Sign 'O' The Times
PrinceDouble albums donāt usually hit the mark for me. This one is an exception. Excellent album. Love it from beginning to end. 5/5.
Double albums donāt usually hit the mark for me. This one is an exception. Excellent album. Love it from beginning to end. 5/5.
š¤Yes! Van Halenās debut album. This will be an easy one for me to rate. Iām a Van Halen fan and like a majority of their discography including the Van Hagar tenure. Their debut album is absolutely jam packed with great songs. Yes, Eddie shreds on the guitar but it was the backup harmonies on a lot of their songs that put it over the top for me. It adds a layer you donāt expect from a āhard rock band.ā Yes, Dave could get a bit campy with his lyrics and act but thatās not really found on this record. Ice Cream Man is the closest to that here but itās still a jam. Iāve always appreciated Jamieās Cryinā and Little Dreamer from this album. Underrated gems in my opinion. Thereās only one song on Van Halen that Iām not crazy about and that is the closer, On Fire. I donāt care for the vocals on that one but it wonāt hurt my rating. Van Halen by Van Halen gets an enthusiastic 5 from me. 5/5
In Rainbows is an absolute gem of an album. It has become my favorite Radiohead piece of work. I was late to the party with In Rainbows too. Iād liked All I Need for some time before I finally checked out the whole album. Instantly loved it. For this listen, I walked around our neighborhood and it was great accompaniment for my little jaunt. But this album is really good for any occasion, in my opinion. This is an easy 5 rating for me. 5/5ššššš
I have to admit, I was not a big White Stripes fan, so when Jack White started doing solo projects, I only kind of paid attention. I do know some of the songs off Blunderbuss but never heard the whole album. Itās weird, there isnāt one thing I can point to that I donāt like on Blunderbuss. I just know I donāt want to listen to these songs over and over again. The music is good. The production is good. The lyrics seem good. However, this album just doesnāt grab my attention. I think Jack is talented and I feel like I should like and appreciate his art more and yet I just canāt seem to get there. Blunderbuss is a 3 rating for me. 3/5
Solid album. Would listen to this album again. Slamming Bass lines for days! Knew the hits. Never listened to this album before. Did add the album to my library after listening to it. Definitely like some deep cuts that would add to playlists in the future. Love New Religion, My Own Way, Last Chance on the Stairway. Didnāt really care for Chauffer and Hold Back the Rain. Possible 4 rating
I understand the importance of this album so much so that I already had it in my library. First off, I really dig the guitar tone on many of the tunes. However, I only like certain songs from the album and not the album as a whole. Love Disorder, Shadowplay and Interzone and to a lesser extent, New Dawn Fades, Sheās Lost Control and Day of the Lords. The rest I can do without. To actually sit and listen to the whole thing is not something I really care to do. Unfortunately, that knocks this down a few stars for my rating.
This album is fine. Nice. Calm. If youāre in the right mood, it is quite pleasant. Itās good background music. The music doesnāt illicit any kind of real feeling or emotion for me. I donāt love it. I donāt hate it. Itās just there. 3 stars seems right.
Ah, the Wu-Tang. I was always aware of Wu-Tang Clan but didnāt spend a lot of time with their music which is a little surprising given my love and appreciation for 90ās hip hop. Iāve revisited their catalog later in life and come to appreciate it more. My biggest issue with many hip hop albums from this era were the āskitsā and added material outside of the actual songs. Most of the time, I found it tedious to get through an entire album. For this album, I do enjoy the Kung Fu material but some of the other āskitsā I wanted to end sooner than they did. However, the songs, beats, and vibe of this album are great. This whole group should not work. 9 members? No way. But it does. And works so well. Wu-Tang Clan aināt nuthing ta F wit! Extremely strong 4.
Iām not going to waste a lot of words here. Iām not a big Elvis fan but I tried to listen to this with an open mind. Nope. Hot garbage. Thereās maybe two songs I can kind of tolerate and thatās pushing it. Have no desire to hear this again. Ever!
This is another one where I knew the hits but had never listened to the album. It has two of my favorite Hendrix songs, Little Wing and Bold as Love. Strong solid album. Donāt understand the opening track. Didnāt like it. Outside of the opener I enjoyed all but two of the other tracks. However, the good outweighs the not as good here and I would still give this a 4.
Double albums donāt usually hit the mark for me. This one is an exception. Excellent album. Love it from beginning to end. 5/5.
There were things I liked on this album and things I did not like. Enjoyed the beats and enjoyed GZAās delivery. Didnāt really get into the kung fu aspect of the album. Itās another one that I didnāt hate or love. Not sure I would make a point to put this on. If it was on in the background I wouldnāt mind either. Have to go 3/5
Actually didnāt mind this album. Reminded me of a few other artists. Some Bowie, Psychedelic Beatles, and Weezer just to name a few. Will probably wind up adding this to my music library. Listened to the whole thing a few times just to try and get the full experience. Iām giving this a 4.
Not a bad track on this album. Itās such a vibe. Didnāt hurt that I got this album while we were at the beach. I already had this one but Iām always down to jam this again and again. Easy decision here, 5/5.
This has been the hardest album for me to review and rate so far. I like early Beatles music. And I donāt like early Beatles music. The āboy bandā era for them is fun, peppy, and, for me, sometimes tedious. A lot of the songs start to sound the same. So āWith the Beatlesā was a test. Iād never listened to it. Wound up going through it twice. Honestly, I enjoyed a majority of the album. Starts strong with the first four songs. āLittle childā loses me, but the next six are good. āDevil in her heartā and āNot a second timeā are okay. And then it ends really strong with āMoney (Thatās What I Want).ā Iām pretty sure I would play this album again and could see it making it into my rotation. Iām going 4/5
Bit of a chore to find this album. Finally got it on You Tube. I did not like this. I tried to give this a chance but to no avail. It was a struggle to finish. There had to be a better album to put on this list. No thanks. 1/5
My Kings of Leon history goes like this⦠I got interested in Kings of Leon. I really liked Kings of Leon. I hated Kings of Leon. Iāve ignored Kings of Leon. Revisiting this album after not listening to it by choice for over ten years is interesting. The singles are damn catchy. You canāt deny it. It helps that Iām not hearing them all the time anymore. Positives: The opener is hands down my favorite track. The creepy, spooky vibe is a delight. Revelry is probably my second favorite. It reminds me of My Morning Jacket. Honestly, tracks 1-6 are pretty good. Negatives: I canāt stand 17. The young girl infatuation songs by grown men are just gross. Skip. As catchy as Sex on Fire might be, I donāt particularly like it. The back half of the album isnāt as good as the first half. (Notion is a decent song.) I can see myself listening to some of these songs from time to time but to play the whole albumā¦I just donāt see that happening. Sometimes absence doesnāt make the heart grow fonder. 2/5
Never heard of this group or album. There are songs on here that I could listen to again if I was in the right mood. Elements in some of these songs are interesting. The horns popping up in some of these songs are a nice and unexpected touch. I can kind of understand the appeal and why this would make the list. I donāt see myself putting this whole album on again though. 2/5
Iām in the U.S. so that is the one Iām rating and reviewing. However, I wish Motherās Little Helper and Out Of Time were on the U.S. version to replace Stupid Girl and Goinā Home. That wouldāve bumped my rating up a 4 or maybe 5. I always appreciated the Stones bluesier and grittier sound over the Beatles(especially early Beatles). That style is highlighted on Aftermath. My favorite stretch on the album is tracks 5-8, Doncha Bother Me to High and Dry. Paint it Black is one of my all time favorite Stones songs and a great opening song. It just sucks that Stupid Girl and Lady Jane follow that up on the track listing. Under My Thumb is musically great, lyrically not so much. To rate Aftermath as a whole, I have to go with a 3. Itās not a great album but it is one I can put on with some minimal skipping of certain tracks. 3/5
I will admit up front that I am biased on this one. During the summer of 1994, I drove from Lubbock, TX to Temple, TX almost every weekend. This album was my accompaniment for those trips. Iād missed the boat on Soundgardenās previous album Badmotorfinger but jumped on board with Superunknown. Fell on Black Days and My Wave are my two favorite tracks but every song is great on this album. Even Kickstand, which I always found fun and silly. The only āfillerā on this album is the short next to last song Half but itās just a little over two minutes long so I can let it play through with no issue. It doesnāt hurt my rating here at all. I still enjoy this album regularly. 5/5
I respect Bonnie Raitt and think she has a great voice. But, this album is a big olā helping of NOPE for me. Even the blues songs on here feel over sanitized. It feels like a Hallmark movie had a love child with a bad 80ās or 90ās rom-com. Bless your heart. No desire to hear any of this again. 1/5
Whew! All Things Must Pass is tough to rate. That was a lot of music to get through. Itās my biggest issue with double, or in this case, triple albums. Too much material. Take the best songs, put them together and make a classic album. To be fair though, a majority of this project is pretty good. It wasnāt until the very end where I started skipping through songs. I get it. First album after the Beatles break up. George had a lot to say and probably prove. Thatās fine. Getting your ideas rejected while being in the most famous band in the world surely takes a toll. I did enjoy the āWall of Soundā production. Itās an added piece that kept me engaged. At the end of the day, I just donāt know if I would listen to the album again, much less, many more times. Iām leaning no, to a slight maybe. So noncommittal. Right or wrong, Iām going a middle of the road 3 for this one. 3/5
Iāve known about So since it came out. I was 13 years old in 1986. A constant MTV viewer, so the videos for Sledgehammer and Big Time are ingrained in my memory. Same with the boombox scene from Say Anything and In Your Eyes. These three songs have stayed with me to this day and I still enjoy them fairly frequently. However, I never really spent much time with the whole album. I knew Red Rain, Donāt Give Up and Mercy Street but for whatever reason they didnāt resonate with me as well as the āhits.ā So, no pun intended, to revisit this album all these years later was actually a delight. I found it to be musically and sonically very pleasing. I read that Gabriel explored his love of R&B and soul for this record so I listened to it with that in mind. Clearly, my younger self couldnāt appreciate musical nuances presented in many of the songs. I enjoyed this album a lot. I canāt give it a 5 as it doesnāt hit that category for me but a really strong 4 feels right. 4/5.
Let It Bleed is one of my top Rolling Stones albums. For a long time, all I owned was a Greatest Hits Collection for the Stones. I seemed content with that. A few years back, I decided I would check out some of their albums and one of them was Let It Bleed. After listening to it again for this particular project, it seems my thoughts are still the same. Gimme Shelter and You Canāt Always Get What You Want are monster songs. Epic in their own right. I donāt mind the country songs but I do prefer Honky Tonk Woman over Country Honk. The ācream onā line in Let It Bleeds always creeps me out a little. And Iāve come to really like Monkey Man and Midnight Rambler the more I listen. Itās a great album by The Stones and gets a 4 from me. 4/5
Iād heard Wake Up and Rebellion (Lies) and had both songs in my music catalog. After listening to the full album, I still only like those two songs. Not much else on Funeral that I could get interested in or enthusiastic about. The word milquetoast comes to mind. Itās really about a 1.5 for me but Iāll say 2 out of the kindness of my heart. 2/5
I like the title track to this album and the Mrs. Robinson cover. Thatās basically it. There wasnāt much else that I could get into. And, I read the Simon & Garfunkel cover wasnāt even on the initial release so points lost there too. Maybe Iām being too harsh but I really didnāt care for this album. Iām giving it a 1. 1/5
I knew The Jam but Iād never heard this album or any songs from it. With that said, I quite enjoyed All Mod Cons. It felt very British so Iām sure I missed a lot of lyrical references. Doesn't matter though because this was just fun to listen to. As a fan of both The Clash and The Police, Iām a little embarrassed I donāt know more from The Jam due to some of their shared musical styles. I would definitely listen to this again. Iām giving it a 3 rating but only because Iāve only heard this the one time. If I spend more time with All Mod Cons, I could see that number going up. 3/5
I didnāt mind Nilsson Schmilsson. It definitely had a variety of musical styles throughout. Turned out I did know a few songs from this album; Coconut, Without You, Gotta Get Up, and Jump Into the Fire. While I didnāt mind this album, Iām still on the fence on if this is something I would own and listen to again. A few of the songs are a tad campy. However, the only song I didnāt care for at all was the closer. Itās another middle of the road ranking for me. Iāll go 3 for Nilsson Schmillson. 3/5
In my music listening history, Iāve only dipped my toe into the world of Jazz. Iād focused mainly on the work of three artists John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis. Birth Of The Cool is one of the albums of Miles that Iād checked out with my Jazz curiosity. I really enjoy the around three minute runtimes on each of the songs. Iām also a sucker for a stand up bass. I canāt speak intelligently on Bebop vs Cool Jazz or the importance this record had at the time. I just know I do enjoy it, so Iām giving Birth of the Cool a strong 4. 4/5
š¤Yes! Van Halenās debut album. This will be an easy one for me to rate. Iām a Van Halen fan and like a majority of their discography including the Van Hagar tenure. Their debut album is absolutely jam packed with great songs. Yes, Eddie shreds on the guitar but it was the backup harmonies on a lot of their songs that put it over the top for me. It adds a layer you donāt expect from a āhard rock band.ā Yes, Dave could get a bit campy with his lyrics and act but thatās not really found on this record. Ice Cream Man is the closest to that here but itās still a jam. Iāve always appreciated Jamieās Cryinā and Little Dreamer from this album. Underrated gems in my opinion. Thereās only one song on Van Halen that Iām not crazy about and that is the closer, On Fire. I donāt care for the vocals on that one but it wonāt hurt my rating. Van Halen by Van Halen gets an enthusiastic 5 from me. 5/5
I did not care for this at all. Wound up skipping through most of the songs. Itās a 1 rating for me. 1/5.
I like the first song, Movinā On Up, on Primal Screamās album Screamadelica. Nothing else. This is a 1 rating. 1/5
Bjƶrk is very interesting and unique. Her vocal style alone can keep me interested in a song even if Iām not digging the music. So, itās a bit of a bummer to not like Debut as much as I think I should. I want to like it more, I really do, but I canāt seem to get there. Human Behavior and Come To Me are my favorite tracks. Then there are four songs I like, followed by the rest which are either okay, or I donāt care for at all. (So sophisticated with my explanation) Iāve landed on a 3 for my overall rating. 3/5
I had a hard time with Joni Michellās Court and Spark. The music sounded dated. Very seventies, but not in a good or even nostalgic way. I like a lot of music from this decade but I could not get into this album. Joniās vocals over some of the music just didnāt fit. It was like trying force a square peg into a round hole. And I had an issue with her vocal style and pattern on many of the songs. One of the descriptions I read for this album said Joni was in between her folkie past and jazz rock future. I think that is fitting. Court and Spark feels indecisive and bumpy like being on a flight with tons of turbulence. Youāre never comfortable and you want it to end. There were only a few moments that I found intriguing, but at least those few times convinced me to bump this to a 2. 2/5
Two Joni Mitchell albums in a row? I do have some better things to say about Blue than I did for Court & Spark. Iām still not crazy about Joniās vocal style but there are at least full songs on Blue that I can say I enjoyed. (Little Green & River). Plus the music flows much better and makes more sense on Blue than Court & Spark. If someone else did the vocals for some of the songs on Blue, I feel Iād actually like those songs. As it stands, I donāt seem to be a fan of Joni Mitchell based on these two albums. While I did find Blue more tolerable, I still canāt get above a 2 for my rating. And please donāt make me listen to three Joni Mitchell albums in a row! Kidding. Not kidding. 2/5
Something Else By The Kinks starts off pretty good. I enjoyed the first track David Watts. After that, it really lost my interest. In fact, I found the rest of the album to be rubbish. Musicā¦Rubbish. Vocalsā¦.Rubbish. Lyricsā¦Rubbish. Alright, Waterloo Sunset is a decent song. Something Else By The Kinks is considered a classic British pop album? Sorry, donāt see it. Very forgettable. I like other music by The Kinks but this album gets a 1 rating. 1/5
I had a moment with this album back in the 90ās. More specifically the song Scooby Snacks. Not sure Come Find Yourself by Fun Lovinā Criminals has the same effect as it did on someone in their early twenties. Actually, I know it doesnāt. With that said, this is not a horrible album. It has a few moments. For example, the opener is fun. And there are a couple of other halfway decent songs. BUT, there is also a lot of nonsense and bad songs here. Iām actually surprised this album made the list. Basically, this has been a long winded way to say there is a reason I havenāt listened to Come Find Yourself since the late 90ās. Yeah, I found myself and it didnāt involve the Fun Lovinā Criminals. Itās a 2 for me. 2/5
I thought the only Dusty Springfield song I knew was Son of a Preacher Man. After hearing A Girl Named Dusty, it turns out I knew a few more! This was an absolutely lovely listening experience! I had no prior history with A Girl Named Dusty. But I will have future encounters with it. I added this album to my music library as soon as I was done. And I didnāt know she was British! I learned all kinds of things thanks to this album. I really like her voice. Covers or not, this was a delight. A very strong 4 for me. 4/5
Maybe in an alternate universe there is a version of me that likes The Velvet Underground & Nico. In this current timeline, I find this album quite annoying. So freaking annoying. The music is uneven and tiresome. It sounds like a bunch of middle school kids in their first jam session as a band. Lou Reedās voice is quite grating. He sounds like a bad Dylan impersonator. And the other vocals arenāt really any better. I mean, sorry, but The Velvet Underground & Nico is absolute shite. Okay, so itās āgroundbreakingā due to some of the lyrical content. But I canāt enjoy the content because itās unlistenable, experimental garbage. I guess you have to do lots of drugs to enjoy this nonsense. Iāll stop because I have nothing good to say here. Itās a 1 rating officially but really a big fat zero. 1/5.
Most of The Beach Boys sound is very dated to me. That is the case for their album Today! Itās perfect music if you are āgoing to a sock hop,ā or wanting to ask your gal to āgo steady.ā Listening to this in 2025 as an adult is not something I would do on my own accord. For me, it does not translate to current day and I have no nostalgia for most of their music. I had a short stint with their music in my junior high days but that was about it. Nothing against their talent and musicianship. I just donāt particularly care to listen to their music. This is a 2 rating. 2/5
While I do like electronic music, listening to a lot of it at once can be a bit taxing. Iām afraid thatās the issue with the hour and eleven minute run time for Better Living Through Chemistry by Fatboy Slim. I know Fatboy Slim and have some of his songs in my music library. However, the only tune I knew from this album was Getting Out Of My Head. Unless youāre out at the club and dancing, the repetitive beats and sound effects on these songs starts to get old pretty quickly. (10th and Crenshaw was super annoying). There are some interesting songs on Better Living Through Chemistry. Mainly, First Down, The Weekend Starts Here, and Going Out of My Head were my highlights. The rest wasā¦meh. Iāve got to go with a 2 for my rating. 2/5
Well that was a hoot. Just a jolly good time was had by all. I had no knowledge of Machito prior to checking out his album Kenya. And I have to say, this is one of the reasons I signed up to listen to 1001 albums. So I could get introduced to artists or albums I have no previous history. I was bummed when Kenya ended. I was really enjoying the rhythms, beats and horns. I mightāve even danced around in my living room a little bit. That was fun. This is a 4 for me. 4/5
āI canāt believe lifeās so complex. When I just want to sit here and watch you undress.ā I donāt know why, but that opening line to This Is Love gets me every time. And with the crunchy guitar riff as the accompanimentā¦I mean, chefās kiss, in my opinion. I have Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea by PJ Harvey already in my library. So Iāve spent some time with the album prior to this listen. It really is a great collection of songs. Sadly, I feel like this is an album I take for granted. After running through it for this project, I asked myself why I didnāt listen to Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea more. I couldnāt come up with a good answer. I really like eight of the songs on this album. And the only song I donāt really care for, in some capacity, is Horses In My Dreams. Will try and get this one in the rotation more often. Itās a great album by PJ Harvey. This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5
I was excited when I saw that Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins was my album for the day. What a great way to start off the week. This is another one of the those 90ās albums that stands the test of time. Iād argue Siamese Dream has even aged like a fine wine. I can play this now and enjoy it more than I did back in the 90ās. Itās the only Smashing Pumpkinsā album I feel this way about. Such a perfect mix of quiet and loud. Plus, sweet and angsty feelings. Sometimes in the same song! Billy and the band really knocked it out of the park on this one. Cherub Rock is one of my all time favorite songs! And then thereās Quiet, Rocket, Soma, Geek USA, Mayonaise, Silverfuck. (Those are my faves) Siamese Dream is just a no skip sensation. I have absolutely no qualms with this album. A mosh pit slamming 5 rating! 5/5
Well, I didnāt know Smokers Delight by Nightmares on Wax prior to this listen. And I think Iām okay with that now that it is over. This album started off with some promise. The first few songs I was vibing with a little bit. Unfortunately, it just kept going on, and on, and on. Eventually, I started to get bored and lost my interest. If a song or two popped up in a shuffle I would be okay with it. I just canāt listen to over an hour of mostly instrumental laid back trip hop tracks. At first, I thought I could get to a 3 but Iāve settled on a 2 rating. 2/5
Is this the soundtrack to Oceans 11? Are Danny Ocean and the boys about to rob a casino? That was my first reaction when I started Moon Safari by Air. (I liked the Oceansā movies, by the way) Speaking of movies, I feel like I heard Sexy Boy in one but canāt place it right now. Thatās gonna bug me. Iāve got to look it up. Hold on. *playing Air for hold music* (See what I did there? I know, itās not that clever) It was 10 Things I Hate About You! Thatās where I heard Sexy Boy! Glad I cleared that up. Anyway⦠Moon Safari is a decent album. It was a fine listen. I donāt mind some downtempo electronica, but, at best, this is probably just background music. Maybe a late night hang out vibe? I could see that. I will add this to my library for just such an occasion. And if Iām being honest, I could see this album growing on me more over time. It does have that potential. For the here and now though, Moon Safari by Air will get a 3 rating from me. I have the sudden urge for a crepe. 3/5
Itās been quite some time since I listened to 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...by Arrested Development. Iād pretty much relegated them to the group who does the song Tennessee. A song I still enjoy from time to time. I remember when this came out in ā92. I even owned the CD for a while. It was different, funky and had something to say. And while I liked it, the majority of the music didnāt seem to stick with me long term. Part of the disconnect, I think, was I didnāt feel the music was really meant for a twenty something white boy. And I was probably too immature to appreciate it. So after listening to 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... for this project, I think my appreciation did improve. The funky beats still land. The album still flows nicely. The message still feels positive, but also a little preachy. It sounds 90ās, but not dated. All in all, I do still like it. However, while my appreciation mightāve gone up, I still donāt feel like Iād play this album any more frequently than before. Therefore, 3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of... by Arrested Development will get a 3 rating for me. 3/5
In my opinion, itās hard to not like the man in black. No matter your music taste some Johnny Cash in it just makes it better. A real man of the people. And the fact that he would go and play at these prisons was such an interesting concept. Now, Iād never heard At San Quentin before this listen and thought it was pretty good. Johnny was funny in between songs. The highlight for me is A Boy Named Sue. There were a few instances where I felt like he might lose the crowd. But then Johnny would ask for requests or do his song about San Quentin and bring them back. It just felt tense a few times and thatās just from the audio. I like this album and appreciate it, but Iām not sure itās something I would put on a lot. As much as I do adore Johnny Cash, I just feel the best I can give At San Quentin is a 3 rating. 3/5
It will not take any Pretzel Logic to come to my conclusion on this Steely Dan album. Which is kind of a bummer. The opening track Rikki Donāt Lose That Number is one of my top five Steely Dan songs. Itās followed by Night by Night, another good song, and I thought we were off to a good start. Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. The only other song I like is the title track towards the end. The rest of Pretzel Logic reminded me more of songs better meant for a B-Sides release. Just not good material. This is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits is a big olā negative for me. I thought I might be able to get something out of a couple of songs. And I did almost come close a few times. Mainly, Iām just annoyed I wasted part of my night listening to this and I cannot get that time back. This is a 1 rating. 1/5
Iām glad to see that Vivid by Living Colour made this list. This is such a great album. When this came out back in ā88, there was really nothing else like it. It kind of blew my little fifteen year old mind. All these years later and Vivid holds up like a champ. I listen to this album regularly. There are no bad tracks or funny vibes either. I feel like Living Colour shouldāve been a bigger band too. Vivid is an easy one to rate. This is a colorful, slamming, and glamour 5. With a wicked guitar solo to boot! 5/5
The abrasive nature of The Downward Spiral is what makes it unique. Itās unapologetically all up in your face and personal space for most of its one hour and five minute runtime. And, unfortunately, itās the same reason I have a hard time listening to it. Itās not that I canāt enjoy some aggressive music because I can and do, but The Downward Spiral just couldnāt do it for me. This also came out during my college years and you couldnāt go out to any club without hearing Closer. That song was everywhere all the time. It honestly started getting on my nerves. Still, to this day, I will skip Closer if it comes on. To some degree, Hurt was the same way. Not as bad but itās right there. I respect what Reznor was trying to do with The Downward Spiral but if Iām going to listen to some Nine Inch Nails, there are other albums I would chose over this one easily. There are a few songs I can pluck off here when necessary but to get through the whole thing is not something that will happen. This is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
The Cure are a band where I know a lot of their songs but havenāt spent very much time listening to their albums. Outside of Wish and then later on Disintegration, I seemed content with a Greatest Hits collection. Firing up Pornography caught me a little off guard with the driving, industrial rock like drums on the opener One Hundred Years. And these same tribal like drum beats continued through the next two songs. Not a bad thing, just a bit unexpected. The stand out track for me is A Strange Day. I really like that one. The rest of the album is really good. The haunting keyboard in Cold was great. I felt like Iād heard that somewhere before. I actually ran through Pornography twice because I felt like I needed to do that just to grasp the full experience. And with the two listens, the only song I didnāt care for was the closer and title track for the album. Pornography is an album I will add to my library. This is a strong album that I will add to my rotation. Iām giving this one a 4 rating. 4/5
Sometimes albums I have a long history with seem to be the hardest reviews to write for some reason. That is the case with Appetite For Destruction by Guns N Roses. This album has been in my life in some capacity since I was fourteen years old. My high school years wouldāve been prime GNR time. This album was just different from the other hair metal out at the time. More raw and dangerous even. Dangerous sounding for a teen. However, even all these years later, I think Appetite for Destruction holds up for the most part. Yes, I have some issues with lyrical content. Specifically, the misogyny. Do I listen to this regularly? Not really. Iāll take songs from it for sure but a full play doesnāt happen a lot. I still think it was an important album at the time and giving this a good 4 rating seems right. 4/5
Probably not an album I would spend much time with. This is a 2 rating.
I know of Belle and Sebastian but havenāt listened to any of their albums. I would say Tigermilk was pretty much what I expected. Soft, jangly, indie pop music. Which is fine. Itās just not something that grabs my attention or is very memorable. None of the songs stand out to me. Just forgettable type music. Tigermilk will get a 2 rating. 2/5
I started trying to check out Lana Del Reyās music about six months ago. I hadnāt got around to Chemtrails Over The Country Club yet so getting this album was perfect timing. First, is this considered sad girl music? I donāt say that disparagingly because I wound up liking this album. Lana has a distinctive vocal style that I do mostly enjoy. The airy voice in parts of White Dress werenāt my favorite. I also got a bit of a Joni Mitchell vibe from Del Rey on this album but where Joni would lose me, Lana is able to pull me in. There were only two songs on Chemtrails that I wasnāt too crazy about, White Dress and Yosemite. But, they wouldnāt stop me from playing the whole album in its entirety. In fact, I ran through Chemtrails Over the Country Club twice because I was so intrigued. The really strong material by Lana got me to give this album a four rating. 4/5
Public Enemy is one of the most distinctive groups, not only in hip hop, but in music history. Chuck Dās memorable voice, the Bomb Squadās beats and, of course, Flava Fav. And Fear of a Black Planet is an extremely important album. Iām not going to say I listen to this regularly, although itās increased due to the most recent election. This is just a classic album. Period. The significance cannot be denied. This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5
I will admit right off the bat that Bitter Sweet Symphony is one of my least favorite songs ever. (I also find the music video just as annoying.) So, when I saw that Urban Hymns by The Verve was my album for the day, I didnāt expect this to be a pleasant experience. Based on my disdain for Bitter Sweet Symphony, I never took the time to listen to this album before today. About halfway through Urban Hymns and this is not as bad as I expected. Some decent songs on here. Iām not crazy about Ashcroftās voice but itās not a deal breaker. I knew of a Ben Harper version of The Drugs Donāt Work. I didnāt know this was a Verve song originally. Whether this is a fair assessment or not, my initial reaction to Urban Hymns is that it reminds me of a mix between Oasis and The Stone Roses. Overall, there are songs on here I donāt mind but Iām not sure this a full album I want to listen to again. Iām going with a 2 rating. 2/5.
I was disappointed while listening to Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) by the Eurythmics. I really like Love Is A Stranger and the title track but unfortunately, the rest of the album was very underwhelming. I kind of liked The Walk but that was the only other song I cared for here. Kind of bummed honestly. This is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
I was not familiar with Jimmy Smith or any of his music prior to this listen. And I have to say, Back at the Chicken Shack was a very enjoyable experience. I always worry about songs with long runtimes but I didnāt get tired of any of these. I saw a good amount of people say this is good background music but I tend to think Back at the Chicken Shack is better than just background music. I really enjoyed the organ and just the overall musicianship throughout the album. Not a bad track on here. I will add this to my library. Itās a 4 for me. 4/5
At first, I was digging the energy of Fun House by The Stooges. It started to wane about song three, TV Eye. Then Dirt brought me back a little bit but the end of 1970 lost me. It just became noise. Fun House, the song, seemed to go on way too long. And the sax was exhausting. I was definitely ready for it to end. But then L.A. Blues started as chaotic as Fun House ended. Nope. It was straight up annoying. I had high hopes for this album but the only song that stuck with me was Down on the Street. The rest was just chaotic, driving noise. Gotta go 1 rating. No desire to hear this again. 1/5
War is a band Iāve wanted to know more about so I looked forward to The World is a Ghetto. I knew The Cisco Kid as well as the title track but Iād never checked out the whole album. And, unfortunately, The World is a Ghetto came up short. Outside of the two songs I knew, the only other one that resonated with me was Where Was You At. The over thirteen minute instrumental City, Country, City couldnāt end fast enough and there wasnāt much to Four Cornered Room to get me interested. The final song was really forgettable. I could maybe play this as background music but thatās about it. I have to go with a 2 rating here. 2/5
Cocaine is a hell of a drug! And Black Sabbath Vol 4 is one hell of an album. Damn this thing rocks! As I type this part Iām nodding my head to Supernaut. That guitar riff is fantastic. I know some Black Sabbath but not this album. So listening to this was like opening an awesome present on Christmas morning. Just banger after banger. I will say the back half of the album slipped a little but was still very strong. I thought the transitions from Cornucopia to Laguna Sunrise to St. Vitus Dance seemed weird and forced. If the track listing moved around some it would flow better, but I digress. The only real misstep is FX. It just seems to be a bridge preparing you to get smacked in the face by a wall of metal after the beauty and calm of Changes. I will take getting smacked in the face by Vol 4 by Black Sabbath any day. This is a great record that Iāll give a 4 rating. 4/5
In Rainbows is an absolute gem of an album. It has become my favorite Radiohead piece of work. I was late to the party with In Rainbows too. Iād liked All I Need for some time before I finally checked out the whole album. Instantly loved it. For this listen, I walked around our neighborhood and it was great accompaniment for my little jaunt. But this album is really good for any occasion, in my opinion. This is an easy 5 rating for me. 5/5ššššš
Exile in Guyville didnāt start off great. Not digging the vocals. This same thought carried through song 4. I do like Never Said. Where was this same energy in the first four songs? The songs directly after Never Said were more tolerable. Well, until Canary. Lost me again. I get Liz Phair is trying to do this sparse type sound but itās just not working for me. This sounds like a demo tape and not actual sussed out material. Iām just perplexed by this album. The only song I like is Never Said. The rest of it is extremely forgettable and, quite frankly, annoying. I want this listening experience banished out of my head. This is a 1 rating. 1/5
Dear God this album bored me to death. Not even the harmonies, which Iām usually a sucker for, could save this one. Some post hippie BS. I have nothing good to say about If I Could Only Remember My Name by David Crosby. Many thumbs down. A 1 rating is too generous, but there you go. 1/5
Itās clear from the jump on Tracy Chapman that the singer wanted to bring to light some serious and heavy issues. Realized this is not a typical āpopā album. I only knew Fast Car and Iāve always liked that song so to dive into the full body of work was interesting. Tracy is very concise with her songs, meaning she says what she needs to and youāre in and out in like three minutes. Three other songs really stood out to me besides Fast Car here; Talkinā Bout A Revolution, For My Lover, and For You. The rest of the album is good. I was afraid I might have an issue with the recording production and the producer making it too slick and sanitized. But, they allowed Chapmanās earnestness and energy to shine through. At first, I leaned towards giving Tracy Chapman a 3 rating but the back half of the album was strong and swayed me up a point. This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5
I am an Alice In Chains fan but unfortunately I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the album Dirt. The songs on here that I like, I really like. That is about half the album. And the songs I donāt like on Dirt, I really donāt like. In further contrast, Would is my favorite AIC song while Sickman is my least favorite song. Iām speaking only of the Layne era here. (However I do like some of the albums post Layne as well.) Listening to Dirt for this project didnāt change my mind on this feeling. Even a few of the songs I like just hit different now that Layne is no longer with us. Feels weird actually. Especially with Them Bones and Rain When I Die. My biggest struggle with AIC has always been the despair and drug references. When done well, like Down In a Hole for example, it works for me. But a song like Junkhead or Hate To Feel misses the mark. Overall I have to give Dirt a 3 rating. Iāll keep listening to the songs I like but a full album play just wonāt happen. 3/5
I know of T-Rex but I havenāt spent any time with any of their albums. I was curious to see what Electric Warrior was all about. Not crazy about Cosmic Dancer or Jeepster. First part of the album is slow going. Do know Bang a Gong (Get It On). Fine song that gets lots of FM radio play. Back half of the album is pretty bland. Nothing on here grabs my attention. There is a meme of Colin Farrell shrugging his shoulders. Not sure what movie it is from. Thatās how Electric Warrior makes me feel. Just a shrug of the shoulders. No real substance. Just blah. If this was the beginning of glam, Iām just not seeing it. Found this quite silly and lame actually. Electric Warrior does nothing for me. This is a 2 rating. 2/5
An over twenty minute opening song that just seems to go on and on and on is not a great way to get me engaged. But, alas, that is what one is expected to do when firing up Autobahn by Kraftwerk. Iād try to listen to this album before and had the same hard time trying to get through it. I do appreciate what Kraftwek did sonically that others took and implemented into their own music. Kraftwerk walked so others could run. I just canāt get into this album. Thereās no chance I would ever fire this up for any reason whatsoever. This is a 1 rating for me. 1/5
My first two years in college, there was a girl who I had some classes with who loved The Doors. It was my first real introduction to the band outside of just songs played on the radio. I eventually got a greatest hits CD and seemed content with that. In the years after college, I had moments where I really liked The Doors. That included loving the movie with Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison. However, the older I got, I found myself listening to The Doors less and less. Iād run through Morrison Hotel before plenty of times, but it had been a loooooong time since that happened. So, revisiting this album was actually quite enjoyable. I like Morrison Hotel. This is a darn good album. I mean, Roadhouse Blues is a jam and a great way to open an album. But itās not just Roadhouse, there are so many good songs on Morrison Hotel. I love Queen of the Highway and Maggie MāGill the best after Roadhouse. Ship of Fools to The Spy is just a treat musically. And honestly, only Indian Summer feels like a weak spot on this album. But itās not a bad song. For too long Iāve had a no vacancy sign up for Morrison Hotel and Doors music in general, but I think Iāll change that back over to just vacancy and allow them into my rotation again. (I know itās a bad pun and certainly not original) The final verdict for Morrison Hotel will be a 4 rating for me. 4/5
Beggars Banquet by The Rolling Stones is a pretty bluesy album. The music here is fine but not great. The two top songs are, of course, Sympathy and Street Fighting Man. The rest of Beggars is just okay. Or in the case of Dear Doctor and Factory Girl, quite silly. Thereās not much here to get very excited about for the album as a whole. As such, I can only get to a 3 for a rating. 3/5
I like the blues and I can also get bored with the blues pretty quickly. Itās the repetitive nature of the music. (Not that repetition doesnāt happen in other music because it does.) Thatās why I get bored with electronic music too. Anyway, Muddy Waters live at Newport flirts with my boredom early on but wins me over in the end with the performance and sound quality. A little annoyed that Mojo was performed twice but I understand heās doing it for the audience. Itās a nit pick by me. Overall, this was a fun listen, and Iād definitely fire it up again. Iām giving this a 3 rating. 3/5
Three songs in and Iām having a hard time with the vocals on this Roxy Music album. The instrumentation is chaotic as well. Editions of You had some promise. I was really enjoying the guitar but the sax and keyboard noise ruined it. The rest of For Your Pleasure was not a pleasurable experience either. There isnāt anything on here I could take away as a positive. I just wanted this to end as soon as possible. I have to give For Your Pleasure a 1 rating. 1/5
I appreciate that Bjork has a certain vision on her projects. I donāt always like the music but I respect the world she creates. Vespertine seems a charming place. Easy going. Calm in its ambiance. And Bjorkās voice guides you along the way. I like how you flow from one song to the next. I enjoyed the journey Bjork takes you on this album. I liked the first half and last three songs on Vespertine best. The middle portion got a stale. The stand out song for me was Itās Not Up To You. Not sure I would play this album very much but it is a great work of art. I think a 3 rating is where Iāve landed. 3/5
I have to admit, I was surprised to see a Deep Purple live album as part of this list. I like Deep Purple well enough but a live recording by them was not expected. Live albums in general are not my favorite anyway. There are a few I like but for the most part, I avoid them. Made in Japan is one I wouldāve avoided. Just a lot of unnecessary excess. I donāt need a 5 minute keyboard solo or a twenty minute version of Space Truckinā. Almost every song I wound up skipping through. This is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
Bryter Layter by Nick Drake is another middle of the road album. The music is fine. Nothing to get worked up about, good or bad. I thought I was going to have an issue with the vocals based on how the opening song started but, again, it was fine. Iām reminded of a quote from High Fidelity for this album. Itās when we meet Jack Blackās character Barry for the first time. He comes into the record store and starts bashing the guys for what they are listening to. (Itās Belle and Sebastian). In the argument Cusackās character, Rob says, āI don't wanna hear old sad bastard music, Barry, I just want something I can ignore.ā Bryter Layter is something I can ignore. I donāt dislike it, it can just be on and illicit no real feeling or emotion. Therefore, this album gets a 3 rating from me. 3/5
I know of Louis Prima thanks to the HBO show Treme. The song they used was Buona Sera which I really liked and wound up adding to my library. However, I hadnāt done any other exploration of Primaās music beyond that song. So, I was pretty stoked to check out The Wildest!. I knew of Just a Gigolo and Jump, Jive Anā Wail! thanks to David Lee Roth and Brian Setzer. Iām also a really big fan of New Orleans music so this listen was just a delight. Jubilant and fun are the words that come to mind. The album cover is absolutely accurate. I have no bad things to say about The Wildest!. I had a great time with this album. I give this a 4 rating. 4/5
I have to admit, I was not a big White Stripes fan, so when Jack White started doing solo projects, I only kind of paid attention. I do know some of the songs off Blunderbuss but never heard the whole album. Itās weird, there isnāt one thing I can point to that I donāt like on Blunderbuss. I just know I donāt want to listen to these songs over and over again. The music is good. The production is good. The lyrics seem good. However, this album just doesnāt grab my attention. I think Jack is talented and I feel like I should like and appreciate his art more and yet I just canāt seem to get there. Blunderbuss is a 3 rating for me. 3/5
Just based on the song Up On Cripple Creek, which is the only song I knew from The Bandās self titled album, I thought I would enjoy this record. Unfortunately, The Band was very underwhelming and I only liked four songs total. The call back to older Americana just didnāt do it for me. I can only get to a 2 rating for this album. 2/5
This is my third Joni Mitchell album for this project and I was pretty convinced that I do not like her music. Hejira had me questioning that sentiment three songs in. I like the instrumentation on these songs, especially the bass. I still struggle with Joniās vocal style in places, but the good overrides the bad. Hejira is the most consistent Mitchell album that Iāve heard from beginning to end. It kept me engaged throughout. I could see myself listening to this again. I keep going between a 3 or 4 on my rating and I think Iām landing on a 4. Hejira has some staying power to come back to multiple times and probably get something new from it every time. I guess I donāt dislike all of Joniās music after all. 4/5
The only Prince album I have is Sign OāThe Times. The rest of his music that I have in my library is a greatest hits/B-sides compilation. So I never spent anytime with his actual discography. Now, the first three songs on 1999, I do know and they are all great. I love Delirious. Little Red Corvette reminds me of a water park I went to as a kid because they played this song constantly. The rest of 1999 was all new material to me. And it was about a 50/50 split on songs I liked and didnāt like. The stand out tracks here were Automatic, D.M.S.R., and Free. Most of Lady Cab Driver was cool. Didnāt really care for the simulated sex part though. International Lover was a bit hokey. Some of the songs I didnāt really care for came down to the lyrics more than the music. I get that Prince was a very sexual being but 1999 seemed like music youād play at an orgy. I mean, cāmon man! We get it already. Ha ha. That does affect my rating because I donāt think I could listen to 1999 in full without skipping through some songs. I gotta go with a 3 rating here. 3/5
First off, what an album cover. Wow. It really caught my attention. Itās sad that 50 years later this is still relevant. Now to the music, I know some Curtis Mayfield material but Iād never heard Thereās No Place Like America Today. This album starts off really strong and continues a wonderful soulful journey over the next six songs. I really love the musical arrangements on these songs. And combined with Mayfieldās vocals, they allude a profound and heartfelt sentiment. I found myself appreciating Thereās No Place Like America Today more and more as I listened to it. I would add this to my library. A very good album. Iām going with a 4 rating. 4/5
Let England Shake by PJ Harvey is not an album that I particularly enjoyed. I didnāt really like the song arrangements, material, lyrics or vocals very much. I skipped through the back half of the album pretty quickly. There were a couple of songs that might bring me back at some point to give this album another try but for now this is a 2 rating for me. 2/5
So, I knew Three Girl Rhumba from Wireās Ping Flag album but this was a fairly recent thing. And that was because someone was talking about Elastica ripping this song off. (Yeah, pretty spot on with that assessment) Iād heard people talk about Wire but never took the time to listen to their music. Pink Flag is a fun album. Fun in the sense that I enjoyed listening to it. It reminded me of Minutemenās Double Nickels on the Dime. And yes, I know the Minutemen came later. Iām just talking about my listening experience. Quick, concise punk songs. Yes please! This is a 4 rating for me. 4/5
Iāve heard different people and music critics reference Pet Sounds by The Beach Boys as a definitive album in history. Iām not a big fan of the band myself but I was interested to see what this album was all about. Right off the bat you notice the sound quality and production. And I do like Wouldnāt It Be Nice. Good album opener. A little rocky with songs 2-4. Although I did enjoy Thatās Not Me. The sweet spot for me on Pet Sounds is from Iām Waiting For The Day to Here Today. That little stretch is quite good. The last three songs are okay. I think I can understand why this album receives so much praise. I would listen to this again. A 4 rating from me. 4/5
Even early on a Sunday morning, drinking coffee and trying to ease into the day, Africa Brasil by Jorge Ben Jor got me tapping my foot, swaying and dancing in my chair. Well, not so much dancing but wiggling around a bit. The beats and rhythms are just too damn infectious. The language barrier makes no difference. I really like most of the album. There were a couple songs that were just okay. They were close to the end of the album. The standout track for me was Xica da Silva. This is a pretty easy 4 rating for me. 4/5
Iāve had Green Onions in my music library for quite some time but never had the full album experience. Even as talented as Booker T & The MGās are, I still have a little trouble getting through a whole record of just instrumentals. I do love that organ, but probably in smaller increments. Not 12 straight songs. Again, I think these guys are really talented but listening to this whole album multiple times probably wonāt happen. This is a 3 rating for me. 3/5
So I thought the vocals by Marley were a little different on the first few tracks from other music of his. His voice sounds different. Maybe it was just me. It didnāt affect my feeling of Natty Dread though because I really liked the album. The No Woman No Cry was different from what Iām used to as the version I have from a greatest hits album is a live recording. Probably prefer the live version better but the Natty Dread album version is good too. The title track and Am-A-Do werenāt my favorite but they are okay. Not deal breakers by any means. There is something about Marleyās music that soothes the soul. Itās nice to kick back and listen. Iām going with 4 rating for Natty Dread. Would add this to the rotation. 4/5
I like some electronic music but Our Aim Is To Satisfy by Red Snapper would not fall into that category. This album intolerable. Did not enjoy and was not satisfied. A 1 rating. 1/5
I know the title track from John Lennonās Imagine but that is it. I didnāt really like the country vibes on Crippled Inside and Jealous Guy was an okay song. It started to bore me a little by the end. But then Imagine started to pick up for me on song 4, Itās So Hard. And Gimme Some Truth was the highlight of the album with How Do You Sleep? being a close second. I do wish it wouldāve ended with How? because I didnāt care for the closing track Oh Yoko! Pretty cheesy. Overall, I enjoyed most of this album. I donāt know what it is but I didnāt like the ballads as much. They bored me. This is a strong 3 for my rating. 3/5
This is my second Velvet Underground album for this project and Iām afraid Iām just not a fan of this band. The Velvet Underground is a much more tolerable album than the one with Nico and the banana on the cover but it is still not something that grabbed my interest. Beginning To See The Light and Pale Blue Eyes are the songs I didnāt mind. But Pale went on a little too long. I just donāt dig this music. This is a 2 rating. 2/5
This is just a classic album. The performance is iconic. Cash is in great form during this performance. I would run out of superlatives describing Live at Folsom Prison. I like all the songs, and the haunting way he sings 25 Minutes to Go gets me everytime. Top notch all around by Cash. This is a 5 rating for me. 5/5
Hell yeah! Ill Communication! To me, this was the Beastie Boys at their weirdest and most creative. Check Your Head is still my favorite album but the journey you go on throughout Ill Communication is pretty sweet. I have to admit I didnāt appreciate this album as much as I shouldāve back in the day. While I loved Sure Shot, Root Down, and Sabotage, I overlooked some of the deeper cuts. But that is where the magic lies on Ill Communication. I love that there is a song talking smack on Bill Laimbeer (Tough Guy). I enjoy all the Ma Bell and Knicks references. There is funny moments all over the album. But there is also great substance in some of these songs. Ill Communication is just an all around great record. This is an extremely strong 4 rating. 4/5