinks in comparisson to the many great endings to their previous songs. Average 2.5/5 Private Life. Vocals sit weirdly in the mix again. Bluesy. Not sure about the falsetto in the backing vocals. I don't mind the placement of that guitar part. I like the writing on the verses. Doesn't really do anything surprising. Is not bad, but not particularly inspiring. Good moments brings it above average. 3/5 Brass in Pocket. Upbeat and plucky. Backing vocals work well here. Could be fun to sing along to. Summer driving song. Solid. 4.5/5 Lovers of Today Cheesy. Expecting a grand over the top chorus anytime now. Don't like how loud the bass is here. Welcome instrumental switchup. Just sort of underwhelmed by the chorus. Decent little guitar parts helps smooth over a boring instrumental bit. Overstays its welcome. 2.5/5 Mystery Achievement. Opening bass part is really catchy though a bit rough around the edges. Singable and full of charisma. Works well with what is given. Enjoyable 3.7/5 First impression says pretty solid record. Nothing mindblowing, but it kept my attention throughout. Impressed by the fact this is a debut record. The singer does a great job bringing fun charisma and attitude to the table. Wish to see more instrumental variety should I hear more of them in the future. Bass playing was solid throughout, and the guitar solos worked well for the most part. Fave track. Brass in pocket Least fave track. Stop your Sobbing.

I've heard their last album prior to this one. Enjoyed it, but never retuned to it. Generally a fan of the genre. Freak Scene. Energy of the track contrasts with the downturned attitude of the vocals. Guitar sounds crunchy with a nice distortion effect. Good solo. Shoegazy. Strong opener 4.5/5 No Bones Flat drums. Interesting riff. Slightly whiny vocals, works fine. Acustic guitar is a nice addition. Noisy. Vocals disappear a bit at the end. 4/5 They Always Come I really can't hear what the vocalist is singing on the first verse. Subtly solid drum performance. Great distortion, the droning guitars are beautiful to listen to. Solid. 4/5 Yeah we Know Loud. Low energy. Structured well into the instrumental bit. Overstays its welcome. Lacking in variation. 3/5 Let it right Punky opening riff. Ambivalent about the writing on the track, the repetitiveness doesn't impress. The really loud pair of guitars at the end marks an exlosive final third elevating the song. 3.5/5 Pond Song An entirely different vibe to start. The guitars contrast well against each other. The serene guitar playing cut by the agressive riffing of the other guitar makes for a pretty cool effect. Decent. 3.5/5 Budge Getting straight into it with some great layering of the distorted guitars. The bass is more prevalent here, almost post-punky in its execution. Strong chorus. Good. 3.8/5 The Post Dark, gothic to start. Great chorus. Post chorus breakdown bookmarks it well. Ebbs and flows. Explosive. Muted drums again. Good. 3.8/5 Don't Great guitar effects. Screaming vocals add a lot to the distortion of the track. Some different energy to the vocals is welcome. Noisy. Some nice melodies buried beneath. I'm enjoying the aggression here. Ends in an explosion of sound. All round great track. 4.2/5 Keep the Glove Vocals start a bit rough. A bit more upbeat instrumentation. Shoegazey loud guitars close the album well. Decent closer. 3.5/5 Liked it quite a bit. Think there were some rough parts but overall enjoyable. Did a great job of making each song sound different from each other with a limited spectrum of sonic ideas. Fave track. Freak Scene Least fave track. Yeah we Know

90 minute Dylan live album. This is a real undertaking. I'm ambivalent on Dylan. Listened to many of his albums, though I find him really hard to get into. She Belongs to me Not much to comment on. As Dylan as a Dylan track gets. Singing is odd, harmonica is good. Fine. 3/5 Fourth time around Opens quite well. Unrefined. Great storytelling. Doesn't excite me too much, but is a good enough song for me to not be completely disinterested. Fine. 3/5 Visions of Johanna Paints a somber atmosphere. Impressive worldbuilding. Some of the inflections on this track are unique to say the least. Never really goes anywhere interesting to me. There's a story here, and the writing is good just isn't something I'll be returning to. 2/5 It's All Over Now, Baby Blue Bluesy. I like the melody on the verse. Harmonica sounds great here, played really soulfully. Passionate delivery. Zoned out a bit, sorry. Fine. 3/5 Desolation Row Classic. I enjoy the narrative structure. Guitar melody is nice in the background. I appreciate how easy the story is to follow, and the picture it paints over the course of the song. The final verse caps off the song wonderfully. Great 4.5/5 Just Like a Woman First two lines set the tone well. Not sure if I like the chorus. Wish I had more to add, just nothing stands out too much. Enjoy the somber vibe. 3/5 Mr. Tambourine Man Yeah this one I can't rate fairly. Heard it too many times so not an actual first impression. I think it's an absolute classic. This version has a slightly different tempo and delivery. Prefer the studio version, still a 5/5. First half is good, just not entirely too exciting for me personally. Kept my attention through most of it. Had a good time in general. Tell Me Mama Opens quite differently. Appreciate the sonic difference brought by the electric instruments and the drum. Bluesy. Nice energy. Don't care too much about the lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 I don't believe you (She acts like we haven't met) I notice the organ as soon as it comes in. Love when the multiple sounds of the band come together with Dylan's voice. Love the vocal performance here. I like the confused character of the narrator in the song's story. Ends well. Enjoyable track. 4/5 Baby, Let Me Follow You Down Unsure about the first minute. Chaotic. Guitar is played with a lot of feeling. I do not like the organ solo. Okay piano solo. Rounded out nicely. 3/5 Just Like Tom Thumbs Blues Sluggish. Whiny. Decent enough instrumentation. Some cool melodies there. Okay concept I guess, just really not entranced in anyway. Find myself a bit bored of it around the 3 minute mark. Average. 2.5/5 Leopard-Skin-Pill-box-Hat Repetitive. Nothing really to comment on, kinda funny I guess. Tounge in cheek lyrics. Fine. 3/5 One too many mornings First verse is well structured. Sounds like what it's trying to sound like. Executes its concept very competently. Totally okay with hearing it again. 3.5/5 Ballad of a Thin Man Classic. Vocals are really quiet. Complicated. I guess I don't really understand the lyrics. Am I stupid? I'm entertained by my own confusion. Can't say I'm not entertained. I like it I think? 4/5 Like a Rolling Stone Probably heard the studio version of this song 1 million times. I think it's just fine. Just never been my favourite. Don't like the sound quality of this version too much. The organ is too sharp in my headphones when playing the higher notes. I understand why he'd end with this song. Works great as a closer. Catchy, kind of bored of it. Rating on the day. 3.8/5 Was what I expected. Enjoyed most of it. Will probably prefer returning to more condensed Dylan projects over this one. His studio records are easier for me to listen too, though as a historic record I'm glad I finished this one at least. Fave track. Mr. Tambourine Man Least Fave track. Visions of Johanna

So I generally don't like this band whenever I've heard them. I find their music quite bland and safe and generally boring. Never listened to a full album by them, maybe I can be turned around. Everlasting Light. Annoying vocals. Sluggish. Compressed. Goes nowhere interesting, you've heard one minute you've heard the entire song. Don't like. 2/5 Next Girl Call and response sets a dreary atmosphere. Pseudo blues writing does in my opinion not work with the singers vocal style, comes across as performative. Weird chorus. Average. 2.5/5 Tighten Up Slightly overplayed. Fifa soundtrack-core Vocals are fine. Guitar plays some nice licks. A nothing instrumental bridge. Clean production. Switchup gives the song another dimension. Fine. 3/5 Howlin' for you Sounds like a car commercial. Is that a kazoo? rarely a good idea. Distracting whatever that is. Ruins the song. MY RIGHT EAR WTF. One dimensional song outside of that. Boring solo. Nearly unlistenable. 1.2/5 She's long gone Cool rhythm. Lyrics are kinda dumb. Don't mind the bass on the song. Mosquito-like guitar just doesn't sound good. Meh. 2.5/5 Black Mud Opens with a decent bass line. Psychedelic elements are a nice surprise. Wish the drums had more punch to them. Decent. 3/5 The Only One Synth organ sounds like a carnival ride. Adds a psychedelic element to the verse. Less tight, more spacious gives a more pop vibe. Works surprisingly well. Wish there was some diversity in the verses. The bass could be more prominent, a bit muted. Like it. 4/5 Too Afraid to Love You Cool change in instrumentation. Could be a cool hip hop beat. Singing does not come across as soulful in the slightest if that's the intention. Sounds unfocused. Fine. 3/5 Ten Cent Pistol Weak opening. Sounds kinda flat. They're playing their instruments well. Chorus works. Fine 3/5 Sinister Kid I see the potential from how the track opens. Verse kinda sucks. Chorus does a decent job being engaging. Cliche lyrics. Fine. 3.2/5 The Go Getter The instrumentation here is multilayered and fun. Stomp stomp clap on the chorus is too much. Chorus kinda brings down the energy of the track, my interest in the track disappears into the void when it comes around. Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe shit. 2.8/5 I'm not the One Feel like I've heard this exact verse like 5 times this album. If you're not enamoured with the singers voice this track provides nothing for you to latch onto. Teases a buildup then leads into nothing. Not worth commenting on the lyrics. Offensively forgettable. 1.5/5 Unknown Brother Sentimental sounding. Sweet lyrics. Triumphant. Not much to say sonically, but can't hate a track about someone's dead relative. Nice guitar licks. Solid. 3.5/5 Never Gonna Give You Up Not the Rick Astley song :( The "horns" are distracting. Appreciate the change in instrumentation. Think this song should've gone for more risks. There's a bunch of potential for a bright fun track, but feels too muted to be anything notable. Forgetable. 2.5/5 These Days Slow and earnest. Love how the lyrics are written. The delay on the guitars works well with the slower structure. Quite a sad and retrospective track. Good closer Enjoyable 3.5/5 Bonus tracks Chop and Change Not much to discuss. The female background vocals add an additional layer to the song. Average. 2.5/5 Keep My Name Outta Your Mouth Bassline does a lot of work. The compressed vocals make it hard to hear what he's singing at points. Flute sample is catchy. Some nice distortion. Fine. 3/5 Black Mud Part II Continues where the last part left off. See above. Unecessary. 2.5/5 Competently executed, just not really ny thing. Honestly found it boring for the most part, though it had some moments I thoroughly enjoyed. Fave track. The Only One Least Fave track. Howlin' for You

One of the greatest albums of all time. Had the entire album in my Spotify wrapped one year. There's nothing I can add about this album that hasn't already been said. It's perfect. Fave track. Hidden Place, Cocoon, It's not up to you, Pagan Poetry, Heirloom, Unison Least Fave track. N/A

Not something I'd check out in my own time. Been wanting to get more into country music as it remains a large musical blindspot for me. Not sure what expectations to have going into this one. The Grand Tour Feels quite standard for a country song. It's a fine vehicle for the story he wants to tell. Using a house tour to convey sorrow over a woman leaving is admitably clever. Amused. 3.5/5 Darlin' Opening straight onto the chorus. If you see this song as being about the same person as the previous song it then adds an interesting layer to it. Otherwise fairly standard. 2.5/5 Pass Me By (If you're only passing through) The chorus has a nice melody. The steel string guitar helps distinguish the song from the others on the album so far. The Piano also adds another layer to the instrumentation. Fairly uninteresting concept however. Fine. 3/5 She'll love the one she's with Another sorrowful song about unrequited love. The singer comes across as unlikeable in this one. Basic song structure. Unremarkable. 2.5/5 Once you've had the best Instrumentation at the start is nice. The strings were a surprise. Cute little love song 3.5/5 The Weatherman A different tempo is a breath of fresh air. Using the weather forecast as a metaphor for relationship trouble is probably novel for the time, it's at least fun. Backing singers do a great job. Fun! 4/5. Borrowed Angel Repeating some themes here... Is this a song about cheating with a married woman? Extremely suspect. Weird. 1.5/5 She Told Me So Extremely unlikable premise. Getting gaslit anthem. Dumb chorus. Did not like. 2/5 Mary Don't Go Round Swingin'. Fun chorus. A dencent change in vocal performance. 3/5 Who Will I Be Loving Now Finally a song about the narrator getting over someone. Seems like an unhealthy relationship with love. Boring 2/5 Our Private Life Higher tempo. Confused commentary about people obsessing over celebrity culture. Tongue in cheek, though also comes across as bitter. Feels like someone's response to getting cancelled. Weird vibes. 2/5 Yeah not sure about this one. There's some good here, but there's just a lot of the same old love songs about being sad about some girl. Competently performed, and some of the tracks are well written, but ultimately falls flat for me. Fave track. Weatherman Least fave track. Borrowed Angel

Rolling Stones... I like them, I think? Never a skip at least, loving many of their songs admitably limited to classic rock stations/playlists. Though still have never listened to a full album of theirs, but probably would've at some point. High expectations for this one. Sympathy for the Devil What is there to say about this song that hasn't already been said. Absolute classic. Great rhythm, edgy concept for the time and an all time charismatic performance from Jagger. Oozing coolnees. Iconic. 5/5 No Expectations Massive shift in both tone and energy from the last track. Alternating guitars are cool. Nice bass sound. There's something nostalgic about it though I've never heard it before. Piano at the end seals the song nicely. 3.8/5 Dear Doctor Bluesy start. Weird mix on the vocals. Not sure about the instrumentation. The voice... No that's terrible... 2/5 Parachute Woman Bluesy. Kinda basic blues rock instrumentation. I've heard other takes on tracks similar to this where it's been imo executed much better, not bad just not inspiring. Fine. 3/5 Jigsaw puzzle Sounds much better than the previous two tracks, much clearer recording. I like the progression. Some nice guitar licks. The bass sound is also great. Great synergy within the band. Groovy piano. Catchy chorus. Fun track! 4.5/5 Street Fighting Man Loud guitars. Sitar? Wish it was implemented more. Great vocal performance, gritty yet showy. Finally got a more psychedelic element in the end, great! Good. 3.5/5 Prodigal Son Folky. Sounds like he's playing a character. Sparse. Lyrics paint a vivid image. Fine. 3/5 Stray Cat Blues Great intro. The bass playing stands out. Suspect lyrics... The chorus sounds fine but the lyrics... Hope this is some satire that I'm not getting. Uncomfortable. 1/5 Factory Girl Nice rhythm. Great acustic guitar. Folky. Hope this girl isn't underage... Nice violin solo. Fun track. 3.5/5 Salt of the Earth Weird stereo effect on the vocals. Buildup to the chorus works well. Don't care much for the vocals. Comes off as propaganda. Didn't care for. 2.5/5 Really mixed reaction to this one. Some great, and some questionable tracks. The performances from the band/vocals were the highlight on this album. I however feel some of the song concepts were slightly dated. Fave track. Sympathy for the Devil Least fave track. Stray Cat Blues

The Doors have always been one of my favourite bands with this being my second favourite Doors album. Almost flawless, bar a few tracks that fall a bit short for me personally. Psychedelic, dark and enigmatic the entire album is just oozing with personality. As it has been a while I'll do a full active relisten with notes, just to refresh my thoughts and to see if they have changed in any way. Break on through to the other side. One of the absolute greats. The keys, the vocals and the drums all work perfectly together to create a song that is dark but also so full of colour. Everything here just works in tandem. Absolutely perfect. 5/5 Soul Kitchen The keys create an iconic pattern that introduces a deep moody vibe that is continued in the vocals. The vocal performance on the chorus blows my mind. The post chorus verse is also fanatastic. Underrated guitar solo. Simple and sweet. Sublimely produced. Ends on a conclusive and solid note. 5/5 The Crystal Ship Never been my favourite on the album. Evocative lyrics. Slower pace. Quiet instrumental. Good. 3.5/5 Twenieth Century Fox The verses are great, the chorus works though feeks like it's missing something to push it over the edge. The guitar is a highlight. Jim Morrison does a great job on the vocals here. Great. 4/5 Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) Fun tempo. Whimsical in a scary way. Sounds like a cursed carnival ride. Serial killer lyrics. Interesting instrumental break. Menacing. 4/5 Light my Fire Iconic opening keys. Iconic first verse. Iconic chorus. A defining song for the era and rock music in general. Keyboard break deserves every praise it gets. Delightfully psychedelic and moody. Everything just takes its time and leaves enough space for the music to just hit you. Blissful. The guitar just complements the keyboard so well, and the drums while doing nothing fancy ground the track well. And the bassline is another pillar for the track to stand on. When the vocals come back with the keyboard line preceding it is just pure bliss. Never overstays its welcome. Absolute perfection. 5/5 Back Door Man The wild vocals in the intro with the bouncy instrumental really sets the tone. Bluesy and raw. Fantastic vocal performance. An instrumental that just oozes coolness. Strange and unhinged lyrics at times. Underappreciated. 5/5 I Looked at You Driven and well structured. Again, keys are a highlight. Not sure if I think the bass here is too great. Full of energy and pure rock and roll spirit. Solid drum work. Great. 4/5 End of the night Mysterious. Gloomy. A raw vocal performance, almost regretful. Psychedelic guitar. Appreciate it a lot more than I used to. Underrated. 4.5/5 Take it as it comes Big. Dense and tight chorus. Amazing keyboard solo. Bass here is also extremely catchy. Great. 4/5 The End The Godfather of all album closers for me personally. Just almost 12 minutes of pure psychedelic goodness. Not a single second wasted. A true experience, from the enigmatic lyrics to the slithering tempo. Perfect performances from everyone culminate into an absolute explosion of absolute beautiful chaos and madness at the end. Almost too good for words... 5/5 I love this album so much. It always delivers. Just an absolute joy to listen to at any time. Deserves all its plaudits. While I do enjoy Strange Days slightly more these two albums are pretty neck in neck for me and both would be in the discussion for my personal top 10 albums of all time. Just an absloute masterpiece. Fave song. The End Least fave song. The Crystal Ship

So I read up on this album and thought the circumstances of its creation sounded interesting. Threw it on while cleaning the house and had a mixed reaction to it. Won't be going in completely blind, but let's see how my views change on a more active listen. Monk Time Great energy to start off the album with. The frantic talky vocals give a chaotic and raw impression. Not much to say about the instrumentation other than it's solid. The keys stand out. Solid introduction. 3.5/5 Shut Up Great organ playing over a marching drum beat. Not crazy about the vocal melody. Really enjoyable instrumental passage. Points for originality but personally not loving it. 3/5 Boys Are Boys and Girls are Choice Swinging cursed Beach Boys injected with a bit of psychedelia and a slightly off chorus. Fine. 3/5 Higgle-Dy-Piggle-Dy Annoying guitar rhythm. Yodel inspired vocals are at least interesting. Probably constitutes as originial for its day. Can't say I'm enamoured with it, but it's not something I've really heard before. 3/5 I Hate You Boring instrumental. Great vocal performance, slightly unhinged energy to them which I like. There are some cool guitar effects there. Fine. 3/5 Oh, How to do Now Annoying, repetitive, earstabbing organ. Goes nowhere, does not build on anything. The chorus gets actively more annoying by the baffling decision to keep increasing the pitch and tempo. Horrible. 1/5 Complication I get the concept, but the execution does not translate into anything I'd want to listen to. Just does not work. Feels like a song designed to annoy you. Also the using the word "constipation" will not make me take your song sereiously. Annoying. 1/5 We Do Wie Du Structure is good. The organ melody on the verse works surprisingly well with the strange vocal delivery. Chorus is not as annoying as previous songs. Not great. 2.5/5 Drunken Maria Was this really needed? Call and response is the only barely memorable part. Gimmicky. Forgetable. 2/5 Love Came Tumblin Down The montonous rhythm is really getting old at this point. A fine track in isolation. Some difference in structure with a less repetitive chorus and some decent guitar. Fine. 3/5 Blast Off! Dark, apocalyptic. An explosion of sound. Nice to hear some different keys. Decent execution of the concept. Works well for what it is. 3.5/5 That's My Girl! Now this is awful... The "yeahs" and the hollering over another "Monks(tm)" instrumental. Just plain irritating. Torturous. 1/5 I Can't Get Over You Decent song. There's some charisma here. Chorus strangely works. Structurally boring, and nothing stands out instrumentally. Fine. 3/5 Cuckoo Torture. Absolutely hellish. Brainwashing music. If I ever revisit this know that I've officially lost it. The long term effects of exposure to this song need to be studied. Get me out. 1/5 Love Can Tame The Wild Some nice harmonies. Lyrics are sweet. Nice piano. Is that a banjo? Decent song. 3.5/5 He Went Down to the Sea Bass and percussion both make up for some great melody work. The verse structure is really good. The snare on the word "sea" is pretty fun. Love the addition of the horns. Triumphant. Great vocals. Great. 4/5 Monk Chat Nice little jam to round out the album. Nothing special, but a decent closer. 3/5 Got really tired at the end. Enjoyed some of the tracks. Was bored by others. Really didn't like some. Was totally just okay, not something I'll return to. Was fun to experience a piece of music history though, even if some of the tracks really didn't work for me. Points for originality. Innovative for its time. These factors bring the album up to a 3 for me, though I cannot give it any higher as I didn't enjoy half the tracks, though that might be a personal issue rather then a fault of the artistry on display. Fave Track. He Went Down to the Sea Least fave track. Cuckoo

I know Aretha Franklin mostly from a few hits and her gorgeous voice. Regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time she possesses both power and soul creating some beautiful moments. That being said I've never heard a full album from her so I'm excited to have a listen and see what she can deliver outside of her hits. Respect. One of the hits, and an absolutely iconic piece of music. A cover which truly elevates the song and changes its context to deliver a feminist message. Fantastically performed and popular for a reason. Amazing. 5/5 Drown in my own tears Calming, jazzy, moody. Sentimental performance. Feels true and honest. She paces her performance well across the entire track, allowing her vocals to grow organically towards the end of the song. Instrumentally does get a bit stale after a bit. Very of it's era. Great. 4/5 I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You) Vocal performance as impressive as previous tracks though the instrumental kinda lets the song down. Great chorus. The horns don't sound too great. The mix sorta drowns the vocals out by the end. Decent. 3.5/5 Soul Seranade. Starts really promising. Great delivery on the chorus. The verses are kinda uninteresting, though I guess they're not really the selling point. Doesn't overstay it's welcome, rather peters out by the end. Decent. 3.5/5 Don't Let Me Lose This Dream Feels classy. I enjoy the pacing. The bass is a highlight in the instrumental. The piano is a bit too quiet. Backing vocals do a decent job of adding to the song without taking away from the main performance. Great. 4/5 Baby, Baby, Baby A basic premise and a safe choice. The verses are well written. Backing vocals don't add much. Carried by an amazing vocal performance yet again. Decent. 3.5/5 Dr. Feelgood (Love is a Serious Business) Could come across as cheesy, though feels sincere enough to avoid it. The horns sound kinda rough. Builds on itself. Ends well. Good track. 3.5/5 Good Times A nice positive song about having a good time. Simple and sweet. Catchy, moves along nicely. Appreciate its briefness. Swingin' 4/5 Do Right Woman, Do Right Man Kind of a slow start. Novel through modern ears, progressive for its time. Well structured chorus, though the background vocals are kinda rough. Great. 4/5 Save Me Repetitive instrumental, though has a sort of funky energy to it. Especially the bass. Comic book references are fun. Fine. 3/5 A Change is Gonna Come. Powerful and anthemic first minute. The piano is really pleasant. Has a different kind of class to it, hard to describe what causes it. Really highlights her fantastic voice. Made it her own. Beautiful. 4.5/5 Pleasant listening experience. Certainly a great album. Thoroughly carried by the majestic vocals which remain amazing every step of the way. And while I understand the point of the album is to highlight Aretha Franklin's voice, I just wish there would be something else once in a while to catch your ear on. The instrumental really isn't too interesting for the most part. And while the love songs are beautifully peformed and well written, some change in subject matter would be welcome for more than a brief cameo. Still for what it is and what it's trying to be, it does a great job, and really offers a worthwhile view into the world of 60s soul music. Overall an enjoyable, would revisit.

I've listened to one other Fiona Apple album (Fetch the Bolt Cutters) listening through it once, and remember it as being quite strange. This one is from an entirely different era, so I have no idea what to expect. Sleep to Dream Dense production. Interesting verse structure. Transitions suddenly. Strangely catchy. Concludes solidly. Great. 4/5 Sullen Girl Stylistic shift from the previous track. I do enjoy the ocean imagery, fits well with the deep piano playing. The instrumental evokes a wave effect alongside the drums, adding some beautiful rhythm. Passionate performance carries throughout the track. Surprising. 5/5 Shadowboxer Deep moody vocals, sounds almost confrontational. Great tempo. Chorus feels a bit weak on first impression. The strings sit oddly in the mix. Slightly jazzy. Enjoyable. 3.5/5 Criminal The writing seems very of the era. A bit boring instrumentally. I don't really like the chrous, comes across as cheesy. I do like the synth(?). Fine. 3/5 Slow Like Honey Slow, calming. Not sure about the mix, especially the bass. I appriecate the measured vocal performance. Lyrically solid. Great. 4/5 The First Taste Sparse, intimate to start. Quite different instrumentally, though I'm not sure it works. Conflicts with the vocals, is too loud in the mix and feels distracting. I like the structure of the song. Has issues, but ultimately seems decent enough. 3/5 Never is a Problem Subtle. Well written lyrically, descriptive. Fantastic chorus. Beautifully performed. Fantastic. 5/5 The Child is Gone Nothing really comes to mind immediately. I think the lyrics are interesting, she has a particular writing style that seems to carry over throughout the album. Not to interesting, but above average. 3/5 Pale September Sullen and vulnerable performance. Slightly unclear. I enjoy the progression of the chorus. Sort of makes me sleepy, though not necessarily a bad thing. Enjoyable. 3.5/5 Carrion The subtle guitar is nice. The instrumental shift in the chorus is too loud in relation to her voice, drowns it out. Flat performance. I don't think the closing instrumetation has the punch it intends to have. Disappointing closer. 2.5/5 Great effort for a debut at 19 years old. The songwriting is obviously great, it's perfomed splendidly and there are some moments where the vocal melodies are absolutely fantastic. While it is hard to evaluate lyrics on a blind listen I do recognize their consistent quality and a signature style throughout the album. However there are moments where the production choices do let her down. I also think instrumentally there really isn't too much interesting going on. I feel myself more attracted to the songs where it's less instrumentally dense, and I do think that the weaker tracks are the ones where they go overboard with it to the point of it being distracting. While I do think it is well performed it isn't always that it works for me. I don't find every track on here engaging, finding it slightly difficult not to drift off at times. Still the tracks that work, really work, finding myself enamoured by them. Some making me exlaim my appreciation for them aloud to myself. I find myself wanting to check out more of her discography after this. Inconsistent but still good, would recommend. Fave Track. Never is a Problem Least fave track. Carrion

Album cover has me worried. Nothing I have ever heard of. Early punk can be really hit or miss. Doesn't look boring at least. The Next Big Thing Ridiculous intro. Humorous, dumb, high energy. Powerful guitars, full of testosterone. Sense a bit of irony. Decent 3/5 I Got You Babe Sounds like a standars rock love-ballad. The vocals have a strange delivery to them. Strange inflection. This is a joke song right? Goes on too long. Not a fan. 2/5 Back to Africa Worrying title. Ooga-chaka? Seriously? No thank you... Humour comes across as misguided and slightly racist. If there's an attempt at commentary here it's pretty poor. Has decent energy I suppose. 1/5 Master Race Rock What are they thinking... Juvenile and dumb. A party anthem with a chorus where they're blurting out "we're the members of the master race" is just poor taste, especially since there's no commentary or self awareness there. Just has not aged well at all. Otherwise sounds pretty bland, same high energy as previous tracks. Much of the playing sounds a bit sloppy and theres very few interesting bits anywhere. Bad. 1/5 Teengenerate Honestly pretty fun. Repeating a lot of themes here. Carefree song about embracing being a dumb irresponsible kid. There's something rebellious and free spirited about that. Decent punk song. 3.5/5 California Sun Surf rock vibes, fitting with the title I suppose. Fun guitar riff. Really simple, but succeeds at what it's trying to do. Fun track. 3.5/5 Two Tub Man Shoutout to the intro. Whoever this character is they're building some interesting charicature. Tongue in cheek. Charming in a crass, juvenile way. I find it funny as terrible as it is. Had a good time. 4/5 Weekend. Exactly what you'd expect when you read the title. Loud guitars and singing about how great the weekend is, with all the things he's gonna do. Some gross-out humour and childish energy. Average. 2.5/5 (I Live For) Cars and Girls Obnoxious. Background vocals sound heavily inspired by a Beach Boys song. I guess the sound of the track works. A continuation of the same dumb energy from previous tracks. In the right context it is definitely possible to have fun with this, but to me it just doesn't do much. Do not like. 2/5 I was right that it wasn't boring at least. From the first track I was expecting a bit more depth, some irony or perhaps some messaging relevant at the time, but I didn't pick up much of that. What I did pick up however was a sense of rebeliousness and a love of being young and dumb. A celebration of stupidity and childishness, the album succeeds in being charming at times. Highlighted by ridiculous deliveries, blaring guitars and a long list of tongue in cheek lyrics. I truly believe they had a lot of fun making it. I wouldn't however say there's a lot of quality here. Most of it hasn't aged very well, with lyrics and creative choices that today would be seen as in bad taste. Most of the songs are quite basic, and the performances are quite sloppy at times, lacking polish. While the attitude of being care free might be intentional it really doesn't translate into a consistent and fulfilling product. It fails at remaining much more than a novelty, and I personally wouldn't be surprised if I forget about this album completely in a few months time. Not irredemable, though there are plenty of other things I'd rather be doing than listening to this album. Fave Track. Two Tub Man Least fave track. Master Race Rock

Heard several songs from this before. I generally enjoy Shane McGowan's singing style, and I have had periods where I've listened to a lot of Irish music. I figure I'll probably enjoy this one, especially the hits. Not too fussed about the amount of bonus tracks, though they will not count towards the final rating. The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn I don't really have much to say. I enjoy the energy. Fun. Would definitely be fun to sing along to. Great track. 4/5 The Old Man Draig Evocative imagery. Sounds miserable, pretty in theme with music of this ilk. He does seem to be describing England so it makes sense at least. Liked it enough. 3.5/5 The Wild Cats of Kilkenny Some era appropriate creative choices in the instrumentation, even when using traditional instruments it sounds distinctly mid-80s at the start. Melds into some traditional irish music, which evokes the image of someone dancing on a table. Punk elements blend for a nice fusion. Interesting. 4.5/5 I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day The female vocals were unexpected. Whatever that wind instrument is sounds cool. The vocals are nothing spectacular, chorus is just fine. I'll give it points for being unique on the album. 3.5/5 A Pair of Brown Eyes Fantastic song. I really like how it is written and performed. I just think everything works. Beautiful and emotional. A personal favourite. 5/5 Sally MacLennane A fun nostalgic pub song. Another fun song to sing along to. Well performed. Stereotypical in some aspects, though doesn't detract from it really. Like it. 4/5 Dirty Old Town Another classic song, evokes old memories. If you grew up in a small industrial town or rural area many of the lyrical themes here feel real. Can't explain why this one hit so hard for me. Personal bias. 5/5 Jesse James Rougher vocals fit as a creative choice for the story of the notorious outlaw. The whistle melody is fun. Fun retelling of the famous tale. Good. 3.5/5 Navigator The vocals are a bit muddled here. A bit slow. The chorus is great, think the vocal melody is pretty. Banjo sound good. Good. 3.5/5 Billy's Bones That's fast. Hard to follow. Short and simple, probably fun to attempt to sing along with. Just fun. 4/5. The Gentleman Soldier War critique. The alternating vocals don't work too well. The "female" voice isn't great. The song itself is fine. The leaving for service theme and the marching drums work well. Fine. 3/5 The Band Played Waltzing Matilda The vocals are differently mixed, making them really loud. Instrumentally sparse. I always found this song meandering and slow, which rings through for this version as well. It's an important commentary on the horrors of war, and well written, but I find it sort or boring and long. However it remains relevant in today's strange climate. Fine cover. 3/5 Bonus Tracks. A Pistol for Paddy Garcia Neat little instrumental which evokes old spaghetti westerns, featuring some Irish twang. The horse-gallop-like drums are fun. Decent. 3.5/5 London Girl I don't like the instrumentation, the style, or the mixing. Sounds extremely dated. The pop style really does not fit McGowan's vocals. I don't like it. 2/5 Rainy Night in Soho A popular song. Well written. Sax and flute work well. The strings are also nice. A bit overbearing. Decent. 3.5/5 The Body of an American Tempo switch is interesting. Muddled vocals. Chorus is the highlight. Goes on a bit too long. The instrumental at the end is a bit pointless. Evokes military funeral. Might be fun to sing along to after a few pints. Fine. 3/5 Planxty Noel Hill Another instrumental track, though this one doesn't add anything. Sounds like a fairly standard Irish band jam if that's even a thing. Overstays its welcome, gets a bit annoying. A bit pointless. 2/5 The Parting Glass Another traditional cover. Considering the history of the song it makes sense its at the end of the album. Decent performance. Fine. 3/5 I had fun with this one, though it was hard to figure out what to judge it by, as it's mostly covers and reimaginings of traditional songs. The Pogues did a good job at creating their own sound, and many of the reimaginings created tracks that are more palatable to modern ears while still respecting the originals. Much of what I liked about the album came from the performances. Thought the mixing was a bit hit and mix. Instrumentally I have no idea what I'm talking about here, so I can only say I thought it was good purely based on vibes. I must also add that there is plenty of history here, where many of the songs call back to times of turmoil under control of the British, which adds an element of commentary to the album, which I enjoy. I don't think there were any bad songs on here, some of them were even great, though it still lacks a little bit of consistent greatness to score full points from me. Fave track. A Pair of Brown Eyes Least fave track. Gentleman Soldier

Another great album. Listened through this a few a times a couple of years ago. Three tracks (Inspitation Information, Aht Uh Me Hed, Strawberry Letter 23) on the album remained in constant rotation for most of the year afterwards. I Remember this as being psychedelic and colourful while remaining grounded. Look forward to a revisit. Inspiration Information Extremely cool and funky. Great bass playing. The switchup for the chorus is delightful. I really like the back and forth between the sharper and smoother vocals. The guitar adds great rhythm. Great summer song. Underrated guitar solo. I do think the song is mixed really well. Fantastic. 5/5 Island Letter Deep and crunchy bass. Soothing psychedelia. Colourful and bright. The vocals never overshadow the instrumentation. Final instrumental part spanning the final 2 minutes of the song lifts it to a level above. All the instruments sound great individually as well as in tandem. Fantastic. 5/5 Sparkle City Great buildup into the instrumental. Amazing bass tone. Solid rhythm. Rich and powerful, takes its time. Lyrics paint a detailed picture of a late night cityscape. Great use of brass instruments. His voice isn't mindblowing, but I still think it works well for the style of music. The bass is just stunning. 5/5 Aht Uh Me Hed A moodier track. Instrumentally super catchy. Rhythm is great. The additional instrumentation is lush and beautiful. The switchup is super catchy. The keyboard line is just so catchy. Psychedellic. Scratches that itch perfectly. Amazing. 5/5. Happy House Tight. Sounds effortless. The keys are magical. Lushly produced. It being too short is my only complaint. 4.5/5 Rainy Day Jazzy. Very fitting name, sounds like a rainy day. Incredibly soulful guitar. A little psychedelic disruption adds an extra element to the song. Great. 4.5/5 XL-30 An early use of electronics. It's an interesting experiment. I enjoy the background licks and keyboard lines. Sounds a bit dated. Found it interesting. 4/5 Pling! The effect on the keys give it an almost ambient feel. While the drum-machine's mechanical rhythm give the ears something to catch onto. And while subtle the bass sound is the real star. Calming, meditative. An ocean of sound. The subtle saxophone adds a lot with just a few notes. Ahead of its time. 5/5 Not Available Back at it with a combination of a fantastically catchy duo of bass and guitar. Interesting structure. The addition of disco elements make for an interesting closer. Solid ending. 4.5/5 Bonus tracks. All of them are exerpts from Shuggie's previous album 'Freedom Flight' which is also a great listening experience in its own right. I'll rank them below, though their rating won't affect the album's final rating, even if I'm pretty sure it won't matter much. Strawberry Letter 23. Classic. While the cover is probably more well known I still maintain this as the superior track. I think it's produced immaculately, and extremely catchy. Fantastic verse structure. Lush and soulful chorus. Explodes into great psychedelia, with an almost hypnotic instrumental passage. Fantastic. 5/5 Sweet Thang Just effortlessly cool. Bold, psychedelic weird. All the instruments are doing something interesting at any time. The additon of the vocals ground the chaos. Experimental in a way. Well performed. Evokes a warm summer evening. Fantastic. 5/5 Ice Cold Day Dream Fun tempo. Marvelous bass performance. The organ is also a highlight. The vocals on the chorus are a bit weak. The panning effect sounds a bit dated, but in a charming way. I think it's structured well around the guitar. Great. 4/5 Freedom Flight Soulful, I enjoy the sparseness it starts of with. Slowly adding new sounds and building on the what I can only imagine is a mostly improvised guitar track. The psychedellic jazz elements create a vivid sonic landscape further enhanced by how the track is mixed. I find the way it grows and builds upon itself very stimulating. The bass towards the end is just enchanting. The length does not bother me one bit. Fantastic track. 5/5 Hilariously underrated artist. There's just so much talent there. From the songwriting to the mastery of several instruments, to the use of electronics. Absolutely fantastic record with loads of highlights throughout. I think everything here works to create an approachable but deep and stimulating record full of colour and life. Really close to being a perfect record for me. Will remain in my rotation for a while. Just a pure vibe through and through. Fave track. Aht Uh Me Hed Least fave track. XL-30

The Temptations is a group I primarily know through their hits. I expect this to be full of love songs exploring different aspects of it and what it does to people. There's probably going to be some consistently squeaky clean performances with great harmonies, though lacking in any edge or grit what so ever. I expect to enjoy it on a surface level, but it will probably not have much staying power. Could still be surprising. Cloud Nine I like the bassline. Starting off with a song about their journey from their humble roots to a successful time in their life seems a solid way to open it. Unsure about the mixing. Great delivery on the vocals by everyone involved. Nothing in the song really sticks out too much though. Fine. 3/5 Heard it through the Grapevine Iconic song, probably not the most famous version of it however as many artists have their own cover of it. I kinda hate the mixing on this. Boring instrumentally. While the performances are good it feels a bit formulaic. Average. 2.5/5 Runaway Child, Running Wild It's sad when I really can't focus on the song because of my distaste for how it's mixed. Seems a common problem with the album. I feel the storytelling is sufficiently vivid, with decent worldbuilding. The backing vocals is really the highlight for me. I think the song has a lot of potential, but is let down by a boring instrumental and dated production. Might work for some people, did not work for me. Really wanted it to be over by the end. 1.5/5 Love is a Hurtin' Thing Succeeds at being a soul song. Their voices are nice, the chorus is sufficiently powerful. A bit rough recording wise, showing its age. Doesn't really do much else worthy of mentioning. Average. 2.5/5 Hey Girl Predictable lyrics. Don't want to repeat myself so I won't. Basic song with a premise seen time and time again. Lead singer does a great job on the chrous. Not great. 2/5 Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go) I like the backing vocals. Limited and basic. Not exactly challenging. Probaly fine as background music, but not much else. Average. 2.5/5 I Need Your Lovin' I think the bassline is pretty good. Impressive voice. Predictable and bland. 2/5 Don't Let Him Take Her Love From Me There's a nice guitar sequence at the start. The vocal melody for the chorus is decent, the horns echoing it also works well. Average. 2.5/5 I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back) I guess there's a decently dancable rhythm there somewhere in here. Sax sounds muted and awful. There's a lot of effort put into the lead vocals. Sounds like they had fun. Fine. 3/5 Gonna Keep Tryin' Till I Win Your Love I'm having some fun with the bassline. I can't stand the sharp trumpet. Nothing stands out. Just bland and edgeless, coasting along on a formula that has been present the entire album. 2/5 Did not expect to be as bored as I was by this album. Genuinely felt 3x longer than it was. So safe, so formulaic, blander than white bread. Yes there are some soulful performances, yes there is chemistry within the group, and yes they play their parts competently. Is that enough to make something that holds up today? Not for me unfortunately. I do understand that for the time the production was probably fine, and that there was difficulties for black artist to get access to the funds and equipment needed, but to my modern ears it just doesn't sound good. It really does not help that most of the songs are different varations on the same theme. Would not revisit, but open to hear a different project from them as they are obviously talented. Fave track. I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back) Least fave track. Runaway Child, Running Wild

No idea who this artist is, nor what to expect. The Wikipedia blurb makes it sound extremely interesting, especially the part about the recording process. Going to listen especially hard for the field recordings and the background ambience. Going into it a bit tipsy after a long night with friends, so my current mental state might have an effect on the initial reaction. Subject to rereview. Dealer Lush, grand, slightly tropical instrumental. Funky bass. Keys are a highlight, alongside some tight spacial drumming. Not too sure about the vocal style, the breathiness and the smoky grit sounds unusual over such a bright and colourful instrumental. The chorus sort of flew by without leaving an impression. Did not pay much attention to the lyrics. Decent opener. 3.5/5 One World Pans nicely into a cute guitar track. Challenging incoherrent vocals. Mixing is really impressive. I think the instruments and the vocals sit exactly where they should. The delay heavy, distant electric guitar adds an element of depth to the track. After warming up to the vocals I do think they have some moments of brilliance where the stumbling meandering style really works. I don't like the choice to fade the track out when it did, makes it feel unfinished. Good song. 4/5 Smiling stranger Really funky instrumental. I find how they set up the rhythm of the track to be a real highlight. The addition of the strings in the background, alongside the sax add scale to the track, and a jazzy tinge much needed to break up the emerging monotony of the track, perfectly avoiding it. Still not in love with the vocals, though they don't bother me much. Will revisit. 4.5/5 Big Muff Jazzy drumming over a tight guitar experience. Love the effects. Clean and a bit understated. Written for a loungy, sort of sleazy vibe. The band does a lot if lifting to make a not more than decent chrous ahead of where it should be. The instrumental section at the end is decently psychedellic. Decent. 3.5/5 Couldn't Love You More A slightly strained sounding acustic guitar was unexpected. His voice works well for this time of track. Actually delivers a fairly powerful performance, though the voice stretches itself a bit too far for some parts. Decent. 3.5/5 Certain surprise Am I wrong for calling the instrumental bossa-nova-like outside the guitar? I do like the verse structure. Decently catchy. Saxophone is good though a bit lacking in flair or surprise. Gives me hotel vibes. Fade out made sense. Good. 4/5 Dancing Airy but fairly technical guitar. The bass is utilized well. The slightly chaotic guitar juxtaposes against the very structured vocal melody. Great Pre-Chorus. Well performed, tight and sticking to the plan outside a few vocal flourishes. Really fun. 4.5/5 Small Hours Spacious, echoy, great ambience. The natural atmospheric sound add an unpredictable element to the track. Uplifting guitar playing, great delay. Echoes nicely, though the varying loudness makes it sound sharp at times. Reminds me a bit of a late "Talk Talk" track. I think the vocals work well here, they have a serenity to them and a bit of intimacy in their brief cameo. The change of guitars really gives you something additional to latch yourself onto over the ambience. Paints an introspective soundscape with a sense of melancholy though also acceptance. Refreshing and powerful. Stellar track. 5/5 Really did not expect to like that as much as I did. Decently varied, loungy and a bit jazzy with era appropriate production that still sounds oddly good, when many of the choices could sound dated to modern ears. Spaces itself out, and while the vocals take some time getting used to, they do actually add an interesting element to the tracks, though I do think some of the strange inflections also detract from them. There's just a laid back soothing energy about the entire project that really kept me interested. The pseudo-ambient/early post-rock adjacent final track really sealed the deal for me painting a beautiful picture with sound. A great album worthy of revisiting. Fave track. Small Hours Least fave track. Couldn't Love You More

Cocteau Twins to me seems to be a group who's all about creating an atmosphere and an aesthetic with their songs. Hypnotic and weird, with psychedelic reverbed non-sense created for a certain vibe. I have listened to the hits on this album many times, though I've never listened to it front to back. This should be a breeze to get through for my musical palatte. Cherry-coloured Funk One of my favourite songs of the era. Fantastic reverb, the repetitiveness of the guitar feels trippy. I think the vocals are really good, I enjoy how they sit differently in the mix. The vocal melodies are super catchy, and the non-sense lyrics add mystery to the track. The bass sound is so soft and comfy. There's also something strangely nostalgic about the song, sounds like a familiar reoccuring dream (probably where the term dream-pop comes from). Just magnificently produced. One of my all-time favourite songs. 5/5. Pitch the Baby Bouncy. Confrontational bass. The heavy reverb sort of makes the song "swirl" in the ear. Great chorus, the faster vocals tightens a very spacious sound grounding it. There's also a really nice energy to the vocal melody which caps off the chorus, releasing the tightness briefly. Unique and interesting. 5/5 Iceblink Luck Post-punky bassline. I think the vocals are mixed a bit too loudly to start. The chorus sounds like if you slowed down an ABBA song and played it backwards. Love the sound of the instrumental break. Is missing a bit of a kick, part of it feels like it never resolves its ideas. Like it. 4/5 Fifty-Fifty Clown Sounds atmospheric. Has very liquid synths. The drum beat is very of the era. I do enjoy how the chorus rises a lot. The singing in the background has a nice tingle to it. Extremely unique. 5/5 Heaven or Las Vegas The title track is probably the most cohesive song on the album structure-wise. Insanely catchy. Iconic bassline, iconic synth line as well. The chorus is so large and reverby, it's extremely warm and stimulating with all the stuff going on at once. I think the drum beat fits the vibe really well. Dreamy and psychedellic. Fantastic song. 5/5 I Wear Your Ring The synths at the start sound a bit dated. The "simlish" is especially noticable here. I think the vocal layering here is so fun. Winds down nicely into the bridge. Decent. 3.5/5 Fotzepolitic Another fantastic bassline. Drowning instrumental, and satisfying vocals. Meditative. Bursts out into some almost triumphant synths. The ending is a bit abrupt. Great. 4.5/5 Wolf in the Breast The guitar is a bit boring. The percussion adds an element of sharpness which contrasts well with the softness of the reverb. That's a cool drone. Not crazy about the vocals on this one, seem a bit unfocused. The "left ear" vocal is really catchy. Good song, warmed more up to it by the end. 4/5 Road, River and Road. The distant and cold guitar and the warm and fuzzy bass work surprisingly well together. Emotional performance even though the lyrics are just random gibberish. Satisfying. 4/5 Frou-Frou Foxes in Midsummer Fires A darker moodier vibe, the eerie guitar drone in the background at the start creates an haunted vibe, only enhanced by the repeating piano. The shoegazy switchup with the ghostly background vocals is fantastic. Builds upon itself. Nice vibe, good closer. 4.5/5 It's a sound I expected to like and a sound I did like. I don't really have much to say about it that I haven't said in my reactions to the individual songs. Produced performed and arranged marvelously. Great to listen to in the dark, vivid and colourful. My only minor gripe with the album is that at times I think having actual lyrics would add a lot more direction to some of the songs, the gibberish does take a bit away from what could be some more powerful moments. It's not a real problem though, just an artistic choice. Really like it, will revisit more than just the hits. Fave song. Cherry-coloured Funk, fave new discovery: Fifty-Fifty Clown Least fave song. I Wear Your Ring

David Bowie's 1970s output has got to be up there with the greatest and most consistent decades in an artist's career. This period of music is so incredible that it's hard to put into words. I love this album whole heartidly, the title track being one of the greatest songs of all time. Station to Station My 2nd favourite Bowie song (First being Sound and Vision) just absolutely incredible from start to finish. The atmosphere, the evocative lyrics, and the dark and powerful performance turns this into one of the greatest songs of all time. Amazingly structured with a truly jawdropping switchup. One of many artistic peaks for Bowie. A fabulous rock opera. 5/5 Golden Years Fantastic funk on the track. A stylistical blend of sounds from previous Bowie projects. I love how many so different vocal stylings are used on the same track. Incredibily catchy. Lovely. 5/5 Word on a Wing Lush and layered instrumental. The distant guitar is haunting in the background. Vivid and dramatic. Delightfully weird in its structure. There are just so many parts to this song beautifully stitched together. Where it risks being inconherent it avoids it by geniusly navigating the pitfalls a song like this could easily fall into. Haunting performance by Mr. Bowie. Fantastic. 5/5 TVC15 I love the janky sound of the piano atop the clean bass for the intro. Strangely haunted by the background effects. They keep the song interesting by adding some layers to what could be a repetitive song. I love how the piano is played here. It remains a constant as the song evolves. Fantastic song. 5/5 Stay There's a lot of bounciness and feeling to the intro. Contrasts to the molasses and exhausted performance of the verse. Very entertaining guitar work. The chorus is dramatic and theatrical. Ends with an amazingly engaging and satisfying rock instrumental. I love how the drumming never takes center stage, yet remains a highlight with how it supports the guitar by filling space and emphasising its phrases. Another great tune. 5/5 Wild is the Wind Never heard any other version of this song. I am aware that it is a cover, but will not be able to comment on what it does differently to the original. I think it's a great way to end the album. I especially love Bowie's more subtle and down to earth vocal performance. I think the production of the track allows it to be solemn, bleak and cold while still remaining romantic. Great closer 5/5 I love this man's music so much there was no way this was not getting five stars. Station to Station is one of many absolutely stunning albums by Bowie, just truly magnificent front to back. It's a risky, but natural progression in his career, a different persona in the Thin White Duke who almost becomes an entire world himself. There's just a strange tone of quiet distress during the entire album, a sort of eerieness that truly adds a new element previously unseen in his work. Just knowing the nature of its production and what followed after just adds so much context to the album's weirdness. The execution on this is just marvelous. An absolute banger. Fave track. Station to Station Least fave track. N/A

A group I know very little about having only really heard two or three of their songs before. Not sure what to expect from this. If the album cover is evocative of their sound then I'm most likely in for a ride. Love the energy and motion of the egg shattering. Zero Immediately throwing me off the deep end with the loud electronics. The slight echo effect on the vocals adds some spaciousness to the mix. The singer has some interesting tricks up her sleeve. The chorus grew one me, especially when following the heavy electronic bridge. The ending meanders a bit, overstays its welcome a bit. Decent enough. 3.5/5 Heads Will Roll This song has been remixed so many times, I forgot how the original sounded. The rock-adjacent production on the chorus is unexpected. Has a good energy to it. The synth line in the background is great. I think the vocals work well as a contrast to the heavy electronic instrumental. Sounds like a precursor to a lot of the dance music that would come out the following decade. Decent. 3.5/5 Soft Shock I love the high pitched electronic line in the background. The production does a lot with what on the surface is a fairly simple song. At some points it does take up slightly too much space, where the vocals sort of get overshadowed by it. I think the chrous is cute and simple. The instrumental at the end really ties the song nicely together. Enjoyable. 4/5 Skeletons Spacious and cloudy instrumentation. Love the repetitiveness. The first verse does well to set up the following synth passage. The singer's vocals are really solid and work excellently for this type of instrumentation. Love the departure from the heavy electronics snd distorted guitars of the previous tracks. The ending of the track is beautiful and loud and it sparks some powerful images in the listener's imagination. Works really well, great vibes. 5/5 Dull Life I feel like I've heard this guitar many times before. Don't really like the tone for this track in particular. Really loud and messy switchup. The chorus is made to sound a lot bigger than it is. I think the vocals veer close to annoying at certain points. I'm not really a fan of the chorus, it sounds very of the time. The singer brings great energy to the track, and while her performance especially on the chorus does things I don't necessarily find appealing, it really is the only real highlight for me on the song. She salvages a few points by being unique and by taking things in other directions than maybe expected. Her attitude on this track is also really fun to listen to. Average. 2.5/5 Shame and Fortune The electronic bass is not something I enjoy here, mixed too loudly. I enjoy the punky writing on the verse. Not a fan of the guitar sound again. A bit of a weak track, doesn't really do much for me. I don't think the energy really goes anywhere, and it ends up sounding a bit muddled. Weak. 2/5 Runaway Sharp piano notes. Oddly mixed vocals. I like when the instrumental dips its toes into a noisier darker sound. Feels dramatic. Does veer slightly into movie trailer music territory by the end. There's definitely a largeness to the track, and I think the end result works fine for what it's trying to be, though I think there might've been a more interesting direction to take the track. Fine. 3/5 Dragon Queen Bouncy and full of life. I really don't like the bass sound. Oddly phrased lyrics on the chorus, I do like the vocal melody though. Doesn't seem to go anywhere. The synth line in the background that stays throughout the track sort of overstays its welcome by the end. Can't say I cared much for it. Weak. 2/5 Hysteric Sweet and romantic. I think the lyrics are kinda pretty. Great chorus. I think the instrumental compliments the vocals well. Not sure about how the title is implemented. The ending instrumental builds well upon the track. Good. 4/5 Little Shadow Slight lullaby vibe. It would've worked better for me with less overbearing production. Hate the stadium drums. Overproduced. Feels like a clash of ideas that doesn't really add up to anything special. Going in the dramatic direction really ruined the song for me. Did not like. 2/5 Faces A late 2000s indie rock song sounding late 2000s indie rock song. For once I like the guitar on this album. I think the structure of the song is pretty fun. Feels youthful and energetic. Doesn't really have one particular part that sticks out, rather lots of small pieces that add up to a pretty decent and fun track. Don't understand it as an album closer though. Decent. 3.5/5 A really mixed experience. The great stuff on this album has a lot going for it. Great energy, good songwriting with a few hints of magic here and there. They perform their ideas to their fullest, and seem to commit to exploring different styles. The vocals being a real highlight, bringing a unique and punchy energy, while remaining soft and familiar. Clearly the band not interested in being pidgeonholed into a particular genre or style, and seem to stand well on their own. However I think a lot of the latter part of the album has some stylistic choices I don't personally agree with. It results in a sort of messy, inconsistent listen often with tracks being both great and terrible at the same time, with some tracks that feel like wasted potential. I also think the track listing is a bit incoherent at times, where I wonder why certain tracks are where they are. I do concede that many of my gripes with the album is a matter of personal preference and that someone else could find the creative choices I dislike fantastic. I personally will be returning to a few tracks from this, but the full album probably won't be in my regular rotation. A bumpy road, but a decent listen. Fave track. Skeletons Least fave track. Little Shadow

One of those generational albums almost everyone with even a fleeting interest in music has heard of. The Clash was alternative without being too alternative for the mainstream crowd, and mainstream without being too mainstream for the alternative crowd. A band who came at just the right time in history and thus became a defining act of their era. I've listened through this before so I know what I'm getting into, but it's still fun to revisit since I feel I've grown a lot as a music listeners in the many years since I've last heard it. Kinda sad that there's only the remastered version available on Spotify, but will make do. London Calling For many probably the go-to Clash song. An outright classic that paints a picture of the sensibilities of the late 70s and what was going on in Britain at the time. It still remains commercial and accessible enough to not be confusing for a casual listener. A simple sound and a great charismatic performance combines for a timeless, eternal sort of song. A punk-rock anthem that has stood the test of time. Iconic. 5/5 Brand New Cadillac Following up "London Calling" would always be a difficult task, but I think they really went in the right direction with this one. Just a fun tune with a heavy punk sound, great riffs and a crazy energetic vocal performance. Great. 4.5/5 Jimmy Jazz The song surprisingly takes its time setting up its premise. The chilled out tempo really allows the song to evolve upon itself naturally. There are some jazzier elements to the song, not surprising given the title. Having a bouncier bassline and featuring brass instruments is an idea I really appreciate on a track like this. It was really helped by a strong guitar performance, and the eclectic vocals add a sense of whimsy to the track. Intriguing. 5/5 Hateful I think the song is structured in an interesting way, the way they play with the tempo sets it apart. The main guitar riff is infectious. I appricate the catchyness of the chrous. The backing vocals throughout the track are a fun way to give some multi-dimensionality to the track, even if its used sparesly. Had a lot of fun with it. 5/5 Rudie Can't Fail Not sure about the mix on the split vocals. I also think the drums sound a bit muted. Dancable track, definitely a mood lifter. Fun chorus. The track kinda loses itself towards the end. Could've used a different idea for the ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Spanish Bombs A political song I assume, references I'm not fully getting. Not my favourite chorus of all time. Seems to be mimicking marching songs in some way. Instrumentally it doesn't go in too many interesting directions. Without knowing the context I'm not getting much. Fine. 3/5 The Right Profile I'm having fun with the instrumental. Charismatic and likeable. Had to look up the context - the song suddenly turned really dark. Seems a commentary on the lives of public figures, and the obsession with their darker moments. I learned something. 4/5 Lost in the Supermarket Great intro. Strange concept, sinister undertones that might get lost on a casual listen. Oddly relatable, even more relevant today. Commentary may be a bit on the nose. The guitar echoing the vocal melody on the chorus redirects the listeners focus to the vocals. Great bass playing. Great. 4/5 Clampdown Not sure about the spoken-word intro. The overall sound of the song from the first verse towards the chrous is a bit generic. Then the slowed down passage comes in and adds some depth to the track. Can't say I'm too enamoured with this track. The anti-establishment sort of attitude does resonate a bit, and I do think the chants of "work" are amusing. Fine. 3/5 The Guns of Brixton Now reggae is a musical blindspot for me, can't really commentate much on it. The goofy sound effects contrasts heavily against the lyrics. Works well as a protest song. The singer is a bit monotone for my tastes. The bassline is probably the highlight here for me. Decent. 3.5/5 Wrong 'Em Boyo A cover apparently. Not a fan of the organ. The old school rock and roll vibe is fun. Simple message. Fine. 3/5 Death or Glory Great guitar riff. Anthemic chorus. The simplicity of the track is a welcome listen this late in the album. I'd like to add that I think the drummer does a great job here. A fun rock track. Decent. 3.5/5 Koka Kola As long as it needs to be. Cocaine and the business world goes hand in hand. Calling out the establishment and the movers and shakers in the advertising industry. Feels relevant. Short and Sweet. 4/5 The Card Cheat The piano is a nice surprise. I don't think the vocals are mixed well. Sounds a bit muddled, drowns a bit in the instrumental. The vocal performance is great. I think the instrumental sets it apart from other songs on the album. Written really well. Good. 4/5 Lover's Rock The opening guitar sounds great. Cheesy backing vocals. Cheesy pauses. I detect a bit of sarcasm. Doesn't feel so serious as many of the other tracks on here. Gets a bit annoying. Overstays its welcome. Fine. 3/5 Four Horsemen Generic, not really much going on. Don't like the drum sound. Uninspiring chorus. The ending is at least a bit interersting. Average. 2.5 I'm Not Down Great bass. Funky guitar. Empowering lyrics. Not overly complicated, but executed well. I think the vocalist sounds convinced in himself. Decent. 3.5/5 Revolution Rock Reggae influences prominent. Apparently a cover. Uplifting. Sounds triumphant, also humourous in a way. Strangely works. Gives slight drunk-uncle-on-a-cruise-ship vibes. Not sure why I like it. 4/5 Train in Vain (Stand By Me) Catchy. Dancable. Fantastic rhythm. A classic. Sweet and nostalgic tune. Enjoyable. 4/5 Can't say I love every single song on this album, but there's not a single moment that is actively bad. There's a real quality to the writing on this, where most of the songs have really interesting inspirations behind them. The playing is tight throughout, and the production rarely oversteps. For me it peaks in the first half, then stays consistent at mild enjoyment for the second half rarely veering outside of it. It does feel a bit long, but not so long that it feels bloated. It is a classic however, and it really shows why. Staying this consistently good over that length is really impressive. Would recommend, close to full score but not quite. Fave track. Jimmy Jazz Least fave track. Four Horsemen

Not something I'm familiar with at all. The label britpop worries me however, not really a genre I'm too enamoured with. Can't really say I'm too fond of the album cover, the name of the album nor the name of the band, though the music could still surprise. Really curious as to what this sounds like. With No Shoes Whiny vocals. Compressed. Very late 90s. The electric guitar sounds okay. A bit toothless. Generic chorus. Did not like. 2/5 North Country Boy The verse vocal melody is fine. Cringeworthy lyrics. Sounds extremely dated, very much a product of its time. No thank you. 2/5 Tellin' Stories Flat and soulless bass. The most generic acoustic guitar in all of history. I guess the electric guitar sort of does a decent job. I just can't really find anything interesting to point out. The outro is good. Average. 2.5/5 One to Another Something with a bit of a kick to it. The opening riff has decent rhythm. The song just kills its own momentum halfway through. Shows some promise, but nothing too interesting. Average. 2.5/5 You're a Big Girl Now Decent guitar playing. Really not a fan of the vocals. Absolutely horrendous chorus, straight up parody tier. Hard to get through. 1.5/5 How Can You Leave Us The overall sound of this track is just not working for me. Garbled mess, the production does it no favours. Don't like the vocals, don't like the writing. I'm starting to think this band really isn't for me. Not good. 1.5/5 Area 51 Instruments are being played. The keys adds some different instrumentation to the track, it's a breath of fresh air. Why is this called Area 51? It's not exaclty the image that shows up in my head. Sounds like a vague commercial you're not really sure what's for. A bit pointless. 2/5 How High Nothing to say. Meh. 2/5 Only Teethin' A slightly different sound, hallelujah! Decent instrumental. The keys are good, theres a miniscule level of funk to the guitar and bass that is trying to escape through the monotony of everything else. The energy on the verses is just a mood killer. The whiny Gallagher-esque vocals are especially egregious on this one. The outro is the best part of the song. Average. 2.5/5 Get on it Why is the opening note like 2x as loud as the rest of the album. Hate the mix. If that's a harmonica I want it put down, it's obviously in a lot of pain. If that's a synth or a keyboard note why does it sound like that. There's a bit of attitude here which I appreciate. The interplay between the band members is solid, sometimes some decent synergy pokes through like in the final few minutes of this song. Still don't like it, but I still think they deserve some credit. Did not like. 2/5 Rob's Theme Their song for their band mate who died in a car crash shortly before this album. There's a few psychedelic elements that I quite like. The reverby keys and the repeating guitar. I wish it evolved a bit more. Fine. 3/5 Can't say I liked that much. I hate using the word boring to describe a work of art, but this is what it was to me. Really struggled to find anything to even comment on through most of it. The production was mind-numbing, the lyrics uninteresting or just bad and the performance did not do anything to salvage it. Not even memorable enough to be bad. Leads nowhere. At some points I glimpsed a bit of talent, but it's presented in such a way that by the time I see it I just want the song to be over already. Nothing here I'd want to revisit. Not even interesting enough to warrant 1 stars. Why is this even here? Fave track. Rob's Theme Least fave track. You're a Big Girl Now

Today's the fated day I have to listen to a Kanye West album in full. I have long rued this day, as Kanye West is an absolute tool who I wish would just go away from the public eye forever for everyone's sake. As terrible as he is his music remains critically acclaimed, with this project often regarded as his best. Never listened to it, and thought, especially after his recent outburst that, I never would. Of course as a result of being alive and concious during the last 15 years since this album came out, I've heard more than a couple of the songs from here. Let's hope I can remain objective during this reaction/review. Obligatory Fuck Kanye. Dark Fantasy Fun intro segment. RZA with a producer credit is usually a good sign. Great beat, the use of the sample works great. Some of the effects sound a bit dated. His delivery is fine. Overstays its welcome, the sample isn't so powerful that it's needed one last time at the end. Solid. 4/5 Gorgeous I love Cudi's part, though it sounds a muddled at certain points. Fantastic beat. The effect on Kanye's voice sucks. Solid verses from Kanye, though I don't always love his line delivery. The black balls line is terrible. Kanye's bravado has always rubbed me the wrong way, even "before" he went insane. Bloated song, beat gets stale. Fine. 3/5 Power Classic. Samples one of the best songs of all time, and implements it well. Produced magnificently. The asshole lines remain corny even after many listens. A great time, nostalgic. Begrugingly a fantastic track. 5/5 Interlude Does what an interlude should. Bridges one song into another. Interlude/5 All of the Lights Iconic horns. Rihanna's chorus kicks off the song marvelously. The cast on this song is extremely impressive. Many of the biggest stars of the early 2010s having features on one track is really fun. Anthemic song which represents the early 2010s well. Nostalgic. 4.5/5 Monster Crazy list of features. Production goes hard. Don't care for Rick Ross's verse. Fantastic performance on Kanye's verse. The hook isn't great. Jay-Z's verse has some fun writing. Charismatic verse from Nicki. Outro is fine. Fun track. 4/5 So Appalled Don't like the intro. Not really a fan of the squeeks on the beat. Flows well on top of the beat. Not much more to say, the performances are good, but nothing is grabbing me personally. Maybe longer than it needs to be. Could be a grower. Fine. 3/5 Devil in a New Dress Delicious sample implemention. There's some charming delivery here. The writing is oddly fantastic. The guitar interlude before the feature is great, when the sample comes in is pure bliss. Rick Ross is fine I guess, his voice is great for this, but I don't care much for the content of the verse. Good. 4/5 Runaway The famous piano intro. Some call this Kanye's peak. I like how the intro takes its time setting up the song. Almost a bit vulnerable in the delivery and lyrics. There might even be a bit of self-awareness here which is something I didn't know Kanye West was even capable of. The purely instrumental parts are for the lack of a better word, interesting. It's bold and refreshing sounding oddly beautiful at times. Great. 4.5/5 Hell of a Life Crunchy beat. Iron Man interpolation is terrible. Ambivalent about the lyrics. The storytelling is decent, but the lyrics veer on cringe territory. I don't like the moans. Kanye isn't very likable on this track. Did not like. 2/5 Blame Game Aphex twin song used as a sample is great. Avril 14th does however sound better without Kanye West and John Legend over it. The chorus is fine. The panning distorted vocals don't sound great, but I do like the idea behind it though. The phone part is extremely corny it's sacriligous to put this on top of Avril 14th, it's not funny or charming. Pure blasphemy. 1/5 Lost in the World Vocoder harmonies are fun. I like how the tempo shifts. Didn't find much to appreaciate outside of the production. Closes the album well. Decent. 3.5 Who Will Survive America Gil-Scott Heron! Preach. Interlude/5 A decent microcosm of the early 2010s. Great features, good performances and amazing production. The sample work is fantastic. And Kanye even manages to be likable on some of the tracks. Had a good time for the most part, though many of the songs strayed into overly long territory, where it felt like they ran out of steam. Also many of the attempts at humour fell flat, felt in bad taste or just straight up went over my head. And while Kanye is likeable on some tracks, he is extremely unlikable on others, getting to the point where I just want to block him out. I do recognize a personal bias which might affect my reaction to this piece, but I think I gave it a fair shot and probably liked it more than I thought I would. Fave track. Power Least fave track. Blame Game Rating. 3.5/5

I know nothing about jazz, especially Cuban jazz so this will be a vibes based only reaction. Worried about the audio quality considering its age, anything prior to 1965 is usually a bit suspect to modern ears. I see that there is a remaster available, which is what I'll be listening to. Other than that I'm not sure what to expect as most of the jazz I've listened to is either spiritual or psychedelic in nature. Notes will probably be short. Hoping for a quick and easy listen. Wild Jungle Bongos and horns. Erratic. Every sound sounds purposeful. Not sure about the structure. Don't really get the part where it's only playing the bongos. Energetic. Decent. 3.5/5 Congo Mulence I enjoy the rhythm. The big band esque trumpets take me out of the groove somewhat. Nice saxophone sound, great performance. Decent. 3.5/5 Kenya Starts of grand and dramatic. Great groove. Paints a picture of a cosy, nostalgic place. Makes me picture a semi-busy morning at a market. Good. 4/5 Oyeme The rhythm from here is infectious. Not sure if I like the trumpets on this one. The sax player is clearly having a good time. Sounds a bit too busy for my tastes. Fine. 3/5 Holiday Heard the start of the song before I read the title and thought that it sounded like being on holiday somewhere chilled out and free. Guess they hit the nail in the coffin with this one. Sounds warm and comfortable. Catchy. Fun. 4/5 Cannonology Sounds like an exposition of some kind. Old timey World's Fair type of vibe. I imagine being shown what's the latest within refigirator technology, while overhearing someone talking about their radium infused chewing gum while this is playing in the background. Got my imagination not sure if it counts as zoning out or not. 4/5 Frenzy Old timey superhero cartoon chase scene soundtrack. Definitely sounds like a "frenzy" or at least a scramble of some kind. Love the drums. Don't like the ending. Fine. 3/5 Blues La Machito Late night sort of vibe. Sounds like the smell of cigarettes and car exhaust. There's a little bit of opening credits to a romance movie vibes to it too. Decent. 3.5/5 Conversation Love the melody here. Puts me in a good mood. Danceable. There's some fun interplay here I'm really appreciating. The bouncing between instruments does make it feel like a conversation. Fitting title. Great. 4.5/5 Tin Tin Deo Not sure what's going on but I like it. It's like two complimentary songs are being played in parallel with each other. Sounds well thought out and put together. Don't know the terms to describe why I like it. Good. 4/5 Minor Rama I'm not sure what to say. Sounds good I guess. Jazz is happening in my ears. The band is really tight. Decent. 3.5/5 Tururato Sounds like it's playing peekaboo with me at the start. The sax seems to be moving a lot. It's played soulfully with a lot of feeling and percision. Mood lifter. 3.5/5 Wow I feel really exposed by this. I'm not sure if I have the musical palatte to even appreciate what is going on here for the most part. I understand that what I'm listening to is good, and that the people playing the music are really talented, but regarding how it is in relation to other works of the era I'm clueless. It was defintely a challenging listen for my rock-wired brain. I was never bored by it, the performances put me in a good mood and the rhythm entranced me somewhat. I'm just happy I finally got a jazz album, and especially an early one as it's something I definitely wouldn't seek out on my own. Decent record I suppose, pleasantly suprised. Sits somewhere between a 3 and 4 for me. Would love to revisit in the future once I'm more in tune with the genre. Fave song. Holiday Least fave song. Oyeme

This will be a breeze to listen to. Marvin Gaye consistently creates pleasant tunes to lay back and just enjoy. Feels like he rarely puts a foot wrong. I have listened to a fair amount of his music before so I know what I'm getting into. Let's Get It On The sex song. Memed to death for its smoothness and cheesy blatant sexuality. Remains memorable in spite of the memes and mockery. And I do think the song is used as a joke simply because it's so good at what it's trying to do. Absolutely iconic from start to finish. A fine performance which enhances what is fairly basic writing. Marvin Gaye's voice just enhances the song so much. Sexy, sensual with the dated production and instrumentation adding charm to the track. One of the great horny songs of all time. 5/5 Please Don't Stay (Once You Go Away) The desperate pleading is honestly pretty charming. The background vocals are great. I think the band does a great job creating that unique Marvin Gaye RNB sound. A solid song which puts me in a good move. Love the instrumentation. Enthralling performance. Greatm 4.5/5 If I Should Die Tonight Opens very abruptly after the first track. The transition is not smooth at all. I like the mix. The keys and violin sit just right in the background. Great bass, decent sax. Lush and powerful. Great song structure, keeps me intrigued throughout. Passionate delivery on the chorus. Good. 4/5 Keep Gettin' it On The sex song 2: electric boogaloo. Infectious charisma, can't help but smile at the cheesiness. The control he has of his voice is just unlimited as to how impressive it is. It's so cheesy, but I'm having a great time. 4.5/5 Come Get To This Love the way the song opens. The background harmonies create a delicious atmosphere. A completely different rhythm and tempo. Don't really like the loud sharpness of the drums, might be a fault of the mix. The background sax absolutely shreds. Not his best track, but the quality's still there. 3.5/5 Distant Lover The chimes are fabulous. Meanders a bit, the verse is slightly messy. Not crazy about the background vocals. The strings and brass instruments create a moment of magic in the instrumental. Great singing as always. The song sounds large and grand. Lovely ending. Good. 4/5 You Sure Love To Ball Fantastic bass work. Not a fan of how the vocal melody evolves. The way he resolves the main vocal line is a bit flat and uninteresting. When they play with the vocal layering with the repetitive chorus playing is really good. Decent. 3.5/5 Just Keep You Satisfied. Some of the lyrics are a bit terrible. The performance oozes soul and desire. He sounds like he knows he was born to do this, the confidence in his own ability is admirable. Background harmonies sound fantastic. The sparseness of the instrumental is a bit of a let down, but it does highlight some great bass tones, and is an effective closer. Feels sentimental and sufficiently powerful. Decent. 3.5/5 While never reaching quite the heights of "What's Going On" or "I Want You" I still think this album deserves its plaudits even if it's only based on performances alone. Feels warm and makes me happy in the same ways other projects of his do. I just love how in tune Marvin Gaye is with his band, and how much they do to enhance the sound of his marvelous performances. Sounds blissful. Not something I'd ever need much persuading to listen to again. Great album, would reccommend. Fave track. Let's Get It On Least fave track. Come Get To This

A massively famous album by your friend's dad's favourite band. I've heard two songs from this album before (the two you might expect) as they get a lot of play on rock stations in my area. I'm fairly confident that I know what I'm getting into. Hopefully a fun kick-ass hard rock fiesta. I do find this specific subgenre of rock to often be a bit limited, but Deep Purple is considered one of the best bands to ever do it so I'm not worried. Highway Star Classic. Good energy. Has a bit edge to it. Never paid attention to the vocals. Think they work very well. The guitar work is of course stellar, the obvious highlight here. Would also like to shout out the drums, really sets the foundation of the track. Fun. 4/5 Maybe I'm a Leo Truck commercial riff. Really like the vocals on the first verse, the way the melody is sung creates a cool effect. I love how the mix treats the bass. Great mellow energy, takes its time without being boring. Good track. 4/5 Pictures of Home The drumming in the intro kicks the song off well. Don't dig the how the vocals are mix. Mediocre chorus. Seems a bit by the numbers, doesn't really do anything special or interesting. The solos are doing a lot of heavy lifting on top of what is a fairly uninteresting track. They do however manage to show off their instrumental talent salvaging it somewhat. Fine. 3/5 Never Before Groovy little rhythm. The drums are stellar on this one. I love how the guitar is written, works as a great support piece for the vocals. Doesn't seem to shy away when it is its turn to be in the spotlight either. The song lacks a bit of a kick, doesn't resolve some of its vocal in a satisfying manner, leaving it sounding a bit flat. Ends a bit abruptly. Decent. 3.5/5 Smoke on the Water The riff banned from every guitar shop. Probably the instrumental sequence that has been butchered the most times in history by amateurs learning their first instrument. What an iconic track. Based on an unbelievable true story, great piece of music history. A song which is hard to imagine was ever new, feels like it's just always been around like some sort of pillar of reality. The "Happy Birthday" of rock. For how iconic the guitar riff is it's the moment the bass comes in which is the highlight for me. Also when paying attention to the song as a whole the keys stick out as underrated, they really add texture to the mix. The story is told in such a direct way, the lyrics are really easy to follow. It really is an inspired song, deserves the hype. Quintessential. 5/5 Lazy Really out of nowhere intro. Spacious and psychedelic. Crazy work on the keys. Was not expecting an instrumental jam like this. Find myself nodding along. Great chemistry. The lyrics are fun. Love me some some of that harmonica, breaks through the denseness of the rhythm section. Was not expecting this to be this good. Fantastic. 5/5 Space Truckin' Holy 1970s those lyrics could not be from any other decade. "Everynaut" alone should put you on a list. The chorus isn't too great. Fairly generic if not for the lyrics and the extremely overbearing guitar riff. The dramatic falsetto over the words "Space Truckin'" will never not be funny to me. Terrible song, had fun. 1.5/5 When a Blind Man Cries The drama... The tension... Sleepy bluesy guitar sounds good. Works well for what it's trying to deliver. The main star here is the guitar and it plays its part to perfection. A bit limited, not much else going on so ends up falling a bit short as a song. Decent. 3.5/5 Good album, nothing too crazy or unexpected. Just solid throughout. Ritchie Blackmoore's guitar playing is definitely deserving of the praise it gets, and understandably the main highlight of the album. If I were to nominate an unsung hero I would definitely single out Jon Lord on the keys who consistently adds great texture and dimension to many lf the tracks coming in at just the right time to add a little flourish to the track. I would also like to shoutout the writing on the lyrics, as they were fantasticly easy to follow without becoming too predictable and just generally solid apart from on "Space Truckin'" where they frankly came across as riduculous. All in all good performances and songs in general. Only really drops points because of personal preferances. 4/5 stars. Fave track. Lazy (tied with Smoke on the Water) Least fave track. Space Truckin'

R.E.M is just fine, never my favourite band, but never anything I've actively disliked. I probably prefer their 80's work over what followed in later decades. My favourite hit of theirs resides on this album, otherwise I don't really have any expectations. I've listened through the album once before but didn't really pay attention. Viewing this as a fresh listen. Finest Worksong Classic alternative rock guitars. Michael Stipe's vocals could be recognized anywhere. Very serious, not very charming. Ends well. Not much to say about the production, the track sounds fine. Isn't spectacular but does nothing wrong. Decent. 3.5/5 Welcome to the Occupation I'm not quite in the mood for this type of writing at the moment of listening. It sounds good, the instrumentation is quite well put together, especially appreciate the drumming. The lyrics are decent I guess, has a good message. Again, very serious to the point of approaching preachiness. I quite like the vocals. Short, which helps as the song is quite slow. Fine. 3/5 Exhuming McCarthy Don't love the mixing. The guitars are a bit loud. It's a bit heavy handed, feels like I'm being lectured to. Critical commentary has it's place in music, but it's a bit exhausting to listen to in this format. Like the background vocals. Fine. 3/5 Disturbance at the Heron House I have no idea as to what the lyrics are referring to. I like the drumming, has a decent energy to it. The guitars are really boring. The bass is boring. The vocal performance is fine. Might be better if I took more time to analyze and pick apart the lyrics, but I'm not doing that on a blind first listen. Average. 2.5/5 Strange A different energy to the song, quicker tempo. Awful chorus. The tambourine is really annoying and loud. A bit pointless. Average. 2.5/5 It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Very fun to attempt to sing along with. Iconic chorus, hopelessly relatable at times. There's a mashup where they play this song alongside Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire which is really funny. This song is honestly a bit carthartic after feeling a bit on edge about world affairs. The interplay between the main and the background vocals is magnetic. It feels like a very serious song, but I do think the lyrics have some fun bounce to them where the clever writing does something extra to keep me invested. The song has shrunk a bit on me in recent years after covid ended, and at the current moment of listening (12th of March, 2025) I don''t exactly feel "fine" about what feels like yet another "end of the world as we know it". That being said I still think it's pretty great. 4.5/5 The One I Love The other hit on this album. Great guitar riff, decent bassline. A bit repetitive. A bir moody. Decently dramatic. I like it. 4/5 Fireplace The bassline and the ominous background guitar makes for a quite dark atmosphere. Decent rhythm. The saxophone adds a much needed break in instrumental composition for the album. The chorus is a bit abrupt and lacks a kick, feels slightly monotone. A bit of a sonic shift. Decent. 3.5/5 Lightnin' Hopkins Another new sonic direction. The funky bassline and the guitar feeling a bit separate from the rest of the track works surprisingly well. Good drumming again. Too bad the vocals don't work, they're a bit nasally for my taste. The chanting "ooooh"s don't really work either. Inconsistent. 3/5 King of Birds Eastern motifs are unexpected. Dulcimer adds some psychedelia to the track. Really slow, meanders a lot on the verses. Does to much to be calming and hypnotic, but too little to be engaging. Honestly leaves it being quite a boring track. Really goes nowhere. Average. 2.5/5 Oddfellows Local 151 Had to look up the meaning of the song. Comes across as smug and pretentious. The only thing instrumentally that sticks out is the bassline, it adds moodiness to the track which I can appreciate. Fairly standard vocal performance, a few eccentricites at the end sort of sets it apart. All in all pretty laborous and uninteresting. Boring 2/5 It's the end of the album as we know it (And I feel whelmed). There's a lot of quality here, but the album really isn't that engaging to me. Most of it falls into the category "artistically solid yet uninteresting" Instrumentally, vocally, lyrically, in any aspect the album does not make me feel anything that makes me engage with it. The few songs that actually do break the mold do so by either being simple or by having clever writing performed at a high tempo. Current mood might have affected my enthusiasm for the album somewhat, so I'll probably revisit it at some point. It got a bit exhausting by the end, hopefully it grows on me. Low 3/5 Fave track. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) Least fave track. Oddfellows Local 151

I can't say I've ever wanted to listen to Adele, and rolling this album on here hasn't changed much. I'm not a particular fan of piano ballads nor melodramatic overblown choruses. Yes the girl can sing and is probably one of the best at what she does, but what it is puts me to sleep. I'm not too excited to get into this, but might be surprised. Hello Was overplayed when it came out. I think the subtle echo effect on her voice is really cheap. Powerful voice on the chorus. The chorus is overblown, don't like the lyrics. The production is fine, might be a bit much at times. The chorus is the entire song, everything else is just a setup for it. It's a competent enough song, I just don't like it. 2/5 Send My Love (To Your New Lover) The echo effect is back. I appreciate the instrumentation. The first part of the verse is a bit awkward, the rest of it is really good. Stellar production on the chorus, really emphasises the vocal performance, really catchy. Lyrics are pretty standard for this type of love/breakup song. The recording quality is amazing. Quality. 4/5 I Miss You Interesting intro. Empty chorus. The verses have a slight atmosphere to them. I don't have much to say about this song, it just kind of exists. Feels like it's meant to appeal to as many people as possible which to its credit is the point of commercial pop music like this. Does its job competently, Adele sings with a lot of fire and passion and it's produced well on top of her performance. However can't say I care much for it, just not my cup of tea. Fine. 3/5 When We Were Young Another immensly popular piano ballad. She pours a lot of soul into this performance. Really well written chorus. Subtle, but powerful. As far as piano ballads go, probably close to as good as it gets. The powerful final chorus and the emotion in her voice really shines her. Can't say i find anything in particular that I don't like. Good. 4/5 Remedy A fairly standard love song. I like the piano, written and played well. As with all these tracks her voice and her vocal performance is the main point of interest. Would be a really boring track if not for a stellar performance. Fine. 3/5 Water Under the Bridge Livelier and airier (is that a word?) production is breath of fresh air. Well placed in the track listing. Feels a bit empowering. Really large, a powerful chorus which brings a much needed lift of energy after a series of somber, slow, low energy sad or reflective songs. Feels like the production on the final chorus added a bit more colour to what has so far been a very sepia shaded tracklist. Decent. 3.5/5 River Lea Immediately sticks out because the synths in the background in the intro. I think the vocals sit a bit awkwardly in the mix. The lyrics feel personal, they feel fairly authentic. A bit of a nothing chorus. Appreciate it for being something a bit different, even if it doesn't keep my interest for long. Fine. 3/5 Love in the Dark It's another one of the big piano baølsds from this album. I like the hint of strings in the background. Something something poweful voice, something something vocal performance. I think the buildup to the chorus is fantastic. I also really like how great control she has over her performance here. While she has the capacity to belt the entire thing out she chooses a more varied approach which portrays much more complicated emotions. It feels really genuine, I love how she ends the song in a very direct and unceremonial note. Magnificent. 4.5/5 Million Years Ago The guitar adds a bit of down to earthness to the song, has slight classic mediterrarian vibes. Reflective. Doesn't really capture my attention. After a series of somber reflective tracks this one sadly becomes just another one in the pile for me. I however appreciate the difference in musical style. Potentially a grower. Fine. 3/5 All I Ask There's only so much I can say without repeating myself. Yep, that's an Adele song. Average. 2.5/5 Sweetest Devotion I don't care for the verse. The bass on the chorus is really overblown. Passionate, the positive energy coming from this track is a great tone to end the album on. Wraps it up decently. I like the idea of the track more than the track itself. Fine. 3/5 I might've been a bit too harsh in my thoughts prior to listening to the album. This is definitely the most popular album I've reacted to so far in terms of streams, several tracks reaching into or close to the billions. I genuinely see why people like this, it is fantastically well made. An album like this, where everything about it is so thought out and meticulously well crafted has me questioning the way I rate things. The reason why is I honestly don't think a rating scheme of just 1 to 5 stars really comes close to summarizing my thoughts on something like this. Through the course of listening to it I had emotions ranging from intrigued, to bored out of my mind to absolutely amazed. But even in moments of immense boredom I recognized generational talent. The mastery over her voice, and the choices she makes with it is close to perfection, but I just can't find myself wanting to listen to it again. And it's not the production's fault either, as I feel like they're doing a great job, doing exactly what they should, never really overstepping or taking away from the performances. I just don't think this is my type of music. The piano ballads are, well piano ballads which I feel appeals to a specific category of music listener that I'm just not a part of, even if my favourite song from this album ended up being one. The non piano ballads are solid pop songs in their own right, but they're just too smooth, too polished and too serious for my taste. I'm giving this 3 stars, and it probably deserves higher, but I'm basing my ratings on completely subjective metrics. It doesn't feel right, but 3 stars it is. Fave track. Love in the Dark Least fave track. Hello

What is this? Sounds like something I'd never discover on my own. The Wikipedia snippet really paints a picture of something really eclectic and strange. I'm genuinely excited to hear whatever this is. Hopefully the execution holds up to the expectations created by what I read about the recording process. Traveller Pseudo-ambient world electronic music. I like the almost aquatic atmosphere. The almost DnB like drums do a lot of lifting, adding some sharper sounds to a watery soundscape. The vocals don't add much. I like the meditative effect of the flute and sitar(?) together, sounds rustic and traditional while adding a trippy psychedelic moment to the track. Sounds like something that would play in the background of a resort. Scary string instrument jumpscare. Definitely interesting, I have no idea who this was made for, but can't say I wasn't entertained by it. Overall a confusing vision, an artistic piece with a bunch of ideas mixed into a strange epic. Challenging. 3/5 Butterfly I was not prepared to comment on something like this. Electronic music isn't something I'm overly familiar with it. Feels like I'm being thrown of the deep end. Mixing IDM with traditional Indian instruments is certainly an inspired choice. Can't say I've ever heard something like this before. Impressively niche. Baffled. 4/5 Sutrix Ominous. Feels like I'm approaching som technocatic overpopulated sci-fi planet in my dinky rust heap of a spaceship. I appreciate how atmospheric this is, really unique. Evolves into something really weird. Laughter at the end makes me uncomfortable. Strange. 3.5/5 Mombasstic What is going on? Strangely jazzy. The effects are interesting. Sounds like something that would play in the creator mode of a sandbox game. Definitely creative. Calming. Amazed that this came out when it came out. Feels fresh. The audip quality is great. I really liked that, strange as it is. 4/5 Decca Ok thanks for the lecture, scary Indian man. The following series of sounds goes quite hard. I'm more confused now. Interlude/5 Eclipse The microtonality of whatever that instrument is called is cool. The chant like vocals are strange. It's a cool idea, I'm open to it. Temple techno. Goes hard af. 4/5 OK Rhythm is great. Really creative blend of ideas. Ambitious sound. I think the female vocals work really well. Evolves into something really dense and bold. Impressed. 4/5 Light Yeah this one is kinda losing me. Meandering, slow, empty. Doesn't go anywhere. The flute playing is admitably pretty good, but the track is just kind of bland. Overstays its welcome by quite a bit. Background music. 2/5. Disser/Point.Mento.B The buzzing sound of the melody contrasts too harshly against the watery ambiance of the background instrumentation. It's irritating and ruins what could be a decent ambient track. The hypnotic effect ambient music usually has is lost, and by the end trickles out without finding any footing, leaving it at a sad middle ground. Kinda bad. 1.5/5 Soni Ominous, makes me quite uncomfortable actually. Gives me horror vibes. The vocals are earpiercing. The instrumentation barely exists giving the listener no relief against the sonic assault on the ears sent by the horribly repetitive chant. Genuinely want to skip this. The spoken word at the end does nothing to save the track. Unlistenable. 1/5 Vikram the Vampire Amazing song title, better not disappoint. The vocal effect isn't great. Wish the DnB beat evolved a bit more. What happened to the strange eclectic ideas present early i the album, this is just the most standard DnB track with some cryptic robotic mumbling on top of it. It takes four minutes before it actually goes anywhere at all, the track it ends up turning into is engaging enough, but not worth the extremely unsatisfying buildup. Huge disappointment. 1.5/5 I'm not sure what happened. I started out really invested and impressed, thought the first few tracks after the opener were really interesting, then suddenly after the title track its like my interest in the music just went completely off a cliff. I had so much fun with the strange fusion of the indian traditional music with the electronic music and the atmosphere it created. Thought a lot of the stranger tracks were eclectic and fun, but after a while the ideas seemed to dry up and the album really ran out of steam. I found the last few tracks to be horrible. Slow, boring or just plain sounding bad. I don't want that to take away from how inspired some of the tracks on here are. I think the ideas presented are really creative, and I can't say I've heard anything like it before. The creativity kept me somewhat engaged, even if some tracks were a bit on the long side. Overall feeling pretty mixed on this one, might revisit. 3/5 Fave track. Eclipse Least fave track. Soni

This is one of those albums I knew would be on the list prior to starting it. Universally lauded as one of the greatest albums of all time, at least in online music circles. I'm extremely familiar with this album, I've heard it many times through and I can heartidly say I agree with the praise. This is the second Nick Drake album on this list I've reacted to so far (36 total) so I know my score will probably reflect that a bit. I like this one a lot, but it wouldn't be right if I didn't give it a detailed listen with notes like every other album. Pink Moon Classic singer-songwriter song. People have been trying to emulate the magic of this song for decades most failing along the way. The odd inflections, the intimate delivery and the mystical lyrics over a calming acoustic guitar builds a radiant atmosphere. The piano is beautiful too, and comes in at the exact right time. I really like how short it is, honestly the briefness enhances the track for me. One of the greatest of its genre. 5/5 Place to Be There's a beautiful calmness to the tracks on the album. The mellow tranquility especially comes across on this track. The groundedness in his voice alongside the rustic guitar melody creates an earthiness that creates a sense of safety within the music. Melancholic lyrics without being too dramatic. Beautiful. 5/5 Road Melodic and atmospheric. I love how you can hear every stroke and pinch of the guitar. Small imperfections that add a lot of soul and personality to the track. The lyrics add up to something strangely poetic. Mantra-like. Great. 4.5/5 Which Will Reflective sounding guitar. His delivery is so unique it's impossible to imitate with such earnestness and charm. A cozy and warm sound. Sounds like the final night before the end of summer. Fantastic. 5/5 Horn The opening guitar almost has a classical sound to it. A cute little melody which ends up being a pleasant listen. 4/5 Things Behind the Sun I feel a lot of modern singer-songwriters base their entire sound on the guitar in this track. The ultimate transitional song. It's like the feeling of waiting to arrive somewhere, being between two places. Autumn vibes. Great. 4.5/5 Know Repetition adds a cleansing element to the track. Doesn't really go anywhere. Still pleasant. 3.5/5 Parasite Sad and emotive lyrics play out a vivid story. Extremely depressing, feels personal and real. It present a devastating self image, and feels like it takes inspiration from real issues faced by the author. Devastating. 5/5 Free Ride There's a little bit of a shift in energy from the previous song. Feels lighter and less loaded while still having undertones of sadness underneath. Really like the progression in the chorus. Great. 4.5/5 Harvest Breed There's a sense og melancholy in the guitar. The lyrics feel like a part of a poem. Wish it stayed on a little longer, has the potential to evolve, but the short length of the song prevents that. Still good. 4/5 From the Morning My favourite from the album. Feels accepting and uplifting. I really enjoy the more positive outlook after a very downturned and sad album. A really refreshing, earnest little track that leaves an impact everytime I hear it. Has a nostalgic and reflective feel to it which is carried on top of the beautiful little guitar melody. Sells the idea that there's a light at the end of the tunnel, and that one has to appreciate beauty and wonder even during bad times. That this was one of his last recorded songs before tragically passing also adds to the feel of the song. Hope he found beauty and peace in his final moments. Fantastic. 5/5 I always forget how enigmatic and cryptic a lot of the lyrics are on this thing. Even if it's difficult to understand at times I think the songs really get their intent across through atmosphere, delivery and feel. It's both uplifiting and depressing, and also extremely calming and warm even when you feel how moody and weighted certain elements feel. Does all it should and more. A magnificent series of songs, and an absolute tragedy that we never got to hear another project from him again, and that he never saw the success he deserved. 4.5/5 Fave track. From the Morning Last fave track. Know

An album I've neglected listening to for too long. Never really been a fan of the grunge era so it'll be intetesting to see what I think after giving it a focused chance. I'm expecting good things from what I've heard about this. Them Bones I love the heaviness and the melodic guitar. Dense and loud. I feel ambivalent about the vocals, they feel very of this era of 90s rock music. Great songwriting as to cram this much musical content into such a brief and condesed song without it feeling messy. Good. 4/5 Dam That River Kick-ass guitar riff. Well constructed lyrics, easy to follow along with. I've turned around on the vocals, the performance fits well on top of the metal inspired tunings. Good. 4/5 Rain When I Die Awesome disturbing guitar squeals in the intro. The bass and the drums together create an ominous atmosphere for the guitar to play in. The doomy guitar prior to the verse is also really cool. Yeah that guitar riff slaps. Raw and powerful vocals on the chorus. Interesting way to end the track. Great 4.5/5 Down in a Hole Really slow, really dense. Has a lot of buildup to what ends up being a fine if not unspectacular chorus. Ends up being a loud wall of distortion with some dark and unsettling lyrics. The effect on the chorus adds to the cramped feeling of the song. Fine. 3/5 Sickman Has some progressive changes in tempo that I find pretty cool. Love the drumming on this. I don't like the vocals here, they range from flat, to whiny to nasaly never really landing anywhere pleasant. The lyrics are sort of messed up, there's a lot of despair and loathing in there. Fine. 3/5 Rooster It's strange hearing a Vietnam war song from an early 90s band. I do quite like it, reading about its meaning really helps as with the added context the song has an additional emotional layer to it. The complicated relationship with his estranged father channeled into a into a frankly harrowing song about the horrors he went through. I also like how the chorus at times almost sounds triumphant in a way, the more open instrumentation really highlights it and contributes to it sticking around even after the song concludes. Understandable how this is one of the more popular tracks from the album. Great. 4.5/5 Junkhead Musically a continuation of their sound from the previous tracks on the album. Doesn't feel quite as felshed out as other songs so far. Doesn't really have much about it that sticks out as noteworthy other than that little guitar passage with the strange effect on it. They do this sound really well however. Fine. 3/5 Dirt Classic heavy metal esque guitar riff. Angsty, edgy, raw lyrics about what seems to be pretty serious mental health issues. Kinda slow, the chous does a lot of lifting. Decent. 3.5/5 God Smack As strange as the vocals are in periods, I really like it as a creative decision. Adds variety without deviating too much from the established sound of the album. I like the added guitar effect on the chorus, and the edge in the singing. Interesting inclusion. 4/5 Untitled Experimental little interlude over a strange sample. Creates a feeling of unease heading into the final stretch of the album. Interlude/5 Hate to Feel Downturned. Has a lot of negative energy. Really angsty. I like the drumming on this track a lot. The chorus is sort of catchy. Has a lot of emotion behind it, but to me it got a bit too much, a bit to vitriolic and a bit to direct. Draining. 2.5/5 Angry Chair The rhythm section builds a nice groove. The lyrics feel personal, though they so sort of go over my head a little as I struggle to understand their meaning, is it about addiction? Decent chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Would? Sweet Jesus what a glorious bassline. The chorus is close to as good as it gets for this type of music. Cathartic and catchy, musically kicks a lot of ass during its brief time in the spotlight. Amazing vocal melody. Great tribute. Iconic song of the era which has stood the test of time. 4.5/5 Despite not really being my thing I really appreciated what this album did, and how consistent it was. With such a limited sound it risks running out of ideas, yet I feel it really never did. All songs feel unique and purposeful while all touching on similar heavy subject matter. Can't call it a fun listen though, as I found it quite emotionally draining due to how dark and heavy it was. There really wasnt any light in there what so ever. While they did do a lot with the sonic pallatte they presented it did however run its course, where I feel like 57 minutes sort of got a bit too long. With those minor complaints out of the way I would say that I don't really mind feeling drained at the end. Music should cover all range of emotions and should remain relevant to all aspects of the human experience. Alice in Chains did a great job at portraying the more negative sides of life, while feeling real and genuine while doing so. 4/5 Fave track. Rooster Least fave track. Hate to Feel

No idea what to expect. I know that they're a fairly popular band and are consisered influencial. Other than that I don't know if I've even heard any of their songs even if I know the name. I would consider myself a fan of Brian Eno's ambient work, though from the description I expect this to be anything but that. Feels like I've neglected a bit of music history by ignoring this band for so long. Re-Make/Re-Model Thick bass. The vocals sit strangely in the mix making them sound a bit muddled, especially noticable on the background vocals from the band. I really appreciate the ambitious experimental instrumentation. The squealing guitars and the erratic saxophone sounds really compelling. I love how diverse it is instrumentally and how much the track changes over the course of its five minute runtime. Great. 4.5/5 Ladytron That's definitely Brian Eno. Love how the bass is mixed. The vocals are strange and full of character. What an interesting way to take the track. Absolute insanity unfolding inside my headset. I don't know what to call this but I quite enjoy how full of ideas this is. Great. 4.5/5 Is There Something Don't like the vocal melody. The bass is a bit too loud. Great piano and guitar work. There's some crazy instrumental choices here, is that a woodwind? Extremely strange vocal delivery, can't say I dislike it, but it's strange none the less. Kind of loses focus in the middle. The final vocal passage is full of character. Really like how this song ends. Great. 4.5/5 Virginia Plain Structurally simpler than their earlier songs. The varied instrumentation really keeps me entertained. The excentric vocals really fit the bouncy rhythm. No complaints. 4.5/5 2HB The ambient intro could be its own song. The chilled out vibe is appreciated after the chaos that just unfolded. The mellow instrumental passage is just pure bliss. Cozy and relaxing. danny-devito-i-get-it.gif. 5/5 The Bob (Medley) Ominous, spooky, harrowing, other words for unsettling. Was not expecting this to turn into a glam rock track at this point. Extremely dramatic. Experimental. Absolute chaos. Satisfying bass/guitar combination. Spoken word? Need some time to digest it, but I think it might be amazing? 5/5 Chance Meeting Giving musical theatre. Now giving old horror movie. The lyrics sound disturbing with the unsettling noise in the background. Great. 4.5/5 Would You Believe? The vocals are a bit too quirky on this one. Love the energy and the classic rhythm tied with the diversity of the instrumentation. The changeup in tempo at the end comes at the right time to keep the song interesting. Probably the wakest track so far. Still good. 4/5 Sea Breezes Love me an ocean themed song. One of my favourite micro-categories. Love how the crashing waves are implemented. Theatrical, dramatic vocal performance. Really like the calmer sound. Has a sort of gothic energy to it. The instrumentation is absolutely fantastic yet again, love how strange it is. Satisfying ending with the reprise of the first verse. Challenging. 4.5/5 Bitters End Quirky and odd. Satisfying lyrics. Love the sax going crazy in the background. The background vocals are a fun addition. Like the short but sweet nature of the song. Great closer. 4.5/5 I'm amazed at this. Really strange and experimental, with tonnes of great creative choices and eclectic and inspired instrumentation. Charismatic vocals full of personality. And the theatrical performances really added some mystique and uniqueness to the sound. Great drama aswell. Can't say apart from a few patches of rough mixing that there is anything to complain about. Really want to return to this one and attempt to make more sense of the craziness. Might be influenced by my run of getting recommended really depressive and/or serious music from this app, but this was a breath of fresh air. Had so much fun with this. Right up my alley. 4.5/5 stars leaning closer to 5. Fave track. 2HB Least fave track. N/A

The Beastie Boys is a group I find fun in small dozes. Fear this might be a bit of an exhausting listen, as I feel their energy can add up to be too much over an album's length of time. I expect to hear some clever wordplay, and some great energetic performances with a lot of synergy between the members. Will give it an honest shot. To All The Girls A smooth instrumental sample. The content of the song is presented in a manner that comes across as a bit silly. A worship of all different types of women. A bit cheesy. Intro/5 Shake Your Rump Really like the beat on this. Interesting sample work. Can take it or leave it with the DJ Scratches. The lyrical content serves as a reintroduction to the Beastie Boys and the people they're working with on the album. As juvenile and dumb some of the bars are, the wordplay is at times pretty clever. I find the over the top performances to be mostly charming though they're walking a fine line where they risk falling into obnoxious territory. Decent. 3.5/5 Johhny Ryall Again the sample work is really impressive. Really like the guitar sample. Really goes with the content of the lyrics. Tells a pretty concise story. The performances are a little more eccentric here. The energy here is really engaging, found myself bopping along to the beat of the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Egg Man Cheeky and mischiveous lyrics. A song about throwing eggs at people, can't say I've ever heard anything like it. Many of the literary references seem a bit obvious, but they do their job decently. Can't say I'm too crazy about this one, the beat is fine, and the lyrical content is fun, but it grows stale throughout the course of the song. The "egg man" sample also gets a bit ridiculous. Fine. 3/5 High Plains Drifter Sounds a bit messy, the sample in the background is pretty horrible. The lyrics are pretty clever at times, but the concept is pretty uninteresting. I hate the flows, they're really annoying. Some of the vocal inflections are really obnoxious. Don't find it charming at all. Slightly irritating. 2/5 The Sound of Science Really strange choice of beat, the bass sample isn't exactly what I'd expect from a Beastie Boys song. I like the nerdy lyrics, fun parody. The beat switch really hits. Love the subversion after the first part of the track. Good setup, great punchline. Good. 4/5 3-Minute Rule A lot of the references and the language used on the track goes completely over my head. The beat is pretty good. The second verse is definitely weaker than the first, there's just not much of interest there, feels a bit filler. The final verse has a lot of references I actually get, which is a breath of fresh air. Sounds like they're having fun on the beat creating a decent vibe, though the track itself isn't spectacular. Fine. 3/5 Hey Ladies Love the funk instrumental. I find their synergy on top of the beat pretty immaculate. The lyrics are pretty juvenile and dumb, but they're presented in a pretty fun and entertaining way. The obnoxious hook is pretty good. Interesting sampling. Fun song. 4/5 5-Piece Chicken Dinner Yep that exists. Interlude/5 Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun The hard rock instrumental is fantastic. Their punk roots really show in their performances here. Really like the hook. A track like this shows that they have range outside of just writing witty bars about girls and parties. Has a lot more edge to it, not just instrumentally but also lyrically. I enjoy the aggression present in both the performance and lyrics, even though it's pretty simple conceptually. Great. 4.5/5 Car Thief Excuisite choice of sample. The flows seem a bit more varied on this track. Has some of that same punk energy to it from the previous track. Rebellious fuck the system kind of attitude. Does a good job of staying varied and spaced out while still remaining concise and on theme. Good. 4/5 What Comes Around Pretty obnoxious performances. The sample is again stellar. Don't really like the hook. I get what they're going for but for me it doesn't really work that well. Slightly irritating track. Wouldn't really put it on outside the album. Did not like. 2/5 Shadrach Love the vocal sample on top of the funky bass instrumental. The biblical references are represented in a fun way. Love the vocal sample on the hook. Immaculate vibe. I find the lyrics fairly clever and charming. Really fun song. Great. 4.5/5 Ask For Janice. It's an interlude. Interlude/5 B-Boy Boullabaisse A series of experimental short tracks that forever reason didn't turn into full tracks of their own. Seems a bit of a scattered collection. Don't really have much to add, most of them are fine, but not exceptional. They show a lot of creativity and fun spirit. Really appreciate the inclusion as it shows a lot of decent ideas that would otherwise be left in the writer's room. Feels like they're messing around and having fun. I would like to shout out the final track as a pretty fun closer giving appreciation to the people they've worked with on the album. Decent. 3.5/5 Really really like the production on this. The sample work is just fantastic, and I really like the mix of funk, rock and soul music for the instrumentation resulting in some really creative and eclectic beats for the Beastie Boys to rap over. They bring a lot of energy to the tracks which is at times really infectious and leaves you with a smile on your face. Other times you can really see their punk rock roots, reflecting in some heavier tracks where their attitudes shift from playful to more hard and rebellious. I think lyrically the album is in a bit of a strange place for me. It seems that they write lyrics they themselves have fun with, but they're not always saying anything interesting. A lot of the references go over my head, as their relevance might have faded over time, and a lot of the language used requires knowledge of the slang of the NYC area during the time, which I simply don't have. In the end I found some tracks to be draining, and others to be a great time. Wouldn't say the album is inconsistent though as I do feel the intention is always there, though I cannot say I'm always in love with how it's being executed. A decent listen though not entirely for me. 3.5/5 leaning closer to a 3.

I only really know M.I.A from Paper Planes, which seems to have dropped a few years later in her career. She seems to have become a bit controversal over the past few years, though her music, at least her early work is still getting praise online. Hope it lives up to the hype. Banana - Skit Definitely a start to the album. Seems to have some decent production. Just not what I was expected. NA/5 Pull Up The People Crunchy electronics. Mixed really loudly. Not in love with that hook. I like the experimental beat. Starts a bit rough but improves throughout the track. Okay performance. Average. 2.5/5 Bucky Done Gun Kinda goofy. Terrible trumpet sample. Abdolutely hate the hook. Obnoxious. Her performance on the verse is so low energy, I think she sounds uninterested in her own song. Rhythm at least saves the track slightly. Kinda hate it. 1.5/5 Sunshowers I really can't stand this production. I find her flow quite irritating. I don't like the hook. By the numbers performance. Disappointing. 1.5/5 Fire, Fire The beat is fine. Has a bit better energy to it. Like how rhytmic it is. The electronic "crashes" sort of overpower everything else. Repetitive, annoying. Doesn't really go anywhere. Did not like. 2/5 Dash the Curry - Skit Okay, that exists. NA/5 Amazon Again the production sucks. Terribly balanced, the mix just does not sound good. It's a shame because I think the vocal performance is pretty good. She shows a decent amount of songwriting ability. Fairly impressed with the verses. Okay hook, decently catchy. Could be a decent song but the production ruins it. 2.5/5 Bingo Steel drums suck. No this isn't good, I need to try really hard to find anything to enjoy here. Maybe there are some parts that are cleverly written, but I just can't vibe with the production and I find her sort of unlikable. Turn it off. 1/5 Hombre Sounds large. Appreciate the creative instumentation. Otherwise I kinda dislike everything else I'm hearing. The post chorus instrumental part kinda works. Not for me. 1.5/5 One for the Head Nokia ringtone type beat. NA/5 10 Dollar Promising start. For once I like the production. I don't mind her performance here. She has some charisma and sounds like she's having fun. The lyrics are questionable. Feels problematic. Don't like. 2/5 U.R.A.Q.T I feel like I've given up at this point. This is clearly not for me. This song just comes across as annoying, can't find anything positive to say. Turn it off. 1/5 Galang More of the same. Repetive. Obnoxious production. Not my thing. She is at least having fun. Like how it ends, sort of melodic. Do not like. 2/5 M.I.A Politcal song. It feels slightly confused never really landing anywhere. Has some decent bars, but repeats messaging we've heard time and time again, often executed better. The oppressed rise up, well maybe someday. Ourside of that pretty standard. Average. 2.5/5 Kinda hated that to be honest. Really don't see the appeal. Horrible production, unlikeable performances, and annoying hooks. At least most songs only had one of those at a time. Obviously I'm not the target audience for this, and I'm guessing people from similar backgrounds to M.I.A herself would find things in there that I'd completely overlook. I don't have much positive to say. Honestly had high expectations so I might've let my disappointment colour my reaction. Really didn't have a good time listening. 1.5/5 leaning towards a 1, though subject to rise upon relisten.

I asked my dad if he knew what this was, he did. I then asked him if it was good, he said it wasn't. Genuinely haven't heard anything from this group. I would say me and my dad differ slightly when it comes to taste in music, so I have no idea what to expect really. Looks offensively 90's. Hoping the music is better than the album art. Connected By far their most popular song, also the song my parents claimed to have clubbed to in the early 90's. Can't say I'm too excited by the prospect of my parents at the club tbh. Has some groove to it. The vocal sample loop creates some decent atmosphere. Is a bit flat, though the keys and sax add some depth. The female vocals do add some variety to the track. All in all overstays its welcome a bit, but seems a solid start to the album. Not suprised it's a hit to be honest. Decent. 3.5/5 Ground Level Strange jazzy instrumentation, still remains dancable. The vocals are kinda unispired, lacks character and depth. Pretty catchy despite the low-key performance. Surprisingly well composed. Pleasantly surprised. 4/5 Everything Decent energy. Family Stone references or a coincidence? The hook is pretty unispiring, and the rapping is a bit dated, though I find it kinda charming. Really like the groovy bassline. The brass instruments are also a pretty cool choice. The song kinda grew on me over the course of its runtime. Fun track. 4/5 Sketch Sort of mellow. Having fun with the instrumentation. Can't forget to highlight the fantastic accent of the singer, honestly think it adds some uniqueness to the music on display. Decent concept for a song, honestly sort of a fresh take on the idea. The rapping still isn't great per se, but can't say it ruins the song in any way, kinda charming actually. The chilled out energy is a vibe. Feels vibrant and colourful. Fun. 4/5 Fade Away Starting of pretty corny. The disco like female vocals is not something you'd hear today. The instrumentation carries the track. Don't really like the hook at all. The verses don't really connect either. Has good parts, has bad parts. 2.5/5 All Night Long Funky start to the track. Has good rhythm. Like the attention given to the bass. Really repetitive. The restart definitely came at a much needed time, honestly wished the track changed more after the restart. Goes nowhere, feels like it ran out of ideas really early. Fine. 3/5 Step it Up Good bassline. Moving into a more traditional dance track was a good move after the instrumental track. Has a bitvof a groove, could definitely see people dancing to this. Vocals seem a bit bored and unenthusiastic. Fairly decent chorus. Nothing spectacular, still pretty decent. 3.5/5 Playing With Fire This album keeps suprising me. Immaculate vibes. For this type of music the instrumentation is really solid. The vocals are extremely basic, but it works somehow. Transcends the critical thinking center of my brain. Just fun, can't explain why. Good. 4/5 Pressure Love the bassline, sort of infectious. Bouncy song that really moves along with some decent flair. Doesn't do anything special, but again has immaculate vibes. Decent. 3.5/5 Chicken Shake Whoever picks these instrumentals deserves a lot of credit. Decent loop, but wish it varied a bit more. I like the keyboard at the end. Sort of kept building on itself into a solid instrumental track. Could use a few more points of engagement. Decent. 3.5/5 Creation The bad thunder effects are kinda charming. Fub drum beat, and some decent bass playing on top of it. The keyboard sequence goes on for a bit too long. The lyrics on the hook are pretty bad. Really cheesy. Does have sequences where it sounds a bit empty. Was not expecting the drum breakdown at the end. Fine. 3/5 The End Decent bassline. The rapping style doesn't fit the energy of the instrumental. A bit too sparse, feels like it's lacking something. Nothing chorus. Doesn't go anywhere. Carole King motif in the sax at the end is a fun touch. Disappointing closer. 2/5 Honestly thought this was going to be horrible, but turned out pretty alright. Found myself having fun with plenty of the tracks. Really enjoyed the energy, and found the dated rapping style and the bombastic female vocals to be quite charming. Love how they've chosen to implement a series of very good samples, really liked many of the imported basslines. Found the production solid overall, never having any complaints about the mixing or the quality. Didn't pay too close attention to the lyrics, but they seemed pretty forgetable, will definitely pay more attention on a relisten. The rapping is a bit basic and in some songs the style gets a bit boring, or have a tendency to not work. Vocals in general lack a bit of variation. Still the album managed to exceed my expectations, and I found myself having loads of fun with it. 3.5/ leaning closer to a 3/5. Fave track. Sketch Least fave track. The End

EDM isn't usually my thing so I don't really know what separates the really good stuff from the good stuff. I hear that this album has been put up there with some of the greatest albums in the genre, and that it's pretty accessible, so I'll probably get some enjoyment out of it, even if it's just on a base level. Gonna keep an open mind heading into it. Otherwise my expectations are kinda somewhat mixed, though do enjoy a bit of Daft Punk and these guys are also French so maybe there will be some crossover there. Genesis Quite an imposing and menacing intro, reminds me of an early sci-fi film. Really electronic, loops quite a bit. Kinda glitchy. Doesn't leave a lot of space in the mix, there's a lot going on at once. Fine. 3/5 Let There Be Light Really impressive transition. The snare sample is quite good. Sounds like a malfunctioning piece of electronic equipment. The bassline is quite good. It's interesting, though not sure if I like it. Compositionally I think the song layers itself well, builds upon a consistent sound and stays engaging over its entire runtime. The quieter outro is quite nice. Has its ups and downs. I see the appeal. 3.5/5 D.A.N.C.E Their most streamed song by quite some margin. I recognize it but have never given it much thought. Gets straight into the action. Has some funkiness to it, the bassline is notable. Don't really like the string samples. I find it sort of annoying. Don't really like the vocals either, mixed weirdly and has an irritating cadance and pitch to them. Gets kinda repetitve. Might not be a popular opinion, but I don't like it. 2/5 Newjack Choppy. Crunchy. It's a lot of electronic noise, though I respect the experimentation I can't really find a satisfying hook in there for me to catch onto. The vocal sample sort of grew on me. I'm wildly out of my comfort zone here, someone with a larger understanding of electronic music would probably find this more enjoyable than I did. Obviously competent, but don't really get it. Confused. 2/5 Phantom Robot beep boop. Well produced, good sound quality. Catchy. Sort of gets stale after a while. The limited sonic elements sort of blend into each other, kind of overstays its welcome. Lost interest about 2/3 in. Fine. 3/5 Phantom Pt. II Builds upon the previous tracks. Like the added violin(?) sample. Sort of freshens up the track. Bringing the bassline more into focus certainly helps too. Repetive. Fine. 3/5 Valentine Like the radical change of sound from the previous track. Sounds kinda flat. Has a bored energy to it that I really don't care for. I like the concept of the two high pitched synths playing off each other, feels like a bit of a dance. Fine. 3/5 The Party Kinda obnoxious. Dollar store Kesha. The sparse instrumental does not help. Nice synth. Kinda sucks, but has its moments. 2.5/5 DVNO Don't like the mixing, muddles the vocals. Messy and chaotic in an annoying noisy way. The vocal performance has some charisma to it. The solo at the end is kinda funky. Got really bored if it, didn't keep my interest. 2/5 Stress This is unpleasant. Stressful, suits the title. All emotions are valid when making music, though stressed is the opposite of what I wanna feel after hearing a song. Executes its concept perfectly, but I absolutely hate it. Can't wait for it to end. Evil song made by evil people. I will never put this on again. Whoever added the jumpscare and the alarms can fuck right off. Straight to jail. 1/5. Waters of Nazareth Keeps up the stressful energy from the last track. Really loud, really repetitive. Whatever enjoyment I could get out of this album was killed by the previous track. Sounds like a really annoying level in a fast paced platforming video game where I keep dying to some stupid obstacle over and over. The synths at around the 3 minute mark sort of helped relieve som of the tension. Stressful. 1.5/5 One Minute to Midnight Bouncy and fun. Trudges along at a nice pace. Some of the electronics are really harsh sounding. A nice vibe once you get into it. Ends abruptly. Decent. 3.5/5 Honestly knowing I wouldn't be into it I'm quite happy I listen to it. Has a lot of interesting elements to it, which sounds bad to me now, but may sound good once I explore the genre a bit more. Was confused through most of the album, annoyed at other parts, and bored at some parts. The parts I liked felt really engaging, and had lots of decent rhythm and great composision. I recognize there's a lot of talent involved in making this especially when you consider how well they managed to capture the feeling of stress in the song "Stress". When you consider how perfectly executed that concept was (me hating the song non withstanding) it's only a matter of personal taste standing in the way of my enjoyment of this. If this sort of electronic music ever clicks for me I will definitely revisit. Not bad, just not for me. 2.5/5 leaning towards a 3. Fave track. Let There Be Light Least fave track. Stress

60s pop with solid harmonies usually does the trick for something that is at least pleasant sounding. From what I know about this band, that is exactly what I'm expecting from this album, especially since it has "California Dreaming" on it. Looks like it will be squeaky clean. Safe and edgeless music for the whole family. Predicting that it will be fine, but nothing special. Monday, Monday The production on this song definitely hasn't aged well. Extremely 60s. The harmonies are pretty good. As for songs about not liking Mondays this one is pretty okay. Has some decent lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 Straight Shooter Does a bit more with the band, the guitar is alright, though the percussion is just annoying. Has some country vibes. The alternating vocals and the harmonies they create sound pretty nice. Decent. 3.5/5 Got A Feelin' Creepy sounding. The instrumental has some unsettling energy, especially the ticking clock. The voices are pretty nice. It was a good decision to keep the track short, any longer and the ticking would've been annoying. The layering of the two different vocals is the highlight here, paired alongside the strange instrumental it works out into a decently executed song. Not mindblowing by any means, but I swe what they're going for. Decent. 3.5/5 I Call Your Name Really standard 60s pop song. Extremely uncool, has less edge than a circle. The harmonies are good, but the song is really uninspiring, does very little for me. Average. 2.5/5 Do You Wanna Dance I didn't know I could grow even whiter by listening to a song, but I think I'm starting to become translucent. This is a song where the stereo really does a number on me. Sounds terrible in my headset. Makes me nauseous. The song isn't terrible, but the production has aged so badly that it's nearly unlistenable on my setup. A victim of time. 1.5/5 Go Where You Wanna Go I don't like the vocals. Earpiercing. The recording quality does not help. Annoying chorus. Terrible sounding strings. Not good. 1.5/5 California Dreamin' Quintessential 60s song. It's cultural impact is still felt to this day. Used in plenty of media to indicate the time period. Covered many times by different artists and has plagued many an accapella troupe. Really catchy and fun to sing along to. The dark undertones in the lyrics and the haunting echoing backing vocals create a sinister feeling which keeps going throughout the track. A track where the dated production does it some favours by upholding the eerie atmosphere. Classic that has stood the test of time. A bit overplayed, but still pretty fantastic. 5/5 Spanish Harlem Corny. Both in terms of lyrics, composition and lyrics. Just extremely dated and lame. Ick successfully acquired. A relic of its time best forgotten. 1/5 Somebody Groovy The datedness has somehow come full circle and transformed into charm. Doesn't sound all that great. "Groovy" used to describe a person is a slang term which I'm really glad didn't stick around. Average. 2.5/5 Hey Girl Sounds really empty instrumentally, genuinely has demo vibes. Production hasn't aged well in the slightest. Forgettable lyrics. Did not like. 2/5 You Baby Kinds sweet. Sounds awful, especially the backing vocals, awful recording quality, sounds really muddled and unclear. Aged poorly, though there's an okay song buried in there. 2/5 The "In" Crowd Quite a decent concept. Still sounds horrible, the mix has a lot of problems, though mainly with the vocals. The organ is snappy and fun, the band performance in general is pretty good. Ruined by the mix. 2/5 This has aged extremely poorly, it sounds absolutely terrible on my setup for the most part. Some songs were almost entirely ruined by it. Much of the writing is extremely basic and forgettable, and to modern ears a lot of it also comes off as corny. Some of the tracks have a bit of charm, even some of the charm coming from how dated it sounds, though most of it is just bland. The harmonies, the singing ability and the synergy between the performers remains at a high level throughout, though doesn't quite do enough to carry the album. Apart from a few hits (mainly California Dreamin') there's not much on here worth caring too much about. There's plenty of other music from this era I'd rather be listening to. Dated. 2/5 Fave track. California Dreamin' Least fave track. Spanish Harlem

I thought this band was a one hit wonder. Only really heard the one song from them, and it seems to at least be the one song that survived the test of time, according to streaming numbers. I don't particularly like their biggest hit so I'm coming at this with low expectations. Hope the rest of the album delivers something interesting. The Things That Dreams Are Made Of Starting off with a clunky title. Extremely 80's. The synths sound kinda cheesy, especially the bass. Robotic and monotone vocal performance. Awkward chorus. The high pitched synths on the chorus don't sound particularly good. Matching the clunkiness of its title. Did not like. 2/5 Open Your Heart The vocal melody is honestly just unpleasant. Hate the whistly synths. Pretty empty sounding even with the synths playing disharmonicaly in the background. Messy mix. Awkward composition. The chorus doesn't go anywhere. Unpleasant. 1.5/5 The Sound Of The Crowd Immediately annoying as soon as it starts. Background instrumental sounds like a rejected YMO b-side made in a drunken stupor. The vocals have a bit of that 80's charm to the them. Another nothing chorus, lacks any punch whatsoever. Holds very little value. 1.5/5 Darkness With how cliché this song sounds I'm not suprised that I'd think this was a parody if I didn't know any better. Empty sounding instrumental. Messy composision and a cheesy chorus. The insturmental break sounds sort of decent. Did not like. 2/5 Do or Die I don't wanna hear a 5 minute track from this thing. This has to be experienced to be believed. The instrumental is strange... The bassline is sort of passable. The verses are kinda unhinged, and the chorus sort of sucks. The extended instrumental passage has some groove to it, when the chorus comes back at the end it almost sounds good. Confusing. 2.5/5 Get Carter That high pitched synth at the is earpiercingly loud. For the first time in 44 albums I had to turn my volume down. Should come with a warning. 1/5 I Am The Law The synths create an atmospheric landscape. Some of the effects are a bit cheesy. Reminds me of a shitty rejected Japan track. Singer sounds somewhat like a budget David Sylvian minus rverything that makes him great. Failed experiment, ends up being quite a slog to get through. Turn it off. 1.5/5 Seconds Decent transition. Stock sounding instrumental. Same boring monotone delivery. Hopelessly boring, repetitive and overly long. Absolutely pointless. 1/5 Love Action (I Believe in Love) Sounds like a parody. Headache inducing. The vocals make me wanna bash my head against the wall, bores me to tears. I think I've been Stockholm syndrome'd into liking the main synth riff. Brainwashing music. Get me out. 1/5. Don't You Want Me One of the most overplayed songs on every 80's pop station. A more annoying song than this is hard to come by. I hate the lyrics, I hate the annoying background synth that keeps going for the entire song. I can't stand the chorus. The female vocal part is somehow worse than the male one. Don't You Want To Turn It Off. If I could give it a 0 I would. Turbo shit. 1/5 I can't stand this. This is honestly baffling. I have to look really hard to find anything enjoyable in here. The inclusion of "Don't You Want Me" almost automatically qualifies it for 1/5 stars. Dated beyond belief. Terrible sounding synth effects. Extremely basic songs, those who aren't completely fail, coming off as either disjointed messes or boring slogs. I usually really like synth pop, but this just does not do it for me. Genuinely one of the worst experiences I've had with an album listening to it front to back. Glad it's over. 1/5 Fave track. N/A Least fave track. Don't You Want Me

Hell yeah. Time for some high energy aggressive dance music. Not heard the deep cuts, but the hits are all bangers. Would call myself an enjoyer of what I've heard from this group. Looking forward to listening. Smack My Bitch Up Starts off with a bit of a strange buildup. Instantly gains a lot of energy once the bass comes in. The repetition makes for a really intense track. The calmer part leading to the switchup adds depth to the track. Having the female vocal part keeps the song interesting before the final repetition of the main electronic part. Great way to kick things off. 4/5 Breathe Absolute classic intro melody. Maintains the energy from the previous song. Amazing effects. Extremely catchy vocals. Simple and easy to follow. The aggessive delivery really adds intensity to the track. The entire song is a highlight. Landmark song in electronic music. Has aged really well. 5/5 Diesel Power Feels darker and almost industrial compared to the previous tracks. The rapping is pretty typical of this type of music from this era. The instrumental improves what's honestly a slightly dated lyrical performance. Still has some swagger to it, remains quite catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Funky Shit Charming opening synth. Great use of the sample. Quite a trippy track. Builds well upon a simple premise. Could imagine this going hard live. Fantastic groove, almost hypnotic at times. Good. 4/5 Serial Thrilla Was not expecting the rock influence to be so heavy on this track. Vocals almost give me punk rock vibes. Keeps the same high energy throughout the track. Well composed, they manage to keep the track interesting throughout. Good. 4/5 Mindfields Quite a contrasting intro heading into it from the previous track. Strange, dark instrumental. The slower energy is almost welcome at this point. Has an experimental vibe that I didn't expect, but do appreciate. Really crunchy electronics in certain parts. Immaculate vibes, tickles the brain in a satisfying way, while not being overwhelming. Great. 4.5/5 Narayan The opening strays a bit into too familiar territory, it sounds good, but isn't anything special. A bit flat instrumentally. The difference in vocals adds a unique edge to the track setting it apart from the other tracks on the album. The instrumental is growing on me as it evolves. Love the drum beat. Did not expect the chanting, trippy, love the synth and distorted vocals in the background. Goes through many different loops and hurdles, constantly changing the track. An interesting journey. 4/5 Firestarter Fantastic synth riff. Fun drum beat. Great energy yet again. Love how full of attitude the vocals are, the accent adds an extra edge. Instantly recognizable, dancable, fun track that kicks an immense amount of ass. Goes hard. 5/5 Climbatize Did not expect the lighter airier synths. Like how it distorts and twists. Quite strange, like the use of the bass. Honestly builds upon itself into quite an infectious groove. Creates a lot of interesting imagery with its field of sounds. Has some psychedelic elements I really enjoy. Amazingly composed. Fantastic, unexpected favourite. 5/5 Fuel My Fire Really fast paced. Has punk rock vibes. Original take. Really dense and high energy. Love the subtle background synth. Fun to hear a song that's so drastically different from the rest of the album. Decent little cover. Works well as a closer. 4/5 I had a lot of fun with this. Just can't beat the energy. Somehow manages to stay sonically varied while maintaining that consistent blood pumping energy which remains infectious throughout. Even in today's saturated musical landscape I think something like this holds value, and has aged quite well. Nothing quite sounds like the Prodigy. The aggression and the crunchiness alongside the extremely catchy hooks and electronic melodies gives it a unique sound that puts the listener right in the mood to get lost at the nearest rave. The album is pretty consistent quality wise having no real duds, and the moment something is about to get stale the tracklist is set up to change the sound. The only thing keeping this from a full score is that some of the track just lack that little extra something that would pull them over the edge. Final score. 4.5/5, leaning towards a 4/5. Fave track. Climbatize Least fave track. Diesel Power

A Neil Young album I've never heard of. Not really an artist I've bothered checking out, can't say the songs I've heard from him have been too inspiring. Obviously he's a very influential songwriter so I'm hoping to discover some "hidden gems" in the deeper cuts of his discography. Judging by the album cover I'm hoping for sunny, summery tunes and a chilled out vibe. Walk On Definitely a relaxed start. The instrumental has a lot more depth to it than you'd might expect from a track like this. Slight country vibes from the chorus and the steel guitar. The background vocals are subtle, but used to great effect. The lyrics are fairly simple, but has some nice wisdom in them. Decent start. 3.5/5 See The Sky About to Rain Slower tempo, seems to be building to something. It's pleasant enough, but doesn't really go anywhere. The instrumental bridge is kinda cute. Don't really like the repetitiveness of the melody. Never ever seems to want to end. Bordering on being boring. 3/5 Revolution Blues Sounds fairly standard musically for a blues rock track of this type. Apparently this song is about Charles Manson, and from his perspective too, which honestly is interesting enough to bump it up all on its own. With that out of the way, the instrumental really grew on me, really digging the bass work, the guitar is also really groovy. Clever little song, the vocals have some really cool imperfections that make them stand out. Love the sinister ending. Fascinating. 4.5/5 For the Turnstiles I like how the banjo is mixed. Not sure about the vocals on this one. Can't exacly relate to the stuggle in the lyrics, however it does feel like a peek behind the curtain, which I can appreciate. The simple instrumentation and the untraditional vocal delivery makes it feel like a somber campfire song. Not usually my thing, but I get the picture. Decent. 3.5/5 Vampire Blues Honestly a bit heavy handed with the oil industry critique. They need to be called out though, so appreciate the effort. Don't really care for the mellow blues sound of this. Has very little momentum, and feels really sluggish. The lyrics aren't interesting enough to cover for the slowness of the track. The playing is fine, but generally not a huge fan of this style. Average. 2.5/5 On the Beach Very dramatic. Feels personal. Vocals are performed with a lot of emotion. Pretty guitar solo. Would've hoped for some more interesting composition for a track this long. Definitely an important track for the artist, but doesn't really translate to a very engaging track. Perhaps I'd appreciate it more if I was more familiar with the artist. Could see it being powerful for some, for me it ended up being a bit boring by the end. Fine. 3/5 Motion Pictures (For Carrie) This guy sure hated being famous at the time of writing this album. Quite sad and hopeless. Emotionally written and delivered. The instrumental feels down to earth and folksy, liking the harmonica. Held my attention throughout despite being really slow and sparse. Really good piece of songwriting. Even though the subject matter only relates to a select few he manages to bring it down a level where the feelings of burnout and disillusionment suddenly seem more human and relatable. Good. 4/5 Ambulance Blues Really nice guitar line. Confusing lyrics, had to look it up, and wow that's a lot of lore to unpack. Feels almost rambly. Really enjoy the way the other instruments come in. Calming and relaxing. Feels reflective. While they feels sort of disjointed the lyrics have some ear-catching lines that are either interestingly written or feel thoughtful. Decent. 3.5/5 Liked it about as much as I expected to. Can't really say I was blown away at any point, but still feel like it added something to my day. What I did not expect was how somber, sad and reflective this album was and how much time was allocated to what I feel were very personal tracks. Could really feel how impactful some of the songs were to the artist himself. He's a really good lyrical writer, spawning several moments of poetic phrasing and punchy conclusions. Can't say I have any complaints other than some if the slower songs had me lose interest at a few points. Would also like to comment on that it feels like this album would probably be enjoyed more if you're already a fan of Neil Young to begin with, as much of it seems to reference his experiences and feelings. I could see this being a hardcore Neil Young fan's favourite album of his, simply from how personal and at times poetic it feels. Decent enough experience, has moments I'd return to. 3.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5 Fave song. Revolution Blues Least fave song. Vampire Blues

If I'm being honest I feel a bit intimidated by this. I know the Yardbirds as one of the big 1960's bands though I don't know too much else about them. I however have some passing familiarity with Jeff Beck who appears on here. The tracklist on Spotify is a mess, so I'm only gonna listen to the songs on the original UK release, ignoring any additional tracks. Will be listening to the stereo versions of the tracks, as mono really does not sound good on my setup. Edit: The stereo version was quite rough so I ended up swapping to the mono version about half way through (Rack My Mind) Leaving the original reactions to the songs up as to keep my authentic prosess in there, though will relisten in the mono version and add additional edits at the end of each segment and with changed ratings should it occur. Lost Women I like the bass playing. The song has a dark bluesy feel to it. Veers closely to some psychedelic elements that I wasn't expecting. The guitar and harmonica synergize well. Has aged decently well, though sounds distinctly 60's at the same time. Decent. 3.5/5 (Edit: The mono version actually has a bit more grit due to the limits of the format, but comes with the trade-off of losing some depth in the psychedelic part of the song. Doesn't change my enjoyment much. 3.5/5) Over Under Sideways Down The difference in volume from the previous track is really jarring. The guitar sounds way too sharp, and way too loud in relation to the rest of the track. Can barely hear the vocals at times. Has a nice boogie to it, and feels fun to listen to if it wasn't for the guitar. Ruined by a singular element, there's a decent song in there, but won't return to it due to the mix. 2/5 (Edit: The guitar sounds far less overbearing in the mono version. The vocals are still muddled, but it's definitely an improvement. 3/5) The Nazz Are Blue A bluesy boogie track. There's a million other songs that sound like this. The guitar is really the only thing that differentiates it for me. Average. 2.5/5 (Edit: The mix wasn't the problem here, the track is just simply outperformed by later tracks that do the formula better.) I Can Make Your Way This sounds horrible. The tracks are separated oddly. The background guitar makes it sounds like the left ear of my headphone speaker have blown out. Pretty melodic and large at times. Decent except for its technical limitations. 3/5. (Edit: the mono version fixes the guitar but adds a separate issue with the drums. The larger parts sound a lot flatter and less evocative too. It's a sidegrade at best. 3/5) Rack My Mind Had to swap to the mono version at this point as the stereo version is almost unlistenable, as vocals are mixed in a manner which makes them very distracting. A decent rock and roll track with some kick ass guitar playing and a solid vocal performance. Brought some good energy and a decent atmosphere. Fun. 3.5/5 Farewell Melody gives me cheap live action public TV kid's show vibes. The piano is decent I suppose, and the singing quite nice. I like the way it ends. Fine. 3/5 Hot House Of Oumargararshid Strangely experimental sounding intro. I like the rhythm. The vocals get kinda annoying as the song goes on. Weird inclusion. Fine. 3/5 Jeff's Boogie Bluesy boogie track with a lot of dancability and swing to it. Cool in a timeless retro kind of way. I'm having fun with the tempo and the quality of the guitar playing. Let down by the recording quality and the audio format, though still has value despite the technical limitations. Decent. 3.5/5 He's always here Compositionally has some cool elements going on. Like how the chorus is set up, though the lyrics are kinda off putting. I like the guitar riff. Really like the ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Turn Into Earth Fairly psychedelic, though in a slow meandering way that has a tendency to turn into musical soup. Like the buildup provided by the drums. Feels a bit unfocused and messy. Don't really think the vocals add much of value here and rather distract from the atmosphere created by the instrumental. Average. 2.5/5 What Do You Want Faster tempo track that brings some needed energy after the previous track. Feels extremely of the era, and is fine for what it is, but I can't hear much other than a fairly solid rock and roll track. I like the bass. Fine. 3/5 Ever Since The World Began Edgy for the time. Can't get over that it sounds like crap at the start, once it livens up it feels much more listenable. Decent concept, just can't see myself returning to it. Average. 2.5/5 This in all honestly sounds more like a time capsule than something that actually sonically holds up today. It feels more like an antiquated piece of history than something I'd listen to, and while I appreciate it for what it is I cannot see myself returning to it anytime soon. Neither mono or stereo version sound particularly good, the stereo version lathered with jank and clunkiness, as well as inconsistent volume and strange mixing. The mono version is better, though still mono, which just sounds so flat and dimensionless that you'd find demos today with more life to them. And I get it, I can't compare the technology of then to today, but it gets to a point where it sadly doesn't hold up anymore, despite probably sounding good for its time. The songwriting is however very competent, and I managed to pick out moments where I sort of got why this is considered influential. The psychedelic elements and the way tracks were composed really do sound ahead of its time in places. I'd also like to add that the darker tones and slight grit shown in some of the performances seem to create an image which was later perfected by other bands. Jeff Beck is obviously the star of the show here though I'd also like to shout out Paul Samwell-Smith on the bass as another standout. Most of the tracks were pretty alright though nothing stood out in particular as something I'd carry with me. Definitely dated, but has value as a historical piece. 3/5 Fave track. Jeff's Boogie Least fave track. The Nazz Are Blue

Not something I'd check out in my own time, though definitely not something I'm suprised to find on here. I've never really sat down and listened to any post Beatles Paul McCartney project so this is at least something new. Was interesting to read about the recording process of this album, seems like the remaining three band members were left with a lot to do. Band On The Run Interesting structure. Classic keyboard line. Love how much the song evolves and changes throughout. The chorus will definitely be stuck in my head tomorrow. Solid track, liked it more this time around than previous times hearing it. Good. 4/5 Jet Nice density, the saxophone at the start adds some texture to the sound. Sounds a bit compressed, doesn't have the best audio quality either. I think the song is pretty well structured around the chorus. The guitar work is pretty great at times. I feel the backing vocals are a bit much at times. Decent high energy track. Has a bit of spectacle to it. 3.5/5 Bluebird Not crazy about the backing instrumental. It's a pleasant enough song with an interesting composition. Has a really cheesy sax solo. Fine. 3/5 Mrs. Vandebilt Fairly annoying first verse. Really don't like how the sax is used. The "ho hey ho"s get stale, same with the chorus in general. Has a few parts that I like, but honestly felt pretty obnoxious and hard to get through. Did not like. 2/5 Let Me Roll It A competent blues track with some decent progression. The echo effect isn't too great. Heartfelt lyrics, though the wheel comparisson is kinda cheesy. Really slow and repetitive. Sluggish to get through. Average. 2.5/5 Mamunia Some pretty guitar playing, and a decent bassline. Preachy lyrics. Edgeless and lame. Band teacher music. The chorus has a nice vibe with the percussion and the overlaying guitars. Sounds great when the electric guitar comes in. Could do without the verses, still fine. 3/5 No Words Has some nice harmonies and a fairly dense and powerful instrumental. Honestly quite impressive. Good. 4/5 Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me) I think the story of how he wrote this track is really funny and adds another element to the track. Really like the evolution the song goes through and the interpolations of the other songs on the album. Instrumentally the track has a lot going for it, especially the bass and strings. Also think the sample is pretty interesting. The song's strange structure makes it a challenging listen and while it walks a thin line I do think it succeeds at being interesting structurally without sounding messy. Good. 4/5 Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five I like the atmosphere set by the instrumental. Has a great groove, and the vocal performance feels loose which adds a lot of character to the track. The quiet sections are really nice additions as well. The track has some grit to it which really helps set it apart from some of the others on here. Fantastic ending, feels really large, caps off the album well. Great. 4.5/5. Honestly feared this would be boring, but can't really say it was. Has a decent amount of depth and the songs feel distinct. Some song have some really distinct composition which I feel helps add a lot of variety. The tracklist is fairly solid with no real inculsions I thought could've been cut, though I definitely felt the second half was stronger than the first. Wasn't expecting it to be so instrumentally varied either. Lyrically I didn't find anything that stuck out to me personally, rather some I felt were a bit cheesy and some that felt very of the time. Would also like to point out that the audio quality isn't always the best. Not wowed by this by any means, but was definitely a good listen and a worthy inclusion. Will probably return to it at some point. 3.5/5 leaning towards a 3/5 Fave track. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five Least fave track. Mrs. Vandebilt

One of my all time favourites. Full of character and spirit, containing a unique mix of rock songs that don't sound like anything else released before or after it. All the pieces just seem to fall in place for this album, where every member of the band delivers an interesting performance to every track. The title track might just be one of the best songs ever written, and tracks like "Venus", "See No Evil" and "Torn Curtain" also hold a special place in my rotation. A consistently artistic piece which remains impressive even to this day.

Some of the songs on here are hugely nostalgic for me, other than that I don't know what to expect other than the other album I've heard from them (Little Dark Age) is pretty good, so I'm hoping this one is too. Finally before I listen I have to say I'm surprised this is on here, though I probably shouldn't be, just feels like something that would be overlooked. Time to Pretend An indie classic that channels a very specfic time period that feels so long ago. That synth line is extremely catchy. The dreamy slightly reverby production is pretty nice on the ears. The lyrics play on nostalgia a lot, which adds to the sentimental feeling the song is giving. Feels like it's aged really well and you can hear its influence clearly to this day. Great. 4.5/5 Weekend Wars A strange follow up to the heavy synth focus of the previous track. A pretty consistent utilization of both physical instruments and electronics, it creates a pretty unique sounding indie rock track which still sounds fresh. The singing is quite erratic and strange though I think it really fits with the instrumental. Lyrically it's also solid feels like they're pretty well thought out and seem a bit obtuse in their meaning which could be interesting to look into. Good. 4/5 The Youth Starts really suddenly. Great instrumental. Unsure what to think about the vocal melody. I feel this exact musical aesthetic can be found everywhere in the modern streaming era of music, can definitely see its influence. It's a pretty repetitive track, though it does sound pleasant, has great production and is fairly catchy so it honestly doesn't feel that way. Its lush and gorgeous production also helps, along with that the track is pretty short. Good. 4/5 Electric Feel Absolute classic. Bouncy and fun bassline with some extremely pleasant synths. One of the goofiest choruses I've ever heard lyrically, but somehow it just works. A pretty dumb and brainless song, but damn if it isn't catchy. Love how it is produced. I also think its hilarious that they made this as basically a joke and it turned out better than most electopop songs. A staple of the era, extremely nostalgic. 5/5 Kids Another one of the songs that just feel like genre staples at this point. The synth line has become sort of iconic at this point. The lyrics are strangly dark, and I feel the fairly emotionless and rigid vocal performance add some unsettling vibes to what on the surface seems a pretty light high energy track. Gonna be stuck in my head the entiretly of next week. Fantastic. 5/5 4th Dimensional Transition Strange and moody. Unorthodox composition. The instrumental is really interesting. Can't say I'm able to follow what's going on with the lyrics, the effects on the vocals are really heavy so it's hard to understand what he's saying. Defintitely not as accessible as the previous songs on the album though I'm feeling intrigued by this one. Feels like there's a solid artistic vision there. Unique. 4/5 Pieces of What The vocals are a bit rough, the effects and mixing don't do them any favours. When the only thing else of prominence in the mix is a basic guitar and an okay bassline the vocals really don't work for me. The more instrumentally dense part towards the end is probably the song's highlight where the pieces sort of fall in place for a satisfying ending. The lyrics are pretty evocative and easy to follow which is a plus when the song is so sparse. The individual parts of the song come together into something that is just fine. 3/5 Of Moons, Birds & Monsters Feels more rock inspired than the previous few tracks. The vocals sound a bit unclear, sort of seem overshadowed by the instrumental. I like how they are structured though, feels dramatic with a slight theatrical edge. Strange lyrics, hard to follow. Love the spacy instrumental passage which closes the track, has a psychedelic vibe to it. Great. 4.5/5 The Handshake Interestingly produced. The trippy effects makes it feel a bit all over the place at times. Evolves a lot throughout. Can't say every experiment on this tracks works, though nothing feels too egregious. Has some catchy moments, but overall a bit inconsistent. Decent 3.5/5 Future Reflections Very electronic opening, really enjoyed how unique those effects were. The synth mirroring the vocals sounds pretty nice. Like the juxtaposition between the darkness of the background noise and the light high pitched synth. Fantastic instrumental throughout, keeps surprising with new ideas. While I haven't been impressed with the vocals at most points on this album I feel like they really work here, he seems to put on a great performance which stands out over this very demanding instrumental. Great. 4.5/5 This felt more like two albums than one complete piece. Where you had the more accessible pop/electronic part in the first half, the second half dove into some very experimental pieces covering a varied selection of genres and influences. At first it came as a bit of a shock as I was enjoying the bouncy, catchy listener-friendly songs of the first half, even appreciating the depth they went through to keep their songs subversive and unique. Though listening through the second half I came to appreciate the change in direction, and while every experiment didn't work I still give them plenty of kudos for sticking with it and daring to create something different. All in all I had a lot of fun with this one, not only did the hits from this provide me with plenty of nostalgia, I feel like I have grown a new found a more appreciative view on MGMT as someone who creates more than catchy indie pop tunes. I could critisize elements of the album, such as the singing being rough in patches, but even with that I found something to enjoy at every corner here. Not one of my all time favourites, but an album I'll probably come back to many times in the future. 4.5/5, leaning closer to 4. Fave track. Electric Feel Least fave track. Pieces of What

Original notes got deleted. Clearly an important album which spoke to young people a few generations ago. Can't really get behind the Stones hype myself though am trying to acclimate myself to their sound a bit more. This album is defintely more pallateable to my ears than much of their other work. Feels a lot more sonically consistent and has a lot of great instrumental moments, especially when they just let the band do their thing and create an infectious jam. I can't say everything on here has aged well, especially lyrically. A few of the tracks drag a bit, and some of the vocal performances are a bit strange, especially those where he puts on an accent or a particular inflection. The pure rock tracks here have many moments of greatness, while the country inspired tracks don't really feel like they go anywhere interesting. Will not call myself a Stones fan, but had a decent time with this one. Can't deny it deserves to be on here. 3.5/5 Leaning more towards a 3. Fave track. Can't You Hear Me Knocking Least Fave track. You Gotta Move

Knew this album would be on this list. Have avoided it in the past for unknown reasons, by all accounts it should be something I'd enjoy, though I just haven't bothered. I know this band on a surface level, and am aware of their influence. Aniticipating a challenging sound, though of high quality. Mr. Self Destruct I'm not sure what that sample is, but it's scary. There's a lot going on here, feels really ominous and angsty. The juxtaposition between the loud and quiet parts creates an interesting emphasis on the final chorus. Haunting atmosphere. Good. 4/5 Piggy Enjoy how the tempo and energy has completely changed from the previous track. Love the background effects. Beautifully produced. The drumming and percussion is pretty fascinating to follow along with. Great. 4.5/5 Heresy Unexpected electronics. The lyrics have a lot of edge, though is delivered in such a way that they don't veer into cringe territory. Really like how the vocals twist throughout the track. A varied range of styles. Amazing instrumental towards the end. Fantastic. 5/5 March of the Pigs Another banger drum beat. Fantastic energy. This song fucks. Everything seems to fall into place for a fatastic song. Especially amazed at the depth within the layered production. Fantastic. 5/5 Closer Absolute classic, the rawness and dark primality is just fun to listen to, combined with the surprisingly funky, infectious instrumental creates one of the iconic songs of the era. Fantastic. 5/5 Ruiner Flawless transition Really like the synth at the start of the track. When the track really kicks of it becomes a challenging listen, really strange composition though I enjoy how complicated it is. Again the production on this is nearly flawless, love how haunting and off-putting they make the guitar sound. The whole track just sounds dirty and cold. Love the vocals as well, especially the mixing on them. The sudden ending is very unexpected, though I see the vision. Fantastic. 5/5 The Becoming The bouncy instrumental over the sampled screams makes me uncomfortable, definitely feels like something is wrong. Listening to this in the dark is genuinely scary. Like how the track sort of strips down with the acoustic guitar then completely swaps its tone with the crazy electronics and the off-kilter vocals. Great. 4.5 I Do Not Want This Great transition. Like the loudness of the chorus and how the verse builds up to it, comes really sudden enhancing its effect. A simpler track, but instrumentally, just as intricate, loud and impactful as the more out there tracks. Love how it ends. Fantastic. 5/5 Big Man With A Gun Fun energy. Kinda gross, but I still enjoy it. Provocative and extremely sexual. Feels like it's made for shock value. Doesn't need to be any longer than it is. Good. 4/5 A Warm Place This is a beautiful piece of instrumental rock. Feels more like post-rock than industrial. Fantastic ambience, harrowing yet hopeful. Has a great calmness to it, though I sense some sorrow as well. Beautiful, a great moment of clarity after the raw harshness that's followed since the start of the album. Fantastic 5/5 Eraser Great transition. Really uncomfortable sounding introduction. The percussion sounds deep and grand, has a great echo to it. Lovely companion piece to the previous track. This feels more claustrophobic and mechanical. The sense of clarity is gone and we have reentered the dirty world present earlier in the album. Has an almost hypnotic rhythm. Great vocal performance, love the distortion. Carthartic and powerful. Great. 4.5/5 Reptile Feels a bit slow. There are some cool passages in the instrumental, and the vocals show a decent amount of range. I like the guitars on the chorus a lot. Grew a bit for me as it went along. Good. 4/5 The Downward Spiral Genuinely sounds like a downward spiral instrumentally, great sound design. The muted background instrumental behind the spoken word is a great touch. Hauntingly dark lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Hurt Did not know this closed the album. Love the atmosphere. Love the more stripped back vocal focused track with less of the industrial noise as an ending to the album. No matter if it's this version or the Cash cover, the song is written so well that it really doesn't matter. The impact remains the same, especially in the context of the album its featured on. The haunting, regretful introspection present in this track makes this a legendary closer to an album which really needs it. 5/5 This album completely blew me away. Instumentally and production wise it's on a whole other level. Vocally Trent Reznor delivers a perfect performance for the style of music presented. Each track feels thought out and feels justified in their conclusion. Over all couldn't be happier. 5/5 Fave track. A Warm Place Least fave track. N/A

A classic rock group I have very little experience with, Though what little I've heard from them hasn't enthralled me I'm hoping to be convinced. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes The harmonies are nice. The bass sound is lovely. Can't say this is something I'm awfully entertained by. Feels sanitised and washed out. Average. 2.5/5 Marrakesh Express I've got nothing to say. Gray wallpaper. Did not like. 2/5 Guinnevere The guitar harmonies are cute. Perfect music to fall asleep to. Fine. 3/5 You Don't Have to Cry The instrumental is fine. Bland lyrics, good harmonies. Feels preachy. Snoozefest. Did not like. 2/5 Pre-Road Downs The instrumental breaks are kinda interesting, is it playing backwards? Boring verses. Fine. 3/5 Wooden Ships The bluesy vibes sort of is a nice change. Decent bass sound. The panning on the vocals is obnoxious and unneeded, comes across as really corny. Instrumentally this song checks a lot of boxes for me. Has a decent groove, the keys add a lot of texture and the guitar is a great centerpiece. Good. 4/5 Lady of the Island Has some pretty vocal work, honestly works pretty well. Can't say there's much else interesting here, but it's enough to keep my attention. Decent. 3.5/5 Helplessly Hoping Pretty guitar. I like alliteration in the lyrics. The harmonies are on point. Decent folk song. 3.5/5 Long Time Gone A bit more of a rock oriented track. Appreciate the difference in sound from the other tracks on the album, though it stilll feels sanitised and edgeless. The change in vocal style is also very welcome. I think the chorus is decently crafted. Also would like to highlight the organ as I think it adds an additional layer to the song. Decent. 3.5/5 49 Bye-Byes Corny title. Cliche premise. Goes on too long. I'm not entertaines by this at all. Exceedingly average to the point of it almost being impressive. Did not like. 2/5 An album which went in one ear and out the other. I heard some pretty sounds here and there, and caught some nice pieces of lyricism, but all in all I can't say I found it especially memorable. Throughout the album the thing that stood out was probably how on point the harmonies were, topped with some fairly decent guitar playing you have what can only be described as a pleasant, inoffensive listen. And that's what you get. If that's what you're into then perfect, but for me personally I ended up being bored or unimpressed at several points no matter how well put together it is. I'm tempted to score it a 2, but I feel that's harsh the individual songs are of much higher quality craftmanship than that, so it bumps it up to a 3. Fave track. Wooden Ships Least fave track. Marrakesh Express

The second Temptations album I've had on this list. Found the previous one (Cloud Nine) surprisingly mediocre apart from the vocals. Hoping this album has aged better and that their sound has evolved significantly since the last album I heard from them. The one song I know from this album (Papa Was a Rollin' Stone) sure slaps so I'm feeling positive going into this one. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On The instrumental feels a bit muted when played in my headset, though I can hear the great groove. Fantastic bassline. Great vocal performances for everyone involved. Really positive and fun track, makes me wanna move along to it. Good. 4/5 Run Charlie Run That's some unexpected bravery and edge. Really gets the point across providing some great commentary. Anti-racism anthem. Great performances all around and a decent instrumental to go on top of it. Good. 4/5. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Glorious instrumental buildup, the strings, the guitar and the brass just does so well at setting the tone. Adding a fantastic, but simple bassline to it is just the icing on the cake. Wonderfully psychedellic while containing a great groove. The lyrics are extremely catchy and fun to sing along to the instrumental stays great throughout. I also think each singer brings his A-game to the track, singing with passion, confidence and charisma. Probably the greatest song ever written about having a deadbeat dad. 5/5 Love Woke Me Up This Morning Feels joyful, really like the sound of this. Blissful and positive track. Generally fantastic vibes. Cheesy, but in a fun way. Great. 4.5/5 I Ain't Got Nothing Smooth. Has a pretty good instrumental. Doesn't really have the greatest energy, feels a bit sleepy. It's very pleasant, just perhaps not as interesting as the other tracks on here. Decent. 3.5/5 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Another slow ballad. Has less going for ir instrumentally than the previous track, thougg I think the lyrics are a bit more compelling. The vocals are definitely subtle, though performed with decent emotion. Comes across as a bit boring. Fine. 3/5 Mother Nature I enjoy the piano and the backing vocals a lot. Passionate main vocals. Great bassline. Fairly unique and inspired soul song. Good. 4/5 Do Your Thing Starts off extremely funky. Has a great groove to it. Great chorus, marvelously produced, really catchy. Oozes swagger, just a smooth enjoyable experience all around. Great. 4.5/5 What an improvement from the last album I've heard from them. Most things here just click immediately and just dound thought out and well constructed. There's a lot more variation when it comes to styles and themes, and the improved production helps immensely. I feel the song writing here is great especially how they're able to implement all members decently well through parts that fit their respective voices and styles. The instrumental really shines in the funkier tracks on the album, but it also really does a great job adding grandness snd texture to songs like "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" and "'Mother Nature". The album is short, concise and gets its point across and every track feels like a worthy inclusion. Genuine surprise. 4/5

Rockin' Around (With You) Decent audio quality. Don'r really like the vocals. Unispiring track, though I think it's really well produced. Doesn't really go anywhere. Average. 2.5/5 Breakdown Lovely instrumental, sounds great. Decent chorus. For a pretty standard classic rock song the musicianship is pretty impressive. Has a nice chilled out vibe. Decent. 3.5/5 Hometown Blues Not sure about this one, generally falls into a style I don't particularly care for. It's executed decently, and doesn't overstay its welcome. Goes by without being unpleasant or boring which says a lot considering I'm not all that into it. Fine. 3/5 The Wild One, Forever This doesn't make me feel anything, honestly the very repetive instrumental is the only thing that makes any impression on me, and that because it's getting annoying. The vocal performance is unique. Did not like. 2/5 Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll I'm too young for this... Comes of as really corny. Music for classic rock purists and the "back in my day they made real music" type of oldheads. Pass. 2/5 Strangered In The Night There's some interesting guitar playing and effects here at least. Formulaic. Did not like. 2/5 Fooled Again (I Don't Like It) The strange vocal inflections are close to sounding like parody. That high pitched keyboard note in the background is awful. There are some decent ideas in the instrumental. The bass stands out. Average. 2.5/5 Mystery Man I can't pretend I'm finding much enjoyment in tgis track. Honestly bores me to sleep. The country influence at least makes it sound different from the previous few tracks, but it still remains fairly generic. Bored. 2/5 Luna I don't get it. Feels specifically designed to bore me to tears. Forgettable. 2/5 American Girl Impressive buildup. Decent bassline. Has some guitar parts that are pretty cool. If it was just the instrumental I'd like it more. Obnoxious lyrics and unintersting vocals. Fine. 3/5 Forgettable classic rock album from an artist I don't see the appeal of. Feels like a had to be there kind of situation. Genuinely didn't find anything here I'd want to return to. It's competent enough, has decent production and I'm sure it's well performed, but I can't find it in me to care about this. A rare case where nothing clicks and I'm left feeling like I've wasted my time. Maybe I'm not American enough to find this relateable. Decisive 2/5 Fave track. Breakdown Least fave track. Anything That's Rock 'N' Roll

I have tried with this band before, and I didn't get it then. Perhaps I'll get it this time around. Feeling a bit apprehensive about the runtime of this, especially as I'm really skeptical of this band. Hope to be surprised. The Suburbs The piano riff is good. Decently vivid production. I enjoy the lyrics, has a great vibe. The chorus is fine, I like how the vocals are performed on it. The song plays itself out well. Decent. 3.5/5 Ready to Start Great transition. Love how the high pitched note from the previous song carries into this track. Great bassline. The guitar almost has a drone-like quality to it at certain points in the track which is largely unexpected for this type of music. Good. 4/5 Modern Man The guitar is pretty good, there are some decent melodies in there. The vocals feel a bit off. Impressed with how good it sounds, the clear and transparent mixing makes for a balanced instrumental. Decentm 3.5/5 Rococo The lyrics come off as a bit pretentious. Don't care much for that chorus. Annoying loud synths. Repetitive instrumental. The distortion is at least a bit interesting. Average. 2.5/5 Empty Room That's an awesome instrumental. Love the loud guitars and the distorted wailing in the background. Has a shoegazy vibe. Excellent energy. Love the change of vocals. Fantastic. 5/5 City With No Children Boring verse structure. Again, great overall sound. Don't care much for the chorus, off-putting effect. Did not like. 2/5 Half Light I Buildup sounds nice. The strings in the background add a lot of depth and contrasts well with the repetitve guitar riff. Pretty lyrics. Crescendoes into a great ending. Great. 4.5/5 Half Light II (No Celebration) Elements from the previous instrumental carry over into this one, makes for a decent continuation. Suffers a bit from a very obvious 2010s progression. Love the guitar sound. The vocals are just fine, I find the structure and the way the verses build up a bit stagnant. The delivery seems to create the desired effect, even if his voice isn't my favourite part of the album so far. Good. 4/5 Suburban War Another banging instrumental. The vocals are a bit unclear. Sentimental lyrics. Interesting reprise of the title track in the middle there. The instrumental switchup really was a great idea, adds another dimension to the track and really enhances its impact. Magnificently composed. Fantastic. 5/5 Month of May Don't know if I think this sound fits the rest of the albums vibe. Has some ok energy, but is a bit uninteresting. Doesn't have the same instrumental depth of previous tracks. Vocals don't do enough to save it. Has some decent writing in the lyrics. Average. 2.5/5 Wasted Hours Not much to say here, sounds pleasant. Cute sentimental little indie song that doesn't really do anything wrong, just doesn't do anything special either. Fine. 3/5 Deep Blue See previous song reaction. Perhaps has a little bit more going for it instrumentally and lyrically. I really like the harsh contrasting electric guitars that come in occasionally. Is a bit too long. Decent. 3.5/5 We Used To Wait The verses really don't feel like they conclude on anything. Builds up into a really unsatisfying climax. Feels like it would be better if they went even harder on the chorus, feels a bit too flat, lacking character and impact as a result. The "Wait for it" part genuinely doesn't work for because of this. I get the idea, but the execution feels a bit middling. Has its moments, but falls flat in the end. Average. 2.5/5 Sprawl I (Flatland) Haunting. Well written, feels personal and evocative. Understated and vocal focused so the instrumental takes an understandable backseat, though I do think it does its job as a supporting vehicle for the vocals to really deliver. While his voice isn't star tier, I do think he does a lot in his performance here to create a vivid picture and really convey the the story presented in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) A really different vibe from the rest of the album, unexpected electronics. Catchy chorus. The synthy instrumental is really evocative. Definitely the most "pop" song on the album, but that shouldn't be a cause to dismiss its content. The lyrics are pretty great, and I find the inclusion of such a radically different song from the rest of the album to be a great creative choice and a breath of fresh air. Really effective track to put near the end of the album. Her voice is also pretty great for this type of song. Fantastic. 5/5 The Suburbs (Continued) Closes off the album well, wrapping up its themes and bringing the listener back to the start. A nice bookend. NA/5 Very varied sonically, but a bit inconsistent. Feels a bit half-baked at times, and has areas where it lacks a bit of punch. Instrumentally it's pretty creative when it allows itself to be, really liking how much every single member of the band gets to shine on different tracks. Love the strings and the many different ways the guitar is being used, throw in some lovely keys and a plucky bassline here and there and I'm sold. There's even some great work on the synth which genuinely was a pleasant surprise when it showed up most of the time. Lyrics and themes do stay consistent throughout, with many nostalgic, reflective and sentimental tracks about being young in a place which has changed and will never return, though they are presented differently throughout the tracklist. I'm sure there's more here to unpack on consequent listens. Not in love with the lead singers voice I'll have to admit, though he does have some performances which stand out here and there. Would finally like to shoutout the production as I feel its pretty much flawless and sounds great throughout. Overall would like to give it a higher score, but there are just too many tracks here that fizzle out or are just a bit too unengaging for me. Will probably return to. 3.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5 Fave track. Empty Room/Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) Least fave track. City With No Children

This one is hard for me to rate as I've heard songs from this album played over my parents speakers for most of my early life. Jeff's voice, and the general sound of this album has always had a special place in my heart. I'll try to do individual song ratings, but I can't promise I'll always be able to provide suitable commentary. Mojo Pin Angelic. Brilliant piece of songwriting on all fronts. Doesn't get much more emotionally evocative as this. Powerful and beautiful. One of the greatest ever. 5/5 Grace Transcendant and large. Instrumentally deep with an amazing vocal performance on top of it. Love how powerful the drums sound and how crisp the guitar is. Gets stuck in my head really easilly. Fantastic. 5/5 Last Goodbye That bass is a pretty great foundation for the instrumental. The sound of this track is lighter and less condensed than the previous two songs which makes for a pretty nice palatte cleanser. The song closes itself out tremendously well, the final minute really elevating the song. Great. 4.5/5 Lilac Wine A pretty little song that really makes a highlight of his voice. Delivered beautifully. Great cover. Good. 4/5 So Real A great piece of alternative rock with a soild instrumental which gets surprisingly heavy at times. Has a great, simple chorus, performed to perfection. Great. 4.5/5 Hallelujah The definite cover version of this song for me. Does plenty of justice to the original while being unique and in an entirely different style. Doesn't replace it, but exists in a different space where it can be enjoyed for what it is. Beautifully composed and performed. Fantastic. 5/5 Lover You Should've Come Over One of the best love songs ever. Yes it's a bit cheesy, but come on. 5/5 Corpus Christi Carol Beautiful rendition. His falsetto is haunting and ethereal. Simple and effective, especially following the explosive finale to the previous song. Great. 4.5/5 Eternal Life Following up the previous song with the a decently heavy electric guitar riff. It's an alright alternative rock track, but it really doesn't have the same songwriting quality as previous tracks. The instrumental meanders a bit and the vocals are lacking in interesting melodies to really make it stand out. Is a bit too long for its own good. The performances are still stellar however. Weakest track on the album for me. Decent. 3.5/5 Dream Brother Has some psychedellic elements in the instrumental, creating a cloudy, dreamy atmosphere. Adds to the diversity of the album while being an interesting experience of its own. The lyrics have some feel mystical and strange at times, and he does a lot with his performance to enhance their effect. Great 4.5/5 Forget Her The vocal melody on the chorus is really good. Has some bluesy elements, feels really cold and broken. A really bitter sounding performance. Love the drums and the keyboard, adds nice texture. Also really like the bass. Amazing closer. 5/5 This is a fantastic record through and through. Everything falls into place for a varied and quality-wise consistent piece with fantastic vocal performances and an instrumental which really knows what its doing. Powerful and emotional, really pushing the limits of what this type of music can be. 5/5 Fave track. Mojo Pin Least Fave Track. Eternal Life

Unavailable on Spotify in my country so had to go through Youtube which only had about half the album uploaded with varying audio quality and ads between each song. What I heard was pretty good, but as I haven't heard the entire thing in a real format I have to mark this one down as unreviewable. Gonna try to keep my eye on it in the future in case something changes. NA/5

I know of one song from this artist (Intro) and nothing else. I generally tend to overlook electronic music of this era, scoring it lower than perhaps it deserves. Hoping this is the 2010s electronic project that finally clicks, if not I hope that there's at least something unique about it. Dangerous Interesting bassline. The vocal layering is pretty cool, the male/female vocals combination with the swapping between lead and backing vocals is a pretty neat idea for this track. Suffers from generic writing. Instrumentally a bit uninspired, the horns are kinda rough. Fine. 3/5 Say Something Loving Opening buildup sounds pretty nice. Slow. Boring writing, by the numbers vocal performances. An absolute snoozefest of a duet. Feels manufactured and forced, evoking zero emotion. Did not like. 2/5 Lips The claps are awful and sound dated. Hate the backing vocals. Same boring writing, different instrumental. The chorus at least has a bit of a kick to it, but otherwise this bores me to sleep. Did not like. 2/5 Violent Noise Has one instrumental part perhaps worth caring about, the rest of the song is slow, repetitive and formulaic. Bland, low energy instrumental with vocals that do nothing for me. Did not like. 2/5 Performance More of the same bland, uninspiring drivel which does absolutely nothing for me. Another piece of disappointingly unintetesting songwriting, and another track which goes absolutely nowhere. Get me out. 2/5 Replica Some long awaited variety in tempo and instrumentation. Has some pretty parts in the post chrous instrumental. Chorus has a decent melody, and is produced really well. The lyrics aren't great. Fine. 3/5 Brave For You At this point I'll be more entertained listening to static or whale noises. Stop it. 1.5/5 On Hold The sample is interesting? Structurally it does something different from the previous few tracks. The bassline is decent. Fine. 3/5 I Dare You It's pleasant enough, goes in one ear and out the other without leaving an impression. Feeling sleepy all of a sudden, cannot for the life figure out why... Average. 2.5/5 Test Me The part in there that has quasi-ambient qualities, where it's pretty calming and nice sounding, more of that please. Genuinely the first and only time throughout this entire record where the track actually resonated with me. Has a bit of repetitiveness and tranquilty as well as a nice little melody to let your brain follow with that synth line. Decent. 3.5/5 I don't want to talk about this further. Forgettable and generic, with boring songwriting, safe and by the numbers instrumentals and vocals that don't produce a single memorable moment. It's pleasant to listen to, and for sure competently produced, but lacks any personality or edge. Goes in one ear and out the other and leaves you with nothing. The only positive thing I can say about this album, is that its acceptable background music if you're feeling tense. Really brings down your energy levels and makes you sleepy. Will not return to. 2.5/5 leaning more towards a 2/5. Fave track. Test Me Least fave track. Brave of You

Would love the album cover, if not for that dated and frankly quite offensive charicatures featured in some of the panels, yikes. Janis has a powerful voice which she lent to several classic songs throughout the years. Looking forward to hearing this album, though can't say I've heard it discussed much which leaves me a bit worried. Combination of the Two Kicks off with an effects heavy guitar and sampled crowd noises, sets the atmosphere. Sounds a bit busy. Great guitar solo. Ends up bulding a sound that I'd describe as large and dense, has many elements that work together to create layered experience. Doesn't really build much upon that however, and ends up being a bit formless. For what it is it still manages to be an interesting pseudo-psychedelic track and an alright experience. Decent. 3.5/5 I Need a Man to Love Bluesy bassline and squealing guitar with an atmospheric delay. Janis has a lot of soul and grit in her voice which seems to be the highlight of this song. Pairs really well with the clean instrumental. The backing vocals add texture to the song. The instrumental passage has a great psychedelic feel, hazy, smooth and mysterious. Really wish the ending was a bit more integrated into the song, the fade out comes suddenly and is not a satisfying way to close it off. Good. 4/5 Summertime That opening instrumental is amazingly written, sets a slow, warm tone for the rest of the trick. Unique, while remaining evocative of the late 1960's. The squealing guitars and the moody bassline work really well in contrast with eachother. Janis's vocal performance pierces through and really adds an element of unpredictability to the track. Great. 4.5/5 Piece of My Heart A classic piece of 60's blues rock which really encapsulates the era. The chorus really is the highlight here, elevating what would be a decent, but not spectacular blues rock track into a legendary piece. The vocal performance is extremely good, and had this track been performed by anyone else it wouldn't be as remarkable. Any other version of the song doesn't even hold a candle to this one The instrumental does it's job supporting the main event, remaining consistent, yet never taking away from the stellar vocals. Timeless. 5/5 Turtle Blues The lyrics are delivered in a believable and charismatic way. Instrumentally the track sounds quite empty and sparse. In this case I feel like it's to its detriment, as while the vocals are pretty great it doesn't really do much to support them. Lacks a bit of secondary points of interest as the generic blues piano, and the flat bassline have very little to do, where in the end the final product lacks any punch or unique feel. The vocals completely carry this track. Decent. 3.5/5 Oh, Sweet Mary Unique bassline and guitar. The drums provide some pretty cool rhythm. Has quite the interesting composition, though the unusual structure makes it a bit aimless towards the middle. Really dig the western feel. Quite psychedelic. Decent. 3.5/5 Ball and Chain Surprisingly heavy guitar playing during the intro. Great buildup. The background guitar is crunchy and has a nice distortion effect, adds great texture. Soulful and powerful vocal performance. Every note feels thought out and full of passion and care. A sprawling epic of a song which keeps delivering great moments. Great. 4.5/5 That was quite the exhilarating listen. Great vocals, the band is quite tight and it sounds really good considering its age. Has plenty of memorable moments, though Janis Joplin carries most of the tracks with her uniquely powerful and unmistakingly charismatic performances is responsible for most of them. Never really gets boring, which for how much blues influence this album has is a bit of an achievement as I feel that genre veers into similar territories much of the time. I'll also give some kudos to the guitar playing on here, has some great solos, and adds a lot of texture to the tracks with high pitched screeches and interesting effects. Does not do enough to get full score, due to some tracks feeling a bit aimless and others sounding a bit empty, but still has plenty of things to like even in its lowest moments. Enjoyable listen. 4/5 Fave track. Piece of My Heart Least fave track. Turtle Blues

As I've grown older and out of the hip-hop phase of my life I've felt more and more intimidated by monumental rap albums such as this. I, as a white european thousands and thousands of kilometers separated from the culture which birthed this musical movement of 1990's gansta rap, feel sort of unqualified to judge it. I have enjoyed plenty of west coast rap previously though I've never really connected with the lyrics and themes, and have generally just judged my enjoyment on surface level vibes, instrumentals and performances. I feel for my own sake these will be the main parameters I'm basing my review on as that's where I feel comfortable. Now even before listening I know this is a no-brainer inclusion for this list, and I think it 100% deserves to be here. Today's music would not have many of it's biggest stars without it. The Chronic (Intro) An introduction to both Dr. Dre as a solo artist, Snoop Dogg as a frequent collaborator and the album itself. Also functions as an introduction to the then recently established Death Row records, and the sort of production quality which you can expect from there. Overall sets the mood for the experience that's about to unfold. Gets the hype going. 4/5 Fuck Wit Dre Day (And Everybody's Celebratin') Production wise feels really classic. A pioneer in a sound which would be synonymous with the genre. Fantastic synths. Dre sounds really confident and hard, already with a trademark sound. Snoop brings his classic swagger and playfulness and has great synergy with Dre. The sample work is also solid, and Jewell adds a great melodic core to the track. The very overt disses towards Eazy-E and his associates come across as a statement of intent. A bold way to kick off the album. Good. 4/5 Let Me Ride The synths are excellent. Works great as a contrast to Dre's voice. Fantastic bassline, really funky and smooth. His flow is pretty structured which fits well over a beat that has as many elements as this one does. Contrasts with the melodic features, which includes Snoop's adlibs. Great. 4.5/5 The Day The N****z Took Over Really chaotic sounding. The instrumental is kinda wild. Love the samples from the LA riots. Has sort of a jazzy vibe when the hook goes off. Don't really care much for the Daz feature, don't really feel his delivery fits on the beat. Good. 4/5 Nuthin' But A "G" Thang Classic west coast hip hop track which remains essential to this day. Really an example of the times. The intro is one of the most recognizable intros to a rap song that's ever been written. That synth libe will never not be iconic. Snoop delivers one of his best verses ever. Amazingly fun ans stylish track which really highlights the synergy between Dre and Snoop marking them as one of the great duos of their time. The bassline is also fantastic. Iconic. 5/5 Deeez Nuuuts The greatest song title of all time. Another solid G-Funk track. Great instrumental. The performances here are top notch, and I think every feature just works. Each of the collaborators bring their own style which shows a lot of diversity. Great job from a production point of view to manage to create a beat which is universal enough to incorporate the differening styles while still sounding unique. Good. 4/5 Lil' Ghetto Boy Fantastic beat. The sample work on this is absolutely infectious. Love the little flute in the background, as well as the vocal sample in the hook. Dre is really charismatic on this track, he shows a bit of a different character and seems to have changed up his flow a bit. Snoop is as fun as he's shown to be previously, and really shines on this beat. Fantastic. 5/5 A N***a Witta Gun The samples are pretty good, though I don't really like the drums much. The verses are fine, and the delivery has a decent amount of power to it. Shows off his talent to just go hard on a beat. Lacks that little something extra many of the previous tracks have. Decent. 3.5/5 Rat-Tat-Tat-Tat Really like the intro. The dark and ominous beat really fits with the premise of the track. The bassline contributes a lot to the atmosphere. Lacks a bit of depth, the verses are pretty similar to each other. Decent. 3.5/5 The $20 Sack Pyramid A pretty annoying skit. Feels like a pointless and unfunny inclusion which only derails the listening experience. Never a fan of mid album skits in general and this one was especially dumb. NA/5 Lyrical Gangbang The beat is a bit weak in my opinion. Feels repetitive and shallow. The first verse is pretty refresing, she has a pretty unique voice for this album. Moving onto the second verse there's a lot to unpack there, his delivery is really erratic and strange. The third verse has a very classic feel, that might feel dated now, but has a lot of energy and charactwer to it. Has some melodic inflections that are pretty fun. Good. 4/5 High Powered Drags a bit. Feels like a strange inclusion at this point in the album. Has some fun production moments, like the explosion effect. A bit disjointed. Fine. 3/5 The Doctor's Office Kinda what you'd expect. Another skit. NA/5 Stranded On Death Row Great intro. Plays decently with the concept. There's some fun wordplay and some decent rhymes here. Snoop's verse is the highlight. His melodic G-funk passage is really fun. Decent. 3.5/5 The Roach (The Chronic Outro) The presentation at the start is really charismatic. Lovely little hook. Triumphant and funky instrumental, really is a welcome sight after a long series of rougher, harder tracks. The heavy handed weed themes are a bit obnoxious as the track goes on. Doesn't really say anything of value. Decent. 3.5/5 Bitches Ain't Shit Dumb hook, but has it's charms if you don't take it too seriously. Continues to be pretty dumb throughout, is a bit suspect in all honesty. The beat is pretty smooth. Jewell's outro is pretty fun. Decent track if you just turn your brain off and don't consider any of the conotations that come with a track like this. Decent. 3.5/5 Well that was the Chronic, a landmark album when it comes to hip-hop production and a great launch pad to start a solo career from. Rightly deserving of its status as one of the greatest of all time. It has a plethora of interesting tricks up its sleeve, with solid features from everyone listed, great sampling and beautifully constructed beats that at times feel ahead of their time. For me the greatest moments show their head whenever Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg feature together on a track. The dynamic duo has so much chemistry and really play well off each other, with Dre as the hard man and Snoop as the fun uncle who shows up to deliver catchy melodic passages while still spitting some decent bars here and there. I do have some minor critisms, as I feel the album has a slight drop off in quality towards the second half, where the features get marginally weaker, the beats less fun and the samples less interesting causing it to drag a bit. There's also the matter of the skits, which I feel are pretty poor attempts at humour, adding very little to the experience. Finally I do think there are some tracks where I'm missing Dr. Dre, and while he's producing the tracks in the background, I still think it's a shame we don't get more of his at times pretty awesome delivery on some of the beats as I think he'd do an amazing job over them. There's also the matter of some suspect, outdated, problematic views in the lyrics, as well as plenty of dumb, juvenile and generally baffling passages that really come off poorly. Generally I view most of it as fairly standard machismo bravado prevalent in the genre. It is used to posture this gangster image, which while it does add to the "tough hard guy" fantasy, could've been delivered more tastefully. I can still find enjoyment in it if I take it for what it is and turn my brain off, but I can definitely see how the misogyny and homophobia could ruin the experience for some. Overall I feel it was a solid album for the despite my gripes and a great inclusion, even if we've moved away from this era of rap. A must listen, if not only for the historical importance. 4/5 Fave track. Lil' Ghetto Boy Least fave track. High Powered

I've heard this album exactly once, and never returned to it. Not because it's bad, but because it's genuinely one of the most depressing things I've ever heard. Joy Division isn't exactly a joyful project in the first place and with the added context of Ian Curtis's suicide this album becomes a tough listen. I'll give it another listen now, but I'm expecting to be quite affected by it. Atrocity Exhibition Great title, really captures the mood the album is trying to set. The instrumental feels really mechanical and radiates a sort of disturbing energy. Great work on the bassline. The distorted guitars add a layer of dissonance to the track adding depth to the darkness. The lyrics paint a picture or horror and tragedy. The noisy is gorgeous, and the drumming is really unique. Fantastic. 5/5 Isolation Great bassline yet again. The synths are pretty decent, ans I love how sharp the drums are. The lyrics are haunting and depressing. "Mother please believe me, I'm doing the best that I can" Sticks out. Curtis's flat and hollow delivery somehow makes it hit harder. Ends perfectly. Fantastic. 5/5 Passover That instrumental is just so cool. The distant distorted guitar is such a good addition. The vocal's sound tired and jaded. Depressing as all hell. Great. 4.5/5 Colony Love the drum pattern on this one. Has a great bassline as well. Animated vocal performance, really shows a different type of delivery from other songs from the album. His unique voice really shines here. Has a dystopian vibe to it. Extremely well crafted lyrics, puts you right in this horrible word he has created. Fantastic. 5/5 A Means to an End The instrumental feels almost confrontational. Love the guitar riff. Really infectious all around, as "post-punk" as it gets. Curtis really sounds lost on this track. Can hear the struggle. Great. 4.5/5 Heart and Soul Really moody and atmospheric. Great drum pattern once again. Has a more familiar structure which makes it feel a bit less chaotic than many of the previous songs. The reverb on the vocals are a great addition. Love the subtle synths. The instrumental passage which closes out the track is beautiful. Great. 4.5/5 Twenty Four Hours Great tempo and energy in the instrumental. Really effective bassline. The depressing themes in the lyrics are laid out in a pretty straight forward manner, and delivered very directly. Feels really blunt and decoded in comparisson to other tracks on the album. It's just so miserable and soul destroying, genuinely some of the saddest songs I've heard. The ending of the lyrics are really haunting in the context of his suicide. Harrowing. 5/5 The Eternal Another great instrumental. Really vivid. This track is really hard to handle. It's great, but I'm struggling to put into words as to why. I think my favourite parts might be the background piano as well as the slow tempo of the track. The lyrics are tough. 5/5 Decades Starts a bit rough, but evolves into a great atmospheric track with a bunch of intrestingly put together instrumental parts. Composed really well. Great keys especially. The ending to the track is excellent. Feels really large and is perfect for an album closer. The chorus does a lot to ground the track. Asking the simple question of "Where have they been?" over the epic instrumental makes the buildup feel more down to earth. Great. 4.5/5 Warning: Do not open - Existential crisis material inside. Extremely hard to get through, but great all the same. Just a masterclass in songwriting. Has some of the most impactful lyrics I've ever heard backed by some of the greatest basslines ever performed. Just be warned, this is 44 minutes of purely condensed misery. There's not a single second of any hope or joy in this album. It's unrelenting in it's bleakness and leaves you drained by the end of it. I think this one is going back on the shelf for a while, and will only be taken down again on the rainiest of days. Perfect if you want to feel like shit for a few hours. 5/5 Fave track. Twenty Four Hours Least fave track. N/A

Never heard of this. Listened to a few of thei most streamed tracks not on this album as preparation and I cannot say I'm too impressed. My expectations lay somewhere in the middle for this one, hope to be pleasantly surprised. In It For The Money Not sure about the production. Sounds kinda compressed. The guitars at the start are pretty cool, has a decent atmosphere. Evolves in a bit of a negative direction for me. Has this very stereotypical Britpop writing style in the chorus, which really comes across as stale and overdone. Average. 2.5/5 Richard III The bass tone is pretty good. The production style really isn't my cup of tea. Has some decent energy in the vocals. Can't say there's much to care about here. Decent outro. Average. 2.5/5 Tonight This sounds horrible. Hate the vocals at times. The horns are awkwardly implemented and sound toneless and overly sharp. Not great. 2/5 Late in the Day Why are the vocals so quiet? Bland guitar. The keys are so much louder than anything else. Boring vocals, lacking any character or depth. Bad. 1.5/5 G-Song Uninspired, boring, bland, uninteresting, monotone, soulless. Skip to 3.27 for the best part. Did not like. 2/5 Sun Hits The Sky Has a sliver of energy of some sort. Draaaaaags. Has the most unecessary instrumental break in history. The synth sounds goofy as all hell over this overblown, overpowering production. Hate how there's not any space anywhere in the mix. Pointless. 1.5/5 Going Out What a garbage vocal effect. That's the only notable thing about this song. The unlikable and whiny vocals somehow got more unlikable and whiny. Formulaic and repetitive. Like being blasted right in the ear with an airhorn. Annoying. 1/5 It's Not Me Actually has some interesting instrumentarion. The guitars ar pretty alright. I'll be generous to the vocals here. Think they work well with the lyrics. Average. 2.5/5 Cheapskate Has an actual groove to it. Simple but effective. The chorus isn't too bad either, has some power to it and feels fairly impactful. Decent. 3.5/5 You Can See Me Another alright instrumental. Has some depth to it with the switchup for the chorus. The instrumental post the second chorus is really fun, shows some great synergy within the band. Fine. 3/5 Hollow Little Reign Lacks some dynamism, feels like it's just repeating itself without really going anywhere. The solos don't cut it for me, they just don't have much impact as they feel sluggish and generic. Average. 2.5/5 Sometimes I Just Make You Sad Those grunts sound awful. Broken carnival ride type instrumental, doesn't help that it overpowers the vocals. Latin guitar is a cool inclusion I guess. Don't like the vocals yet again. Did not like. 2/5 Can't say I liked that very much. Absolutely hate their production style, and I don't care for their songwriting very much. Ends up being a boring, messy piece which generally just melds together into this uniform blob of blandness which rarely manages to either excite or impress. Britpop will never be my cup of tea, genuinely I cannot understand the appeal. Like most of their genre contemporaries they suffer from these aggressively nasally, whiny vocals that somehow are both too loud and too quiet at the same time. I will give them credit for their use of different instruments, their bass generally sounds pretty nice, and their use of horns and keys produce moments where they build upon their sound into something that's almost interesting. But those guitars, they just are so damn overpowering, and so obnoxiously loud at times that the other instruments don't really get a chance to shine. Pair that with many tracks leaving no space in the mix, and the aformentioned issues I had with the vocals you're left with a headache inducing 43 minutes. It's not the worst thing in the world. Generally being inoffensive, with specks of charm scattered throughout it, but in the end its issues become too much for me. 2/5 Fave Track. Cheapskate Least fave track. Going Out

Good old Maiden is here to bring some much needed energy to my day. I've liked many of their songs throughout the years At times when I'm doing some boring chore or am just in need of a kick I put on one of their songs and time flies by. I'm expecting a hell of a good time with this album, and I'm stoked to be finally listening to some metal music. Oh also this album cover slaps. Invaders I immediately notice how audible the bass is on this track, many metal tracks of the era sort of let it fall into a very supporting role. Awesome drum track. Love the energy in the guitar solos, it's just really fun. Not their catchiest chorus, but it's fine for what it is. Good. 4/5 Children of the Damned Vivid song title. Great guitar tone, has a lot of power to it. The vocals on the chorus kick ass, love how his voice contrasts the heavy distorted guitars and the crashing snares of the drums. A slower tempo structure like this puts a lot of pressure on the solos to deliver, which I think they really do. Great ending. Great. 4.5/5 The Prisoner Interesting sample. Solid instrumentation, has a pretty cool bassline, though the main guitar riff is kinda standard. Has good energy. Weak chorus. Conceptually the idea is pretty fine, but doesn't really produce that unique of a track, feels a bit formulaic. The guitar solo seems intricate and layered. Decent. 3.5/5 22 Acacia Avenue The vocals have some fun camp to them. A bit of an odd concept. Tells a story of a sex-worker, told in quite a disturbing way. Has some preachy elements to it. Instrumentally it has this rock opera-vibe going on. Interstingly composed, goes through many different phases with multiple instrumental breaks. Explores their sound pretty well. Interesting song, though the lyrical content is a bit questionable. Good. 4/5 The Number of the Beast The intro is absolutely iconic, it's just such a mood setter. Ridiculously camp in the best way. Great guitar riff. Tells this ridiculous story of devils and the fires of hell, it's strangely charming. Iconic solo. Banger. 5/5 Run to the Hills Legendary guitar riff. The opening verse absolutely slaps. The buildup to the chorus has such an infectious energy to it. Then the chorus comes in being absurdly catchy. The lyrics themeing themselves around the horrors of colonization is such a choice, really elevates the track by adding some meaning to it. Fantastic drum performance. Iconic solo. Banger. 5/5 Gangland Keeps up with the energy from the previous tracks. The verses feel a bit aimless, and the chorus lacks some punch. Instrumentally the track does it's job pretty well, the bassline is really bouncy and the main guitar riff sets a good foundation. Lyrically it's fine, just wish it did a bit more with the gang violence concept. Still got me moving, though it's hard to be the track that has to follow up the previous two. Good. 4/5 Hallowed Be Thy Name Another stunning intro. Great groove. The vocal performance here really knocks your socks off. Adding that to the superb guitar playing and you have a great foundation for an amazing track. The lyrics are such a clear inspiration to later bands, highlighting the religious themes and the questioning. Add in the themes of death and you've got some iconic lyrics. Amazing ending, the vocals coming back after the kick ass instrumental really seals off the song and the album tremendously. Banger. 5/5 It might not be the most sophisticated thing in the world, and you're not gonna get introspective, reflective or deeply personal experiences from it. What you are gonna get is a great classic heavy metal album which in its accessiblity and infectious energy delivers 40 minutes of pure condensed fun. And part of that success comes from how they write kick ass songs about things they genuinely find interesting. Invasions and genocide, sci-fi concepts, themes of religion and death as well as more current socital issues such as violence against women and gang violence. The topics are generally quite heavy, though presented in such a way which never comes across as unserious, and doesn't drag down the energy of the album. Some of the ways they present these topics are genuinely quite bold for the time. They draw from these themes well and implement them into their explosive sound adding some real edge and power to it. The vocals are amazing throughout, delivering lines with passion for the craft and a little bit of delicious 80's metal camp. Pair that with the gripping guitars, powerful, sharp drumming and basslines that have you nodding along, and you get an album which keeps the listener entertained all the way to the end. This is a timeless piece of music which still sounds great to this day. 5/5 Fave track. Run to the Hills Least fave track. N/A

From previous experiences with this band I have the impression that Soundgarden can be a little boring. I know that Chris Cornell gets praised a lot for his vocal ability, so I'm at least expecting to be impressed by him. Otherwise I'm just hoping the runtime won't cause any issues, as any album that's longer than an hour really has to justify it. Let Me Down I don't care much for that guitar tone, feels a bit washed. The mixing in general is kinda weak, particularly on the quieter vocal parts. Has a decent buildup towqrds the chorus. The vocals are pretty impressive. Didn't make me feel much. Fine. 3/5 My Wave The structure of this track isn't really what I'm looking for. Feels a bit flat, lacks some energy. Has an alright switchup. Some of thr guitar parts sound really good. When the bass comes into the forefront of the mix it really breaks through, giving much needed respite from the repetitive guitars. Great ending. 3.5/5 Fell On Black Days The vocals are great, there are a few nice melodies there. His voice has a lot of range, changing seemlessly between sounds. When the instrumental lets itself pick up a bit, taking more space the track gets a sudden surge of energy. Pleasant. 3.5/5 Mailman Stoner metal adjacent guitar riff. Sounds a bit loud, overpowering the other elements of the track. Boring songwriting, extremely typical of the genre. Sluggish tempo, repetitive instrumental. Lyrically doesn't really stand out either. Average. 2.5/5 Superunknown Doesn't really inspire. Has some alright riffs, and decent energy, but I can't help but feel this is something I've heard many times before. Great vocals again. The guitar solo is a interesting, like how it builds upon the backing track to form a decent ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Head Down Feels a bit more classic rock inspired. Has some western sounding motifs in the intro. Has very different production on the vocals than previous tracks. The drums sound really muted. Doesn't really evolve or change. Ends up being really boring. Focuses too much time on a very average, low energy chorus. Average. 2.5/5 Black Hole Sun The big enduring hit off this album. Gets plenty of play on classic rock radio stations to this day. The first verse is pretty evocative and gives it a decent start, though I don't really like the chorus. I just don't find it too interesting. The delivery is deadpan and flat which doesn't really change throughout the million times it's repeated. Instrumentally it's also pretty boring, never really switching it up from the same repeated guitar riff. Overrated. 2.5/5 Spoonman Good vocal delivery. The drums are pretty fun, they build upon an interesting rhythm which keeps up throughout the track. In general every rhythmic element works pretty well, even the added pieces of percussion. The song's title is delivered in a pretty charismatic way. Good. 4/5 Limo Wreck Pretty great instrumental, has a decent level of depth to it, overall has good sound. The guitar and bass has great synergy. Great chorus, delivered spectacularly. Uninteresting verses. Really overstays its welcome after a while, does not need to be nearly 6 minutes long. The ending is really good, but comes too late, I'm already bored of the song when it arrives. Decent. 3.5/5 The Day I Tried To Live Great guitar playing to start the song off, terrific intro. The post chorus is pretty captivating, though I find the chorus itself pretty lacking. Has a similar issue as some of the previous tracks where the drums sound really hollow and muted. Decent. 3.5/5 Kickstand Decent energy. Has some stoner metal vibes to the guitar riff. Doesn't really have the runtime to be judged fairly. Fine. 3/5 Fresh Tendrils Has an okay rhythm to it, like that the bass is a little bit more pronounced here. Some of the vocal parts are pretty catchy. Great vocals in general. I like the structure of the song. Good. 4/5 4th of July Crunchy, heavy distortion. The lyrics are pretty interesting. Feels really dystopian. Fits well with the slower, sludgier production. A subtler, slower song which has a lot of atmosphere. Good. 4/5 Half A really welcome break from the sonic pallatte of the album. Feels a bit psychedelic. The distant off putting vocals add a lot of atmosphere. Keeps up with the apocalyptic feeling of the previous track. Good. 4/5 Like Suicide Takes a really long time to get going. Has some great sludgy guitar moments, but is otherwise pretty sluggish and uninteresting. Chris Cornell continues to impress with great vocals, but it's not enough to keep the song interesting. Has a great guitar solo and the drumming is impressive at times, but at this point the sound is getting kinda old. Fine. 3/5 While not indefensible this album suffers a lot from a lack of sonic diversity. Many of the songs sound really similar and never really evolve beyond their initial premise. Most of the tracks are plagued with unjustifiably long runtimes, several overstaying their own welcome by more than a minute. This adds to an already bloated tracklist and makes the album drag. With some additional sonic ideas, perhaps it wouldn't feel so long. The overbearing production, especially on the guitars doesn't help either. That being said there is plenty to like about this. Chris Cornell sounds absolutely stunning, delivering perfect line after perfect line. His voice and presence is infectious and really feels real and genuine, especially when he's left to just belt one out. There are some layers of interesting lyrical writing, and you feel immersed once they grip you. Some of the songs that do go out of their way to sound different show really interesting concepts and really highlight the band's ability to adapt. I also would like to shout out the guitars. While they are a bit overbearing at times, they do really produce some great riffs and solos every now and so often that really tingle the right areas of the brain. In the end I found it a bit unspectacular, honestly got really bored of it around half way through. I do recognize the talent that went into it, but can't see myself returning to it any time soon. 3/5 Fave track. 4th of July Least fave track. Head Down

Don't know what to expect. Their band name sounds pretty forgettable. Liking the red in the album cover. Hoping to be entertained. The Stars of Track & Field Clunky title. Barely audible guitar. Obnoxious writing style. Strange voice. Questionable chorus. Don't mind the trumpet, sounds pretty good when repeating the vocal melody. I don't get it. 2/5 Seeing Other People I can't stand the writing style. The really uninteresting instrumentation doesn't help. I get the concept, but I just don't like it very much. Doesn't work for me at all. 1.5/5 Me and the Major The instrumentation is at least pretty interesting. I like the tempo and I liked the way the harmonica is implemented at first, though it gets really obnoxious at the end. The vocal melody is alright, though I still hate the way the lyrics are laid out. Not my thing. 2/5 Like Dylan in the Movies Some decent melodies in there, don't mind the chorus. His voice isn't my cup of tea, but it works better in this track than the previous songs. I'm not in love with the instrumentation, though I see what they're going for. Doesn't sound bad, it's just not what I'm looking for. Fine. 3/5 The Fox in the Snow Wish I got this, sounds like something I'd enjoy, but I just don't for some reason. Just has an off-putting aura to it. Reminds me of Phil Elverum, who I'm generally a huge fan of, so there's no reason for me to dislike it, I just do. Did not like. 2/5 Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying Genuinely hate everything about this song. Just does not work at all for me. Hope someone else can find enjoyment in it, but to me that was awful. No thank you. 1/5 If You're Feeling Sinister The children in the background are pretty distracting. Vocal melody is pretty nice. The instrumental captures a calming tranquility, sounds great. Don't mind the lyrics that much, some lines are a bit cringe, but it's fine for what it is. Decent. 3.5/5 Mayfly Decent instrumental, feels nostalgic for some reason. This song is kinda pretty, I think the lyrics although a bit strange work pretty well. The additional vocals add a nice texture to the song. I like the guitar a lot here. The mayfly concept paints a pretty relatable image, I see the vision here. Good. 4/5 The Boy Done Wrong Again No that's just cheesy, the alternating vocals at the start is not a great choice. Such a vocal focused track doesn't work when the listener hates the vocals, can't fault the artist here, but I don't like his voice at all. There are some moments of instrumental beauty here, the strings have some really resonant composition to them. The lyrics are fine. Average. 2.5/5 Judy and the Dream of Horses Every critisism I have for this track has already been said about different tracks. Feels like an amalgation of all the things I've disliked about this album. The main emotion this makes me feel is annoyance. Obnoxious. 1.5/5 Really not my cup of tea. I know it comes down to personal preferance, but from the moment I heard the first song I knew I'd have some major problems with this project. Firstly, his voice is so grating to my ears, everything from the inflections to the pitch, even the energy just does not work for me at all. Secondly, the writing style doesn't land. There are many attempts at storytelling, but I'm just not a fan of how it's laid out. Which elements are emphasised, which lines are repeated and sometimes the general structure, the way these are set up doesn't feel captivating or poetic to me at all. It's just off-putting and messy. Finally there's a lack of variety. There isn't much change in energy from song to song, and a fair few of them is condensed mostly into vocals and guitar. While that in itself isn't necessarily a problem, the real issues start when it's combined with other parts I don't like. There really isn't one big elephant in the room for me to pick apart at, there are just these smaller annoyances which stack on top of each other which really ruins the experience. I do however see how some people could relate more to this than I do. I definitely won't call it generic as I think his voice and narration style sets it apart from similar indie projects of the time. For me this exact style was a detriment, but for others I think it might be the selling point of the album. In the songs that really worked I genuinely felt that I was transported into the scenes that were described. There is definitely some potential in there for vivid imagery. I'm also gonna add that I thought the production was pretty stellar throughout. Each instrument felt crisp and alive, and the mixing really put the right emphasis on which element was the most important at all times. The orchestral moments were definitely a highlight, the classical sounds contrast well against his shrill and personable voice. Not bad, don't really like it though. I see how people could enjoy this so would recommend listening to it if I knew the person was into this era of indie music. Won't personally be returning to it. 2/5 Fave Track. Mayfly Least fave track. Get Me Away from Here, I'm Dying

My worries when it comes to music this old is usually that to my modern ears it may sound rudimentary, especially when it comes to production. It's generally hard to not judge it by modern standards, especially in this day and age where music is so easily available. I know of this artist, his name being tossed around as an early influence on the rock and blues bands that would show up in the mid to late 60s and early 70s. My initial fear going into this is that it will be more influential in a historic sense where as the music itself hasn't aged well. I'm hoping the music this has inspired hasn't completely surpassed it, and that there's still some value left there. Heading into this with an open mind. I Got My Brand On You As I expected it doesn't sound great, the recording quality hasn't aged well. This sounds like fairly standard blues to me. It's pleasant, but doesn't exactly inspire. His voice is pretty good, though it's not like I'm completely stunned by it. The band does a great job with the instrumental, they work well with the vocals to create the atmosphere expected of a track like this. Generally a solid performance from all parties. Fine. 3/5 I'm Your Hoochie Cootchie Man This is a classic. Immediately recognizeable. Old school cool. Has some great energy to it. Feels like something that would be great to feature in the background at a gathering of some kind. Good. 4/5 Baby Please Don't Go Charismatic performance from Muddy Waters. He sounds tight and professional. It's a simple song which works for what it is. (There's a minor disturbance somewhere in the recording which through my headseat sounds like my roof is falling down, scared the shit out of me.) Fine. 3/5 Soon Forgotten Another fairly standard blues track. I like the piano a lot here. I'm struggling to find anything to set it apart from similar songs of the era. I guess I could point to the instrumental sections as offering a very well knit arrangement. They really sound like they've been working together for quite some time. The song feels spacious, much credit to each individual performer for knowing which notes to play and where to leave space for others. This of course stretches to Waters himself as well, where ge makes sure the spotlight isn't always on him. Decent. 3.5/5 Tiger In Your Tank It's fun to hear a bit of a bit more dancy, faster pace tempo. I appreciate how he adapts his voice to this style. Shows of some soulful vocal chops that wouldn't be too out of place in a later era. The song has very repetitive lyrics which kind of works to its detriment. I really enjoy the energy of the track, it's a lovely mood lifter after a series of slower bluesier tracks. I wouldn't mind if it was a bit shorter. Decent. 3.5/5 I Feel So Good Don't have much to say that haven't already been said about previous tracks. More of the same really. It's a pleasant listen, just not particularly notable. Fine. 3/5 I've Got My Mojo Working Has some grit and intensity to it. Charismatic vocal perfomance. Can tell not Waters and the band is really giving their all here. Really like how much work the drummer is doing on the track. Really energetic and fun little track. Great. 4.5/5 Got My Mojo Working Pt. 2 A continuation of the previous track. Honestly just feels like a repeat. Felt the previous one ended just fine, this is unecessary. I guess the culture was different back then, and that this is obviously for the crowd, but to me with my modern expectations it's just strange. Fine. 3/5 Goodbye Newport Blues It's a nice little blues song to end off the setlist with. Can't really say I find it exceptional, but it works for what it is. Portrays the feeling of leaving somewhere pretty well, which seems to be the intention of the track. Fine. 3/5 My apprehension towards this album prior to listening to it was mostly unfounded, which came as a great relief. In truth I was pretty scared I wouldn't enjoy this, and while it didn't exactly blow me away I'd say it was a pretty good time. My individual track ratings may not reflect my true feelings about the album as a whole, as this is one of those cases where the album is more than the sum of its parts. Considering this is taken from a live show with no production tricks or gimmicks you'll quickly see the magic is rooted in the performance itself. Muddy Waters and his band were great showmen, and managed to entertain through only their talent alone. This is built purely upon music, enthusiasm for the craft and charisma. It never needs to rely on complicated instrumental passages, or intricate lyricism. It just delivers simple, solid songs in a way which resonates with people through the magic of the blues. Muddy Waters sounds passionate and professional throughout, really going out of his way to create a good show. The quality on display is what I presume inspired the greats that took influences from Waters's work, as they could see the pride and passion he has for performing these songs. In the end this is an important piece of music history. While everything here hasn't necessarily aged all that well I still think its most important elements remain intact. If you're gonna listen to it, listen to it as a whole. It's a solid tracklist which really shines when played in its entirety. 4/5 Fave track. I've Got My Mojo Working Least fave track. I Feel So Good

Looks promising from the Wikipedia article. Never heard of this band though I'm usually a fan of this genre of music so I'd be surprised if I hate it. Ha Ha I'm Drowning Has some interesting synths. Great bassline. The vocals are pretty intense. Don't really care much for the horns, they come across a bit crass. The song is catchy enough and has a really intersting instrumental passage, which sounds pretty powerful. Love when the vocals come back to finish of the song. Good. 4/5 Sleeping Gas The fade in is a strange choice, really intersting. The guitar riff is pretty diffuse and watery. The organ is definitely unique for this era. Don't love the vocals here, really repetitive. Decent. 3.5/5 Treason Feels like a much more conventional post punk song. Has a very prominent bassline, dreamy guitars and yearning vocals which I all feel are very typical for the genre. Really like the chorus. The instrumental has a lot of texture. Could do without the backing vocals. Great. 4.5/5 Second Head Really moody and deep bassline. Has a lot of atmosphere to it. I tgink the scarce instrumentation really works with the vocal style on this track. Love when it lets itself get a bit more psychedelic. The lyrics seem pretty well thought out, adds to the paranoid almost horror like feeling that comes with the bassline. Great. 4.5/5 Poppies In The Field Starts off as a continuation of the sound of the previous track, though when the strange effects come in the vibe shifts. Love the guitar played in reverse. Adds a sense of uneasiness. The drums also add to this effect with the heavy use of cymbals. The track does a lot with the post punk sound, innovating with a lot of effects without going to hard on the synths. Great. 4.5/5 Went Crazy I maintain my opinion that the horns don't sound good on this album. The more upbeat tempo is refreshing. The vocals are really intense and agressive, almost uncomfortably so. Don't really care for the lyrical writing of this one, it's a bit dull. Fine. 3/5 Brave Boys Keep Their Promises Don't like the guitar at all. Sounds terrible. The vocals are also quite irritating. I don't think anything about this track works. At least the lyrics are somewhat interesting. Bad. 1.5/5 Bouncing Baby An agressively British man screaming "I WAS A BOUNCING BABY" at the top of his lungs following by some spooky synths is not something I expected to hear today. The track has a pretty alright atmosphere, but it's incredibly chaotic. It's interesting, but not pleasant in any way. The vocals and the synth are both really intense, battling for your attention. Decent. 3.5/5 Books Doesn't sound great. Can really feel a lack of production quality here. Sounds really flat and compressed. The bassline is pretty cool. Instrumentally it's an interesting scattering of instruments that all feel underimplemented, to the point where you only really remember the blazing horns and the underlying bassline. Vocally he delivers a charismatic performance in line with the rest of the album. Fine. 3/5 Thief of Baghdad Interesting opening. Great instrumental, really builds upon the strange and psychedelic vibe promised by the intro. Lovely use of synths. The chorus is memorable and distinct. Good. 4/5 When I Dream I like the electronic feel. The chorus is extremely dumb, though I do find it quite charming as well. Really like the instrumental passages, they feel simple yet contain plenty of texture. They add an additional layer to a fairly simple song. The ending segment takes way to long to change and evolve, makes it really repetitive and annoying to start off with. Never really gets much more interesting than that, as all you get is this meandering synth playing over the same backing instrumental. It's fairly atmospheric, but not enough to keep it engaging. Feels uneccessarily long. Decent. 3.5/5 It's an alright album with some interesting ideas scattered throughout. In a post punk landscape full of instrumentally similar bands I really like their attempts to mix in horns and organs as additional pieces to their sound, even if the ideas are sometimes better than the final result. I also enjoy the psychedelic elements employed in some tracks, which is a really interesting innovation for the genre, where the blend of the different musical styles worked strangely well together. Add the really intense vocal performance and you get a unique but often inconsistent experience. I'd say the main culprit for this inconsistency is the lack of production quality, making many of the songs sound muddy and cramped as a result. There's also some inconsistency in the songwriting here, resulting in several songs that either sound a bit directionless or just generic and bland. Finally I feel it lacks any real highlight moment, any one track that really makes you want to return to it. While individually several tracks scored highly, none really made me jump out of my seat. In the end I found this album quite middle of the road, plenty that worked, and plenty that just didn't leave much of an impression. 3.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5. Fave track. Second Head Least fave track. Brave Boys Keep Their Promises

The third Rolling Stones album so far. From my experience with the other two, I'm not really expecting much. Some decent but kind of basic to today's standard rock and roll tracks, played and performed very well, but not leaving much of a lasting impression. Going to guess there's some content on here that hasn't aged well. Gonna say I reacted quite negatively to the runtime, will probably drag a bit. Wish I was a bigger fan of this band than I am. I see people glazing them all the time, but I just don't see what others see in them. Hoping to be convincedt this time around. Rocks Off Definitely recognizeable as a Stone's song. The piano is pretty alright. The production makes the song sound a bit unclear. The horns is something I could do without. Would say that the chorus remains my favourite part of the song, it's probably it's most memorable asset in my eyes. Doesn't exaclty strike me as very memorable, but fine for what it is. Fine. 3/5 Rip This Joint Fast paced rock and roll track with a saxophone solo. The vocal performance is pretty fun, though the track itself isn't that interesting. Each element has a lot of polish to it, but the track lacks memorable moments. Fine. 3/5 Shake Your Hips Bluesy. Hollow, boring, lacking in any sort of payoff. Energy drain. Bland. 2/5 Casino Boogie Stereotypical white blues rock. Lacking any sort of personality or soul. Goes on and on without ever building to anything. Tired, sluggish tempo. Uninspiring sax solo. Not bad, just very very boring. Was probably cool for the time, but not to my taste. Did not like. 2/5 Tumbling Dice Chorus has some personality to it. The backing vocals has some playful energy as well. Smooth guitar sound. Also enjoy the bassline quite a bit. Definitely the catchiest track so far. Decent. 3.5/5 Sweet Virginia Opens pretty well. Awful vocal effect. The vocals are straight up terrible, regardless of the effect. Sounds drunk and half asleep. The sax has a pretty nice tone. The backing vocals carry this song out of disaster territory. Average. 2.5/5 Torn and Frayed Agressively average rock song. Just gives me absolutely nothing. It's pleasant to listen to, but goes in one ear and out the other. Zzzzz. Average. 2.5/5 Sweet Black Angel Yikes. Yikes. Yikes. Who listens to this shit? Beyond dogshit. Not even worth discussing. 1/5 Loving Cup The instrumental builds pretty well upon itself. Grows larger and more intense as the song goes in. There are some interesting instrumental fills here and there. Fine. 3/5 Happy Filler. Does not need to exist. 2/5 Turd on the Run One of the songs of all time. Out of all songs ever written this is definitely one that exists. Has a single harmonica part worth mentioning. Boring. 2/5 Ventilator Blues That guitar riff drains every ounce of energy from my body. Annoying. 2/5 I Just Want To See His Face You can't seriously expect me to believe that this couldn't have been cut to reduce the already bloated runtime. Tries to build atmosphere, but ends up just sounding muddled and unintelligable. Waste of time. 1.5/5 Let it Loose I find the instrumental mostly pleasant. Has a slight dreamy vibe to it due to the reverby keyboard. The piano grounds the track adding some impact to the floatiness of the keyboard. The horns kinda ruin the vibe, really crass and loud. Hate the vocals, really whiny and all over the place. The backing vocals clutter the track, making it even more disjointed than it already was. Did not like. 2/5 All Down The Line Has some good energy, the tempo and the uncaring attitude enhance the party like feel. Decent guitar solo. The chorus works well as a sort of anthemic rock and roll dance sing along. Decent. 3.5/5 Stop Breaking Down Predictable but charismatic blues rock track, with a swinging attitude and a good amount of swagger. Has some sprawling guitar moments that add some complexity to the track. Nothing spectacular, but does the job with a lot of quality. Good. 4/5 Shine a Light Really greatful that it picked up after that extremely melancholic intro. Won't say it's great. The backing vocals are really cheese. Instrumentally it's very much of its time, though I can't say I dislike it fully. The guitar solo is pretty great. And the generally dated gospel homage has its charms. I find the mix of piano and organ to create a decent amount of depth to the track. Grew on me. 3.5/5 Soul Survivor Rambly and aimless. Keeps up the same sound as the rest of the album which is really tired at this point. Does not feel like a closer. Average. 2.5/5 A bloated slog of an album which ended up feeling even longer than it did thanks to many similar sounding songs with no real space to process anything. Again I have failed in my quest to understand the hype behind this band, again feeling underwhelmed and extremely drained by the end of one of their albums. To me it just sounds extremely average, delivering a classic rock sound which today has been played out so much it becomes cliche. Sure it might've been innovative at the time, but to my ears other subgenres of rock music are infintely more interesting than this. I would say the quality on display here is impressive, both technically and in their performances, remaining consistent throughout, but it doesn't help when I'm not entertained by it. The length doesn't help. Could probably cut four or five tracks from the tracklist with no issue. Over all the Stones continue to disappoint. 2.5/5 leaning more towards 3/5. Fave track. Stop Breaking Down Least fave track. Sweet Black Angel

Never really been much of a "The Police" fan, as I've always found them a bit tacky. The white boy reggae stuff seems a bit toothless to me, and the soft rock stuff never caught my interest either. While Sting remains an icon, I cannot help but find him and his projects a bit bland. With that being said I've never heard a full album by them, generally only been exposed to their hits. Gonna take this as an opportunity to reevaluate my view on this band, and perhaps after a full listen I'll come out the other end with a changed opinion. Message in a Bottle One of the hits, been through a phase where I really liked this song and another where I hated it. Has an alright tempo to it. The vocal melody is quite well written, contrasts well against the instrumental. The accent is a bit goofy. Runs out of steam a bit, could do with a slightly shorter runtime. Don't find it quite as annoying as I used to. Decent. 3.5/5 Regatta De Blanc Really rhythmic, keeps building ontop of itself adding various different elements to enhance the rhythm and tempo. Great foundational bassline. The hollering vocals also do a lot to keep the song from going stale, the simple addition has the effect of building some counterpoints to balance out the mix. Good. 4/5 It's Alright For You Has a grittier, slight garageier sound. The chorus sounds kinda uninspired though the post chorus instrumental really makes up for it. A fast paced rock track that doesn't do anything spectacular, but works for what it is. Decent. 3.5/5 Bring On The Night Has some pretty cool riffage in the intro. The arpeggios sound pleasant. I find the vocals quite jarring. Really don't like how they're produced. They sit really far back in the mix, and fall at a strange volume level which is sort of distracting. There's a good melody there though. Instrumentally it remains interesting throughout, even sporting some bleak dissonant moments that shatter the otherwise pleasant vibe. Can see it growing on me if I can get over the vocals. Good. 4/5 Deathwish The instrumental is plucky and fun, though its at the risk of being repetitive. The drums are quite loud in the mix. Wish the vocals had more of a punch to them, they contrast a bit too much with the instrumental with their distant style. Wish the song had more variety to it, doesn't really have any moment where the tension is released leading it to sound sort of anticlimatic. Fine. 3/5 Walking on the Moon Another one of the hits. Can't say I have much of a relationship with this one, though I've definitely heard it before. The opening bass and loud reverby guitar definitely leaves an impression. Its continued use veers towards melodramatic. The lyrics are extremely cheesy. Has a pretty weak chorus in contrast with the really dramatic production. Feels almost at odds with the atmosphere created by the instrumentation. A bit messy, but pulls itself together somewhat. Fine. 3/5 On Any Other Day The lyrics sound like they belong to a rejected Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd B-side. Sounds quirky in all the wrong ways. The extremely average rock instrumental doesn't help, even if the base riff is kinda decent. Did not like. 2/5 The Bed's Too Big Without You Cheesy song title. Judging by it I was expecting a really tacky power ballad for some reason. Suprised by the groovy infectious rhythm. Even the faux reggae style vocals add something here, a decent counter measure against the very uniform instrumental. They add a surprising amount of unpredictability and fluidity to the track. Love every rhythmic element involved in this song, really comes together for something special. Fantastic. 5/5 Contact There's an interesting composition in here, structurally the track is really interesting. The focus on the bass as the main instrument, and the strange picky guitars make the song quite unique. The vocals are really strange, though they work with the instrumental they never really grip me. Good. 4/5 Does Everyone Stare Don't love the piano sound, it's kinda overpowering, making the vocals sound really quiet. Interesting implementation of a sample. Weird concept, gives me stalker vibes. Has an overall jarring feel mainly because of the annoying piano. That's not a great chorus. Did not like. 2/5 No Time This Time Fast! Terrible vocal effect for this song. The production sounds kinda hollow and toothless. Jarring chorus. Kind of a boring track and disappoimting finish. Has a pretty alright guitar riff, but that's kinda it. Average. 2.5/5 Went by much faster than I had anticipated. While not every track fell to my taste, I remained entertained throughout never really zoning out or losing attention. Can't say this is the best thing I've ever heard, but it's pretty charming at times, shows plenty of personality and offers a series of varied and diverse tracks. The instrumentation goes through several alterations throughout, focusing on various assets within the band giving each member a time in the spotlight. While the vocals are a bit corny at times, they're performed by someone giving their all and committing to their part which keeps it consistent at least. There are several great guitar moments, even some solos that get pretty entertaining. The album really shines when it allows itself to get a groove going, creating dancable rhythms at several occasions. Not anything mindblowing, but better than expected. 3/5 Fave track. The Bed's Too Big Without You Least fave track. Does Everyone Stare

YES! I'm so happy I finally got a jazz/funk/fusion album on this list. This one is such a legendary record. Infinitely cool, exploding with charisma and style. Really looking forward to a revisit of an all time classic. Genuinely excited. PS. This cover goes so incredibly hard. Chameleon This groove is illegal, doesn't get much more head-boppingly infectious than this. There's so much rhythm in the drumming alone, and with that great rhythm guitar on top of it it's just magical. Never gonna get sick of that bass tone either. Sounds both retro and futuristic at the same time, the keyboard sounding almost alien. A technicolour musical wonderland of magical surprises and imaginative ideas. 5/5 Watermelon Man Iconic intro with the strange bottle blowing techique which sounds so incredibly unique. The composition of this track is so smooth, each instrument playing a crucial part in the creation of a rhythmic complexity that makes it such a fun listen. The bassline is like butter, just melting inside your ears trickling into the canals and tickling the brain. Such a deliciously funky track which really has you paying attention all throughout. Amazing. 5/5 Sly The moodier, more picturesque sound of this track has a very modern, slick aesthetic to it. Feels very grand and ellaborate. Has a freer form to it which creates some spontaneous sounding moments which adds a layer of unpredictability to the track. Love the tempo of the drums, and how much they dictate not only the pace of the track, but the entire structure of the instrumental solos. An impressive journey, which really makes you live the music as it is happening. 5/5 Vein Melter Starts off extremely calm and relaxing. Has a fantastically pleasant vibe with genuine moments of beauty. A magical journey which takes you through mystical landscapes meeting many of the quirky and interesting creatures who reside there. While taking its time, the track never ceases to be interesting as long as the listener allows the instruments to lead them through it. Fantastic. 5/5 This was never getting anything less than 5 stars from me. It's just so infectiously fun and innovative, while still allowing someone like me who knows very little of the genre to get lost in each and every moment. Even writing the notes for each track became difficult as I was entranced in the music the whole way through. Just a masterpiece in composition and rhythm, taking you on four distinctly different journeys that all let your imagination run loose. I love the drums, the bass, the guitars, the sax, the keys, and every other untold instruments, some with names I've never heard in my life. I feel like an idiot even attempting to review this album, ss the level of knowledge and craftsmanship that goes into this is just a level beyond my comprehension. This is just absolute perfection to my ears, and an album I intend on revisiting many more times. 5/5 Fave track. N/A Least fave track. N/A

Can't say I was too excited when I woke up to this as today's album. 1960's radio friendly pop has its charms, but it's rarely something I seek out. For me The Monkees fall into a category of music where there are just so many more interesting alternatives to listen to, that they end up a bit forgotten. Obviously big in the day, but I feel like we've moved past them. Heading into this with low expectations, though I'm hoping to be surprised. You Told Me Doesn't sound great. The guitar is kinda awful. Don't like where the vocals sit in the mix. Very simple structurally, doesn't evolve or pull any interesting tricks. Sluggish and boring. There are some vocal moments which produce some pretty harmonies. Did not like. 2/5 I'll Spend My Life With You It's pleasant enough. The steel guitar adds some uniqueness. The vocalist has a decent voice. Sounds extremely sanitized, and safe. Isn't a very challenging or stimulating listen, but works fine for what it is. The premise is pretty sweet, though extremely cliche for the time. Fine. 3/5 Forget That Girl Oddly unsettling. I feel like I'm being threathened. The backing vocals are incredibly strange. Uncanny. 2/5 Band 6 That was a bit pointless. Doesn't qualify as a song. NA/5 You Just May Be The One I don't like that voice. Extremely dated. Dorky and cheesy. Average instrumentally, lot's of tambourine. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Shades of Gray Pleasant vocal melody. Has some nice harmonies. Refreshing lyrics. Bringing in some strings for the instrumental was a decent choice, adds some life. Decent. 3.5/5 I Can't Get Her Of My Mind Cliche and uninspired. Sounds manifactured and sanitized. The use of "little girl" is quite concerning, feels very uncomfortable listening to it. Nightmare fuel. 1/5 Oh For Pete's Sake Lazy and cliche songwriting. Sounds like someone listing off '60s buzzwords. Overdone and pandering. Get me out. 1/5 Mr. Webster Cute and quirky little story, presented in a fun way. A nice distraction from the sea of boring love songs. Still not incredibly interesting, but I'll take it. Fine. 3/5 Sunny Girlfriend A cute and positive song. Just someone singing about how much he loves his girlfriend. Unspectacular, but charming in a dorky way. Average. 2.5/5 Zilch The band goofing around. Shows some personality. NA/5 No Time A fairly decent rock 'n' roll track that shows a lot of personality from the band. Genuinely sounds like they're having fun here. Has a bit of a spontaneous vibe to it, and shows a bit of attitude severely lacking on this album so far. Decent. 3.5/5 Early Morning Blues And Greens Peaceful and calm until that horrible organ comes in. A bit of a boribg track that really does nothing for me. Did not like. 2/5 Randy Scouse Git Fun and bouncy tempo. The vocal melody is also quite fun. Ther are some great discriptions in the lyrics. Great chorus. Finally a song with some variety, even the scatting is alright. Has a lot if explosivity to it. Ends really well. Good. 4/5 It's hard to discuss this without drawing Beatles comparisons - this sounds like a mediocre pastiche of early Beatles. With that out the way there's not much more to say. Middle of the road manufactured, formulaic love songs that neither excite nor impress. Sure some of them have charming moments, and some are even a bit quirky, but there is very little here of any value. There are just so many tiny variations of the same concept that it gets really tired after a while. It's not all love songs though, but even then these songs only stick out on a first listen as they are about a different topic. Even then they cannot escape the undramatic and flat songwriting style which haunts the album. The performances are fine, though mostly extremely sanitized and safe. There are a couple of tracks where they let themselves loose a little bit, where they're allowed to show some personality and attitude. Those are the songs that work best in my opinion, and offer the most interesting experience. Apart a from a few notable exceptions every song on here sounds virtually the same, leaving you with a very bland and uninspiring album which never really finds its footing. It is what it is. 2/5 Fave track. Randy Scouse Git Least fave track. I Can't Get Her Off My Mind

Oh... This looks like a bit of a daunting task. A solo piano jazz record was not something I was expecting. I fear this might become monotonous amd boring due to a lack of musical variety. Can't say I'm too excited to head into this. Will be a success if I manage to stay awake as I'm listening to it quite late at night. Hoping it's not too boring. Gonna exclude the individual track notes and ratings from this review. Leaving my final thoughts below. The playing is great, the improvisation is amazing and the ability to sit down and just perform so earnestly with so much passion is beyond admirable. I have so much respect for this, yet I can't find myself truly loving any of it. Maybe I'm too impatient. Maybe I'm too coloured by my musical biases. Or maybe today just wasn't the day. Regardless, I found myself distracted and bored by this. Admitting this feels a bit sad, as I recognize that this is a great piece of art. The premise of a performance that is so uncomplicated in its approach as to include only a man and his piano is fascinating in theory. It feels like it's purely about the music, boiled down to its simplest components. I'm again more interested in the idea of the album than I am the actual music on it. Didn't entirely click, hoping it will on subsequent listens. 3/5

Talking Heads! Was expecting to see them show up on this list sooner rather than later, though this wasn't the album which first came to mind. Love their music, though I'd say I'm much more familiar with their stuff post "Fear or Music". I've heard this album once or twice before, so I know what I'm getting into. Looking forward to a revisit. Thank You for Sending Me an Angel Has a really nice rhythm that seems to chug along nicely in the background. The rhythm guitar really moves the instrumental forward, while the percussion grounds it. David Byrne delivers a classic David Byrne performance, full of chaotic charm and distinct personality. Has a great tempo starting the album of with a bang. Great. 4.5/5 With Our Love The groove hits instantly with a strange and quirky tempo. Great bass playing. Love the instrumental break. Has me bobbing along. The vocals are really interesting, going from eclectic and weird to having harmonious and resonant moments that play well with the musical backdrop. Good. 4/5 The Good Thing Some classic warmth building up within the instrumental. A beautiful combination between melody and groove. Don't love the backing vocals on the chorus. I really like the more laid back, understated approach the vocals take on the verses. Really like how the lyrics are portrayed. The strange thought process that's presented is quite fascinating. Good. 4/5 Warning Sign Great opening bassline. I like that it takes its time to get started, slowly introducing the elements of the song. The vocals sound both confused and confrontational at the same time, there's even a hint of panic there. Love the guitar. Great. 4.5/5 The Girl Wants to be with the Girls The instrumental is once again very smooth and precise, statying very fresh with its ideas and putting in interesting parts where they need to. Love how much the keys get go shine here. The vocals are fine, though don't really add much. Decent. 3.5/5 Found a Job Great groove. Strange premise for a song, the story is however easy to follow. It's very matter of fact about it's ideas. Great dancable instrumental section, really closes out the song with a bang. Decent. 3.5/5 Artists Only A moodier vibe for the intro of this song. Again, lovely bassline, and excellent drumming. Carries the song. The quirky and outright wacky vocals contrasts to the almost mysterious nature of the instrumental. Feels cold and dark, love the tiny effects in the background. Whoever this painter is, the music paints a deranged picture of him. Great. 4.5/5 I'm Not in Love Explosive and intense. Really fun. The vocals build up quite well into the very groovy and dancable instrumental. The narrator struggling with his lack of romantic feelings is an interesting perspective. It never feels callous or cold, just different. The final instrumental break is a masterclass in rhythm and feel, absolutely infectious. Fantastic. 5/5 Stay Hungry Sounds great. The production on this track is really crisp. The constant repetition is kinda stressful. Love the funky guitar and bass on this track, they have great synergy. When the final vocals come in with that ethereal synth all the tension is released, sealing the song off on a beautiful note. Good. 4/5 Take Me to the River Really funky with that combination of bass and keys. Has that slightly awkward trademark Talking Heads attitude which adds a lot of charm to the track. It sounds like they're having a lot of fun injecting their own sound into the source material. Great. 4.5/5 The Bit Country Floaty and nostalgic sounding. Love how our expectations are subverted after the sugary first verse. Instrumentally a bit different from the rest of the album, the country influences are certainly unique for the rest of it. Lyrically it's an interesting view into the mind of David Byrne. His detatchment from the rest of society, yet recognizition of its workings is fascinating to hear put into words. Great. 4.5/5 An album with plenty of great concepts that they blend together uniquely through an unmistakingly imaginative style. Has this infectious awkward charm to it, and a strong artistic vision blooming with weirdness and percision. Love the grooves and rhythms, and the freedom which they play with. The eclectic vocals, and fascinating lyrics add both unpredictability and emotion to each track. Is just lacking that little subtle special something to put it into perfection territory, as I know that they're capable of evolving this sound and adding new influnces and styles to it. While this is great in its own right, their later works expand so much upon their talent adding new dimensions to their music that is hard to overlook. Feels like they limited themselves a bit on this album, though it shows early signs of the greatness that soon would follow. 4.5/5 leaning more towards 4/5. Fave track. I'm Not In Love Least fave track. Found a Job

Sade has been on my radar for quite some time. Definitely one of those bands I've been procrastinating on listening to for far too long. Looking forward to this listen. Smooth Operator I've definitely heard this one before. Great sound quality. Love the bossa nova esque vibe. Great sax. Banger chorus and post chorus. Her voice is very smooth. Did not remember this song being this good. Cool and classy. Fantastic. 5/5 Your Love Is King I'm obsessed. This is magical. Soulful and smooth and a little bit camp with that extremely 80s saxophone. Great production and an amazing, intriguing voice. Such a fun track. Fantastic. 5/5 Hang Onto Your Love Great bassline, has some good funk to it combined with those guitars. Really catchy. Love the verses. That instrumental break is just amazing. Fantastic. 5/5 Frankie's First Affair Doesn't have the same kick to it as the previous songs, though remains really smooth and soulful. Has some great vocal moments. The production makes it sound large and sprawling while keeping a slightly intimate feel to it. The final third of the track turns on the magic with some beautiful vocal layering. Fantastic. 5/5 When Am I Going to Make a Living Feels uplifting. Love the energy. Another great bassline. Anthemic, empowering chorus. Extremely fun track with some great 80s cheese mixed with songwriting and performances of the highest quality. Amazing. 5/5 Cherry Pie Great soulful instrumental. Catchy bassline and airy, liquid production. Love the keys. Great chorus. A fun slightly funky, slightly jazzy pop track with great energy and a fine charismatic vocal performance. Love how it ends. Fantastic. 5/5 Sally Starts of kinda slow. The sax comes in at the perfect time. Soulful. Has a decent sense of scale, gives great payoff for all the buildup. Great. 4.5/5 I Will Be Your Friend Fun rhythm. The sentiment is pretty sweet. Feels innocent and cute. Sure it's a bit cheesy, but I can't dock it points for that. Puts me in a good mood. Love the plucky instrumental. Fantastic. 5/5 Why Can't We Live Together Moody. Has a layer of darkness over it which contrasts it to the previous tracks. The echoey percussion and the bleak keys add an eerie effect. Lyrics are a bit cliche, but I find it kinda charming. Has a great groove. Solid closer. Great. 4.5/5 This blew me away for some reason. Sometimes it really isn't that deep. An album can just click. It's just so much fun, so stylish and self-contained, creating a sound that just tickles the enjoyment center of the brain in just the right way. It's jazzy, it's smooth, it's consistent. The ideas feel fresh and the performances genuine. And it sure helps that I love her voice as well. Was sat here with a goofy smile on my face the whole time, yet I struggle to put into words why this is so great. I guess I'm just spellbound, charmed and fully bought into the vibe they're trying to sell. Was waiting the entire time for the album to drop off, but I kept being surprised by how sweet and genuine it felt. The production has that sweet 80's cheese with the hammiest sax you'll ever hear. It's to the point where you'll either love it or hate it I guess, but I can't help but feel charmed by it. This has every reason not to work, but it someone hits all the correct notes. 5/5 Fave track. N/A Least fave track. N/A

Love me some women with powerful voices. Not surprised to see Nina Simone on here, considering her catalogue. Feel like I pretty much know what I'm getting into here, even though this album in particular wasn't known to me before today. Expecting to hear a great vocal performance. Love how I've already reviewed covers of two of the tracks on here (Wild Is The Wind, David Bowie) , (Lilac Wine, Jeff Buckley) both of those are on albums I scored 5 stars, hoping for more amazing tracks like that. I Love Your Lovin' Ways It's a very uplifting song, enjoy how positive and sweet it is. The vocals are sung with a lot of confidence and naturality. Really like how the backing vocals contrast with Nina Simone's voice. The instrumental feels pretty typical for the era, doesn't take a lot of space and focus away from the main performer while adding a decent amount of texture to the track. Good. 4/5 Four Women Feminist sentiment is strong in this one. Relates with and celebrates women of colour while bringing attention to the stories of these women. There's a lot of tragedy in this tale where the common theme is the discrimination and dehumanization that women in minority groups have been facing all across the world. The final verse details someone who's world view has been particularly soured because of generational trauma caused by these injustices. As the piano darkens and tenses up, you feel her anger and bitterness, before the final line in the song releases the tension with an explosion of sound. Insightful. 5/5 What More Can I Say? Has a really classy vibe to it, while still showing a longing emotional core with a hint of frustration in there too. Love the grandiosity of the track. Has a lot of payoff to the buildup. Remains soulful throughout. While it relies heavily on the large and powerful instrumentation, it works great in tandem with the vocals to create some really powerful emotional moments. Great. 4.5/5 Lilac Wine A great piece of storytelling, love the metaphor. Has a really interesting structure. The piano is very emotive. The vocal performance is really balanced, never too subtle, never too bombastic. Remains understated enough to feel genuine. The ending is really sweet. Great. 4.5/5 That's All I Ask A great piece of soul with a jazzy little instumental. Has some decent sounding horns and a lot of subtle but impactful percussion. Feels like parts of the instrumental gets a bit in the way of the vocal performance. At times they compete for the same real estate causing it to sound a bit messy. The vocals are great, but never really doing anything out of the ordinary to differentiate it from similar songs of the era. Don't like how it fades out, it's too quick, too sudden, leaving the song with no real ending. Ends up sounding a bit unfinished. Fine. 3/5 Break Down And Let It All Out Empowering with a splash of colour. Love the slight bitterness and confrontational nature present in the vocal performance. The main hook is kinda cathartic. Still not loving the fade out. Decent. 3.5/5 Why Keep Breaking My Heart A nice change of pace instrumentally, with some more folky energy. Pleasant enough, but not particularly inspiring. The backing vocals feel a bit weak, and the main vocal performance is fairly standard. The chorus has a decent melody. Fine. 3/5 Wild Is The Wind Stunning. The background piano really gives the song some high stakes beauty. Buttery smooth and passionate vocal performance, with a hint of somber contemptation. Has this epic almost cinematic buildup that just keeps adding tension to the track, building layers on top of layers. One of the greats. Romantic powerhouse. 5/5 Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair Sweet and sentimental. Has a very good vocal performance, and is written very passionately and beliveably. Decent. 3.5/5 If I Should Lose You That piano intro is just so incredibly beautiful, wow. Sleepy and calming vibe. Love the interplay between voice and piano, it really reflects the emotion in her voice. Really like how it cascades and escalates through the track, played with a lot of depth. Never takes away the focus from the vocals, which work excellently in their own right. It's gotten to that point where her brilliance has become par for the course, as she's so incredibly consistent. Great. 4.5/5 Either Way I Lose You Kinda don't like the "dum dum dum"s. Feels a bit distracting. The horns are also kinda unneccesary. Soulful and mournful, has that quiet acceptance which makes it that much richer and more flavourful. Decent. 3.5/5 That was some upper shelf quality stuff. Oozes with class and skill, unburdened with the cliches that are often found in other 60's soul albums. She's such an amazing vocalist, showing so much control while also delivering in the areas where restraint is needed. Giving the performances just the right amount of push the song requires. Powerful, unique, and also incredibly sweet at times. Genuine sounding love songs, showing gratitude, longing, despair and even bitterness. Even has an amazing concious piece with the stunning "Four Women" written with incredibly thoughtfulness and awareness. Instrumentally the part that impressed me the most was the incredibly smooth and able piano playing which had some great technical moments, while always being an amazing supporting companion to the vocals. Would also shout out the percussion at times. A really consistent album where the weaker tracks are only hurt by production choices I don't agree with, or just lacking a bit of extra polish. A great listen with plenty to love. 4/5. Fave track. Four Women Least fave track. Why Keep Breaking My Heart

Can't say I'm looking forward to another Neil Young album so soon after the last one. He's my favourite artist on this list, but some of his stuff is pretty decent. Luckily this is a completely different era of Neil Young, so it will at least be interesting to hear how his sound has evolved since the mid 1970's. Curious to hear what Crazy Horse brings to the table. Country Home Great audio quality! The lyrics paint some pretty imagery. Evokes a peaceful, content feeling. A few times throughout the track the guitar comes in with some really nice distortion. The instrumental isn't interesting enough to warrant so much individual time. Drags a bit, doesn't justify being seven minutes long. Decent. 3.5/5 White Line Very Western coded guitar riff, sounds straight out of a 1960's cowboy movie. Definitely a driving song, both lyrically and tempo wise. The harmonies add a lot to the nostalgic Americana feel of the track. Good. 4/5 Fuckin' Up Crunchy distortion. There's not exactly anything wrong with the track other than it sounds kinda generic, even if it's a bit of a cop out as a descriptor. Pleasant and competent, just not particularly exciting. Neil Young's unique voice, along with the quality production is probably the difference maker between this and any other rock track. Fine. 3/5 Over and Over Nice guitar opening, feels very emotive and evocative of the overall sonic imagery of the album so far. The chorus is pretty sweet. Takes its time, genuinely beautiful at times. Has several great guitar riffs in a similar vein to the intro. Could've been condensed into a 6-7 minute track, feels like it doesn't know when to stop adding material leaving it sounding a bit unfocused. Decent. 3.5/5 Love to Burn Feels like a bit of an echo of the previous track. Has a very similar opening structure. Don't really like the chorus that much. Has a clunky composition, and the vocal melody is a bit strange. The band sounds really locked in, giving really solid performances and building well on top of each other. Sounds like they enjoy playing together. Has a noodly guitar section which while impressive feels completely unecessary. There's really nothing else going on while it's happening, and it goes on for too long. Has great energy. A bit monotonous. Mixed. 3/5 Farmer John Some interesting distortion with the guitars in a bit of a disjointed. Has a slight punk feel to it. Strange concept. Really like how offputting the character presented in the lyrics is. Seems a bit of a sleaze. Has a drunk energy to it, which sets it apart from the rest of the album. Decent. 3.5/5 Mansion on the Hill Electric energy. Has that attitude which feels very intrinsic to the country rock genre. The feeling of looking back, and that reflectiveness you need to pull it off convincingly. Like how they finally show some restraint. Warm and colourful. Good. 4/5 Days That Used to Be Feels pretty sad. Has a lot or that reflective emotion several of the previous tracks also have, though this one seems a lot more on the nose. Really like the simple guitar riff in the background. Decent. 3.5 Love and Only Love The harmonies are very pleasant. While not earthshattering I find the chorus to be quite charming. Has some really nice buildup to it. Suffers a bit from that aimlessness a lot of the longer tracks on this albums seem to have. Settles on some very generic guitar noodling and stays there far too long. That bassline becomes a bit annoying after a while. A bit of a chore to get through. Way too long, could be cut to 4 minutes without losing anything of value. Average. 2.5/5 Mother Earth (Natural Anthem) I Like the sentiment, but the hymn like composition and the electric guitar in the background makes me feel like I'm about to be indoctrinated into some weird American cult society. The environment is very important, but I don't like this presentation at all. Sounds awful to me. The cheering does not help. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 First of all this sounds very good. Clean and crisp production which presents the pristine musicianship on this record very flatteringly. The band is tight, and Neil Young's vocals are very clear and pronounced. His very distinct voice and delivery lends itself well to this sound. Each track is a self contained piece of Americana, lending from roots, western motifs, country music and much more to create some lovely imagery and great audatory landscapes. There's a lot of harkoning back to the good ol' days with a nostalgic reflective attitude which rubs off on the listener. Very early on you can feel how resonant this album can be, much thanks to Neil Young's long praised songwriting ability. "Ragged Glory" really shines where it shines, and where it doesn't you're met with what feels like a lack of restraint. Many of the tracks simply don't have the variation or enough interesting moments to justify their runtimes. There seems to be a pattern of just throwing in an overly long, meandering piece of guitar playing that just never seems to end. It gets to a point where it feels like a formula, where they just pan out the runtime to create a sense of grandiosity to the track, which simply doesn't always work leaving me finished with the song way before the track actually ends. Add in a few tracks that simply don't feel that unique and the album's rating quickly starts to drop. The album isn't entirely boring, as my previous factors of praise make up for some of its flaws, but it's never enough to completely save it. The final product comes across as a bit unfocused and bloated, too large for it's own good. It ends up being a flawed experience with still plenty to love scattered throughout its runtime. 3/5 Fave track. Mansion on the Hill Least fave track. Mother Earth (Natural Anthem)

The first of what I'm expecting to be a myriad of Beatles albums on this list. Can't say this was the one I was expecting to hear first. Never been in love with The Beatles, but it's hard to deny their influence, so it'll be fun to hear some of their early work. Never heard this one in full, though I do recognize a few tracks. I don't expect to have my mind blown, but I'm hoping for a pleasant and easy listen. A Hard Day's Night Decently catchy little tune. Has some good melodies and a solid vocal performance. Does a lot right, feels like a textbook example of a mid '60s rock track. Decent. 3.5/5 I Should Have Known Better Don't really like this one. The individual elements (guitars, vocals, harmonica) sound very disconnected from each other. Don't like the vocal effect. Through modern eyes the writing sounds a bit basic, though this is the Beatles who sort of invented what "basic" is. Ends up being a bit boring. Did not like. 2/5 If I Fell Lovely vocal melody. Has some great harmonies. A pretty cute love song that doesn't take up too much space. Is content with being what it is. Fine. 3/5 I'm Happy Just To Dance With You I enjoy the sparse instrumental. The premise works well. The vocal melody feels like its dancing on top of the instrumental. Unremarkable, but fine for what it is. 3/5 And I Love Her Fsntastic guitar. A sweet little love song, with an instrumental that has a sentimental effect even without the lyrics there to spell it out. Decent. 3.5/5 Tell Me Why Has a fun energy to it. The chorus is pretty catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Can't Buy Me Love Feels timeless in a way. Like it has always existed. The chorus has a very bouncy and infectious energy to it. I like the peppy bassline. Decent. 3.5/5 Any Time At All Has a bit of a kick to it. Great performance on the chorus. I like the guitar line that comes immediately after it. Has some cool rock n roll swagger to it. Good. 4/5 I'll Cry Instead Don't have much to say about this one. It's really well performed and does everything it's set out to do. Fine. 3/5 Things We Said Today Has some decent drama to it. Like the moodiness present in the vocal/guitar melody. Kinda hate the tambourine here. The vocal interplay adds a lot of atmosphere. Decent. 3.5/5 When I Get Home Comes in swinging with everything it's got. An extremely competent rock track with some grit and personality to it. The perspective in the lyrics is written effectively. Decent. 3.5/5 You Can't Do That The lyrics are kinda cringe and pushy. Instrumentally it's pretty cool, the cowbell is a nice touch and I really like some of the riffs here. Good vocal performance. Fine. 3/5 I'll Be Back Again Pleasant. Stays in its lane while never really dropping off. It's good for what it is, but feels a bit predictable. Kinda fades into the background towards the end. Average. 2.5/5 Didn't really do much for me. Shows a lot of promise for days to come for The Beatles, showcases their potential aptly. Just falls into "ham sandwich" territory, where it's a pretty good sandwich made with high quality ingredients, but at the end of the day it's a ham sandwich, not the most exciting meal. It's not boring, it's not uninteresting, it's not unimpressive. It just causes me to barely react, having very little to say about each track. Great as an historical piece, but overshadowed by even The Beatles' own later discography. 3/5 Fave track. Any Time At All Least fave track. I Should Have Known Better

Classic album, super accessible and extremely fun. Mark Knopfler provides some of the catchiest and most infectios guoat performances of all time. The album is filled with satire and commentary while also having some heartfelt moments throughout. I'm very familiar with this, but I don't mind another listen. So Far Away Deep and layered sound, the guitars take some interesting twists and turns. Expressive vocal performance while remaining solemn and calm. Great chorus. Sounds very warm and inviting, makes for a lovely atmosphere. Great. 4.5/5 Money For Nothing Timeless track, even as it contains plenty of references that are pretty of the time. This still gets played at house parties to this day. One of the very few 8 minute plus tracks that doesn't get your AUX privilages permanentely revoked. I don't think anyone can deny that the intro to this track with that fantastic crunchy distorted guitar is absolutely iconic. Probably one of the most recognizable riffs of all time. There's some dated language there, but comes across as satire. Extremely catchy chorus. Great jam section towards the final quarter of the track. Classic. 5/5 Walk Of Life Another straight banger. Iconic intro, with some of the most recognizable keyboard riffs of all. The rhythm to this track is extremely light hearted and danceable. Has one of the top 5 "woohoo"s of all time. Instant mood lifter. Fun to sing along to. Classic. 5/5 Your Latest Trick Very pleasant intro, very nice interplay between the brass and electric guitar. Great sax sound. Tranquil and floaty atmosphere. Very evocative lyrics, they create their very own world which is really easy to get lost in. Great. 4.5/5 Why Worry Beautiful calming guitar riff. Has a very reassuring energy to it. Love those pretty keys and the subtle bass. Interesting composition, especially in the extended instrumental bits. The vocals have a sort of lullaby quality to them. Takes its time while introducing new elements, keeping it fresh despite its long runtime. Great. 4.5/5 Ride Across The River Love this instrumental, the bass, the keys the haunting guitar in the background and the distant trumpet all add together for a fantastic atmospheric piece which just feels so resinant. There's a great combination of sound which keeps building upon itself as the track goes. The crisp guitar in contrast with the deep and moody bass just feels like it has so much depth and emotion behind it. The vocal melody is very effective, working with the instrumentation to make it feel so alive. Love the tropical insect sounds in the background. The themes of war go well with the moodier and sadder feeling of the track, really fits the "Brothers in Arms" theme. Fantastic. 5/5 The Man's Too Strong Love the more acoustic stripped back production. Reflective political storytelling. Great drama with the loud guitars. Feels mournful and contemplative. Good. 4/5 One World Immediately love the bass, the guitar is also extremely good of course. I enjoy the groovier more tempo focused track at this point in the album. Has a very fun vocal structure in the chorus. The lyrics work well in contrast with the bounciness of the track, they almost feel deliberatly hidden avoiding cliches. Great. 4.5/5 Brothers In Arms About as effective an anti-war song as you'll ever get. Implies the horror, while never distracting from the bonds that are built in extreme survivorship situations. Contrasts the human connections we make with the meaninglesness of war. Timeless guitar solo. A beautiful track which encapsulates the themes of the album perfectly. One of the greatest. 5/5 This one is quite special for all the right reasons. Throughout my life I've heard songs from it on long trips in the car, in the background at family events, and at parties with friends. It's been there all my life and each time I hear it in full I discover something new about it. Sure nostalgia drives my love for this quite substantially, but the moments in which the music is played are often as important as the music itself. A masterclass in creating resonant music that capture a specific feeling so perfectly. And I don't think it's controversial to say that the musicianship and the songwriting on here is fantastic either. I feel the reason why it has stuck around for so long is because it's really good. It's beautifully paced, has a good balance between fun accessible tracks, artistic undertakings and emotionally grounded tracks which keeps it applicable for many different moods, while also keeping it interesting during a full listen. No matter the style the instrumentals stay of the highest quality, composed cleverly and performed with emotion and style. This leads to a very consistent project containing not only the often praised guitars that have become almost synonymous with Dire Straits, but also moments featuring trumpet, bass, keyboard, drums and more. All which provide fantastic moments of their own or in tandem with each other, creating a varied sonic pallatte which can surprise at any turn. Even the vocals, while never grandiose or spectacular provide a lot of relatability as well as providing passionate and emotive performances that enhance the often political or commentary laden lyrics. This album works in all the ways it should, and it's to me at least very obvious why it deserves to be on this list. 5/5 Fave track. Ride Across The River

Suddenly I was hit with the urge to hunt down that local outlaw and make him yee his last haw. A rootin', tootin', gunshootin' piece of western romanticism. Does exactly what it says on the can. A perfect soundtrack for when you wanna dust of that ol' cowboy hat and spurs while ridin' down the lonesome prairie into the setting sun. Big Iron Behind every song that eventually became a meme is a good song, that's at least the case with this one. A really catchy and captivating piece of storytelling with an easy to follow narrative which paces itself elegantly. Great voice, great backing vocals and bouncy and fun composition with a cute little bassline and picky guitar. Fantastic. 5/5 A Hundred And Sixty Acres Paints a romantic and idealized version of rural living. A positive and appreciative depiction of a man who's spending his time caring for his homestead. A cute fantasy. Good. 4/5 They're Hanging Me Tonight A very charismatic and believable vocal performance. Full with drama with a hint of theatrics that really sells the depressed/doomed cowboy trope. Very cliche, but charming. Decent. 3.5/5 Cool Water Don't be thirsty, stay hydrated! Dramatic storytelling. Builds a lot on a simple concept, hits a lot of the desert tropes while sounding fairly unique. Decent. 3.5/5 Billy The Kid Cowboys, famous outlaws, sheriffs, exactly what you expect to hear from a an album called Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. He has a mournfulness in his voice that really sells the story, and while its content is quite predictable, there's a lot of charm to something so simple. Decent. 3.5/5 Utah Carol Typical story song, even has that token vocal melody style which has later been parodied many times. The story itself is pretty easy to follow and remains interesting througout. Musically it lacks anything remarkable outside the fact that his voice is pretty pleasant. Would definitely be monotous if it went on for any longer. Fine. 3/5 The Strawberry Roan Seems really easy to find a job in those times. Kinda funny that a random guy just approached him, judging him by his look and then just giving him a job. What is this eldritcht being he's describing? Sounds sketchy to me. It's a bit weaker than other tracks on the album, the narrative jumps around a bit and the pacing is odd. Feels a bit difficult to follow along with. Average. 2.5/5 The Master's Call I like the progression a lot. Each sentence ends in a very memorable way. God is a scary vengeful being in this song, very striking imagery. Feels like a campfire story. It's a fun and engaging story though the moral lesson isn't believeable enough to have much value. Still powerful and passionate. Pretty spectacular and grandiose at times. Fantastic. 5/5 Running Gun Fun tempo with a plucky and crisp guitar in the background. Simple but effective. Cliche and tropey song, but works for what it is. Decent. 3.5/5 El Paso Evocative and vivid, really love how descriptive each line is. Written charismatically showing an extreme appreciation of the genre. Has a very infectious vocal melody which is fun to song along to. A classic fantasy when you endulge in the narrator's delusion. Tropey, a bit cheesy and very charming. The great delivery and the smooth archetypical cowboy country voice really seals the deal. Fantastic. 5/5 In The Valley A brief but sweet mournful love song, which while never doing anything too special delivers well on its premise. Great vocals once again. Decent. 3.5/5 The Little Green Valley A standard piece on this album, probably straying towards being one of the more forgetable songs on here. Pleasant enough, just doesn't really do anything exciting. Average. 2.5/5 The Hanging Tree Spaghetti trumpet. Feels like the hanging tree in question has a double meaning, which really becomes apparent throughout the song. Decent storytelling with a unique concept for a country western love song. Decent. 3.5/5 Saddle Tramp Again, a very solid piece of romanticism. Pays homage to the idealized image of the lonesome drifter without a care in the world. A cute little piece of music. Good 4/5 El Paso (Repeat) Mono version with a few minor tweaks from the previous one. NA/5 A very fun album which satisfies the craving for some tropey cowboy action and simple to follow along with stories on a western backdrop. Stays in its lane, delivering exactly what is promised on the packaging. Never strays off theme even when taking on different topics, and while some might be repeats the presentation usually makes up for it. Marty Robbins has the perfect voice for this, believable as a traveling narrator figure who goes from one dusty town to another performing his stories. Love, death, drama and even some god fearing horror, all performed with charisma and grace in a classic country style. Really feels easy to listen to, and while it has some songs that feel a bit average they never really derail the pacing enough to ruin the experience. The stellar highlights more than make up for the fairly significant lows. Definitely something I'll throw on occasionally when I'm feeling like drifting into a western fantasy land. Great recommendation. 4/5 Fave track. The Master's Call Least fave track. The Strawberry Roan

Time for a pleasant listen of a few happy songs about rainbows and butterflies. No anger or dissatisfaction here, and absolutely nothing political. Just chill vibes :) Jokes aside this album absolutely slaps. One of the greatest debuts of all time, with a legendary album cover. Contains banger after banger. The rage, the attitude and the showmanship, featuring heavy guitars with interesting effects, blasting drums and eclectic basslines - together they just work. Contains concious racial politics and vitriolic commentary, calling out the sham elites who bring suffering upon the weak. Edgy, risky, and vivid. With explosive personality and carthartic energy. Play as loudly as possible. Bombtrack That opening bassline sets the stage for what's to come. The fusion of the rapping and the loud guitars is extremely effective. Goes straight on the attack as soon as the vocals come in. So much fun rage. Perfect opener. 5/5 Killing In the Name Absolutely iconic. Indescribable. Kicks ass to the moon and back. Don't think I need to justify why this slaps. Fuck the police. 5/5 Take the Power Back Magnificiently funky. Those riffs though... Anyone else up for a little riot sometime? Tom Morello deserves all the praise in the world. A perfect summertime bop to hate the current fucked up state of the world to, hasn't aged a day. 5/5 Settle For Nothing It's so ominous and dark. Love the pain and passion. Zach de la Rocha's performance on this track is something else. Love the guitars in the background. Amazing buildup into an even better release. Fantastic. 5/5 Bullet In the Head Yeah at this point what is there even left to say about this album. Every track is pretty much perfect. I'll give this track a lot of credit for how catchy it manages to be, while still providing some commentary about the media which seems to be just as relevant today as it was then, perhaps even more so. Love how the track ends. 5/5 Know Your Enemy Love how direct this track is. Just everything feels like it's being thrown straight at you, the guitars, the lyrical content and the tempo, are all so forward and clear. Love the Maynard feature in the bridge, adds some diversity to the sound. Fantastic. 5/5 Wake Up Ominous and apocalyptic. Great performance. I think it raises a lot of interesting ideas. The final section is extemely well constructed, love the scream vocal. Fantastic. 5/5 Fistful of Steel Has a great bassline, and I love a lot of the distinct guitar sounds throughout. Just isn't quite as strong as other tracks on here. Lacks a distinguishing feature to make it stand out. Has a lot of energy, just not quite on the same level as previous tracks. Good. 4/5 Township Rebellion Awesome riff. Love the strange sounds in the background, gives it a semi-industrial vibe at times. Great rap flow at times too. Great chorus, gets the point across really well. Great. 4.5/5 Freedom Pretty much sums up the spirit of the album. The instrumentation feels fsirly progressive, has an interesting rhythm to it. Love how the release of anger is depicted in the instrumental. Has yet another fantastic performance by Zach de la Rocha. Passionate and full of resentment. Great closer. Fantastic. 5/5 There might be some personal bias here, but this album will always remain one of my favourite for how effective it is. No track here is a skip, and each performance is noteworthy in some way. Love the rebellious energy and the rage. 5/5 Fave track. Take the Power Back

I have no idea what this is or where it came from. It's from a scene of music I know very little about and seems generally pretty niche. Hoping to learn a thing or two underway, but have no idea what to expect. Rendez-Vu This is very strange. I have no idea what this is for. The electronic beat is pretty repetitive, never seeming to change up the energy much. Don't really like the vocal effects. The acoustic guitar sample is a decent addition. When the beat drops the track is kinda dancable, but not as infectious as it might want to be. Fine. 3/5 Yo Yo The awful vocal effect is back. Clubby, dancy beat. Nice distortion. The noisy background effects are pretty cool. Decent. 3.5/5 Jump 'N Shout Definitely a dance track. The rapping goes very well over the beat. Groovy and fun. Works for what it is. Decent. 3.5/5 U Can't Stop Me That vocal is very dated, doesn't sound very good over the beat. Love the deeper bass sound. I like the contrasting harsher vocals in the background. The main vocal grew on me a bit throughout the track, just needed some time to adjust. Found it pretty interesting actually. Complete 180. Great. 4.5/5 Jaxxalude Rhythmic interlude. Feels like a belated introduction. Red Alert Clever intro. Very bouncy beat, lovely bass. Catchy dancable tune, feels very retro but in a fun throwback way. Really fun vocal. The track paces itself excellently, switching itself up and drives the beat through. Banger. 5/5 Jazzalude Mirrors the previous interlude quite well. Always Be There Deeper, more liquid production. Has a dark moody vibe to it. I really like how layered and effect-laden it is. Really interesting arrangement. Love the synthy outro. Enjoyed that quite a lot. 5/5 Sneakalude Yep Same Old Show Has a nice groove, but repeats itself for a bit too long. A bit boring, has some interesting vocal samples, and definitely picks up towards the end, but didn't exactly click for me. Was kinda annoyed by it in the end. Average. 2.5/5 Bingo Bango Am I wrong for immediately thinking FIFA World Cup vibes? Good groove. I like the jazzy piano and the blasting horns. Not the most thought provoking thing in the world, but could definitely see myself returning to this. Fun, charismatic, dancable. Great. 4.5/5 Gemilude Another one. I like the vocal. Has plenty of charisma for the short snippet we got. Stop 4 Love Feels really slick. Love the seriousness of the production. Really mellow. Has some pretty beautiful passages throughout. Good. 4/5 Don't Give Up Abrasive sound. Not sure if I like it or I hate it. Noise heavy, lacking in any real rhythm or groove. I appreciate the experimental nature of the track. Feels alluring and dark. The vocals add a lot to the ominous atmosphere. Stunning production. Great. 4.5/5 Being With U Love the contrast between sweet vocals and the heavy dark synths. The snaps work surprisingly well. Very pleasant. Works as a closer. Decent. 3.5/5 Never been one for dance music, especially not the clubby house kind where the main intention behind it is to get you to wave around drunkly on a dancefloor. For some reason I found myself having a surprisingly good time with this. Sometimes you need something that isn't all that deep, something where you can put your critical mindset on the shelf and just have a good time. I feel this achieved that for me pretty successfully. Is it corny, a bit vapid and perhaps a bit dated at times? Perhaps it is, but all in all it provides a perfectly acceptable piece of escapism with dancable electronic beats, fun hooks and a lot of personality. If you're in for a deep analytical listen this is not the album for you. For diversity's sake the list needs a few albums like this that showcases different scenes with music for different purposes. Of course there are days where I'd rather have an album I can pick apart each nuance from and really dive deep into each minor detail, but sometimes simple is also good. I had a lot of fun with this one, seems an accessible introduction to late '90s dance music. 3.5/5, leaning towards 4/5 Fave track. Red Alert Least fave track. Same Old Show

A band I expected to see sooner or later on this list. Not a personal favourite of mine, but at least I know I'll be in for an easy listen. Don't really have any expectations, maybe some cool riffs. The worst case scenario would be that it sounds truck commercial music. Maybe it'll have a bit of that vibe, but I don't think it's gonna be that bad. Gimme All Your Lovin' Oh it's this song. Haven't thought about it much, gets a lot of play on 80's stations for some reason. It's alright I suppose. The guitar riffs chug along nicely and the chorus I could see being a bit of an earworm. The verses are duds though, there really isn't much memorable about them. The final third of the track kinda goes nowhere, sort of loses track of itself. Fine. 3/5 Got Me Under Pressure The lyrics are pretty raunchy. Has a decent amount of pace to it. Decent guitars. A pretty consistent track, while nothing out of this world, does a lot right and it ends up sounding pretty good. Decent. 3.5/5 Sharp Dressed Man Classic guitar riff. Sleazy lyrics. Plenty of that rock and roll attitude. A chorus that is close to being synonymous with the southern rock genre. One of the genre defining songs of the southern rock scene. Not my favourite kind of music, but I respect it. Decent. 3.5/5 I Need You Tonight This bluesy minimalistic mostly guitar driven rock music is kinda tired at this point. The performances are pretty good, and the production sounds great, but it just lacks some pinache and personality to really drive it home. Very well constructed, with some great guitar parts, and a vocal performance that sounds very professional and fitting for the style. Just in the end doesn't do much for me. Fine. 3/5 I Got the Six One dimensional. A really predictable track. Never really does anything too different. Has decent energy I suppose. Average. 2.5/5 Legs Kinda sleazy and cringe. Horny old person drunk uncle about to get a speeding ticket core. Boring and unimaginative. The riffs are alright I suppose, just feels a bit basic. Did not like. 2/5 Thug This sounds a bit different at least. I like the bas quite a bit, has a real funky quality to it. Too bad the rest of the song sort just blends together. Sort of goes nowhere. Average. 2.5/5 TV Dinners Hmmm. Did they run out of ideas? What is the closest thing in the room I can make a song about? Oh I know! My dinner from yesterday! Eureka! At least it shows they don't take themselves too seriously, even if the final result is a very uninspired piece of oversaturated mediocrity that's only notable due to the strange concept. Ends up being repetitive and boring. Did not like. 2/5 Dirty Dog Are you sure this song wasn't on earlier? Feels like it at least. A tempo that trucks along with some guitars that are heavy on the gas. Really burns some rubber. Goes full throttle. A bootload of guitars to cruise down the dirt road to. Truck music. 2/5 If I Could Only Flag Her Down I definitely heard this song. Sound came out of my headset and into my ear then registered somewhere in my brian. Then the song kept going before finally ending. After it ended there was a brief moment of silence. In that moment I realized it was over and went to listen to the next song. I thought "That was definitely a song that exists" then never thought about it again. Forgetable. 1.5/5 Bad Girl It's fast and energetic. Really dumb. That's about all I got to say. Did not like. 2/5 Starts off okay then the sound gets tired, and it gets tired quickly. It's in your face, juvenile and horny. It's sleazy and objectifying and at times very shallow. Has some great guitar work, but it all just blends into a malformed homogenous sonic mass which struggles to distinguish itself from its own blob-like form. It's just so stuck in its own ideas that even when you think it starts to evolve some sense of variety it quickly reverts back into its own oversaturated sound. Even the songs that work have huge portions that are just simply forgetable, only really saved by a few seconds of brilliance from a clever chorus or an infectious riff. I can't fault them for their energy or skills as performers though. While I hold the opinion that the songwriting here is pretty weak, they at least sound like they're trying to make an entertaining product. There's real skill in the guitar playing, and they've obviously put effort into sounding like the best versions of themselves. It genuinely sounds like they want to be there, and that they're enjoying themselves making entertainment. It's then a shame all that effort is put into something so pointlessly uninteresting. There are some good parts here and there, but ultimately this is just average. In an ocean of classic rock albums this is just another bubble. 2.5/5 Leaning closer towards a 2/5 Fave track. Got Me Under Pressure Least fave track. If I Could Only Flag Her Down

This is entirely new to me. As I mostly associate the New York rap scene with gangsta rap and later on concious hip hop this isn't something I'd expect to ever come across on my own. Looks fairly fresh and interesting, seems a nice break from all of the classic rock I've been getting lately. The Fun Lovin' Criminal The instrumental has a lot going for it, really like the horn sample. Has a pretty cool bassline as well, and the harmonica adds some depth. The lyrics are just fine with some fun rhymes, with the vocals adding a fairly effective performance which works for the song, but never really blows me away. Decent. 3.5/5 Passive/Aggressive Smooth, chilled out guitar sample. Combined with the slow bass and laid back drums gives a really mellow atmosphere. The sound of that chorus really contrasts with the rest of the track's energy. Nice distortion. While being a moment of musical whiplash I feel like the decision to put the listener in juxtaposition between two very different vibes keeps them interested in the track, preventing it from melding into the background. I found the lyrics a bit too referential at times. Decent. 3.5/5 The Grave and the Constant Surprised by the sonic variety when it comes to the sampling. Great instrumental around the chorus. While the lyrics there don't really do much the horns and guitar makes it more than worth repeating. The verses don't exactly captivate, but I guess the performance adds to an enjoyable atmosphere. Good. 4/5 Scooby Snacks Pretty cool bass sound. Interesting Pulp Fiction sample. Paints a pretty fun fantasy with the storytelling. The slight abrasiveness of the vocals on the chorus makes the song seem lighter and less serious. Combined with the ridiculous euphemism for weed the track seems pretty fun and likable. Has some personality to it. Decent. 3.5/5 Smoke 'Em I'm unsure about this instrumental, feels too cinematic with that lingering horn. Doesn't fit that well with the lyrical content. The chorus isn't great either, goes on too long providing little of substance. The performance on the verses is fine, I like the raspiness in his voice. Average. 2.5/5 Bombin' The L Was not expecting that Smoke on the Water distorted guitar riff. Free Bird sample is weird. Can't really get behind the premise, at least it's not boring though I find it quite messy. Average. 2.5/5 I Can't Get With That Love the instrumental. Really smooth. The political commentary comes across in a simple and clear way. The guitar solo adds some weight to the track, and sits really well on top of the mellow beat. Effective track. Decent. 3.5/5 King of New York Funky disco beat. The flow feels really old school. Charismatic and fun. Feels sort of effortless. Love the chaotic instrumental towards the end. Decent. 3.5/5 We Have All The Time In The World Pleasant. His voice is kinda weak for this type of song. The breathines contrasts a bit too much against the warm instrumental. Having this here definitely adds to the album by providing some warmth and melody. Surprisingly well executed despite its limitations. Decent. 3.5/5 Bear Hug Was expecting something like this after the slower previous track. Fun energy. Simple but works. I like the harmonica sample. Feels a bit dumb, but it's not bad. Fine. 3/5 Come Find Yourself Takes a bit too long to get going. I don't like the whispering at all. Slow and boring. The flow is really predictable on the verses. Really repetitive. Dislike. 2/5 Crime And Punishment God-awful beat. Sounds like an alarm. Way too loud and mechanical. Improves, but loses all sense of individuality. Has some alright commentary, though the strokes seem a bit too broad for it to actually be saying anything. Dislike. 2/5 Methadonia Smooth. I like the instrumental a lot. The vibe is immaculate. Kinda confused by the lyrics, not sure if pro or anti drugs. I like the energy of the track, the performance goes very well with the instrumental. Decent. 3.5/5 Not sure what I'm gonna call this. Strange and confused is the first thing that comes to mind. I'm genuinely not sure what to think. There's a lot of instrumental moments that sound nice, though I'm not even sure if it's original work or a sample I'm hearing half the time. But even if I find it quite pleasant at times I'm never really hearing anything I find too exceptional. Most tracks are just average to decent, never really doing anything too special with their sound. The flows are boring and predictable and while the performances do feel pretty thought out they never really stick in my mind afterwards. While varied they never really seem to land on a style which they excel at leaving each track feeling a bit undercooked. Lyrically is where they lose me the most, there are very few memorable lines, it's fairly repetitive and the commentary is often too broad to have any real meaning. When it isn't it's difficult to separate satire from their real feelings. There are also so many referential comparissons which makes the tracks sort of predictable. I do however find enjoyment in how little they take themselves seriously endearing, and I find the way they embrace their flaws also to be charming. And while not every single strange sample or experiment works I appreciate them for trying to sound different. It leaves for a more fulfilling experience when the band doesn't feel like they have to safe everything. I'm gonna be a bit harsher with my score and give it a 2.5/5 leaning closer to a 3/5. Even if it doesn't reflect the individual track ratings. I think individually many tracks are stronger than the final rating, but as an album it's just so messy that I can't help but deduct points from it. Fave track. The Grave and the Constant Least fave track. Crime and Punishment

It's really late as I'm listening to this so I'm honestly not expecting much. Gonna try to be as objective as possible despite the non ideal hour. Supertramp is a band I know of from their "Breakfast in America" album which came out a few years after this. Expecting something very 1970's. Hoping for some catchy tunes and an accessible experience. School Cinematic opening. Promises something dramatic. Seems to be building up to something in the first verse. Kinda proggy. A dynamic track with some complexity to it, has a lot of really distinct parts and passages that are characterized by entirely different compositions. None of the verses repeat a single melody and the tempo changes a lot throughout the track. Love the extended piano passage. Interesting track, though perhaps a bit too ambitious, feels a bit unfocused. Decent. 3.5/5 Bloody Well Right Jazzy opening. The keys create a groove all on their own. Has some edge to it with the heavy distortion on the guitars. The at times yachty vocals don't really do much for me. Theres a certain underlying blues feeling to the track, it seems to hide under layers of instrumentation. Feels like it's missing something, though I can't quite place what it is. Fine. 3/5 Hide In Your Shell Sleepy vibe from the keys. I don't love the vocals, they a bit underdeveloped. The instrumental is a bit too loud, especially the bass. Extremely 1970's. Comes across as cheesy and dated, and not in a charming way. A bit lame. Does not have enough going for it to justify being almost seven minutes long. The climax of the song just comes of as wailing and desperate with unconvincing backing vocals to go with it. Did not like. 2/5 Asylum The first verse reminds me of a melodramatic B-list musical. Terrible mixing. Very jarring drop in volume. The sound is very empty and hollow, the variations in volume does not help with this, genuinely just makes the song distracting. I don't like the vocals at all, feels like a raving madman on an especially bad bender trying to start a fight with the instrumental. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Dreamer Wow that's annoying. Sounds like a children's song at times. The keys in the background add nothing positive to the track. I can't see the intention behind this song, is it supposed to be inspiring? I feel like I'm being mocked by some irritating toddler. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Rudy The piano intro is pleasant. It's not entirely terrible. There are some pretty cool guitar riffs, and at points the vocals come through a few memorable melodic lines. The bassline is also pretty consistently good. Though the first half of the song meanders a lot, dragging you along through a boring journey. It starts picking up later on bringing a pretty dynamic conclusion to the whole ordeal with a more energetic climax before wrapping up with a decent enough conclusion. Suffers from the first half being stretched too thin. Average. 2.5/5 If Everyone Was Listening Fairly dramatic with a hint of theatricality in the performance. Suits the lyrics well. Love the flute. The violin also adds a nice dramatic effect. Decent. 3.5/5 Crime of the Century I don't buy it. Attempys to be dramatic, but it feels a bit manifactured. The guitar solo however is quite good. I enjoy the atmosphere set up by the dueling piano notes and the bass. Has the potential to grow on me. Is a pretty okay closer. Decent. 3.5/5 That was a bit mediocre if I'm being honest. Some songs sorta worked, but there was also plenty of unflattering melodramatic slop, which while not being directly out of ideas came off as goofy and lame. Some songs were overly long, slow and grating. Possessing unpleasant vocals and strange production choices that made them difficult to listen to. It's not entirely hopeless however, as many of the ideas present in the instrumentation were well executed. There's some good guitars, well paced piano passages and strongly implemented moments of flute and violin. The drums were also mostly fine, providing power and intensity to some tracks, but I feel like they sometimes were victims of some not great mixing where they sounded a bit hollow. The proggier more experimental tracks were probably the highlight on here, with a dynamic sound and some fresh ideas. Otherwise a lot of this album strays into yacht rock territory where the slow, calculated songs offer little of value. 2/5 Fave track. School Least fave track. Dreamer

Listing off all the advertisements your album's songs have been featured on in the Wikipedia article is not something that gives me much hope for this thing. Never heard of the band before today. The description in the article worries me. Gonna give it an honest shot, though my expectations are low going into it. Punchbag Laid back indie vibes. Don't love the watery piano riff in the background. Interesting vocal layering. A bit predictable, but doesn't really do anything wrong per se. Nothing special, but pleasant enough. Fine. 3/5 Angryman Cute bassline. Cool percussion. Hate the vocals. The instrumental saves the track, it's rhythmic and varied. Dub-adjacent with the bass, jazzy keys and sax. Decent. 3.5/5 No Trophy Cloudy and drowned out production style. Feels oddly cold and distant. A bit of a nothing-burger of a song. Doesn't really excel at anything. Average. 2.5/5 Binnel Bay The musical box style intro is a bit too drawn out. I like the idea of the vocals, but I don't like the instrumental, would've preferred something harsher and noisier to go with the lyrics. The contrast between the dour vocals and the chirpy instrumental doesn't work, leaving the track lacking any sort of effect. Feels misaligned. Average. 2.5/5 Sunshine Cute effects. Creates an almost underwater atmosphere. There's definitely some depth to the sound of this track, borrowing heavily from psychedelia. Love the delays, the reverby drums and the general haziness of the track. Almost a bit jazzy at times. A full and broad sounding song with a lot of colour. Great. 4.5/5 A Minha Menina Stereotypical indie guitars. Appriciate the harsher sound. Not a fan of the vocals. Has some catchiness to it. Fine. 3/5 This Town Pleasant misanthropic indie tune with some cool effects going on. A bit generic, but the lyrics are just relatable enough, and the instrumental has just enough interesting elements to it that it ends up being pretty alright. Unique for the tracklist at least. Decent. 3.5/5 Sweet Like A Champion Feels a bit ominous with the close and personal feeling layered vocals, the jangly guitar and the spooky organ. Has a creepy factor to it with the perspective of lyrics being in second person for the majority of the track's runtime. Good. 4/5 Lying in the Snow I like the delayed reverby sound and the floaty style of the track. Though the slow tempo sort of drags there is some beauty to be found in the instrumental. Just wish it built up to something a bit more climatic and satisfying. Leaves you with feeling like it's a snippet of something much bigger picture, like there should be something more to it. Fine. 3/5 Zia Pleasants, but starts off sounding like an interlude. Can't help but finding this definitely competent, but sort of directionless and noodly piano playing over a stale beat to be a bit boring. The playing is good, but not so exceptionally groundbreaking that it needed an entire track. Average. 2.5/5 Sky Holds the Sun Sleepy late night vibe. Has a slight jazzy edge. Feels intimate and warm. I found the mellow vibe to be quite a safe and effective closer for an album which went through such stylistic diversity. Decent. 3.5/5 Not anything outstanding, but has its moments. It's definitely varied with a dynamic tracklist that has its surprises allowing different genres and styles to come through. This constant shifting of styles do however cause the album to lack some consistency, where as it feels as if their focus is mainly on filling it out with as many quirky and different ideas as possible at the detriment of the individual tracks' quality. Generally not a fan of the vocals, and the production is honestly pretty rough at times. I also feel like it lacks a standout moment which really showcases their style. Too many of the songs are just pleasant, or in other words just fine leaving you with very few memorable pieces to look back upon. It's an okay piece of indie music, but I can't for the life of me figure out how it landed on this list. Can't say it has enough going for it to justify it's conclusion, though I can say it ended up being a decent listen regardless. 3/5 Fave track. Sunshine Least fave track. Binnel Bay

First impression: it's long. A double album, basically containing two entire separate albums, both being more than an hour each. It seems quite the undertaking. I like Outkast, especially their early work so I'm definitely aware of what I should expect from it, but still. There's a reason I've been avoiding this one. Love the hits on this thing, I've heard a few of the other songs too, but I fear this might end up being too much Outkast for one day. For the sake of the format I gotta treat this as one single album, and rate it based on the full package. Intro Speakerboxxx allows Big Boi to show the audience that he's not just the sidekick of the group. Taking charge of his own record lets him distance himself from "the other guy in Outkast" expectation which I've always felt is reductive for a guy with as much talent as Big Boi. Excited to see what this one brings to the table. As an intro it does what it's supposed to, but not much more. GhettoMusick Oh jeez, this sounds extremely dated. The production just screams early 2000's. Really picks up after the excellent sample. Pretty dynamic, love the chorus. Great energy. Good. 4/5 Unhappy Love the smooth funkiness here. Fantastic vocal melody. Really catchy. Good. 4/5 Bowtie I like the RNB inclusions. The first rap verse is really bouncy and fun, the second one is also very charismatic. Don't love the chorus. Has some dated production choices, like the cartoonish voices in the background. The horns are a bit obnoxious. Fine. 3/5 The Way You Move Has some old school feel to the flow on top of the beat. Classic sounding chorus. The soulful rnb verse is a great inclusion. A classy fun dancy track with tons of charisma. Good. 4/5 The Rooster The intro is kinda corny. Has great energy, but lacks that patented Outkast catchiness which makes their hits work so well. The beat gets a bit much after a while. Fine. 3/5 Bust Very interesting beat. Love the rock influences with the electric guitar. Rhythmic first verse. I love Killer Mike's delivery, really agressive and hard, not sure about his verse's quality (it's fine), but his voice and energy really fits on the beat. Decent. 3.5/5 War Very interesting switchup, was gonna write this up as a fairly standard Outkast track prior to that. I guess a song literally called 'War' has to be political, decent commentary. Decent. 3.5/5 Church Not a fan of the beat. It's kinda irritating. Don't care muxh for the religious messaging. Feels preachy. Delivery is pretty good, and I like the female vocals. Average. 2.5/5 Bamboo Cute, but kinda pointless Tomb of the Boom The features offer a bit of a different attitude which freshens up the sound a bit. It hits pretty well, has some rhyhtmic qualities that feel worthwile, though the beat seems a bit dated. It's harsh to call it an average track, but it's not too far of. If it wasn't for the variation within the individual performances the track wouldn't feel that special. Fine. 3/5 E-Mac Interlude time. It's thematic I guess. Knowing Interesting beat. The distorted vocals work really well against the strange effects of the instrumental. Love the vocal mix, no matter who's performing it sounds crisp and clear. The verses are quite interesting, cool rhyme schemes and a lot of charisma. Feel like the hook lacks a bit of punch, feels a bit matter of fact. Decent. 3.5/5 Flip Flop Rock Did not expect to heat Jay-Z of all people on this album. Love the implementation of the guitar sample. Explosive first verse, feels really intricate and difficult to perform. I'm quite the RTJ fan so I'm generally happy to hear Killer Mike on a track, pleasant inclusion. Jay-Z rarely dissapoints, delivering another solid feature. Great hook. Good. 4/5 Interlude Eeeeeh. Can't say this feels essential to the album experience. Gives me nothing. Reset Smooth, I think the female vocals really add to the sweet RnB feel of the vocals. Love the intricate production, feels really detailed. The Cee-Lo feature does mothibg for me, feels a bit flat. The hook is pretty great. Good. 4/5 D-Boi It exists. Last Call Lil Jon is one of my guilty pleasures, he's just so ridiculously over the top that I can't help smiling whenever he shows up on a track. The first verse is sadly pretty weak. The hook is peak, love the adlibs. Overall the track lacks a bit of punch, feels extremely dated as well. Fine. 3/5 Bowtie (Postlude) What is there even to say about this The Low Below (Intro) Andre 3000, the maestro. Definitely one of the finest creative minds of his generation, finally gets to show what he can do outside the hip-hop sphere. Always been the more charismatic half of the dynamic duo that is Outkast, Andre has always tried to push the boundaries of what their sound could be. Here he gets his chance, perhaps proving what everyone already knows, that he's a man of many talents. Theatrical, musical inspired intro which really feels like the start of an entirely different experience from what we just heard on Speakerboxxx. Distances itself far away from the sound of the first half, conciously making the decision to sound completely different. Love Hater Very jazzy, moments of noise and abrasiveness which contrasts to the smooth vocals. Definitely not as accesible as previous works. Love the bass. The lyrics are quite quirky with a hint of shock factor to them. Fun piano. Good. 4/5 God It's silly, it's dumb, it's tongue in cheek. Sets up some expectations for what's coming up. Happy Valentine's Day Doesn't work for me. Has a lot of humour, but it just isn't my style. It's decently cool and charismatic, but feels like the attitude clashes with the concept. There's a conflict of interest between the serious and the unserious which causes it to feel a bit confused. Did not like. 2/5 Spread Indulgent. Feels a bit uncomfortable. The horniness is neither sexy or humorous, just comes across as awkward. Too graphic and weird. Did not like. 2/5 Where Are My Panties Awkward, I didn't need to hear that. Prototype The funkiness is well appreciated. The vocals have a bit of soul to them. Prince pastiche? Cool guitar solo. Floaty and rich but a bit repetitive. Decent. 3.5/5 She Lives In My Lap Really dynamic instrumental. The background effects have great interplay with the guitars. Stylish chorus. Great choices when it comes to the melodies, the different vocal passages have great synergy with each other. Great. 4.5/5 Hey Ya It's a difficult song to talk about. Timeless in a way. Ubiquitous with the era, and an absolute earworm. Has gotten plenty of praise as a dance song, which while being extremely catchy also contains a self awareness that is rarely seen in songs of its ilk. The lyrical content is actually meaningful while not being necessary for one to enjoy the song. "Y'all don't wanna hear me, you just want to dance" is unironically some of the greatest single lines of song lyrics ever. The charisma and confidence it takes to pull of a track like this is genuinely admirable. Yes it's a bit overplayed, but come on. It's Hey Ya. Iconic in every single way. An absolute generational banger. Ice cold. 5/5 Roses Who the hell is Caroline and why is she catching strays? Also that piano riff rocks. Such a catchy track. There's just so many moments that are a blast to sing along to. Oddly specific at times, which is really funny. It's a bit dumb and derogative, but just tongue in cheek enough to work. Fantastic. 5/5 Good Day, Good Sir Not funny at all. Doesn't work Behold A Lady Don't have much to say. Dissapointingly average. I can't say there's much I like about this track. Especially dislike the dated instrumental. Did not like. 2/5 Pink And Blue Nothing special. There are some vocal moments that are worth listening to, but the lyrics feel kinda cringe worthy at times. Instrumentally it's a bit boring, though the violins add a bit of dynamism to the otherwise stale composition. Fine. 3/5 Love In War Dated electronics. Cliche. Feels a bit empty. There's a lot of unfilled space in the track where the instrumental gets too much focus. Would be fine if the instrumental had any sort of depth to it, sadly it doesn't. Only saved by Andre's infectious likability as a performer. Average. 2.5/5 She's Alive Boring as all hell. Decent sentiment, but there's absolutely no reason to make it this painful a listen. Waste of time. 1/5 Dracula's Wedding I miss you Big Boi. Please come back. Indulgent, pretentious, boring. A song with such a kick ass title has no right to be this bland. Did not like. 2/5 The Letter Uuuuuuuuuugh My Favorite Things I think the instrumental has a lot going for it. Interesting use of the sample. Love the electronics combined with the jazzy piano and bass. Relly weird and abrasive. Decent. 3.5/5. Take Off Your Cool Did not expect an acoustic jam after the craziness that was the previous song. Nora Jones has a great voice. Love Andre's contribution to this more stripped back track despite how brief it is. Shows a bit if a different side of him as an artist. Decent. 3.5/5 Vibrate I don't have much to say. The instrumental has a pretty cool experimental vibe to it, but it's a bit of an energy sink. Makes me feel exhausted. Average. 2.5/5 A Life In The Day Of Benjamin Andre Fitter, Happier, More Productive type intro. The lyrics feel very thoughtful, tells a great story. The beat is kinda disturbing, I enjoy the atmosphere it creates. Fine. 3/5 That was quite the doozy. Honestly gotta say I'm a bit disappointed by that. After the quality expressed by these two as a duo, I thought we'd at least get something a bit more cohesive from them as individuals. Even if it's technically two albums in one, each side feels very bloated, barely containing enough quality material for half the runtime. Dated, weak songwriting and overindulgent pretentiousness litter this album making it feel not only disjointed, but also incredibly boring. Outkast need each other to bring the best out of one another. Big Boi needs Andre's dynamism and charisma, and Andre needs Big Bois consistency and groundedness. It ends up with Big Boi having to fill the void with features and Andre spiralling into unchecked, unfocused experimental efforts that just end up lacking in any form of accessibility or entertainment factor. Yes the tracklist does contain some bangers, but those are the exception rather than the norm. The norm being a constant barrage of just average to fine tracks that are forgotten the same day. There are some great performances in here, both Big Boi and Andre are super talented and it does come through, even as producers they create memorable moments, but it isn't enough sadly. Oh and the skits suck, like skits usually do. Was honestly expecting this to be at least a 4, based on my enjoyment of their previous work, but it ends up being a generous 3. It's a bit of an inconsistent mess. I think I'll just stick to the hits on this one. Fave track. Hey Ya (predictably) Least fave track. She's Alive

No. I don't want to. I'm not a Springsteen fan. I assosiate him with the sort of people who hate all music post 1992. The "they don't make real music anymore" types. Hopefully I can shake those assosiations when giving it my full attention, but I fear the damage might be done. Definitely won't argue against this being influential, yet I'm allowed to feel apprehensive about it just the same. Going in with extremely low expectations. Thunder Road I'm trying to find something that grips me here, but I'm left with nothing. The piano is very loud. A bit cliche. I like the outro, feels like a dramatic start for the album. Not a fan of this writing style. Not unpleasant, but generally not my thing. Average. 2.5/5 Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out Raspy and over the top. Bluesy. I don't like the instrumental much, feels a bit obnoxious and busy. Did not like. 2/5 Night It's so exaggarated and over the top, but lacking any compelling theatrics or drama. A wall of noise. A musicial mush which melds together into background noise. The vocals are really love 'em or hate 'em. I recognize that he's being very purposeful with his style and performance and I could definitely see qualities in there that people could like, but I myself struggle to find anything about them I enjoy. Did not like. 2/5 Backstreets I don't see it. I guess the chorus has some anthemic qualities, and the piano riff is kinda memorable. I just don't like this style. Feels exhausting. An overly dense drain on one's energy. Average. 2.5/5 Born To Run I guess it's iconic in a way, evokes a very specific time and place. Sadly not a time I was a part of. I hate the production, it's too much. Makes me feel like a really cynical person for not liking it. It's polished and thought out, but loses me quickly. Did not like. 2/5 She's the One Unpleasant, boring, cliche. Horrible production, sounds muddled and unclear with one of the worst guitar tones I've ever heard. Runs out of ideas half way through. Difficult to get through. 1/5 Meeting Across the River Meh, failed to keep my attention. I guess the instrumental is alright, and he gives a convincing performance. Don't get much out of the lyrics. Boring. 2/5 Jungleland I'm not American enough for this... At least there's some energy to the track. Decent solo. Get on with it... That sax solo sucked the last bit of hope from my soul. Exhausting. 9 minutes of my life I'll never get back. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 I put my hands up in the air, and I apologize. Bruce is to many considered a legend, and this album is undoubtably an absolute classic. I hear words such as "cinematic" "ambitious" and "inspired" used to describe it, many reviewers going into flattering detail about how magical they find this album experience to be. And here I am on the sidelines envying them for their enjoyment of it. Makes me feel like a cynical bastard for not finding any enjoyment anywhere on this album. I don't like his singing. His writing style comes of as cliche and uninteresting. The production makes everything sound uniform and crusty. I dislike the energy. The instrumentation lacks variety and sounds oh so dated and lame. And I have no reason to feel this way. There's definitely quality here, but I just don't like it and I can only put it in broad terms as to why which feels a bit reductive. I was left exhausted and bored by this, and am frankly dreading the next Springsteen project I have to hear on this list. To those who enjoyed this album: I'm glad you're mesmerized and immersed, it sounds much more fun than what I just felt. Will try to return to this one day, hopefully it clicks then. For now it's a 2/5 for me.

I recognize his name and I've seen the album cover before, but I've never paid his music much mind. I'm excited to hear this though. The Wikipedia article makes it sound interesting and I'm quite curious to hear what Danger Mouse brings to the table. I love soul music and I'm really looking forward to hearing something that is less than 10 years old for a change. You Ain't The Problem Magnificently produced. Deep and layered instrumentation with a quality bassline, rhythmic percussion and melodic horns. Great energy. Was expecting more vocally. Really appreciate how stylisticly distinct it is, can't really confuse it with anything else. Good. 4/5 Rolling The psychedelic almost western sounding guitars sound great. Love this instrumental, sounds really fresh. Appreciate the mellow feel to the verses, juxtaposed with the explosivity and colourfulness of the chorus. Very rock influenced. Great. 4.5/5 I've Been Dazed Spotless transition. Psychedelic guitar. Tranquil, reflective and thoughtful vocal performance. Hypnotic. Love the spirituality contrasted with the psych, feels classic and fresh at the sane time. Lovely synths. Large and broad in its sound. Fantastic. 5/5 Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) - Intro Beautifully constructed. Jazzy and pleasant. The gunfire in the background is a great contrast to the calming mantra like atmosphere. Lovely vocals. If this is just the intro I cannot wait to hear the rest of the track. Fantastic 5/5 Piano Joint (This Kind of Love) Pretty piano. Moving and personal vocal performance. Great vocal melody. Fantastic choice in bass tone. Pleasant and sweet. Great. 4.5/5 Another Human Being Atmospheric and tense. Spacy and ambient at times. Interesting sample. Living in Denial Flawless transition. Sounds positive and bright. Lovely guitars in the background. Quality vocals, sounds really smooth and soulful. Cute bridge. Ends solidly. Good. 4/5 Hero - Intro Stripped back and naked. Interesting vocal effect. Feels dark and bleak. Love the almost cosmic sounding effects in the last few seconds of the track. Hero Great psychedelic rock riff, especially when the distant sounding background guitar is present. A bit funky as well. Love the effect on the drums for this track. The vocals ground the track, enhancing the instrumentation by being slightly low key in comparisson. Catchy and cool. Oh that noisy guitar solo is just awesome. Great fuzzyness and distortion. Amazingly produced. That was sick. 5/5 Hard To Say Goodbye Really moody. The bass sound is really strong. Love the lushness of the background choir in the buildup. The lyrics are a bit cliche. Romantic and sweet. The guitars add some disonnance and harshness to anotherwise smooth track, some very needed contrast. Calming and pleasant. My only real criticism is that it lacks a satisfying climax, makes it drift out slightly leaving it feeling a bit repetitive. Good. 4/5 Final Days Interesting change in instrumentation. I kinda dig the sort of apocalyptic assosiations I get from the strange distorted vocals in the background. Could listen to that intro for a long time. Lovely strings. Love the melodic switchup. While the vocals are a bit uninteresting for most of the track the magnificent instrumental makes up for it. Good. 4/5 Interlude Thoughtful choice in sample. Sounds lush and beautiful. Great piece of atmospheric psychedelia. Euphoric and large. Solid Ground Solid vocal performance helped along with the sparse production. Really like how it builds up into a grandiose and cinematic climax. A bit boring though. Decent. 3.5/5 Light The backing vocals make it very distinct to previous tracks on the album. Empowering and sweet. Great instrumental section, lush and beautiful. Love the guitar. Solid closer. Good. 4/5 That was absolutely outstanding. Fluid, fresh, genre-ambigious, consistent and unique. Just an absolutely beautiful blend of soul, rock and psychedelia which never stops producing interesting and crisp tracks. It genuinely has it all: A great vocalist with solid songwriting chops, amazing production, a never ending ensamble of fitting and well implemented instrumental ideas and a tracklist that leaves some room to breathe. It has stunning transitions and even the interludes are worthwhile tracks of their own. The strings are lush, the guitars just go off and the rhythms are infectious. Even the piano sounds unique. It has moving, soulful moments, funky riffs that make you bop your head, and hypnotic melodic patterns that make you forget the existence of time. Genuinely one of the most fun and exciting albums I've had the pleasure of discovering through this list experience so far. And while the individual track ratings might not suggest it, I think it deserves five stars as when they're heard in order they create such a compelling concept that it transcends beyond just single songs. 5/5 Fave track. I've Been Dazed

I need to be further educated on jazz at some point. Of course I know of the greats like Mingus, Davies, Coltrane and Sanders, but I've never really dove into their discographies, having only heard single records from them. Thelonious Monk is one of these great Jazz men I've completely ignored, sticking to my safe and accessible fusion records instead. And while that's all and good, it turns out that when you're reviewing a jazz record it's pretty handy to know a thing or two about the thing you're reviewing. With the disclaimer that I'm completely uneducated when it comes to the genre I'm still hoping to provide something of value with my first time reaction to this. Going into this with no expectations what so ever, and hoping it provides me with some memorable moments that make me want to explore this genre further. Brilliant Corners It sounds complicated as all hell. The bass and piano feel very in line with each other, while the sax is almost standing in opposition to them. The piano feels very deliberate and melodic. I enjoyed that, sounds spacey. The composition respects each individual musician giving them plenty of spotlight both solo and as a unit. Good. 4/5 Ba-Lue Bolivar Ba-Lues-Are I can see why people say the "Cruella de Vil" song is similar to this. The opening melody bears a lot of resemblance to it. Has a sophisticated aura about it, I think it has a lot to do with how the piano notes are parsed out throughout the sax part. Love how the opening motif subtly comes through occasionally with the piano part. Feels like I'd have a better time with this if I understood the technical and theoretical aspects of this better. I can tell a lot is going on that I'm not equipped to understand. The bass solo is pretty cool. Difficult to comment on, on one hand I really liked the main motif, and I found the sections where the musicians worked in unison to be pretty entertaining. On the other hand the solos were a big question mark for me, because I don't understand the intricasies of what was going on I sadly ended up being pretty bored by them. It is in no means actually boring I'm sure, I simply don't get it. Fine. 3/5 Pannonica Sounds like a messed up music box to start. Sleepy tempo. Love the little musical "cuts" for a lack of better term. Love how cute and pleasant the celesta sounds. TIL that is an instrument that exists. That felt pretty accesible and sweet. I really like the main tenor sax melody here, feels really classic. Decent. 3.5/5 I Surrender Dear Has a sadness to it, feels moody and deep. Really enjoy the sparseness of the track. Feels quite dense, despite only featuring Monk and his piano. Decent. 3.5/5 Bemsha Swing I like the shift in tempo and energy from the previous two tracks. The percussion here is really fun. Kinda melds into the background after a bit. I fail to find anything to notable about it. Fine. 3/5 A worthwile listen for sure, but I don't feel like I got as much out of it as I hoped I would. In all fairness I think the musicianship on this thing is absolutely stellar, even an untrained ear can hear the complexity of the compositions and the insane technicality of the performances. However I know next to nothing about jazz, so while I can appreciate the talent I have no idea what is going on. While the stereotype says you must "feel the jazz" that only works on a surface level. A singular groove or a motif might stay in your head for a while, the intricacies however can easily be lost. Sadly I felt lost a lot, and when I'm lost the music sort of melds into the background, becoming mere noise. I'm however extremely happy this was the album I rolled to day, as it's challenging nature made me feel stimulated trying to pierce it together. I'd love to revisit this someday with more educated ears to see wether my tastes have changed. Based completely on a surface level first reaction I'm giving this 3.5 stars out of 5, though for the site's limited rating system's sake it's closer to a 3 than it is to a 4. Fave track. Brilliant Corners

In my last review I noted that the jazz album I was assigned was very complicated, and I didn't quite get it. I think the generator heard me and as a prank assigned me Bon-fucking-Jovi, AKA the dumbest, most surface level testosterone filled cock-rock in existence. And while I appreciate the irony I'd be hard pressed to say I don't prefer to listen to something a little less dated. I'm fully aware of the hits on this thing, being a plague upon any sort of karaoke or sing-along. I cannot imagine the quality of the non-hits. Going into this with very low expectations, and I only hope that there is something here warranting my time. Let it Rock From the generic song title I'm expecting a generic song. It's loud, compressed and the keys sound really low quality, while the composition of the intro is kinda interesting it ends up sounding pretty bad on the recording. The energy is pretty okay. Sound kinda hollow. Hate the group vocals. Bon Jovi himself is at least a competent performer, though his voice is kinda rough to listen to. He has a lot of prescense in the recording and I feel he has full control over the track's energy. Omega dated. Did not like. 2/5 You Give Love A Bad Name I feel like it would be reductive to not at least acknowledge that while this track is dumb as all hell, it is still iconic to some degree. Ubiquitous with 80's hair metal, this track is extremely catchy with a well constructed refrain and subsequent guitar hook. It's obnoxious and loud, has some awful lyrics, but it's at the same time so cheesy that it comes out the other end as stupidly charming. It's awful, it shouldn't work at all, but it's also really fun outside of the perspective of it being a tad overplayed. I want to be pretentious and say I hate this, but it's genuinely impossible to. Decent. 3.5/5 Livin' On A Prayer Oh boy, another one... Many of the points in my review of the previous track still technically stand when it comes to this one as well. This one however I have a much less charitable relationship to. When it comes to music that's extremely popular it's often hard to shake your associations with the track when listening to it through a critical lens. When I hear this song I hear drunk people at 3am outside my terribly insulated student appartment badly belting out the chorus on their balcony while I'm trying catch a few hours of sleep before my shitty weekend job the next morning. Is it that bad? Perhaps, no? Have I been one of those drunk people badly belting out the chorus at one point? Perhaps, yes? It's iconic I guess, but for being a plague upon society I'll give myself a freebie and allow myself one single slip up. And while accepting that it's a bit hypocritical as it contains basically all the same qualities as the previous track, I can't shake my biases. I bestow the honour - With all the compliments in the world the title of: God Awful. 1/5. Social Disease Wtf is that intro. Uncomfortable. And this is what you get when a Bon Jovi track lacks any of the aforementioned iconic assosiations that the previous tracks had. The lyrics are extremely unflattering and vapid. Awfully dated production, an annoying chorus and terrible sounding vocals. Sounds almost predatory. Bad. 1/5 Wanted Dead or Alive. Luckily the last one of these megahits and perhaps the least notable one at that. It's cheesy and dumb and extremely unbelievable. Perhaps the single most dated sounded song in the history of mankind. It's like it's approaching the stage of fossilization. I'll give it this, it remains catchy, but those background effects and production techniques do not make the cut. I'd like to picture Bon Jovi as a little kid playing make believe with himself, trying to visuallly imagine himself as this bad ass outlaw in his sandbox. It has that juvenile energy which makes it impossible to take seriously. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Raise Your Hands More slop. The main guitar riff is almost okay I guess. Probably works better in the stadium than on the record. Here it only comes across as obnoxious. "From New Jersey to Tokyo", yep those two places have plenty in common, makes perfect sense... The musical equivalent to a lobotomy. Awful. 1/5 Without Love If aliens were to try to replicate human music the lyrics would sound something like this. Beyond ridiculous. Okay this might be the most dated sounded track in the history of mankind. Those synths could genuinely not be replicated today. Baffling, almost so bad it's good. It's at least very entertaining if nothing else. Bad in the best way. 1/5 I'd Die For You The Mayor of Cheesetown himself has outcheesed himself once again. Those synths, those guitars, the vocal delivery... I'm impressed, it cannot get more 1986 than this. Probably the single worst song I've heard from this generator so far, but I can't help but find it fascinating. It's repetitive, it's dumb, it drains me of brain cells, but it's entertaining as all hell with it's cheesiness and over the top camp. I'm broken. 2/5 Never Say Goodbye I'm at a loss for words... No redeemable qualities. Never seems to end. Feels like an infinite loop of the same unbarable chorus. Awful. 1/5 Wild In The Streets I like the energy of the track. As far as this album goes this is one of the more barable choruses, though the vocal delivery is pretty rough. Suffers from the same repetitiveness as many other tracks on here. Contains nothing of substance. A wall of sound with the occasional belting of a madman peaking through it. While some of the other tracks were at least entertaining in their ridiculousness, this one only comes across as annoying. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 An experience to say the least. Life changing, really. Made me appreciate the smaller things in life, like silence and peace. All the while providing plenty of time for me to contemplate my life choices leading up to me reviewing this interesting piece of media at 1am on a work night. I'm honestly quite impressed by how something that sucks this much can be this entertaining. It's like the audible version of a trainwreck. A sonic puzzle where you're tasked with trying to piece out any sort of substance or meaning out of the corniest lines ever delivered in a set of lyrics. It's incessant in its bombardment of cheese of the lowest quality, enough to make the lactose intolerant amongst us toilet bound for at least the duration of the album's runtime. Has more cliches than a soap opera and contains songs that have been scientifically engineered to be as annoying as possible. With repetitive choruses, mindnumbing guitar hooks and synths that are so obnoxious they could piss off a deaf person, this album is a perfect storm of slop. It's not all bad, as if you're in the right mood this abhorrent datedness can come across as pretty funny - In a "help me!" sort of way. Comes with the worst associations possible, containing songs that have been a plague upon society, forever resistant to any sort attempt to remove them from the public conciousness. In that sense it deserves some respect, as while overplayed and annoying, the hits from this thing has at least managed to establish themselves as iconic songs in the rock 'n' roll canon. And while personally this is an era I can't stand, it remains important especially to the format of live stadium shows. I could definitely see this being innovative as to bringing heavier music into the public sphere. I could also imagine that the techniques used to set up and produce these songs live on stage would be important even today. However as fun as this might be live in Bon Jovi's prime, it doesn't translate well to an album format, especially through modern ears. Bon Jovi's skills as a performer, being a fairly entertaining front man still shines through however, though that alone cannot save how obnoxious I find the songs on here to be, especially as his grating voice adds to my dislike of it. I recognize this is a low hanging fruit for ridicule as this era isn't exactly fondly looked back on from a critical perspective, but I can't help but agree with the sentiment that this is just awful. 1/5 Fave track. You Give Love A Bad Name Least fave track. Never Say Goodbye

Bob Dylan we meet again... This time in studio form! After having an okay time with the Royal Albert Hall live recording a few months back I'm pleased to say I don't actually mind another Dylan record at this time. I can't recall having listened to this one previously, but I recognize a few of the songs on here so I sort of know what to expect. My general expectations are telling me to that I'll be served something interesting, especially lyrically, though I'm probably not gonna "get" a lot of it. I'd call myself a casual Dylan enjoyer, having periods where I can maybe have a couple of songs of his in my rotation. Perhaps this album will kick off another such period. Blowin' In The Wind As much of a classic this song is I've never really paid it much mind. It's become so universal at this point that it feels like it's almost always existed. One of the first songs you'd think of when hearing the moniker "protest song". A melancholic and wise sounding track with very heavy anti-war/anti greed/anti injustice messaging which sadly still remains relevant to this day. Monumental. 5/5 Girl From The North Country Had to do a quick detour to listen to the song this was apparently inspired by (Scarborough Fair) really curious to hear what the two have in common. First of all I love how pleasant the guitar is. Really contrasts nicely with Bob Dylan's characteristic voice. I can definitely see structural similarities between this and the previously mentioned inspiriation for it. Really inspired implementation. The lyrics are sweet and idealistic, love how vivid they are despite the briefness of the descriptions. Fantastic. 5/5 Masters of War I never knew Dylan "borrowed" *cough* stole *cough* the melody for this song, so I had to look up the original, and wow that was haunting. Genuinely a spooky sounding mysterious folk song. Now for Masters of War. Again, classic protest song with some very direct lyrics calling out the cowards who perpetrate such atrocities. I can see why he chose to use this melody for this topic, it's extremely ominous in its buildup. Brutal. Fantastic. 5/5 Down the Highway Very classic sounding blues track. Sounds genuinely sad. After being provided with context, the song feels a lot more layered. The mournful performance captures some astute loneliness. Great. 4.5/5 Bob Dylan's Blues A perfectly acceptable blues track with some great harmonica playing. Bob Dylan is very charismatic with the delivery here. Feels very animated and hands free. Not exactly the highlight of the album, but a good show none the less. Good. 4/5 A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall Another one where I felt I had to look up the inspiration for the song before listening to it. Lord Randall which its chorus is apparently based on was again a pretty interesting piece of literature, which tied itself neatly together with the final verse. Gonna keep this in mind as I'm listening. Even if it's listed as another inspiration I'm not however going to look into symbolist poetry for the sake of this review, as that seems too deep of a rabbit hole for one night. Actual review time. Those lyrics are really evocative, love how Lord Randall is incorporated, feels like sort of a modernization of its structure. Very bleak and apocalyptic in its messaging. Dead ponies, black dogs and burning bodies. Though there seems to be some slight moments of hope underneath all the darkness. Really interesting, deserves repeat listens. Fantastic. 5/5 Don't Think Twice It's Alright Another one where he's borrowed some features of another older song. Made sure to give that one a listen as well, though I could only find Paul Claytons interpolation (Who's Gonna Buy You Ribbons), which I found sweet, reflective and pleasant to listen to. Gonna keep this in mind while listening. This is a very pretty song, and while a lot of elements are lifted from the cited inspiration I find this a lot more compelling. Love his delivery and use of the melody to convey emotion. Feels really genuine. Fantastic. 5/5 Bob Dylan's Dream I quite liked the song this was based on (Lady Franklin's Lament). Can really see how one can be inspired by that, as its melody felt really emotional and mournful, with a slight hint of bargaining coming from its lyrics. Dylan's lyrics are very relatable in their reflectiveness. The sentimentality and sadness that comes with looking back at old days of camraderie really sticks with me after listening to the lyrics. An effective piece of storytelling. Fantastic. 5/5 Oxford Town Harrowing piece of civil rights music, a stark reminder that it wasn't that long ago that injustices like this were commonplace. The song itself is a bit brief and simple, and without looking it up I wouldn't have been able to piece together which events it was refering to. Good. 4/5 Talkin' World War III Blues I'm not really a fan of the rambling style of delivery. While the lyrics have some clever bits of humour to them, they don't really make up for the fact I find it a bit boring. The satire still seems relevant to this day. I enjoy how flawed the narrator figure is, being a bit of a ridiculous character himself. Decent. 3.5/5 Corrina, Corrina This song seems to have a long and complicated history, one which seems to stretch back at least a few decades before this recording. I went ahead and listened to the original recording of this song, as well as the Robert Johnson the melody of this version is apparently lifted from. I think it'll be very interesting to hear these two starkly different songs combined. Dylan's version comes of as very pleasant though lacking some edge. I do quite enjoy his guitar playing on this track. A tasteful rendition which implements parts of both the two songs its based on pretty well. I do however feel something is a bit lost when they've been combined in this way. Great. 4.5/5 Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance The original has a haunting enigmatic quality to it, partially due to the charming roughness of the ancient recording, alongside the very unique sounding vocal delivery. I really like Dylan's choice of changing up the tempo. I enjoy the modernized lyrics quite a bit, though it's probably not a straight upgrade from the original. Good. 4/5 I Shall Be Free It's alright. It's a bit of a more comedic track. Lifts heavily from the original track (We Shall Be Free) when it comes to the melody. I can't help finding it kinda bland. I don't get most of the pop culture references. Succeeds in showing a less serious side of Bob Dylan. Decent. 3.5/5 This turned out to be quite the undertaking. I'm not complaining though. I feel like I got an entire history lesson after reading the Wikipedia article for each song. I also had a blast listening to the traditional folk and blues songs these tracks were based on. It was almost like getting two albums for the price of one! Despite lending a lot from these traditional tunes I feel like Dylan always finds a way of transcending the source material, creating something entirely his own. It never feels egregious, even at times it feels like having these historical melodies backing the track adds an aura of additional atmosphere. Some tracks, especially the protest songs become much more harrowing with the already ominous sounding folk melodies behind them. And I also really like his songwriting on here, using very effective language when describing both beauty and horror. His performances are very emotional and genuine, and his voice adds a lot of down to earth character to many of the tracks. I love how steeped in tradition this thing is, and how through his reworkings, combinations and additions to the material he has somehow modernized the folk sound. A lot of these traditional songs live on through the tracks on this album, as well as versions of these songs covered by various artists throughout the years. A great album experience, even if it's second half is a bit weaker than its first. Would return to. 5/5 Fave track. Don't Think Twice It's Alright

This is a band I've never really found too entertaining to listen to. The slacker rock aesthetic has never really been my style, but I'm hoping that through a full album experience I can discover something I've not been able to find listening only to the occasional song. I'm looking forward to hearing how the DIY indie sound comes through on this record. While I love production heavy, polished stuff a lot, more lo-fi amateurish production also has its charms. Going into this with mixed expectations. Summer Babe - Winter Version I like the crusty guitars a lot. Feels surprisingly layered. Great vocal delivery, love the carthartic "Tokyooooooooo". Good. 4/5 Trigger Cut/Wounded-Kite At:17 Feels very of the era. Strangely decent guitar mix. Love the spacious dynamism provided by the backing vocals. Interesting outro. Decent. 3.5/5 No Life Singed Her Effective energy. The lo-fi guitars and the peaking vocals have a garagey quality to them. The track feels really crusty and raw. The noise provides an additional emotianal layer to the song. Decent. 3.5/5 In The Mouth Of A Desert The drums are very prominent, feels almost too loud. Feels especially amateurish production wise, though it does lend it some authenticity it's a bit of a difficult listen. Has a few great vocal hooks. Fine. 3/5 Conduit For Sale! Very strange tempo. Feels experimental. I like how different it is from the previous tracks. Especially with the spoken word vocals. Fine. 3/5 Zürich Is Stained Pleasant although the vocals are very quiet. A bit too short, I would've liked to see where the vocal melody could go if it went on for a bit longer. Anticlimatic. Fine. 3/5 Chesley's Little Wrists A sonic experiment rather than a song. Feels very unstructured. Very strange vocal noises. Unrated/5 Loretta's Scars It's okay. The instrumental is a bit overbearing, but the main guitar riff is quite good. Love the sublte guitar flourishes in the background. Fine. 3/5 Here The instrumental is pretty cute, feels really pleasant to listen to while still maintaining that DIY edge. I have no idea what is going on in the lyrics, though the performance sounds pretty unique. Decent. 3.5/5 Two States Kinda don't like the instrumental, feels a bit annoying. Don't really like the vocals either. Feels punk I guess. Did not like. 2/5 Perfume-V I like the shoegazy qualities of the guitars on the chorus. Has some melodic moments in the vocals that I enjoy. There's also a bit of interesting vocal layering which makes the song feel a bit more alive. Good. 4/5 Fame Throwa Extremely grainy and distorted. Has a cool structure. Love the glitchyness present in the production around the chorus. Strange vocal delivery. Weird skip. Interesting guitar solo. Love the atmospheric drums. Good. 4/5 Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era Feels like the guitars are buzzing in my ears. Very strange. Noisy. I don't get the inclusion of the delayed guitar. Feels a bit aimless. Fine. 3/5 Our Singer Lacks any sort of energy. Mostly just a drum beat with some simple guitar notes stretched thinly over it. The vocals add very little to the song. Did not like. 2/5 It's noisy and experminental with some really rough edges. While the unrefined production might be a turn off for some, I believe it adds character and additional layers to the sound. The guitars are distorted and effect heavy and the drums raw and heavy sounding. This adds a shoegazy feel to the songs which occasionally gives a feeling of untamed emotion. There's also a sort of vulnerability to the vocal delivery, each line being sung with a raw and unique sounding voice which at times even have some juvenile qualities. Lyrically it's very hard to follow, sometimes I'm not sure if it's nonesense or some deeply constructed metaphor I'm hearing. Add this to the tracklist being a bit messy, with a few unfocused songs that feel unfinished or overly experimental and it can get a bit frustrating. While I've praised the DIY production of this album there are also moments where it doesn't work, especially when the mix gets really inconsistent. It feels almost arbitrary at times what part of the composition gets the focus, leading to times where either the vocals or sometimes the drums are really hard to hear. I'd also like to point out that I can't really find a standout moment on the record, it feels pretty much consistently the same, and while what's at display is for the most part decent, there's not much here that's too memorable. 3/5 Fave track. Summer Babe - Winter Version Least fave track. Two States

I've always wanted to check these guys out, but whenever I did I was generally not too impressed. I always found their more popular stuff a bit unremarkable. Hoping to have my mind changed by this, really liking the album name at least. I'm a bit worried though as to the length of it, especially if I'm gonna be bored. Though an hour isn't actually that long, it can take a while if you're pausing a lot to take notes. Hoping to be surprised, going in with mixed expectations. Metronomic Underground Those are some strange electronics. Love the sound of that bassline. The way it builds up while taking its time is pretty cool. It's interesting if not a bit repetitive. The slight instrumental changeup comes at an opportune time. Great distortion, gibes the track some dynamism. The ending is very satisfying. Good. 4/5 Cybele's Reverie Pretty cool violin intro. Sounds pretty sweet, love the lushness of the instrumental. Has a nice vocal melody on the chorus. Very pleasant and catchy. Love the vocal layering. Great climax. Great. 4.5/5 Percolator Fantastic synth sound, really fun bassline. Strange instrumental. The horns(?) are pretty bad, don't like. It's a bit of a strange track that starts out feeling like it doesn't go anywhere. When it finally does I don't really like the direction it takes. I think the base concept of the song is good enough to warrant praise, but it repeats itself a bit too much. The ending is chaotic and messy to my ears. Average. 2.5/5 Les-Yper Sound Fun groove, feels like it moves very freely. I like the synths a lot. The vocals have a care free nature to them which works pretty well with this sound. Kinda fun, but not exactly life changing. Fine. 3/5 Spark Plug Feels a bit more straight forward than previous tracks. Really like the funkiness of the instrumental. Has a great synergy between main and backing vocals. Works for what it is, but doesn't exactly stand out. Wish there was a bit more of a kick to it. Fine. 3/5 Olv 26 I like how it's almost mechanical in its composition. There's some nice crunchiness to the instrumental that I quite enjoy. I don't really get anything out of the vocals. The instrumental bride at the end is very nice. Has a bit of psychedelic energy to it with the subtle panning and the bubbly background effects. Decent. 3.5/5 The Noise Of Carpet Wasn't expecting to hear such a garagey instrumental. I find how awkwardly the vocals fit kinda charming. Great solo. Has some cool layering. Decent. 3.5/5 Tomorrow Is Already Here Don't really like the intro that much, feels a bit jagged. I think the song greatly improves as soon as the vocals come in, drastically smoothens the track's rough edges. The vibraphone is really pleasant, adds a lot to the rhythmic elements of the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Emperor Tomato Ketchup Bouncy, sharp and fun. Kinda more of the same really. Has it's charms with a decently fun instrumental and a melodic and free sounding vocal performance. It's however nothing too remarkable. Fine. 3/5 Monstre Sacre I like the total change in atmosphere. Feels a bit darker with a hint of mystery. I don't care much for the lyrics as they feel a bit underdeveloped. The vocal melody is too repetitive, lacks any sort of dynamism or variety. A bit boring. Average. 2.5/5 Motoroller Scalatron Really like how colourful this is. Feels really positive and sweet. Don't have much else to say. Kinda like it. Decent. 3.5/5 Slow Fast Hazel Don't like how loud the vocals are here. I quite enjoyed the wobbly guitar. The bassline sorta grew on me, started out finding it kinda unremarkable, but ended up really enjoying how well it works with the rest of the track. The faster part of the track is honestly quite cool. Fantastic long organ notes. The higher vocals are however a bit rough. Decent. 3.5/5 Anonymous Collective It's moody and slow, and also kinda hypnotic. Love the instrumental, has some really subtle depth to it. Perfectly acceptable closer. Decent. 3.5/5 A very consistent album, but never really mindblowing in anyway. Each song felt decently creative, was generally pleasant to listen to, never straying outside of a well established comfort zone. The instrumentals, while not awe inspiring kept bringing out some fresh ideas. These ideas paired well up with some sweet and warm sounding vocals to create moments of cute and understated musicality which was generally easy to listen to. Love the diverse array of sounds and decent instrumental variety. But that's about it, there's just not a lot to talk about here. It's generally inoffensive and kinda edgeless, feeling a bit too smooth at times. My only real critisism of the album is that it has a lot of tracks that feel a bit too repetitive, where the base idea is pretty good, but it never really goes anywhere from there. It's generally just a pretty good album, though nothing that's too outstanding in the grand scheme of things. The most 7/10 thing I've heard in a while. 3.5/5, leaning more towards a 3/5 Fave track. Cybele's Reverie Least fave track. Percolator

Probably one of the coolest hip hop groups out there, Tribe always brings a smooth and infectious energy inlaid with moments of pure distilled swagger. Looking forward to some buttery beats and creative lyricism. Looking forward to this one. Push It Along Scary sounding intro. Funky and smooth instrumental, love the repeating lick. Q-Tip has such a great voice for hip hop. There are some really well constructed rhyme schemes in here. Love how the sax solo comes in as a palatte cleanser. Love how the introduction interlude is included at the end, feels more dynamic than just tacking it onto the start of the album. Great. 4.5/5 Luck of Lucien Great transition. Fantastic first verse, really keeps you engaged throughout it. Creative verse composition, a fun piece of storytelling. The "spoken word" passages for the lack of better term, that bridge the verses add some more chaotic energy to the otherwise measured and structured track. Good. 4/5 After Hours Love the sample. Extremely relaxing beat. Really like how the instrumental changes throughout the first verse, feels like it works in tandem with the vocal delivery. Awesome instrumental break. The lyrics are at times pretty funny. The frog noises... Strange choice. Entertaining track. Good. 4/5 Footprints The Sir Duke brass sample goes hard no matter where it shows up. Like hoe they've made it kinda ominous. Great flow on the beat. Chaotic sampling. Clever well thought out lyrics yet again. The militaristic marching at the end is yet again quite ominous. I'm very intrigued with the lyrics of this track. Has a really distinct writing style that's extremely clever and fun to follow along with. Had to immediately replay. Fantastic. 5/5 I Left My Wallet in El Segundo The latin guitar is pretty fun. Great sample. Love the bassline. I find the story here a bit dumb. Doesn't feel as clever as previous tracks. The delivery is still pretty good. Fine. 3/5 Pubic Enemy That's a great beat. Stylized and unique. Okay that's kinda funny. Yep it's about crabs... Love the heavy use of record "scratches". Good. 4/5 Bonita Applebum Classic sample, I can swear I've heard it somewhere else. Love the jazzy keys in the background and the smooth guitar. It's a bit repetitive and dumb, but it's performed charismatically so it's hard to take it too seriously. Catchy chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Can I Kick It? The Lou Reed sample has got to be one of the most recognizable samples in hip hop. It's extremely clever that they somehow discovered that this worked this well for a hip hop track. Very dynamic and varied instrumentally, especially when it comes to the strange bridges between verses. The hook remains iconic to this day. Really catchy while remaining eclectic and weird. Timeless classic, deserving of its legacy. 5/5 Youthful Expression Amazing sampling, really bouncy, funky and dancable. Love the chilled out rapping on top the smooth keys and the thick bass. Some corny lines in there, but I can't deny they're pretty fun. The beat alone sells it. Good. 4/5 Rhythm (Devoted to the Art of Moving Butts) Definitely rhythmic. The hook works pretty well, though I'm struggling a bit to remain invested in the verses. The beat grew on me quite a lot throughout the track, decently catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Mr. Muhammad Was not expecting the disco adjacent vocal sample. Interesting sampling and effects. Feels a bit dated and lacks some direction, does give some plundephonics vibes. Fine. 3/5 Ham 'N' Eggs That's a stupid hook, though it's kinda charming. Bring back rapping about random food items. It's a fun gimmick. Can't help but smiling at this. I guess these guys just proved that they can literally rap about something as boring as breakfast and I'll still be intetested. Really fun. 4.5/5 Go Ahead In the Rain Awesome bass/guitar sample. Love the change up in flow. Feels a bit more melodic. Has dancy qualities to it. Uncomplicated but works. Decent. 3.5/5 Description of a Fool A continuation of the funky smoothness of the rest of the album. Love the storytelling, takes up a serious subject without being overwhelming. I like how they let the sample play itself out. Feels like a "To Be Continued". Decent. 3.5/5 Yeah that was really fun. It's refreshing to hear a when a hip hop group, despite having some serious songwriting chops don't take themselves too seriously. Embracing many decades of music before them, they take the great rhythms and grooves of the past and make them their own with impeccable flows and amazing pieces of delivery. There's storytelling, there's themes of identity and there's a lot of silly dancable tunes that keep you moving. Tribe delivers something for everyone, staying ahead of the curve with their unique jazzy, funky sound. You'll be hard pressed to find a group as charming and charismatic as them. A great debut which really paves the way for their later catalouge which would build upon the ideas of this album further. 4.5/5, closer to a 4. Fave Track. Footprints

Hell yeah, Jimi! Everyone knows this album is awesome. Gonna be a breeze to listen to. Purple Haze Stone cold classic. Everything there is to say about this song has already been said. One of the most recognizable guitar riffs of all time. Iconic. 5/5 Manic Depression A really solid guitar track. Has some great bluesy progression. Love the more psychedelic elements of the track. Gives a controlled chaos sort of feeling. Good. 4/5 Hey Joe A defining song of the era. Jimi delivers the lyrics which such gusto and charm it's hard to recognize how dark their contents really are. Love the psychedelic density of the track. Classic. 5/5 Love Or Confusion Don't love how distant the vocals feel. Awesome guitar playing. I feel the bassline does a great job being a grounding constant for the otherwise chaotic instrumentation. Despite me not enjoying how the vocals are mixed I recognize they have a sort of narrator esque quality to them which sort of fits with the lyrical content. Good. 4/5 May This Be Love I'm enjoying the change up in tone from the previous tracks. Has a bit of a more structured nature to it which is honestly quite appreciated at this point in the album. Love the drums. And of course with every Jimi Hendrix song the guitar is masterfully performed. Great. 4.5/5 I Don't Live Today Has the same bluesy qualities as many of the previous tracks. Impresses with its deep and dense sound. Love the hard hitting chorus. The outro goes crazy. Great. 4.5/5 The Wind Cries Mary Really pleasant and cool. Really like the colourful lyrics. Instrumentally it's a bit slower than many of the previous tracks, though I find little issue with the guitar tone actually shines a lot at this tempo. Good. 4/5 Fire Classic 60s rock swagger. Love the deep bass. Not a standout track by any means, but does a good job at what it tries to do. Decent. 3.5/5 Third Stone From The Sun A psychedelic rock experience. The spoken word, the deep effects, the slowed down vocals and the strange background effects. All add up to a truly unique session of audible strangeness. Love the experimentation. Fantastic. 5/5 Foxey Lady Classic guitar riff. The lyrics are kinda basic, but the performance is definitely pretty great. Oozes confidence and slickness. Good. 4/5 Are You Experienced? I like the parallell piano and guitar a lot. The backwards sounding effects add some interesting colour. A strange almost improvisational sounding track. Love the chaos. Great. 4.5/5 Stone Free It's fun to hear some different percussion. Really soulful vocal delivery. The simplicity of the song's structure is kinda refreshing to hear. Great solo. Good. 4/5 51st Anniversary A really synergistic instrumental, I feel like all the elements work extremely well together. Love how melodic the vocals are at times. Great. 4.5/5 Highway Chile I don't love the intro. The recording sounds a bit rough on this one. Feels kinda simple instrumentally outside the solo which remains pretty great. Decent. 3.5/5 Can You See Me That single bendy opening guitar note is pretty fantastic, love that it repeats throughout the track. The instrumental has a lot of drive to it. Good. 4/5 Remember Sounds colourful. Love the imagery in the lyrics. The mournful vocal delivery is pretty slick. Great groove. Good. 4/5 Red House It's a fairly standard blues rock track, though the guitar sets it apart. Not particularly exciting, but fine for what it is. Completely carried by the stellar guitar playing. Decent. 3.5/5 It's Hendrix okay... Hard to beat when it comes to influence. Not many people get to completely change the approach when it comes to an entire instrument. Complete and utter mastery of every intricacy of the electric guitar. His absolute prescense can carry even a just okay song over the finish line into something special. Sure there's more exciting stuff out there, but if you take into account when this was released its hard to find something as experimental and virtuosic while reaching such a wide audience. It's just so impossibly cool and effortless while also having some edge and rawness to it that only comes from someone who crafts with vision and feeling. And while the guitar may be the main selling point the other elements of the band is a great supporting force, which through its dependability allows for the intense experimentation to flourish. The vocal delivery is nothing to scuff at either. Hendrix has an ability to find just the right cadance and temperature to go with both intense and laid back tunes, showing a great understanding of showmanship and spacing. Fantastic album, would strongly recommend. 5/5 Fave Track Third Stone From The Sun

I'm mildly familiar with this band, as in I know the name and vaguely the style of music they create. Can't say I know if I've ever heard a song from them though. Hoping to hear something with a bit of energy to it. Looking forward to seeing what this is about. Going in with no real expectations. Supervixen Didn't expect it to sound so noisy. Great fuzz and distortion. Love the prominent bass. The instrumental pauses make it stick out from the crowd. I like the almost call and response dynamic between the guitars at points. Solid start. Good. 4/5 Queer Sounds pretty slick. I quite like the vocal delivery on the chorus. The subtle background guitar on the bridge is a great piece of texture adding an uneasiness to the moment. Catchy and fun. Great. 4.5/5 Only Happy When It Rains Crunchy and cool. The lyrics are unapologetically edgy, I struggle to take them seriously, but the ridiculousness kinda works. Love the backing vocals. Fun track. Good. 4/5 As Heaven Is Wide Was not expecting something quite so electronic. Sounds really moody. Has some slight industrial qualities to it. The vocals are a bit hard to hear on the verses. Really like the atmosphere of this track. Sounds alluring, dark and dangerous. Great. 4.5/5 Not My Idea I like the instrumental on the verses. The chorus sounds a bit abrasive, not too sure if I like it or not. Love the electric guitar in the background. Possesses some industrial elements vaguely similar to the previous track. Love the contrast between the serene melodic moments and the harshness of the chorus. Creative track. Good. 4/5 A Stroke of Luck There's a really spacey sort of atmosphere to the instrumental. Love the subtle distorted effects in the background as well as the sparse synth. The chorus feels too large, kinda kills the interesting spaciousness of the track. Wish there was a bit more subtlety to it. It's a well constructed chorus, though I'm not quite sure it fits. Fine. 3/5 Vow The panning effect is a bit obnoxious. Really like how dense and loud it is. Has a great drive to it. The vocals have some great attitude behind them. The guitar tuning the instrumental bridge us really satisfying to listen to. Infectious energy, great chorus, really catchy. All the worries I had about this track disappeared after the first minute passed. Fantastic. 5/5 Stupid Girl Has a bit of a groove to it, especially with that bassline. Love the production on the pre chorus. Catchy and fun. Doesn't need to do much else to succeed at what it's trying to do. Great. 4.5/5 Dog New Tricks Crunchy with a good groove and some decent drive. Really like the melodic moments here, especially how they contrast with the thick instrumental. Another great chorus. A good continuation of the sound from the previous track. Good. 4/5 My Lover's Box Most of the reasons this song works for me have already been laid out in my reactions to previous tracks. It just sounds really crisp, love the chrous and the synergy between instrumental and vocals here. Simple reasons to like a song, but sometimes it just works that way. Fantastic. 5/5 Fix Me Now Layered sound. Love the production on the vocals. Simple but effective solo. It's another great chorus over a pretty cool instrumental. I guess I'm repeating myself at this point. Good. 4/5 Milk I like that it's a bit more slowed down and calm aftert the pretty loud and bombastic last few tracks. Almost has a trip hop vibe to it. Sounds spacious and flows well. Not the most spectacular track, but gets the job done. Decent. 3.5/5 Honestly going into this with no expectations at all turned out to be quite the blessing. I was pleasantly surprised at every turn by this. I really appriciate how broad the scope of their sound is, leaning into a solid variety of genres ranging from industrial to trip hop to straight up raging alternative rock. It's an interesting blend of diverse songwriting and consistent performances which in turn allows the listener an unpredictable and stimulating journey. Loud crunchy guitars, groovy basslines, spacious drumbeats and slick and alluring vocals combine to create memorable rock tunes with infectious choruses and unique instrumentals. Add in some electronics and some distorted effects and you get something that feels really thought out and creative. And while my experience with this was extremely positive, there is still a few minor gripes that make it miss out on top marks for me. Namely the lyrics being kinda ridiculous at times, especially with some of the cynisism found in them feeling a bit put on. One track (A Stroke of Luck) is also notably weaker than the rest, where I end up feeling a bit let down by a few creative choices made with that song in particular. Apart from these minor things it is otherwise a great time. A memorable tracklist with plenty of things to return to. 4/5 With room to grow on subsequent listens. Fave track. Vow

Wu-Tang Clan will forever be one of the greatest dynasties in hip hop. 36 Chambers is one of my favourite hip hop albums ever, and I still get an itch to play the occasional track of off Wu-Tang Forever. However despite my enjoyment of their group efforts outside of GZA's Liquid Swords and an early Ghostface Killah album I haven't really given their solo work much of a shot. Raekwon has always been a bit of a standout for me, but clearly not enough for me to check his stuff out. As the trend seems to be with the hip hop albums I've generated so far, this album seems to be a bit on the longer side. Expecting quality, though am a bit apprehensive as to the length. I won't be shocked if I get bored of it towards the end. Striving For Perfection It's a bit of an atmospheric intro to the album. Has some cinematic qualities, feels like the start of a play or a movie. Unrated/5 Knuckleheads Classic RZA production. Love the density of the bass. It's a bit of a theme setter for the rest of the album I feel, expecting to hear more of the hardships of hustle and drug culture throughout the album. Feels animated with a hint of theatre, though also sounds very serious. Great flows and deliveries. Decent. 3.5/5 Knowledge God The sample at the very start of the track sounds like an old movie score. I also like the way the piano sample transforms the beat into something a lot more ominous. Definitely sounds like NYC. Really getting the mafia vibe they're going for here. The verses are mostly good, though I feel like there are parts of the second one that feel a bit stagnant, might be the lyrics losing some steam. Decent. 3.5/5 Crimonology The first verse has a very hard and raw delivery. Feels like they're trying to rile you up. Definitely has great performances, aggressive and memorable, they really own the beat. A very character driven track, pushing these hard, unflinching, dangerous gangster personas that really play into the fantasy of the style of hip hop they're trying to achieve. Decent. 3.5/5 Incarcarated Scarfaces The intro sample promises something really narrative driven. Two Trump references, feels weird to hear his name in this context in 2025. It's a gangster rap song with gangster rap lyrics. The flow is really good though, really enjoy the hook. Again RZA's production is astounding, love how atmospheric it sounds. Decent. 3.5/5 Rainy Dayz Really appreciate the softness and melodic qualities of the intro. The production on this is crazy. Feels really off, has some almost horror like qualities to it. Love the female vocals against the beat. Has some pretty creative rhymes. Good. 4/5 Guillotine (Swords) Vintage Wu-Tang sound. Really lyrically dense, hard to follow. Struggling a bit to keep up, but I'm really liking the way they end their verses. The samples from old martial arts films never get old. Each performer brings a distinct energy, and it's fun to hear them approach this simple all be it effective beat. Decent. 3.5/5 Can It Be All So Simple (Remix) Hmmm this is familiar... Yeah the sample is still great. but I'm not sure how needed this is. Feels a bit like they're repeating themselves. Probably novel at the time. It's transformative, but I feel like the original iteration has a bit more of a kick to it. Fine. 3/5 Shark N***** (Biters) It's a bit of a rant. I respect that he's passionate about his own image and art. Unrated/5 Ice Water The beat is pretty stellar. There's a lot of good rhymes in here, especially on the final verse. Fine. 3/5 Glaciers of Ice Has an entirely different energy from the rest of the tracks on the album due to the sample on the beat. Love the vocal sample. Carried by the production. Love the ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Verbal Intercourse Was not expecting a Nas feature on a Wu-Tang project. The beat kinda overshadows the vocals. Cringe lyrics at times. Average. 2.5/5 Wisdom Body Kinda weird. I guess it's a bit refreshing to have another topic to listen to. Stellar production yet again. Fine. 3/5 Spot Rusherz Decent storytelling. Has interesting flows here and there, and is easy to follow along to. I like the buildup. Decent. 3.5/5 Ice Cream Sounds a bit chaotic. I appreciate that there's a hook in here, though it isn't great. Pretty fun track. I like the features, breaks the monotomy a bit. Fine. 3/5 Wu-Gambinos Has a great Ghostface peformance. It's a very lyrically dense track. Lacks some dynamism, becomes a bit monotone. Fine. 3/5 Heaven or Hell Love the samples. Has a great hook. I like how the track kinda has a reflective nature to it, feels a bit more genuine than some of the other tracks on here. Has an ere of finality to it, works great at the end of the album. Good. 4/5 North Star (Jewels) Feels like a bit of an extended outro. Feel the one verse on here was a lot more thoughtful than I might've expected. Has some really soulful production, which helps it close out the album as well as it does. Fine. 3.5/5 After a long and exhausting listen I'm left with mixed feelings about this album. First of all, it's long. Not specifically the runtime, as one hour and thirteen minutes should be managable, but it just feels long. I guess it's the density of the lyrics, the aggression and the lack of melodic breaks that makes it feel longer than it actually is. Despite this I must recognize that these are some of the qualities that also make it great. If it wasn't for the lyrical density it wouldn't have the great rhymes and the almost liquid flows. If it wasn't for the aggression it wouldn't hit nearly as hard. And if it wasn't for the lack of breaks it wouldn't be as stylistically consistent. I'm fine with it being the way it is, but it does make me feel very drained by the end of it. Two factors carry this album: Raekwon and Ghostface's amazing chemistry with their performances, and RZA's sleek and creative production. I find it disappointing from a songwriting and narrative perspective as the gangster/mafioso themeing gets monotonous and unbelievable. I feel it overpromises on its cinematic aspects, only for them to be slightly jumbled up by lyrical content that feels too predictable at times. Luckily it's performed to near perfection, where the technicality and adaptability of the rapping sort of makes up for the underlying issues of the album. Pair that with RZA's iconic production style and you still get something of quality. The quality stays pretty consistent throughout the album, making it feel like a cohesive and worthwile listen even with its flaws. If you want an example on how an artist can elevate a sound using only their performace this would fit the bill perfectly. 3/5 Fave Track. Rainy Dayz

I'll be honest and say that despite knowing of its existence for close to my entire life I still haven't listened to this record. Lauded as one of the greatest hip hop albums ever made, it's honestly baffling that I haven't given it a shot. Of course I've heard many of the songs off here, but it will be interesting to hear them in the way they were intended. Hoping it lives up to the hype. Straight Outta Compton Absolutely iconic song. One of the most recognizable rap songs of all time. Each verse is among the greatest ever. An almost perfect album opener. Hard to beat when it comes to West Coast hip hop. Classic. 5/5 Fuck Tha Police Another one that's hard to beat. The opening line goes beyond hard. Sadly still relevant to this day. Love the beat. It's provocotive, but still fun. Charismatic gangsta rap track. Classic. 5/5 Gangsta Gangsta Three for three for classics so far. The beat is the real star here, feels really dynamic. Amazing sampling. Ice Cube's lyrics are ridiculous to be honest, I find it kinda funny. The foot in yo ass line is a great example of this. Entertaining track. Eazy really shows how charismatic he can be. Fantastic. 5/5 If It Ain't Ruff Love the funky sample. The first verse has a very dancy old school delivery. Fun to move to. Many of the lines are kinda corny, but it works with the delivery so it barely matters. Great. 4.5/5 Parental Discretion Iz Adviced Great bass sample. Dre shows his potential on his verse, it's cleverly written and really solidly performed. Ren is kinda underappreciated, he provides an entirely different energy than the rest of the group making for some nice variety. Good. 4/5 8 Ball - Remix The beat is kinda chaotic. The first verse is really funny, has some great imagery. Very tongue in cheek and entertaining. That Eazy-E is a very charismatic fella, eh? Great. 4.5/5 Something Like That It's not overly serious which I really appreciate. Easy to follow and fun to listen to. Wouldn't call it especially impressive, but remains a good time none the less. Ren And Dre have great synergy and work really well on the beat. Good. 4/5 Express Yourself Another classic track, that still gets some airtime today. Amazing vocal sample, changes its meaning when put into this context. It's still oddly positive. Some of the bars are a bit dumb. Great concept. 4.5/5 Compton's N The House Doesn't hit as hard as the previous tracks. The diss kinda sucks. I feel the performances are a bit flat and the beat is a bit boring. Fine. 3/5 I Ain't Tha 1 Yeah this is kinda fun. The beat really fits with Ice Cube's delivery. A concept as old as time. It's dumb as hell, but it's kinda humorous as well. "Milk Ice Cube like cereal" is a really corny bar yet it still somehow works. Its contents do stray onto the mysogonistic side, but it feels really exaggarated. Feels like it's meant to be entertaining, not actual commentary. 4.5/5 Dopeman Was not expecting this. A fun twist on an anti drug anthem, more specifically anti crack. It's actually kinda cool to hear from these guys. It's maybe a bit obnxious, but I audibly laughed at the ridiculousness of some of the bars on this. It's a fun track, all be it a bit dated. The storytelling remains kinda iffy at times. Good. 4/5 Quiet On Tha Set Love the energy of the beat. Feels really funky. Great sampling. Ren's rapping style remains fun and bouncy while never losing the credibility of his persona. Not spectacular, but still pretty good. Decent. 3.5/5 Something 2 Dance 2 Definitely something to dance to. Incredibly bouncy and fun. Love that they don't always take themselves too seriously. It's a great way to end the album, shows a lot of personality. Good. 4/5 Some of this has aged well, some of it has aged a bit too well and some of it hasn't aged well at all. I'll be the first to admit that my outside perspective on American socio-political issues doesn't really hold much relevancy as a white European. Though from what I can understand the racial tensions in the large cities in America made it so that young black people needed an outlet to make their perspective heard. This album I feel, becomes one of those outlets, taking serious topics such as police violence, profiling, the allure of drugs and self expression and putting it into a radical and prococative context. The messaging is delivered entertainingly with a lot of character and flair and while its lyrics are sometimes a bit problematic they sure as hell are effective. Yes as with most gangsta rap there's misogyny, there's homophobia and it's also aggressive and violent which I totally get is offensive. And while I'm sure they probably held some of those outdated views, I have a feeling a lot of it is made exaggerated for shock factor and to be perceived as edgy. Despite this it suceeds in being really entertaining. It has fun deliveries, that even though they may sound corny as hell today kinda shows a charming side to hip hop that is almost extinct in today's game. It's produced really well, with awesome sampling and well timed chops. I'm also very impressed with the characters they portray throughout, all of them charming in some way. I can picture them having a lot of fun in the studio coming up with their personalities and quips. Speaking of quips, the members have great chemistry with one another, making the group's eventual downfall feel a bit sad in context. Lyrically they work well together, filling in with fresh energy for when it's needed. I would say it does get a bit repetitive listening to guns, cars, money and women a lot of the time, and there are definitely bars that make me cringe here and there. But overall I'd say it's a good time, though I do get how some of the flaws could be hard to get over for some. 4/5 Fave track. Fuck Tha Police

I don't have the faintest clue what this is. Doesn't exactly read as inspiring, but I don't have any good reasons to be negative about it. Could always be a hidden gem. Jackie I don't know what I expected, but it was not this. The instrumental sounds kinda flat. It's different at least. Kinda dislike the lyrics. The vocal style feels kinda manufactured. Average. 2.5/5 Best Of Both Worlds Intensly boring. He's a fairly talented singer, but lacks any personality or charm. Generic 60s crooing with an overbearing instrumental. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Black Sheep Boy I appreciate the guitar. I don't understand why they felt the need to insert strings here, feels completely hamfisted and unecessesary. Lacks subtelty. Still hate the vocals. Did not like. 2/5 The Amorous Humphrey Plugg Clunky. Hard to get invested in. Tells of an idealized lifestyle that's difficult to relate to. Instrumentally it feels pretty much thr same as the first few tracks, really samey. Did not like. 2/5 Next The theatrical nature of the track is kinda compelling. The more spoken word style is pretty cool at times. Awful lyrics at points. Has some haunting qualities to it. Fine. 3/5 The Girls From The Streets Approaching self parody territory with the vocals. There's some pretty alright writing here. The lyrics have some effective imagery here and there and the instrumental has a bit of variety to it which is a huge improvement from the last few tracks. Generally kinda boring though. Average. 2.5/5 Plastic Palace People Inoffensive. Still dislike the vocal style. The lyrics are somewhat interesting, though I am confused to what is actually happening. The effect on the vocals don't give the intended vibe, just makes him sound creepy. Instrumentally it gets chaotic at times, but never really strays away from the album's formula. Average. 2.5/5 Wait Until Dark Forgettable. Can't say there's anything here that stands out. Did not like. 2/5 The Girls And The Dogs Annoying rhyme scheme. Annoying lyrics. Annoying concept. Torture chamber circus music. Awful. 1/5 Windows Of The World I guess it's pleasant at least. Insanely cliche. Bores me to sleep. Did not like. 2/5 The Bridge It's too much. Feels like a repeat. Lacks any personality or differentiating factor. Did not like. 2/5 Come Next Spring An absolutely nothing song to end off an absolutely nothing album. Got nothing to say. Did not like. 2/5 A slog to get through. Don't understand the appeal at all. Incredibly boring to the point where I'm struggling to find anything to talk about. I guess there's something to be said about his voice which is objectively pretty alright, though I still don't like the vocal style so it doesn't really help. There's very little here that's outright bad though, it rarely strays into unpleasant territory musically, though the lyrics can have a tendency to worsen the experience with dated language and strange expressions. Don't have much more to say. Would rather just forget this exists. 2/5

I can't believe it's been 10 years since this album came out. In my mind this is still considered "fresh" and "new" which may stem from how much it has dominated music discussion, at least in online spheres since it came out. At this point it's been discussed so much that I almost don't even want to review it. What there is to say about this has already been said. Kendrick Lamar is one of the greatest songwriters of the modern era, and this remains his opus. Wesley's Theory Starting off strong with what might be my favourite rap song of all time. The groove is immaculate, the lyrics are clever, the rapping is sylistic and fresh. Fucking George Clinton is on this thing whooping ass straight from the can. There's nothing here that isn't perfect. An unforgettable opening track. The attention to detail here is insane, everything here just feels so intentional. Also Thundercat could be on almost anything and it would work. Amazing. 5/5 For Free? I just love the way the jazz instrumental compliments the rant at the start. Also it's just such a fun idea to hear this instrumental and decide to rap over it, it's really clever. Love his inflections on this thing, really makes the bars pop even harder. Full of personality with some really solid subtextual commentary which sorts itself into a really concise point at the end. Fantastic. 5/5 King Kunta Such a fun bassline. Very catchy hook. Feels like a bit of a victory lap. This song has so many memorable lines. Also that funk sections slaps. Fantastic. 5/5 Institutionalized Love the more laid back vibe for this specific theme. The switchup after the intro is a really clever way to grab the audience's attention. Really memorable hook. Honestly kind of a challenging track. It has many layers to it both lyrically and instrumentally. This song discusses the concept of institutionalism in such a nuanced and thought out way. There's never just one angle to it, talking about several ways institutions ruin people's lives. Fantastic. 5/5 These Walls The intro is haunting and ominous. Contrasts heavily to the poppy chorus. Love the subtle nods to classic hip hop production. The jazzier parts of the song have a lot going for them, feels really large and powerful, especially with the added vocal effect. Makes the concept hit much harder by slowing things down and making it darker, realer and more personal. Great. 4.5/5 u Feels dark, chaotic and kinda scary. Love the resentful aggressive performance. It's really dark and depressing. It's dramatic and theatrical and keeps you on your toes. Sure some may find the inflections and delivery to be annoying, but I think this added character sort of sells the concept. Without it perhaps one would overlook how difficult the themes of self hatred and regret are. The added drama puts an extra spotlight on the lyrical contents. Great. 4.5/5 Alright This has become sort of an anthem. I definitely appreciate the more upbeat track after the last one. There's a lot of empowerment in this track. The throwback hits really hard. Iconic hook. Fantastic. 5/5 For Sale? A strange, trippy experience through a watery psychedelic landscape. The rambling almost conversational style of the verses has a really chaotic feel to it. It's admitably a bit hard to follow, due to the busy nature of the track. Love the alluring devil figure hiding amongst the chaos. Great. 4.5/5 Momma That bass is crazy good. Awesome instrumental in general really. That last verse is something else really. Inspired track. Fantastic. 5/5 Hood Politics Feels really dense thematically. I find it a bit hard to follow sometimes. Really love some bars, others I don't fully get. Instrumentally though this song hits like a truck. Especially the start of the song. Good. 4/5 How Much A Dollar Cost That's thick. Feels a bit more on the nose than a few of the other songs on here. There's still plenty of great storytelling here. There's something angelic about those effect heavy vocals. Really like the intensity of the final verse. Good. 4/5 Complexion (A Zulu Love) It's really catchy. The feature really adds an entirely different vibe which is really appreciated after such a dense section of tracks. It's really nice to hear something that's much more positively coded. Great. 4.5/5 The Blacker The Berry The buildup to the first verse is very intense which really gives a great fealing of release when it first comes in. The first line just goes so hard. The aggression and resentment is very effective. Love the hook. It's so direct and hard hitting. Makes me feel a bit sad. Love the serenity of the climax. Fantastic. 5/5 You Ain't Gotta Lie (Momma Said) There's an incredible smoothness to this track. Love the occasional g-funk vibe. The dismissive commentary makes it feel oddly personal, despite the almost aloof attitude. Great. 4.5/5 i A very fitting counterpart to "u". The perfect anthisesis to that depressing affair. Awesome guitar. Incredible vibe. Uplifting and empowering. Fantastic. 5/5 Mortal Man Feels like a prayer at times. Extremely serious and conflicted. This almost stream of conciousness like structure feels very dramatic and satisfying. Love how it contrasts to the very structured nature of the poem which finally gets its conclusion. It's hard to comment on the 2pac "interview" at the end, it's a very artistic way of summarizing the themes of the album, but it also sort of stretches out the album's climax, messing with the pacing a bit. Really like the caterpillar allegory though, it's a great way of explaining the thesis the album is trying to convey. Good. 4/5 I'll keep this brief: To Pimp A Butterfly does everything it's supposed to do, portraying the struggles and complexities that come with being black in America in a concise and effective way. Instrumentally it honors decades of black tradition through both sublte and unsubtle homages to different eras. Lyrically it stands out as being densly filled with precise and measured commentary while still being clever, emotionally mature and even funny at times. It has hooks, it has dancability, it has memorable lines, and plenty of drama. This makes it remain entertaining while dishing out strong commentary on difficult and messy societal issues as well as harsh realities when it comes to identity. A gripping and complex tale that builds its own character through a unique and unreplicable sound which makes it strangely timeless. A modern classic. 5/5

I'm always happy to hear some jazz, despite it not being my favourite genre. Finding something I wouldn't normally listen to is pretty much always a pleasure. Mingus is an artist I'm briefly familiar, having listen to some of his music before. I've long been aware of this album as it is discussed as one of the best of its genre. Hoping it isn't as innaccessible as a lot of jazz tends to be. Track A - Solo Dancer Feels very visual, like it's trying to show me something. I really appreciate how there's always something happening. It never takes you in the direction you might expect. Really love when several different melodies move parallel against each other. There's a bit of carthartic moment with that crazy, chaotic section at the end. Feels like a perfect release of tension. Great. 4.5/5 Track B - Duete Solo Dancers Starts of sort of depressing and moody. Love the buildup and the rapidly increasing tempo. I'm reallt impressed with the percussion on this track. A very technical and presisce track that sounds incredibly difficult to perform. Great. 4.5/5 Track C - Group Dancers Oh that's absolutely magnificent. The amount of emotion that's being expressed is really impressive. That flute is almost magical and the spanish guitar is also just wonderful and unexpected. Dynamic and engaging, never taking the easy path, but never choosing the wrong one either. Okay... The final few minutes were just jawdroppingly awesome. That kicked so much ass. Fantastic. 5/5 Medley: Mode D-Trio and Group Dancers (etc...) This is absolute insanity. I have no idea what is going on, but I'm really digging it. There are so many layers to unpack here. Just the fact that someone has managed to assemble, perform and record this to such perfection is baffling. This is gonna take a while to process, but oh my if those 18 minutes didn't just fly by. Fantastic. 5/5 That was quite the experience. On a first listen it is impossible to catch every detail and every instance of nuance and subtely, though despite the admitably surface level listen I can tell that this is really special. The arrangements and their flawless execution of them speaks for itself. It's so tight, so technical and so experimental that it's at times difficult to picture someone actually playing it. It never goes where you expect it to go, taking you through a sonic journey where everything just makes sense. Stunning, magical, flawless. Some really inspiring stuff, that makes me want to dive deeper into Charles Mingus' discography. 5/5

Loved reading the Wikipedia article for this entry. Makes it seem like there's a real artistic vision behind it. Leonard Cohen is as beloved a songwriter as one can be, so I wasn't surprised when his name popped up this morning. Not really that familiar with his work outside of his first album so I'm really interested in hearing how this one plays out. Going into this with somewhat elevated expectations. Bird on the Wire A song that paints a very romantic and picturesque visual with its personal and poetic style of lyricism. Love how sparse and distant the instrumental is. It's a fairly easy song to follow along to, and despite that it feels deep and carefully written. Has a sort of depressing tone to it, though plenty of light still shines through with the hopeful sounding instrumental. Great. 4.5/5 Story of Isaac Visceral and effective. Using a well known biblical story as an allegory for what I interpret as war, though I'm sure it could be interpreted differently. Twisting the perspective of the story to Isaac's point of view makes it feel much more violent and personal. The informal and conversational delivery is especially effective. This is very apparent in the final verse, where it feels almost jaded and impersonal. Fantastic. 5/5 A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes Not as consise and polished as the last two tracks, but it still serves its intended purpose. Love the way the perspective handles time. The largeness and emotional delivery of the chorus really works for this track. Decent. 3.5/5 The Partisan That simply blew me away. The songwriting style is absolutely magnificent. Love how it almost reads as a letter or some lost pages from a diary. The French backing vocals are so unbelievably effective. While he didn't write it, he gets props for making it his own. Feels like a bold inclusion. Fantastic. 5/5 Seems So Long Ago, Nancy After first hearing this song I was quite confused as to what it was about. My google search took me to a website where someone claimed to be a relative of the person this song is about. Assuming it's true (could also be completely made up) this is quite the haunting tale of someone who struggled a lot throughout their life. Extremely depressing and bone chilling. There's a lot of regret expressed through the lyircs and a real sadness in his voice. Great. 4.5/5 The Old Revolution Okay I'm stumped. I love the language used in the lyrics and I really appreciate how poetically sound it is. I just don't understand what the song is about. There are some absolutely stunning lines here. Especially the "And I thought that we were winning" and "Even damnation is poisoned with rainbows. Will need some time to find my own interpretation of this. Fantastic. 5/5 The Butcher I'm not sure what is going on here. There's definitely some context I'm missing here. Feels spiritual or religious in nature, but more than that I cannot say. The song feela dark and harrowing in its imagery. There's a lot of violence present in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 You Know Who I Am Is this from the perspective of God? If that's the case this is a pretty bold interpretation of the relationship between Man and God. Feels almost threathening and very existential. As a non-religious person I'm not aware of any text this may reference. It's a clever song with a harrowing chorus. Good. 4/5 Lady Midnight After giving up on trying to understand the lyrics to this song I ended up seeking my old friend Google. Going through ancient internet posts on the Leonard Cohen forums lead me to an interpretation that this song is about creativity and artistry. Choosing to go by that interpretation there seems to be a lot of cynisism and hopelesness in this song. About how he feels scorned and dismissed by this "Lady Midnight". Love how the climax of the song unflods, resolving the cynisism and bleakness. Good. 4/5 Tonight Will Be Fine Pleasant, smooth and soothing. Refreshing to hear a simple, beautiful love song requiring little interpretation. Love the chorus. Very visual and pretty in its imagery. The final instrumental section is stunning. Fantastic. 5/5 That was great, but boy did I need to work the old trusty Google in order to understand most of it. I'm genuinely impressed by the poetry and storytelling skills on display here. It's bleak and depressing, dark and serious, but still wonderfully colourful and stimulating. There are simply too many beautiful lines of poetry to count. Musically, that being the melodies, the instrumentals and the performances is where it faulters a bit. It's not unfitting for the style, but perhaps it's a bit spartan in its composition. Still I'm extremely satisfied with having heard this record, especially as it made me actually have to think and do research in order to understand it. Feels like a bit of a puzzle. 4.5/5 leaning closer to 4/5 Fave track. The Old Revolution

Let's just get through this thing and see what it has in store. Seems to be fairly popular based on the streaming numbers. Don't know what to expect, but I'm worried looking at some of the features on here. Quite like the album cover. Rise Feels like a bit of an extended intro. Sounds alright for what it is, though doesn't really do much to qualify it as a fully blown song. Unrated/5 Weary I like the vocal layering. The production is low key and pretty. It's a pleasant song without doing too much that's out of the box. Nothing wrong with it, just not particularly exciting. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: The Glory is in You Short and straight to the point. Cranes in the Sky I like the instrumental quite a bit. Feels succinct enough for the style of song without being too sparse. Pretty chorus, feels like the main event here. There are times where the vocals are a bit much. Interlude: Dad Was Mad The piano is a bit overpowering. Kinda hear what they're saying. Mad (feat. Lil Wayne) It's a cute concept. The RnB sections are pretty solid, though not particularly special. Lil Wayne's verses are fine. Have heard him drop much worse. Feels like it's missing something. Fine. 3/5 Don't You Wait I like the electronic elements of the instrumental. I appreciate that the track takes a bit of time to get going. The verses have a nice structure to them. Weak chorus. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: Tina Thought Me Yeah that makes sense Don't Touch My Hair Has some great feminity to it. I guess it could be empowering to some. I find some of the language in the chorus a bit goofy. I like the harmony in the end section of the song. Fine. 3/5 Interlude: This Moment Fine inclusion I guess Where Do We Go Kinda beautiful. Very pretty chorus. I like how there's a bit more instrumentation to this track. The bassline and the piano work really well in tandem with the layered vocals. Decent. 3.5/5 Interlude: For Us By Us Awkward transition. The spoken word is inspiring enough. F.U.B.U Really like the instrumental. The vulgarity feels a bit awkward in this style. I guess I'm just not used to it. It's a bit sluggish, don' really find it too exciting. I like the features I guess. Average. 2.5/5 Borderline (An Ode to Self Care) (feat. Q-Tip) Sounds a bit busy. I think the very loud and flat sounding electronic drums take up way too much space in the mix. The post chorus melody is really pretty. Disappointed by the feature. Interlude: I Got So Much Magic, You Can Have It. That was quite a nice break. You can hear there's a bit of personality there. Junie Fun and a bit funky. Really like the looser more up tempo track. Feels colourful and pretty. Love the electronic elements. There's a lot of personality in the lyrics. Kinda liked that. Good. 4/5 Interlude: No Limits Nothing to say here Don't Wish Me Well I like the addition of the synths here. There are some really pretty vocal moments on this track. Otherwise it's just solid throughout. Doesn't do anything particularly exciting, but what it does it does really well. Great performance. Decent. 3.5/5 Interlude: Pedestals Decent sentiment I guess. Scales (feat. Kelala) Got nothing from that. Kinda bored me to be honest. I guess it's performed well, but it feels like a bit of a weaker entry. Did not like. 2/5 Closing: The Chosen Ones A bit of an anticlimatic way to end it. I found this to be mostly forgetable to be honest which is a shame. I feel like she is talented as a singer and as a commentator on culture and identity. And that the themes in this albums are pretty solid and consistent. However the songs don't exactly stick out as anything special. It's competent, listenable, safe and pleasant, which makes it sound good on the ear. Sadly this also means that it just sorta blends into the background, meaning you have to really scour through the song afterwards to find the intention behind it. The well intentioned and thematic, but rarely too interestingly produced interludes, slow down the pace of the album quite significantly. This makes the listening experience lack some of the smoothness that the nature of the tracks try to convey. In other words, this album is just fine. There's nothing that sticks out as outright bad, but I wish it took more risks. You could say it's worth listening to just for the layered harmonies and the production quality as those are probably the highlights on here. Shouldn't be outright dismissed, but can't say I'll be returning to this one much. 3/5, though I may just be missing something.

This looks like it has the potential to go either way I suppose. This is a band I'm vaguely familiar with, though only through their 80's work. For what it is it's fine, so I'm hoping it's an evolution of that sound. I'm expecting some alright, but not extraordinary synthpop. Being Boring The synths are really good. They have a very distinctly warm sound to them. Catchy chorus. Kinda cheesy. Gets a bit repetitive to be honest. The datedness adds some charm to it. Sounds great, but lacks some substance. Fine. 3/5 This Must Be The Place I Waited Years to Leave Clunky title. Great synth sound, even the drums sound alive and vibrant. The vocals work well enough. The clunkiness of the title sort of translates to the performance itself, it just doesn't sound great language wise. I really like the instrumental, though I'm fairly ambivalent about the rest of the song. Fine. 3/5 To Face The Truth Yeah this does not work. Hate the vocals here. The slow tempo and echoey and exaggerated production does it no favours. Really don't like the loud hi-hats either. I find the lyrical writing very cliche and stale. A slog to get through. Awful. 1/5 How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? I wish there was a world where I couod like this. Some of the synths sound good. The rest just sounds dated to the point where I find it annoying rather than charming. The singer's voice contrasts way too much against the electric guitar to the point where the combo of the two just sounds ridiculous. Awkward chorus. Awful. 1/5 Only the Wind Sterile and cold. Hate the crashing synths. That sound has never sounded good. Otherwise the instrumental is mostly uneventful other than a couple half pleasant solo and a slightly overpowering piano. Hate the repetitive drum machine. This style of songwriting just isn't for me. Awful. 1/5 My October Symphony The tempo is at least fun. Has an uplifting beat with a groovy guitar. Feels maybe a bit empty around the verses. Kinda like the bassline. Kinda like the static and cold vocal performance here. The vocal sample adds a bit of additional dynamism to the track. The psychedelic guitar solo and the out of nowhere violin is a fairly effective way to end the song. Strangely works. Good. 4/5 So Hard The base drum and synth combination works pretty well. Still hate the crashing synths, ruins the smooth vibe completely. Decent enough chorus. Goofy synth break. Decently dancable I guess. The final string of repeating choruses sort of gives life to the general idea of the song. Brought down by its worst feature. Average. 2.5/5 Nervously Not entirely unpleasant, but absolutely not a favourite. Really don't like these slower paced songs on here. His voice doesn't convey the emotion that's required for this to be interesting in any way. At the same time the production of the track makes it sound extremely melodramatic and cliche, especially with the oscillating synths that move in a chime like pattern across the mix. As well as the soft percussion. I guess there's a cool vocal effect on the chorus that sounded pretty cool. Did not like. 2/5 The End of the World The general sound of this is good from a production standpoint, though I find it perhaps a bit sterile. To my ears this is extremely generic for a synthpop track. I guess the chorus is kinda catchy, but otherwise it does nothing for me. Average. 2.5/5 Jealousy Another track where the instrumental really works. Feels large, and has some depth to it. I think the vocals work better here than anywhere else on the album. He has a bitter intonation that fits with the themeing of the track. Very colourful and rich outro, love how lush and melodic it feels. Quite liked that one. Good. 4/5 I'm just gonna say that was a weird first impression. First and foremost I'll have to praise the general sound of this, as it's produced wonderfully. I'm really impressed with the richness of the recording and the way each track is layered. The synths sound absolutely magnificent throughout this album, having a crisp, potent and full sound that stays with you from start to finish. It's composed in such a way that every instrumental is distinct and unique in the context of the album. There are plenty of instrumental lines that pop out and become more and more effective as they repeat. Pair this with some alright melody work and you get a few infectious moments. All that being said, I can't say I like it that much after this first initial listen. The songwriting style feels clunky and forced. I'm really not impressed with the vocals. And while I praise their synthesizer work there's usually a glaring creative choice that I really don't like in almost every single one of these tracks. I also think the lyricism on here comes of as shallow and melodramatic. It's not incompentent, and I somewhat can understand it at times, but in the end it gets too much for me. It's a shame as I can tell talented people worked on this. If there are any other Pet Shop Boys albums on this list I'll make sure to revisit this one afterwards. Perhaps it clicks with me, with that added context. 2/5

I have in the past dismissed this band as just an other run of the mill pop punk band of the era, never really paying too much attention to them. I can't say I've ever taken this genre of music too seriously, though the recent resurgence in music clearly inspired by this era has me rethinking my stance. However it isn't something I've taken too much of a deep dive into. Looking at this as a potential start of a new appreciation for this type of music. Going into this with an open mind, expecting to hear something interesting. Time to Relax That's an absolutely unhinged intro. Unrated/5 Nitro (Youth Energy) Really like the guitar riff here. Also dig the energy of the drums. A short but sweet track that immediately throws you into the album with a fast tempo and an unrelenting energy. The howling vocals pumps you up for what's about to follow. Decent. 3.5/5 Bad Habit Great buildup. The vocals are really unique. Fits really well with the blood pumping chorus. Catchy. Has a lot of charisma. Great. 4.5/5 Gotta Get Away There's a messy garageiness to the instrumental here that's quite fun. Don't love the verses, really don't like the cadance of the vocals. The chorus however works decently well. I really like the fuzzy guitar. Fine. 3/5 Genocide Has some classic punk era energy to it. Especially some of the guitar parts and the general sound of the drums. The chorus is decently effective. Lyrically it's nothing to write home about, there are some questionable lines here that bring down the quality a bit. Decent. 3.5/5 Something to Believe In Really like the way the verse is set up. Has a very interesting structure to it. Love the post chorus guitar passage. Great bass on the bridge. The lyrics are straight forward and easy to follow. Decent chorus. Good. 4/5 Come Out And Play Interesting change in instrumentation with the surf style guitar. Works surprisingly well for this style. Memorable chorus. Great pre chorus. Just all round a fun listen. Great. 4.5/5 Self Esteem Fun bassline. Feels like an archetypical song of this genre. Reject self pity anthem, feels fairly standard for this syle. Honestly kinda works. Can understand why it's popular. Angsty and edgy with plenty of attitude. Makes me cringe, but in a fun awkward way. Very memorable chorus. Aggressively 90's. Great. 4.5/5 It'll Be A Long Time Love the energy. The lyrics tell a story as old as time itself, still relevant today. Love how the tempo gradually increases towards the chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Killboy Powerhead A bit of a forgettable punk rock track. Doesn't detract from the tracklist, but doesn't exactly stand out. Has a fast tempo and an alright chorus. Performed with the energy you might expect from the rest of the album. Average. 2.5/5 What Happened to You? Love how it gets into the action the moment it starts. Fun instrumental, I like the guitar solo. The uptempo contrasts to the dark theme of the lyrics. Doesn't waste time. Good. 4/5 So Alone Feels a bit unfinished. Would be interesting to hear a full length track of this. As it stands the themes of the lyrics come across pretty clearly, though I think it could've been expanded upon. Average. 2.5/5 Not The One That's a great start. Thoughtful and concise lyrical themes. Love that bassline. The vocals are performed with a logmt of gusto and flavour. Good. 4/5 Smash I like a lot of the guitar playing on this song. The lyrics are whatever. Decent verse melody. I find the inclusion of a hidden track kinda charming - A relic of a bygone era. Decent. 3.5/5 Myself five years ago would've laughed at even considering giving this a decent score. Back then I'd probably dismiss this for not being "artsy" or "organic" enough, dismissing its commercial success as a point against it. Today I feel quite different, yeah it's not exactly high art, but not everything needs to be. Music can be so many things, and one of those is entertaining. And this album is that. It's catchy, it's energetic and it's fun as hell. With large choruses and fuzzy guitars, as well as attitude filled unique vocals it sticks out as memorable and charming. And while I can't give it full score, as there is the problem here and there, I can't dock it too many points as it achieves pretty much what it tries to achieve. If we're to talk about problems, my main issues stem from the lyrics that at times are either a bit awkward, simply poorly written or maybe a bit sparse. This leaves some of the larger moments on the album occasionally falling a bit flat. I'd also say the spoken word is really unecessary, adding nothing to the experience. Overall I'm surprised by this experience, and while not life changing in any way I could see myself returning to it for the occasional listen when I'm feeling an itch for some 90's angst. 3.5/5 Leaning slightly closer to a 4/5.

Dread is what I felt when this showed up. I might be carrying a bit of prejudice against 2000's pop music so this will be a challenging listen. I am praying I at least can get through this, as this is at least from a period in time where JT was considered cool. Unlike today where a generational drop off has seen him completely fall off the map, relevancy wise. I fear the length of this thing. Going into this with low expectations and hoping I'll find something to enjoy here. Señorita Off to a bad start. Hate the intro. The triangle is extremely annoying. Cringe lyrics. His voice is very good. A varied and well paced performance. Some sections sound very busy. Drags. Hate the outro. His personality on this track is really cheesy and performative. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Like I Love You Uuuuuuuuuugh hate the whispery soft spoken intro. The drums sound like tin cans. Generic cringeworthy lyrics. Genuinely difficult to get through. Free me from falsetto hell. Dated beyond belief. Awful. 1/5 (Oh No) What You Got Annoying. Torturous flute. The synth is kinda cool. Almost decent chorus. At least it's mostly just boring, doesn't actually make me die inside. Even though some of the effects on the vocals sound terrible. Dislike. 2/5 Take It From Here Holy hell that's the corniest lyrics I've ever heard, makes me wanna shut this song off immediately. The whispering is not sexy, it's just weird, dude. Kinda getting into the vibe of the vocal melody on the chorus. Has it's moments, but the bad far outweighs the good. Way too long. Dislike. 2/5 Cry Me A River The production here is just waaaay too much. It sounds ridiculous. The chorus is admitably catchy. The bridge does break up the monotony a bit, but it also does suck, just sounds lifeless and flat. Overproduced and annoying, but mostly inoffensive. Dislike. 2/5 Rock Your Body Sterile disco inspired instrumental, lacks any real soul or smoothness. Don't mind the chorus, though it's a bit overproduced. The duet aspect of the song strangly works pretty well. "Nekkid" is a word that should never be said by anyone ever. The outro kills any energy or dancability the song has. Makes it peter out in an unsatisfying way. Average. 2.5/5 Nothin' Else 2 minutes went by before I noticed it was even playing. Slow, monotonous, boring. Awful synths. Annoying vocal ad-libs. There are sections in there where you can find some pretty harmonies I suppose. I guess the bass is kinda memorable. Dislike. 2/5 Last Night Busy. Don't really get what the instrumental is trying to do, just sounds messy. Irritating chorus. Also commits the great sin of being bland as hell. Generic track that way overstays it welcome. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Still On My Brain So incredibly inauthentic. Hate the wind chimes. Mostly inoffensive, but bland as hell. Would rather listen to elevator music. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 (And She Said) Take Me Now Doing my best not to zone out completely. Really don't like the drums. Cringeworthy, vapid lyrics again. The additional vocals just makes the song sound busy. Hate the grunting. Who in their right mind thought this song needed to be 5 minutes and 30 seconds long. The outro section adds exactly zero value. Awful. 1/5 Right For Me Help me. This is purgatory. The rap verse is a real downer, sounds completely phoned in. Otherwise generic and bland. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Let's Take A Ride What in hell was that intro. What the hell was that first verse. This concept just doesn't work. The looping instrumental gets really repetitive. Nothing chorus. I truly don't know if this track is particularly bad or if I'm just fed up with this album, but I felt such a relief when it was over. Awful. 1/5 Never Again ... will I listen to this album! Who cares. Boring as balls. The extremely basic, generic lyrics don't help. Sounds like they're made with a generator. Approaching parody. The performance feels manifactured. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 It's times like these where I appreciate the current era of music accesibility. I can go online and find pretty much anything, from experimental german noise rock, to today's trendiest pop-star's freshest album. Music streaming has been available for around two decades now and never in that time have I wanted to listen to Justin Timberlake. And why is that? Because his music is bland as hell. It's an absolute masterclass in pandering to the lowest common denominator to the point where it approaches self parody. There's so little interesting material on here that I'd genuinely find more enjoyment out of listening to TV-static, as I could at least see it having some meditative qualities. Here you're presented with an artist who absolutely CAN sing and a producer who definitely is capable of producing, but their combined effort feels so calculated, cold and manufactured that you're left with an inauthentic, soulless experience. Each track has about a minute of dead space, that just wastes your time on unecessary additions or tasteless repetition. This bloats the album to such an extent that it drags until I'm so bored I completely zone out. And I admit that the hits on this thing have moments where they're really catchy and memorable, but even they are marred with the same blandness, or even in some cases overproduction which makes the remaining sections od those tracks nigh unlistenable. Justin Timberlake is a talented guy, and apparently puts on a pretty good live show, but this album is just not it. Judging by his future work he at least gets somewhat better before falling off a cliff again. 1/5

So it's a beloved album in a genre I'm not too immersed in, which usually means I'll have to adjust my approach a little. I'll admit that I do find reggae a bit samey so if that's a problem here it's not necessarily indicative of the quality of the album. I am aware of this band's music, and when it comes to their hits I'm really not a fan. Hoping for something completely different, otherwise this will be a struggle. Going into this with a hint of worry. Tyler Surprised by the outright politicalness of the lyrics of this track. It's extremely direct. I like the sax. The instrumental bridge section lifts this track to a whole new level. Love the hint of psychedelia in there. Great percussion. Good. 4/5 King Instrumentally it's quite cool. Love the groove. The vocals do sort of disturb the vibe at times, especially with the sudden cuts. I do quite like the drawn out reverb effect on them. The lyrics are quite catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 12 Bar Sounds like a nice day out on town. Love the lighter tones. Cheerful and full of colour. The sax melody is really cute. Simple and effective. Good. 4/5 Burden of Shame While the topic of discussion here should definitely be the meaning behind the song, I'll just quickly have to shout out how much I love the bass on this track. The final instrumental section is a fantastic jam. Powerful and thoughtful commentary in the lyrics does a straight forward job at condemning British imperialism. Good. 4/5 Adella A solid instrumental track, though lacking the infectiousness some of the previous tracks had. Feels a bit uneventful, though provides a couple of cool melodies that keep it from getting too boring. Fine. 3/5 I Think It's Going To Rain Today The lyrics are pretty cute, though I'm not sure I like how they are performed. I'm just not a fan of how the vocals sound, feels a bit overdone. The instrumental sections between the verses feels like the highlight of this song. Average. 2.5/5 25% Has a bit of a lazy energy to it. Decently relaxing but goes nowhere. Feels a bit undercooked, lacking any sort of change or dynamism. Average. 2.5/5 Food For Thought Vsiceral and depressing lyrics. A lot of the imagery here is really dark. Instrumentally it's nothing special, it's consistent with the style of the rest of the album. Kinda repetitive. Fine. 3/5 Little By Little I can dig a socialist anthem occasionally. Decently effective chorus. Great bassline. Love the dynamic percussion on here. Catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Signing Off A decent vibe, owing much of its interesting parts to the bass playing. Decent sax melody. It's fun to hear an extended guitar section in there. Not exceptional, but a fun little jam none the less. Decent. 3.5/5 Madam Medusa Lacks a bit of energy to start with, though I slowly start getting into the theme of it as it goes along. Really digging the final verse, great energetic performance from the vocals. Does however devolve into an aimless and uneventful jam section where it seems to just drag on forever. As much as I like the way the bass and percussion sounds here, it doesn't really keep me interested. Average. 2.5/5 Strange Fruit The lyrics are as dark and powerful as ever. A harrowing piece of songwriting. However this is a bit of an unremarkable version of the song. The vocalist's voice doesn't carry the amount of emotion and visceralness required to perform this song effectively. The way the instrumental works to enunciate parts of the lyrics really works. Fine. 3/5 Reefer Madness The more up tempo feel does feel appropriate for an album closer. I like the percussion quite a lot at times, there are some really interesting background moments. Great bass again. Fine. 3/5 Was honestly expecting this to be annoying and whiny based on their hits, but I'm pleasantly surprised it wasn't that at least. I definitely didn't expect there to be so much political commentary on there, which I thought was delivered with a lot of grace. Starting pretty strong with songs that I genuinely thought were pretty interesting, wether it is political commentary or instrumental atmosphere. I was also surprised at how much the saxophone added to the sound. However this album is pretty frontloaded, where as I feel most of their best ideas were already spent by the time we get halfway through. There's probably 35 minutes of material on here that's actually worth checking out over the course of the album, the rest is uneventful, easily fading into the background. Especially some of the instrumental songs could've been cut completely and no one would notice. I can't say the vocals were ever a highlight either, as at their best they're sort of just there and at their worst they're actively in the way of the groove. The moment a different vocalist comes in with another sort of energy I can feel the song gets lifted significantly. To be honest this album just doesn't have enough going on a lot of the time unless the instrumentals do the heavy lifting, which they're forced to do a lot. And while I have praised the commentary aspect of the lyrical content, the way its delivered sort of makes it feel a bit to casual and dispassionate. In the end it's fine, but also significantly flawed. The album's terrible pacing and bloated tracklist bringing it down. 3/5

I'm generally not a fan of mid century crooner music, but I'll try my best to give this a fair chance. Frank Sinatra does have a golden voice so maybe it'll be enough for me to find enjoyment here. Not really expecting much from this. You Make Me Feel So Young Unremarkable but pretty sweet. Goes by without a hitch, feels really pleasant and sweet. Not particularly exciting, but decent background music. Fine. 3/5 It Happened In Monterey The horns are quite obnoxious and the song itself is extremely repetitive. The delivery feels professional, but not exactly passionate or interesting in any way. Again, pleasant but nothing special. Average. 2.5/5 You're Getting To Be A Habit With Me Clunky. Good piano solo. I sort of like the instrumental bits, but it gets a bit boring after a while. Average. 2.5/5 You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me I like the main vocal melody of the chorus. The lyrics are a bit average. Not getting much out of the instrumental. Average. 2.5/5 Too Marvelous For Words The premise is kinda cute I suppose. The "Webster's dictonary" line is charming. Fine. 3/5 Old Devil Moon There's some alright imagery here, I like the sort of enchanted undertones in the language they use. The chorus is kinda fun. Sinatra adds little to the song. Fine. 3/5 Pennies From Heaven Whimsical lyrics. Pleasant. Unremarkable. Average. 2.5/5 Love Is Here To Stay I guess it's sweet enough for a love song, but it's also boring as hell. Doesn't do anything to differentiate itself from the rest. Dislike. 2/5 I've Got You Under My Skin And for the next song we have the excact same thing as the previous 8 songs. I suppose the lyrics are about cheating or whatever which makes it slightly more interesting. Average. 2.5/5 Thought About You I zoned out and forgot I was listening to this. Guess I'll have to replay it. Some sweet romantic lyrics delivered in Frank Sinatra's trademark style, who would've guessed. The train theme is at least a bit different. Average. 2.5/5 We'll Be Together Again There's a saxophone part near the end that's pretty alright. Otherwise extremely boring. Dislike. 2/5 Makin' Whoopiee Kinda like the risqueness of the song. The ancient slang is pretty charming. Sinatra feels a bit flat on this song. Cute premise. Fine. 3/5 Swingin' Down The Lane A pleasant track with a bit of pace to it. Has some dancable qualities. Paints a fairly pretty picture. Nostalgic sounding track. Decent. 3.5/5 Anything Goes The values of this song kinda sucks, but when it comes to the original you can at least hear a clear distain and bitterness in Porter's voice. Here it's completely overridden by Sinatra's smooth delivery. Makes it lack personality. Dislike. 2/5 How About You? Nostalgic and sweet. Cute imagery. Fine. 3/5 A well constructed collection of very pleasant easy listening pop tracks delivered smoothly with a lot of class. Sinatra lends his trademark jazzy big band style to a series of sweet and charming love songs that remain reflective of the era. His sylish, characteristic voice provides a soothing experience that lifts your mood and provides you with a shining atmosphere for whatever activity you're doing. Is it bold, inventive or challenging in any way? No, but it's very accessible and nostalgic sounding with mostly relatable and sweet lyrics that reflect an idealized fantasy throughout the record's runtime. For an active listen it's not the most interesting thing in the world, and while Sinatra performs the songs well, they rarely feel like the definite versions of said songs. Still for a collection they work well, and feel very consistent quality wise. Pairs best with another activity, playing softly in the background when focused on something else. Unspectacular, a bit samey, but still charming and for the last time, pleasant. Decent for what it is. 3/5

I listened to this back in 2020 when it first came out and didn't get much from it back then. The previous Fiona Apple album on this list also didn't really leave me too flabbergasted, though it did have some standout songs. Really can't remember much from this to be honest, so I don't mind a revisit. Hoping I get more out of it today. No real expectations heading into it. I Want You To Love Me Interesting start. There's a lot of personality to her voice. Really like how layered and varied it gets throughout the track. Especially the grittier parts. The lyrics are pretty interesting, especially with the science allegories in there. Passionate chorus. Decently impactful piano. Good. 4/5 Shameika A strange sonic experience. I like the chaotic instrumental moments quite a lot. Think the play well off of the hurricane/strom imagery in the lyrics. Feels like an artistic expression of the act of reassuring oneself. I'm a bit ambivalent about the chorus, as I apprecieate what it represents, though I'm not sure if I'm in love with how it sounds. Love the details in the percussion. Good. 4/5 Fetch The Bolt Cutters The found objects used for the percussion is cool. There's a bit of theatricality to the vocals here, which she uses to great effect. At the same time the lyrics, though a bit difficult to fully grasp, are relatable. The chorus is really effective at summarizing the message of the song. I also love the vocal layering. Great. 4.5/5 Under The Table I like how it's presented in a relatable setting. I like her confidence and argumentative personality on the track, seems strong willed. She sounds a bit drunk, or at least a bit pissed off, like she's baring her fangs a bit at this person. Effective chorus, love how spectacular it gets throughout the track. Good. 4/5 Relay Solid metaphor presented in an interesting way. Again, impressed with her vocal performance. She channels a lot of anger and vitriol into her delivery. Really enjoy the instrumental section of the track. Great outro. Great. 4.5/5 Rack of His That's such a cool instrumental. Has haunting qualities to it. Impressive performance yet again. Love the carthartic loudness that comes through at times. When the intensity drops off it has this sort of drowning effect which is really pleasant to listen to. The quieter sections almost has her sounding tired, before she drifts off. Good. 4/5 Newspaper Spooky. Haunting and full of anger. Love the dynamic instrumental. Has a sort of rant like quality to it, though it never loses focus. Again, what a performance. Feels extremely personal and real. The anger and despair is really powerful. Emotional and brutal with concerning lyrics. Fantastic. 5/5 Ladies What fun lyricism. There's some really infectious and fun language here. Great verse structure, good message. Charming pieces of imagery. Impressive vocals. I really like the chorus as well. Simple and fun instrumental, the bass carries a lot of weight throughout the song. Great. 4.5/5 Heavy Balloon Don't get what the song really is about, but the lyrics are really well constructed. Makes for a memorable time. Especially with that gritty and powerful vocal performance. It's varied and dynamic, with a hint of soul and a lot of personality. Gorgeous backing vocals. Love the song structure. Great. 4.5/5 Cosmonauts Not the most complicated thematically or lyrically, but really effective. Infectious and catchy. Love the space theme. The way the song just explodes at the end is really fun. The instrumental provides a beautiful atmosphere, especially when the additional vocals come through. Great vocals again. Fantastic. 5/5 For Her What an absolute ride. Stunned. 5/5 Drumset Emotional and personal. I feel her bitterness and confusion. Feels like being confronted while a rhythmic beat is banging on in the background. Catchy with a lot of energy. Good. 4/5 On I Go Mantra like. Love the percussion and the distant background vocals. Intense. Interesting way to end the album. Good. 4/5 A strange, aggressive assault of complicated emotions and scary realities. Feels personal, raw and thematic with quirky but descriptive lyrics and layered performances. Chaotic, shocking and effective. Tells stories and displays emotions with the same amount of care and detail. Fiona Apple lends her amazingly performed delivery to these tracks, where her performance carry the energy and the message behind the lyrics. She has grit, she has tenderness, she has class and she can really belt one out if needed. Adding this to the experimental song structures and the often strange instrumentals, you get something memorable and unique where each track twists and turns into surprising directions. Often leading to a variation of gorgeous, ominous or vitriolic territories keeping you invested. All this experimentation with structure, with instrumentals and with her own performance leads to this album being as memorable as it is. However this makes it sacrifice a bit of that musicality, where the songs are memorable as experiences, but not always exactly replayable. Lacking that accessibility and infectiousness that makes a song stick, regardless of how artistically impressive it is. That being said I still enjoyed this immensly based on artistic merit alone. It's a fresh and unique experience, but I wouldn't say it's for everyone. 4.5/5 Leaning closer to a 4/5.

Before I head into this album I must profess that while I try to keep my listens and reviews as fair and unbiased as possible I have my limits. I dislike Oasis immensely. The Ghallagers are generationally unlikable, and their many public feuds remain an embarrassment to popular music. Add their pending completely transparent cashgrab of a reunion tour and you have one of the most annoying bands to ever exist, and that's before we even get to their music. Musically, well as far as I'm concerned they're nothing special, just loud and annoying. After getting that out of the way it's time for the actual listen. Gonna try to be fair. My expectations for this listen are low. At least I know there's one song on here that's sort of listenable. Hello I hate this production style. Everything just meshes into a compressed, lifeless blob. Horribly whiny delivery. There are some catchy melodies in there. I kinda like the idea behind the subtle vocal echo. Horribly screechy guitar. Dislike. 2/5 Roll With It Lifeless. The chorus is kinda catchy I suppose, though it hardly comes through when delivered so off-puttingly. The production still stinks. Peters out into an unfocused, uninteresting mess. Strongly Dislike. 1.5/5 Wonderwall Plague upon society. It's at least memorable I guess. Holy hell it's obnoxious though. Gave us some great youtube edits however, and that's gotta count for something. The whinyness isn't THAT bad on this track. The lyrics are a bit sweet, though quite nonesensical too. Every part of this song is iconic in some way. I get some ironic enjoyment out of it at least, so I cannot say it's terrible. Fine I guess. 3/5 Don't Look Back In Anger Really like the melody of the verse. Has some fun lyrical imagery. Great structure to start. Fantastic buildup to an absolute belter of a chorus. Decent delivery as well. Love the background guitar. However as repetitive as it is, they know what a great chorus they have so of course they're gonna milk it to it's fullest. Fun solo. Still quite annoying, and the production remains obnoxious as hell. Decent. 3.5/5 Hey Now! Forgettable. Has every issue previously discussed from this album, but also manages to achieve being boring as hell. Phoned in guitar solo. Headache inducing. Never ends. A bad day to have ears. 1/5 The Swamp Song - Version 1 Half a bonus point for having no Gallagher belting over it. Another half a bonus point for being less than a minute long. Average. 2.5/5 Some Might Say Grating on the ears. Ok vocal melody on the verse. Alright chorus. Terrible lyrics, cringeworthy. Repetitive, annoying, overstays its welcome. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Cast No Shadow I kinda appreciate the added instrumental elements, it's a nice break from the monotony. The slow tempo doesn't do it that many favours. Does not have the storytelling qualities or the vocal performance to keep it interesting. Repetitive, though not unpleasant. Just a bit boring. Strongly dislike the backing vocals. Average. 2.5/5 She's Electric Fun instrumental. The lyrics are strange, but kinda charming I guess. Weak chorus. The vocals are especially grating towards the end. Average. 2.5/5 Morning Glory Horrible guitar intro. Is it supposed to sound like air raid sirens? Decent bassline. Has all the great qualities a great alarm tune, even screams "wake up" if you're confused about what you're supposed to be doing. I'd definitely wake up from it. Unpleasant in every concievable way. Torturous. 1/5 The Swamp Song - Version 2 Half a bonus point for having no Gallagher belting over it. Another half a bonus point for being less than a minute long. Average. 2.5/5 Champagne Supernova Plague upon society. Nonesensical lyrics. Annoying song structure. Endlessly repetitive. Draining. The worst offender when it comes to this particular style of production. Just sounds so homogenous and overbearing. Never fucking ends does it? Shitshow. 1/5 Yeah that was pretty miserable not gonna lie. It's not the worst thing ever recorded, but it did leave me with a headache. I've been banging on about everything I don't like for so long that repeating it would be redundant. So here's a few things I did enjoy: - The choruses are mostly fine, even catchy at times. Their anthemic energy works well within the loudness of the mix. - While I don't like their voice I do like the snarky attitude they bring to many of the songs. - There's usually a tonne of energy present, wether it's in the drums, the guitars and even at times the bass they truly give their all. - No song seems to be there on accident. The tracklist is consistent, and the individuals songs fit where they've been put allowing for some decent pacing. Despite these points it's clear that this band is not for me and won't ever be a favourite. I'm tempted to give it one star, but that's just my personal biases speaking. Realistically it isn't terrible, especially considering the love people have for this album almost 30 years later. I just don't like any of it. 2/5

I have heard this before and I do remember enjoying it, though the length of the tracks made it so that it's not something I've returned to maybe more than a couple of times since. I think the title describes this album perfectly if I'm being honest. Looking forward to getting back into this. It's been quite some time since I last had an old school soul album. Going into this with quite elevated expectations. Walk On By That instrumental really hits the right spots. That psychedelic guitar is such a mood setter. Love how it's already getting a bit experimental with it. Great backing vocals. Buttery smooth main vocals. The horns provide some cinematic energy to the track. Great bass. Love the extended instrumental at the end, such a great vibe with the psychedelic organ and guitar. Fantastic. 5/5 Hyperbollicsyllabicsesquedalymistic Funky. Love the bassline. Smooth delivery on the vocals. The backing singers as a different energy to the song for the few seconds they show up on the chorus, a small detail which makes the song much more memorable. Love the jazzy piano. The instrumental is such a groove even without it, but it adds a certain coolness to the track which really makes it pop. The jam like nature of the extended instrumental makes for a soothing, cool and infectious musical experience which really highlights the band's synergy. Fantastic. 5/5 One Woman Okay so I understand how the overbearing, outright cheesiness of this track could turn someone off of it. I mean it's filled up to the brim with almost every cliche in the book. The lyrics, the terrible themes, the slow tempo and the backing vocals almost make this sound like a parody of the genre. Still, I find these qualities endearing to a point where the absolute cheesefest that's the final chorus has me sitting there with a stupid grin on my face. It's just too much fun, I love it. His voice and delivery carries so much charisma. He has the perfect dramatic qualities to nail this typw of song right on the head. Fantastic. 5/5 By The Time I Get To Phoenix I like the storytelling aspect of the intro. It's an interesting interpretation of the events leading up to a classic song. He's got a great voice for monologueing. Feels like he's almost mythologizing the events in this story with his at times thunderous delivery. It is however quite long. When the track actually starts the immediate highlight is the flute in the background. There's nothing left to be said about his voice or delivery, he's just amazing. There's not a single hint of subtlety in here and I love it. Those horns are just icing on the cake. Stunningly cinematic. A sprawling epic. Fantastic. 5/5 That was some of the most fun I've had with an album in a long time. Hot Buttered Soul really is the perfect title for this, it's just such an accurate description of what this album has to offer. It's smooth and sexy, delivered incredibly, with a voice that should be labeled "for mature audiences only". It's incredibly tight with a band and singer who understand each other perfectly, leaving a lot of space for each element to shine. It's cinematic, romantic and so over the top and it just glistens with personality and charm. The psychedelic elements have you lost in a hypnotic landscape. The heavenly string arrangements elevate you to a level beyond. The jazzy piano jams have you mesmerized and wanting more. On top of all of that you have Isaac Hayes himself. A towering personality with the voice of a god and such charisma it makes you lock in on every syllable. He delivers each and every incredily thought out lyric with passion and class, and brings such a fantastic energy to every track. With him behind the wheel you'll not even realise he's been monologueing for 8 minutes due to his amazing storytelling ability. This album truly is the full package from start to finish. Even with the added instrumental jams at the end of some of songs, it remains dynamic and focused sounding. Genuinely some of the albums finest moments can be found within these jams, causing you to feel a sense of anticipation as a great moment could be around every corner on this thing. A fantastic experience and a genuine masterpiece. 5/5

I've listened to Mezzanine a few times as it's on of my dad's favourite albums, though I've never checked out their other stuff. Hoping it's of similar quality though I'm guessing as it's much earlier in their career, this one might be a step down. Expecting something trippy and hypnotic, yet something that stays focused and consistent at the same time. Really looking forward to this one. Safe From Harm Has an interesting atmosphere to it. I like the looping bass. The female vocals are very solid. I'm not too sure about the male vocals, they seem very of the time. I really like the some of the production choices on here, like the vocal layering and the clever stops before the chorus. The higher pitched synth almost sounds like a radar beep which adds an almost aquatic feel to the track. Decent. 3.5/5 One Love Yeah the production sure is interesting, though the horn sample is a bit distracting. Don't love the singer's voice, sort of takes some smoothness away from the track. The piano near the end is a pretty excellent way to end the track. Average. 2.5/5 Blue Lines Really don't like the record scratches. The jazzy piano sounds really good. The entire track remains jazzy and smooth throughout, I really like the subtle guitar in the background. The vocals are fine, I do like the back and forth quite a bit. They are however a bit repetitive. Has a great moody atmosphere. Decent. 3.5/5 Be Thankful For What You Got Great groove, love the bass and organ. Love the singer's voice, goes really well with the production. Mediocre lyrics. The backing singers sound a bit weak. Some cool percussion at times. Decent. 3.5/5 Five Man Army I like the dub like bassline. Great percussion. Awesome synthline. I like the background vocals quite a bit. They add a lot of atmosphere and dynamism to the track. Does lose quite a bit of focus near the end, feels like it's just going through the same few bars without really adding anything of interest, though the groove is still quite good. Decent. 3.5/5 Unfinished Sympathy The large cinematic strings add a lot of texture to the song. Decent percussion. The vocals are performed really well. It's very impressive. how they've made this very stylized vocal performance work with the chaotic production. Love the string arrangement, feels like the two different parts run paralell to each other. Good. 4/5 Daydreaming The drum pattern is quite infectious. Very dated sounding rapping, the rhyme schemes are kinda bad and the references don't quite hit. Boring flows make for a monotonous listening experience. Pleasant vocal, but not enough to save the track. Dislike. 2/5 Lately Incessantly average beat. Hollow and uncharismatic with very little interesting going on. The vocals are well performed, but not special enough to keep this interesting. Boring and unsatisfying. Dislike. 2/5 Hymn Of The Big Wheel The synths are pretty retro, I like the warm sound they provide to the track. I like the imagery presented in the lyrics of the track. The singer does a good job bringing them to life with a spirited and passionate performance. Well crafted and atmospheric. Good. 4/5 Am I wrong to be a bit disappointed with this one? It feels a bit sparse, like every track is missing something to make it stand out. I didn't find it neither trippy nor hypnotic and while the production is good it's never mindblowingly clever like I sort of expected it to be. Record scratches plague this album, making it really show its age. The rapping comes off as samey and honestly a bit goofy at times. And while most of the tracks have outstanding atmosphere I can't help but feel they sound a bit empty. Where this album shines best is with how they choose to work around the various vocal styles. They pick unexpected combinations of basslines, synths and percussive elements and build a composition that never is obvious, but tends to work really well with the vocals. I do like the mesh of styles. Dub, soul, reggae and hip hop are examples of genres they blend uniquely with electronic electronic elements to create a consistent and recognizable style. In the end you get a bit of a mixed bag, where you can tell it was pretty revolutionary for its time. However it does feel quite dated and a bit unsatisfying, especially considering the quality of their later work. In the end it's just fine with a few tracks worth revisiting every now and then. 3/5

So this might be my favourite live album of all time. It's such an infectiously fun listen that you end up feeling envious for all the people who got to have that experience live in the crowd that day. It's intimate, it's personal and Sam Cook's skills as an entertainer really shine, to a point where over 60 years later it feels like he's right there in the room with you. He transforms these songs into entirely new versions, where you can tell he's finally been allowed to let loose and play them with the energy and power they so deserve. And the way the crowd participates and has fun with it makes it feel like an absolute special moment in time preserved in a neat little capsule for us to enjoy. Every time I listen to this I like to imagine what it was like being there that day and I wonder what went through Sam Cooke's head after he finished this set. Was he aware that he and his band had just performed an historic show? Usually when I review the album's I've generated I'd have notes and a rating for each track, but here it's genuinely impossible to do so. This is a show, a whole event condensed into album form and should be enjoyed in its entirety. The positive and joyous energy this album gives me after I've listened to it is completely unmatched. If you're ever in the mood for a party just ask Mr. Sam Cooke and he and his golden voice and invincible charisma will provide. Just perfect in every way. This has had me dancing on my own in the middle of the night multiple times. Literally twistin' the night away. 5/5

Intriguing. Never heard of this, but the description makes it sound pretty interesting. The jazz records I've gotten on this generator so far have all been pretty stellar, so I'm hoping that this one is of similar quality. I have no idea what to expect from this, just crossing my fingers for a good time. Birdland Love the opening guitar sequence. The bass on this song is pretty magnetic. A very melodic and approachable arrangement. Decent groove, very stimulating. Fresh and fun piece of jazz fusion. Love the way it ends. Great. 4.5/5 A Remark You Made The echoey delay makes for a slow and soothing atmosphere. The bass tone really integrates itself nicely with said atmosphere. Love the duetting with the sax. Extremely smooth and pleasant, gives of serious summer evening energy. Oh that keyboard part is magical. Great. 4.5/5 Teen Town The bass playing on this album so far has been nothing short of incredible, this track included. Love the tempo on the cymbals. That was sick. Great. 4.5/5 Harlequin Very interesting keyboard playing. Love how it interplays with the bass and the background piano. That drum breakdown at the end is absolutely stunning. Good. 4/5 Rumba Mama That opening vocal is absolutely insane, so much energy and spirit. Amazing percussion. A great rhythmic experience with blazing energy and fun atmosphere. Good. 4/5 Palladium Comes right out the gate with a great funky groove. Amazing instrumental interplay. Love how synergistic everything is while sounding technical and colourful at the same time. Energetic, complicated and deep, yet really approachable and simple to listen to. Each instrument delivers its own infectious part. Fantastic. 5/5 The Juggler Very dreamy and pleasant. Almost sounds like a whismical new world at times. Especially with that cute keyboard part. Very sweet, fun and pleasant to the ears. Feels experimental. Good. 4/5 Havona Yet again another amazing bass track. He plays with such bounce and fluidity that he makes the hard parts sound effortless. Would also like to shout out the drummer for somehow being just as impressive. Love the part where the piano just goes insane in tandem with the bass. Strong ending. Good. 4/5 Whenever you get a star studded lineup such as this there's always the fear that there will be some clashing of egoes. This usually either leads to synergy issues, or that the band simply fails to get the best out of each member. This is clearly not the case here. This is air tight, it's fast, it's fun and it has infectious parts from everyone involved. Importantly, it's also very accessible, serving as a great entry point to the genre without sacrificing the integrity of the performers behind it. Looking at other reviews of this, the negative reviews mostly come from two camps: Hardcore jazz fans and people who hate jazz. And sure it's not as challenging and emotional as masterworks produced by the greats. However this thing is always gonna be approachable to casuals, which might lead to them developing an interest for the genre. It shows of the talents of amazing instrumentalists such as Jaco Pastorius or Joe Zawinul and gives people a snippet of what such masters can do when they work together. Bouncy rhythms, funky basslines and smooth sax parts, littered with eclectic keyboard playing which sprinkles in a bit of magic on the recording. This makes for a charming, slightly cheesy album which never takes itself too seriously. A solid listen for when you just want a fun, free flowing experience. Or a great springboard to use for delving into several musical rabbitholes, following the people that made it. A simple highlight of this is the bass playing, which myself and others alike have pointed out as quite a marvelous ordeal. If some funky, rhythmic and effortless sounding bass parts is something you're into, then perhaps it's worth checking out just for that. 4/5

Time to party like it's 1999! My first Prince album on the list out of what I expect to be quite a few. Gotta say I'm a bit excited for this one as it's hard to not like Prince. Looks a bit long, but I'm sure that won't be a problem. Been meaning to get more into Prince lately so this seems as good a time as any to get started. 1999 Classic. Impossible to hate, just an incredibly fun track with an unstoppable energy. Great synth riff, funky bassline and Prince being his usual charismatic self, what more could you want? While it does sound very of the time, the performances stay timeless. Fantastic. 5/5 Little Red Corvette Instantly infectious. Amazing synth, extremely catchy chorus. Love the background guitar as well. How do you even classify this? Every little detail in this song could be the best part of it. Those lyrics are something else... Legendary performance over an epic instrumental. Pop masterpiece. 5/5 Delirious Seems to have a darker more omnious atmosphere to it to start, but sort of loosens up when the synth comes in. Quirky and a bit weird. Great group vocals. Fun and energetic. A good time all around. Good. 4/5 Let's Pretend We're Married A fairly entertaining track. The premise alone has a lot of value. Prince's vocal performance here is pretty eccentric and fun. The instrumental does get a bit repetitive however which sort of detracts from the track, I'm especially thinking about the main synth line. Strange lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 D.M.S.R That's some vintage well aged 80's cheese right there. Extremely dancable. Infectious chorus, love the group vocals. Has a great message honestly. Really fun dance track. 4/5 Automatic This is really quiet compared to the rest of the album. Sounds really watered down and distant. I like the bass on this track quite a lot. Not too sure about that synth. The panning spoken word is kinda obnoxious, especially with the moaning. Terrible vocal effect. Cool guitar effect. The crying is quite unpleasant. Long as hell. Mixed. 2.5/5 Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) Strange synth. Decent chorus. Impressive screams. Uninteresting lyrics. Fine. 3/5 Free Extremely 80's. Cheesy as all hell. Fun vocal performance. Love the passion. Very charming. Decent. 3.5/5 Lady Cab Driver Funky! Really catchy. There are some really fun lyrics in there. The rap verse is kinda weird. Unexpected both lyrically and thematically. Decent. 3.5/5 All The Critics Love U In New York Jazzy bassline. The drums are kinda overpowering. Does develop a bit of a groove after a bit. The high tempo and the repeated chorus makes for a pretty fun combination. I like the strange background noises. Not sure what he's satirizing here. Decent. 3.5/5 International Lover Smooth and sexy. Impressive vocals. Oh so cheesy. Those airplane metaphors are so over the top it's almost funny. Good. 4/5 Well that was graphic. Started off kinda innocently with some absolute pop bangers then slowly morphed into a raw, sexually indulgent, hedonistic barrage of seductivness. Weirdly enough I kinda liked it. It's at times so overtly sexual that the cheesiness of it kinda just becomes funny. This is greatly helped by Prince's immaculate talent, where he truly gives it his all and manages to be smooth and cool while singing about things that could have a lesser man locked away. Besides the grandiose cheesefest, the catchy, dancy pop tunes remain the highlight of the album for me, providing som unforgettable energy and immaculate vibes. The infectiousness of some of the grooves on here would get even your sour old granny to the dancefloor. It's just really fun, and Prince just brings so much charisma with his insane vocal deliveries that even when the track is 8 minutes long you kind of forgive him for it, even if it's a bit egregious to stretch out some of these songs that much. Overall, elegant, fun, smooth and extremely 80's. Something that can easily brighten your day. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5

This looks odd. That's the only thing I can think of for a first impression. No idea who this is, though looking at song titles alone I'm feeling a bit worried. Hoping its content isn't as insufferable as it looks. Come to My Aid Sounds a bit hollow. Don't love the vocalist's voice. The synths are a bit annoying. Decent bassline. Catchy chorus. Energetic and dancable. Lacks some personality. Not great, not terrible. Average. 2.5/5 Sad Old Red Terrible sounding bass, lacks any sort of style or feeling. Boring piano. Decent vocal performance. Unspectacular horn section, but does the job. There's too much cheesy instrumentation for the vocals to have any impact. It's simply overpowering. Very busy and overdone. Dislike. 2/5 Look at You Now 80s cop show sounding song. Annoying drums. Extremely busy. Nothing here goes together at all, just feels like a random algamation of the most 80s sounding sounds they could find. Atrocious chorus. Headache inducing. 1/5 Heaven Insufferable instrumental. Generic vocals. An absolute diservice to the original. Makes the song boring as hell. Removes the charming simplicity of the original song and makes it a bombastic overproduced mess. David Byrnes lyrics sound terrible when presented in this manner. Disgraceful. 1/5 Jericho Absolute tripe. Souless and inoffensive. Sounds like it was produced by Satan for the fires of Hell. Apparently there's six writers on this song? Horrible synth. Endlessly annoying chorus. The crowd vocals makes it sound like there's a flock of lunatics chasing me inside the worlds saddest mall. Criminal. 1/5 Money's Too Tight (To Mention) Gentrified and whitewashed version of a pretty fun and funky track. Much prefer the bass on the original. Neither version is spectacular, but the original at least has some character and uniqueness to it. This version is just kinda overdone and generic. A bit shit. 1/5 Holding Back The Years Inoffensive easy listening that would feel right at home playing quietly inside a hotel lobby. Uninspired and bland, but not entirely unpleasant. Bores me to tears. Dislike. 2/5 Open 1Up The Red Box The return of the terrible bass. So incredibly uncool in every aspect. Annoying piano. Intimidating chorus, feels like a threat. No thank you. 1/5 No Direction Interesting tempo on the bass. Laughable lyrics. Feels a bit directionless (pun intended). What is that goblin voice? Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Picture Book Finally at the last song, a real relief to be almost done with this album. I've got no gas left in the tank. Repetitive and boring. Annoying vocals. Goes on too long. Terrible production. Bad. 1/5 What the hell was that? A terrible waste of time in any case. Finding such a generic, uninspired, gentrified atrocity on this list was not something I expected when I started it. Deserves 1 star for that criminal Talking Heads cover alone. This album has zero upsides, nothing worth even discussing. It's needlessly bland, every instrument has been handpicked to be as annoying as humanly possible. His voice lacks any sort of defining characteristic, sounding manufactured and souless throughout. Nothing will prepare your ears for those terrible synths, or that overbearing bass, or the unecessary saxophone tooting away aimlessly inside your ear canals. There's no groove, there's no soul, there's not a single infectious or relatable moment on this entire album. You can find more character in a bathroom tile. Listening to this makes watching the grass grow seem like an entertaining activity. Absolutely shocking, would not listen again unless I was paid to. 1/5

I love African music, so when this popped up it had me quite excited. Should be right up my alley as long as the musicianship is at least halfway decent. Wonder Wonder Love the rhythm provided by the percussion. Great variety. Lovely energy. Love the groove. The lyrics are really typical of the Afrobeat genre. Singing about unity for the continent is at least an honourable sentiment. Fun track. Fantastic. 5/5 Survival Great groove and rhythm. Love the paralells between the sax and horns. Awesome solo from the percussion instrument I don't know the name of. Awesome mood. Infectious and fun. Actually has some really thought out lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Frustrations Wow thosw horns truly are magnetic. Absolute cinema. Love the jazziness of the instrumental. Lyrics seem to recount or at least be inspired by some sort of personal experience. As always awesome drumming. Good. 4/5 Nawa - Intro A wild ride with an infectious tempo. Unrated/5 Nawa Feels almost triumphant or celebratory in a way. Lovely texture from the keys. Solid bassline. Really like how the keys get a more active role to contrast with the vocals. Passionate vocal delivery. Dancable and fun. Good. 4/5 Plenty Nonsense Great energy, love the drum pattern. Fun group vocals. I like the subtle guitar. Really like the direct lyricism. Love the chorus. Catchy and fun. Great. 4.5/5 Stubborn Problems Large and dynamic. Love how the dynamic sax performance contrasts against the rigid and consistent bassline. Nice horns peaking through as well. Super fun lyrics, really infectious. Fantastic. 5/5 No Shame Impossibly fun groove. Love the opening vocals. Extremely catchy sax riff. Very political. Awesome keyboard solo. Fantastic. 5/5 Live For Today Funky guitar riff. Awesome bass. Love the vocal delivery. Really fun sax. I know I'm repeating myself but every song on this album is great and has very similar qualities. This is no exception. Amazing chorus. Lovely message. Fantastic. 5/5 Changes Layered and danceable. Great groove, with some quality funkiness. Infectious chorus. Gonna go with the benefit of the doubt and assume some of the lyrics aren't meant in a regressive way. Good atmosphere none the less. Great. 4.5/5 I am floored. Very few albums leave such an instant impression as this one did. It's over an hour of the most fun and infectious grooves you'll ever hear. Topped with some ridiculously slick saxophone playing and passionate and catchy vocal deliveries. It's an absolute party, where you'll be barraged with banger after banger full of African spirit and thoughtful messages that could resonate with an entire continent. Rarely does an album make me want to get up and dance as much as this one does. I feel refreshed and enlightened. Empowered and full of energy. There's not a single boring moment on this, making the hour run by. 5/5

Obscure indie band, almost empty Wikipedia page, very few Youtube views. Could be interesting, could be boring as heck which would explain its obscurity. Keen on at least giving it a chance, but admittedly feeling a bit skeptical. Going into this with somewhat diminished expectations. Hoping to be surprised. Firefly Very average. The steel guitar gives it a distinguished sound at least. Lyrically it's pretty cliché, lacking anything that really sticks out. Has a repetitive guitar riff that gets a bit tiring after a while, luckily the song is short. Flat drums. Average. 2.5/5 Somewhere Muddled, abrasive vocals. Kinda like the electric guitar on this track, though the acoustic guitar kinda overwhelms it. Average chorus. The writing on this song isn't terrible. Average. 2.5/5 Laughing Stock It's alright I suppose. Has some cute moments, specifically in the buildup to the chorus. The acoustic guitar is pretty pleasant, and some of the lyrics are decently memorable. I did enjoy the instrumental outro, though the full stop ahead of it wasn't executed too well making it feel a bit awkward. Fine. 3/5 Lonely I don't know how to phrase this so I'll just be blunt about it: That was a bit shit. Whiny and annoying vocals. Standard issue misanthrope anthem with a bland instrumental and boring writing. Awful. 1/5 Pale Skinny Girl Hoplessly forgettable. Builds up into nothing. Has a few moments where something is almost going on, but they sort of just peter out into thin air. Is fairly inoffensive if a tad boring. Dislike. 2/5 Blue And Grey Shirt Sounds sincere. The lyrics held my attention, and the vocals did a decent job making them feel alive. Pleasant, the steel guitar helps. A bit too bare bones to be anything special. Fine. 3/5 Bad Liquor An unexpected but welcome change of energy. An alright piece of garage rock with a spirited vocal performance and some cool blaring harmonica. I like the impact the drums make. A bit on the short side. Bonus points for switching it up. Fine. 3/5 Now You're Defeated Has a lot of character. The vocalist is reall belting out those lyrics which do sound quite sincere and untarnished. The cpuntry adjacent instrumental adds to a kind of drunken atmosphere, which while sounding a bit amateurish creates a bit of a visual for the song. Not too exciting, yet not terrible. Fine. 3/5 Jenny Cringe lyrics. Uncomfortable vocals. By the numbers instrumental. Feels breathy and undercooked. Awful. 1/5 Western Sky An alright piece of songwriting. Quite like the picture painted by the lyrics, feels visually striking. Performed in perhaps the most boring way possible. While it's not completely uninteresting it fails at being anything worth revisiting. Average. 2.5/5 Highway 5 Has some decent buildup. Quite enjoyed the noisy background guitar with its squeals and heavy effects. The vocalist tries to be dynamic with his voice, but it just ends up sounding odd. Wish they put some more emphasis on the drums in the buildup. Fine. 3/5 Last Harbor The vocalist has neither the charisma or vocal ability to alone carry such a sparse song leading to quite a boring and unsatisfying listen. I'll give some credit to the lyrics, as they're again pretty distinctly written. However no lyrics can save this absolute snoozefest of a track. Dislike. 2/5 Nothing. This album made me feel absolutely nothing. It's hard to say anything interesting about something so uninteresting. The one thing I'll give it is that it sounds quite real. As in there's not a single moment of insincerity on this, which is quite refreshing coming from the ultra processed musical landscape of today. This really comes across in the lyrics, that while wonky at times do have a unique and singular quality to them. While listening to this one can clearly tell the writer really poured their soul into some of these lines. You can tell the band is doing their best to fulfill a vision of sorts. The result... Something quite boring, which also fails at being meaningful or clever. While they try their hand on a few different styles none of them seem to stick the landing, leading to a bit of a messy and undercooked result. I'm also struggling a bit with the lead singer's voice as it at times sort of just meshes with the background noise and at other times it's just bad. I wish there was a bit more to this thing, but as it stands it's just completely forgettable. 2.5/5 Rounded down to a 2/5

At the time of writing this there seems to be a wave of reappraisal for the nu-metal genre. It's gotten to a point where many previously ridiculed artists seem to get geniune praise and acclaim for their music. This seems strange to me as someone who's grown up clowning on this stuff with Linkin Park being one of the frequent targets. It occurs to me that the previous attitude towards this band is wholy unjustified as to this day I've never heard a full album from them. Of course I know the hits off of this album, as they are at least memorable if anything. With all of this in mind I'm willing to attempt to see past my prejudices and give it a fair shot. Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised. Papercut The angsty lyrics are a bit much, feels a bit hamfisted. It sure is a staple for this style of music, but I don't love the rapping. Comes of as kinda corny. Impressive vocals. The final minute of the track has some really poweful atmosphere with the layering and the heavy drums. Average. 2.5/5 One Step Closer Great guitar riff. I really struggle with the lyrics. Really don't like that breakdown. Decent chorus. Average. 2.5/5 With You Kinda like Chester Bennington's parts on this song. Great performance. Really like the structure of his verses. Decent chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Points of Authority The blown out speaker vocal effect instantly dates the song. There is some nice contrast between the quieter and the louder parts in the vocals. They do a great job at balancing withinhis vocal range, fitting the instrumental perfectly to whatever Chester is doing vocally. The rap verse feels a bit tacked on. Don't love the chorus. Fine. 3/5 Crawling Yeah it's this song... Can't take that chorus seriously. Honestly the lyrics aren't that bad considering this particular writing style. Really like the way the verses build up to the chorus. Great post chorus. Iconic in it's own particular way, don't love it though. 3/5 Runaway Interesting electronic intro. Love the contrast to the blaring distorted guitars. The chorus is a bit clunky. Decent breakdown. Kinda forgetable. Average. 2.5/5 By Myself I like the different structure here, feels refreshing. The background synth provides some cool ambience to the track. Impressive screams. Really like the distortion on the guitar. Decent. 3.5/5 In The End There's only one correct way to listen to this song: with the iconic music video attached to it playing in 360p. And by God that music video is probably the most year 2000 thing ever made. Those visuals could not be made today. A piece of art worthy of the Louvre. A masterpiece. 5/5. The song is alright too I suppose. A Place For My Head That opening riff is really great. Really like the instrumental to this. The rap parts really go well against it. Amazing breakdown/bridge. Love the energy of this track. Good. 4/5 Forgotten Great transition. Amazing energy leading up on the chorus. The verses are a bit bland. Impressive vocals. Melodic chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Cure for the Itch Abrasive intro. Doesn't sound all too great. The experimental sampling added up to nothing. The instrumental part has some interesting moments, but kinda falls flat in the end. Average. 2.5/5 Pushing Me Away Kinda forgetable. Doesn't really distinguish itself much from previous tracks. The guitar on the chrous is pretty cool I suppose. Average. 2.5/5 In my quest to not be too harsh on this I might've ended up rating a few of these tracks a little too favourably. Truth be told, once you get over the angsty lyrics and the dated rapping you end up with something pretty bland. If it wasn't for Chester Bennington's outstanding vocal performances you'd be stuck with something extremely average. He does a lot of the heavy lifting to elevate some of these mediocre tracks into something that is at least listenable. The lyrics are too direct to be interesting, the guitars all sound vaguely the same, you only feel the impact of the drums on a few of these tracks, and most of the songs are structured really similarly. You do get some belters when it comes to choruses, but the lyrical content becomes so goofy the only thing left to appreciate is Chester's voice. For the most part this is just fine, and while the hits do carry an air of memorablility they aren't much more interesting than the other songs when examined through a vacuum. It all ends up being a pretty samey experience where most of the songs kinda just blend together in your head. Sure no one is denying their talent here, but it does suffer a bit from age as well as being a bit unrefined songwriting wise. The production also does not help with the sameiness as its style causes the songs to sound like they lack some sonic depth. Where everything is just mixed to be loud and aggressive, which kinda kills all humanity and soul from the instruments. And while my individual track ratings might suggest a higher rating it doesn't really reflect the frustrating listening experience of the full album. While they may possess some decent individual qualities, the flaws become too apparent over an extended listen to be anything short of annoying. Won't bash you for loving this thing, and I would gladly sing along to a few of the choruses with you. However I'd rather keep it to just a couple of songs if that's okay. 2.5/5 rounded down to a 2/5

Doesn't seem like something I'd be into, but who knows. I know a few songs from them, none of which are my favourite. Gonna keep an open mind though. Rise and Fall Weird mixing, the horns are so much louder than everything else. Don't love the verse melody. The vocalist is really monotone and flat. Cool bass part. Kinda busy and unfocused. Solid outro. Fine. 3/5 Tomorrow's (Just Another Day) A bit of an irritating tempo. The main sax melody is kinda cool I guess. I like some of the instrumental breaks quite a bit. The depressing lyrics kinda clash against the chaotic instrumental leaving them with little impact. Average. 2.5/5 Blue Skinned Beast Instrumentally it's quite interesting, very unique composition. There's some beautiful chaos there, especially when the electric guitar starts wailing in the background. Catchy chorus. I like the piano and the bass quite a bit. Decent. 3.5/5 Primrose Hill Really busy and annoying. Hate the instrumentation. The samey vocals don't help. Just extremely intense and unrelenting. Dislike. 2/5 Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word) Unpleasant intro. Circus music. Repetitive. Vocals remind me of the worst songs from Barrett era Pink Floyd for some reason. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Sunday Morning Interesting intro. Crap lyrics. Asylum music. Reptitive. Never fucking ends. Headache inducing. Specifically created to be as abrasive and annoying as v humanly possible. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Our House Ugh it's this song. Preset sounding piano. Dead sounding vocals on the verse. Annoying chorus. The instrumental bridge is kinda good(?) Don't mind the lyrics. Dislike. 2/5 Tiptoes Pleasant keys. Decent bassline. Honestly a refreshingly structured and pretty instrumental. Compliments the "falling" imagery in the chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 New Delhi Cliche instrumentation. Grating vocals, especially on the verses. The Indian influences don't really translate well here, just comes across as messy. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 That Face Completely lost me. Has nothing worth catching onto, just a monotone chore to get through. Bores me to tears. 1/5 Calling Cards Decent bassline. Horrible lyrics. Annoying instrumental. CIA torture clown music. 1/5 Are You Coming (with Me) Not entirely unpleasant, just extremely boring. Kinda has some instrumental moments worth caring about, but the rest does nothing for me. Dislike. 2/5 Madness (Is All In The Mind) Chore. At least it's comprehensible. I kinda like the piano I guess. The chorus isn't too bad. Dislike. 2/5 I can't say I've ever heard anything quite like this before, and frankly I don't suspect I'd like to. While it is original with its collection of up tempo, strangley structured songs it does so in a very messy and unpleasant way. This experience is a claustrophobic one, with loud, blaring horns, repetitive composition and flat, low energy vocals. Neither of these elements ever get a moment to breathe and be digested before they instantly throw something else in your face. There's just a constant unrelenting cacophany of noise that never really gives any pause for any sort of carthasis or feeling. Honestly this just bores me. Boring vocals, annoying horns and irritating songwriting. Offensively british, to a point approaching parody. The only points I can give it is for at least sounding like they put some effort into it. I'll give them that at least, they do sound like they understand what they're doing. All of it sounds original and real. Too bad it stills sounds like they're trying to sonically torture you. At least it's consistent and even a bit experimental, which I can respect. 2/5

From what I have heard from these guys they seem alright. It's that type of band where their music randomly shows up in a TV show, and you're not surprised at all. That's my main exposure to them at least. Think I've heard one album by them all the way back in like 2016. Got no real expectations heading into this. The Wrong Way Weird in a slightly abrasive way. Has a very cliche mid 2000's writing style. The instrumental is a bit overpowering. Don't love the vocals. The background piano is pretty alright. Not my thing. Dislike. 2/5 Staring at the Sun The non falsetto vocals are pretty good. Don't mind the chorus. Instrumentally it's a bit sparse. Don't love the electronics here. Average. 2.5/5 Dreams I kinda like the synthy atmosphere. Hate the whimpery falsetto vocals. Ruins what would otherwise be a decent chorus. Sounds a bit muddled. Doesn't really go anywhere. The verse melody does grow really stale after a while. The lyrics have a pretentious aura to them. Dislike. 2/5 King Eternal I like the noisy elements in the instrumental. The rest of the track is complete crap. Terrible lyrics. Annoying electronic bass. Hollow sound. Aimless and unstructured vocals. Garbage. 1/5 Ambulance Extremely unlikable. Hate the acapella. Pretentious and irritating. A struggle to get through. No thank you. 1/5 Poppy Okay guitar. Terrible vocals. Muddled production. Lyrics give me an aneurysm. More terrible vocal fuckery. Never seems to end. Rough. 1/5 Don't Love You Don't mind the instrumental too much. Quite like the organ. Decent vocals, has some character to them. I like the guitar on the outro. Fine. 3/5 Bomb Yourself Manages the rare feat of being both boring and unpleasant. The guitars are pretty cool I guess. They contrast well against each other, and build decently upon the bassline. Dislike. 2/5 Wear You Out Kinda don't mind the vocals that much on this. Their style fits this tempo a lot. I like the largeness of the track. I like the flute. The extended outro is pretty alright I suppose. It's at least a pleasant listen if nothing else. Fine. 3/5 This was difficult to get through. Truth be told it's mostly just forgettable, with some moments that are just unpleasant. The main selling point on this thing is probably the vocals. Consisting mostly of layered harmonies I could see them being beautiful to some. However I find them sort of grating. I don't like the production. I think it sounds dated and watery, putting way too much emphasis on an electronic bass sound which honestly just overpowers everything. The instrumentation mostly sounds original, having some experimental elements that end up being really hit or miss. There are some moments that are great and some that are genuinely difficult to listen to. To me this album comes of as obnoxious, overly theatrical and unpleasant. However I do recognize that there are elements of talent spread throughout it. Paring that with how unique it sounds I can't really say that it is terrible. It's just for a specific audience which I'm not a part of. 2/5

Legendary artist, legendary vibe. Reggae isn't usually my cup of tea, but Bob Marley's music is at least a very accessible take on the genre. Not expecting to be blown away or anything, but I at least am pretty certain it will be a good time. Lively Up Yourself Fun guitar, lovely bass. Positive atmosphere. Energetic and soulful performance. Pleasant instrumental break, has a great atmosphere to it. Decent. 3.5/5 No Woman No Cry Classic. Though perhaps the live version is a bit more revered this also holds up. Fantastic lyrics, amazing storytelling. Great chorus. Lovely organ. Anthemic. Surpassed by later recordings, but still a foundational classic. 4.5/5 Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) The lyrics are about as direct as you'll get. Sadly still relevant today. Great verse melody. Lovely guitar, has a lot of personality to it. Good. 4/5 Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock) The harmonica is a pretty interesting element to this sound. Cool bassline. The anti authoritarian lyrics feel very on brand. The guitar jam drags a bit. I like the ominous organ in the background. Decent. 3.5/5 So Jah S'eh Very religiously coded with the biblical sounding lyrics. I like the horns quite a bit. Great instrumental, feels very infectious with how layered it sounds. Amazing vocal performance. Great. 4.5/5 Natty Dread Great vibe. Don't love the chorus though. Instrumentally it's kinda forgetable, though the song is sorta saved by the fairly unique lyrics. Fine. 3/5 Bend Down Low I like the slightly faster tempo. Decent bassline. The backing vocals do a great job at paralleling Bob's vocals. Kinda don't love the lyrics. Ends up not being the most memorable track. Fine. 3/5 Talkin' Blues Has some nice imagery. There's some personality to the lyrics. Bombing a church? Hold up... A bit boring. Fine. 3/5 Revolution Very direct in it's message. Love the horns. Great bassline. Love how dynamic the backing vocals are. Charismatic vocal performance, love the little inflections he does. Again draws from some very vivid imagery. Good. 4/5 Am-A-Do It's extremely forgetable. Kinda dislike the backing vocals. Feels overdone. The lyrics aren't great and the instrumental feels really sparse and boring. Has some alright vocal moments, but is otherwise pretty bland. Dislike. 2/5 A very pleasant archetypical reggae album which represents the sound in an accessible and unproblematic way. Reflects on the themes you'd expect from an album of this type: Unity, peace, love and resistance. You'll find Bob Marley on his usual game, delivering fantastically charismatic, passionate and fully realized performances. This atmospheric and easily digestible collection of songs serves as a great piece of culture which never loses focus of what it is. It's just solid reggae to the core, and sometimes that's perfectly enough. I don't think anything here will blow anyone away, though I cannot see how that would be the point of it. It's a diverse expression of a movement, a people and an idea which happens to take the form of music. And I guess this is why it sounds so relatable and real. You could talk plenty about tangental things, such as the marvelous basslines or the diverse guitar playing, but I think that's beside the point. This thing is all atmosphere and feeling. It's an aura of togetherness and carefree expression of thought, by people who sound like they're enjoying their craft. 3.5/5 Rounded up to 4/5

Don't really have any real expectations heading into this. I know of this artist, and I've heard a few songs, but not enough to leave an impression. Song For Lindy A pretty catchy and dancable piece of electronic music with a persistant bassline and an infectious piano riff. Doesn't have the most personality. Feels a bit cold. Fine. 3/5 Santa Cruz Opens pretty interestingly with a very spacey and distant intro. The main "riff" is a bit irritating, really gets on my nerves after a few minutes. The calmer more ambient moments to bring in a slightly psychedelic atmosphere to the track which is honestly really soothing. When the main riff comes back it's almost a welcome presence along with the rhythmic drums. Decent. 3.5/5 The Weekend Starts Here Opens with a lot of atmosphere. I kinda like the robotic vocals, and the glitchy synths. Really like those smooth keys for a contrast against the otherwise very harsh sounding synths. Love the spoken word sample. Gets a bit repetitive, perhaps because it goes on for too long. Decent. 3.5/5 Going Out of My Head Decently catchy with a lot of energy. Sort of uses up all its tricks early causing it to drag a bit. Has some interesting synths here and there, but doesn't offer anything that's too exciting outside of that. Fine. 3/5 Everybody Needs A 303 Thick bass. I like the energy of the track. The repetitive motifs take a lot of time to evolve into something different, which makes the pacing or the track a bit off. Has a solid final quarter. Fine. 3/5 Give the Po' Man a Break Has some fun rhythm to it. I like the vocal sample. Definitely a danceable track. Cool buildup to the break. Would've loved if there was a bit of a melodic element in there to contrast against the very heavy rhythms. Decent. 3.5/5 10th and Crenshaw Sparse sounding, has some experimental features that sort of work. I kinda like the drawn out high pitched synths. The panning is executed a bit awkwardly. Falls a bit flat, doesn't end up sounding all that coherent in the end. Average. 2.5/5 First Down Has a moody energy to it. Really like the drums. Don't love the swing elements, with the horns. Does evolve into a slightly larger more atmospheric sound at one point which really works. Annoying, but definitely not entirely bad. Average. 2.5/5 Punk to Funk Really weird until the drums come in. Feels a bit empty. The vocal sample isn't interesting enough to carry the sparse drum beat. When the melodic elements come in the track has already gotten stale. That being said, the final minute or so really works. Average. 2.5/5 The Sound of Milwaukee Kinda weak intro sample if I'm being honest. I like the whimsy of the track quite a bit. It's fun, but not exactly something that hits you in any particular way. Drags a bit. Fine. 3/5 Not particularly impressive by any means, but it is a good time nonetheless. It has alright rhythms, fun beats and some solid sample work that keeps it for the most part entertaining throughout. You won't exactly get anything that boggles the mind, but it ends up serving its purpose as something uncomplocated you'd put on while doing something else. It's got some danceability, a few soothing ambient moments and even some experimental stuff that while dated is at least an alright piece of history. Suffers from a fair bit of repetitiveness, especially as tracks tend to follow a really similar structure. And while they do tend to build up to something in the end, some of the tracks do sort of get a bit boring before reaching an interesting climax. It's fine in the background, but doesn't really have the legs to keep you imvested as the main piece during a more active listening session. 3/5

Okay, so Rock Lobster is an incredibly charming song, but other than that I don't really know much about this band. If that song is anything to go by, then I expect a wacky, goofy and inherently weird experience with this album. I do fear it could end up being sort of annoying, still only judging from one song. Will be extremely disappointed if this turns out to be boring, though I doubt it will. Planet Claire Has a bit of that surf sound that I expected from them. Did not however expect something so moody and dark. Decently catchy bassline and very a unique keyboard sound. Definitely has that spacey sound you'd expect from the title. Strangely psychedelic. Good. 4/5 52 Girls Great energy. The surf guitar is pretty fun. Extremely stupid lyrics. The lyrics get a bit grating. Has some charm to it. Can't hate a song with that much personality to it no matter how dumb it is. Decent. 3.5/5 Dance This Mess Around Has a kinda threathening sound to it with the screamy vocals, the intense drum pattern and the ominous organ. Really, really weird. Cursed song. 2.5/5 Rock Lobster Banger. Iconic riff. Who even would think of these lyrics. It's unfathomably bizzare. Love the synthline. The female vocals really add to the strange aquatic theme, where they almost evoke dolphin-like qualities. Wacky, confusing, absolutely meaningless and at times even a bit abrasive. This does not get in the way of it's quality in anyway. It's an absolute blast. Delightful. 5/5 Lava Really solid groove. Fun theme. Really cheesy. The frequent references to famous volcanoes are pretty charming. Solid harmonies. Decent. 3.5/5 There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon) Interesting into. Another stupid premise that somehow works. Thanks to this song I now know that the Moon is called "The Moon" and that it's located in the sky! The band has so much chemistry and the concept is so bizzare it's impossible for me to dislike it. It's just really entertaining. Good. 4/5 Hero Worship Intense vocal performance with a lot of personality and energy. Fits the more punk aesthetic of the track. Steals the show. Catchy riffs. Generally has a very cool atmosphere to it. Good. 4/5 6060-842 (6060 842) Another song that's really, really weird. It's in a similar vein to previous tracks in that it's fast paced, strange and very conceptual. This time I feel it's just a little bit lower quality than the rest, where perhaps the concept doesn't land as well. The performances are still good however. Fine. 3/5 Downtown Weird accent. Don't love the organ. The vocal inflections are a bit much. Feels like they're not taking this serious at all. Dislike. 2/5 Memorable, fun and unique. Honestly exactly what I expected it to be. You'll have a hard time not smiling when hearing some of these songs. The concepts are goofy and the vocal deliveries are full of character. It comes to a point where you're just impressed that they are able to pull it off in a likeable way, without being too annoying. And there's more to this album than just novelty, as the riffs from both the surf guitar and also the keyboards stick in your head as both well constructed and catchy. And while the songwriting veers on the quirky side it's done in a clever and researched manner, which when put together with the interesting song structures ends up a genuine highlight. This album has energy, it has charisma and it is extremely unique even in the often out there New Wave genre. You can feel the band's chemistry and enjoyment on each and every track on here. The entertainment value here is off the charts, and even when there is a weak song you'll at least be left with some sort of impression of it. If sea creatures, volcanoes and distant planets sound interesting to you, you should definitely give it a go. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4/5.

So it's the day after Brian Wilson's passing and it seems like everyone got assigned a project he worked on as a tribute to his contributions to music. RIP to a legend. I've never been that into The Beach Boys myself, though I wouldn't say I've ever disliked a song from them. They've always struck my as one of the typical "massively influential for their time, but not quite for me" bands. I'm 100% certain this will be a pleasant time though. Hoping for some catchy hooks and some solid harmonies. Do You Wanna Dance? A cute, likeable song with a simple premise and a catchy chorus. Has some great harmonies and a chipper atmosphere that puts you in a good mood. Decent. 3.5/5 Good To My Baby More of the same. Pleasant and likeable with a lot of great melodic moments. Very charismatic and bright. Decent. 3.5/5 Don't Hurt My Little Sister Strange title. Love the vocal arrangement of the chorus. Sweet concept. Fun guitar playing. Decent. 3.5/5 When I Grow Up (To Be A Man) Great high notes. Pretty lyrics. Love the nostalgia of it. Good. 4/5 Help Me, Rhonda Classic chorus melody. Really catchy. The instrumental trucks along nicely, love the addition of the harmonica. Another fun and likeable track. Good. 4/5 Dance, Dance, Dance Don't got much to say. It's a solid execution of what they're going for. Fine. 3/5 Please Let Me Wonder Impressive vocals. The lyrics are kinda touching. Great keyboard break. Decent. 3.5/5 I'm So Young Idealistic. Decent concept. Well executed harmonies. Fine. 3/5 Kiss Me, Baby Amazingly arranged. The chorus is very powerful. Sweet lyrics. Good. 4/5 She Knows Me Too Well Doesn't really have much setting it apart from previous songs. Not exactly unimpressive, just a bit forgetable compared to other songs on here. Fine. 3/5 In The Back Of My Mind Kinda depressing. Feels very personal and real. Great lyrics. Love the way it ends. Good. 4/5 Bull Session With "Big Daddy" A fun way to end the album. Feels very informal and unserious. Shows a different side of the band. Unrated/5 Pretty much what you'd expect from The Beach Boys. Simplistic love songs, sometimes about yearning, sometimes about loving who you got, and sometimes about getting over someone you lost. It's perfectly inoffensive and pleasant, but doesn't really stretch beyond that. Of course the vocal arrangements are stunning with beautiful harmonies and solid buildups. It's simple, it's pretty, but also very samey. The individual quality of each song is pretty consistently good, but they do feel like variations on the same few ideas. This makes the album lack depth causing it to be a bit predictable and sterile. It's fine for what it is, and for 60s pop it's certainly charming at times. 3.5/5 rounded down to 3/5.

I've heard some songs from this and they're fine I guess. Though I have to admit I've never paid too much attention to them. Late 1970's seem to be a good period for interesting music, so I'm quite curious to find out what this is. Don't know what to expect, but the Wikipedia article paints a flattering picture. He's The Greatest Dancer Pretty famous song. Still gets some spotlight to this day. Sampled in an even more famous song (Gettin' Jiggy With It), which is perhaps where most people would recognize the instrumental from. Classic disco track. I've got a soft spot for those backing vocals. That guitar riff is iconic. Really fun and danceable. Great. 4.5/5 Lost In The Music Great simple bassline. Sets the mood perfectly. Carefree and cute. Catchy and inoffensive. Pretty solid vocal performance. It does a lot of work to keep the track dynamic and varied despite the repetitive concept. Decent. 3.5/5 Somebody Loves Me Bog standard rnb track. Has very glitzy and overexaggerated production. While a bit dated, and perhaps even cheesy, it works pretty well with the singer's voice. Don't mind the backing vocals. Dull lyrics. Fine. 3/5 Thinking Of You Great opening guitar. Pairs well with the percussive elements. Solid string break. The chorus is pretty strong on this one, has an infectious nature with its simple and singable melody. Impressive vocal performance. Good. 4/5 We Are Family Another ubiquitous song of the genre. Feels like a bit of a cornerstone of dance music. Inescapable and catchy. Great bassline. Wholesome and positive with a lot of charm. A bit meaningless, but has good energy and a cute message. Good. 4/5 Easier to Love Interesting instrumental. Really like the subtle chaos in there. The flute is a very pleasant addition. Lovely vocals. Has a very pretty atmosphere to it. Good. 4/5 You're A Friend To Me Decent strings, solid bass. Really cheesy. The slow tempo kinda kills any momemtum it would've had. Inoffensive to the point of being boring. The alright vocals don't really save it. Average. 2.5/5 One More Time Groovy instrumental. Interesting guitar solo. Danceable chorus. A bit basic, but gets the job done. Fine. 3/5 Find some fresh, funky folks and boogie on down to these groovy disco tunes. Featuring masterful guitar riffs, bouncy basslines and a whole sea of catchy hooks. You'll never be bored when this album leads the line to a good ol' time. It's mostly just that: dumb, condensed fun, made to spread cheer and joy. And that's also where it finds its success. You won't find much meaningful or emotionally resonant content here, but that is not the point. The point is to get lost in a groove. To find beauty in a great vocal performance. And to relish the soul and spirit that it took to create something so joyous and positive. Is it the greatest thing ever? No, but it sure is accesible and easy to put on no matter what you're going to be doing. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5.

Didn't expect these guys to pop up again. Their 1997 album was one of the first albums I generated, which I remember really liking. However I have neither returned to the album or the band since, despite how much I praised it. When it comes to this album I'm hoping for more of the same really. Expecting something bold yet concise. You Know It's True Soothing track with a pleasant supporting guitar and spacey synth. Uninteresting lyrics. There's a calming element to the vocals. Great instrumental section towards the end, has a psychedelic element to it which really knits the track together. Not the most exciting song ever, but a solid start. Decent. 3.5/5 If I Were with Her Now I like the light percussive elements in the intro section of the song. Interesting parallels with the harsh synth effects and the smoother guitar riff. Interesting mix. I like how the tension just deflates towards the middle of the track, creating a very satisfying buildup towards the next section. The repetitive instrumental with the oscillating percussion creates an hypnotic effect, making for a very stimulating ending. Good. 4/5 I Want You Very spacey. The noisier elements sound great. Lovely guitar distortion. I like the way the instrumental builds up towards the end of the chorus. Very dynamic, there's a lot of movement to this sound. Especially when contrasting the harsh effects to the thick but distant bassline. Good. 4/5 Run The instrumental has a lot of resonnance with the lyrics. Sounds very 'deserty'. Very electric. Love the subtle "whoosh" sounds in the background. Psychedelic and dense. Decent. 3.5/5 Smiles The electric organ just makes sense with this sort of sound. Fun percussion. Decent climax. Feels like a bit of an interlude. Fine. 3/5 Step Into The Breeze Has some pretty lovely positive undertones in the back of the instrumental. The strings in the background sound really warm, contrasting with the otherwise cold nature of the track. Really makes a lot of sense when you take the title of the track into account. Decent. 3.5/5 Symphony Space Cosmic sci-fi ambience coded. Reminds me a bit of something of off "Apollo" by Brian Eno. Lacks a discernable melodic element, but makes up for it with a lot of atmosphere. Very soothing. Good. 4/5 Take Your Time I like the synthline in the background. Don't love the vocals. They're a bit too quiet and almost sound incomprehensible here. Lovely guitar break. Honestly really repetitive and boring despite the slight variation between verses. The buildup towards the end is really good however, but it doesn't completely save the track. Average. 2.5/5 Shine A Light Spiritual and religious. Pairs well with the generally psychedelic sound of the track. Has some cinematic qualities in the instrumental. Really like how the two main melodic elements in the instrumental pair together and contrast with each other. Love the heavy distortion. Very large and climatic ending. Love the calm and soothing conclusion after a very chaotic and harsh climax. Great. 4.5/5 Angel Sigh Really appreciate a more normally structured track. Great guitar. Love the crashing drums as well. The vocals remain a bit iffy. Love the high pitched synth in the background. Decent. 3.5/5 Sway Really like the guitar effect. Hate the vocals. The high pitched effect in the background really works. The ambience of the track is kinda ruined by the effect laden vocals. Average. 2.5/5 200 Bars Churchy. The counting at the end of each bar does get the point across. Hypnotic atmosphere. Love how it rises and builds upon itself. Great bass once the vocals come in. Does have some ethereal qualities to it, especially with that high pitched background synth. Good execution of a cool concept. Great. 4.5/5 This album is a gorgeous sonic experience posessing great ambience and atmosphere. It's instrumentally rich, providing an ethereal and cinematic sound that takes you off to another world. Has interesting song structures with beautiful buildups, gorgeous slow sections and explosive conclusions. My only real complaint is that the vocals kinda drown themselves out. Either in effects or through the album's mixing. On quite a few songs on here the lyrics are completely incomprehensible due to this. I enjoyed it, but it's really slow and meandering at times, sporting a fair bit of repetitive patterns. This could come across as boring to some, so this is something you've got to be in the right headspace for. 4/5

Looks like something I'd usuallybe into, but the length sort of worries me. Shouldn't be a problem as long as it's good however. As I don't understand the language he's speaking I fear a lot of meaning will be lost to me. Will be limiting the tracks to those present at the original release. Lam Tooro Pleasant guitars. A slow track with a lazy, bluesy atmosphere. Kinda repetitive, but also quite soothing. Decent. 3.5/5 Loodo Great atmosphere. I like how his vocals sort of clash against the very reptive rhythm. Fine. 3/5 Muudo Hormo I like how the wooden sounding precussive instrument adds a slight bit of variation to the sound. Feels a lot lighter than previous tracks. Fine. 3/5 Salminanam A bit unremarkable, but has some cute guitar moments. I like the intensity of the shaking instrument. Fine. 3/5 Maacina Tooro Has some very melodic vocals. Fine. 3/5 Djam Leelii Great instrumenta intro. Extremely bluesy with a lot of emotion behind it. The deeper tones work well against the background chimes and the subtle drums. I really like the addition of the background vocals. Feels very spiritual. Good. 4/5 Bibbe Leydy Unremarkable, doesn't exactly do anything different from previous tracks. I guess the percussion is slightly more involved, which is nice. Average. 2.5/5 Sehilam Has a decent tempo to it. Really like the guitar on here, feels almost celibratory in the way it's being played. Positive atmosphere. He has a lot of movement and dynamism to his voice. Decent. 3.5/5 As for African blues this is an alright if not a bit repetitive experience. It's vocally pretty consistent with a performance that feels emotional and passionate against the background track. Has solid guitar performances that are arranged to compliment the emotions shown in the vocals. You'll always feel the warm atmosphere that comes with the instrumentals here. Love the supportive percussive elements that occasionally show up giving some complexity to an otherwise sparse sound. There is however a lot of similarities between many of these tracks, which at times make them sound too much alike. Perhaps it's a quirk of the genre, but it does make you drift off as it becomes kinda stale after a bit. And while some tracks break the structural monotony with added instrumentation or a different tempo, it isn't quite enough to keep it from dragging a bit. Overall this album excels in it's atmosphere and feeling. While perhaps not the greatest thing for a focused listen it sure has a soothing aura around it which makes it easy to drift off to. 3/5

It's Purple Rain. Kinda impossible not to love. Don't even need to expect anything else. There's a reason for why it's as acclaimed as it is. Let's Go Crazy Amazing iconic intro. Fast and fun with lovely synths, a blazing guitar solo and a catchy chorus. Great vocal performance with a lot of style and feeling. Great. 4.5/5 Take Me with You Love the group vocals. Has some cinematic qualities (in a cheesy 80's way). Love the drama and the exaggartion. Great strings. Good. 4/5 The Beautiful Ones Great production. Love the subtle piano. Very of the time, but still quite charming. Impressive vocals. Powerful ascension to the climax. Great. 4.5/5 Computer Blue Interesting structure. Love the guitar solo. Very interesting instrumentation overall. Really like the bounciness of the drum beat. Prince delivers his usual strange but impressive performance. Good. 4/5 Darling Nikki Weird lyrics. I like the more rock oriented instrumentation. The keys almost have an orchestral quality to them, due to their loudness and intensity. Good. 4/5 When Doves Cry Classic. Love the synths. Iconic vocal melody. Extremely catchy chorus. Overall just an inescapable song with a lot of energy abd charisma. One of those songs that get stuck in you head for hours after. Fantastic. 5/5 I Would Die 4 U Great atmospheric instrumental. Love the electronics. The almost rap like vocal sections are quite different from anything else on this album. Varied vocal performance showing a lot of control and creativity. Great. 4.5/5 Baby I'm A Star Danceable and fast. Fantastic energy. Feels sort of triumphant, especially with the indescribably fun vocal performance. Great. 4.5/5 Purple Rain Opus. There's very little to say about this that hasn't been said. One of the most iconic songs of the era, yet still timeless. Magnificent. 5/5 It's rare for an album to live up to its reputation. Purple Rain is one of them, providing great entertainment from start to finish. While the title track is the definite highlight, each track comes with its own style and personality. It's produced and performed immaculately without a single hiccup. Its consistency and flow is almost unmatched. There's very little to say about it as it is almost flawless. 5/5

I have honestly not been looking forward to this one. 50Cent has never been my favourite rapper and while many of the songs on here are regarded as classics I'm just kind of sick of them. Hoping I can see past that and at least enjoy it for what it is. Maybe in the full context of the album I gain some new found appreciation for the more famous tracks. What Up Gangsta Kinda dated. Don't really love how hollow and compressed it sounds. 50's voice is at least very recognizable. Sort of hate the hook. Average. 2.5/5 Patiently Waiting Has a very dark vibe to the production. Kinda like the strings. Unlikable lyrics at times. Don't mind the hook that much, has a bit of style to it. Eminem is alright I suppose. The adlibs in the background get really old really fast. Average. 2.5/5 Many Men (Wish Death) Super recognizable hook. The piano riff in the background gets a bit annoying with it's repetitiveness. The lyrics are okay for the most part. I just can't help but find the verses really boring. Fine. 3/5 In Da Club I guess it's considered a classic these days. Very catchy. Instantly recognizable beat. Fairly charismatic delivery. Too overplayed to give a fair rating to. Fine. 3/5 High All The Time Got nothing to say. Just unrelentingly average. Average. 2.5/5 Heat Horrible beat. The gun effects are extremely distracting. Only there for the shock effect. Exhausting. 1/5 If I Can't Boisterous and fun hook. The beat is a bit much. Boring verses. Gets really draining after a while. Dislike. 2/5 Blood Hound Simply awful beat. Hate the "wet" atmosphere. Also those drums are way too loud. The feature breaks the monotony somewhat, even if his verse isn't the most memorable. I can't get over the beat, it's just that distracting. Strongly Dislike. 1.5/5 Back Down A song that exists. It has a beat and a few verses. There's definitely a hook there as well. Says nothing interesting. Kinda cringe. The skit at the end is so unfunny it's almost impressive. Awful. 1/5 P.I.M.P What is there even left to be said about this song. Classic hook I suppose, though the delivery makes me wanna fall asleep. Still dated, still annoying. Dislike. 2/5 Like My Style And this is the point in the album I completely zoned out for two minutes straight. I can't take this serious. It's just extremely bland. Rehashing the same bravado and tough guy attitude that's been done 1000s times before. Awful. 1/5 Poor Lil Rich Dumb as balls. Who fucking cares. The beat is also realy boring. Uninspired. 1/5 21 Questions The hook has some charming qualities. Decent beat. Refreshing feature. Kinda like that there's some smoothness on this track to go against all the harsh and over the top material preceeding it. Decent. 3.5/5 Don't Push Me Has some cool effects in the instrumental, especially on the hook. The fearures add some dynamism to the track. Really appreciate Eminem changing up the energy. Fine. 3/5 Gotta Make It To Heaven I like the triumphant beat. Don't mind the performance. Okay hook. Unlikable lyrics at times. Average. 2.5/5 It's what I feared it would be. Boring and unlikable deliveries, stale lyrical content and dated production. Sure there are listenable songs on here, but equally many that are not. It's really a reflection of hip hop in its most 2000's form, where image mattered more than substance. 2/5

I have tried and failed to get into Animal Collective in the past and this album was part of that journey. At the time (maybe 5-6 years ago) I thought it was pretty mediocre and I never returned to it. But people age and tastes change so I don't mind giving it another shot. Gonna try to go into this with a fresh mindset. In The Flowers Strange and atmospheric intro. Psychedelic delayed sound. Watery and dreamlike. Interesting explosive synth passage, love the experimental vibe. Decent. 3.5/5 My Girls I like the oscilating synths. Don't love the vocals. The percussive elements are pretty cool I suppose. Dynamic melodies. Great layering. Kinda don't love the lyrics. Decent. 3.5 Also Frightened Pretty busy and all over the place. Don't love the sluggish vocals. It's unique, but really difficult to follow. Dislike. 2/5 Summertime Clothes Interesting vocals. Decent chorus. Slowly getting into the heavy electronics as the song goes on. Has a bit of an ethereal vibe at times. Good. 4/5 Daily Routine Don't love the loud synths. The track goes through a lot of changes, leaving it almost unrecognizable at times. Really like the slower, reverby, atmospheric part in the middle. Decent. 3.5/5 Bluish Very dynamic instrumental. Extremely psychedelic and dream-like. Kinda getting into the vocals as the song goes on. I like the higher register portions. Decent. 3.5/5 Guys Eyes The woodwinds and the background ambience in the intro is pretty cool. Interesting vocal layering. Don't really like the "need her" part at all. Annoying. Fails at reaching a hypnotic effect. Does feel really busy after a while. Dislike. 2/5 Taste There's a lot going on. Has some okay melodies and some interesting layering. Not too inspiring. Average. 2.5/5 Lion In A Coma Jaw harp? Great sample. Love the instrumental. Solid chorus, really like how it builds up. Decent. 3.5/5 No More Runnin I like the slower tempo and less chaotic sound. I like long notes in the chorus. There's a bit of a liquid sound to the instrumental that really works. Fine. 3/5 Brother Sport Rough start. Kinda find the main vocal melody really irritating. Annoying synths. Unbearably repetitive at times. Mindless and obnoxious. Points for creativity. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 I appreciate how experimental and loose it is when it comes to both sound and structure. It's a creative blend of psychedelia and synth pop which pushes some boundaries while still keeping a self contained sound. Unfortunately not all of it is pleasant or frankly even listenable in a casual setting. And while it remains impressive from a creative standpoint it has some moments that are just headache inducing. Between the psychedelic reverb and the dreamy layering there's also a lot of strange and sometimes even annoying synths that with their heavy repetitive nature buries into your brain stem and becomes really obnoxious. Now most of these songs have great moments, with fun samples and interesting vocal choices, each and every one of them also has some sort of element that just isn't all too pleasant. In the end it's a bit of a mixed bag. The solid amount of ethereal moments on here is definitely the highlight, with the reverby, synthy psychedelic ambience kicking you into a sonic realm all of its own. That's where this album shines, when it finally allows the listener to listen in on something focused and unique. When it isn't that it is busy, overwhelming and inaccessible. 3/5

Weird choice for my first Nick Cave album, but you gotta start somewhere. I'm expecting something dark and gothic, and also pretty sad when taking the wiki article into account. Hoping it has a few different elements to it or else it might get boring considering it's a double album. Pretty album cover. Spinning Song Strange and spacey. The synths are very atmospheric. Interesting lyrics, feels really cryptic. Love the more melodic sections of the instrumental. Ethereal ending. Unexpected. Good. 4/5 Bright Horses Beautiful intro. Pretty piano, also love the string flourishes. Bleak lyrics. The background vocals are really pretty. Decent. 3.5/5 Waiting For You The piano is played with a lot of emotion behind it. Feels really weighty. So far the mood of this album is just extremely depressing. This song is no exception. The added context makes this hit pretty hard. Decent. 3.5/5 Night Raid Love the ambience, the drowned out bell like sound is really interesting. Beautiful instrumental. Great backing vocals. Vivid lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Sun Forest Beautiful ambience yet again. Sets up a haunting and bleak atmosphere. Sends you to another world. Angelic background vocals. Fantastic lyrics. Love the way it switches up at the end. Fantastic buildup with the strange instrumental and the soft vocals. An experience. Fantastic. 5/5 Galleon Ship Interesting instrumental. Really like the subtle sample in the background. Beautiful keys. Love how the song sort of ascends. Great concept. Really feels like the song is "circling". Great. 4.5/5 Ghosteen Speaks Also has an air of ascension around it. Love the almost cosmic sounding instrumental. Has a bit of a hopeful feeling to it. Doesn't feel as bleak and harrowing as previous tracks do. I enjoy the simplistic structure. Good. 4/5 Leviathan Has a bit of an underwater feel to it. Love the high pitched flourishes in the background. Really like the subtle percussion. Beautifully atmospheric. Decent. 3.5/5 Ghosteen Great electronic buildup. Love the strings, beautifully arranged. Has some moments of brightness and beauty that contrasts really well against the dark exterior of the rest of the album. The lyrics tell a vivid story. Beautiful backing vocals. Good. 4/5 Fireflies Love the chaotic strings in the background. Pais well with the sort of cosmic language used in the spoken word. I can imagine that part of the instrumental as either the stars or the fireflies in the lyrics. Very vivid visual. Good. 4/5 Hollywood I like the dark bouldering rhythmic element against the light, spacey synths. Bleak and spiritual. Has some beautiful ethereal moments when the strings come in to support the vocals. Strange. Accepting grief is hard. Resolves elegantly. Good. 4/5 I need a minute after that. It's beautiful, but very emotionally draining. Feels like it's constantly at a point where it is about to resolve into something more positive before it hits you with a massive wave of depressing bleakness. It's just incredibly heavy. Emotionally, lyrically, thematically, you name it. The way he writes about his grief is truly heartbreaking. This is paired with some beautiful, sometimes ascendant ambience which reaches moments so angelic and pure that it sends the listener to a whole new world. Could see myself needing multiple listens to appreciate it fully, especially when it comes to the lyrical content, but I cannot say I didn't enjoy every second it was on. 4/5

Tapestry is everything it says to be, providing the listener with a good selection of soulful piano ballads, a couple well paced rock songs and an unmistakable early 1970's charm that is difficult to replicate. Carole King brings out her majestic and mature vocal abilities to paint a beautiful picture with sentimental and nostalgic lyrics. Recommended on atmosphere alone. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5

I have seen this album cover about a million times, and I think I've even heard a few songs off it. However it's not been something I've shown much interest in. Maybe this is something I've been missing out on. It seems the general consensus around it is that it's great, so I'm looking forward to a listen. I Wanna Be Adored Deep and dreamy sound with some really beautiful background effects. Love the punchy drums. Awesome atmosphere, the dark and powerful bassline really adds to the slickness of the sound. Unique vocals. The drums continue to impress. Fantastic. 5/5 She Bangs the Drums Evocative lyrics. Love the way the guitar flows on top of the rhythm section, has a generally pretty sound to it. The chorus rises nicely making it distinct and memorable. Really like where the vocals sit in the mix. Fades out nicely. Great. 4.5/5 Waterfall Very lively and harmonic atmosphere. Love the deep, distant bass sound. Very fitting structure to the chorus. Great guitar riff, wonderful solo. Hypnotic instrumental section. Great. 4.5/5 Don't Stop The backwards tape effect is a really interesting choice. Gives the track a very psychedelic feeling, while still managing to sound coherent. I appreciate the slower tempo. Good. 4/5 Bye Bye Bad Man The isolated guitar is a great way to start the song. Love how it pans subtily. Has a decent rhythm to it. The lazier, not as intense vibe comes at a good time in the album. Kinda bored by the vocals. Good. 4/5 Elizabeth My Dear That's Scarborough Fair! Not very subtle in its messaging. Cool to hear somethibg so anti-monarchy. Good. 4/5 (Song for My) Sugar Spun Sister Loud guitar. Very pretty chord progression. Evocative chorus. I really like the subtle backing vocals. Great drums. Good. 4/5 Made of Stone Opens sorta bleakly. The dark bass and the omnious guitar makes for quite the gothic atmosphere. Catchy classic sounding chorus. Love the psychedelia of the instrumental break with the clashibg guitars, the awesome drumfills and the ever present bassline. Great. 4.5/5 Shoot You Down Quite a unique start compared to the rest of the album. Sounds really liquidy and deep. Love when the instrumental makes way for the vocals. There's an interesting melody to the chorus. Just an all round solid instrumental with an infectious v8be that's really easy to get lost in. Fantastic. 5/5 This Is The One I like the more vocal focused direction of the verses. Lovely drumming, really loud, powerful and intense. The largeness of the chorus is really interesting, this is the exact sound so many other UK bands tried emulating in the following decade. Works really well here. Great. 4.5/5 I Am the Resurrection Great bassline. Has sort of a sentimental feeling to it. Kinda boring verse structure. I like how the chorus builds up to its climax. Lovely guitar passages. Catchy and rhythmic instrumental section. Really like the drums here. An infectious groove with psychedelic undertones. Great. 4.5/5 Fools Gold Awesome percussion. The cool, smooth guitar riff adds a lot to the groove. In a strange way the moody vocals fit with the funky nature of the track. Good groove, good atmosphere with some interesting effects thrown in here and there. Love when the additional instrumentation comes in at the end. Good. 4/5 I was definitely missing out. This album is a treasure trove of unique and beautifully written rock tunes that don't seem to have aged a day. The chemistry at display is really something else. Very impressed by the drumming, and the bass playing on here. As well as the solid songwriting. Could definitely hear their influence on other bands that would emerge a few years later. Will need to revisit this, as I'm still astonished by its quality after the first listen. There's just so much to take in and appreciate here. 4.5/5 rounded up to a 5/5

The rap albums on this list have been pretty hit or miss for me, so I'm always a bit wary whenever one is generated. As Snoop Dogg has remained a pop culture figure for four decades now I'm fully aware of his trademark style. However most of his more memorable appearances throughout the years have been as features on other people's projects. I haven't heard great things about his solo stuff, but I'm hoping to be surprised. Also this album cover is awful. Bathtub Forgettable skit. As the tradition entails, the skits of this era have not aged well, not as a concept and not in execution. Kinda adds nothing. Dislike. 2/5 G Funk Intro Fun intro. Funky beat. Decent verses. Snoops brief apperance is fairly memorable. Love the synths over the final verse. Fine. 3/5 Gin and Juice An absolute classic song of the era. The synth in the background is iconic. The opening line is extremely memorable. Fantastic hook. A bit dumb, but Snoop delivers a smooth and likable performance. Great. 4.5/5 Tha Shiznit Annoying skit. Terrible opening. Stylish beat, love the flute sample. Infectious synth. Can't say Snoop is a great lyricist, but he sure can deliver his bars in a fun way. A little bit predictable. Carried by the production and the flow. Decent. 3.5/5 Lodi Dodi This sluggish and dreary beat does not fit Snoop's rapping style at all. The sample isn't exactly great either. Unlikable performance. Interesting vocal feature. So many odd choices, especially lyrically. Ends up just sounding a bit all over the place. Dislike. 2/5 Murder Was The Case I like the dark and ominous atmosphere of the song. The lyrics are fairly evocative for its themes. Great hook. Decent. 3.5/5 Serial Killa Agressive delivery. I like the beat quite a bit, has a solid groove to it. The features are fine, but Snoop himself is definitely the highlight. His verse is pretty memorable as his flow really works on the beat. Kinda terrible hook. Fine. 3/5 Who Am I (What's My Name)? Classic. Interesing vocoder section. Fantastic hook. Fun beat. The verses aren't exactly that memorable. I like the subtle flute sample. Fun song overall. Great. 4.5/5 For All My N****z & Bitches Fun hook. Solid features. Don't love the beat on this one. Feels a bit basic. Goes on for too long. Overall kinda forgetable. Average. 2.5/5 Ain't No Fun (If My Homies Can't Have Any) Bad skit. Fantastic opening verse. Great funky beat. The lyrics are kinda shit, but it's a bit of a vibe none the less. Awesome hook. Great beat. I don't endorse the lyrical content, but holy hell this song is still fun as hell, Nate Dogg and Warren G just kills it. Good. 4/5 Doggy Dogg World Another unfunny, poorly aged skit. Okay beat. Decent delivery. Enjoyable hook. The feature livens up the atmosphere quite a lot. Love the repeating of the hook at the end, the more vocal focused ending really makes the song. Decent. 3.5/5 Gz and Hustlas Okay skit. Great sample for the beat, really catchy. Solid verses. Boring hook. The G-funk synth kinda gets old after a while. Average. 2.5/5 Pump Pump Bouncy beat. Love the bass sample. Bad hook, sounds weak and irritating. Doesn't really have much interesting going for it. Ends up being a bit boring. Average. 2.5/5 Has its good moments, and has its bad moments. Lyrically it hasn't aged well. Even on the better songs on here there's a lot of misogyny which is a bit of a relic of the era. The hooks are pretty great throughout, with awesome samples and great guest performers that shake up the sound a lot. Snoop delivers some really fun performances, where his flows really enhance and add an unpredictable element to the experience. Again he shows why Snoop and Dre remain an iconic pairing, as Dre's production generally works really well with Snoop's style. Overall as a classic G-funk record this has most of what you're looking for, so if you want a bit of a throwback this is perfect. Unfortunately some of the more intrinsic features of the genre haven't aged well. This includes the lyrical contents, but also the horribly unfunny skits that honestly just waste your time. It's fine for what it is, and has its memorable moments, but it's not something I'd put on all too often. 3/5

I should by all accounts enjoy this. The genre descriptions are promising, and I've seen these guys sampled in a bunch of stuff. Judging by the album cover this looks like a good time. Hoping I'm correct. That Lady I instantly recognized this instrumental from Kendrick Lamar's "i". It's such a great funky tune with a seriously cool guitar and some fantastic vocals. So funky, so fun and so smooth. Amazing start. The instrumental section is just glorious. Fantastic. 5/5 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight Buttery smooth. Love the vocals here. That guitar is so cheesy, but works pretty well with the overall vibe of the song. Don't love the fade out. Decent. 3.5/5 If You Were Here Really interesting instrumental, feels oddly complex. Especially the bassline. Appreciate the overall positive atmosphere of the track. Infectious vocal melody on the chorus. Gloriously cheesy backing vocals. Great. 4.5/5 You Walk Your Way Crunchy organ. Fantastic piano. Love the high notes in the vocals. Great backing vocals. Good. 4/5 Listen to the Music Gloriously funky guitar riff. Distinct and charismatic vocals. Awesome bass. Catchy and easy to listen to. Not overly familiar with the original, but they perform it like it's their own so no complaints there. (After listening to it I would definitely say this is a very transformative cover) Good. 4/5 What It Comes Down To Smooth and clean. Has all the building blocks that make the previous songs memorable and continues the very enjoyable trend of the rest of the album. Has some really good instrumental moments and a very good chorus. Fantastic guitar. Fantastic. 5/5 Sunshine (Go Away Today) Interesting intro, has a dark atmosphere to it. Love the deep bass tone. Cool structure. Smooth and groovy instrumental. Good. 4/5 Summer Breeze Awesome guitar, will be stuck in my head for a while. Lovely chorus. Heavenly backing vocals. Great atmosphere overall. That solo is amazing. Fantastic. 5/5 The Highways of My Life I like the more active percussion in the instrumental. Decent bassline. The vocals are again just lovely. Fun song, though not a standout. Decent. 3.5/5 That was just what I needed today. An uncomplicated, accessible album with smooth and layered vocals, fun and groovy instrumentals and a positive atmosphere. It feels great to listen to something so funky and soulful. It's a simple and likable album with a bunch of songs that make you feel good. Instrumentally both the bass and the guitar stand out, both being utilized in varied and dynamic ways. Fantastic solos as well. I love both the main and backing vocals and the way they interact. There's just some fantastic synergy between the parts. Overall I'm impressed by how thoroughly enjoyable everything on here is. And while it's not something you'd call a masterpiece, it's always gonna be a good listen when you're feeling something smooth. 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4/5

Ever since I learned this was on the list I've been excitedly waiting for it to be generated. I would not classify myself as a fan of UK rap, but it's gonna be really refreshing to hear something so different from other albums on here. Grime in particular is a genre I know next to nothing about. I am genuinely excited to hear what this thing has to offer. It doesn't even have to be good, it'll be interesting regardless. Konnichiwa That's a terribly stereotypical sound effect to start off with. Great vocal feature. Great beat, love the hard electronic bass. Interesting flow. Fun references. Decent. 3.5/5 Lyrics Interesting beat. Strange background sample. The UK slang is hard to not appreciate. Fun verses, average hook. Fine. 3/5 Corn on the Curb Dumb bars. The constellation lyric is especially funny. Same with the Santa bar. Fun feature. Love the loop in the beat. I get the idea of the interlude at the end, but it goes on for a bit too long. Fine. 3/5 Crime Riddim Powerful beat. Mediocre lyrics. Decent delivery. Kinda forgetable. Average. 2.5/5 It Ain't Safe Annoying hook. I like the deep and heavy beat. Uninspired flow. Not too memorable really. Average. 2.5/5 Ladies Hit The Squad Horrible hook. Decent first verse, has some decent deliveries there. More corny bars, but it's okay for this style I guess. Okay beat. Average. 2.5/5 Numbers Decently fun I suppose. Such a stupid hook. Kinda cliche. Interesting feature, cool delivery. Decent. 3.5/5 Man Energetic beat, love how powerful and hard hitting it is. Fun performance. Great sample. Is that a diss? Good. 4/5 Shutdown Great beat. Catchy and hard hitting hook. Fantastic delivery on the verses. Just really fun. Good. 4/5 That's Not Me Amazing beat. Catchy and charismatic hook. Fun references. Terrible bars, but it works. Dumb but really fun. 4/5 Detox Love the dark and ominous beat. The high pitched synthline is a great contrast. Pretty decent lyrics at times. Fine. 3/5 Text Me Back Interesting complex beat. Alright attempt at something more sentimental. Interesting to hear a different side of him. It's tacky, it's dumb as hell, and it sounds just what you'd expect a UK rap album to sound like. Does this mean it's not fun? Absolutely not. If you're not taking it too seriously the bombastic production, the over the top hooks and the performative deliveries just kinda end up going pretty hard. There's nothing too deep here, but honestly the general construction of some of these tracks just make them a blast to listen to. The bravado and the theatrics along with the ever present UK slang and fun references genuinely makes for an entertaining experience. Sure it will not blow anyone's mind, but does a decent job for what it is. Skepta is a pretty believable UK gangster, and has just the right amount of charisma to not be too off-putting. Sure the lyrics are terrible and the skits drag, but the hooks and production along with Skepta's delivery sort of do enough to compensate for it. It's nothing exceptional, but ends up being an okay listen none the less. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3/5

This band has popped up in my recommended a few times, though I've never bothered to check them out. I guess maybe it's the clunky name? By all accounts this is something I'd probably at least appreciate. The song titles and the album cover makes me think it's gonna be something pretty dark sounding. But in all honesty I don't really have many expectations heading into it. Darklands I like the guitar quite a bit, gives off a bleak and dreary sound. Very distinct vocals. Nice progression on the chorus. The general sound of this reflects the era quite well. Depressing lyrics. Good. 4/5 Deep One Perfect Morning Don't love the vocals, they sound a bit unclear and muddied. I really like the longer guitar passages. Solid chorus. Decent. 3.5/5 Happy When It Rains Sounds kinda nostalgic. Really like how the guitar elevates the chorus. Decently romantic. The atmosphere of the really fits with the lyrics. Genuinely sounds like one of those sudden satisfying mid-summer downpours that never seem to last long enough. Great. 4.5/5 Down on Me I can appreciate the faster tempo, but the sterile drum machine sort of lacks any sort of life to it. I like the reverby guitar. The layering in the final minute is really good. Sounds large and satisfying in conjunction with the guitar. Decent. 3.5/5 Nine Million Rainy Days Kinda don't like the vocals here, sounds a bit dead. Decent bassline. I like the distortion on the guitar. The additional vocals help make the track a bit more dynamic. The moodiness builds up into a really powerful ending, where the vocals work much better against the more lively and dynamic instrumental. Decent. 3.5/5 April Skies The main guitar has a sentimental sound to it. Awesome solo. Great chorus, the following guitar section is really satisfying and catchy. Again quite nostalgic sounding, they really seem to catchy that cathartic romantic sound which would fit right at home at the end of a coming of age movie. Great. 4.5/5 Fall The buildup is a bit slow, but when it finally hits it really hits hard. Great ending section, though the rest of the track isn't to memorable apart from a few moments where the guitar really shines. Fine. 3/5 Cherry Came Too Really like the way the vocals change to fit the tone of the instrumental. Decent solo, follows the general tone if the song well. Boring bassline. Fine. 3/5 On the Wall Feels a bit meandering. Uninteresting vocal melody, feels really repetitive. Don't mind the backing vocals. I like the distortion in the background. Bleak and moody. Fine. 3/5 About You Has a bit if a soothing quality to it. The two guitars play well off each other. I really like the lyrics here. I enjoy the non descript and unceremonious ending. Fits really well with the rest of the album. Decent. 3.5/5 Romantic and moody. Has all of the late 80's indie charm without any of the pretentiousness. The songs are easy to understand with this charming almost nostalgic sounding atmosphere which takes you back to a simpler time. I'm a sucker for the repetitive basslines and the loud and clear guitar riffs. The mood they manage to create with a fairly limited sound is both consistent and at times quite carthartic. I ended up really appreciating the catchy songwriting both instrumentally and lyrically, and while nothing mindblowing it really encapsulates the era it came from. And while it has its flaws, mainly stemming from lifeless drums and a few uninspired sections in some of the songs, it's a fun time when you're in the right mood for it. Could definitely see this growing even more for me, but for now it's something I'd return to once in a while. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5.

First impression pre listen: It's been a while since my last country album and I feel genuinely excited to get into this. Yeah it isn't my favourite genre of all time, but it's always fun to challenge one's taste a bit. I've never heard of this artist before and the album name having the word "guitar" in it would usually be a red flag for me. Hoping to be surprised. Individual track notes: Guitar Town Has that iconic Nashville production. Charming guitar. Extremely cliche lyrics. He has a very solid voice. Fine. 3/5 Goodbye's All We've Got Left Kinda don't love the backing track, sounds like a default preset. Solid lyrics, has some unpredictability and cleverness to them. The piano does get pretty good after a while, especially around the final third. Fine. 3/5 Hillbilly Highway Fun sentimental lyrics. Don't really like the chorus. Decent instrumental break. A bit repetitive, gets quite tiresome after a while. Dislike. 2/5 Good Ol' Boy (Gettin' Tough) Cliche. Feels overtly political. Doesn't sound very memorable. I guess it's pretty reflective of its time, could see it being relatable to some. Average. 2.5/5 My Old Friend The Blues I really like the guitar playing at the start, sounds very pretty. I appreciate the more stripped back sound. Would've prefered if they kept it sweet and intimate. They kinda ruined the song with the added instrumentation and the hammed up vocals at the end. Dislike. 2/5 Someday I kinda like the guitar. Cliche lyrics, heard it a thousand times before. Bores me to tears. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Think It Over Okay chorus. Bland instrumental. Nothing remarkable, but listenable at least. Average. 2.5/5 Fearless Heart Has a pretty cool instrumental section, where there's a really interesting guitar effect. Otherwise really average, but I guess it bumps it up a bit. Fine. 3/5 Little Rock 'N' Roller Made me check out completely. There's a slide guitar part that is kinda memorable, but overall it's more boring than watching paint dry. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Down The Road The acapella intro is pretty nice. Hate that the echo effect persists after the instrumental comes in. I like the mandolin. Average. 2.5/5 Final review. So this album isn't outright terrible at any point, but it's mostly just unremarkable and sometimes even really boring. It's filled to the brim with every single country music cliche you can find, and while cliches can be fine you gotta do something different between them to stand out. And that is something this album generally fails to do. There's a few moments here and there where you'll find a lyric or an instrumental moment which stands out, but otherwise it's predictable and just uninteresting. The Nashville production is very solid, with good musicians delivering decent performances. The vocals are also well performed, with an alright voice to boot. So the songs here are definitely listenable, nothing makes me groan or roll my eyes, but it's just not enough to make it sound distinctly different from other albums of the genre. I wanted to like this heading into it, but it ended up being just OK. 2.5/5 rounded down to a 2/5.

First impression pre listen: As someone who's enjoyed Metallica quite causally over the years this has never been my favourite album from them. If we disregard the memes about them mixing out the bass, my main complaint about this album comes down to how seriously it takes itself. Even on the best songs on this thing they sound like they're trying a bit too hard. However it is Metallica after all so the riffs and solos are gonna shred like hell. As it is a relisten, I know that I'll at least enjoy most of it. Also I can't really complain when I finally get a rare metal album on this list. Individual song notes. Blackened Off to a great start with a very memorable guitar riff. The drums are really flat. James Hetfield's vocals are perfect for this sound. There are a few cool images in the lyrics. Awesome solo. Decent. 3.5/5 ...And Justice for All Really like the intro. Love when the heavier section comes in to contrast with the more soothing opening guitar. A bit too edgy. Kind of don't love the chorus, lacks a certain kick to it and the lyrics are kinda dumb. The overall groove is pretty good, but the track takes a bit too long to change it up. Fine guitar solo. Goes on for a bit too long with an aimless instrumental section. Ends strongly. Fine. 3/5 Eye of the Beholder The intro has a great buildup with the fade in. You can actually hear the bass on this song which is a plus, though it still doesn't sound great. Decent chorus. Wonderful guitar interplay. Fine. 3/5 One There's an argument to be made that this is their best song. With the iconic intro and the harrowing lyrics I can definitetly see that, though I still don't agree. The anti war messaging is strong, and the chrous is very effective. Especially with the heavy distortion supporting the vocals. Love the interplay between the two guitars. Awesome breakdown near the end. Ends with a blazing guitar solo, which is just really satisfying. The lyrics are a bit heavy handed, the drums sound just kinda empty and I find James Hetfield's performance on the vocals a bit too much at times. While the song is still good it's in my opinion a bit overrated. Good. 4/5 The Shortest Straw The main riff is kinda boring, kinda lacks the desired energy. Very standard chorus by Metallica standards, doesn't really do much to stand out. The bass sounds like the sound you get when blowing into an empty bottle, it's very distracting. Cool instrumental bridge. Average. 2.5/5 Harvester of Sorrow This song kicks ass. Love the intro, and the main guitar riff is so effortlessly cool. The background effects really add to the fantasy of the track. Dark and ominous lyrics. Great guitar solo. Love when the intro riff comes back into the song at the end. Great detail. Great. 4.5/5 The Frayed Ends of Sanity It's a fine enough Metallica song. Has all the building blocks to succeed with its particular sound. Great thrash metal riffs and a solid solo. The lyrics are whatever, but no one is here for lyrics anyway. The longer instrumental sections provide some very satisfying grooves in a stimulating high tempo which is really fun to listen along to. Decent. 3.5/5 To Live is to Die Very pretty intro. Really like how structurally different it is from the rest of the tracks on the album. Has some great progressive metal moments that are really interesting. The overlapping guitars make for a good partnership, and are especially powerful when played in tandem with each other. Kinda meanders a bit towards the end. The spoken word is also a bit weak. Doesn't have the intended effect of being dramatic. Goes on for too long without introducing new ideas. Fine. 3/5 Dyers Eve I appreciate that it gets straight into the action. It's heavy and it's raw. Love the speedy tempo. Awesome energy. Great solo. I like the sudden ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Final review: In a bit of a mixed discography ...And Justice For All stands out as one of the better albums in there. However out of the five big Metallica albums this one is in my opinion the weakest. While the riffs and solos are up with their best there are issues in other parts of the process that brings the quality down a bit. The way the vocal parts are written is one of these factors, where they often feel like they stay in one singular lane making them feel repetitive. You also have the infamous mixing issues where the way both the bass and the drums sound have been critisized to death by now, to the point that it's become a bit of a meme. And if you listen closely you can see why. There are also songs that do feel a bit aimless on here, that while still having cool parts here and there just seem to lose the plot completely after a while. And while all of these issues do remain, this album also has some really strong parts. The lyrical writing is at points very evocative, and some songs contain very vivid images and portray strong emotions. There are also moments that evoke very strong atmospheres where you can really feel the dark and ominous powers they're trying to paint with their instruments. And as you'd expect by Metallica the energy and drive behind these songs do reach high levels of infectiousness to the point where the riffs are impossible not to nod along to. It remains a bit of a mixed bag, not great, but not awful either. As a plus there are live versions of these tracks that blow the studio versions out of the water. So if the production gets on your nerves at least you have that. 3.5/5 begrugingly rounded down to a 3/5.

First impression pre listen: A female led singer-songwriter/country album on this list? I'm pleasantly surprised. There seems to be a general lack of female artists on here, so it's nice to have some diversity. I've consistently rated country pretty low so far, but I'm hoping this can be an outlier. I've never heard of this artist before so I don't really know what to expect. I wouldn't say I'm excited to listen to it. I'd rather say I'm curious as to what it sounds like. Individual song notes: Revelator The lack of production is a very pleasant suprise. Pretty guitar. Really evocative themes. She writes lyrics in a clear and understandable way without it sounding obvious or ham-fisted. Low-key and down to earth vocal performance. Really fits the contemplative lyrics. Love the jangly guitar at the end. Fantastic. 5/5 My First Lover Love the instrumentation on this track. The dark swampy bluesiness has an effortlessly cool atmosphere to it. Real sounding lyrics with some decent imagery. Decent. 3.5/5 Dear Someone Soothing and dreamlike, has some lullaby-like qualities. Beautiful sentimentality. Slow and calming. Decent. 3.5/5 Red Clay Halo Folksy. Interesting vocal melody. The lyrics are pretty fun, gets into some pretty standard country themes without being too cliche. Has this very "back to one's roots" nostalgia to it which she channels really well with her voice. Decent. 3.5/5 April the 14th, Pt. 1 Yeah it's pretty, though I'm not sure what it's about. I get the Titanic reference though. Is it referencing things that happened on that specific date? Seems to be a Lincoln reference there too. The instrumental is quite pleasant. Not especially dynamic, and it hardly ever tries something different. Fine. 3/5 I Want to Sing that Rock and Roll Solid harmony. Feels like a song about being heard and recognized. Kinda sparse. Fun instrumental break, though the applause is pretty annoying. Fine. 3/5 Elvis Presley Blues As far as tributes to other artists this is a pretty interesting way to do it. Uses some really fun language. Pretty catchy. It's reflective and sweet. Really pleasant. Good. 4/5 Ruination Day, Pt. 2 Dark, harrowing and bluesy. Really interesting continuation of the themes from "April the 14th, Pt. 1". I like how the tone of the song fits with the theme. Decent. 3.5/5 Everything Is Free Reflective and honestly a bit sad. Beautiful guitar playing. I like the hopeful determination shown in the last chorus. Really soothing. Good. 4/5 I Dream a Highway Holy moly almost 15 minutes. Thematic and vivid lyrics, really makes your imagination work. I don't get half the references or metaphors here, but it sounds pretty so I'm not to worried about it. Really lyrically and thematically dense. Will need multiple listens to understand everything that's going on here. Managed to keep my attention throughout its entire runtime. Enchanting and captivating. Fantastic. 5/5 Final Review: If you're looking for adrenaline pumping, high stakes, full throttle action then this album is definitely not for you. This is an intimate sounding, reflective piece of songwriting which challenges you to be patient and attentive. As it's lyrically dense and instrumentally sparse there's very little to draw you in outside of Gillian's performance which sort of drifts on top of this very understated guitar playing. She brings you this sort of very down to earth, loose and laid-back experience where she asks you to follow along and listen. And sure it's not always the most interesting thing in the world, but it is soothing, calm and at times very emotionally resonant. Her lyrics are very reflective and contemplative, where she tells of doubts and tragedies in a sort of matter of fact, non-dramatisized way. It's refreshing and relatable, and while her themes are very folksy and appropriate for what you'd expect for the genre, she generally avoids many of the cliches that come with it. However this is something you have to be in the right mood for, as the sparseness and the slow tempo can quickly become boring if you're not in the right headspace. That being said, I could definitely see myself returning to this again once the time is right. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5.

First impression pre listen: So my last foray into the "Massive Attack" world ended up in a bit of a disappointing place, as what I thought would be a really hypnotic and trippy experience ended up being quite boring. (Blue Lines) I remember not really thinking much of Tricky's contributions to that project. That he'd have an entire solo album on this list was frankly a bit unexpected. But it's on here, and if it is I'm gonna give it an honest shot. I'll be honest and say that I'm not expecting much. I'm hoping to be completely wrong. Gonna try to be as fair and constructive as possible. Individual track notes: Overcome There's a certain dreaminess to the beat which is really quite cool. The vocals are a bit unintelligeable. I like the wooden flute-like sound. Feels like one of those tracks where you're just supposed to appreciate the vibe it gives off. I really enjoy the low-key soft vocals. The repetition is honestly quite stimulating at times. Solid start. Good. 4/5 Ponderosa Obnoxious percussive elements. Kinda dislike the moaning. The experimentation leaves it sounding quite disjointed and messy. Some of the background effects feel very random. The vocals are pretty interesting, but some of her inflections take a bit getting used to. Dislike. 2/5 Black Steel Interesting storytelling, solid lyrics. Don't love the percussion. The more rock oriented angle has a kick to it. However it kinda leaves the track sounding a bit too open. The rambly vocal melody is pretty cool. Appreciate the energy. Decent. 3.5/5 Hell Is Round The Corner Same sample as "Glory Box" by Portishead. Boring rapping. It's breathy and monotone. Decent female vocals. Average. 2.5/5 Pumpkin Pleasant. Unintelligeable vocals, might as well be singing backwards. Meandering and slow. The speak-sung parts are really tacky, sounds like a creaky door. Occasionally sounds like one of those self guided meditation videos. I don't get it. Terrible. 1/5 Aftermath Flat. Another vibe song. It's arranged quite competently, but it's incredibly uninteresting to me. The constantly looping instrumental becomes quite overbearing, and while the flute and the vocals add some variety to the mix it all falls into this same category of utter blandness. I don't know when I'd listen to this. Dislike. 2/5 Abbaoun Fat Tracks There's a hint of psychedelia here which is quite cool I guess. Don't love the lyrics at all. Too unsubtle. Feels like some of it is there for pure shock value. Honestly a bit cringe. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Brand New You're Retro Abrasive and loud. Overly distorted, fails at sounding industrial or crunchy. Just ends up being annoying. Terrible effects. Sounds like an alarm in the background. Also sounds like a rubber toy for a dog or something. Absurd. Almost unlistenable. 1/5 Suffocated Love What am I listening to. I hate his voice here. Busy and dissonant background effects. Creepy sexuality. Also manages to be boring as hell. Terrible. 1/5 You Don't Not offensive to the ears at least. Decent vocals, fairly interesting percussion. Does get quite repetetive and has some annoying elements but it also has some parts that are pretty hypnotic. Average. 2.5/5 Strugglin' It's that type of experimental track where I can appreciate that they're doing something unique and different, but to me it just sounds like a incomprehensible selection of disjointed ideas that fail to make me feel anything. Feels like someone'a pretentious art project. I don't get it. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Feed Me Cool instrumental. Really like how the interplay between the chimes and the vocals. I like how melodic it is. Satisfying ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Final Review: While I generally appreciate experimental music this was definitely not for me. I can tolerate slow. Hell I even like slow. I can even appreciate some ambient music, but somehow this almost bored me to tears. Don't get me wrong, there are some tracks here that intrigued me with their hypnotic arrangments and low key vocals. However for the most part it was either long stretches of repetitive meandering, or nigh unlistenable, pretentious cringefests that ended up being a struggle to get through. I'm not adverse to some sexual themes in my music, but here it felt mostly hamfisted, and even at times creepy. Tricky's strange, creaky voice makes it impossible for me to take him seriously. There are tracks here I genuinely don't understand the purpose of. Where they're too abrasive and busy to relax to, but too boring and undynamic to concentrate on. I'll at least give credit to the production as it sounds competent and purposeful, even though I find some of the ideas here baffling. I struggled getting through this thing. However I do think there is some artistic merit here, as most of my arguments come down to "I don't get it". The few standout tracks are genuinely a good time, and even some of the more mid-range tracks have moments of genuine colour and beauty. I also appreciate how different it is from other albums on here, where its experimental nature ends up sort of setting it apart, even if I ended up disliking a majority of its contents. Maybe it could grow on me should I ever decide to return to it. 2/5

First impression pre listen: I've heard his name thrown around alongside other jazz greats, but I've never checked him out. Gonna treat this like every other jazz album I've gotten on here, and jump into it with no expectations. I'll be limiting it to what was present on the original 1956 release, as the reissue seems a bit of a mess. Individual track notes: Pt. I - Festival Junction A well coordinated jazz tune with some really pleasant and positive sounding energy. Love how effortless and tight it manages to sound. The solo parts are really smooth and gives off an exquisite mood that wears off on the listener. It's an overall pretty good time, though I'm not educated enough on the era to understand what makes it special. Decent. 3.5/5 Pt. II - Blues to Be There Very moody. Sleepy and nocturnal. I like the way it switches up the style a bit towards the end with the call and response. Not too captivating, but pleasant and distinct. Fine. 3/5 Pt. III - Newport Up Fast and upbeat. Fun tempo. I really enjoy the precise and joyful improvisation. The playing and coordination is excellent, but it does get a bit lost on me. I'm impressed even if it doesn't really hit me musically. Fine. 3/5 Jeep's Blues Very colourful. Great atmosphere and overall sound. I can appreciate the restraint shown by the lead. Gives the music a lot of time to breathe and be digested. Very pleasant. Decent. 3.5/5 Diminuendo in Blue Love the counter melodies in the background at the start. Interesting occasional support from the piano. Satisfying sax part. Fun and accessible. I like that you can clearly hear the audience having a great time in the background. Just an allround good time. Good. 4/5 Final Review Personally I found the album mostly just pleasantly listenable. It keeps me interested enough, though not so much that I immediately wish to replay it. I don't really get it beyond the surface level so I can only really speak on the excellent atmosphere and the genuine care put into the performances, as that fully shines through on the recording. The performers are notably very skilled and convincing. Should they be lead or support they always seem to find ways of making memorable use of their skills, even if its just to fill some space with a well placed note or two. It's decently accessible, as a layman could easily find moments to enjoy when just following along the journeys created by the musicians. Sure someone with a more educated take could pick apart the nuances and explain what makes it special, but anyone can find moments to enjoy on here even if it's just the "vibe". I personally don't fully get it, but I would still come back to this when feeling the mood for some jazz. Perhaps with more time it will grow more on me. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3/5.

First impression pre listen: An hour and 17 minutes of Wilco? That's a lot to ask. They've always struck me as a bit of a mixed bag, either hitting in some powerful places, or being extremely boring with little in between. Never been that into them as I've always viewed them as a bit of a hipster band. I'm honestly a bit intimidated by this album. Don't know if I have the patience for it. Individual track notes: Misunderstood I like the dark and intimidating noise of the intro. Don't love the subtle vocal effect. I really enjoy how it builds up with both the drums and the guitar. The vocalist's voice changes dynamically to fit the more distorted sound. Decent. 3.5/5 Far, far away Deep and layered sound. Very sweet sounding. The steel guitar adds a certain atmosphere to the track. I like the understated and casual vocal performance. Suits the lyrical themes well. Good. 4/5 Monday Dad rock adjacent guitar riff. Don't love the energy of the chorus. Cliche horns. Does nothing for me. Hate the claps. Dislike. 2/5 Outtasite (Outta Mind) Unremarkable 90s rock song. Doesn't exactly do anything wrong. Even has some sections that are pretty cool, with both the drums and the guitar creating some decent energy. However its not particularly exciting in a sea of similiar songs. Average. 2.5/5 Forget the Flowers Cute instrumental, love the country influences, great twang. Memorable lyrics. Overall sweet and nostalgic sounding. Decent. 3.5/5 Red-Eyed and Blue Has a sort of campfire energy to it at times. I like the vocal performance here. The instrumental section at the end with the whistling is pretty evocative. Fine. 3/5 I Got You (At the End of the Century) Very standard sounding rock track, sounds kinda 1970's. I get that they're going for a throwback sound, but honestly it just ends up sounding kinda average. Annoying lyrics. Alright guitar playing. Average. 2.5/5 What the World's Got in Store Got an bit of whiplash coming into this from the previous track. I appreciate the toned down more personal production in the beginning. I like how the track builds on itself with the added instrumentation. Love the organ solo. Cute evocative lyrics. Good. 4/5 Hotel Arizona A decent continuation of the sound from the album so far. Great instrumental break, really powerful. Decent. 3.5/5 Say You Miss Me There's something slightly off about the instrumental. Sounds kinda mushy. Solid chorus, I like the backing vocals. Melancholic. Decent. 3.5/5 Sunken Treasure Sparse yet emotional songwriting. The distorted and ominous sounding instrumental section really fits the pacing of the song. Honestly a bit boring outside the noisier chaotic segments. I'm sure it's pretty meaningful, but I lost patience with it after a while. Has some good ideas though. Fine. 3/5 Someday Soon Another twangy country inspired track. Has some nostalgic sounding atmosphere to it, but is otherwise sort of forgettable. Average. 2.5/5 Outta Mind (Outta Sight) A parallell to a previous song on the album. Decent idea, ties together the experience pretty well. Average. 2.5/5 Someone Else's Song Sweet simple and stripped back. Has some subtle support from a bit of sparse background instrumentation whic works really well. Enjoyable lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 Kingpin I appreciate the very different sounding instrumental. Lacks any sort of energy. End up kind of flat and boring. Can't really think of any memorable moment. It's long and repetitive. Dislike. 2/5 (Was I) In Your Dreams Solid interplay between the piano and the guitar. Has a bit of a wayward atmosphere to it. I like the subtle chaos that hides in there. Fine. 3/5 Why Would You Want To Live Depressing and melancholic. Kinda contrasts to the twangy guitar and the violin. Oddly soothing. Fine. 3/5 The Lonely 1 Beautiful intro. Attention grabbing lyrics. Calming and spacey instrumental. I really like how it enhances the storytelling in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 Dreamer in My Dreams Don't love the rock n roll aesthetic here. His voice sounds really strained and weak. Solid violin. Cute lyrics. I appreciate that they're ending the album with a higher energy track. A bit drawn out. Fine. 3/5 Final review: What is it to say about this album other than it's... fine? Nothing here hurts to listen to, there's nothing offensive or abrasive about it. It's just for the most part solid if not a bit standard. I wouldn't call it exactly inspiring, but there are a few genuinely beautiful or intriguing moments on here that make me think "hey it's staring to click", but the enchantment is quickly dispersed and transforms into quiet contentness. Yeah, sure it's a bit long, but honestly that didn't bother me that much as it was consistently pleasant to listen to with just enough variety to keep it from being entirely boring. There's a lot of genre exploration on here that makes it at least a tiny bit unpredictable. The genre switches are done gracefully without losing sight on the goal, upholding the quality of the song. It never feels like they're forcing an idea into a genre, writing in such a way that it sounds natural. This is mostly what keeps the album from being a snoozefest. Which along with the at times thoughtful, enjoyable and thematic lyrics had me interested enough to wonder what the next song would be like. Would definitely be something I'd need to listen to again, should I want to grasp it completely. As I'd probably enjoy it more if I had a broader understanding of the lyrics. However I struggle to see when I'd have the patience to do a full relisten of this. For a first listen it's again, just fine. 3/5

First impression pre listen: Seems really campy so it looks like it's gonna be interesting at least. I have no idea what to expect from this, but if the execution is right the creepy witch doctor themes could turn out to be really fun. I really like the odd theatricality of the album cover, it just has this really silly energy about it. Never heard of this artist before so at least it will be a new discovery for me. And even if it's bad at least it's quite short. Individual track notes: Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya Leaning very hard into this witch doctor character. It's very weird. I kinda like the bluesy backing track. As I'm not really engrossed in the cultural context behind this I'm really struggling to take this seriously. A bizzare experience. Definitely very psychedelic. Fine. 3/5 Danse Kalinda Da Boom Really unique sounding track. Love the rhythm and the strange instrumental passages. Sounds really dark and mysterious. Love the almost chant-like vocals. The hollow metal percussive elements add a lot to the spooky atmosphere of the track. Genuinely quite inspiring. Fantastic. 5/5 Mama Roux Really fun song. Sounds almost effortless. Great little jazzy instrumental with a charismatic vocal performance. Infectious and catchy. Great. 4.5/5 Danse Fambeaux Spooky atmosphere. Really like the haunting and hypnotic background vocals. Fun bass. Love the strange instrumentation. Awesome energy from the background vocalists. The bell effect is an interesting aesthetic choice. Good. 4/5 Crocker Courtbullion Weird. Psychedelic and chaotic. Feels very improvisational. Great bass. Extremely ominous sounding at times. Animal sounds? Don't know what to call that. Definitely an experience. Decent. 3.5/5 Jump Sturdy Spooky and haunting. I like the bluesy, mystical vibe. Has some moments where it almost sounds normal. Decent. 3.5/5 I Walk on Gilded Splinters Great drumming. Really atmospheric. I like the almost chant like chorus. Enchanting and hypnotic. Great pacing. Great. 4.5/5 Final Review: Well that was fucking weird. And that's not necessarily a bad thing. I went into this list looking for new and unique listening experiences, and with this album I got exactly that. It's dark and spooky with an interesting swampy concept of this occult voodoo witch doctor figure, enchanting and deceiving you deeper into his mystical world. And that's where this album shines. In this a campy, theatrical fantasy version of the bayou, you're taken on a weird adventure through janky and strange instrumentation and chant-like vocals. It's at times hypnotic and entrancing and with Dr. John's almost spoken delivery it feels like you're taking part in some underground ritual. You get some jazz and you get some blues as well as some rootsy worldly soundscapes that are performed with passion and soul. And while the recording does sound crusty and dated I genuinely think it adds some charm to the experience, which would not be present with newer slicker production. If you're looking for a short and fun psychedelic late '60s album I'd definitely recommend this one. For me it's not an all time favourite, but it remains a very memorable discovery from the journey so far. 4/5

First impression pre listen: So I've got no idea who or what this is. Apparently it's an electronic album. So far electronic stuff on here has been really hit or miss for me and have lead to the most boring listening experiences I've had since starting this list. I'm always feeling a bit cautious when heading into one for that reason. Don't really have any expectations what so ever. Hoping to be surprised by something unique. Individual track notes: Lovely Head Starts off unexpectedly with the whistling. Very retro sounding vocals. Unpleasant electronic noises. Mixed much louder than anything else on here. Kinda has an early sci-fi B-movie feel to it at times. Average. 2.5/5 Paper Bag Harpsichord? Somber and intimate sounding. Don't love how the vocals are mixed, they sort of sound a bit unclear at times. Has some pretty soundscapes, love the strings and what I think is an accordion. It's an interesting arrangement even if the track ends up a bit singular and slow paced. Fine. 3/5 Human I'll aknowledge that the instrumental is very inspired. Love the way the electronics is implemented with the retro almost spy movie adjacent instrumental. The strings are very evocative, and I love the use of what I think are horns as well. I just can't help but think it's really boring. There's definitely a lot of care going into the arrangement, and the vocals are ammicably performed so it's not bad. Fine. 3/5 Pilots Perfect music to literally fall asleep to if it wasn't for those really loud high pitched synths. For the lack of better words: boring and irritating. Dislike. 2/5 Deer Stop That was weird. In an unexplainable mostly unengaging way. Feels very indulgent, and at times even unpleasant. Don't love the effect on her voice. The lyrics can barely be discerned through it. And at the same time it's also just not a very fun track to listen to. Her voice is pretty sweet, and the strings do add a retro pop element to the song, but it ends up doing nothing for me. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Felt Mountain There's a bit of a folky traditional element to both the vocals and the percussion which is kinda interesting against the watery production. Ruined by the space synth, it genuinely does not fit against the background imagery. Luckily it doesn't ladt long. Has a bit of a beautiful, serene, wintery vibe which is really pleasant. Decent. 3.5/5 Oompah Radar Haunted circus music. Sounds like a carnival ride slowly running out of power. Won't say it's unpleasant, it's mostly just really boring. Dislike. 2/5 Utopia Kinda dynamic and engaging. Really like how layered the instrumental is and how it elevates the vocals. Alright synths. Does get a bit repetitive and stale after a while. Fine. 3/5 Horse Tears Somber and slow. Really takes its time. There's no way around it: I've lost patience with this thing. Extremely boring. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Final review: I think I'm starting to realize that I just don't like most trip-hop. This includes this album. It's slow, it's meandering and it's intentionally obtuse. This makes it mostly one out of two things: Either it's weird and confusing, or it's boring as hell. And while it does have moments of beautiful layered soundscapes and haunting, ethereal vocals it just does not get me to care about it. It's simultaniously too busy to be relaxing, and too sluggish to be engaging, leading to a tedious listen where I never find the right headspace for it. Yes the strings are beautifully arranged, and there are moments where the retro style sounds genuinely inspired, but those fleeting moments are not enough to keep this album interesting. The old spy movie esque atmosphere does give it some unique character which definitely makes it stand out however. It's a creative choice to go for and does give it this sort of timeless aura around it, where the "datedness" sounds like an intentional artistic choice. I do see that there is a creative vision here, and apart from some mixing I wasn't too fond of, there really isn't any real issues with this album. I'm just simply not the intended audience. Makes me feel like I wasted my time, yet it was for the most part listenable. 2.5/5 rounded down to 2/5.

First impression pre listen: I physically groaned when I first saw this generated this morning. I cannot say I'm the biggest Clapton fan to begin with, and then I saw how long this thing was. I genuinely fear for my sanity. I know Layla has some iconic moments, but there's also a lot of cringe associated with that song. The other songs I've heard from this project were totally forgettable. Hoping it has some redeeming factors despite Clapton being a twat. My expectations are however quite low. Individual track notes: I Looked Away Is every song on this album about thirsting for someone elses wife? If that's the case I'm gonna lose my mind. It's a middle of the road 70's blues rock song. Nothing special, though nothing unpleasant. Average. 2.5/5 Bell Bottom Blues Very dramatic, but also extremely sleazy. Kinda annoying. Whiny lyrics. Decent bluesy guitar solo. The main chorus melody sort of works, but it's kinda ruined by the lyrics. Dislike. 2/5 Keep On Growing Decent tempo, I can kinda get into the groove of this. Does get a bit messy though. Feels sort of pandering. Noodly and aimless guitar. I'm rapidly losing braincells listening to this. Insufferable. Goes on for way too long with just painfully pointless waffling. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Nobody Knows You When You're Down And Out Boring and uninspired take on a blues standard. Doesn't do anything interesting with it. Gentrified and pandering. At leadt the song itself is pretty well written. Dislike. 2/5 I Am Yours Snoozefest. I don't wanna hear Clapton on something like this. He's too much of an unlikable prick to pull something intimate or romantic off. Terrible distracting percussion as well. Awful. 1/5 Anyday Certainly one of the songs of all time. Has a lot of guitar wankery and over the top vocals that almost sound like parody. What's the point of this? Should've stayed in 1970's. Awful. 1/5 Key To The Highway 9 minutes of Clapton butchering a blues song? Wanking off his guitar and stroking his own ego. What is the actual point of this shit. Get on with it... Awful. 1/5 Tell The Truth Everything on this album has been awful tl the point where the awfulness of each song just blends into the next one. I don't like saying this, but everything here literally sounds the same. Circlejerking guitar and unitelligible rambly vocals. It also somehow manages to sound generic as well. Sounds like a parody of the early 70's. Awful. 1/5 Why Does Love Have To Be So Sad? And the award for the worst song title in history goes to... Got nothing else to say. At least it's a bit different in terms of tempo and style. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Have You Ever Loved A Woman? What is there even to be said at this point? Derivative and soulless. More pointless guitar noodling. Awful. 1/5 Little Wing Go listen to Hendrix instead. There's nothing to be gained from aknowledging this version's existence. Honestly kinda painful to listen to. Awful 1/5 It's Too Late Unlikable and boring. Predictable as always. Losing my mind. Awful. 1/5 Layla Okay here comes the big one. I have to admit that the guitar riff is very good and it does have an iconic aura around it. Too bad that's the only likable part of the song. However the lyrics and all the story surrounding it sort of ruins the song for me. At least it sounds okay. The ending piano part is great because I don't have to listen to Clapton's wailing for a few minutes even if it goes on for way too long! Fine. 3/5 Thorn Tree In The Garden No thank you. Don't like anything that's going on here. Awful vocals. Bland instrumental. At least it isn't annoying. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Final Review I don't even want to give this a proper review, but I'll do my best. It's a tedious circlejerk where Clapton butchers songs made by much more talented people than him. He also attempts writing his own songs on here, but they are just as ego driven and insufferable as his noodly guitar playing and unsubtle and sleazy vocals. It drains the soul out of you with terrible, over the top, nightmarish guitar stylizations that end up going on way past their welcome. The reason "Layla" is the track advertised in the album's title is because it's the only remotely listenable song on this album. And even that song is a cringefest all of its own. One of the most insufferable and unlikable albums I've ever heard. At its best it bores you to sleep, and at its worst it makes you wanna listen to nails on a chalkboard instead to drown out the second hand embarassment you get from listening to this album. Would genuinely be a waste of space in a landfill. On a positive note most of the songs he's made cover versions of on here are pretty good in their untarnished states, so if you have the time go check them out. I'd suggest you skip this one and spare yourself the pain of having to waste 1 hour and 16 minutes on this pile of crap. 1/5

First impression pre listen: I really enjoyed his son's album that I got generated for me a few weeks back. With that somewhat fresh in mind I'm excited to listen to this. Interesting to see Ginger Baker feature on this as well. Always happy to hear some afrobeat. Got decently high expectations for this. Individual track notes: Let's Start A great time. Amazing rhythm and energy. Lovely keyboard solo. When it comes to soul, spirit and energy this performance beats most. Good. 4/5 Black Man's Cry Love the horns here. Makes it feel big and layered. Infectious bassline, works well as a bakground piece while focusing your ears on the sax. Rhythmic and fun. Loving the animated and large vocals, despite not understanding a word of what he's saying. The screams are really gritty and raw. It's kinda carthartic when the horns come back in the end. Good. 4/5 Ye Ye De Smell The drums are great. Love the way he sings along to the keyboard. Great sax part. The structure of this song is really great, feels like a bunch of waves of coming in at different frequencies. Does kind of lose some steam near the end, even if the drumming is amazing. Good. 4/5 Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Funny opening monologue. Great vocals. Dynamic and full of life. I like the rhythmic guitar, adds a lighter element to the sound of the track. Involving the audience was a great idea, genuinely sounds great and elevates the song. Great energy and spirit. Fantastic. 5/5 Final Review: This is a firestorm of rhythmic, groovy jams with infectious energy and tight performances. It lifted my mood and spirits and kept me locked in for the entire duration. The drumming on this thing is wild. Love the horns, love the keyboards, love the powerful vocals and love how everything is arranged so neatly together. If you're looking for a jazzy moodlifter with impeccable soul and power look no further than this. Will definitely return to this, if not just to further appreciate its details and intricacies. An absolute blast. 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4/5.

First impression pre listen: I am not listening to a 2 hour long DNB album without doing something else on the side. I'll be completely honest. This seems beyond boring. Gonna listen to this while playing some games. I think that's the only way I'll get through it. Will write down notes along the way. This is not my favourite genre in the first place. Hoping it can at least function as background music, even if I'm quite certain I'm not gonna enjoy it. Hoping to have my mind changed, though my expectations going into this remain low. Also that album cover is hideous. Individual track notes: Timeless Starting of with a 21 minute track, great... The intro is boring and goes on forever. Don't love the vocals, generic and inoffensive. Feels aimless and without purpose, like someone just mashed a bunch of ideas together and called it a day. There are definitely cool patterns here and there, but it never really goes anywhere too interesting and honestly it's mostly just mildly irritating. Drags the ending out way too much. Never ends. Don't feel too strongly against it, but I got to dock it points for its ridiculous length and unstructured feel. Dislike. 2/5 Saint Angel Unpleasant buildup. Repetitive and abrasive sounding, reminds me of construction work. Inaccesibile and harsh sounding. The synths are really annoying. Shifts between boring and unlistenable. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 State of Mind The piano intro isn't terrible. Sort of brings a different sound to the album. Hate the bass. Generic lyrics. Monotone. Repetitive. Very forgettable track with little going for it. Nothing really to say about it. Dislike. 2/5 This Is a Bad Mario Kart opening. Generic sounding DnB beat. Sounds very dated. Generally just unpleasant. Extremely repetitive and mindnumbing. Sharp and annoying drums. Awful. 1/5 Sea of Tears The intro has a hint of psychedelia. Kinda gets ear piercing after a while. Let's find the most annoying sound ever created by humankind and put a generic DnB beat ontop of it. Great idea! Dolphin noises??? They never stop and are super obnoxious. At one point the spoken word vocals start moaning slightly which is kinda horrible to listen to. The song ends up stressing me out and boring me at the same time. Awful. 1/5 Jah the Seventh Seal Loud synth, much louder than the rest of the mix. Sounds horrible. AWFUL panning effect. Genuinely unlistenable. Awful. 1/5 A Sense of Rage Why is every song on here so long? So far none of them have justified that length. Honestly not unlistenable. Just kinda bland, which is high praise when it comes to this album. Dislike. 2/5. Still Life A bit tedious. Never ends. A repetitive slog that is genuinely difficult to sit through. Mindnumbingly boring. I can't think of anything else to say. Points docked for the excessive length. Awful. 1/5 Angel The vocal sample is okay I guess. Didn't even notice it ended. Guess I completely checked out oops. Dislike 2/5 Adrift Okay a bit of a different vibe going on, it's about time. Get on with it. What the fuck even is this... An absolute fever dream. Distincly unpleasant. Awful 1/5 Kemistry How has he been able to consistently pull off the most annoying combinations of sounds possible on multiple tracks on this album is beyond my understand. Beside the annoying part in the beginning this song just kinda ended up fading into the background for me. Dislike. 2/5 You & Me One of the less horrible tracks on here, I like the keys, and I think the vocals are very fitting this cloudy ethereal style. Still way too long. The DnB parts remain generic, but at least it's listenable. Nvm the whistling is horrible. Dislike. 2/5 Final review: I have nothing positive or constructive to say about this experience, so I'd rather just leave you with a warning: If it doesn't click for you somewhere during the first song it will never click. Don't waste your time listening to all of it. Almost lost my mind out of pure stubbornness. It is not worth it. 1/5

First impression pre listen: And there it is. The highest rated album on the site as of today. (07.07.25) There's not much to say about it that hasn't already been said. It's for good reason it has earned its rating. It's an iconic, agreeable album with a nice dash of drama to keep it exciting. I don't think it's the greatest album ever, but I certainly agree that it deserves plenty of praise even today. Myself, I've heard it countless amount of times and I expect to hear it many times again. Individual track notes: Second Hand News For the opener they've gone for a nostalgic, driving force of a song. The lyrics are snarky with a hint of venom, though they also contain some haunting melancholy. It's contrasted by the very bouncy and upbeat general sound of the track, with the fantastic harmonies and powerful drums. It's a great theme setter to kick of the album with. Great. 4.5/5 Dreams One of the greatest songs of the 1970s. There's nothing to be said about this that hasn't already been said a thousand times. A titanic masterpiece. Fantastic. 5/5 Never Going Back Again The plucky guitar is quite pleasant. Lovely vocals. The contemplative themes of the track are simple, but still quite clever. Beautiful song. Fantastic. 5/5 Don't Stop Love the tempo. Has some hope to it. Solid solo. Catchy. There's a lot more depth to the instrumental than you might expect. Really like the added texture in the background. Great. 4.5/5 Go Your Own Way Iconic. Another one of those tracks where there's very little left to be said. It's impeccable, the tragic lyrics juxtaposed with the extreme catchiness of the track is just great. Amazingly composed. Fantastic. 5/5 Songbird The slower, more intimate tempo of this song is a fantastic break from the more bombastic nature of the previous songs. Beautiful imagery. Haunting vocals. Great. 5/5 The Chain One of the coldest openings to a song ever. Awesome harmonies. I love how they've arranged the different vocal parts on the chorus to almost sound like an argument. The drums on this song are magnificent. That bass is magnetic, absolutely iconic. The tempo change is so gripping, but natural. Love how dark it gets. Fantastic. 5/5 You Make Loving Fun Good groove. Love the backing vocals. The distant guitar is at the perfect volume to remain noticable, but not distracting. The vocal melody is quite infectious and satisfying. The mystical imagery works well when paired with the themes of love. Fantastic. 5/5 I Don't Want To Know I think the main selling point for me here is the vocal melody, which is very fun to follow along with. I also think the split vocals really makes it pop. Fantastic chorus. Great. 4.5/5 Oh Daddy So the background synth is quite pleasant. The word "Daddy" has sort of been ruined forever, so it's a bit unusual to hear it used so earnestly. Kinda don't love the lyrics to this song. It's fine for it's time, but it's definitely not as fantastic as the rest of the album. The keys are however quite pretty. Decent. 3.5/5 Gold Dust Woman I really like the denseness of the instrumental, the different guitar parts adds an aura of mystery to the song. Powerful chorus. Has an extremely cool atmosphere to it. Has this turbulent and evocative imagery that really sticks with you long after the song is over. Fantastic. 5/5 Final Review: When an album is as good as this one, and so beloved at that, it really isn't that interesting to talk about. It ends up being a bit of a circlejerk where people bring up the same things over and over again. This album is great. Believe the hype. The drama surrounding it with the multiple breakups adds to the mythos around it. This results in a very emotionally charged channeling of those feelings, which gives the songs on here some additional edge. The musicianship here is stellar, and despite their dysfuntional state the band manages to maintain a complex and majestic synergy. It's a classic for many reasons, and there's not a moment where there's any doubt of its quality. 5/5

Fist impression pre listen: I had one of their previous albums a while back, and that one didn't leave much of an impression. I remember thinking it was mostly a mixed bag with some good tracks and some awful ones. Gotta say I'm not too excited to see another one of their albums on here. I do remember liking some of their hits, so there is still hope I suppose. Can't say I have high expectations however. Individual track notes: Can You Forgive Her? Very bombastic start, don't love the crash synths, genuinely sounds quite awful. I don't mind the main vocal melody. Weird inflections. Interesting lyrics. There's an okay song there, but the instrumental totally ruins it. Dislike. 2/5 I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing Clunky title. Has a low key clubby vibe. There's not enough going on for it to have any impact. Feels a bit lifeless outside of the pretty decent instrumental break. Perfectly listenable. Fine. 3/5 Liberation Lush instrumental. Really like the bassline and the accompaning synthline. It's pleasant if a bit boring. The lyrics are pretty sweet I suppose. Fine. 3/5 A Different Point of View Obnoxious and busy. It's just too much for me. Ends up sounding incredibly cheesy. The chorus is melodically fairly catchy though. His voice is kinda buried underneath the many layers of overbearing synths. Dislike. 2/5 Dreaming of the Queen The dark and cloudy instrumental really fits the storytelling of the song. The lyrics contain some interesting imagery, and genuinely reads as a dream. Don't mind the low key energy. Decent. 3.5/5 Yesterday When I Was Mad This aesthetic sounds laughably dated. I hate the speak-singing. The buildup to the very predictable chorus is very cliche. At least there's some ironic charm to it. Don't hate it, but wouldn't listen again. Average. 2.5/5 The Theatre The intro is really satisfying and large. However the etheralness quickly dies as soon as the vocals come in. Really don't like the verse structure here. A bit of a messy song. There's just too much going on. There's even some background vocals here that are barely even audible. Dislike. 2/5 One and One Make Five Horrible synths. In general sounds weak. Has very little going for it. Incredibly boring. Dislike. 2/5 To Speak Is a Sin Pleasant intro. Kinda hate his voice here. Cheesy. That long drawn out synth is kinda horrible. Don't love the synth sax. Awful. 1/5 Young Offender I kinda like the retro video-game-like effects. Weird lyrics. The instrumental sort of saves it. Average. 2.5/5 One in a Million Opens up promisingly. Decent chorus, the vocals are well backed by the synths. Doesn't do anything special, but continues on in a pleasant track where it sort of stays the entirety of its runtime. Decent. 3.5/5 Go West Very dancable drum beat. The background vocals make the chorus really stand out. Makes the song much more memorable. Cheesy, but charming. Works well as a dance track. Good. 4/5 Final Review: A collection of what I'd describe as poppy electro-disco adjacent synthpop for people who are looking for exactly that. It's mostly just inoffensive tunes that wouldn't feel out of place in a feel-good dance pop playlist, though they'd also never stick out as favourites. It's consistently just fine. Yes, there are areas where the synths and the effects sound dated, and his voice does take some time getting used to. But it has its charms. There are catchy choruses and some decent instrumentals, but I wouldn't exactly call it a work of art. It has its ups and downs, but it was never bad enough to ruin my mood. It's honestly just okay. If you really love synthpop I'm sure you'll have a decent enough time with this one. For me personally I find it to be some forgettable background noise which never really manages to conjure up any strong feelings in me. 2.5/5 rounded down to a 2/5.

First impression pre listen: I've heard of SZA mostly through her contributions as a feature on other artists's songs, though I've never bothered to check her solo stuff out myself. As it's a bit of a more modern album, I'm as always pretty excited to check it out. It's great to hear something that's a bit more contemporary for once. Don't know what to expect. Individual track notes: Supermodel Kinda unexpectedly strange instrumental. Really like when the drums come in. The structure of the vocals makes it sound a bit all over the place. Kinda like a stream or conciousness. Don't get me wrong, it works pretty well, just needs a bit getting used to. Decent. 3.5/5 Love Galore Cloudy and obtuse. I like the production on the vocals, there's some interesting layering there. Kinda forgetable lyrics, feels a bit generic for the era. Dated adlibs. The Travis Scott feature is nothing special, but does an alright job representing the other side of the story. Fine. 3/5 Doves In The Wind Tongue in cheek lyrics. Interesting allegory. Great production on the vocals. Really like the background "talking" sample. Kendrick does great on this beat honestly. Love the controlled chaos of the final minute of the track. Good. 4/5 Drew Barrymore Drowned and watery production. The first verse has some fun lyrics. The themes of insecurite are pretty striking. Solid chorus. Definitely has a more poppy sound, though it works well at this point in the album. The strings at the end add some extra drama. Good. 4/5 Prom Sparse and cold instrumental. The vocals do feel a bit overproduced on this one. There's a bit too much going on. Don't love the pitched up effect that's occasionally used here. I like the way the choose to fade out the track. Fine. 3/5 The Weekend That synth is kinda tired. I like the bass sound they chose for this track. The snaps are a bit dated sounding. Kinda sad concept to be honest. Isn't particularly exciting in any aspect really. I do like her voice here however. Very emotive. The ending is kinda tacked on. Average. 2.5/5 Go Gina The coin toss sample is kinda annoying. She has a fun way to structure the lyrics. Unremarkable song otherwise. Average. 2.5/5 Garden (Say It Like Dat) Don't love the production on this song. The drums are too of the time, and the bass doesn't really fit. Decent performance, she carries a lot of emotion in her voice. It's decently dynamic and never feels flat or phoned in. Fine. 3/5 Broken Clocks Again. Annoying drums, they sit too forward in the mix and are annoying and shrill sounding. The background sample is a bit distracting. I like the everyday lyrics. Average. 2.5/5 Anything I kinda hate the instrumental here. The electronics don't provide anything interesting and only serve to distract from the rest of the song. Kinda catchy. I find parts of the lyrics to be pretty evocative. Don't mind the ending, has a solid impact. Fine. 3/5. Wavy (Interlude) Nice and smooth. Has some good interplay with the feature. Normal Girl She sells the insecurity pretty well. A bit too repetitive. Wish there was a bit more nuance here. There are some empowering moments too I suppose. Fine. 3/5 Pretty Little Birds Sounds a bit busy, has some parts that are overproduced. Honestly sounds a bit confused. Hate the vocal effect on Isaiah Rashad's verse. The layering is really abrasive. Dislike. 2/5 20 Something Relatable sentiment. Don't mind the production too much, though there are moments where the additional vocals clash a bit with the instrumental. Fine. 3/5 Final Review: It's not the most impressive work on this list, but it gets the job done decently. You're presented with a modern RnB album, and that's exactly what you're getting. While it doesn't go above and beyond it does have some qualities worth mentioning. The songwriting on this thing is pretty good. What makes it compelling is the way the lyrics are structured. They're never predictable, seemingly never really following an outline. The contents of the lyrics mainly focus around sex, love, longing and general relationships. However when she turns the focus towards some of her insecurities is where they mostly get interesting. She does have an ability to channel emotions with her voice, which works well with these topics. However the album is buried in production, some of it very overbearing. Often the vocals suffer from too many overlapping effects. Other times the instrumental has parts that distract way too much from the main attraction. And honestly much of the trap style production just hasn't aged well. It never really gets enough to ruin a song, but it's there and it's noticable. I am also missing some nuance and maturity in some of these songs. They do touch on some pretty relatable subjects, but it's rarely elaborated on beyond the surface level. Overall it's a bit of a mixed bag for me, but never overtly unpleasant or boring. I'd say its a decent listen, reflective of its time. 3/5

First impression pre listen: At the time of writing this it's 2am and I'm really tired. Luckily I've heard this album before. Didn't leave that much of an impression on me the last time I heard it, but I'm aware of its acclaim. I've heard people call it the best post Wu-Tang album by any former member, so there's gotta be something to it. Expecting a good time. Individual track notes: Liquid Swords The Wu-Tang aesthetic definitely shines through with the B-movie sample. Has that staple RZA production which is instantly recognizable. There's a lot of blood imagery in the lyrics. Lyrically dense. Okay hook. Decent. 3.5/5 Duel Of The Iron Mic The sample is really fun. Evokes a very specific era of hip-hop. Chill and vibey beat. The piano sample adds a hint of class. Feels like a classic Wu-Tang track. Doesn't have the deepest lyrics but makes up for it in dynamism. The features are very distinct and bring different energies to the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Living In The World Today Very interesting rhymes schemes. GZA has a very good grasp on the English language here with some solid word choices. Cloudy and dark beat. Good. 4/5 Gold Dark and claustrophobic atmosphere. Interesting and strangely well aged references. The tempo and flow enhances the uneasy feel. Kinda catchy. Love the production on this one. Good. 4/5 Cold World Almost flawless transition. Another piece with great production. Solid storytelling. Decent hook. I like the contrast with the background instrumentation. Sounds distant and like it's coming from an entirely different angle. Good. 4/5 Labels I like how the intro sets up the double meaning of the track's title. Has some great wordplay and brings up some relevant points about the record industry at the time. Decent. 3.5/5 4th Chamber Throwback Wu-Tang sampling. Love the wonky synth. Great distortion. Ghostface's aggressive delivery works really well on this beat. The second to last verse has some very interesting structure to it. Has some great technicality to it. Good. 4/5 Shadowboxin' Love the sampling on this track. Method Man sounds mildly annoyed on the first verse. I like the rhythmic vibe on the final verse. Sounds great on the beat. The record scratches have their charms. Good 4/5 Hell's Wind Staff/Killah Hills 10304 There's some genuinely good singing in the background of the intro. Melodic beat. Vivid and imaginative writing for such a tired theme. Manages to keep it inreresting with good lyrical writing. The beat wears itself a bit thin by the end. Shouldn't have let it play itself out like that. Loses a lot of its initial impact. Fine. 3/5 Investigative Reports A solid track if not a bit unremarkable. An alright Wu-Tang collaborative effort with good performances and classic RZA production. I don't have much to say about this one. Fine. 3/5 Swordsman Dark and ominous. There's some genuine wisdom here about religion, race and identity. Thoughtful and easy to follow. Good. 4/5 I Gotcha Back The beat is a bit intense, kinda overshadows the vocals. The performance is competent if not a bit forgetable. Don't love the hook on this one to be honest. It's a bit generic. Average. 2.5/5 B.I.B.L.E (Basic Instructions Before I Leave Earth) As a bonus track it won't count towards to the final rating. It's pretty catchy, but contrasts against the rest of the album in both theme and sound. I like the more positive and reflective side of the lyrics. Has some contemplative wisdom. I like the educated referances. Unrated/5 Final Review: Production, lyrical writing and cinematic atmosphere. That's how I'd describe the main takeaways form this album as simple as possible. RZA brings the intriguing and innovative beats, while GZA brings thoughtful, clever, cerebral lyrics. There's wordplay, allegory, double meanings and strong pieces of storytelling. This combines with the atmospheric, sample-heavy production to create an experience that shows more than it tells. It brings that iconic Wu-Tang energy while still taking its time to reinvent the formula by accepting that there can still be depth to be captured from tired tropes, if the writing brings in new styles or perspectives. It's a tightly run show, and while other Wu-Tang members have cameos to break up the energy, it is clear that GZA runs the show. It's tight and consistent, and while the individual tracks don't blow anyone's minds it's this consistency paired with its thematic cohesiveness that makes it remarkable. Takes multiple listens to fully appreciate, but once it clicks you'll find a beautiful harmony of intent between production, lyricism and performances. 4/5

First impression pre listen: There's a lot of classic rock on this list and this time it's "The Kinks". Don't know what to say about them really. I've heard their hits I guess, but never checked out an album. From what I hear they're supposedly underrated. Gonna be honest and say that I'm not really in the mood for '60s rock heading into it, but hopefully that changes. Got no real expectations. Individual track notes: Victoria Perhaps the most British thing I've ever heard. I like the chorus. The song sets up the concept pretty well. It's a decent intro to what's to come. Catchy song. Good 4/5 Yes Sir, No Sir The militaristic marching beat does carry some thematic imagery from the previous track. A solid take on autority and comformity. I like the parade-like horns. The lyrics are a bit on the nose, but it works decently. Decent. 3.5/5 Some Mother's Son Don't love the heavily accented vocals here. The backing vocals are pretty cool. It's a '60s antiwar song. Does what it's supposed to do. The theatrical framing does set it apart from others however. Fine. 3/5 Drivin' A bit wonky. Annoying chorus, the main melody is kinda unpleasant. Really don't like the guitar on this song. Obnoxious song, sounds drunk and disjointed. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Brainwashed Unremarkable. Don't have much to say about it. I guess there's some cool distorted guitar there. The mixing is kinda bad - might be the fault of the remaster. Makes the vocals kinda unintelligable. Average. 2.5/5 Australia Showtune sounding track. Would be annoying outside the context of the album. The concept makes the idea kinda work. I like the extended instrumental section quite a bit. It's decently psychedelic, and has this sort of sunny warmth which is right on theme. Good. 4/5 Shangri-La I like how it executes the buildup. The explosion of sound when the chorus comes in feels well earned. I love the implementation of the bass here. Has a great shift in energy. Fun and interesting song structure. The lyrics are whatever, though the language used does evoke a consistent theme however. Great. 4.5/5 Mr. Churchill Says I like the blueseyness of the track. The guitar is really smooth. Great switchup. The extended instrumental passage is a bit of a let down. Goes on a bit too long and lacks any sort of dynamism, gets stale and repetitive. It's a decently fun subversion of life during the Blitz I suppose. Decent. 3.5/5 She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina Obnoxious. Music to torture your eardrums to. Sounds like a mix between a psychedelic children's tv show song and an evil carnival ride. Kazoos should be banned. Awful. 1/5 Young and Innocent Days I guess it has a sweet and sentimental intent. I hate the drawn out notes in thr chorus. Not exactly an entertaining track. Drags all the way until the end. Dislike. 2/5 Nothing to Say I've got nothing to say. Average. 2.5/5 Arthur Really repetitive. I don't love the guitar here. Some of the vocal parts are mildly irritating. Long overstays its welcome. The claps sound bad. Dislike. 2/5 Final Review: Personally, this is a bit of a mixed for me. It's cleverly written, there's snark, there's irony and also to contrast quite a bit of bluntness as well. The witty lyrics that critisize British imperialism, the monarcy and the way of life in the UK, are mostly fun to follow along with. They usually come from unique perspectives that allow the tracks to stick out from the crowd. The themes and concepts remain consise and consistent throughout the album's entire runtime. But much of the impact is sadly lost on me as I'm not from the UK myself. Many references to pop-culture or British way of life is simply lost on me. The general sound of the album is rich and diverse. I really enjoy the ever-shifting instrumental palatte which never seems to remain the same from track to track. It has a unique composition which only gets more interesting the deeper you get. I don't however, always love the vocals on here. They're sung with a really heavy accent, and I don't always enjoy how much they draw out some of the notes. Othertimes its almost goofy, where you almost get this over-enunciated pronounciation which I assosiate with children's music. Pair this with a healthy bit of repetition and it can get a bit irritating on some tracks. And while it adds to the album's consistent identity, the vocals and the strange instrumental choices pair for some almost unlistenable moments. But I guess that's just one of the consequenses of such a unique songwriting style. Not everything is gonna click with everyone. I'll give it this however: It's a memorable album. From start until finish I can't recall ever being bored by it. If you're a bit more engrossed in the concept this could definitely hit harder. For me it's again, a mixed bag. Has high highs, and low lows. 3/5

First impression pre listen: The African albums on this list have so far been pretty good, so I'm kinda expecting this on to be good as well. It's a bit of an early one so I'm a bit worried about how it might have aged. The Wikipedia article makes the artist sound interesting at least. Individual track notes: The Retreat Song Very unique sounding. Powerful opening. I quite like the flute in the background. The male backing vocals work well as a contrast. Her voice is very good. Good. 4/5 Suliram Very pleasant. Great voice. Has a bit of a Disney vibe to it. Simple but effective. 4/5 The Click Song This has to be the first song I've ever heard which utilizes "click" sounds. Has a festive spirit to it. I like the rhythmic elements. Decent. 3.5/5 Unhome Has a traditional feeling to it. Very sparse. Sounds authentic and real. Decent. 3.5/5 Olilili It's sung in a pretty way I suppose. The background choir adds a spiritual element to it which is pretty cool. Good. 4/5 Lakutshn, llanga Pleasant and loungy. Has a soothing, safe atmosphere over it. There's some sentimentality or nostalgia there as well. Decent. 3.5/5 Mbube Is this what I think it is? Really fun to hear an "untainted" version. That sounded great. Full of life and drama. Love the range and dynamism in her voice. Great. 4.5/5 The Naughty Little Flea It's cute I suppose. Feels a bit standard for the time. Fine. 3/5 Where Does It Lead? Haunting and powerful. Strong vocal performance. Decent. 3.5/5 Nomeva Festive and positive sounding. Has a great atmosphere. Good. 4/5 House of the Rising Sun I've heard many versions of this song. The vocals here makes it haunting and believable. Decent. 3.5/5 Saduva Don't got much to say about this one other than I like it. More of the same I suppose. Decent. 3.5/5 One More Dance Don't love the duet aspect of the song. The laughing is pretty obnoxious. Just a weird song in general. I don't really feel like the duo has much chemistry. Dislike. 2/5 Iya Guduza Fun snd melodic. Shows its age with the recording quality. The fuzziness is a bit distracting here. Fine. 3/5 Final Review: I don't know where to start, nor how I'm gonna rate this. This falls far outside my wheelhouse. As far removed as this is from the culture I'm from, it feels strangely relatable. The more "traditional"' songs on here have a sort of universal human atmosphere to them, that it's almost impossible not to be caught within their infectiousness. There's just this exquisite energy to it which feels very real and almost "handcrafted" in a way. It has this sort of timelessness to it which just makes it feel so alive. This comes from the performances of course. Miriam has an astoundingly beautiful voice, and the supporting band really knows how to work well with it. It turns what to me is an unintelligable language into something I might still not understand, but still feel. This control and passion is what sets it apart. And while I don't have much to say about the content of many of these songs, it still occasionally hit me emotionally. I would say there are a few moments here and there that don't live up to the rest of the album, but I can overlook those. It's a memorable and different experience. A reminder that music is for everyone. 4/5

First impression pre listen: The hip-hop albums on this list have a tendency to be long and bloated. This one seems to veer towards that trend too. For me personally can hip-hop be pretty hit or miss depending on the production. I'm not overly familiar with this artist, but at least I know his name. Hoping the quality justifies the runtime. Individual track notes: Time Travelin' (A Tribute To Fela) I just reviewed both Fela and Femi. A fun conicidence. I was not expecting something so jazzy. The reverby background vocals add a psychedelic twist. Good groove. Don't love the vocal effect. A bit of a boring rapping style. The lyrics contain some interesting references. Decent. 3.5/5 Heat The beat is alright. Common has some good energy on this track. Not exactly the most interesting track. Average. 2.5/5 Cold Blooded Really don't like the hook. Sounds kinda goofy. I like the production, but Common's performance isn't really anything to write home about. Average. 2.5/5 Dooinit I guess the first verse has some heat to it. I like that he calls out other rappers. Cringe slurs. The hook is pretty okay. Has some interesting points about the culture here and there. Fine. 3/5 The Light Great beat. Love the sample for the hook. Some decently romantic lyrics. Pleasant enough. Feels comfy. Decent. 3.5/5 Funky For You The beat, the sampling and the general production is amazing. Sure there's some solid commentary in there, but Common is so boring as a rapper that it's hard to care about it. Love the ending. There's some great experimentation there. Love the vocals. Decent. 3.5/5 The Questions Great beat yet again. Horrible hook. I'm sorry, there's probably something in there that could be interesting, but it didn't manage to keep my attention. Boring. Dislike. 2/5 The Travelin' Reprise Honestly really cool. The jazzy pshychedelia is really infectious and hypnotic. I like the horns a lot. Good. 4/5 The 6th Sense Almost every beat on this album so for has been really good. Great vocals on the hook. The lyrics shift between great and dumb on a dime. Drags a bit. Cringe skit at the end. Average. 2.5/5 A Film Called (PIMP) Unlikable premise. Decent hook. The production is amazing. Boring performances. The female rapper is about as boring as Common himself. Average. 2.5/5 Nag Champa (Afrodisiac For The World) Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. Some cringe homophobic lyrics too. At least the beat is pleasant. Dislike. 2/5 Thelonius Spiritual lyrical miracle adjacent. Who cares. Dislike. 2/5 Payback Is A Grandmother I'm fully checked out at this point. Yeah the production is good, but there's just very little to grasp onto musically. Dislike. 2/5 Geto Heaven Part Two Good feature. Solid message with some decent lyrics, even if its a bit straight forward. Kinda catchy. Fine. 3/5 A Song For Assata Great jazziness. Great storytelling. Harrowing story. Fantastic chorus though the performance is a bit cheesy. Simple and compelling concept that is easy and satisfying to follow along with. Love the ending sample. Good. 4/5 Pops Rap III....All My Children Another great beat. The spoken word is really smooth on top of it. Feels like a solid poetry session. Good message. Decent. 3.5/5 Final Review: What Common lacks in personality and interesting deliveries he makes up for in lyricism. At times he does come across as a bit arrogant in a "look how much deeper and mature I am than these other fools way". But mostly he sticks to interesting messages and some solid storytelling. I don't like the homophobia though. And while the lyrics can be interesting in a vacuum, he also happens to be the most boring rapper to ever walk the planet. Taking himself seriously beyond measure. He approaches the beats very similarly when it comes to structure, and his flows aren't very diverse. You don't really see him taking any risks or showing much personality. And don't get me wrong, he's good at his schtick, but it does run a bit dry around the halfway point in the album. The album is saved from being a total snoozefest by some truly amazing production by Dilla, Questlove and Poyser. The jazziness, psychedelia and hints of RnB make the beats dynamic and fresh sounding, and the way they've implemented the samples is stunning. Everything is placed incredibly well, and it completely saves the album from being a total disaster for me. It's almost like Common is the least interesting part of his own album, and I feel there's at least a hint of truth to that as even the features often overshadow him. I do feel like even with the great production that the album drags quite a bit and I don't really think the runtime is even close to justified. It had me completely checked out at some point due to how bloated it is. I'm being a bit harsh with this one, but I'm likely never gonna return to it. 2/5

First impression pre listen: Led Zeppelin huh? Suprised I've not gotten them sooner to be honest. This isn't the album from them I'm most familar with, but their music is usually pretty approachable so I'll at least have a decent listening experience, even if there might be some "borrowed" songs on here. Got pretty high expectations going into this. Individual track notes: Immigrant Song Starting off with an absolute classic. An iconic piece of rock music that's still relevant to this day. Probably in the top 10 for most recognizable intros. That riff is lightning in a bottle. Captures the viking imagery so well. Fantastic. 5/5 Friends I really like how heavy and impactful the acoustic guitar sounds. Great strings. Feels almost mystical and fairytale-like. Sweet lyrics. Has a bit of a pyschedelic edge to it, feels really large and hypnotic. Great. 4.5/5 Celebration Day Great transition. Magnificent bass. Decent solo. Smokey and raw atmosphere. Ends on a great groove. Great. 4.5/5 Since I've Been Loving You Very bluesy and slow. Builds up very well. The keys is a magnetic driving force which keeps the song sounding large and dynamic. Solid guitar solo, if not a bit too long. The final few minutes are really cinematic and impactful. Fantastic. 5/5 Out on the Tiles Has a weak start. The riff is a bit of a miss for me. Really don't like the general sound of the guitar. Unremarkable chorus. Kinda middle of the road throughout. The drumming saves it from being totally average. Fine. 3/5 Gallows Pole Thematically a bit basic for a rock song of this era. Has good energy. I like the banjo picking in the background and the fun drum tempo. Has some stellar bass playing as well. Ends on a really satisfying climax. Good. 4/5 Tangerine Really pleasant. Great guitar solo. Lovely bassline. Just an allround solid tune. Good. 4/5 That's the Way The steel guitar in the background is really distinct. Psychedlic atmosphere with the repetitive acoustic guitars and the dulcimer. Interesting arrangement. Great. 4.5/5 Bron-Y-Aur Stomp Really folky. I like the traditional dancy drum beat. The guitar is great. The song doesn't completely capture me, but it's still a good time. Decent. 3.5/5 Hats off To (Roy) Harper Strange effects. Not exactly pleasant to listen to. Just really weird to be honest, especially through a headset. The experiment is at least thoroughly executed. Fine. 3/5 Final review: While the quality of the album came as no suprise, what didn't meet my expectations was the overall sound of the album. It's folky and a bit maximalist at the same time. It's loud, it's impactful and it can completely rock your socks off. At the same time it's weird, psychedelic and even cinematic. The drums are heavy, the guitars blazing and the bass eclectic. Also love how atmospheric the keys get at times. This adds up to a dense wave of instrumentation which intensly roars ahead. Add some true rock star vocals to that and you'll have yourself an exhausting, but satisfying time. I really enjoy this direction for their sound. There are times where it even sounds traditional. Maybe not their most iconic album, but still a solid additon to their discography. 4/5

First impression pre listen: The proto-punk era is important in a historical perspective so hearing an album from that particular movement is always interesting. Other than that I don't really have much to say about this particular band. I've heard a few of their songs before, but none from this album. Don't have any particular expectations heading into this. Individual track notes: Down on the Street Dark and raw. Has a very simple sound to it. Explosive chorus. The bassline has some great energy to it. Great. 4.5/5 Loose Awesome bassline. I love the distorted guitar far back in the mix. Has a very dirty and bleak energy to it. Chaotic solo. Unfiltered and impactful vocals. Great. 4.5/5 T.V. Eye The sound and overall energy of this album has been very consistent so far. This is great, however it gives me very little to note down. Love this madness. Impressive vocals. Great. 4.5/5 Dirt Great bassline. Love how crisp the drums sound. Awesome guitar solo, feels smokey and natural. Primal atmosphere. Fantastic. 5/5 1970 Love the faster tempo. The audio quality on this one is a bit rougher than the previous tracks. I also feel like it's mixed a bit too low on many counts. Love the sound of the song though. Continues with the trends I've liked on this album. The experimentation with the sax over the vocals at the end works out great. Great. 4.5/5 Fun House Continues from the previous track in a very strange but satisfying manner. Love how dense and jammy this is. Experimental and weird. Crazy vocals. The ending is pure madness. Fantastic. 5/5 L.A Blues Starting with a scream is wild. Strange cacophony of noise. There's little method to the madness, just pure unfiltered noise. I kinda like it as an album closer. Feels like a cartharic climax to this dark and raw album. Good? 4/5 Final review: Pure, raw unfiltered craziness with the energy of being on fire running from some goliath monster. Just absolutely awesome from start to finish. Achieved by keeping it garagey and experimental, letting it all out exploding in an insanely noisy climax which would only feel appropriate for this kind of album. Sounds truly ahead of its time. 5/5

First impression pre listen: Not the biggest grunge fan. Usually find music of this genre to be a bit boring. Pearl Jam is one of those bands I never really got. I find Eddie Vedder's voice, especially on this album to be a bit comical. He did however go on to make the soundtrack for "Into the Wild" so I can't say I fully dislike his artistry. Hoping to find some decent gems on here, even if I know based on the hits that this will probably not be my cup of tea. Individual song notes: Once I like the opening a lot. Feels really airy and weird. Kinda don't love the lyrics. The pre chorus is annoying. I like the drumming. The vocals have moments where they're OK. Maybe I can see past them as the album goes on. Average. 2.5/5 Even Flow Kind of an inescapable song. A bit overplayed. The lyrics are unintelligable at times. I don't get the appeal of the chorus. Long and meandering. Hamfisted lyrics. Don't mind the extended instrumental section. Both the guitars and the bass have some decent stuff going on. Not entirely unlistenable, just a bit bland. Average. 2.5/5 Alive Also sort of inescapable. First verse has some interesting storytelling. Hate the chorus. Kind of falls apart at the bridge. Boring solo. Dragged out beyond belief. Dislike. 2/5 Why Go Deep bass sound. I like the dark distortion. More of the same really. I like what they did with the first chrous. Devolves into annoying repetition. Dislike. 2/5 Black I find the emotional lyrics and delivery to be quite striking. I don't like the overly dramatic presentation. I think the instrumental is just a tad much, which makes it sound cheesy to me. Especially the piano. The final verse is pretty good, has a very harrowing narrative to it. Decent. 3.5/5 Jeremy Great bassline. Scary narrative. Hate the chorus. Really annoying vocal inflections. While I like the concept it yet again devolves into an annoying repetitive slog. Exhausting song. The tambourine gets on my nerves as well by the end. Overblown and dragged out. Dislike. 2/5 Oceans Interesting instrumental. Fits well with the ocean narrative. Ebbs and flows, crashes and falls. Love the drumming. Could do without the vocals. Fine. 3/5 Porch I like the bassline quite a bit. Alright solo. Don't mind the lyrics here. Some great drum parts. A bit basic. Fine. 3/5 Garden Opens with a very serene guitar and vocal passage, which is a nice break after the intensity of the last track. The moment is quickly ruined however by an overbearing chorus. It's not terrible, just boring and predictable. Average. 2.5/5 Deep Don't mind it, don't have much to say about it either. I guess this track has my favourite vocals on the album. Fine. 3/5 Release Pleasant guitar. Decent lyrics. Emotional delivery. A bit much. Love the atmosphere of the hidden track. Fine 3/5 Final review: A mostly fine rock album with a few ups and downs. Won't say I hated it, won't say I loved it. The strongest part for me is definitely the storytelling, and the often harrowing and striking imagery in their lyrics. It's bleak, it's dark and it's serious. I think individually there are great instrumental moments. The basslines are memorable, there is some consistently sick drumming and the guitars do a lot to elevate the more dramatic moments in the songs. However I find the general sound to be a bit boring, with meandering repetitions of less than stellar choruses and predictable song stuctures. And while I got a bit more used to them as the album went on, the vocals are well... not for everyone. Don't get me wrong, his voice is powerful, and his delivery is emotional. However he has some very strange inflections and quirks to his performance which just sounds off-putting to me. The album never gets outright unpleasant, and there are definitely moments where the good outweighs the bad. 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3/5

First impression pre listen: So I've already heard this album many times before. I really enjoy this era of Pixies. And while Doolittle is in my opinion a slightly better album Surfer Rosa is still fantastic as well. It's an instant 5/5 stars based on previous experiences. Individual track notes: Bone Machine I love the energy of this track. Fantastic guitar. Strange and dynamic vocals. The screams are wild. Impactful and rich drums. The bass grounds the track away from the eclectic craziness. Great. 4.5/5 Break My Body Fantastic guitar riff. The rawness of the chorus makes it even catchier. Solid bassline. Love the paired vocals. Fantastic. 5/5 Something Against You Blazing energy. The distorted vocals add a lot to the garagey sound. Wild and unfiltered. Does all it needs to do during its short runtime. Fantastic. 5/5 Broken Face Really weird. Fantastic fuzzy guitar. Again, love the energy. The verse melody is very distinct. Great. 4.5/5 Gigantic Fantastic bassline. Really catchy. Large and impactful chorus. Oozes of positive emotions. Nostalgic and pure. Fantastic. The guitar outro just slaps. 5/5 River Euphrates Ethereal and dreamy verse. Weird and abrasive chorus, great contrast. The siren like guitars add a lot of atmosphere. Great. 4.5/5 Where Is My Mind? From start to finish one of the most captivating songs to ever be made. The strange dream-like lyrics, the fuzzy and raw guitar and the infectious drum beat. Everything works to perfection. The howls are just amazing. Perfectly weird without being inaccessible. Sounds exactly like what the concept says it should. Fantastic. 5/5 Cactus Really weird. Instrumental, lyrics, presentation, it all is just weird. It's bleak and off-putting and the vocals sound pleading and pathetic. It all really works to create a surreal and interesting experience. Great. 4.5/5 Tony's Theme Fantastic energy. Charming lyrics. Great chorus. Thumping bass. Really like the distorted pastiche/parody of a tv cartoon opening theme, it's a fun concept for this sound. Almost has a cursed aura to it. Fantastic. 5/5 Oh My Golly! Guns blazing frantic craziness. The use of spanish lyrics with the latin sounding guitar adds a unique element to the song. Fantastic energy. The final part of the song is really awkward. Great. 4.5/5 Vamos A continuation of the Spanish themes from the previous song. Great drums. Frantic and fun chorus. Love the background screams. The weird experimental guitar effects are great. Really weird. Fantastic. 5/5 I'm Amazed Fun skit. Great guitar. Love the split vocals. Good. 4/5 Brick Is Red Infectious riffs. Solid guitar track. Really cryptic lyrics. Love the earnest delivery. Works well as an outro. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: Short and full of weird eclectic energy that is both entertaining and full of unique ideas. It feels like every song on this record was created from a sudden spark of creativity which gives it this raw and unfiltered aura. The band seems to not give a fuck about what others think, and are just playing whatever they wish to. It's experimental, noisy and wild, while still having moments that genuinely sound joyful and positive. The split male/female vocals, the squealing guitars and the driving basslines, along with the ever impactful drumming gives the album a unique sound which sticks long after you've finished listening. Does familiarity impact my rating? Perhaps, but it's still a banger. 5/5

First impression pre listen: I've enjoyed every Björk record I've heard and this one is no exception. While I've never done a full deep dive, I've heard the more critically acclaimed/popular stuff, this album included. "Debut" isn't the record of hers that has stuck out the most, but I'm excited to listen to it again. Perhaps it's as good as "Homogenic" or "Vespertine" which are both albums I return to semi-regularly. Individual track notes: Human Behaviour Love the verse melody, catchy and unique. Fantastic eletronics. Her voice and accent is as captivating as ever. Great rhythm. Love the ethereal vocal layering. Unique piece of songwriting. Hypnotic and infectious with amazingly memorable production. Fantastic. 5/5 Crying Love the synths and the fun tempo. The lyrics contrast with the dancy instrumental, it's an interesting juxtaposition. Great chorus. Awesome delivery. The additional vocals are perfectly placed to keep the track fresh. Fantastic. 5/5 Venus As A Boy This song gets stuck in my head every time I hear it. Love the intro to this song, very interesting instrumentation. Sounds like an entirely different world. The addition of Icelandic in the lyrics is really fun. I love how much texture the strings provide. Cute lyrics. Love how the outro sort of just lands the track back down to earth. Fantastic. 5/5 There's More To Life Than This Fun clubby atmosphere. Catchy and danceable. Still has that patented weirdness. There's so much storytelling in the production. Feels like a real "lived in" experience. Clever use of space. Fantastic. 5/5 Like Someone In Love A quiet peaceful moment with some classic composition and a sweet performance. Love the harp and the background ambience. Sweet and simple. Comes at a great time in the album as well. Fantastic. 5/5 Big Time Sensuality Love the mixing here. The distant echoey vocals stand out against the thumping electronic beat. The most "Björk" lyrics ever. Love the gravitas she brings to the chorus. Catchy groove. Fantastic. 5/5 One Day Strange and alien soundscape. Deep and enchanting electronics. Wonderfully weird. Works extremely well with the nature imagery in the lyrics. Entrancing vocal performance. Fantastic. 5/5 Aeroplane Love how the ambience carries over from the previous song, then is immediately "woken up" by the horns. Very cool effect. Desperate and emotional lyrics. Frantic and askew instrumental. Pairs well with the themes of the song. Fantastic. 5/5 Come To Me Cloudy and distant atmosphere. Has a layer of ethereal beauty to it. Alluring lyrics. Great. 4.5/5 Violently Happy Strange intro. Sets up the rest of the song pretty well. Sounds dark and muted, very much a contrast to the colourful palatte of the rest of the album. Love the imagery of roaring back at the ocean. The self-destructive themes is a cool twist. Great. 4.5/5 The Anchor Song Very direct instrumentation. Very on theme, reminds me of an old seaman's dirge. Has a solemn beauty to it. Poetic lyrics. Very emotional. Amazing closer. Fantastic. 5/5 Final review: Even better than I remember. Such a rich and layered album with a huge diversity of ideas all executed brilliantly. Björk's unique voice and delivery (as cliche as it sounds) truly brings you into an entirely new realm, that's relatable with an additional sprinkle of magic as well. It's strange, but familiar at the same time. This also extends to the production, which balances bangers with artsy sonic landscapes and tasteful reimagineings of classic compositions. It can be subtle, it can be powerful and it can be catchy. It's delightfully weird, with a list of quirks and nuances that keeps it special and still sounding fresh more than 30 years later. 5/5

First impression pre listen: I know I shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but this just looks boring. Reading the wikipedia article doesn't help and neither does reading the artist bio on spotify. It could still be good, but after 160+ albums I'm starting to recognize some reoccuring trends that a lot of the less interesting albums on this list have in common. Hoping to be suprised, and I will try to wash out the negativity from my mind before I head into it. Individual track notes: Intro Ambient and atmospheric. Denotes a serious tone for the album and brings feelings of coldness and distance. Unrated/5 Words Sounds a lot less bleak than expected. Boring verse structure. Unimpactful chorus. Repetitive instrumentation. Sounds a bit hollow and flat. The mix sounds a bit claustrophobic, like they're avoiding that any element stands out. Not outright unpleasant, just kinda long and uninteresting. Dislike. 2/5 There Goes The Fear Cute guitar riff. Cliche lyrics. There's a part of the bassline that sounds a lot like a guitar line in David Bowie's "Sound and Vision" but I can't find a credit for it. It fits the song, it just caught me off-guard. Decent chorus. Goes on for a bit too long. Boring vocals. Fine. 3/5 M65 Song Really like the "howling" in the intro. Great vocal effect, creates a rustic atmosphere. Could do without the backing vocals. Very soothing guitar. Wish there was a bit more to the lyrics. They're just kinda forgettable to be honest. Fine. 3/5 Where We're Calling From Interesting spacey sound. Feels like a cosmic awakening, or a storm of stardust. It's dreamy and ambient, really relaxing. Just wish it was much longer. Good. 4/5 N.Y. Kills the vibe established by the previous track. Loud and in your face opening which comes really suddenly. Boring lyrics. Has some really cool instrumental moments. Love the production on the guitar solo. The experimentation feels a bit aimless, not sure what effect they're trying to achieve. Fine. 3/5 Satellites Agressively average. Don't have much to say. The spiritual themes are mirrored kinda well by the backing vocals even if it's very tired way of doing it. Really predictable. 2.5/5 Friday's Dust I like the orchestral elements quite a bit. Would really like to hear a version without the annoying vocals on top of it. Goofy echo effects, genuinely sounds terrible. Had potential, but completely ruined by a single element. Dislike. 2/5 Pounding Don't like the mixing of the track. Boring chorus. Very standard 2000's alt rock track. Don't mind the energy of the guitars. Average. 2.5/5 Late Broadcast Goes by while barely registrering. Does nothing to keep my attention. Fades into the background and is completely forgettable. Dislike. 2/5 The Sulphur Man There are moments where the track finds its footing instrumentally, where it's really large and beautiful. However these moments are buried under heaps of unlikeable whiny vocals and long stretches where nothing interesting is happening. Dislike. 2/5 Caught By The River A song that exists. A perfect closer for an album that exists. Summarizes my experience with the band "Doves" - A band that exists... Average. 2.5/5 Final review: Frustrating, annoying, unlikeable. There's a lot of potential here to be something unique and interesting. The ideas are there, just execute them! Everything sounds half-assed. Like they had a million ideas, but no clue how to knit them together satisfyingly so they defaulted to the safest, most generic option. I think the biggest example of wasted potential on here is when they're handed some beautiful orchestral instrumental elements, and instead of doing something which compliments them they just keep on playing the same generic uninspired rock on top of it. The lyrics are blase and repetitive, delivered in a whiny underperformed vocal style which sounds uninterested and closed off. It feels like they're just fully committed to taking themselves too seriously to the point that it sounds ridiculous at times. There are moments where they flirt with letting themselves do something different, and that's when they manage to produce the finest stuff on this album. You'll hear the occasional deep soundscape, an interesting phrase or even some epic sounding production. And to its credit it's mostly not actively unpleasant either. Just pretentious, wasteful and at times extremely boring. 2/5

First impression pre listen: This is the second Yeah(x3) album I've gotten on this list so far. I remember liking the vocals quite a bit on it, but feeling like the album was a bit undercooked, plagued with production choices I personally didn't like. It had its moments, but I never returned to it. So I don't have the greatest expectations for this one, however I'm looking forward to "Maps" as that song is amazing. I hope it's easy to get through at least. Individual track notes: Rich I like the vocals a lot. The instrumental sounds kinda compressed. I think the more punk inspired driving guitars suits their energy really well. Not the biggest fan of the synth. Fine. 3/5 Date With The Night Nothing here really sticks out to me. I do like how much effort and energy is put into the vocal performance, it's far from boring at least. Good energy. Fine. 3/5 Man Kinda generic for a rock song of the era. The verse structure is extremely repetitive. The lo-fi proudction makes it feel a bit colourless. Average. 2.5/5 Tick Feels youthful and raw. It's fun and unserious, but a bit aimless and confusing. Fine. 3/5 Black Tongue There are vocal moments here that are genuinely unpleasant. Don't love the guitar either. Juvenile and unlikeable. Got a bit of a snarky "better than you" attitude to it that doesn't feel genuine or believable. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Pin I like the guitar riff. Really like the buildup, makes the chorus much more impactful. The softer edge to the verses serves this song a lot of good. Feels resonant and real. Good. 4/5 Cold Lights Hate the lyrics on this one. The instrumental feels very disjointed, and has moments where they feel disconnected from the vocals. The recording quality is messy. Sounds like a demo. Awful. 1/5 No No No The longer instrumental section using basically just rhythmic elements alongside some faint ambience just sort of fails to be interesting. The chorus is decently performed and there are some okay guitar passages, but it's otherwise unremarkable. Average. 2.5/5 Maps I suspect this is the highlight of the album. The buildup is just fantastic with that thrilling guitar line and the impactful drums. Love the vocals, and the way the guitar compliments them on the chorus. Really catchy lyrics. Love how understated the vocals are compared to the rest of the album. Fantastic solo. The repetiveness actually does the song a lot of favours, keeps it memorable. Fantastic. 5/5 Y Control Opens with a really catchy and atmospheric passage. I like the verse melody a lot. I like the bass on the chorus. The noisy, squealy guitar contrasts well against it. Structurally a bit too repetitive. Great ending. Decent. 3.5/5 Modern Romance I like the slower tempo. The guitar is a bit too reverby, makes it unpleasant as it keeps repeating. Mixed weirdly. I like the lyrics. Dislike. 2/5 Poor Song I really think that they chose to end this album on a low-key affair is a pretty decent choice. Callback to previous lyrics. I like the vocal performance here a lot. Decent. 3.5/5 Final Review: The rawness and the lack of production tricks is both the best and worst part of the album. On one hand it makes it sound original and true to its roots, on the other hand there are moments where it just makes it sound awful. It's at the same time both charming and frustrating. The album also suffers on the songwriting front where a lot of it just sounds hastily cobbled together. This again is both charming and frustrating, as many of the stellar performances on here are wasted on less than interesting songs. But the carefree, unfiltered approach does fit the band's attitude a lot, where many of the album's best qualities come from its many spontaneous sounding moments. It has great energy, and I actually think they've structured the album really well as the track listing is well paced to keep the listener invested. Karen O delivers very distinct and varied vocal performances full of personality. She's unpredictable, but that's what makes the songs. I do think while the instrumentation fits with her vocals, they do tend to go overboard with some of their more experimental elements Which while producing some moments of genius, also takes the tracks down some sonic dead ends, killing the energy or leaving the listener bored and confused. It's a solid effort for a debut, but doesn't do enough to denote it as anything, but what it is: just fine. 3/5

First impression pre listen: Exactly one week ago I was generously provided with Led Zeppelin III by the generator. Today, much sooner than I thought I'll be stepping into Led Zeppelin IV and I could not be happier. This is a classic through and through. Loud guitars and LOTR appeals strongly to my nerdy base instincts. Expecting this to be basically a shoe-in for a 5-star review, even without considering its place as one of the top reviewed albums on the site. Individual track notes: Black Dog A classic rock song. Kind of one of those songs that feel primordial, like it's hard to imagine a world where it doesn't exist. Iconic opening vocal line. Instantly recognizable guitar riff. One of the archetypical songs of 1970's hard rock. Fantastic. 5/5 Rock and Roll Another absolute classic. The driving guitar and the intense drum tempo sells the beautiful energy. Great chorus. Really like the implementation of the piano. It's a bit of a tropey song, but it's executed so true to its era that it honestly just enhances it. Fantastic. 5/5 The Battle of Evermore Beautiful instrumentation. The LOTR references are really fun. The additional female vocals adds another dimension to the folkiness of the track. The medieval fantasy atmosphere and lyrics make for a charming storytelling experience. Does sort of lose steam towards the end. Great. 4.5/5 Stairway to Heaven It's Stairway to Heaven. What else is there to say really. Fantastic. 5/5 Misty Mountain Hop I think the unusual rhythm is kinda interesting. The repetitive instrumental gets a bit tedious after a while. Again the lyrics are charming in a very 1970's way. The LOTR reference does help. Decent. 3.5/5 Four Sticks I like the dark and smokey atmosphere with the heavy guitars. Great drum beat. Fantastic switchup for the chorus. Has some clever production on the drums to make it airy and large sounding. Crunchy and sonically diverse. Really like the unusual instrumental composition. Fantastic. 5/5 Going to California Very pleasant folky sound. Love the mandolin. The Joni Mitchell associations are pretty cute. Really like the vocal delivery. Going for a more subdued approach after the intesity of the rest of the album makes for a great change of pace. Great. 4.5/5 When The Levee Breaks Classic. The harmonica over the dirty rhythmic guitar and bass opening is iconic. Awesome bass. Intense and heavy while keeping a slow driving tempo. Infectious groove, stone cold. The length just adds to the song's mythos. Fantastic. 5/5 Final review: Led Zeppelin are great at what they do. They create dark bluesy hard hitting rock music to... well, rock out to. And while this isn't all they do it's certainly what they're most known for. And you know what? It's excellent. Perfect for when you want let go of pretention and modern cynicism for a moment and go on a throwback adventure. Led Zeppelin IV has all the fantasy and mystique you could want, covered in grit and drive. It's THE archetypical hard rock album, and has everything you'd expect from that descriptor. Kick-ass guitars? Check. Infectious drum patterns? Check. Intense and dramatic vocals? Check. Groovy basslines? Check. And so much more. And if you get worn out by the good old fashioned hard rock, they've thrown in a few pleasant folky tunes with more subdued performances, though featuring the same adventurous spirit. It's for nerds and jocks alike, and oozes with a unique early 1970's energy that was left behind never to be fully recreated. It's youthful, it's spirited and it's fun. Full of iconic tracks that have stood the test of time. 5/5

First impression pre listen: Semi-obscure mid to late 60's psych? I'm pretty sure I understand what I'm getting myself into with this one. There might be a few gems in here, but I fear there's a very real possibility that this has aged badly. I'm hoping for a unique twist on the ideas and that it doesn't end up being to obtuse. Could be good, but I think it's best to keep my expectations tempered before diving into this one. There also seems to be a bajillion versions of this album, so I'm just gonna stick with what I persume to be the original mono version. Individual track notes: You're Gonna Miss Me Decently energetic 60's rock with a bluesy twinge to it. It's sort of what you'd expect. The style is unique enough to not be mistaken for anything else, especially with the characteristic vocals. Decent. 3.5/5 Roller Coaster Good drive, mystical and psychedelic atmosphere. The limits of the mono audio format kinda lets it down. The sonic bones are still there for an engaging and trippy experience, especially of its time. It's dynamic and dark, with the rhythmic and spacey drums as the main highlight for me. Good. 4/5 Splash 1 Kind of lost me. The songwriting is a bit basic, and the instrumental doesn't have enough steam behind it to carry it. Has some decent atmospheric elements where it feels like they're dipping into some faux-eastern sounds. Feels very off its time. Average. 2.5/5 Reverberation The bass sounds absolutely terrible. Otherwise just a bit generic. Sounds like an early Stones b-side. Not very exciting. Dislike. 2/5 Don't Fall Down Has a unique kind of jankiness to it. Gives it this sort of uncomfortable, disjointed atmosphere. It's creepy and weird, gives occult found-footage vibes. I kinda like it. Decent. 3.5/5 Fire Engine Surfy. The low fidelity gives it a raw unpolished edge which gives it a sort of groundedness. It's simple, not exactly unique, but entertaining based on their energy and presence alone. I can enjoy me some garagey, balls to the wall organic rock and roll. Decent. 3.5/5 Thru the Rhythm Sounds kinda all over the place. The lyrics are pretty harrowing and thought provoking. Has a claustrophobic disjointedness to it that just makes it sound a bit off. Average. 2.5/5 You Don't Know There are some cool rhythmic elements in the instrumental here, but otherwise there's very little to talk about. The extended outro bumps it up a bit with its strange trippy soundscape. Fine. 3/5 Kingdom of Heaven A bit of a sonic meatball. Every sonic element is so tightly squished together that it's difficult to follow what's going on. There's a good song in there, it's just unfortunately let down by terrible sounding equipment. Don't mind the background guitar or the mystique laden vocals. Average. 2.5/5 Monkey Island Got decent energy. Not much else to say about it. A bit cliche. Average. 2.5/5 Tried to Hide Forgettable. Keeps at it with the patented sound of the album. Doesn't really do anything new or complex. Average. 2.5/5 Final review: It's an album I don't mind having heard, but one that I'm unlikely to ever return to. The driving psych-garage sound isn't bad, I'd say it's even pretty cool at times, but I just think other bands did it better. They were early to the game, I respect the hell out of that. I like their energy, and I find the vocals really out there (in a good way). But to me it's too dated, both in recording quality and when it comes to the songwriting. And hell it's not like I disliked fully, there are even moments where the low fidelity, ancient technology adds to the sound of a track. I'll even admit the lyrics sometimes had a certain mystique to them. However it's not nearly consistent enough. The novelty of the electric jug is fun at first, but wears off quickly and becomes just another part of the instrumental soup. It's one of those albums where it's easier to point out the few things that didn't work, because most of it was just okay - inciting very little emotional response. 2.5/5 rounded up to a 3.

First impression pre listen: It's a sad day. The Prince of Darkness has left this world. His mortal form may have expired, but Ozzy can never truly die. Rock on and rest in peace to one of the greatest to ever do it. Individual track notes: War Pigs/Luke's Wall One of the best album openers of all time. Beyond iconic. Sadly still relevant to this day. Impossible not to nod along to the bassline of this song. Perfect drumming too. Fantastic. 5/5 Paranoid Come on, what am I even supposed to say about this song. It's literally perfect in every aspect. It's Paranoid ffs. Fantastic. 5/5 Planet Caravan A masterclass in atmosphere and selling a fantasy. Ominous, spacey and vast. Psychedelic and thought-provoking. The extended instrumental feels like an entire journey. Fantastic. 5/5 Iron Man One of the most recognizable and iconic openings of all time. The slow buildup, the distorted vocals and the guitar riff are all unmistakeable. Tells a bit of a depressing story. Timeless in every sense. Beautiful solo. Underrated bass part. Who can forget the outro. Fantastic. 5/5 Electric Funeral Sludgy and dense. The harrowing and apocalyptic lyrics are so vivid in their imagery, it's almost as if you can picture them in front of you. Amazing switchup. Love how the energy changes with the severity of the lyrics. Fantastic. 5/5 Hand of Doom Intense and hard hitting. Fantastic buildup. Great groove. Love the solo. Again fantastic imagery in the lyrics. Really knows how to paint a picture with words. Fantastic 5/5 Rat Salad Weird and dynamic instrumental track with some fantastic drumming and a fun heavy sound that never gets old. Great. 4.5/5 Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots Amazing bassline. A deep and layered heavy sound, goes very hard. Sick guitar. A great summary of the album and an explosive and memorable end to the album. Fantastic. 5/5 Final review: I know a lot of people probably got this or another Sabbath album today following Ozzy Osbourne's death. This is an album I was always gonna give a 5 to, but hearing it today was special and it actually made me emotional. I find it really difficult to review this album objectively today, so the least I can say is that this thing fucking rocks. It's impossible to count how many people who were inspired by this album, spawning entirely new genres of music. There's nothing about this album that isn't iconic from start until finish. One of the greatest of all time. 5/5

First impression pre listen: Got some idea what this band is, but I don't think I've ever heard a song from them. Ocassionally hear them mentioned alongside bands like Blur and Oasis, who I'm at best lukewarm on. I have a feeling this might not be for me, but the only way to figure it out is by listening. Individual song notes: Mis-Shapes Very distinctive vocals with the thick English accent. I like the buildup and the over all structure of the song. The chorus definitely sticks out. Strikes me as very theatrical and grandiose. Decent. 3.5/5 Pencil Skirt Uncomfortable lyrics and vocal performance. Weird and creepy. The instrumental sections sound quite good though. Really enjoy how spacious it sounds. Dislike. 2/5 Common People Proper working class anthem innit. Luv me a smoke and pint at the pub. Jokes aside I find the storytelling while kinda smug, really entertaining. The chorus is extemely catchy and the vocalist really sells his performance. A fun song detailing the struggle presented in an on the nose style. Great. 4.5/5 I Spy Oh so dramatic. I like the cinematic opening. Dark, almost gothic sounding. Love the progression. Ominous. This character is awful. Conceptual, strange and engaging. This theatrical style is really unique and fun to follow along to. Great. 4.5/5 Disco 2000 Immediately infectious with the classic sounding guitar riff. Fun lyrics. Love the idea of the "distant year 2000" in the year 2025. Very catchy chorus. Nostalgic and sentimental sounding. Satisfying ending. Great. 4.5/5 Live Bed Show Very conceptual. Of course there are sexual implications, it's always that with this album. Bizzare, but entertaining I suppose. Decent. 3.5/5 Something Changed Sentimental and contemplative. Kinda pretty, has some genuinely thoughtful lyrics. Love the instrumentation on the final chorus, however cliche it might be. Decent. 3.5/5 Sorted For E's & Wizz What the hell does that mean? Clever and nuanced take on drug culture. I like the hollow synth in the background. I like the implications of the somber ending. Good. 4/5 F.E.E.L.I.N.G.C.A.L.L.E.D.L.O.V.E A nightmare to type out manually, why can't it just be spelled normally... Really like the atmospheric, futuristic dark forest vibe. Breathy spoken word vocal jumpscare. Great buildup. Okay that's why. Again, very conceptual. Genuinely sounds confused at times. Fun bassline. Good. 4/5 Underwear Oh so horny. Very visual writing style, makes it really easy to follow along with. The phrase "semi-naked in someone elses room" is really fun. Lobe the synth. Good. 4/5 Monday Morning A sad and frantic existence detailed in a very direct way. Catchy and resonant. I like the contrast between the cheery tone of the track and the melancholic lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 Bar Italia Don't really got much to say about it. It'a a dramatic, theatrical ending. Sums up the album in its grandioseness. Decent. 3.5/5 Final review: I came into this expecting some middling 90s alternative rock with maybe a couple of decent to good songs that I'd probably forget about in a week. This wasn't that. It was instead a consistently entertaining diverse selection of songs. What I found most interesting was how stylized and distinct every song on here was. While their sound could seem limited, the quality of the songwriting makes up for it by introducing new structures and themes at a solid pace. I enjoyed the drama and the theatricality of the performances a lot. It made me feel like I was inside a very personal description of the UK in the 90's. The vocalist sort of plays this very sexual, inadequate feeling, spiteful character. He's got this sort of dirty and bleak, miserable outlook, which forms a distinct atmosphere to the sound. At the same time many of the songs have some cheeriness to them, which contrasts well against the dark backdrop, giving a feeling that everything will eventually be OK. There's contemplation and sentimentality, but also joy and relief. This is expressed through artsy and conceptual segments, though also through poppier elements such as catchy hooks and relatable language. It's honestly a ton of fun, and other than some occasionally questionable sexual lyrics my only real complaint here is the lack of a real defining moment. There are songs that definitely stick out, but none that truly have me enchanted. However the quality is pretty consistent throughout so it's no big deal. Blew every expectation out of the water, will definitely check out more stuff from them. 4/5

First impression pre listen: ABBA is admitedly quite fun. I've grown up on them, as they are one of the bands that have seemingly stood the test of time. I recall an especially long car trip with my aunt when I was a kid. Me in the backseat, her blasting an ABBA CD on high volume. Good memories, even if I didn't enjoy it then. I won't ever call them my favourite band, but I'm not cynical enough to actively dislike them. This will probably be a decent time. Individual track notes: When I Kissed The Teacher Dumb concept, but pretty fun. Crushing on a teacher is a pretty universial experience, or at least a common trope. Fantastic backing vocals, great harmonies. Really catchy. Decent. 3.5/5 Dancing Queen One of the most recognizable songs of the disco era. The strings in the background and the piano riff are both fantastic. Iconic chorus. Incredibly danceable. Great backing vocals. An absolute classic. Great. 4.5/5 My Love, My Life Great vocals, sweet strings. Generic lyrics. Solid harmonies. Not the most exciting song ever, but competent enough with a sweet sentiment. Fine. 3/5 Dum Dum Diddle The synths in the opening are kinda terrible. Bouncy bassline. The synths continue to be an earache, but the chorus is pretty catchy I suppose, even if the lyrics are kinda bad. Way too busy, feels a bit incoherent. Dislike. 2/5 Knowing Me, Knowing You Very dramatic. I like the mixing on the bass. Fantastic chorus, love the backing vocals. The whispering adds an interesting effect. The very serious themes makes for a mature and down to earth experience. The guitar parts get a bit repetitive. Great. 4.5/5 Money, Money, Money Classic. Fantastic opening verse. Infectious chorus. Love the way the instrumental builds up to it. Strangely intimidating sounding, has a sort of theatrical edge. Great. 4.5/5 That's Me I like the synths in the post chorus. I like the energy of the song. Well crafted vocal melodies. Decent. 3.5/5 Why Did It Have To Be Me? Really don't like the instrumental, generic bluesy wash. The male vocals give me a bit of whiplash. The sax feels a bit out of place. Doesn't work for me, though there are some melodic moments that I find kinda clever. Average. 2.5/5 Tiger Really corny. The whole concept is a bit silly. I like the quieter more serene vocal parts. Kind of an exhausting track. It's busy and overly intense, makes it kinda annoying. Dislike. 2/5 Arrival Interesting compositon. Suprisingly experimental. Almost sounds traditional, while also having a bit of a retro sci-fi atmosphere. Decent. 3.5/5 Fernando Never really liked this song, always struck me as cheesy. The incorporation of the Spanish themes is especially corny. Annoying chorus. Dislike. 2/5 Happy Hawaii Touristy, kitschy and feels a bit exploitative. Gives me the vibe of a commercial for a crappy holiday airline service, or an overpriced Hawaii themed restaurant. Cannot take it seriously at all. Awful. 1/5 Final Review: A fun experience with plenty of memorable moments, mostly coming from the hits. The deep cuts are a bit of a mixed bag, containing several duds, though still stylized in an unmistakable way. While each song brings something different to the table, the album's most distinctive feature is the stellar vocal arrangements. Containing beautifully performed main vocals and amazing harmonies. On here you'll find iconic and irresitable choruses, fulfilling theatrics and a certain special boldness in the band's creativity. This boldness to craft melodies and instrumental compositions that should not work in a pop setting is truly admirable. They have a true talent for subtle, but impactful buildups and satisfying climaxes that truly give the tracks sticking power. However most of the quality comes in the album's first half, and apart from a single experimental instrumental track the final third ends up being a bit of a slog. The vocals remain stellar, though they cannot save the mediocre songwriting on the album's final stretch. Cannot see me returning to this one for any other reason than to revisit the iconic hits. 3/5

First impression pre listen: After I've had a couple of his albums appear before on the list, I think I'm starting to get his schtick. He's a rocker, he's a lyricist and he's a country boy. Going into this album with those excact expectations. My previous experience with his output has left me a bit lukewarm on him, as those albums had some streaks of boredom to them. Hopefully this one goes by quickly. Individual track notes: Tell Me Why Pleasant and inoffensive. Good harmonies. Very pretty guitar playing. Don't really get the lyrics, though they sound pretty nice at least. Decent. 3.5/5 After the Gold Rush Effective lyrics, paints a plethora of emotionally resonant images that are enhanced by the somber instrumentation. Neil's unusual voice gives the song a vulnerable and naked quality. Decent. 3.5/5 Only Love Can Break Your Heart The progression on the verses does a good job at setting up the chorus. Great harmonies. Sonically it's a bit too one dimensional for my tastes. Kinda lost me Average. 2.5/5 Southern Man Is this the song Skynyrd references in Sweet Home Alabama? Makes a bold claim about moral hypocrisy. Ominous instrumental. The lyrics are very direct and do an amazing job at calling out injustices in the southern USA. The guitar solos are a bit aimlessly long for my tastes. Distinct bassline. Mostly memorable for the striking imagery of the cracking bullwhips. Great. 4.5/5 Till the Morning Comes A sweet flowery track with a good atmosphere. Too short to count for much. Unrated/5 Oh, Lonesome Me Old praire vibes. Well implemented harmonica. Boring misery anthem with a tired premise. Dislike. 2/5 Don't Let It Bring You Down I like the "it's only castles burning" imagery. This whole sequence contains some interesting wisdom. Other than that I really appreciate the clearness of the bass. Fine. 3/5 Birds Pretty sweet piano. Beautiful harmonies on the chorus. Just alround a simple pretty song with some resonant lyrics and a lot of emotion. Good. 4/5 When You Dance I Can Really Love An enjoyable though a bit unremarkable piece of Southern Rock. Doesn't exactly do anything wrong, there's just not a lot that immediately sticks out about it. Fine. 3/5 I Believe in You I'm bored. I guess there's a lot of melancholy and vulnerability to it, but it doesn't particularly excite me. There are some piano phrases here I really like. Average. 2.5/5 Cripple Creek Ferry Love the folkiness and traditional presentation of the track. Simple fun lyrics. Catchy chorus. Fine. 3/5. Final review: This feels like something I SHOULD enjoy more than I actually do. As each track rolls by I feel more and more impressed by the lyricism on this thing, where it feels like he always treads carefully on the line between complex and understandable. Leading to an intelectually satisfying yet emotionally resonant experience. I think his voice, as grating as some might find it somehow fits perfectly with the lyrical style, giving them a sort of imperfect and human presentation. But at the same time when the full picture comes together I generally just shrug and move on. For some reason, bar a few notable exceptions (Southern Man, Birds) nothing sticks. I like the harmonies, and the instrumentation is great for what it is, but I ended up feeling somewhere between ambivalent and bored for the most of the album's runtime. I come out of this experience the same way as with his other albums on this list: Neil Young is a very talented songwriter from an analytical standpoint, but his music generally requires a VERY specific mood for me to get into. Bonus points for Southern Man, aswell as a bit more as I can see it growing on me. 3/5

First impression pre listen: As much of a cultural icon as she is, I don't think I've ever heard more than one song from her (you know the one) so this will at least be new to me. From what I can tell, this one might be a bit of a downer. I'm just hoping it's at least engaging and not too slow. Don't really know what to expect from this, so it could go either way. Individual track notes: Feel so Different The lyrics are very striking. Her voice seems full of resentment. The instrumental helps build an atmosphere which really complements the seriousness of the lyrical themes. Not very entertaining, but the vocal performance has enough emotion and boldness to it that it at least kept my attention. Fine. 3/5 I Am Stretched on Your Grave What a title... Don't really like how the drums are mixed. Too forward and too loud, distracts from rather than compliments the vocals. I like the folkiness of the vocals, sounds very traditional. Fits with the song's origin. Great storytelling. I find the fiddle at the end unecessary, overcomplicating the song and lessening its impact. Average. 2.5/5 Three Babies Very pretty atmosphere. Sounds sincere and personal. The strings are a soothing and complimenting addition. Eye catching lyrics. Fantastic vocal performance. Decent. 3.5/5 The Emperor's New Clothes A bit of a sonic whiplash. A bit anticlimatic, never feels like the buildup amounts to anything. The chorus just does nothing for me. I guess the lyrics are very distinct, leaving it at least sounding original. Drags a bit. Average. 2.5/5 Black Boys on Mopeds Thatcher's a cunt, England sucks, children are starving and cops are racist, what else is new? Perhaps brave at the time, but I've heard it before. At least she delivers the message quite strikingly, and the lyrics are set up in quite the poethic fashion. Fine. 3/5 Nothing Compares 2 U The way the title is spelled pisses me off for some irrational reason. I guess it's a bit of a "Princeism". Maybe I'm just numb to it from it being played so much, but I really didn't get much out of it. Her voice is absolutely stunning, and she fully transforms the song with her emotional take on it. For what was supposed to be a highlight on the album, I just ended up feeling a bit apathetic towards it. There's nothing wrong with it, but I just don't like it that much. Fine. 3/5 Jump in the River I like the rougher instrumental. Some cool lyrical ideas here. Don't got much more to say. Fine. 3/5 You Cause as Much Sorrow Really compelling lyrics, the chorus hits very hard. Great buildup. Love her delivery. Simple and sweet. Decent. 3.5/5 Last Day of our Acquaintance What a title... Kind of boring though easy to follow. The instrumental switchup is a pretty cool idea I suppose. Average. 2.5/5 I Do Not Have What I Haven't Got Really echoey, I don't think it achieves the intended effect. Makes me feel uncomfortable and claustrophobic. I appreciate the poetry of the song, though the spirituality is completely lost on me. I don't have the patience for this, sorry. Boring, though I understand it's a very personal track. Dislike. 2/5 Final review: Her lyrics are good, and her voice is stellar, both carrying a wealth of emotion and power. Aside from a few production choices the album was mostly fine. However I didn't relate much to it, leaving me feeling like I'm not the intended audience for it. This left me feeling kinda ambivalent to the whole ordeal. Even if she's exceptional at expressing her experiences with religion, loss and era appropriate politics It's just not clicking for me. I am simply not informed enough about many of the subjects on here to comment about them. However even when that it's the case, this was a pleasant enough listen to find some enjoyment in. It's well arranged, decently paced and surprisingly varied. There's tunes inspired by folk, rock and pop, and she's versatile enough to not feel like out of place in any of the genres. Her voice is varied, and I really like how she channels anger, resentment and sorrow into it. I also appreciate how pleasant and accessible the album is, which makes it really easy to dial in on the nuances and details in her performance. Overall I'd say I'm glad I've listened through it, even if I didn't fully get it. 3/5

First impression pre listen: I've always been a bit lukewarm on MJ. I doubt that will ever change. As talented he is as a performer his songs have never personally done much for me. I'll give it a fair shot, but I'm honetly not expecting much. Maybe it will be somewhat refreshing to approach MJ from an album perspective rather than through overplayed singles. Bad I mean it's pretty catchy and the funk elements are implemented implemented in an approachable way. The keyboard solo is good. The backing vocals are kinda obnoxious. Goes on for too long. Fine. 3/5 The Way You Make Me Feel Ugh not this bloated mess. Just kinda boring. The repetitive chorus gets on my nerves. Goes on for way too long. Annoying drums. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Speed Demon Hate the panning vocal breathing effect. I kinda like the synths. Has a good bassline. Decent guitar part. I don't like the car revving. Does sort of lose me by the end. Average. 2.5/5 Liberian Girl Insanely cheesy production. Cheesy lyrics. MJ is creepy, it's hard to ignore when he's moaning and whimpering in your ear. Weirds me out. I guess the vocal layering creates some cool harmonies. Awful. 1/5 Just Good Friends Awful intro. The synths sound beyond horrible and the drums haven't aged well. Weird mixing. I guess there's a decent groove to be found in the bassline. Busy and messy. There are some vocal moments here that are pretty impressive. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Another Part of Me Good groove. Decent chorus. Love the bass on this song. The horns are also a decent addition providing some largeness to the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Man in the Mirror Preachy celebrity bullshit from an alleged paedophile, exactly what I want to hear. I love being told to change by Michael fucking Jackson of all people... Annoying chorus and cheesy production. Aged horribly. The gospel elements are pretty cool though. To all who find this empowering, more power to you. I still hate it. Awful. 1/5 I Just Can't Stop Loving You Nah brother please stop. Cheesy 80's ballad with dated production and over the top performances. Awful. 1/5 Dirty Diana Great opening verse. Establishes the atmosphere well and build up to the explosive chorus in a satisfying way. Yeah the instrumental behind the chorus is kinda overblown (mainly the guitar) but it sort of works to create drama. Mysogonistic lyrics even if it tells a story. At least the song is listenable. Fine. 3/5 Smooth Criminal Honestly as much as I've been disliking this album so far I'm not able to hate Smooth Criminal. This song is a banger. Iconic opening. Fantastic bassline. One of the catchiest, most memorable chorus of all time, resolves perfectly. Love the vocal layering. Great, funky guitar solo. No critisisms. Fantastic. 5/5 Leave Me Alone It's okay. Kind of forgetable but perfectly listenable. Don't love the synths and the riff gets a bit obnoxious after a while, but the chorus brings it back. Average. 2.5/5 Final review: As much of an entertainer MJ was, his stage presence, slick dance moves and iconic style all overshadow the content of his songs. Throw in some classic music videos and you'll get one of the most memorable artists of our time. His adlibs and "Michaelisms" definitely do create a unique character. So what the hell went wrong here? "Bad" is just... bad. The production on this has aged horribly. The songwriting is cringy. And MJ himself veers closer to obnoxious than he does cool. Throw in some outside factors (allegations of pedophilia) and it's very difficult to find him likeable, especially when he's spouting messages about "making the world a better place". It's cheesy, it's repetitive and it sounds so insanely dated that it veers on ridiculous. Besides "Smooth Criminal" there's very little here that's worth returning to. There is the occasional cool groove or funky bassline, but they're mostly attached to less than stellar songs in the first place. Basically a chore to get through. Even with low expectations going into it, I still ended up disappointed. 1.5/5 rounded down to a 1/5.

First impression pre listen: Another band I haven't heard of. Learning that it's ska has me a bit worried, as it's a genre for a very specific mood. This could be obnoxious. I know next to nothing about ska however, so it will at least be a fresh experience if anything. Shouldn't be boring in any case. Individual track notes: A Message to You Rudy Starting off with by far their most popular song. Could be a sign that this album is a bit frontloaded, or it could mean nothing. Has a good atmosphere to it. Janky, carefree and fun with some decent storytelling through admitably simple lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 Do the Dog Punk inspired vocals and lyrics. A bit obnoxious. Don't love the additional vocals on thr chorus. Decently cool instrumentation. I like the bass a lot. Decent. 3.5/5 It's up to You Audio quality is a bit rough. Very political. Great bass. I like the variety on the vocalists a lot. The second vocalist has the perfect energy and charisma for this sound. Decent. 3.5/5 Nite Klub Catchy and fun with good energy. I like the classic rock n roll guitar and the fat bass. Very British. Charming track. Decent. 3.5/5 Doesn't Make it Alright Decent lyrics. Good vibes. Relevant message. Decent. 3.5/5 Concrete Jungle A bit much. The verse melody is kinda annoying. Fine chorus. Fun guitar. Stops being interesting by the final verse. Fine. 3/5 Too Hot Slow and drowzy. Fits with the theme, but does veer a bit into boring territory. Don't love the way they've chosen to stylize the vocals. Average. 2.5/5 Monkey Man I like the erratic vocals. Varied and fun. Good energy. Fine. 3/5 (Dawning of A) New Era The rock and roll themes are fun. Fun chorus. Good bassline. Decent. 3.5/5 Blank Expression Got nothing to say. Average. 2.5/5 Stupid Marriage Kinda fun, but really dumb. The court concept is decently implemented. Fine. 3/5 Too Much Too Young Obnoxious and busy. Kinda boring. Repeats itself too much and lasts too long. The drowsy tempo doesn't help. Dislike. 2/5 Little Bitch Decent energy. Fun instrumental. Cool solos. Shit lyrics. Fine. 3/5 You're Wondering Now Kinda cute. Works well as a closer, even if its a bit on the nose. Fine. 3/5 Final review: As fun this was when it started it got really obnoxious after a while. I felt worn out when it finished. This is something that seems to come with the genre I suppose as previous ska albums have had me feeling the same way. What sets this apart however is that it never feels repetitive. The songs have distinct ideas, and are easily discernable from one another. I really like how they flirt with other genres, bringing in punk rock vocals, jazzy transitions and rockabilly guitars. I also really like some of the basslines. There's themes of revolution, standing up for oneself and anti-racism, which fits well against the punk backdrop you'll find throughout the record. It's fast paced, fun, and full of suprises. However it requires a very specific energy to not be exhausting. Even so, its quality shines through even when you're tired of it, so that's that. 3/5

First impression pre listen: White guy with a guitar on the cover? Check. Cliche southern motif in the title? Check. A two word "average joe" name? Check. Will this be the least interesting thing ever created? I don't know, but all the signs are pointing there. The more contemporary country tries to be the less I'm likely to like it. So far country has had to have some stripped back folkiness to it for me to really appreciate it. This does not look like that. Going into this with low expectations and hoping for the best. Individual track notes: Cornbread Moon Mixed really loud. Very "blues-rockey". Steel guitar sounds nice. Did not expect it to be so jammy. Bland and corny premise. It's fun and some good energy to it. Fine. 3/5 Because of the Wind Very cliche. Typical pandrering country crooning, makes me fall asleep. I get it... Texas. I guess the slide guitar is kind wobbly and cool. Minus points for rhyming "bend" with "wind". Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Boxcars Cool opening, the instrumental sounds almost in distress. Tropey as hell. Whatever makes that alarm like sound in the transition is pretty cool. (guitar maybe?) Great keyboard solo, love how it transitions into the guitar solo. Fun and attention-grabbing track. Good. 4/5 Jericho (Your Walls Must Come Tumbling Down) Middle of the road. The castle imagery is pretty fun I suppose. Okay premise. Fine. 3/5 Tonight I Think I'm Going Downtown Whole song went by without me finding anything to comment on. This speaks for itself. The only emotion I felt was annoyance at having to type in the title. Dislike. 2/5 Honky Tonk Masquerade Definitely a song. The musical equivalent of a plain ricecake. Inoffensive but as bland as it probably gets. Dislike. 2/5 I'll Be Your Fool I mean the little yodel he does in the opening is kinda cool. I like that he continues the gimmick throughout the song. Let's not talk about the rest of the song. Average. 2.5/5 Fingernails Kinda charming premise I suppose. I hate the way he says "piano". Very rock n roll. Kinda anticlimatic solo. Decent energy. Average. 2.5/5 West Texas Waltz It's very hard to get more cliche than this. Only missing "dirt road" at this point. Tells a story which panders to a nostalgia that is very hard to relate to unless you're from West-Texas or similar regions. Dislike. 2/5 Honky Tonkin' That I have had to type "honky tonk" multiple times today says everything you need to know about this album. The song does what it says on the tin, nothing more, nothing less. Kinda annoying to be honest, though it sounds like he's having heaps of fun at least. Predictable but harmless, got a decent atmosphere to it at least. Fine. 3/5 Final Review With this entry Joe Ely joins the elite company of George Jones and Steve Earle in the prestigious "male-country-artists-I've-given-a-2-to-club". It's a WIP name, but the main idea behind it, is that it's a club for cliche-laden, inoffensive sounding filler country with little replayability. It's not where you'll find the worst of the worst, instead it's the grade slightly above royalty free slop. It's not bad, it's not even notable enough to be boring. It just goes by, barely registering before it ends. This album specifically has maybe half a dozen moments where you'll actually realize there's audio playing. About a third of them are unpleasant, another two thirds are pretty cool, though half of those moments are in a single song. The rest melts into the background, and is exactly what you'd expect by looking at its cover. It's an overall forgetable experience, but at least I didn't want to rip my ears off. 2/5

First impression pre listen: So apparently this is weird as hell. Loved reading the one star reviews for this thing. Either it's gonna be fun or it's gonna be torture. Looking forward to it none the less. Individual track notes: American Gothic Musical theatre vibes. Not exactly sure what to call it. Very strange and over the top. It's very difficult to follow the plot. I'm confused. Average. 2.5/5 Love's Enough A sweet piano ballad. It's pretty enough, but not too interesting. Average. 2.5/5 Ballad of the Ship of State Overly conceptual. Annoying writing style. Feels like yet another part of a fever dream of a musical theatre performance. Manages to be way to bombastic and grandiose while also being quite boring. Awful. 1/5 One Night Stand Not sure who this is for, but it gives me an ick that will not go away. Creepy uncle vibes. Awful. 1/5 Oh, California! Okay they were right. This is beyond obnoxious. I guess the orchestra is alright, but god damn someone needs to come get their grampa. He's making musical theatre again! Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Another Friday Night I can appreciate a dash of theatre in my music, but if it's too much it feels unearned. Being bombarded with orchestral rises, crescendos and over the top performances gets really tiring. He's more than adequate at what he does, but it doesn't help that this style sounds super corny outside the musical theatre framing. Awful. 1/5 Family Band Absolutely no comment. Literal cult vibes. Awful. 1/5 Midnight Carousel This is not a review. This is a warning. Stay away. Awful. 1/5 Waiting for the Moving Van Kinda pretty I guess. The crooning and the cliche piano is whatever, but I think the lyrics are fine and I like the slightly more down to earth atmosphere the track has. Definitely listenable. Fine. 3/5 Blues for Billy Whitecloud Yeah no thank you. Wtf are you thinking man writing that... Awful. 1/5 Montana Song I've got nothing nice to say so I won't say anything. I just want it to be over. In what world did this album need a 10 minute long closer. Awful. 1/5 Final review: How I even managed finish this is beyond me. I'd like to meet whoever this is for, because I'm sure they'd be a fascinating person. To me this sounded like a literal trainwreck. Proof that even your most senile questionable family member could have the ability to accidentally record an album. I can't even call it laughable, because that implies even the slightest bit of ironic fun. This is a boring slog with its greatest achievement being its one concise and listenable track. It's over the top, dated sounding and really fucking weird. Has plenty of those "good ol' 'merican family values" that honestly just confuse me. The songs are grandiose and overwhelming, with lyrics that are both annoying to follow along with boring at the same time. This guy's storytelling ability is virtually non-existant, as he lacks the charisma, ability and personality to keep a listener interested. Instead this feels like a self-indulgent vanity project that went far off the rails. An album I suspect I'll never forget. Obnoxious and frustrating. 1/5

First impression pre listen: Was not expecting to round out the with some smooth bossa nova, but that's cool I guess. I've got no experience with prolonged listens when it comes to this genre, so it will be something completely new to me. I'm excited to get started. Individual track notes: Desafinado Puts me in a good mood. Great summery atmosphere. Fun bass and smooth sax playing. Sounds like the smell of hot coffee and fresh fruits. Good. 4/5 Samba Dees Days Fun rhythm, great energy. A railroad track of constant colour and freshness. Great sax. Love when the plucky guitar gets its moment, very infectious. Good. 4/5 O Pato Love how the inital melody resloves. A positive and pleasant sound. Fun track. Good. 4/5 Samba Triste There's a more down and melancholic atmosphere to this one. Sounds almost contemplative. Romantic guitar. Really moody and cool. Great. 4.5/5 Samba De Uma Nota So Carries a similar mood as the previous track, but injects it with some mystery and unpredictability. Love how the sax twists and turns alongside the beat. Smooth and satisfying guitar. It's great to hear the bass get its own designates segment to go nuts on. Good. 4/5 E Luxo So Danceable and fun with great energy and an uncomplicated vibe that's easy to follow along to. I like that there's a hint of serenity in the sax, especially towards the end of the track. Decent. 3.5/5 Bahia It definitely feels less constrained and more free than previous tracks. Has a broader sound with a denser atmosphere. The instruments feel "heavier" and less bright. Has a sleepy end of the day energy to it. Decent. 3.5/5 Final review: A pleasant, accesible and unproblematic approach to jazz music. While not producing anything jaw-dropping or intensily exhilarating it produces a warm and cozy mood, a perfect companion for a lazy night's listen after a long day. It's smooth, controlled and cool allowing itself and the listener plenty of time to breathe. Stan Getz has an incredible ability to play the sax in a way that's exciting to follow while not taking too much space. While his playing is definitely the highlight of the album, his parts are constructed in such a way where you can let the sax slide out of focus and it will still provide the music with plenty of texture should you just want it in the background. And I think a part of what makes the album such a good time is that it's versatile. It's just layered enough to actively listen to, while also being low key enough to function as out of focus background music. It's also a rainbow of moods, vibes and colours which makes it sound suprisingly varied and fresh. Not an absolute masterpiece by any means, but an easily listenable, enjoyable piece, functioning as a solid injection of positive energy for many a purpose. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5.

First impression pre listen: I've been known to dabble in some occasional Funkadelic from time to time. The title track from this album probably being my favourite from them. Jammy, dancy funk music is usually right up my alley. This will in all likelyhood be a good experience. Individual track notes: One Nation Under a Groove Seriously one of my favourite song ever recorded. Has the perfect amount of dynamism, variety and buildup. It's catchy, infrctious and danceable. Love the whole rhythm section especially here. Would also like to mention the character, charisma and stylishness of the vocal performances here. Sounds like an entire party. Fantastic. 5/5 Groovallegiance Entertainingly weird. Love the loose structure of the track, especially the extended jam section at the end. Has moments where the vocals are soulful and powerful. Great bass and guitar, especially in the jammier section. The psychedelic flavour serves the track well. Love the keyboard at the end. Fantastic. 5/5 Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?! That was sort of surreal, like a long lost classic from another world. The guitar playing absolutely shreds, and the repeated melody of the chorus is perhaps the catchiest thing ever produced. It's fun, has amazing energy and definitely rocks. Fantastic. 5/5 Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers) This is pure condensed insanity. That being said: FRIED ICE CREAM IS A REALITY. Didn't think a song with so much literal SHIT in it could sound so good. Love the contrast of the almost angelic main vocals against whatever the batshit spoken word was doing. On all accounts an interesting experience. Gorgeous guitar playing too. Fantastic. 5/5 Into You Hypnotic fun and strange. Has a great selection of interesting voices and vocal performances. Love the subtle psychedelia of the track. The repetition almost had me in a trance like state by the end. Great. 4.5/5 Cholly (Funk Getting Ready To Roll!) A return to a more classic style. Love the tightness of the instrumentation. Catchy chorus and a voice that's full of character on the main vocals. Love the bass on this track. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: Gold all the way through. Perfect for when you want something funky, fun and full of humour. It's brilliantly unique, with interesting song structures and great jams. Love how rhythmic and smooth it is, while leaving space from unpredictable and even silly moments. It has great basslines, amazing guitars and a varied selection of distinct vocals. Always an entertaining experience with plenty of replayability. You'll have to look long and hard to find something more passionate, stylish and free. 5/5

First impression pre listen: Music from my own country, how exciting! Being Norwegian I'm of course familiar with Röyksopp even if they're still kinda seen as a bit alternative even here. I've even seen them live. This album is a bit of a classic, though I'll admit that I've maybe heard it all the way through only once or twice. I'm pleasantly surprised they're on this list. Excited to get into it. There is however a risk that this will bring me to sleep. Individual track notes: So Easy Pleasing to the ear. Atmospheric with some good ambience. Really like the dreamy, cloudy feel in the background. The crunchy bass being front and center drives the track forward make it stay away from feeling aimless. Good. 4/5 Eple Love the almost hip hop sounding beat. The main synth sound is really clean. Simple and sweet with some interesting wavy effects to keep it fresh. Good. 4/5 Sparks It's got a calming slow vibe that works well in the background, but does nothing for me when actively trying to listen to it. Pleasant and inoffensive. I like the texture added by the background synths. Fine. 3/5 In Space Light and cheery with a fresh and airy atmosphere. Soothong and sweet. Decent. 3.5/5 Poor Leno Dancy and fun. Love the tonal shift from the previous tracks. Structured and purposeful. Decent. 3.5/5 A Higher Place Ambient. I like how they keep adding new elements as it goes along. Sounds vast and floaty. Love the switchup to a more dramatic sound. Great. 4.5/5 Röyksopp's Night Out Quirky and odd. Quite intense, especially with that almost alarm like synth. I like the switchup into a more rounded and smooth sound. It's a bit of an adventure, showing off different musical locations. The haunting synths building up to the song's hectic climax are quite striking. Great. 4.5/5 Remind Me The vocals are kinda boring honestly. I don't feel like they add much. The plucky beep boop synths are pretty pleasant though, but this is another one which works best in the background. Fine. 3/5 She's So I like the variety provided by the sax. Really ambient and slow. Has a disarming, calm quality to it which makes it feel meditative and kinda hypnotic. Love the ending segment with the strange compression. Adds an additional layer of dynamism to the track. Decent. 3.5/5 40 Years Back/Come Honestly quite abrasive. Has some horror-movie soundtrack like atmosphere to it. It's a cool enough idea, but not exactly pleasant. Continues into a very harmonic ambient section, which really brings back some of the meditative qualities of previous tracks. I really like the reverb. Decent. 3.5/5 Final Review: A cute little excursion into a vast atmospheric electronic sound, which priorities ambience and space instead of blistering dance beats and catchy hooks. It's music to enjoy in those quiet lonely moments where everything seems to slow down a bit. There's a certain level of patience required to truly immerse oneself into the warm and cozy soundscapes provided by this album. It's a great space filler for background listening, but also has some meditative and soothing qualities which makes it stand on its own. For whatever purpose you'd have for putting it on, you'll always find something that sticks out. The main attraction most likely being the fun beep boop synths that sort of signify the album's sound. In conclusion it doesn't exactly blow your socks off, but it does ground you, calm you down and set you up for a new adventure. 3.5/5 rounded up to a 4/5

First impression pre listen: I don't think anyone really hates Billy Joel (except We Didn't Start the Fire) but I don't think I've ever met a Billy Joel superfan either. He's always just sory of been there in the background for me. Piano Man is a frequent karaoke song and Uptown Girl gets some radio play on retro stations, but for how popular he is it's not like he's been much of a presence in my music library. I'm not feeling much going into this, though Vienna is a pretty good song, so at least I've got that to look forward to. Individual song notes: Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) I mean this is just sort of what I expected. It's an decent piece of unproblematic rock music with a New York backdrop that I can't exactly relate to. I think the class related themes are kinda interesting, and I like the perspective he's presenting the song from. While not the most exciting tune, it's still a solid start. Decent. 3.5/5 The Stranger The piano is quite somber. Don't love the whistling, though it does provide some atmosphere. I like the structure of the song, it has two completely different moods and tempos which reflects the Jungian inspiration quite well. Has a decent pace to it, and I think Billy Joel does a good job being a charismatic and likeable presenter. Decent. 3.5/5 Just the Way You Are I immedately catch something I don't really like - his voice is mixed really forward making his higher notes really loud and overbearing. Don't like the echo effect either. Cheesy production trick. Boring and cliche writing style. So on the nose it could've been a parody. Stupid sax. Absolitely drags. Strongly dislike. 1.5/5 Scenes from an Italian Restaurant Overblown sax solo, but I guess it fits the theatrically of the premise. I enjoy the switchup, the instrumental is kinda charming. Fun storytelling. Bombastic, grandiose and entertaining. Good. 4/5 Vienna Kind of a reassuring song. Has some decent wisdom and an empowering chorus. The accordion is a bit cheesy, but it fits with the sort of european riverside city romanticism he's going for. Good. 4/5 Only the Good Die Young The wiki article makes it sound really interesting. I like the quotes on the song's content from Billy Joel himself. The guitar is mixed way too loud. Yeah the narrator sounds like a bit of a creep. Kind of disappointing song, I guess certain people overreacting to something that's in reality kind of tame has always been a thing. It's otherwise just an alright rock song. Fine. 3/5 She's Always a Woman Oh it's this song. I really like the piano here. Really satisfying. I like the buildup to the chorus, it has a really sweet melody. I like the very specific lyrics. I find the line "she takes care of herself" kinda funny, that should probably be the bare minimum requirement. Decent. 3.5/5 Get It Right the First Time I think the instrumental is kinda cool with the cheery flute. Otherwise kinda just fine. I like his performance, he's got quite the presence and pulls a lot of vocal tricks to elevate what's a bit of an average song. Fine. 3/5 Everybody Has a Dream Doesn't work for me at all. It's overblown and a bit all over the place. The extremely dramatic presentation sort of goes against the premise. This worship inspired chorus feels really cheesy and disengenious. Dislike. 2/5 Final Review: It's good. Not "knock your socks off" amazing, but definitely not something I'd turn off if it came on. I think the main draw for me here is Billy Joel's lyrical writing style. He's clever when it comes to storytelling, interesting language and impressive use of perspective. This frames his songs in such a way that they bring you into a grounded but detailed world. They're simple to follow along with, but carry so much colour and charm that they'll still impress you. The songs are generally structured well around the lyrics, and the instrumentation is mostly complimenting of the lyrical meaning. Rather emphasising their emotional impact than distracting from it. The only word I can come up with to describe it is simply fitting. This has its exceptions though, and on a couple of tracks the instrumentation does cross the line and gets overbearing or just plain cheesy. This is also true for the vocals, that are for the most part charismatic and entertaining, can also be over emphasized and over performed. Individually these issues rarely ruin a track, but they're definitely noticable enough. I'd also say the production has moments where it sounds kinda dated, or the mixing is a bit raw on modern equipment. Overall I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and I'm happy to have heard it, even if it won't exactly be in my frequent rotation. It's likeable and pleasant, and sometimes that is enough. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3/5

First impression pre listen: It's kinda difficult getting into a solo project from a member of the Beach Boys without being much into the band in the first place. Maybe that's why I've never heard of this album. This seems like the exact kind of album I'd expect to be on this list. For the sake of time I'll be sticking to the original 37 minute release version, though depending on if I like it or not I'll give the 2 hour version a go. Hoping for a new discovery. Individual track notes: River Song Was not expecting it to have such a large and developed sound. The almost spiritual choir elements are very pleasant. I like the additional deep background vocals. I'm not exactly impressed by the lyrics here, feels very basal and shallow for such an expressive sound. It has potential based on the way the song is arranged, however I feel the final product falls a bit flat. It's almost as if its two different songs mashed together. Fine. 3/5 What's Wrong Kinda obnoxious with the tooting horns. Very generic writing style, with very little to set it apart from similar songs. Fades into the background. Almost offensively average. Dislike. 2/5 Moonshine I think it opens up quite strangely. Not much a fan of his voice here, feels very forced and choked. I find the production to be quite montonous, the mix is especially disagreeable as it sounds very compressed. The track does rise in quality nearing the end, the harmonies and melodic movements of the closing segment is really satisfying. A bit of a mixed bag. Average. 2.5/5 Friday Night Quite cinematic and present sounding opening. Hate his voice. Terrible lyrics. Parts or the instrumental really drown out the vocals. I enjoyed the large opening and closing segments of the instrumental a bit. Dislike. 2/5 Dreamer An absolute mess of a track. The mix sounds like absolute shit. Everything is at a weird volume and it keeps shifting. Horrible horns. Sleazy and unlikeable vocals, luckily they're barely in focus. Awful. 1/5 Thoughts of You He sounds drunk or half asleep. The piano is kinda pleasant. Awful vocal effect. I like the contrast between the somber and quiet piano and the very abrasive synth heavy segment. Sure makes the track interesting at least. Fine. 3/5 Time Unconvincing vocals, his voice is still not something I think I'll ever be able to enjoy. He oversells it which I think makes it sound very goofy. The instrumental section is very cool. Love the interplay between the horns and guitar. The jankiness is really charming. Fine. 3/5 You and I Just kinda underwhelming. It's slow and has an okay atmosphere to its instrumental, but the vocals sort of take you out of it. Sounds rambly and overdone. Dislike. 2/5 Pacific Ocean Blues A bit of a generic blues rock song if not for some help from the additional vocals to give it a hint of originality. Not terrible, just sort of alright. Average. 2.5/5 Farewell My Friend Nice sentiment. The vocals have a decent amount of emotion behind them. The harmonies give it a contemplative atmosphere. Don't mind the simple piano. Decent. 3.5/5 Rainbows Has a good vibe to it. His vocals are still not it and the instrumental has its irritating moments. At least it sounds warm and positive. Average. 2.5/5 End of the Show He sounds like he's one foot in the grave... Aimless and boring. Beyond that not terrible. Dislike. 2/5 Final review: I struggle to see the point of it to be honest. It has the occasional impressive backing harmony and sometimes a pleasant instrumental section. Bar that the album is awfully generic, finding it lacking when it comes to original ideas. The songwriting is mostly boring and predictable, and when it isn't its aimless and all over the place. Wilson's vocals range from constipated rock and roller to deranged hollering homeless man, and on the occasional moment where they're fine they lack any presence or impact. The mixing is genuinely puzzling at times and has certain songs sound so compressed they're barely discernable as consisting of varying elements. Yes the album has moments where it's passable, however it far too often slides into mediocracy for it to be much more than a forgetable slog. I could see it having additional appeal if you're nostalgic about 1970's California, but if you're not your're likely to just be bored and confused. I'd also like to add that the album does in general sound quite personal, having moments of solid reflection. The spiritual sounding choir elements work decently well at conveying some emotions Wilson's own performance can't always produce. In conclusion: a bit unremarkable. 2/5

First impression pre listen: I usually like Björk so this will probably be at least fine. Her more modern stuff can get a bit weird, but it's at least something different. Never heard this particular album. Expecting something fairly unique. Individual track notes: Stonemilker Somber and open atmosphere. The strings are nice. Strange lyrics, the language used here is very Björk. The instrumental outro is lush and powerful, a really striking ending. Good. 4/5 Lionsong Interesting vocal layering. I like when the violin follows the vocal melody. The bargaining and confusion in the lyrics is pretty interesting. I like how the themes resolve. Cool electronics. Good. 4/5 History Of Touches A strange choice in synths, kinda works I suppose. It creates a hectic and confusing atmosphere. Captures a very specific moments. A bit confusing. Fine. 3/5 Black Lake Really depressing and dark. Haunting and personal. She sounds vulnerable and hurt. Love the quiet moments with the distant rumbling strings. The instrumental is dynamic and intense. Love the percussion. Really like the descriptive language used in the lyrics. Fantastic. 5/5 Family Very ominous, very depressing. Love the vocal layering. The temple themes are pretty interesting. Great switchup. Fantastic instrumental. Beautiful outro. Great. 4.5/5 Notget Weird and chaotic instrumental. Haunted carnival vibes. Love how this motif evolves throughout the track. Interesting lyrics. Love the dark themes. Great. 4.5/5 Atom Dance Cute premise. Fitting instrumental. Sounds soothing, and genuinely like she's healing. Love how layered the song sounds with all these clashing elements coming together. Great feature, love the additional dynamism provided to the track by the additional voice. Explosive and large. Fantastic. 5/5 Mouth Mantra Deep electronic bass. Love the dark strings. Very emotional vocal performance. Disturbing imagery. Strange choice of language at times. Good. 4/5 Quicksand Very electronic. Love the return of the mother imagery, feels like throughline between many of her albums. Love the positive sense of purpose to end this otherwise depressing album with. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: This is quite the departure from other Björk projects when it comes to tone. It's dark and quite depressing in its presentation. She visits themes of loss, grief and heartbreak; emotions that I've never associated with her music before. Delving deeply into these negative emotions you discover this thin and fragile version of this woman who details the harrowing state in which she finds herself in. This is a very personal and layered journey where she finally in the end manages to heal and continue on with a new sense of purpose. It's bleak, it's haunting and it's also quite beautiful. Accompanied by familiar grandiose strings and cold pulsating electronics she twists her usual productions style into these bleak soundscapes where her unique vocal delivery floats gently on top. It's mesmerizing, odd and a bit overwhelming, but still a solid effort providing a new perspective and a fresh sound. 4.5/5 rounded down to a 4/5

First impression pre listen: I'm not sure how to feel about this one. I've not really heard much from this band that excited me much. This era of rock music always struck me as a bit of a dud. Their biggest hit being forever ruined by any sort of event with a large crowd doesn't help either. Could be good still, but I'll be honest and way I'm not expecting much. Individual track notes: Seven Nation Army Overplayed and ruined by annoying crowds. Especially at unrelated artist's concerts and sporting events. I mean it's an iconic song for its catchiness and memorability, but I feel justified in being sick to death of it. The "what you think is a bassline is actually a downtuned guitar played through a bass amp" fun fact has become such a circlejerk that it's almost as oversaturated as the song itself. I can't hate it though, it's a good song I guess. Fine. 3/5 Black Math Got a certain rawness to it that I enjoy. I like the sort of careless energy. The guitar is fuzzy and the drums quick and explosive. Nothing too special, but a solid listen. Decent. 3.5/5 There's No Home For You Here Hate the production on the vocals. The more exprimental parts don't work for me, sounds really unpleasant. I like the performances though, he's got a lot of charm. Average. 2.5/5 Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself I like the loud guitars and the crashing drums. Great buildup to the chorus. Satisfying ending. Decent. 3.5/5 In The Cold, Cold Night I like the change to female vocals. The dark and claustrophobic instrumental is pretty cool. The lyrics have a folky traditional vibe to them. Fine. 3/5 I Want To Be The Boy Got some decent buildup and some interesting instrumental variety. The lyrics have some kinda cool imagery. Fine. 3/5 You've Got Her In Your Pocket Don't really like it. The lyrics are a bit weird, and I find his voice here a bit grating. The acoustic guitar is nice for variety's sake. Mostly I just don't find it that interesting. Dislike. 2/5 Ball And Biscuit Decent bit of bluesy buildup. Has this speak-sung sort of intonation which has a bit of sleaze to it. Feels very retro. Great guitar. Loses a bit of steam and verges on being boring. Fine. 3/5 The Hardest Button to Button The chorus is kinda fun. Got very little out of the rest of the song. Average. 2.5/5 Little Acorns The spoken word is really unique, and the story here is kinda cute. Continues in a raw garagey vein. Building on the squirrel imagery is really fun. Decent. 3.5/5 The Air Near My Fingers Decently likeable, easy to follow along with rock. Neatly organized with a fun verse structure. I like the little piano crashes. Decent. 3.5/5 Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine Energetic garage rock with a hectic and wild vocal performance. Fine. 3/5 Well It's True That We Love One Another Kinda sweet I suppose. Has an old school vibe. Feels playful and unserious. A decent way to end the album. Decent. 3.5/5 Final review: Energetic garage rock revival with a hint of theatricality. It's mostly a fairly entertaining album, fair credit to Jack White for his charismatic vocal performance and ever present awesome guitar playing. While I can't really find much to say about most of the album, I wouldn't say I didn't enjoy it. It's mostly what you'd expect, that being a large and energetic sound with memorable guitars and crashing drums. And while there is some instrumental variety with some piano and the occasional acoustic guitar it doesn't stray too far from the expected sound. 3/5

First impression pre listen: I've heard this album maybe a hundred times. It's great! Very few works of art are able to capture such a specific bleak atmosphere. It is however something I have to be in a specific mood for, if not it's simply just depressing. Individual track notes: Disorder Where do you even begin with this one. From the instantly recognizable drum intro to the unforgetable bassline and the somber vocals. Even the guitar sounds disturbed. Really appreciate the honest and personal lyrics too. The background effects build a lot of the song's atmosphere. Fantastic. 5/5 Day of the Lords Kind of an underrated track. Love how big it sounds. The guitar feels like it has much more space than in other tracks. The slower tempo makes it feel desolate and abandoned. Sounds apocalyptic and bleak. Fantastic. 5/5 Candidate The fade in is a decent way to get the attention if the listener after the explosive ending of the previous track. The instrumental is a lot less involved, focusing more on atmosphere and ambience. The almost horror-like effects create a lot of tension alongside the almost frustrated sounding vocals. The bassline is simple, but very distinct. Great. 4.5/5 Insight Takes its time with the buildup, gives the paniced instrumental a lot more impact. Interesting effects. Love how almost abyssaly dark the instrumental breaks sound. Harrowing lyrics in context. Great. 4.5/5 New Dawn Fades Glorious opening, love the interplay between the crushing bassline and the melodic guitar. Claustrophobic and overwhelming. Love how the vocals allow themselves a lot more time on each note compared to previous songs. Fantastic. 5/5 She's Lost Control Love the rhythm of this track. The bass line is really distinct and catchy, love the haunting quality of the thin sound. Love the echoey vocals. Really like how bleak and robotic the drums sound. The storytelling in the lyrics is quite good. Fantastic. 5/5 Shadowplay Amazing intro. The bass and the snares just create this amazing buildup for the guitar to explode into. Glorious bassline. The impersonal and cold guitar solo fits perfectly. Gothic and claustrophobic atmosphere. Fantastic. 5/5 Wilderness Love the drums on this track. The instrumental has a lot of weight behind it. Love the cryptic lyrics. Good. 4/5 Interzone Awesome tempo switch. The song feels more punk than post punk. Fun vocal effect. The more riff oriented guitar playing is a nice change of pace from the rest of the album. Great. 4.5/5 I Remember Nothing Slow, meandering and atmospheric. Love when the instrumental effects match up with the lyrics. Mysterious sounding. Solid lyrics, framed very poetically. Great. 4.5/5 Final review: An innovative masterclass in atmosphere and stylistic consistency. With what's in all honesty quite a limited setup, with Unknown Pleasures they've created an album where every single moment is distinct and memorable. Ian Curtis is a somber, dour poet in a landscape that's cold and mechanical, while the atmosphere of bleak and overwhelming reality swallows him whole. The lyrics are personal but abstract, using storytelling and cryptic language to convey complex emotions. And on top of the absurd chemistry of the band behind him its presented in a crushing, yet still entrancing way. The interplay between Brian Sumner and Peter Hook on the guitar and bass is beyond impressive, complimenting each others' style perfectly. And without the impact and the largeness of Stephen Morris's percussion the world created by the album wouldn't feel so overwhelming and oppressive. The songwriting and atmosphere on here is truly special, taking the listener on both an emotional and sonic journey at the same time. One of the greatest of all time. 5/5

First impression pre listen: I've been meaning to check this band out for a while. They belong to an era of music I generally appreciate. The cover does look a bit bland, though I'm hopeful that there's more to it than it appears. Individual track notes: Summer's Cauldron Don't love the effects. They're mixed really loudly which is pretty distracting. Very typical 80's new wave vocals. I like how the main vocal melody resolves. A bit formless. Fine. 3/5 Grass Great transition. I like the eastern motifs. Decent chorus, like the subtle psychedelia of it. Very pleasant. Decent. 3.5/5 The Meeting Place Don't love the vocals. Sounds at times kinda shrill. Has some decent synth effects, but otherwise kind of forgetable. The world's most boring bassline. Dislike. 2/5 That's Really Super, Supergirl Fun title. A bit too in your face for my liking. Really campy, kinda fun. Honestly a bit irritating with the very busy instrumental. Average. 2.5/5 Ballet For A Rainy Day Kinda weird. It's a lot. Nothing ever gets any time to breathe, it just moves onto the next thing. Messy and difficult to process. Dislike. 2/5 1000 Umbrellas Really cool transition. Interesting premise. I kinda like the string heavy instrumental. Pretty creative, but not entirely pleasant. Fine. 3/5 Season Cycle Kinda quirky. I like the backing vocals, fun harmonies. Has some catchy moments. Okay premise. Fine. 3/5 Earn Enough For Us Blends into the background. Doesn't really do anything for me. The vocals are kinda annoying. Dislike. 2/5 Big Day I like the reverby eastern inspired sound. Has some really cool psychedelic moments. Interesting atmosphere. Decent. 3.5/5 Another Satellite Can't really tell what that watery mechanical effect is supposed to be, but it's pretty cool. Fits with the space theme. Wish it did more with it. Really don't like the vocals despite the fun presentation. Average. 2.5/5 Mermaid Smiled Really like the instrumental. Very unique composition and structure. Ebbs and flows really satsfyingly. Decent. 3.5/5 The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul Has some fun jazzy progression which really makes it stick out on the album. Love the flute. Surprisingly catchy. Instrumentally varied with a lot of fresh and fulfilling ideas. Great. 4.5/5 Dying Cool harmonies. Pleasant sound. Lovely break from all the chaos. Fine. 3/5 Sacrificial Bonfire. Fun percussion in the intro. Don't like the vocals here at all. He has some strange inflections that kinda throw me off. I like the violin a lot. Solid ending. Fine. 3/5 Dear God Interesting change of vocals, the lyrics are really interesting coming from what sounds like a child. Love the simple guitar riff. The religious critisism is a bit on the nose, but it's nice to have something that's easy to follow along to for once. Catchy and concise. Striking changeup with powerful rhythm. Good. 4/5 Final review: It's really creative and different from a lot of stuff I associate with that particular era, but it's just so much. I really like the risky, diverse and ambitious instrumental choices. Love how they go from eastern inspired motifs, to classical violins, to weird jazzy progression and finally to more contemporary synths. What I don't always love is how overbearing and busy it can get, frontloading the songs with so many different elements that they end up a bit all over the place. Another minor complaint I have is that the vocals don't always sound great to me, which combined with the often times busy instrumentals leads to the songs not always sounding too pleasant. I appreciate the effort to sound different and diverse, but the album never really finds its footing because of it. It's never able to explore a sound concisely to the fullest, leaving me a bit unfulfilled. That being said it's good moments are really good, and even some of the bad have a solid amount of charm to them. I've heard plenty worse and will hear plenty better, but at least it was interesting. 3/5