Back half better than first half

Probably would like it with another couple listens. The instrumentals are good

Fun blues BB king sounds great the whole way through

Awesome South African music, such a good singer and the songs are beautiful

Disappointed. It’s Queen, but they get so much better on the next albums. Great musicians but the songs just aren’t as strong

Probably was pretty cool in 60s, but now sounds really dated. Janis kinda sounds like Marge Simpson on a lot of this. Sometimes it works though, but mostly this isn't a great record. I'd stick to the singles

Not really my thing. Production is cool and some interesting songs, most of the lyrics aren’t relatable for me

Great from t

Pretty bad and really stupid. Production is cool, but can't get over the terrible lyrics

It was alright. Not a big metallica fan in general. The riffs become monotonous after a while. Master of Puppets is still a classic song though

Really good singing and playing here just not my usual music genre.

Singles are great. Album is very good. This was way better than I remember when it first came out. He’s had even better records and this one gets overlooked, but it stands on its own. Jack white is so good at creating his own little electric blues rock fantasy world on his albums

Probably was cool in the 60s. Not very good sound and pretty run of the mill blues rock. Janis sounds like Marge Simpson sometimes.

Great album. Great storytelling. Great vocals, dynamic even when constrained

Great album. Opener is great. Beautiful ones is great. Darling Nicki is what I imagined every prince song to sound like. Side 2 to this record is even better. Only criticism is that sometimes the synths sound a little too ghostbusters, but ghostbusters kinda rules so whatever. I like princes shrieking on some of the tracks here, so good. Purple rain alone would have made this album worth listening to

Good: synths tasty, hits hit, good 80s Bad: some of the sins are long and kinda boring

The pros: Guinea pig noises on kemistry around 2:30, proto-wubs on the last song Cons: 2 hours long, sounds like AI music, and the singing is bad

Songs very distinct. Happy guitar, sad morrisey. One day I’ll love this band, but for now I only like them

Going into this album, I expected to kinda like most of the songs just based on Layla. I ended up liking even more of this record than I thought I would. Clapton (and Allman) are better guitarists than I had given them credit for. I was worried that this record was going to be an hour-long geetar circlejerk, but it's not. The songs are good and the guitar, at least for the most part, serves them well. Lyrical content is pretty exclusively about trying to smush George Harrison's wife and it's only thinly veiled - Derek = Eric, Layla = Patti Boyd. I wish George made a counter record to this. The whole love triangle might be the best british rock lore out there. This album definitely deserves it's spot on the list. I struggled between a 3 and a 4, but then Layla came on. It's a light 4. ------------------------------ Highlights: Bell Bottom Blues, Keep On Growing, Key To The Highway, Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad, Little Wing (way better cover than I thought it would be), Layla Stinkers: Have You Ever Loved A Woman? -------------------------------- My Rating Scale: 1 - Trash. Why is it on this list? 2 - Mostly disliked, some good/great tracks 3 - Mostly liked, some exceptions 4 - It's great, with one or two misses allowed 5 - Masterpiece

For an album old enough to be pulling social security checks, it holds up pretty well. Marty Robbins lyrics center around 3 themes: God, guns, and dying. The songwriting is straightforward, guitar fills in the space that Marty isn't using. Album cover screams clearance record bin. Nothing spectacular, but this is a good record if you're looking to do some driving or relax by a camp-fire somewhere. ------------------------------ Highlights: Big Iron, Cool Water, The Master's Call, The Hanging Tree, El Paso Stinkers: None of them are that bad, maybe Billy the Kidd. -------------------------------- My Rating Scale: 1 - Trash. Why is it on this list? 2 - Mostly disliked, some good/great tracks 3 - Mostly liked, some exceptions 4 - It's great, with one or two misses allowed 5 - Masterpiece

I’d rather listen to vampire weekend. Album sounds great and the playing with time is cool along with the angular guitar riffs throughout, but this doesn’t really do it for me. Mr. Projector sure knows his way around a DAW (please teach me btw), but maybe having an outside producer would’ve helped them with creating a more cohesive project. There’s something here, but it feels more like noodling on a MacBook than anything else.

Is this a 5/5? It might be, the songs are great, earnest, and the album sequencing is near-perfect. I will dare is such a great opener, followed by favorite things is so good. I love Androgynous too. This album picks up right where The Clash left off for me. I love this record

This album was everywhere - but it really hasn’t aged well. Corndog lyrics and fat sausage compression everywhere. This album must’ve been great when you’re 13 Good songs are the singles: Papercut, Crawling, In the End, and One Step Closer. Didn’t mind a Place for my head and Forgotten either. The other tracks are weak and don’t do anything for me. It’s not a great record, but I like this Linkin Park more than the U2-rips of their later stuff that I’ve heard. Solid 2/5

This was so much better than I thought it would be after rolling the horrid Goldie album last week. The songs were still too long in places without much variation, but I enjoyed them still this time. I can’t overstate how much I didn’t want to listen to this, and how relieved I am to have enjoyed it Favorite song was Kein Trink Wasser

Only knew islands and the intro song before coming into this, and after VCR I wasn’t sure about this record. I ended saving about half the songs. This album is a particular type of vibe and if you’re in the mood it’s great. I don’t think this is an absolute must listen though. Still good. Strong 3/5

This took multiple listens to get into. This isn’t the David Bowie I was familiar with on Ziggy Stardust and it’s kinda hard to believe that these albums are only a couple of years apart. Production on this record is great. Bass is jumping and grooving. Drums sound explosive. Synths hold up to this day. If all bajillion of the records Bowie has on this list are this high-quality, then I’m game for them. Highlights: speed of Life, Breaking Glass, Sound and Vision, always crashing in the same car, be my wife, warszawa, subterraneans Stinkers: none really - weeping wall was my least favorite though. Feeling strong 4/5. Couple more listens and this might be a 5/5 too. Mack rating prediction: 5/5

Lyrics mostly about guns and wieners. Production is good and yeah it makes sense to be on this list, but there's not much here I enjoy. Too long, the skits are trash, and won't revisit this again. If I'm listening to hip hop from this era I'm going for something else. Probs not west coast at all cause it all got infected by Dre at some point in the 90s. Give me something like Public Enemy or Paul's Boutique instead any day. Ice Cube is better too. Weak 2/5

One minute it's shitty wham, next it's shitty MJ, then it's some other shitty rip. How does an album like this get on this list? What context am I missing here? This is so bad. This may be the worst album I've ever heard. Why the fuck shouldn't I be able to die without hearing this? Only positive is that it isn't that long. Holy shit this thing sucked. Listening to it is a human rights violation, they should be playing this at gitmo

another british dance album... seriously...... 2/5, please no more. its not even bad, just bored

These songs are great, not a dud on this record. Close to a 5 on this, but this just isn’t what I’d reach for when I’m putting something on. With enough listens this’ll probably become a 5 for me. Strong 4

This is good not great. We have 5 better Beatles albums to go, this one feels like filler. I’m sure this killed on Ed Sullivan but meh now. Michelle, in my life, and girl are good. Most songs are good, but not great.

I love everything about John Prine. I love the simple arrangements and the pithy lyrics. I wish we also got Bruised Orange on this list. 5/5 and I will always have a place for these songs. Your flag decal won’t get you into heaven anymore is relevant today just switch the lyrics around a little to “red hats”

They lost me with the first song. I do not like this it’s old and only on here because it was famous for being some first hippy music. The singles were good but otherwise I do not care for it. Low 2/5, bummed about it because somebody to love and white rabbit are both so good.

I liked this more than I thought I would based on the description. I like the twangy guitar and the songwriting was pretty good. Only song I really didn’t care for was Little Rock N Roller. I see a direct line from this to Tyler Childers today. Strong 3/5

The introduction kills and then up until the last 1/4 of the record it’s so good EXCEPT free form guitar is a pile of dogshit that completely took me out of enjoying the record. There’s something about a fat, mid-heavy bass line that I love and it’s all over this record. Throw in some hype horn hits and this band is such a good concept. I feel like they kinda get overlooked now - especially with how many records they sold over the course of like 30 years. The last 1/4 of the record is just a big ass jam that never ends, not bad but idk why they included it. With a couple cuts I think this is at or close to a 5/5 but there’s not a chance I can go higher than a strong 3/5 with free form guitar on the track list.

Do not recommend listening to this in the car, this is headphone music. Idk there’s some cool stuff on here, like the closer with Timbaland - even with how dated it sounds, but most of the record MIA seemed bored. I think I’ll stick to Paper Planes and maybe the closer. Bird flu is alright too. The Pixies interpolation hurt my soul, you play a dangerous game when you use source material that’s better than what you’re doing. Just made me want to listen to Pixies

This was great to listen to. Mingus brings you along through and entire jazzy story. I enjoyed this record so much, but I agree with corbobb that there’s better Mingus out there (Mingus Ah Um imo) still feeling a 5/5 on this, I’ll definitely be listening to this again. Mingus forever!

Definition of cock rock, but I like legs so weak 2/5. Won’t revisit

I expected this to be kinda lame because Simon and Garfunkel are lame. Maybe not though, this was pretty good white bread music. Silent night must’ve blown the nips off people in the mid 60s but the current events rapid fire over a hymn doesn’t hit so hard 60 years later. Overall I did really like this album, I like Graceland more though. Between a strong 3 and light 4, but going with a 4 because Artie deserves it. Paul Simon sounds like a dick - Art kinda does too idk

I fell asleep on 3 separate occasions listening to this - still pretty good tho

At first I really thought this album sucked - the songs are super campy. Then I listened again and realized that these songs are, for the most part, really good. This album does suffer from being a collection of singles with no real cohesion, but there are a lot of good ones lurking: when the love light starts shining thru his eyes, twenty-four hours from Tulsa, anyone who had a heart, actually most of these are great. Colouring book is not one of them though, that’s a stinker. Too many songs but I did listen to the expanded edition cause so not really holding it against our girl Dusty. We all know what the lyrics “hold him and kiss him” mean, right? 60s lyrics are great

Good-ish But Doesn’t Feel Amazing

Look this thing is too long and the Raekwon talks too much in the skits, but there's something about this I really like. I like the contrast with Ghostface on just about every song, except Rainy Dayz. That was kinda buns and went on too long. I really liked Verbal Intercourse once they got done with the gibberish. There's just a shit ton of songs on here Probably won't revisit though unless I get super into Wu-Tang, which if it could happen to Shkreli, it can happen to anybody.

I love this LARP shit, but no one can love Moonlight. Strong 3/5 would’ve been a 4 if not for that 5 minutes of garbage. Seriously it’s like they just wanted to waste some studio hours

Really enjoyed my first listen of this. Obligatory comment about his raspy voice. Lyrics are so engaging if you can discern what he’s growling at you - “there ain’t no devil, just god when he’s drunk.” Musically this album is great too, lumbering blues and jazzy chords evoke a smoke-filled nightclub. I’m gonna have to listen to this a couple more times and I bet I’m gonna love it even more, but for now I’m feeling a healthy 4/5

Didn’t care for the first 3 songs but then it started to pick up for me a bit. Goddess on a Hiway is a good rocker and I pretty much enjoyed every song after that as well. Probably won’t revisit though except for the singles. Another 3/5 for me

Is this better than the debut? Idk, but someone else could make that argument and they might not be wrong. I love the compact songs here - 11 songs 33 minutes that’s what I’m talking about. Favorites are Rikki Don’t lose that number, night by night, with a gun, and Charlie freak. Strong 4/5

The mix is dirt but it’s good dirt. This is darker funk and I really like it. I’ll definitely be listening to this whole thing again. A solid 4/5 from me

This is some of the best power-pop out there. Hanging on the Telephone is such a great opener from the staccato vocals to the sneaky little keyboards in there to the short and forceful guitar solo, its so good. It's a little harder to hear One Way or Another after growing up with it in so many movies and ads, but it's still a great song and you can't sleep on the guitar solo in this either. Fade away and radiate is a grower and a shower. Will anything happen is some good punky-pop, some might say pop-punk. Heart of Glass is one of the best pop songs. Is this what disco could've been? Every song on here does something for me. 5/5 Debbie Harry is so cool

5/5 every song saved except Rat Salad which was still a great break on the album No one crushes a riff like Black Sabbath. Bands have based their entire music career on this record, and these dudes cranked this out in the studio in 2 days. Whatever they say about Black Sabbath is true, they’re the best heavy metal band of all time.

It’s a 5 duh

We were due for another boring UK electronic album

Dance sounds like flight of the concords which I found amusing. If I were in a club in the early 90s then maybe this wouldn’t have been as boring and monotonous, but I’m not so it was. Also what is going on with track names on this album? We get Dance and African Dance? Feeling free and feel free?

Ah the sweet embrace of primo dad rock. Does every song sound the same? Yes. Do I love that one 37 minute song? Yes. Do I sing these songs in the car when all I have is the classic rock radio station? I try Absolutely impressive on a technical level that this was created in a basement by an MIT educated Polaroid man deceiving his record label that they were in a professional studio the whole time instead. The guitars are so loud in the mix, but that’s what I came here for. That doesn’t mean that the singing is anything to stick your nose up at though, this guy has some serious pipes. Look, I’m going to give pretty much anything approaching power pop a pretty high score and that’s something you need to know about me. We’re going with a soft 5/5 on this one. Absolutely something you should hear before you kick the bucket

Let’s get this out of the way. It’s long and the first 45 minutes don’t really do much for me - except for Desolation Row. I love that song and still do after a 11:30 minutes of a live performance. This really kicks into gear when the full band comes out, Dylan’s voice is louder and the way he’s sneering into the mic as he delivers a billion lyrics over his super long songs somehow works for me. All in all, I get that this is a touchstone for music. It has moments of greatness and I like where he’s going not so much where he started. Strong 3/5

This is a tough one. On one hand I hear so much of what I love later from the near future like bauhaus to the 90s where nine inch nails take the torch. I will say that I don’t know how these guys got a record contract because this is such an unsettling album with no commercial value. I like most of these songs I really do, I don’t know if I can ever “like” Frankie teardrop but damn if that didn’t make me feel something. This should be on the list even if it’s not enjoyable. Another strong 3/5

Is this relaxing or is this just boring? Idk man, i like big band frank more and bossa nova without frank more as well. 2/5

One of the first questions when I see a double album is would this be better if they trimmed it down to make one amazing record? In this case, I don’t think so. I don’t think you could lose a single song from the concerto for a rainy day and that’s a whole side right there. I do think we suffer a little from streaming this rather than having the physical album to help define how each side of this album fits together. The first side kicks off with like 5 bangers in a row. Turn to stone tells you everything you need to know about what you’re in for - orchestral strings mixed with rock n roll, an electric light orchestra if you will. I love the horns in across the border and the almost doo-wop sweet talking woman before it. Side two is a little more varied in sound, but still unmistakably ELO. A little disco here, little soft rock here, whatever Jungle is too. I think this side adds great variety and is where I’m going to continue to find some of my favorite deep cuts from this record. Now if we had the physical vinyl of this we’d have a short break while changing the record before we hit what might be there MO - the concerto for a rainy day. I need this on vinyl because I could wake up and just listen to these next 4 tracks and they make a great little unit within the overall record. Out this batch I have to say Mr. Blue Sky is still my favorite, and is one of the best songs from the 70s overall imo, but Summer and Lightning was new to me and is a close second. By side 4 we’ve listened to a lot of ELO but they aren’t out of ideas yet, sweet is the night is so soothing, even with its melancholic, yet hopeful lyrics. We do get what might be the only cuts from the album I’d make here with the whale and Birmingham blues but even then I don’t mind these. Wild West hero is kinda funny, wants to be a little cowboy on the prairie roaming around - I like it. Yes I felt the need to go through each side because I get the ELO fatigue that can happen on this record but it’s such a landmark of the 70s rocksphere that I think it deserves it. I haven’t even mentioned the vocoder yet, but yeah it’s there and it’s great. And look at that giant spaceship on the cover - was that just a 70s thing? I’m into it. There’s only a couple of other double albums that I think match this - London Calling being one of them, can’t wait for that one and Songs in the Key of Life as well. Anyway my review is now the length of this ELO album. 5/5

This was alright, idk it’s not my thing

So I really wanted to like this more than I did because of how much I love Ever Fallen In Love, I Believe, and a couple others. Some of the highlights from this album for me were Fast Cars, I need, Orgasm Addict, Whatever Happened to...? I think this is a grower album for me because I like it the more I hear it which I find kinda strange since this is such a straightforward album, what you hear is what you get. Right now though I'm feeling a 3/5 on this. Definitely makes sense to have this band on the list given how many bands took up after them, but this isn't my favorite record from this period.

2nd Leonard Cohen album. You Want it Darker was probably the wrong intro into Cohen, but I loved that record so I have high hopes for this bad boy. He actually sings on this one, but don't expect a wide range here. Starts with a classic - Suzanne. Didn't take long to get some biblical references did it? An issue with this project is that we don't get a whole lot of time to dig into the lyrics of each album that we get, and this is certainly one that I want to read along while I listen to it. Really enjoyed these songs: Suzanne, Master Song, Stranger Song, Sisters of Mercy, So Long Marianne, Teachers, and One of Us Cannot Be Wrong. That's almost the whole album. I liked the others but not as much. Guitar picking on this is simple and so good. The closer might be my favorite. I think this Cohen guy is going places. Feeling a 5/5 on this, another one I wish I had on Vinyl

I'm gonna say it, on this one UK electronic album, I could use less vocals and I think I'd really be into it. To be fair though, this probably doesn't count as an electronic album. Feels like one though The instrumentals are really cool, definitely hasn't been helped by the deluge of chill lo-fi hip-hop beats to relax to, but this being the source of that is cool. I get why this is on the list, must've blown some minds when it came out. That being said will I return to this, probably not? But now I can say I've listened to Portishead and that's gotta make me 1% cooler than I was before. By far the best record of this ilk that we've gotten on this project. I'm lumping it in with Goldie and that Leftism album, but this one is way better. Can't wait for some nerd to tell me that's not a fair comparison but whatever 3/5

Couldn’t get through all of it. Tapped out on Radio Interlude. I don’t need to hear this before I die. 1/5

This was some good British 90s rock best played loud. Probably will keep listening to this album. I liked almost every song here, cept the closer. Rob didn’t need a theme. Straight 4/5

I may be all Danned out at this point. Once again the record sounds amazing and there’s some great highlights here like Deacon Blues, Josie, Peg. Liked the groove on Home at Last a lot too. If we got this one first it would’ve been a 5, but I’m tired now. Immaculate 4/5

I’m way behind on albums and I wasn’t excited for this one. Blues isn’t really my thing but this record kinda ruled. I really liked the simulated live atmosphere of this record and it wasn’t super long. Top tracks were the one with Bonnie Ratt and also the Los Lobos track. 4/5

Totally new to me and was pleasantly surprised. This picks up where nick drake left off but makes it a little more rockin if you can call it that. Seems like it’s best enjoyed as a whole album, it strikes a similar tone across the whole record. Light 4/5

Opens with The Weight 2.0 which is not a bad thing. I still have a soft spot for the title track and caravan’s good too. I’m not a big Van Morrison fan but it reminds me of one of the old dudes I played disc golf with in Florida who’d play it all the time out on the links so for that I give it a decent 3/5

Boy was this dumb. I don’t get why this was so popular. It’s loud but not in a good way, I would definitely dial to a different classic rock station if I heard this on the radio. That being said I bet it was fun to play for them so light 2/5

This is a great album. I want more time to listen to it. The opener avalanche and famous blue raincoat are the best that any singer-songwriter has to offer. This is an improvement on his debut, but I guess Cohen didn’t agree saying that it was overproduced and a failed experiment. I disagree and give it a light 5/5. I could spend time with Leonard every day

I love this record and how much it steals from every rock band before them. 2/3s of the songs on here could be singles and the swamp songs are good breaks. It’s loud guitar music with nasally simple vocals meant to be sung along to, it’s great. 5/5 no complaints

I do like these songs for the most part, mostly as background music though. One rules and Kirk's guitar solos are crazy on this album, but damn this mix is still terrible. Justice for Jason! 3/5 wouldv'e been 4 if the mix didn't sound like it was created for tin cans only