285
Albums Rated
3.59
Average Rating
26%
Complete
804 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Jazz
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
42
5-Star Albums
0
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Medúlla
Björk
|
5 | 2.73 | +2.27 |
|
What's That Noise?
Coldcut
|
5 | 2.77 | +2.23 |
|
White Ladder
David Gray
|
5 | 3.06 | +1.94 |
|
The Colour Of Spring
Talk Talk
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Blood, Sweat & Tears
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
|
5 | 3.23 | +1.77 |
|
GREY Area
Little Simz
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
Achtung Baby
U2
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Brilliant Corners
Thelonious Monk
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
|
5 | 3.34 | +1.66 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Catch A Fire
Bob Marley & The Wailers
|
2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
|
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
|
2 | 3.53 | -1.53 |
|
Disraeli Gears
Cream
|
2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
2 | 3.42 | -1.42 |
|
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
|
2 | 3.41 | -1.41 |
|
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
|
2 | 3.16 | -1.16 |
|
Suede
Suede
|
2 | 3.1 | -1.1 |
|
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
|
2 | 3.05 | -1.05 |
|
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
|
3 | 4.02 | -1.02 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| U2 | 2 | 5 |
| Steely Dan | 2 | 5 |
| Prince | 2 | 5 |
| Radiohead | 2 | 5 |
| Nick Drake | 2 | 5 |
5-Star Albums (42)
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Popular Reviews
Peter Gabriel · 2 likes
5/5
Thanks to my prog rock- (and prog rock-adjacent) loving boyfriend in the 90s, I am a big Peter Gabriel fan. And Solsbury Hill is a completely perfect song.
Amy Winehouse · 1 likes
3/5
I'm not as into Amy Winehouse as a lot of people seem to be, but I can recognize her obvious talent.
King Crimson · 1 likes
3/5
Another legacy of my prog-rock boyfriend, because King Crimson was his absolute favourite band. I've probably heard Larks Tongues in Aspic Part 2 five hundred times. OK, maybe 200, but still--A LOT. And I still think it's a great tune!
The Police · 1 likes
5/5
I know every word of this album. This band never sounds dated to me, but I realize they probably do sound that way to others. At any rate, all The Youths should listen to The Police and appreciate the talent of these three musicians.
Bob Marley & The Wailers · 1 likes
2/5
I'm just not really a reggae fan, is the thing, so I don't think I can objectively comment on this album, as much as I would like to.
All Ratings
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
One of my favourite albums of 2205, if not THE favourite. I am 100% the target audience for Sufjan's ex-youth group-kid, introspective, intricate yet twee songwriting.
I bought the CD my first trip to Chicago from Canada, and listened to it on the train all the way home.
U2
5/5
U2 were my absolute favourite band when I was in high school (in the 80s, when it was still cool to like U2).
All their early albums are classics to me.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
I got into hiphop a little too late to appreciate Wu-Tang Clan at its prime, but I do know this is a classic album, and it was great to listen to it in its entirety. Protect Ya Neck!
Air
3/5
smooth chill vibes. Could be very soothing in the right context, but not so much my thing.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
I didn't realize how heavily orchestrated this album was. And of course Preacher Man is a classic song.
Talking Heads
4/5
Great to listen to an early album from one of my favourite bands. I think "Take Me to the River" has gotten faster in subsequent performances.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Oh, those 80s synth and drum sounds. MJ was a masterful entertainer, though, no denying it, and these are classic pop songs.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Great to really listen to these classic rock tunes with focus, and be reminded of why they endure.
The Clash
4/5
I listened to this album the day after Canada won the 4 Nations Hockey tournament, and I was, indeed, Bored with the USA. Great cathartic punk rock!
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
A little intense to revisit this on a Monday morning at work, but also very cathartic! I immediately followed this up with the Johnny Cash version of Hurt, and was not disappointed.
The Fall
3/5
The Fall is a band I haven't really spent much time with, so it was good to give this album a focused listen. Some interesting tracks (Service, The League of Bald-Headed Men), but overall not so much my thing.
Holger Czukay
2/5
I had never heard of this guy (now I know he was in Can) and this album definitely sounds like a product of its time and place. I'm not really into this particular Euro-electronica, but I do appreciate the musique concrete nature of its composition, and I always like voice samples.
TV On The Radio
4/5
One of my favourite non-Canadian bands from the mid-2000s indie rock scene. Great to revisit this album.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
A masterclass in swing at any tempo. Fond memories of performing Splanky and L'il Darlin (and maybe Whirlybird?) with the BU Big Band.
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Joan Armatrading is a performer I haven't paid much attention to, and I was really impressed by this album. Great songwriting, funky grooves, and impeccable guitar chops.
PJ Harvey
4/5
This album totally matched my mood on the day I listened to it: aggressive and taking no shit. PJ Harvey rocks.
2/5
Noise rock is not so much my thing, so it's hard to evaluate this album objectively. It might be a great example of the genre, but I can't tell. I did like the bird sounds in the last track.
Common
5/5
I really liked this. I've always thought I should listen to more Common, and now I know I should.
Steely Dan
5/5
Absolutely love this album. Walter Becker and Donald Fagen are consummate musicians, and Steely Dan doesn't deserve its dad/yacht rock reputation (if you consider that to be an insult, which I don't). Those chord progressions! Those session players! Wayne Shorter!
Adele
3/5
I mean, undeniably she has amazing pipes and these songs showcase them. It's not so much my thing, but it's a very well-done pop album and I salute that.
Little Simz
5/5
yeah yeah yeah this is the stuffffff
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
classic blues (sung by a white guy) and folk songs, and even some yodeling. That's alright by me.
Supertramp
4/5
My AM radio childhood is all coming back to me. No complaints--these are classic tunes. Also a good reminder of what an epic tune Crime of the Century is.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
A double album was a lot of Nick Cave for me, but there's definitely some good songwriting here.
The xx
4/5
a little chill Brit electro-pop goes down well on a cloudy Monday morning.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
I didn't know what to expect from this, but it was really enjoyable. The band cooks! 3.5 stars, actually
Queen
5/5
a little bombastic rock n roll and one of the best voices in music? All this AND Bohemian Rhapsody? Yes, please!
Björk
4/5
The early-to-mid 2000s are my favourite era of Bjork. Delicate electronica with that signature Bjork weirdness.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Classic soul/R&B by a classic voice. Great to really focus on these tunes and appreciate the artistry here.
Fela Kuti
3/5
The problem I have with Fela Kuti's music (and this genre of African music in general) is the repetitive aspect. I realize there's a meditative quality and intention to sitting a groove for a long time, but even if the band is great and has kickass horns, I don't want the same groove for 12 minutes. I acknowledge this is a "me problem," though.
Steely Dan
5/5
I'm down for any Steely Dan album, anytime. Listening to this reminded me of how much an old boyfriend of mine loved the tune "Night by Night." And this is probably the only "rock" album to include a Duke Ellington tune.
Neil Young
3/5
I think I respect Neil Young more than I actually like his music, but this album is a good example of why he deserves any music-lover's respect. Keep on rockin in the free world, Neil.
Thelonious Monk
5/5
No one plays the piano like Thelonious Monk, and this band is stacked. A classic album, and Bemsha Swing is a tune for the ages.
John Lennon
4/5
I confess that I'm a bit sick of Imagine, but that's not the song's fault. On the other hand, I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier, Mama and How Do You Sleep are down and dirty jams.
Van Halen
4/5
RocknRollllllllll
R.E.M.
4/5
I've got my spine, I've got my Orange Crush, I've got my early-20s angst reframed as nostalgia, and I'm not mad about it.
Gary Numan
3/5
oooweeeeOOOOO synth-y goodness. Eyeliner. Warily regarding a glowing pyramid. Caaaaaars.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I mean, I know they were influenced by the skiffle trend in the UK at the time, so I really should have expected it, but I was still pleasantly surprised at how blues-y this first album is.
Fats Domino
4/5
The horn arrangements are the things that impress me the most on this album. It was truly a golden age of horn sections. And how about those bongo solo breaks in "Don't You Hear Me Calling You"?
Little Richard
3/5
Yeah, I'm not really into Little Richard (I just find shuffle beats and the standard blues progression a little boring at this point) but I acknowledge that he had an important place in rock n roll history.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Me, having never listened to Black Sabbath before: Ooh, there's harmonica on Wizard! And a llllong-ass guitar solo on the last track.
The Associates
2/5
I feel like these guys would be friends with Sparks.
Brian Eno
3/5
There are some really solid pop tunes on this album. Cool to hear the breadth of Eno's talent in addition to the ambient stuff he's more known for.
R.E.M.
4/5
Good early 80s indie rock takes me back to probably the most exciting period of musical discovery in my life. Great to hear these tunes by an iconic band.
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Great soul-influenced pop tunes by a great vocalist.
Amy Winehouse
3/5
I'm not as into Amy Winehouse as a lot of people seem to be, but I can recognize her obvious talent.
The Style Council
4/5
I never realized how jazzy this album is. Plus, guest vocals from Tracey Thorn, and some early-80s rap on A Gospel. When are you going to find the strength of YOUR nature?
Sade
4/5
No one has a voice like this smooth operator. jazzy-funky-smooth vibes. And you know it was recorded in the 80s because there's a tenor saxophone.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Can't beat these classic tunes. They make me want to drink some cranberry juice on a skateboard
Miles Davis
5/5
I just started reading Miles' autobiography, so this album was a perfect companion. Also, in music school I transcribed Wyn Kelly's piano solo in Freddy Freeloader and I was pleased to discover I could still sing along with it although I haven't listened to this album in an embarrassingly long time.
Sonic Youth
3/5
I never really got into Sonic Youth when they first got really big, and I kind of thought I wouldn't like them, but I enjoyed this more than I expected to. Shadow of a Doubt is a great tune.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Well, these are just pleasant little twee-ish pop songs, aren't they?
Pulp
3/5
I've never listened to much Pulp and thought I wouldn't really be into them, but there are some seriously epic tunes on this album.
Television
3/5
I know Television is a band I should like in order to be a true music snob. This album is alright, I guess. The guy's voice reminds me of Violent Femmes.
Paul Simon
4/5
Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard is exactly the kind of upbeat tune you need to hear on a cloudy Monday morning. Paul Simon is a hell of a songwriter.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
What can you say about this album? Such a classic. I found myself really appreciating the ballads on this listen: I'm On Fire, My Hometown. Amazing songwriting.
Dagmar Krause
3/5
I was unfamiliar with Dagmar Krause, and as soon as this album began I thought "wow, holy Kurt Weill influence!" And then I learned that Krause was a known interpreter of Weill's music. This was an enjoyable discovery and a good listen.
Justin Timberlake
3/5
It's May, it's May, it's Justin Timberlake Day. This album is fine, for a white guy appropriating black cultural forms.
Yes
4/5
I would like to thank my prog rock-obsessed 90s boyfriend for introducing me to classic albums like this, in all their multi-metre glory--and including a cover of one of my favourite Paul Simon songs.
MGMT
4/5
Oh, this takes me back to the mid-2000s golden age of indie pop. Shout-out to CBC Radio 3, where I probably first heard all the hits off this album.
Duke Ellington
4/5
One of the best big bands at one of the best jazz festivals. I'm grateful that this was recorded and that we can hear it.
Aerosmith
4/5
Well, there are some real bangers on this album, aren't there? Good to hear the original version of Walk This Way, and some nicely overwrought Alice Cooper-esque strings on You See Me Crying. Quality rock all around.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
I mean, the songs on this album: Marrakesh Express, Guinnevere, Helplessly Hoping. If you ever listened to AM radio in the 1970s these songs are imprinted on your brain.
B.B. King
3/5
a masterclass in the blues.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Every junior high jazz ensemble learns Chameleon and Watermelon Man for a reason. This is an electro jazz/funk primer.
Fairport Convention
3/5
Well, this is a little "twee" for me, but I guess it's the music that twee came from. A Sailor's Life is a decent jam, though, but I'm not sure they should have gone with Cajun Woman. That didn't really work for me.
The Waterboys
4/5
I loved this album when it first came out. I was just getting into Celtic/folk music, and this bunch of British louts was the perfect introduction.
Faust
3/5
I've never really listened to krautrock so I didn't really know what to expect (bleeps and bloops, I guess), but this was a very pleasant listening experience--very prog-rock in some places. Also, that is some beautiful manuscript paper on the cover of this album.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
What to say about this album? A pop genius gone before his time. And these songs are EPIC. Even the massively over-played "Hallelujah" sounds amazing in the context of the album (and he always had the best version). Also, I'd forgotten how much "Eternal Life" rocks.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I’m not really into extended guitar solos, but of course Neil Young is one of the best songwriters we’ve got.
Method Man
3/5
I'm not sure I have enough listening experience to offer critical analysis on hip-hop albums--and I was distracted when I listened to this--so I'd like to just let this one go, but I have to give it some stars in order to move on, so don't take my rating as a critique.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Classic live album. It was also interesting to hear Cash's banter between songs, and the apparent enthusiasm of the audience. I hope they enjoyed it as much as they sound like they did.
The Yardbirds
3/5
Great bass playing on the first track. Some of this gets a little shaggy for my taste, but it's still enjoyable enough.
Arcade Fire
5/5
One of my absolute favourite bands, and one that I want to keep loving, despite the allegations against Win Butler. Arcade Fire played the best concert I have ever seen in my life, on Sept. 30th 2005, and I have logged many miles running to Keep the Car Running. This band rules, no matter what, and I think this is my favourite of all their albums.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
Adding Neil Young really made this a rock album, didn't it?
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
This album is very long.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
5/5
This album makes me [ba-da-bamp-bump-ba] very happy. The horns! David Clayton Thomas's voice! Plus Erik Satie, what? If it were possible to wear out CDs, I would have worn out my copy of this album when I discovered it as a university music student in the early 90s.
Prince
5/5
What can you say about Prince? He was the GOAT. It was great to listen to this album again and appreciate the tracks that I don't know as well--The Cross, the jam at the end of I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man, and a taste of the phenomenon of Prince live with It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Of course Eric Clapton is an amazing guitarist, but it really feels like the days of guitar dominance in rock bands (extended solos on every track, etc.) is over--or at least it's less common than it used to be--and I honestly am not too sorry about that. Thorn Tree in the Garden is kind of a nice track, though.
Radiohead
5/5
Great to listen through this album again--imho, the one that first revealed Radiohead's greatness.
Donovan
3/5
Pretttty trippy instrumentation sometimes (it's amazing how much mileage you can get out of tabla, sitar, and bass), but the songs are interesting. I enjoyed hearing a clarinet in at least one track.
The Cure
3/5
This sounds like the essence of The Cure in its most distilled form: that guitar sound, the bass, Robert Smith's voice, and nothing else.
David Crosby
2/5
David Crosby on his own is prettttty trippy (and bluesy), isn't he?
Amy Winehouse
3/5
There's a jazzy feel to some of these tracks that I enjoyed. Her voice is--was--a very versatile instrument.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
This album really sounds like a product of its time now, and I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. Also wish there was the option for half-stars on this rate scale. 2.5 stars.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
I dunno, I don't think I'm the target audience for psych-folk albums from the 60s and/or 70s. It's all just too meandering and trippy for me, but I know this stuff has a place in the history of popular music.
Coldcut
5/5
I am *definitely* the target audience for this. I love this stuff--crazy samples over a beat? Put it in my veins!
Brian Wilson
3/5
There's no denying that Brian Wilson was a huge influence on popular songwriting (even though some of these songs are a bit bonkers).
The Police
5/5
I know every word of this album. This band never sounds dated to me, but I realize they probably do sound that way to others. At any rate, all The Youths should listen to The Police and appreciate the talent of these three musicians.
Kanye West
4/5
Before Kanye went crazy-Ye, he really was a gifted artist. I guess that's still in there somewhere. Monster will always be a complete jam.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
Love Nitin Sawhney and I'm happy to be prompted to listen to more of his stuff.
Big Black
2/5
I was not prepared to listen to this at 9 am on a Wednesday. At work.
Everything But The Girl
4/5
I wish I'd known in the 90s that I was a huge trip-hop fan, but at least I can catch up now.
Eminem
3/5
He was really angry back then, wasn't he?
Patti Smith
4/5
I've always wanted to really listen to this album but never took the opportunity, and that's why this project is so great. Patti Smith is a legend and this album is part of why.
Eric Clapton
3/5
not too into the slide guitar stuff, but the blues tunes are nice. Clapton definitely knows how to play the instrument.
Tom Waits
4/5
There is no one else like Tom Waits. I was really struck by the ballads on this listen--he really knows how to write a beautiful melody.
David Gray
5/5
I absolutely love this album. It was exactly what I was looking for in 1998, and it was just as great to listen to it again.
AC/DC
3/5
Every guy in my high school knew this album forwards and backwards--and had the hair to match. Me, on the other hand, as a good Christian girl, was not allowed to listen to it---officially.
Sam Cooke
3/5
Classic songs delivered in what sounds like an exciting live show.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I'm no Dylan expert, but I enjoyed this, and I was pleased to learn that this is considered to be one of his best albums. The dude can write songs. I do usually recognize Daniel Lanois' influence when I hear it, though, and to me that is always a good thing.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
OK well, bluesy country rock jams are not at all my thing, but I can still recognize that these are expert musicians who are playing their asses off.
CHIC
4/5
Smooth funky jams are aaaaaaaalright.
Joan Baez
3/5
These are just lovely renditions of traditional folk songs, and also she says my name a whole lot in one of them :P
Her vibrato does drive me a little crazy after a while, though.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Thanks to my prog rock- (and prog rock-adjacent) loving boyfriend in the 90s, I am a big Peter Gabriel fan. And Solsbury Hill is a completely perfect song.
The Offspring
3/5
I enjoyed this more than I expected to, actually. Undeniable guitar riffs. Not so into the ska stuff, however.
ZZ Top
3/5
These guys are amazing guitarists, and even though it's not so much my thing, I can appreciate that. Nice to hear the album The Grange is on, because I definitely heard that song more than a few times growing up.
Neil Young
3/5
This is fine. I mean, it's objectively quite good, I guess, but I'm not the biggest Neil Young fan so it's hard for me to really evaluate it.
Bad Brains
4/5
I've always meant to listen to Bad Brains, so I was happy this album popped up in the list. I guess I thought they were strictly a punk band, but this album has a lot of range, which was interesting to hear. I can definitely hear the Brains' influence on bands like Living Colour and Fishbone aka bands I really like.
Richard Hawley
3/5
I knew nothing about Richard Hawley going in, but I really enjoyed this album. An impressive range of genres and styles.
Eagles
3/5
Is this the AM radio in my parent's kitchen when I was growing up? No, it's just this Eagles album. I swear I knew every song before I ever heard the album. The Last Resort is an underratedly epic song.
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
This album was a gateway for my discovery of Latin music when it first came out. Sounds just as good now.
N.E.R.D
4/5
OK don't hate me, but I had no idea this was Pharrell's first band. I wasn't too into the rap-rock scene in the early 2000s, but I really liked this!
The Fall
3/5
Very diverse post-punk jams.
Elis Regina
4/5
I had never heard of this artist, but this album is an absolute banger. This kind of discovery is why I love this project!
Boston
3/5
There's that classic Boston guitar sound. I didn't realize how prog-rocky some of these tunes are--Foreplay/Long Time sounds like it could be a YES song.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Somehow I really needed to listen to some classic Pink Floyd today, and this album absolutely delivered.
Jeff Beck
3/5
Well, I'm not the biggest guitar rock/blues fan, but I can recognize Jeff Beck's talent. The Greensleeves cover was kind of unexpectedly cool.
The Gun Club
4/5
I had never heard of this band, but I really enjoyed this album.
Def Leppard
3/5
Effing 80s Rock n Roll, man. \m/\m/
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
One of Neil Young's best, right? What more can be said?
The White Stripes
4/5
We were blessed to have the White Stripes among us while we could.
John Martyn
3/5
I wasn't so into this, to tell the truth, but there were some interesting sounds going on.
Lou Reed
4/5
I didn't really think I was into Lou Reed, but I liked this album so much I listened to it twice.
Tito Puente
4/5
Immaculate upbeat vibes for a cloudy work day.
The Who
3/5
classic jams by a classic band.
John Coltrane
5/5
100% classic, played by a master.
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
This is A LOT. Jon Spencer sounds like a louder, messier Tom Waits. Don't @ me.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I haven't listened to Kings of Leon a whole lot before, but this is pretty straight-ahead rocknroll, not unpleasant. "Sex on Fire" is maybe the most ridiculous song title I've ever heard.
The Cardigans
3/5
Sure, this was...fine. I have no opinions about it, really.
The Prodigy
3/5
I remember when I thought this was the most intense, in-your-face shit I had ever heard, and it scared me a little. Now it's just a good electronica album from the 90s--but no one should receive accolades for naming a song "Smack My Bitch Up," in any decade.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Nothing to see here, just a genius in the early stages of genius-ing.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
These songs don't really sound dated at all, which I guess speaks to their quality, and to Tom Petty's ability as a songwriter.
MC Solaar
4/5
Everything the French do is cool, even hiphop. Classy No. 1.
Simple Minds
4/5
Dating myself, but Simple Minds were always one of my favourite bands of the 80s (even if their song titles sound a little pretentious now).
T. Rex
2/5
I mean, Get It On is a classic song and rightly so, but I'm not sure the rest of the album measures up to that standard, frankly.
The Temptations
4/5
Yeeeahhh, this is what I'm talking about.
Tina Turner
4/5
This album was part of my 80s childhood soundtrack, for sure. I can still pretty much sing along with every song, although I should probably let Tina take care of it.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I heard some Talking Heads similarities in some tracks, which is the kind of thing people say when they can't think of any unique descriptors. Comparison is the worst way to comment on music, and yet here we are.
Solange
4/5
That Knowles family seems to be pretty talented. But seriously: listening to this again reminded me of how much I loved Junie when it first came out--well, and the whole album, really.
Joy Division
3/5
I found this to be less abrasive and existential when I listened to it this time as opposed to when I first heard it back in the 80s. Maybe I'm growing as a listener? Or maybe I'm just getting more existential.
Fela Kuti
4/5
This is an amazing collaboration and I'm happy to know it happened and was recorded.
King Crimson
3/5
Another legacy of my prog-rock boyfriend, because King Crimson was his absolute favourite band. I've probably heard Larks Tongues in Aspic Part 2 five hundred times. OK, maybe 200, but still--A LOT. And I still think it's a great tune!
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
I've always enjoyed Ali Farka Toure since I discovered him on his albums with Ry Cooder, and it was great to hear an album I was not familiar with.
Nina Simone
5/5
The incomparable Nina Simone. I could listen to hear sing the phone book, if phone books still existed.
Fugees
4/5
I'm grateful to listen to this album front to back, because I somehow missed getting into the Fugees in the 90s, and I only really knew the hits. Love that they shout out Ontario on Cowboys.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
A bona fide classic. Not much else to say.
Happy Mondays
3/5
I admit I didn't listen to this one very closely, so I don't really have an opinion on it.
DJ Shadow
4/5
This was a very interesting discovery and a cool listen. The Twin Peaks quote in the last track was just the icing on the cake.
Deep Purple
3/5
This album was about right for my mood this morning, which gives it extra points.
Fleet Foxes
5/5
Perfect album for the rainy October day I listened to it. 100% fall-core music, as the kids might say. But probably do not.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
A fantastic live set. The last track in particular is a delight.
Korn
2/5
Can't believe I listened to over an hour of Korn. Not really my thing, but if you like it, enjoy it.
Björk
5/5
My absolute favourite Bjork album. The pleasure is ALL mine.
Soul II Soul
4/5
groooooooves.
Ah well, back to life, back to reality.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Blues from a master.
The Smashing Pumpkins
3/5
I was just a bit too old for intense Smashing Pumpkins fandom, but I can appreciate their place in the late/post-grunge era canon.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Elvis Costello is one of the great songwriters, and I don't think he gets enough credit.
Cornershop
4/5
There are some great grooves on this, and now I finally know what album "Brimful of Asha" is on (I know it's a disgrace that I didn't know that). People don't seem to put Cornershop in the acid jazz basket, but I think they definitely have some DNA in common with that genre, and I like it.
Anthrax
2/5
OK, well, Anthrax is not my thing, but I did listen to the whole album. I guess I can say that there is a definite uniformity of intensity throughout the whole thing which gives it a cohesion. And that's good, I guess.
Moby
5/5
I love this album. I'd say I wore it out when it was first released, if it were possible to do that with digital media. My CD definitely got a lot of plays, is what I'm saying. Although when I hear this again I can't help but remember that Heavyweight episode where Jonathan Goldstein's friend went to confront Moby about stealing his Smithsonian Collection CDs and using them as samples for the songs on this album. Puts a bit of a different spin on it.
Iron Maiden
2/5
This album is kind of a lot to deal with on a Monday morning, but it woke me up, I guess.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
I'd always heard about this album but have never listened to it, so this was interesting. Some cool tunes, and I liked the "sounds of the studio" stuff on Intro.
The Fall
2/5
I can never really get The Fall, but I know they're supposed to be important so I keep trying.
Kelela
3/5
I had never heard this album before, but there are some really good songs, and the production is very interesting.
David Bowie
5/5
A statement like this is the kind of thing that gets a person piled-upon on social media, but this is my favourite David Bowie album. Every song is fantastic, and Donny McCaslin's playing is the perfect addition. RIP to one of the greatest.
Metallica
2/5
It's just that an entire album of that kind of sludge-y guitar sound that Metallica really likes is kind of a lot, if you're not really a fan.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
3/5
This is some classic bluegrass and gospel and country swing and it's great, but a double album is...a lot. I did like the first album quite a bit, though.
Jurassic 5
4/5
I Am Somebody who really likes this album.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I'd forgotten--or never realized--how diverse the instrumentation is on this album: mandolin, flute, various saxophones, and they all work pretty well.
Miles Davis
4/5
I read Miles's autobiography not too long ago, so it was great to have a focused listen to this album that was so innovative in its time.
The Pharcyde
4/5
I love this early 90s phase of hiphop that was so jazz-influenced. These are some tasty grooves.
Alanis Morissette
4/5
Every woman who was young in the 90s wore out this CD, thereby becoming confused about irony for the next couple of decades. Regardless, I still think these songs rock.
The Strokes
4/5
I remember when this album was considered to be so edgy and new, and now it just sounds like indie rock. That's not a bad thing, mind you.
Bob Dylan
4/5
What can you say about such a classic album? Even the cover photo is iconic.
Lenny Kravitz
4/5
I definitely listened to pre-big scarf Lenny Kravitz a lot in 1989, and somehow that horn honk in Mr. Cab Driver didn't sound so ridiculous back then. Anyway, the grooves still groove. And the strings in Empty Hands? Totally forgot about those.
Pixies
3/5
I wasn't really into the Pixies when this first came out (I found it a bit too "noisy" and angry and angular) but now it's growing on me. Maybe I'm getting more angry with age? Or more appreciative of a wider of range of music? I hope it's the latter.
Missy Elliott
4/5
The grooves! The grooves. Flip it and reverse it, the grooves persist.
4/5
What can you say about this album? One of the greatest, by one of the greatest. I wish the musical would have happened.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I've never actually sat down and listened to this entire album, because I thought I wouldn't like it. Turns out I don't mind it so much, although some of the sounds are a little out there.
Aerosmith
3/5
Aerosmith feels very much like a product of its time (aka the 80s) now, but I can't deny that I still enjoy Love in an Elevator. The song, I mean.
Gorillaz
4/5
A band that probably a lot of people wrote off as a cartoon gimmick is actually really good, who knew? Also, I got definite flashbacks of the time I used to play piano for Suzuki violin classes when I heard Left Hand Suzuki method.
The Undertones
3/5
This is some fun new wave/post-punk UK pop that I knew nothing about until listening to this, and I was happy to learn about it.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
2/5
I'm just not really a reggae fan, is the thing, so I don't think I can objectively comment on this album, as much as I would like to.
Rush
3/5
When I was an undergrad music student, my Rush-obsessed friend used to get drunk at parties and recite Rush lyrics like they were poetry. They were not, in my opinion, poetry.
Anyway, I've always kind of liked their hyperbolic prog rock, and I think I'm obligated as a Canadian to be proud of them.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Well, this is a classic album, of course, and it feels a bit short, to be honest. I could have listened to a bit more Jimi.
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I really like these songs and these old synth sounds.
The Smiths
3/5
I forget how upbeat a lot of these songs are, because The Smiths always seem to be associated with being dour and melancholy. That's all Morrissey's fault, I guess.
Portishead
4/5
I think I'm more into UK trip hop now than I was when it came out, and this is a must-listen.
Fugazi
3/5
I wasn't sure I liked Fugazi, but it turns out I do.
Echo And The Bunnymen
4/5
This was exactly the vibe I needed to hear today.
Jethro Tull
4/5
Flute rock! I've always really liked this album, and it was great to hear it again.
OutKast
3/5
I didn't really get into Outkast until Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, so it was great to fully listen to this album and appreciate another of their really influential releases.
Michael Jackson
4/5
Regardless of how problematic he became, early Michael Jackson is undeniably good music.
Violent Femmes
4/5
When I was a music student my friends and I used to have folk music jam parties (to be fair I mostly listened or banged on a pot while my friends played music), but because I loved Blister in the Sun so much I learned to play it on accordion. It's pretty easy, but that doesn't change how great it--and this album--is.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Yeah, I don't know if I get Pere Ubu, but this was still interesting to listen to.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Better Living Through Fat Boy Slim
Beatles
3/5
It's great to really sit down and listen to these classic songs that you think you know, and appreciate new things about them.
Prince
5/5
The thing about growing up in the 80s was that you only heard what was on radio, or on whatever cassettes you had chosen to buy at the record store, or maybe you saw some videos on MuchMusic (I'm Canadian). So the albums you knew, you knew WELL, because you wore out those cassettes, and when you hear them again, you remember EVERYTHING. This is one of those albums for me.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
This isn't so much my thing, but I still appreciate hearing important albums outside my comfort zone--and to be fair there were moments I really got into it.
David Bowie
4/5
A classic, full stop.
Alice In Chains
3/5
I was into the whole grunge thing at the time, but not Alice in Chains so much (I was a Pearl Jam girly). Nonetheless, I did enjoy hearing this album again.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
I've heard a lot about this album, but I've never actually listened to it, and it is as good as advertised. By the Time I Get to Phoenix is a TRIP.
The Specials
3/5
I'm only into ska in small doses, but I get that this was an important album in its day.
Steve Earle
3/5
Some easy-listening alt-country from the 80s was exactly what my overworked brain needed when I listened to this.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
I mean, I've heard Maps and it's a great song, but I had no idea the rest of this album was so effing PUNK ROCK.
Nick Drake
5/5
Ahhhh, listening to Nick Drake lowers my heart rate. The man died too soon, but at least he left us some beautiful music.
Massive Attack
5/5
I really love this album. These grooves are just exactly what I like.
Ramones
3/5
It's amazing the staying power these songs have, even after 50 years. This is rock n roll in its purest form.
Thundercat
4/5
Thundercaaaaat! Baaaasssss! Kendriiiiiick! Even Kenny Loggins!
Joe Ely
3/5
These songs sound incredibly timeless, despite having been recorded almost 50 years ago. The man knows how to write a classic country song.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
I feel like these sounds are slicing through my brain.
Carole King
3/5
These songs are about as middle-of-the-road 1970s as you can get--which, let's be clear, I am not saying is a bad thing.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Who can resist the ultimate crooner singing these timeless songs? Two big thumbs up.
Hugh Masekela
4/5
Love the modal jazz influences here, reinterpreted in an African context. This was a great album to learn about.
George Jones
3/5
Every track is an example of an expertly-crafted country song.
Pavement
3/5
I've had problems getting into Pavement whenever I've listened to them in the past, but I enjoyed this album more than I expected to. I guess I've evolved :)
Bob Dylan
4/5
Well, this album is just chock full of hits, isn't it?
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Nightmares On Wax
4/5
I had no idea what to expect from this, but I really enjoyed it.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
Kind of sounds like Talking Heads but somehow a little incomplete...;)
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Classic jangly folk-pop. I have to admit that those apostrophes really bother me, though.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I never realized how many horns were on this album, and how bluesy Stop Breaking Down is.
Radiohead
5/5
I remember when this album was self-released and everyone was talking about the "pay what you want" thing and how radical that was. I think only a band as big as Radiohead could have made that system work--then and now--but it was a real album of great songs and not just a gimmick.
Sonic Youth
3/5
Sonic Youth is another one of those bands that I know are loved but that I've had a hard time getting into. That said, I did enjoy listening to this more than I expected to. Sometimes a little noisy guitar rock is just what you need on a Tuesday morning.
Gotan Project
4/5
I liked this so much I listened to it twice. This is how I like my accordion.
The Dictators
3/5
I always wondered about the band that forced the Canadian electronic artist to change his name from Manitoba to Caribou. Coincidentally, I also live in the province of Manitoba. This band is...fine, I guess.
Beatles
4/5
I mean, what can you say about this album? It's the Beatles!
Elvis Presley
3/5
I'm not really an Elvis fan, but I enjoyed listening to the album that inspired the Clash's most famous album cover.
The Killers
4/5
I listened to this album when it was released, but I didn't get obsessed with the Killers like a lot of people seemed to be at the time. These songs are bangers, though, it's hard to deny.
Motörhead
3/5
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this turned out to be a much more melodic and enjoyable listening experience than I thought it would be.
Talk Talk
5/5
I knew I loved Talk Talk from the first moment I heard "Life's What You Make It." It is, indeed, and more Talk Talk makes it better.
Lou Reed
3/5
Nice to hear the album containing some of Lou Reed's biggest hits. I did not know it was produced by Mick Ronson and David Bowie, but I'm glad it was.
Fleetwood Mac
4/5
Always great to listen to Tusk (the song), and I was happy to hear some other songs I wasn't familiar with. For example, Sisters of the Moon is a banger.
Jane Weaver
4/5
I had never heard of this artist before, but I really enjoyed listening to this album.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was interesting, with some very funky, acid-jazz-type tracks and then some...other tracks. It made more sense to me once I learned it was the soundtrack to an imaginary film, though. The vibes ain't nothin' but the vibes.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This is definitely an old-school hiphop album, as the Wikipedia article says, but it's great to hear beats like these again. Who You Funkin' With? is a JAM.
Cocteau Twins
5/5
I'd completely forgotten how much I loved this album when I first heard it. Great to listen to it all again.
Nick Drake
5/5
This album is too short and Nick Drake died too soon.
Tom Waits
3/5
Any Tom Waits album is a remarkable journey, and this is a great one.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
I'm not so into blues, so it's hard for me to objectively evaluate an album like this. Of course Clapton is a monster player, and anyone can appreciate that.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
There were some really interesting songs on this album, interspersed with some that didn't interest me so much. That's life, I guess.
Cream
2/5
It was interesting to learn this was the album with "Sunshine of Your Love" on it.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
I thought I knew every song on this album forwards and backwards, but I had completely forgotten about Witness. Cyndi Lauper does reggae!
Manu Chao
3/5
I enjoyed learning the story around this album (that it was recorded in various locations around the world on a "clandestine" laptop).
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Great to hear the original version of America, one of my favourite songs (I first heard it on Paul Simon's live double album from his concert in Central Park), and of course Mrs. Robinson.
The Undertones
4/5
I had never heard of the Undertones before, but reading the Wikipedia article about this album helped me discover that I knew their lead singer, Feargal Sharkey, because of a solo hit he had in 1985. Also, this is a kick-ass punk album.
James Brown
3/5
They called him the original showman for a reason.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Definitely sounds like a Bob Dylan album.
3/5
The Kinks aren't band I think of often, but whenever I do listen to them I enjoy it. Love the horns on this album, although some tracks do seem to go on a bit too long.
Heaven 17
3/5
For some reason when I first glanced at this album cover I thought it was some obscure Pavement album. PSA: this music does NOT sound like Pavement.
Kanye West
4/5
It's nice to go back and listen to a really good early Kanye album from before he started having...issues.
Carpenters
4/5
In addition to Karen Carpenter's gorgeous, crystal-clear voice--one of the best ever in pop music--these songs have great, timeless arrangements, including some unexpected Swingle Singers-type stuff, and a virtuosic flute solo at the end of the last track.
Ozomatli
4/5
I had never heard of this band, but this album is a jam.
Brian Eno
3/5
I always keep meaning to listen to more Brian Eno, so this was a great opportunity to do so.
Funkadelic
4/5
No one does funk like the Delic.
David Bowie
3/5
Some obviously classic bangers--Young Americans, Fame--but also some tracks that sound a bit unfocused (although I still like them). I can see why reviews were mixed at the time of release, but I think this album has probably aged better than people expected.
Green Day
3/5
Great to hear some of these tunes again.
The White Stripes
4/5
Meg White for life.
CHIC
4/5
just classic disco grooves
Norah Jones
4/5
Ah, the soothing voice of Norah Jones is always a gift, but especially on a day when I probably am too tired to process anything else.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
The back-to-back hit of Sir Duke and I Wish knocks me off my feet (pun intended). Also, I was today years old when I realized that Gangsta's Paradise is based on Pastime Paradise. And Black Man is a JAM.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
I respect the Cowboy Junkies and it's great to see an important Canadian album represented in this list, but honestly this album puts me to sleep.
Kate Bush
5/5
One of my all-time favourite albums. My morning alarm is set to Waking the Witch--this is how much I love this album. Seeing it be rediscovered by a new generation of fans because of Stranger Things was an absolute vindication of this amazing music.
Ice Cube
3/5
Because I am An Old, this is what rap is supposed to sound like to me.
The War On Drugs
4/5
I really loved this album when it first came out--over 10 years ago, which seems hard to believe!--and I still love it now. Passionate, evocative guitar music ftw
Lauryn Hill
3/5
I think I understand more why this album is so highly regarded. There are some great songs here.
Meat Loaf
4/5
This is musical theater, really. I can almost bet that every theater kid in the 80s acted out Paradise by the Dashboard Light at high school dances. Because we were so cool.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
This is a little too trippy for me, honestly.
New York Dolls
3/5
The New York Dolls are one of those bands I wish I could have seen live back in the day. I bet they put on one hell of a live show.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Really shows the blues roots of this band.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
The horns on this album! I can see why it was the best-selling salsa album of all time when it was released. I also enjoyed the little West Side Story quote in Pedro Navaja, even if it was most likely ironic.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Elvis Costello has a kind of ageless appeal that will always be cool--or maybe I just think that because I was an 80s kid.
The Icarus Line
2/5
I dunno, this just sounds like an average rock album by an average rock band. Don't @ me, but I can't really hear the significance of it, I'm sorry to say. Meatmaker is kind of a different and interesting track, I guess.
Frank Ocean
5/5
When this album first came out I was going to a fancy university that a lot of wealthy students attended (although I was neither fancy nor wealthy), and at the end of the school year the neighborhood was littered with all the stuff those students threw out: perfectly good furniture, food, clothes. Just stuff they didn't want anymore, that many people would have been happy to have. I wandered around looking at all of this waste with "Super Rich Kids" in my head and thanked Frank Ocean for the perfect soundtrack.
Coldplay
5/5
I know it's not cool at all, but I really like Coldplay.
Adele
4/5
I mean, of course I've heard this album before and appreciated her powerhouse voice, but I'll Be Waiting is an unexpected jam.
Sigur Rós
5/5
Seeing Sigur Ros live was one of the most transcendent experiences of my life.
Massive Attack
4/5
I've loved every Massive Attack album I've ever heard, and this one is no exception.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
She undeniably has a powerful and versatile vocal instrument, but there's just something about this R&B/pop style that doesn't hold my interest after awhile. The arrangements are good, though.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
There was only one Janis Joplin. Interesting to read that the crowd noise was added separately so that this would sound like a live album.
U2
5/5
U2 was my absolute favourite back in the 80s when they were the biggest band in the world. This album was highly anticipated, and when I first heard it the sound hit me like a ton of bricks. It was so different than anything they'd done before. Did I hate it? Or absolutely love it? Like a lot of artistic changes in direction, this music took awhile to grow on me, but once I loved it I REALLY loved it.
Suede
2/5
I dunno, a lot of Britpop stuff just rolls right past me and doesn't make any kind of impact. It's fine, it's just not particularly for me, I guess.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
This definitely sounds a bit more twee than it did when I first listened to it in 2006--when it just sounded weird but super-interesting--but I'll still defend Joanna Newsom and her drunk baby voice and her harp to the death.
King Crimson
3/5
This is prog rock in its essence, as only King Crimson can do it.