244
Albums Rated
3
Average Rating
22%
Complete
845 albums remaining
Featured Review
Kid A
Radiohead • 5/5
Kid A marks the departure of Radiohead from their 90's grunge and alternative rock into a more avant-garde sound and from a great band into something truly special. It feels moody, complex, sometimes chaotic, often beautiful. It pulls on multiple musical influences from jazz in "The National Anthem" to electronica in "Idioteque" which are all held together by Radiohead's intricate rhythms and Thom Yorke's ethereal vocals cutting across the whole album. Despite it's diversity, it flows as a complete album. It's like Radiohead managed to create a perfect microcosm of my musical taste and I'm sure I'll be listening to it for many years to come.
Rating Distribution
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Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Blues
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
24
5-Star Albums
10
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
They Were Wrong, So We Drowned
Liars
|
4 | 2.11 | +1.89 |
|
Fisherman's Blues
The Waterboys
|
5 | 3.2 | +1.8 |
|
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
Meat Is Murder
The Smiths
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Ágætis Byrjun
Sigur Rós
|
5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
|
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
|
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
|
5 | 3.44 | +1.56 |
|
Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols
Sex Pistols
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
|
5 | 3.52 | +1.48 |
|
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
|
5 | 3.54 | +1.46 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
|
1 | 3.89 | -2.89 |
|
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
|
1 | 3.67 | -2.67 |
|
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
|
1 | 3.34 | -2.34 |
|
Welcome To The Pleasuredome
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
|
1 | 3.11 | -2.11 |
|
The Doors
The Doors
|
2 | 3.95 | -1.95 |
|
Very
Pet Shop Boys
|
1 | 2.94 | -1.94 |
|
Kala
M.I.A.
|
1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
|
Tapestry
Carole King
|
2 | 3.91 | -1.91 |
|
Fly Or Die
N.E.R.D
|
1 | 2.86 | -1.86 |
|
Arular
M.I.A.
|
1 | 2.83 | -1.83 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 3 | 5 |
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nick Drake | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| M.I.A. | 2 | 1 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 5, 1 |
| Johnny Cash | 3, 4, 1 |
5-Star Albums (24)
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Popular Reviews
The White Stripes · 2 likes
3/5
Like with a lot of The White Stripes, this album has its ups and downs. Obviously it starts with what is now a cult classic and the album continues at this high level for a few tracks.
They are at their best when playing heavy rock with deep blues influences but there are periods where they slip into what I think of as "children's tv soundtrack mode". On this album that is the likes of 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself' and 'In The Cold, Cold Night' that sound lame and really kill the vibe. It's a momentary lapse because the album soon picks up into some great rock music but the problem is it mars the enjoyment of the whole because any borderline vocal delivery makes me worry its about to slip back to CBBC.
Overall its a very good album that could have been a great album just purely by omitting the shit tracks. Very difficult to rate on that basis but it is an album I would happily own so probably just scrapes four stars (I wrote the above before listening to the final track which so perfectly highlights my issue with this album that I am downgrading to a three).
David Bowie · 1 likes
4/5
This album treads more softly than "Ziggy Stardust" and I think it's worse off for it. The music seems to come with more overt blues and jazz influences and fewer tracks that stand out as pure Bowie. Unusually, I found myself far more impressed by the singles than the album as a whole. I know this is sort of a transition album for Bowie and to me it sounds slightly diluted. Still some nice moments of discovery and I listened through twice.
Wilco · 1 likes
2/5
After the first track I had already classified this as "another boring American indie rock album". There was one moment, during "Jesus, Etc." where I thought that this might give me something more, but generally my initial assessment was validated. It's not bad, it just plods along with very little variation and monotone vocals. There were a couple of moodier moments towards the end of the album that had a bit more meat behind them, but never enough to change the general assessment. Nothing interesting to see here, lets just move on.
Mj Cole · 1 likes
1/5
At first I thought that I was going to buck the trend and actually enjoy this album because I do have a soft spot for the UK Garage sound. Unfortunately, as much as I might have enjoyed the odd track as a throwback, as a whole album this is almost intolerable. I like electronic music but I find the beats in this are just too simple and repetitive and fail to build to anything interesting. Once you have heard the first few bars of a track you have heard it all and have to sit through another three minutes. The vocal samples are also basic, repetitive, and often just intensely irritating. I have previously given two stars for albums I haven't enjoyed but that I feel have an enduring influence to popular music. I don't hear that with this album and I am genuinely surprised to see it on this list. I don't see how anyone can claim you must hear this before you die and I don't think it was especially influential at the time or since.
Sabu · 1 likes
2/5
I feel like this is quite context dependent. I can imagine enjoying this live, on a hot humid night, in a outside bar under corrugated iron roof, dancing around plastic chairs and drinking cheap rum. As it is, I quite enjoyed listening out of interest but can't ever imagine myself listening to the album again. I think it deserves more than 1 star on the basis of artistic merit and being an interesting historical recording of folk culture. Personally, not my thing though.
1-Star Albums (10)
All Ratings
Metallica
3/5
Too heavy for my tastes with a frenetic rhythm guitar that tends to match an impressive high rpm drum beat. The effect of this is a wall of noise that makes a repetitive, uninteresting ear assault. I enjoyed the intro of most songs but found I lost interest after the first drop. Welcome Home (sanitarium) is a pleasant mid-album interlude and there are a few great moments in Orion which I really enjoyed. Also, there are killer guitar solos throughout. In general, highly skilled musicians creating a sound that I don't particularly enjoy. The album finishes with the alluring intro of Damage Inc, luring you into the false sense of security before giving way to the ear pounding which I guess is "Thrash metal" - not a fan.
MGMT
4/5
My opinion on this one will be biased. Released when I was 17 it became part of the soundtrack to my university days, particularly Kids which was played in every club night I can remember during my first year. After what is probably my first critical listen, the album is more varied than I remembered but just sings to me of the noughties, an optimistic time pre-financial crash and pre austerity, where me and my fellow millennials were coming of age. It still feels like a youthful and fresh, but if I'm honest, there are probably some tracks that I would find fairly average out of context. However, I will never hear electric feel, kids, or time to pretend without being transported back to that time.
Depeche Mode
2/5
First ever critical listen of any Depeche Mode. This album felt like an uninteresting slog with a cool 80's vibe. I found the music dull and vocals contrived and pretentious. At its best moments I was reminded of Morrissey but without the humour or the brilliance. Generally found the album very boring and I doubt there will be a repeat listen.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
First listen to this album although I had heard of TVU as I'm fan of Lou Reed's Transformer. First impressions were really positive, a varied and interesting album that encourages repeat listening. Some vocals like Sunday morning sounded Dylanesque, then others with Reed's cool delivery. I listened blind then looked at the date and couldn't believe this was made in 1967. I can totally see how it has a reputation as being ahead of it's time. I can see myself getting into it even more after multiple listens. A win for this project from my perspective.
Foo Fighters
3/5
Any single track was an enjoyable, if formulaic, rock track but altogether the album became an amorphous chain of "rock noise". Quite enjoyable but nothing special. Floaty was a highlight in that it had more variable rhythm and vocals. It struck me during the guitar solo in Oh, George that there were very few instrumental breaks or guitar solos in the album, further adding to the feeling of simplicity. Not a bad album but lacking depth in my view.
Santana
3/5
An interesting mix of bougie cafe music with rambling guitar solos, blues and latin vocals. Why don't we utilise the bongos in rock music any more? Am I supposed to light a spliff, play air guitar, or dance the salsa? All questions I was pondering before being distracted by an electric organ solo. I enjoyed the album but I can't decide when I would listen to this. Maybe I'll throw a house party, make some punch, a prawn cocktail, vol-au-vents, and fire up a cheese fondue (car keys in the bowl please).
Sufjan Stevens
3/5
One of the first thing I noticed about this album is the excellent production quality. I am a real fan of a natural and live sounding production and this album gave me that "in the room" feel whilst still providing good isolation of the wide range of instruments. Musically I found it pleasant and pretty but not groundbreaking. A nice blend of folk and indie with quite simple and intimate songs. I'm more likely to use as inoffensive background music rather than a deeper listening. That being said, I probably will mark this for a repeat listen.
The Temptations
4/5
A great listen. Apart from the unexpected lyrics of Run Charlie Run, the album was a funky delight. Upbeat and soulful vocals. The style seems to leap around all over the place a bit and at first I thought it was very short but I've now realised that Papa was a rollin' stone was missing from the album in Tidal (weird/annoying!) which accounts for it's shortness. I enjoyed it like taking a funky little journey back in time.
Sabu
2/5
I feel like this is quite context dependent. I can imagine enjoying this live, on a hot humid night, in a outside bar under corrugated iron roof, dancing around plastic chairs and drinking cheap rum. As it is, I quite enjoyed listening out of interest but can't ever imagine myself listening to the album again. I think it deserves more than 1 star on the basis of artistic merit and being an interesting historical recording of folk culture. Personally, not my thing though.
MC Solaar
2/5
Quite a cool groove and still sounding surprisingly fresh considering how hip-hop sounded generally in 1990. I have always liked how rap sounds in French, the flowing nature of the language suits flowing verse. The problem is, despite the best efforts Miss Onslow, I don't speak French. I feel like understanding the lyricism is 80% of all rap music. My typical British ignorance of foreign language limits this to a 2 star album for me, I'm afraid.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
What an absolute banger. I was instantly into this album that begins with almost punky vocals, chaotic rhythms and dissonant guitar riffs. I can hear influences on Tropical Fuck Storm (a favourite) that can't be coincidental. The album mellows out in the second disk into some gentler tracks but still with lyrics that raise eyebrows and a grin. It is a great mix of musical complexity and variety, organised chaos, humour, and lyrics with occasional beauty that doesn't take itself too seriously. An instant favourite for me.
Bob Dylan
5/5
I often think Dylan is overrated, particularly if you let recent performances cloud your appraisal of him. Listening to this album has been a great reminder of why he deserves his acclaim. It's raw, soulful, politically challenging, simple but beautiful. Like all good folk music, it somehow makes me feel nostalgia for a place I've never visited in a time 30 years before I was born. My advice to skeptical listeners is to try to listen to this album in isolation, putting aside preconceptions of Dylan and ignoring the subsequent hero worship. It's a truly great album and probably his best.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
I remember the hype about this album. I don't mind a bit of sampling and looping but this has the feeling of someone experimenting with a new technology for the first time and people liking it just because it's novel. I find the first 30 seconds of each track is ok, bit of a groove, 3 mins later I'm bored stiff from hearing the same looped rhythm and lyric samples for the thousandth time. This album might have seemed fresh and interesting once but I don't hear any long term musical merit and I don't think it will stand the test of time.
Slipknot
2/5
To me slipknot has always been "metal for the mainstream". I remember them being played on music channels like Kerrang! at the time alongside Nickleback, which says it all. Listening as objectively as I could manage, I didn't hate it. There were some good moments and tight musicianship although I didn't enjoy the vocals at all. I still think it sounds contrived and too refined, maybe too commercial? I just can't get the image of those uniforms and silly masks out of my head.
Louis Prima
3/5
Very enjoyable listen. Reminded me of my Grandad. I can't say I'd ever listen to this on my own though. As much as I appreciate the music it's not to my taste.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
Firstly, I love Joni Mitchell's Blue which might even make my top five of all time. Then a lot of her later stuff I find a bit bland. That runs true with this album, vocally still great but the music is somehow less raw than her earlier stuff and sounds a bit schmaltzy. Dare I say "middle of the road"? I am reminded of my primary school music teacher shamelessly playing over-sentimental tunes on the school piano for singing assembly. An average album from a great artist.
Jorge Ben Jor
3/5
Although I can't understand the language I liked the vibe of this album and there was enough going on musically to engage me. Definitely a fun listen with a good spectrum of sounds but not something I can see myself ever listening to beyond this project, just not a genre to my taste.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Listened to this one blind and first impressions were that it was pretty cool. Quite Bowie esque.. as the album progressed it sounded more and more like Bowie and when I got to China girl I finally caved and read the overview... The problem I have with this album is that although it's quite a cool groove, with gravelly but not entirely unenjoyable vocals, David Bowie exists. So I'm left asking "Why don't I just listen to some Bowie".
Rod Stewart
2/5
Incredibly underwhelming. For the most part the lyrics were contrived and shallow (dare I mention Shanghai Lil?) but then there were a couple of tracks that I thought were surprisingly well written, only to find out they were covers along with half the album. Maggie May is an enjoyable classic but can't carry the whole album. The only bit that turned my head was the instrumental intro to Amazing Grace at the end of "That's all right", then Stewarts quavering vocals kicked in and I nearly spat out my coffee through cringe.
The Doors
3/5
I really liked the bluesy tracks on this album which began with 'Been Down So Long' and was a recurring theme throughout. The production quality is excellent, great isolation but still giving the feel of a live performance. Things got a bit weird with 'L'America' in a way that I've come to expect from the doors and I'm never quite sure I really enjoy. The album finishes with "Riders on the Storm" which is a really cool track and further cements my opinion of the Doors as a band that lurches from cool to weird and back again. A decent album but not one that I'll return to.
Jack White
3/5
I am a Jack White fan so was keen to get into this and fully expected a 4*+. Unfortunately, although there are some decent tracks, as an album this doesn't really excite me. I have the Later Album "Lazaretto", which in my opinion is superior. Maybe this one is on the list purely because it is his first solo album... You can't deny the musical ability of Jack White but too much of this falls into the category of "underwhelming modern country music".
T. Rex
5/5
It's glam rock whilst it was still cool. A bit of slow rock and roll, a bit of blues, and all the bells and whistles of Bolan Glam. Every track is a banger. Such an infectious groove throughout just dripping with cool, camp sleaze. I was slightly surprised to be reminded it was made in 1971. Other than the old school production quality (which I love) it sounds 15 years younger than it is. Great album and nice to see an old favourite on this list.
Nick Drake
5/5
I considered marking this one down on the basis that I need to leave headroom for Pink Moon which I think is one of the best albums ever recorded. Bryter Layter is my least favourite Nick Drake album because think the backing instrumentals detract from the rawness of the songs making them less visceral. I don't think Drake's style is suited to sweeping expansive string accompaniment in Hazey Jane, for example. I think it's still worth of a 5 star rating though, if I pretend it exists in isolation of his other albums. I'll just enjoy this one today and save my full gushing opinion of Nick Drake for another day.
Ice Cube
3/5
So this album was way more politically challenging than I was expecting and I really dig the no-holds-barred approach. Musically, I initially liked the old school beats but in 2025 they are quite simplistic and get pretty repetitive. Mr Cube also has quite a repetitive, one rhythm rapping flow which at times felt like a bit of a low RPM plod. The album is really about the lyrics though, which were great; moving from social observation, political protest, and entertaining obscenity. I will take a second point out the rather clumsy challenge to misogyny with "This is a man's world" but I try to take these things in context. Overall a decent album that sets the scene for they hay-day of the American rap scene in the late 90s.
Elliott Smith
2/5
I thought the music was pleasant but uninteresting and the vocals were breathy and monotonous. Apart from "between the bars" the whole album slipped by without me noticing any particular song.
Beatles
3/5
I hadn't heard of this band before today but I was pleasantly surprised. They seem quite ahead of their time and probably deserve to be more well known. Nice find.
The Cure
4/5
Seventeen Seconds feels like it has all the elements of Disintegration but in a rawer state. Rhythmic with a prominent killer base line and ethereal vocals. The vibes of The Cure aren't always congruent with my everyday life but there is a sense of existential despondency lurking somewhere deep within me that I like to occasionally indulge and their music provides a perfect sound track for that. I thought the album had a bit of a dip in interest in the middle with "Three" and "The Final Sound" feeling like a bit of unnecessary atmospheric filler. Then it picks up again with "A forest" which is a signature Cure track. Definitely another album for the collection.
N.E.R.D
1/5
Didn't connect with this album at all. I don't mind the eclecticism in principle but in practice I didn't think the hodgepodge of different styles really worked. Similarly with satire or cultural observation, good if it resonates with you but I didn't find any of this did. Being kind, I could see how this could hold some cultural relevance to a certain demographic in the US but it didn't feel that way for me.
Neil Young
3/5
So unfortunately my issue is that I just can't stand this much of Neil Young's voice. It's a shame because a lot of the tracks on this album are well written, excellently performed, and stunningly recorded and produced. Case in point: "southern man" which is a great track but by the time I got to it I'd already had enough Neil and still had ⅔ of the album left to go. Hardest one to rate so far because I think it's a good album, I just don't like it.
Beth Orton
2/5
Perfectly pleasant music but nothing I found too exciting or likely to pull me back for a repeat listen. Unusually for me I found I preferred the more more poppy tracks like 'Stars all seems to weep'. It still had some 90's vibes and I could imagine it being played in a cool coffee shop or art gallery-come-cocktail bar.
Steely Dan
2/5
Funky start then some jazzy elements creeping in. Listened to this in the car and it faded into fairly pleasant background music but nothing that I was particularly moved by.
Queen
3/5
The album has some great vintage British rock sound, some slightly more experimental tracks, and then 'Seaside Rendezvous' and 'Good Company' which were like some weird cabaret. An eight minute rock epic, 'The Prophets Song', with it's weird interlude that sounds like an acapella choir warm-up. Of course I need to mention 'Bohemian Rhapsody', a classic track that represents a microcosm for the whole album. I didn't enjoy everything but respect the effort to experiment and make something new and different. A few misses in there but also some great moments. I'll probably be back for a repeat listen.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Some good, if formulaic, old school rock and roll. 'Breakdown' had me nodding my head at the start of the album and fooled again was another good one towards the end. I've never listened to this album before but it feels like I have. Whether that's because of it's influence or because it's derivative is difficult for me to tell.
Nanci Griffith
2/5
Listened to this album on the A6 from Derry to Antrim. It was an absolutely beautiful journey, chilled out with an easy beauty around every corner. Sweeping vistas of desolate upland and some pretty farmland. The quiet majesty of the Sperrin hills followed by the impressive expanse of Lough Neagh... Oh the album's finished. It was fine.
Pixies
5/5
It was good to have an opportunity to give this album a critical listen because it's already a favourite. It's a collection of some incredibly well formed tracks where Pixies showcase their ability to produce perfect-for-radio nuggets. "Hey" is an absolute gem and my highlight of the album. I love the Pixies' sound and the recording and production are both excellent, capturing all the musical details but still sounding raw. My only criticism is that the album does feel like more of a collection of individual tracks than a fully coherent album. Sometimes the next track feels like an abrupt change of pace. I missed Pixies in my youth and now really wish I had discovered this album in the nineties instead of the twenties.
Metallica
4/5
Listening to this is a good reminder that sometimes you need to revisit old assumptions. I have always identified as someone who doesn't like Metallica but now I actually listen to a whole album, I'm unsure where I picked up that opinion. This album rocks! Kicking off with 'Enter the Sandman' which is an absolute banger and a classic of the genre, the album has a good balance of heavy guitar riffs, solos, and also some more melodic motifs and softer tracks like 'Nothing else matters'. I sometimes found the vocals came across as a bit overly stylised, but I think some of that is the American accent which he can't reasonably be criticised for. Highlight of the album was 'The Unforgiven' which contains the variety of the whole album in one track. So yeah... It turns out I'm a Metallica fan and this will be added to my collection.
Dire Straits
4/5
It's difficult for me to rate this album fairly because I grew up listening to it and Dire Straits were an influential band in developing my musical tastes. Although 'Money for Nothing' remains a banger, a lot of the album now sounds a bit schmaltzy and over-sentimental. What can't be denied is Knopfler's signature guitar playing greatness. Still a good album and a classic, with added nostalgia value for me.
Pixies
4/5
Another good Pixies album. It has a simpler and a more mainstream pop/rock sound than Doolittle. More like Pixies just doing the basics really well. The recording is also really good, mixed so you can hear all the detail but still manages to retain a raw feel.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Can't deny the quality of the song writing but this album is just a bit too slow and plodding for me. It's more poetry recital than music album and I daresay Nick has given in to a bit of self indulgence (He is teetering on the edge of this at the best of times). It picked up towards the end of the album from 'West country girl' onwards and there were plenty of tracks that I would enjoy in isolation, but I can't see me relistening to the whole album.
Waylon Jennings
2/5
I am transported back to childhood holidays in the 90's where the people that listened to this kind of thing when they were young were still going on all inclusive coach holidays to Tenby. An aging Welsh crooner is the hotel's evening entertainment, I'm sitting as a 7 year old with an appletiser and a packet of walkers cheese and onion crisps. Two old couples are slow dancing on the parquet floor and the rest of the old biddies are sitting around the edge of the room slowly clapping along with glasses of sherry on the table. Not an unpleasant genre but it instantly feels dated and, for me at least, it doesn't have the much impact left in 2025.
The Offspring
4/5
I've had a real soft spot for the offspring since manually adding 'Splinter' to the radio on GTA 3. They are a bit of a one trick pony but they do it so well with such an infectious energy that I always find myself smiling along. No different with this album which sounded exactly as I was expecting it to but I enjoyed it from start to finish. 'Self Esteem' was a highlight and I thought it was more slightly more nuanced than the rest of the album and I liked the scar sound of 'What Happened to You?'. I accept that they aren't defining any genres or breaking new musical ground, but it's a fun and energetic poppy punk-rock album and for some reason I can't help but enjoy it.
The Stooges
3/5
Enjoyed this album (the Bowie mix) as a passing moment but can't see myself listening again. This sort of thing makes me think "Cool sound of it's time" but I don't connect any more deeply. If I was there at the time and saw this live I imagine I would have enjoyed it. I can see how it could have influenced punk rock later down the line and so deserves it's place in the list.
The Doors
2/5
This album sums up my mixed opinion of The Doors. It contains a set of musically accomplished and varied, if rambling, tracks which do seem to have captured a moment in musical culture. However, the overuse of the electric organ sounds dated and irritating, case in point 'Alabama Song' which is like a nightmare about being trapped in a old fashioned funfair. Then there are the lyrics which feel contrived, self-indulgent and pretentious, delivered with a smug sense of artistic superiority. I guess I just don't "get it"...
Mj Cole
1/5
At first I thought that I was going to buck the trend and actually enjoy this album because I do have a soft spot for the UK Garage sound. Unfortunately, as much as I might have enjoyed the odd track as a throwback, as a whole album this is almost intolerable. I like electronic music but I find the beats in this are just too simple and repetitive and fail to build to anything interesting. Once you have heard the first few bars of a track you have heard it all and have to sit through another three minutes. The vocal samples are also basic, repetitive, and often just intensely irritating. I have previously given two stars for albums I haven't enjoyed but that I feel have an enduring influence to popular music. I don't hear that with this album and I am genuinely surprised to see it on this list. I don't see how anyone can claim you must hear this before you die and I don't think it was especially influential at the time or since.
SZA
2/5
Its a well produced album but not my genre of preference. I daresay I'm not the target audience and I find it very difficult to find anything in this album to relate to. My issue with this genre is that it is musically incredibly simplistic, formulaic, and not being played on live instruments so the sound of the album relies almost entirely on the production quality. Really the only things left to judge the musical merit is the quality of the singing (good in this case) and the lyrics, in which I found absolutely nothing that moved me. Best song was "20 Something" which is rawer and the only song I can imagine enjoying live.
Nine Inch Nails
1/5
Nine inch nails... On a chalk board. Very much disliked the sound of this album and it didn't stir any emotional response from me other than boredom and a mild anxiety. Music for angsty American teenagers with a preoccupation with "pigs" and their non-existent girlfriends.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
An iconic album including some really excellent and genre defining tracks. The album as a whole is longer than I remember and has some more experimental tracks in that way common to sixties albums. Hendrix's guitar playing is excellent and unmistakable and he creates a sound that is not only great to listen to but now defines a moment in cultural history.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Nick Cave can be a bit hit-and-miss for me and this one is more of a miss than a hit. Some great song writing and often dripping with cool, but then a few slower and schmaltzy tracks that Cave seems quite partial to and I don't enjoy. Quite often I find listening to Nick Cave is like listening to really good music that I'm not sure I really enjoy. I think this album has relistening potential though so I may rethink my opinion after repeat visits.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
It's a very listenable funky pop album and a testament to it's quality that I really enjoyed listening despite it not being my genre of choice. I much prefer the upbeat funkier tracks to the slower romantic stuff. It's an undeniable classic and the only thing excluding this from my collection is personal taste.
B.B. King
5/5
This performance slams! It's a raw and soulful blues record with some tight musicianship and banging vocals. It's amazing that this was recorded live, King makes the guitar sing and then his vocals are bang on and so expressive. Listened to this twice through back to back, just wish I could have been there to see it live.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
First surprise was learning that 'Walk on by' wasn't an original a stranglers track. Second surprise was that it's twelve minutes long. Generally this album has a cool, funky, soul sound but the tracks just ramble on for too long and by the end seem quite repetitive. I'd rather be left wanting more than find myself waiting for the track to start or end, especially when nothing much is going on except three minutes of noodling or eight minutes telling you how deep the tune is about to be.
The Stone Roses
4/5
First impressions were really good with 'I Wanna be Adored'. I really like the really ethereal rock sound that seems to be ahead of it's time. The album then seems to foreshadow the Brit pop of the 90's but still has elements that throw back to older English rock groups, 'Waterfall' reminded me simultaneously of the lightning seeds and XTC. The album faded into the background a bit after my initial impression, but all of it sounded pleasant then some upbeat poppy sounding tracks at the end turned my head. Definitely warrants a repeat listen, an interesting album that seems to balance on the threshold of the 80's and 90's styles.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Elvis Costello is an artist that I respect without being a massive fan of his music. I always find the lyrics are the best element and can be unexpectedly challenging. They are politically hard hitting but wrapped up in such a palatable presentation they can sometimes run under the radar. Undeniably an influential album but not one for my personal favourites list.
The White Stripes
2/5
Not my favourite offering from Jack White. Some decent rock tracks but also has a tendency towards quite cutesy songs that sound like they should be in a children's programme. Also some tracks where it's a single hook that gets over repeated.
Jurassic 5
3/5
Quite enjoyed the vibes of this whilst driving but it sort of all merged into an amorphous hip-hop sound without really ever turning into anything more meaningful. To me it lacked the edge of a great hip-hop album and presented as a softer, family or maybe radio friendly hip-hop. Ok if you are into it but not one to remember.
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
An undisputable classic of the genre. I listened to this album semi-ironically at uni and it definitely has some decent tunes. I think my tastes have changed with age and maybe also this type of toxic misogyny is now less entertaining and a bit of a relic. Still a couple of points that made me smile but actually found I was a bit tired of the hyper violent, hyper sexualised lyrics and repetitive beats by the end. One to relegated to the archive and not for active listening as far as I'm concerned.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Great opportunity to listen to this album critically in it's entirety although I already know many of the tracks. First disk absolutely rocks and is banging from start to finish. A real microcosm of Led Zep. I was reminded at how rhythmically complex a lot of led zeppelin tracks are, where phrases seem to overflow the bar and give a frenetic energy. The second disk I found to drag a bit more and by the end of it was ready for it to finish. Still a classic.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Funky music but I find the vocal mix a little off-putting. Curtis sings in such a soft crooning tone that it doesn't really cut through the music in the way I'd like. Maybe a little too understated. It's like a little quavering mouse trying to not wake the neighbours. Good example from the 70's funk/soul scene but not an album I'd listen to outside of this project and isn't one I'll be coming back to.
Johnny Cash
3/5
There's no doubt that this is a great recording. I loved the live feel to it and the conversational approach from Cash really helps put you in the room. I started listening thinking I wasn't going to enjoy the country style and the album would feel a bit outdated. Actually I found myself quite engaged by the humour of the lyrics and the presentation. Not my genre but enjoyed the listen.
Beastie Boys
2/5
The beastie boys... Definitely a defining band and totally deserved of a spot on this list. Almost any given track on this album would be a fun, enjoyable throwback, but I found it tough to listen to the album as a whole. Pretty samey, call and response early rapping. It's quite unrelenting and full on. I can't say I disliked it, but I don't find it very moving beyond it's historical cultural interest.
Steely Dan
2/5
First impressions were that it's quite soft rock and the vocal harmonies are reminiscent of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. You can hear some funk influences running through the album but it's generally just some uninteresting 70's American pop rock. Doesn't do much for me and there were no stand out tracks. Have to admit the production quality is excellent though.
De La Soul
2/5
I really don't understand this album. It listens like a bunch of college mates just went to a recording studio and fucked around for an hour with a drum machine. I've come in blind so I might be missing some cultural significance but it sounds like a complete hodgepodge of simple, repetitive beats and one tempo raps with some in-jokes and teenage humour. On a plus note it's quite joyful and they seemed to have a good time.
Eagles
3/5
What an album of two halves. Kicking off with one of the best tracks ever recorded, the first few songs assure you are in for a banger of an album. Unfortunately the album falls off into some generic slow county rock, finishing with an unenjoyable dirge. The balance on this as an album is too much towards the the uninspiring which is a shame given it includes such an iconic and culturally significant track.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
Listening to this album made me think of listening to a good support band. You are mainly just happy they aren't totally shit and therefore quite enjoy the listen, then the main act comes and they are promptly forgotten. Not bad, just "meh". Can hear some early Brit pop and the first few tracks made me think of Elbow. Fine but unexciting.
Pavement
4/5
Another unexpected win. Never heard of this band but they have a really listenable early 90's vibes that puts me in mind of Pixies with some Velvet Underground influences thrown in. I could criticise the album for being samey and having no standout tracks on first listen, but it was a good noise all the way through and I will definitely be relistening.
4/5
I found this album intriguing. It didn't jump out and grab me instantly but it's very much within my genre of choice and had good variety. I could sort of sense the quality but it feels like more of a grower than a shower. I'll definitely be coming back for repeat listens.
Talking Heads
2/5
Upbeat music with some spirited vocals but I was struggling to keep interested by halfway through the album. I prefer a heavier rock music and this is just too poppy for me. 'Memories Can't Wait' was a fairly decent track in the middle of the album and I momentarily hoped the second half might improve. Instead I thought it felt a bit jumbled and formless towards the end. There may well be some hidden depth to the lyrics but I will never uncover them because the music won't inspire a repeat listen.
M.I.A.
1/5
This is possibly the most annoying album I've ever had to listen to. I've probably heard worse albums, but not many that were thumped into my head with so much energy and eagerness. To add insult to injury it even includes a mangled Pixies track. 'Paper Planes' started and I suddenly realised how it got on this list. One really great, infectious track that I have liked for a while but never knew where it was from. Sorry though, one decent track does not a decent album make.
Prince
2/5
I can see why people like this, it's good pop music. I found this a difficult album to finish because it's so long and not at all to my taste. I think the overuse of the drum machine and synths just gave every track a monotonous, repetitive feeling where the music held no interest. Prince puts in a great vocal performance but I find the music too boring to appreciate it. Quite like 'Cross' towards the end of the album and 'Adore' has some great moments but goes on too long (much like the album and probably this review...).
Brian Wilson
3/5
Weird, unexpected, quite good(?). Definitely challenged me with this one and left me feeling weirdly conflicted. This is musically top notch and recorded impeccably. It has an awesome warmth and depth of sound. But also wtf is this?? It has the feeling of an artists pet project where they have given up on any commercial considerations and have just thought, "Fuck it, I'm recording what I want". I'm here for it, but equally I'll never listen to this again off my own bat.
David Bowie
3/5
I love the concept of this album. It's so Bowie and a fitting end to his life and career. As with most Bowie, I blow hot and cold with it. Lazarus is a great track but otherwise the album doesn't really grab me. It's dark and uncomfortable (both good things) but I find a lot of it a bit derivative and sounds a bit middle of the road. The main attraction comes from its story, a swansong from an undisputable cultural icon. Worth a critical listen but not an album I'll have on repeat.
Iron Maiden
3/5
The album kicked off well with 'Children of the Damned' and kept the same level throughout. It's a classic heavy rock sound which I can get on board with. Loved 'The Prisoner' but a lot of that is to do with the classic intro (great show). Musically, I think this album is awesome, my only criticism is the presentation of the vocals which I find a bit stressful and frenetic. Not quite melodic enough for my tastes. Otherwise great.
2/5
The sound of this album puts me in mind of an early 90's optimism, the start of Brit pop and "Cool Britannia". I was interested to find the vocals in the first half of the album sounded almost like pop-punk. The second half was more laconic. My issue with Blur is that they are just a bit bland. By halfway through the album I felt like I'd heard all it had to give.
Meat Loaf
2/5
Meat Loaf... I can't help but quite like the more upbeat tracks, 'Bat Out Of Hell' being the classic, of course. The slower tracks like 'Heaven Can Wait' don't work for me, I just can't take him seriously enough. Apart from the frustratingly long tracks, it was an enjoyable listen just for the sake of it but once is enough for me.
Public Enemy
2/5
For any fans of hip-hop I can see the value in listening to the early albums of the genre. I always find with these early hip-hop albums that they now sound quite simplistic and very repetitive. That said, the energy and lyrics are great and it's interesting to hear how far rap music has come since this sound of the late 80's. Also, this album is just more fun and positive sounding music than a lot of it's derivatives. A fun listen but not an album I'd listen to for anything other than academic reasons.
Dr. Dre
3/5
I accidentally misread and listened to Chronic 2001 first so I've just had a Dre fest. I was half expecting to write a mature review about the racial slurs and rampant misogyny, but I listened to this album and enjoyed all of it. Was it a semi ironic enjoyment? Yes... But it had me bouncing and made me smile. I think 90's Dre captures the best of the genre and is the moment American hip-hop peaked. This first album still has some of the sounds of the rap music of the late 80's but it has already become a more intricate, polished production. Turn it up, light a spliff, and pretend you aren't a bald white guy who lives in the South of England works in IT.
The White Stripes
3/5
As usual with The White Stripes, I like the heavier tracks but find the slower, more stripped back tracks less interesting. The band sounds it's best when it's rocking hard but they have a tendency to slip into something that puts me in mind of the soundtrack to a children's TV show. What can't be doubted is Jack White's musical ability which here is paired with a naturalistic production quality that makes for interesting critical listening.
Lambchop
1/5
Not a great start to this album with the trite "The Old Gold Shoe" which I was bored with after the first minute. The music is low energy and uninteresting and I was just thinking the vocals couldn't get more bland when the awful falsetto started and took it from bland to irritating. This is beige music for beige people.
Kate Bush
4/5
The album starts with a couple of classics so I was intrigued to hear whether the rest would stand up to their quality... Surprisingly it did. The 80's beats, the synths, the outstanding vocal performance. The great thing about Kate Bush is that she manages to fit perfectly within her time (part of the definitive sound of the 80's) whilst also bringing something new and unique. As usual I'm less interested in the slower tracks like "And Dream of Sheep" but even that didn't make me cringe as much as I usually would. I feel like KB has come in with something truly expressive and original with this album and even though it's outside my usual genre, I'm here for it.
Merle Haggard
2/5
Fine for what it is. Well produced, well played, well sung. My issue is with the genre. Boring, predictable, one dimensional music that drawls on and never comes to anything interesting.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
Amy Winehouse is a great singer but this album doesn't put her voice to good use. The album doesn't flow, the accompanying music sounds robotic and overproduced, and the lyrics are shallow and one-dimensional. Also I quite quickly started to find her voice a bit grating, largely due to the style of the song writing which constantly pushes her up into a higher register. Based on her reputation, I was expecting to like it more so I'm slightly surprised.
Johnny Cash
4/5
I enjoy these live albums because they really capture the atmosphere of the venue and the essence of Cash's showmanship and sense of humour. For music of this genre, this has got to be nearing best in class and I think the live recording is a great way to experience it. I love the gall of openly sledging the venue and it going down so well he does it again. This is a tough one to review because as a piece of cultural history it's top notch, but it's not the music that makes it what it is.
Gang Starr
2/5
I don't have any opinion on this beyond "Good rap album". All sounded fine but didn't elicit any emotional response and faded into the background of my gym workout.
Parliament
3/5
This album is funky. It's funky from start to finish. And if you were ever at risk of forgetting how funky it is, it reminds you every song that it's really funky. I enjoyed it as a passing interest and pretty sure I can hear lots of bits that I have heard sampled in various pop mixes since. I accept it's relevance but not my genre.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Angsty grunge for teenagers stewing in their bedrooms. I guess fairly interesting that it was quite an early example but if you are looking for this sound in the late 80's just listen to The Cure who are actually good.
Fugees
2/5
I can tell this is good hip-hip. It feels well thought through, delivered, and produced. A few tracks in there I recognise and then obviously some classic reggae influences throughout. I think it just takes itself a bit too seriously. It listens like an album trying to sound deep and meaningful. It is also a bit of a mash of different styles and I was never quite sure what I was listening to.
Miles Davis
2/5
Was hoping that I would enjoy this but I just didn't get it. Just sounded like endless formless noodling. Fairly pleasant to listen to but nothing I could really grab hold of. It illustrates my lack of connection perfectly that when the album ended and Tidal automatically ran onto some Jazz by John Coltrane, I didn't even realise the album had finished let alone that I now was listening to a completely different track and artist. Genuinely all sounded like nondescript Jazz noises to me.
Cowboy Junkies
2/5
Cool recording of some interesting music. Can't really fault the performance but it's slow, morose, and I'm afraid I found a whole album of it quite boring. Solid example of great musicians coming together, making skillful music, and producing something impressive but dull.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
I know I dislike this album so I tried to turn the listen into something productive and work out why. Firstly, the voice isn't great, but then I like many bands where the singing isn't objectively excellent. The music is derivative, but then I like lots of bands that are rehashes on old themes and that is very much the nature of guitar based rock music. I think it comes down to a perceived lack of authenticity, a feeling of being overly commercial, crowd pleasing, and inoffensive to the point of banality. Ultimately I have no emotional connection whatsoever when I listen to his album, but fair enough for those that do.
Television
4/5
Enjoyed this album quite a lot. They sound sort of like a grungy late 80's or early 90's band which is crazy given the release date. It was a bit samey and didn't have any tracks that lept out and grabbed me, but I ended up listening to it twice and enjoying it nonetheless. Cool band and interesting listen, wouldn't make my top tier but definitely on my B list.
Tears For Fears
3/5
A pretty classic 80's pop sound from a classic 80's band. I can't quite work out what makes this a cool sound. Some bold rhythms (although sometimes a bit robotic in nature, presumably due to using drum machines), synths that now simultaneously sound nostalgic and futuristic, and why is saxophone so neglected in pop music nowadays? I didn't exist in the 80's so there is an added historical interest for a decade I've only seen through old photo albums and documentaries (the soundtracks to which are probably where I've heard the singles from this album). This isn't something I'd listen to out of choice but it was a fun listen and definitely feels like a big and relevant album.
Blur
2/5
I remember listening to this album near it's release which is rare for this project. The first two songs are iconic from the era and probably sold most of the copies of this album. The rest was classic Blur noise which is fine but uninteresting. I did think you can hear some proto-gorillaz in here though in hindsight which is cool.
John Grant
2/5
At first this sounds like a fairly standard singer/songwriter setup, albeit with lyrics that sound like someone put a random word generator in the common room of an insane asylum. "It's Easier" has more interesting, dark but satisfying melodies and was the only song that I connected with in the album. Then we come to "JC Hates Faggots" for the first WTF moment. Does anyone really enjoy listening to this? Then for some more folk rock interspersed with some soaring synth riffs which add interest to otherwise boring songs. The lyrics remained the ramblings of a madman, peaking with "That's The Good News". Someone close to Mr Grant needs to gently let him know that weird does not equate to good or interesting.
4/5
I immediately liked the harsh and gritty sound of this album. The sounds are abrasive but it's simple rhythms hold together what initially sounds like chaos in quite a pleasing way. Listening to "There's Always More Space On The Broom" I found myself wishing the vocals were stronger, more forceful, and forward in the mix. I think this was the difference that made "We Fenced Other Gardens..." feel like a more complete and accessible track. By the end of the album I was already planning a repeat listen. It was an interesting and stimulating listen from start to finish and exactly the type of "weird shit but good" I was hoping for when I started this project.
Charles Mingus
3/5
I'm hit and miss with jazz but the album opener is accessible enough that I could get into it. In "Track B" I was struck by the quality of the recording of the awesome brassy tones, but it did listen more like a soundtrack than a stand-alone piece. I think that sums up the album. Well recorded, cool jazz sounds that sound more like a soundtrack than a finished article. Generally faded into the background as I find with all jazz. Shout-out to the flamenco segment on the B-side though.
Jethro Tull
3/5
I listened to the Steven Wilson mix and I thought the production quality was really good. A detailed and well balanced mix. Generally I thought the album was very listenable. I liked the mix of acoustic and electric sounds and the folk vocals. I didn't feel a deep connection to the music beyond "Interesting British 70's Folk Rock Album" though.
Radiohead
5/5
Kid A marks the departure of Radiohead from their 90's grunge and alternative rock into a more avant-garde sound and from a great band into something truly special. It feels moody, complex, sometimes chaotic, often beautiful. It pulls on multiple musical influences from jazz in "The National Anthem" to electronica in "Idioteque" which are all held together by Radiohead's intricate rhythms and Thom Yorke's ethereal vocals cutting across the whole album. Despite it's diversity, it flows as a complete album. It's like Radiohead managed to create a perfect microcosm of my musical taste and I'm sure I'll be listening to it for many years to come.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
The album starts ok but just had me thinking "great... More jazz". Actually this album is easier to get into than some and I thought "Strange Meadow Lark" was a good listen, maybe I prefer piano to the usual horns. Turns out "Take Five" is a track I have heard many times without knowing what it was which shows that this is so influential it can be recognised by a non Jazz fan. For me, the interest in this album comes from the rhythms. There were a couple of moments where the time signatures of drums and piano seemed to weave in and out of phase with each other which was cool. Can't say I was particularly excited by this though and, as usual, my interest was largely academic.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I was really glad to dive into this in tribute after Ozzy's death. This album rocks and it's influence alone bumps it up a level. I was surprised by the quality of his voice which cuts through the music perfectly but also the guitar performance which is fantastic. The distortion has a rich and nostalgic tone on the solos which put me in mind of Hendrix. I was starting to think that structure of some of the verses were perhaps a little simplistic, but then as a counterpoint there is the 10 minute rock epic of "Warning". I'm really getting into my metal at the moment and this was a great listen.
Cornershop
2/5
This seems like another example of an album making the list on the basis of one very popular song and potentially a severe lack of decent music being made that year. This felt like forcing down fifty four minutes of rocky road ice cream: lots of random, sweet bits and bobs that don't actually taste very good.
Thelonious Monk
3/5
Another interesting jazz album where I fully appreciate the musical merit whilst also finding no visceral connection at all. I listened to this on a long car journey and it swiftly demoted itself to pleasant background music, I'm afraid.
Billy Joel
3/5
Billy Joel was played a lot in our house growing up. He is a great songwriter and this album has a few examples of perfectly crafted songs. "Moving Out" and "The Stranger" are particular highlights. Joel manages to make songs simultaneously feel personal and like a piece of social history. Unfortunately the album cycles from superb to uninteresting and ends with "Everybody Has a Dream", a song that sounded trite, weirdly out of place, and not up to the usual lyrical interest. Overall, the album has some great song writing and strong nostalgia, it's on the threshold of great but I can't quite push it into the higher marks.
Soft Machine
3/5
I went in completely blind and was really intrigued by the first track. I enjoyed it although it was an unconventional listen. I liked the ambient nature of it and although unpredictable, it created a congruent atmosphere. At the second track I suddenly realised I was listing to a Jazz album, and perhaps the most interesting one I have listened to so far on this project. It has elements that wouldn't be out of place in prog rock of the eighties, or even some alternative rock from the naughties (I can imagine these sounds on a post Kid A Radiohead album). Impressive for its date. Unfortunately "Moon in June" was a real low point for me, I just found the vocals too weak and annoying. Then the final track continued to ramble on, seemingly forever. After 75 minutes I had traversed my usual Jazz pathway, from "Wow this is interesting" to "Dear god will this ever end?!".
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Jazz albums have become the Jehovah's Witnesses of this project. I keep gently saying that I'm not interested but they still keep knocking. This album was gentle and easy to listen to. I had it on during a long drive and it was a pleasant companion. I particularly liked the mix of horns and piano taking the lead on melody. As usual though, the album all sort of blurred into one and sounded pretty homogeneous, apart from a bit of "Ingoo Pow-Pow" at the end which was a positive change of pace.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
I don't like the style of essentially reading prose but in a funny little sing-song voice. It reminds me of very early prog rock and just sounds like a poorly written song delivered with weak vocals. The music is also a little thin and rambling. Another album that sounds like someone's self indulgent pet project, great if it happens to chime with you but difficult to find enjoyment in it if you don't.
Beatles
3/5
Its barely worth writing a description of the album because it's Abby Road. All I say is that I think the Beatles made some great songs but not great albums. There are some absolutely iconic singles on this album but then you have some crap like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" or "Mean Mr Mustard". That said, it's Abby Road so the album's impact is obvious.
5/5
It was a slow start albeit it with some proto-glam-rock sounds which I really enjoyed. Then bang: into "Moonage Daydream" followed by "Starman" which are absolute peak Bowie, the latter must be up there with the best tracks ever recorded. The album dips again from its lofty heights, "Hang on to Yourself" being conspicuously mundane before the run of excellence to see out the album. It really is amazing to hear so many truly great songs in one album.
Bowie was brilliant. I wonder if the formula for a great music album is to create something that sounds totally fresh whilst still blending influences from great music before it. It's hard for me to imagine how this sounded to people in 1972 but to me it sounds familiar and brand new at the same time. Simultaneously futuristic and nostalgic.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
A fairly nice sounding album but its too long and not ground-breaking in any way. I didn't find it grabbed my attention at all and although I quite liked the first few songs, it never brought anything new and I had grown to resent it by the end.
Jeff Beck
2/5
I went in blind and immediately disliked the vocal performance. Unusually, I was moved to immediately jump to the reviews where I discovered it was another stealth dose of Rod Stewart. On the plus side, it shows my dislike of Rod Stewart's voice is a visceral reaction and not based on prejudice. I quite liked the rock-blues vibes but the slower songs, for example "Ol' Man River", were horrendous due to Stewarts throat cancerous vocals. Interesting to hear "Hi Ho Silver Lining" at the end which seemed an incongruous addition. Overall, good but not great music ruined by the addition of Rod Stewart.
Suede
3/5
Two tracks in and I was enjoying the vibes but I thought the recording was strangely distant and weak sounding. I'm no music technician, but somehow this was a feature of the production in few of the tracks on the album, like they were playing in a hole. Other than that, I really enjoyed the majority of the album. It's like a blend of The Cure, The Smiths, and a touch of Blur, "Pantomime Horse" exemplifying this Brit-Rock cocktail.
Although a solid album, I found myself asking whether they had created anything new. Its more like a pleasing amalgam of other great band's sounds. Definitely an interesting listen from a historical perspective, but doesn't tip over the threshold of great album.
Duran Duran
3/5
I had an image of Duran Duran that didn't really survive listening to this album. This is very good pop music. It's upbeat and poppy but has sufficient complexity and musicality to hold my interest. There is also an added historical interest from the quintessential 80's synth sound. Quite outside my genre of choice but easy to appreciate this is a very good album.
Sigur Rós
5/5
I discovered Sigur Rós during my covid lockdown musical revival and I have listened to this album countless times since. Sigur Rós create a soundscape through which the album floats, sweeps and soars. It's sometimes pleasantly ambient but then there are moments, like the string section in "Starálfur" that demand attention. The Icelandic (or "Hopelandic") vocals remove the clutter of specific meaning and forces the non-speaker to make their own interpretation. Although referring to specific tracks seems inappropriate because the whole album flows so congruently I can barely bring myself to listen to any part in isolation.
Musically, they often get referred to with the catch-all of "Post Rock", but this has never felt suitable. There are obvious rock music structures but in long, prog-rockesque tracks that have classical orchestral accompaniment, jazz horns, and even some occasional blues harmonica. This is a great album to just put on some headphones and melt into.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
It's dark and moody and Oozes atmosphere and cool. The lyricism is brilliant and I like the stripped-back production style. I do find Cohen's voice, or more specifically his singing style, is the main barrier to my full enjoyment of the album. I think the songs are brilliant and I get that its a stylistic choice, but I often wish they were being delivered by a more melodic voice. Cool album and an interesting swan song from a great songwriter, but not one that will find its way onto my regular playlist, despite finding it strangely compelling.
Small Faces
2/5
This album felt like doing drugs and then watching children's television. Although there were some pretty cool sixties psychedelic rock elements when it got going, musically I didn't bring anything that I hadn't heard before. The USP of this album seems to be in it's weird, whimsical concept which at points I found quite cringeworthy and annoying.
Elbow
3/5
It's very difficult to dislike this album, its well written and does have moments of brilliance. "Grounds for Divorce" and "One Day Like This" are great tracks and real ear worms. Listening to those in isolation and I would be confident I was listening to a four star + album. The problem is that there is too much filler. Too many middle-of-the-road tracks that are perfectly fine but tend to fade into the background and are instantly forgettable. It's regrettable because the potential is there but it just doesn't quite meet the threshold of a great album. One to see live at a festival at the time.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
A solid album of American blues tracks being drawled out by Mick Jagger. Some cool naturalistic recording giving the impression of how great this must have been to see live. "Sweet Virginia" was a really cool track, but it was at this point I started to have thoughts heretical to hardcore Stones fans: Aren't they just trying a little too hard to sound American? Through this lens, it started giving me vibes of a novelty tribute act in a themed restaurant. I was imagining a bunch of English lads all dressed up in Stetsons, high heeled boots, and leather tassels and the whole thing suddenly seemed faintly ridiculous.
Supergrass
2/5
My first reaction to the album is that the mix is quite murky. There is poor instrument separation and a lack of clarity on the vocals which are not as forward in the mix as you would expect. An amorphous wall of noise is not my favoured production style. That being said, there is a rawness to the sound that is reminiscent of grubby live venues in small towns which I quite enjoy.
The album isn't bad, but it swiftly faded into a background buzz of nineties noise that I was pretty bored with by the end. I think if you want mid nineties britpop/rock there are plenty of better alternatives, so I would question why this should be a bucket list album.
The The
3/5
Its another very 80's pop album. They really did have some great music production back then, the album sounds so clean. Musically, this definitely has something going for it. There's an interesting variation to each track and a satisfying cool rawness to the vocal performance, interesting lyrics and an engaging mix of sounds.
Certainly nothing wrong with the album, probably the most interesting 80's pop band album I've heard (I'm not including Kate Bush in that category). It misses out on the higher marks purely as a matter of taste. Too camp and poppy for me.
Aimee Mann
2/5
Inoffensive porridge that I feel like I have heard a thousand times before. Like porridge, I started off finding it dull but perfectly pleasant but by the end of the 50 minute bowl I was finding it hard to stomach. There is absolutely nothing special about this. The music is bland and her voice isn't particularly great. Generic American singer/songwriter album from the nineties. Another "why is this on this list?" moment from me.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Such a prolific artist that has written some truly excellent songs as well as some whiny fluff. This album has some great tracks, highlights being "Like a Rolling Stone" and "Ballad of a Thin Man", but it also slips into the whiny rambling now and then. Recording the album with a full band takes away some of the intimacy of earlier albums and overlaying rhythm guitars and keyboard with shrill warbling harmonica is sometimes wince inducing. Some greatness but just a little bit overbalanced towards what makes Dylan annoying in this album to give top marks.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I enjoyed listening to this because RHCP were part of the soundtrack to my youth. It's a lot more funky than I remember it, the lyrics are fun, and most tracks get your head nodding. Is this a good album, though, or is it just getting an easy ride on the nostalgia ticket?
There are some genuine tunes on there which are quintessential RHCP and have stood the test of time. On the other hand there is a lot of quite annoying filler and this is a long album. Too long. At it's worst, the vocal are grating, the lead guitar is basic, and the music lacks the nuance to hold my attention for the 74 minute runtime. It's sad because I think there is a 4* album hiding inside there, but as it is presented I can't bring myself to score it that high.
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Its fun, lyrically interesting, funny, clever. I loved the 90's nostalgia hit (at first) and I thought I was in for a banger. Not sure when things changed but at some point in the second half of the album I'd had enough. These old school beats are very repetitive, and the flows consist mainly of shouted call and response rhyming couplets that also get repetitive. Probably the most accessible of all the early 90's hip-hop we have had so far but still a middling album when compared to others on this list.
M.I.A.
1/5
I tried hard to be open minded after the listening to Kala some weeks ago... I took a deep breath, started listening and the first song sounded like it was written and performed by a special needs Tellytubby. At 36 seconds, this was my second favourite track on the album.
If you really want to lose some brain cells, do as I did, get the lyrics and read along. I kept an eye out for a particularly stupid verse to include in this review but there are so many laughably terrible ones I couldn't possibly pick one. The majority of it is utter nonsense: "My mum plays bingo, I'm watching Pingu, gimme that thang, yo. This is my gecko" (In case you go looking, I made that one up).
I don't know what the process is for inclusion on this list, but I can only assume that someone was trolling when they managed to sneak not just one, but two M.I.A albums on this list. Fair play to you, you got us.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Really enjoyable album. I might be over-excited after a run of mediocre listens, but this caught my attention from the first track. It's high energy, fun. She has a great voice and, although it feels a bit poppy, it has enough rock to get behind. It's interesting that there is no bass guitar, with the basslines being picked up by the keyboard. I think this mixed with the female vocals gave the whole album a light and airy optimism. There is good variety in the album with some dancy tunes like "Heads Will Roll" but also some expansive, soaring tracks like "Skeletons" with ambient backing keyboard. Its a coherent album that sounds great all the way through and it will definitely be getting repeat listens.
Jamiroquai
3/5
It's an album that feels out of its time. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it is strange that in 1993, someone thought "lets make a double disc funk and acid jazz album". I didn't dislike it, although it's derivative by definition. It felt like a congruent album and it faded into a pleasant background noise but at no point did any track jump up and grab my attention. At two hours, it is also very long. Too long, considering I don't think it said much in the last 90mins that it didn't say in the first 30mins (with an honourable exception made for the digeridoo track). Other than that, can't find much fault and my general disinterest is mainly a matter of taste.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
I was expecting vacuous pop music in an 80's style. What I got was actually a little more interesting. Definitely your classic 80's sound but Lauper has a charisma that I wasn't expecting. At times she sounds like a proto-Björk. It's a shame that "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" has become the enduring hit that it is because I think it slightly misrepresents this album. There was a depth glimpsed in "Time after time" that I would have liked to see developed further. An unique and interesting artist producing music that isn't to my taste.
David Bowie
4/5
This album treads more softly than "Ziggy Stardust" and I think it's worse off for it. The music seems to come with more overt blues and jazz influences and fewer tracks that stand out as pure Bowie. Unusually, I found myself far more impressed by the singles than the album as a whole. I know this is sort of a transition album for Bowie and to me it sounds slightly diluted. Still some nice moments of discovery and I listened through twice.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
When I was first introduced to this album at university, I didn't really get it. I picked it up at some point during a covid lockdown nearly ten years later and immediately identified with it in a way that I hadn't been able to before. I expect this speaks to changes in my own emotional maturity...
The hook for me was "Lover, You Should've Come Over", which is a beautiful song. The album works through some varied sounds and styles, but it is at its best with the rockier tracks that have Buckley's angelic vocals floating above them. He is such a charismatic performer and exudes a form of masculine sexuality mixed with vulnerability that I haven't heard from any other artist.
Controversially, my least favourite tracks are the sickly sweet "Corpus Christi Carol" and the cover of "Hallelujah". Although they showcase. Buckley's impressive vocal range, they were what caused my initial aversion to the album. Luckily, there is so much more to love in this album and now those tracks exist as slower pace interludes.
It's sad and unfair that Grace is the only full studio album we will ever get from Jeff Buckley but as legacy's go, its a beautiful one. It will always be a favourite of my music collection.
Meat Puppets
4/5
I listened once at work and was slightly underwhelmed, but there was enough that piqued my interest to give it a second listen. Although it's a bit whacky, there is a lot to like in this album.
Some parts sound like a less annoying Neil Young, some parts reminded me of Jack White, and others are a type of proto-grunge. The first head turner was the instrumental "Aurora Borealis" which was interesting, warbly, and a bit chaotic but held together with a satisfying bassline and plodding drumbeat. A track so nice they played it twice... "I'm a Mindless Idiot" was another highlight with its satisfying blend of country motifs munged together into something a bit different. Munging definitely the overriding theme of this album.
A really nice find and a great album to ponder over with repeat listens. It had me slightly bemused, thinking: "This is really good, isn't it? I'm not sure quite why but I think it is..."
Elvis Presley
2/5
It's Elvis. I can't say that it's bad, it's Elvis. He can sing really well. The lyrics are sometimes profound, sometimes schmaltzy crap. I think this is Elvis after he stopped feeling fresh and pushing boundaries, in crooner mode. It's something I can imagine my nan tapping along to in a dated hotel. Totally fine as a historical piece but this music doesn't move me in any profound way.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
An album with a punchy sound from the first track. Production quality is great and manages to capture the distortion and big sound whilst retaining clarity and snappiness (2011 remaster). The singing has the classic American rock star drawl which I sometimes find annoying but is kept under just enough control to not count against it. The best thing about this album is the tone of the guitars. Every riff sounds warm and velvety and when the distortion hits, it hits with satisfying meaty heft.
It's an excellent album and there is very little room for improvement within it's genre.
R.E.M.
3/5
There are some big tunes here and there is no denying that this is an influential album. It's just a bit dull. It's middle of the road music that my dad would listen to in the car on his way to a holiday cottage in Devon.
Tim Buckley
3/5
I was expecting more traditional folk vibes and was quite surprised to get some crooning blues vocals reminiscent of Jon Martyn. He has a nice tone to his voice, but the album was just too soppy for me, exemplified by "Dream Letter" which was a bit of a dirge. The most interesting thing about this album was recognising similarities between his and his sons singing voice and styes. Glad to have listened but unlikely to become a favourite.
The Byrds
3/5
Opens with an undisputed classic. After that, it sort of peters of into pleasant sixties sounds that don't sound particularly groundbreaking or different from many other bands of that time. I guess they are a good band that contributed to the general sixties musical landscape and there is some enduring influence.
Everything But The Girl
2/5
Mushy eighties pop which can't be rescued by the odd saxophone solo. I found this album so boring I struggled to get through it. It's one redeeming feature is the production quality which, like so many eighties albums, is excellent.
Beck
2/5
It's very well produced, upbeat, and easy listening. It just has very little depth. It's a mastery in making a wide variety of pleasant noises but there is no emotion in this album. Included within the hodgepodge of genres is some very unconvincing "white middle class guy does hip-hop" which really doesn't land at all. No edge, no grit, no heart. All technicality and no artistry.
Wilco
2/5
After the first track I had already classified this as "another boring American indie rock album". There was one moment, during "Jesus, Etc." where I thought that this might give me something more, but generally my initial assessment was validated. It's not bad, it just plods along with very little variation and monotone vocals. There were a couple of moodier moments towards the end of the album that had a bit more meat behind them, but never enough to change the general assessment. Nothing interesting to see here, lets just move on.
Norah Jones
2/5
What can I say about this? She's a good singer with a nice voice. That's about all there is to it. Not my kind of mush and doesn't stand out beyond the gazillion other offerings doing the same thing.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
The opening track had some modern post-punk type vibes, not dissimilar to Sleaford Mods. It was during the second track that I realised how much the vocals sound like Blur or Gorillaz and couldn't resist a Google. I am surprised that I have never heard of this band or album, but they somehow passed me by. It sits as an interesting halfway house between Blur and Gorillaz, I prefer it to the former and probably not the latter. A mix of brit-pop with a slightly eclectic, electronic twist. Ultimately still too close to other sounds to be revolutionary.
Ministry
3/5
One of those albums that's fine if you like the genre (I do), but I'm sure will divide opinion. It has a good driving energy and urgency to it. Powerful, frenetic riffs that create a cohesive sound wall. What I am not keen on is the complete lack of guitar solos, or indeed any real display of instrumental mastery. It's just solid metal sound. Secondly the vocal delivery isn't my preference, no melody and difficult to pick out the lyrics. Nice to see some metal on the list but this won't become a favourite of mine.
Elvis Costello
3/5
A weird album that seems like it comes from a decade before it was made. Its anachronistic sound is juxtaposed with lyrics contemporaneous to the late seventies. It's a set of fairly average, if well constructed, songs with a few absolute gems thrown in. "Watching the Detectives" is a rare example of the perfect pop song to close the album. If only the rest lived up to that high standard.
The Strokes
5/5
An album that I discovered around 2009 and always wished I had found earlier. This album has such a distinctive sound; cool, gritty with catchy rhythmic riffs, subtle megaphone-esque distortion on the vocals. The energy jumps out of the music. The Strokes sit in a continuum of rock music that goes back to the Beatles and before, but somehow avoid feeling derivative. Simultaneously fresh and timeless. Its a great album that I loved having an excuse to revisit.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
I wasn't convinced by this album. It started off with some cool recordings of African drumming, so far, so good. Then it seemed to descend into a sort of GCSE music class improv session where the aim was to seem clever by munging together as many genres as possible. A little bit too much like an academic exercise and although the music is often quite pleasant, it lacks an authenticity, grit, or heart. I guess, in context it gets some extra kudos for introducing some new sounds to the UK at that time and laying the groundwork for 90's hip-hop. This album is definitely at its best during its purer African moments, like the "Song for Chango" which would have liked more of.
James Taylor
4/5
A perfect example of the genre. I was surprised to learn that it's so early because it sounds timeless. Really nice singer songwriter vibes with high quality guitar that is at its best when the blues is coming through with a minimal backing band. The song writing is top notch and it's an album that won't ever lose it's appeal.
It's a tough one to rate because I don't feel much of an emotional connection but also feel like, for what it is, it couldn't be better. I will score it generously and put it on the list to revisit.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
I enjoyed this. It's light and airy sounding funk with some soulful vocals. I loved the gritty edge to the recording but the production was clear and well presented. I was surprised at how early this record was and can see how it was probably quite influential.
Another one where I am caught between scores. This isn't an album with which I felt a profound connection but I can appreciate it's a good album. On revisiting I don't think this quite makes it into my top marks.
Sex Pistols
5/5
Absolutely slams still even after 48 years. Really enjoyed listening to this quintessential angry British punk. I can't say that my centrist politics perfectly align me with the sentiments of every song, but every now and then its good put pragmatism to one side and just enjoy the irreverence and anti-establishment escapism. It's genre defining and I can't listen to this album without a massive grin.
Carole King
2/5
Nice voice and I like the old school production artifacts but it's just a bit "meh". The album floated past in a pleasant but boring waft and I never felt the depth or vulnerability I hope for in a singer/songwriter or folk revival era record. Some nice song writing but even then the best songs were better sung by other artists. All just a bit too much like the sort of thing your mate's art teacher mum listens to.
Genesis
4/5
Overly long, check. Tenuous narrative, check. Self indulgent, check. Generous use of futuristic sound effects, check. Warbling electric organ solos, check. Obviously this has all the hallmarks of a pretentious experimental prog rock album and the only remaining question is: is it actually any good...
Answer: yeah I think it probably is. I can't say I was able to take the whole thing in in one sitting, but I found the rambling journey through the album quite engaging. A few moments that made me stop and take notice, both lyrically and musically. I think there is enough in this for me to dive back in later and try to engage more deeply.
What I love about these old prog rock albums is that in hindsight they blend a futurism with a nostalgia. Like watching old sci-fi, they predict future that could have, but didn't quite happen.
Neil Young
3/5
Oh wow another Neil Young album! I can see that this is going to become a bit of a trope within this project, but did we seriously need quite so much Neil Young on here?
As with all of his albums, this is quite good. The writing and music is very nicely put together and the recording and production is top notch. I find his voice quite annoying...
Copy and paste that for the next seven Neil Young albums.
The Only Ones
2/5
An album that doesn't quite know where it sits. Its like a proto-punk, pre-brit-pop, pop-rock album that sounds like something your mate recorded in his garage.
There is one good track "Another girl, Another planet" which stands out as a diamond in the rough. The majority of the album is fairly weak lyrically.
I guess you could argue that it is impressively prescient, but it doesn't convincingly excel in any of the sounds that it foreshadows and I didn't particularly enjoy listening to it.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
This album has the same great song writing and atmosphere of Cohen's later albums with a crucial difference: The more melodic delivery of his sing-talking makes this significantly more pleasant to listen to.
Its a lyric heavy album and it will take me multiple listens before I can fully appreciate their meaning, but even on the first listen of this I can tell how well crafted the verse is. One of those rare songwriters that fully synthesises the wording with the meaning with the music, often resolving all three elements simultaneously to create moments of awe. It's poetry but with an extra dimension.
A quick nod to the intimate recording and production which is very much to my taste and sympathetically done here. Not so light a touch that there aren't some interesting discoveries such as the stereo reveal of the fairground backing to "Sisters of Mercy".
I am fully invested in this and will definitely be revisiting this album to fully explore it's depths.
The Smiths
5/5
The Smiths produced some great albums. Johnny Marr is a great guitarist and his complex riffs are rumbling there under the surface of Morrissey's inspired lyricism and artistic wailings.
I can see how this could get labelled as pretentious and Morrissey in particular as self indulgent. If you take this sort of artistic risk, it only works if you are good and the Smiths are really good. The songs have real depth with lyrics that will surprise you by lurching from profundity to hilarity. When Morrissey starts singing a line, you never quite know where he will take you with it and there is a satisfying juxtaposition between the upbeat, sometimes funky music in say "Barbarism Begins at Home" and the challenging lyrical themes.
The Smiths are great, original, and influential, and, more importantly, if you remember not to take them too seriously they are great fun to listen to.
The Residents
3/5
Firstly, it's not another boring mainstream or easy listening album so it gets some instant kudos from me for that. It's the sort of thing I was hoping for when I started this project. I quite like the sheer insanity, it sounds like someone threw a kazoo and a drum into a mental asylum and I'm here for it. Art doesn't always have to always illicit positive emotions, it can be ugly and uncomfortable and still be valid art.
My issue with this album is that it feels a bit contrived. It is still very much "inside the box" and despite it's attempts to subvert, it still clings to the basic traditional structures of popular music. All the weirdness comes across as an academic exercise in "how fucking weird can we make this" rather than something truly expressive. Anybody could sit down and bang a pot and scream weird nursery rhymes and pretend it's deep, but you have to sell some real emotional authenticity for it to be good. Cool listen but misses the mark for me.
Cat Stevens
5/5
I've been listening to this album trying to work out what it is that I love about Cat Stevens. He can be a bit sickly sweet and arguably takes himself a tad too seriously but the songs in this album are so well crafted. His voice is so effortlessly appealing and the level of supporting instrumentation is perfectly pitched to bring a full bodied sound without sacrificing intimacy.
This album is very much "of it's time" and can sound a bit happy-clappy, but in terms of songwriting it's top notch. It's not just the velvety vocals and simple but beautiful songs, Cat Stevens has an extra quality, a charisma that I can't quite define but that exudes through his music. TFTT is a masterful singer/songwriter album and probably his best.
Neil Young
3/5
Probably the best Neil Young album so far, musically. I liked the slow bluesy vibe.
I still find his voice annoying and there is too much Neil Young on this list.
The White Stripes
3/5
Like with a lot of The White Stripes, this album has its ups and downs. Obviously it starts with what is now a cult classic and the album continues at this high level for a few tracks.
They are at their best when playing heavy rock with deep blues influences but there are periods where they slip into what I think of as "children's tv soundtrack mode". On this album that is the likes of 'I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself' and 'In The Cold, Cold Night' that sound lame and really kill the vibe. It's a momentary lapse because the album soon picks up into some great rock music but the problem is it mars the enjoyment of the whole because any borderline vocal delivery makes me worry its about to slip back to CBBC.
Overall its a very good album that could have been a great album just purely by omitting the shit tracks. Very difficult to rate on that basis but it is an album I would happily own so probably just scrapes four stars (I wrote the above before listening to the final track which so perfectly highlights my issue with this album that I am downgrading to a three).
Michael Jackson
3/5
Objectively very good, lots of disco energy and you cant help but move your body to it. The thing that stood out most to me, at least on the Tidal version, is the immaculate precision with which everything is performed and recorded. All the vocals are pitch perfect, bang on, a voice like a razor blade. Then every musical element is masterfully performed, recorded and produced. This really is an incredibly polished, master class of an album.
Where I struggle with it, is purely a matter of taste. I can't find a space for this type of music in my life. It's just too poppy and at times it's sickly sweet to the point of cringe, e.g. 'Girlfriend'. I would just never listen to this sort of happy-clappy pop, no matter how expertly produced it is. I can appreciate the artistry but there's no connection for me.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
This album seems to hover somewhere between great and weak rock music. It starts off heavy but by 'Man' I was less convinced that I was listening to something authentic, more like a facsimile of a heavy rock band that wasn't quite selling it.
Her voice is great and musically it's all fine but it doesn't ever really pop off. The exception to this is 'Maps' which feels fully formed, original, and jumps out as an exceptional track. They are generally at their best when occupying the softer end of the indie/rock spectrum. For the most part I felt like I was listening to a good support act which might be an indication that they hadn't yet quite found their sound with this album.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
This album is full-pelt artistic earnestness from the get-go and it's a bit difficult to take seriously. The upbeat tracks like 'Sledgehammer' are pretty good but in a very 80's synth pop way. He has a great voice and a unique style. The album has great sounding production which I've come to expect from this period.
At first listen, this is a long way from the prog-rock of Genesis although you can still hear some influences, for example in 'Mercy Street'. It's a bit too mainstream pop for my tastes but definitely stands up as a great example of UK 80's music.
Black Flag
2/5
Firstly, what is going on with the production of this album? It's a mess and urgently needs a remaster. It's unusual for the production of a record to be so bad that it genuinely reduces my ability to listen to an album but I couldn't really hear the constituent parts for most of this album.
That said, and going off pure vibes, its a fun, early punk album that has good energy and doesn't take itself too seriously. Would probably be a fun gig to see live. Unfortunately this is seriously limited as an album because it sounds like it was recorded by gathering round a single microphone in my shed.
Paul Simon
3/5
Really nice feel good vibes in a great sounding album. The album really stands out as a well crafted piece of art. It's really well recorded and produced, it's all easy to listen to and is infused with African sounds without ever sounding contrived or exploitative. A respectful cultural fusion.
I have listened to the album multiple times in an effort to form my opinion. I can hear greatness in the album but the question I have been wrestling with is: would I include this in my own personal collection? I think, maybe controversially, the answer is no. If I did, I would be including it pretentiously because its well known as a "great" album, rather than that it means anything to me personally. I have no interest in curating classics for the sake of it so, as much as I can appreciate it's influence, it doesn't quite make the bar for me personally.
Radiohead
5/5
I always feel like Hail to the Thief is a little odd one out in the Radiohead discography and I remember it taking me a few listens to really get into. After transitioning from their alt-rock roots into the electronic fusion of Kid A and Amnesiac, the album seems to hark back to their more traditional rock sound.
That's not to say that the album isn't infused with the chaotic, dizzying whirl of rock-electronica that typify post-Kid A Radiohead. I love how tracks like "Sit Down, Stand Up" crescendo into a panic attack of sound that isn't completely comfortable but remains beautiful. It's just that there are tracks like "Go to Sleep." which more fit the rock band formula.
The core attraction of Hail to the Thief and Radiohead in general is that they perfectly capture the beauty in the darker themes of human existence. I get that this isn't an album for all occasions, but sometimes its good to just sit on your own in a dark room and wallow in this swirling beautiful sadness.
Travis
2/5
I remember this being a hit in the UK and it got a lot of play time in my house growing up. I wasn't particularly excited to listen to this again, though. It's perfectly inoffensive, boring, middle aged dinner party music that no longer holds my interest.
It seemed a big deal at the time but it's popularity is probably just an indicator of it's blandness. Nice for a nostalgic listen from the end of the last century.
Tina Turner
2/5
I was pleasantly surprised to find that I didn't hate this. I thought the songs were well put together, Turner's singing voice is obviously incredible and the vocals were pitch perfect. As my grandad would have said "She's got a pair of lungs on her".
What I didn't like was how stripped back and basic the backing music sounded. This must have been intentional but it was oversimplified to the point that it sounded like some sort of old-school karaoke backing track.
I also get tired of listening to this style of full throttle singing. Turner belts out everything full volume with little space for nuance. Its technically impressive but I just find the style overbearing. Then there is a final dishonourable mention of the terrible Beatles cover. Sorry, overall just not my thing.
ABBA
2/5
I genuinely don't understand why ABBA continue to have such a broad appeal. I find them banal, sickly sweet, and generally irritating. My perception is clouded by all the times some DJ has tanked the vibes on a dancefloor by deciding that ABBA was an edgy or ironic crowd pleaser.
That said, I tried my best to listen with an open mind and can say this: It's upbeat, joyful, a bit mainstream poppy but that's ok. I don't think it's aged well at all, but I can't deny their inexplicable influence on pop culture.
Elton John
3/5
Elton John is a hard artist to categorise. I guess its rock and roll, but then there is also a piano-forward, pop ballad element to a lot of his music that makes me think of it as soft and without edge.
This album starts with "Tiny Dancer" which is my favourite Elton track. I think its the fact that the structure is unpredictable and surprising, with an unorthodox but catchy chorus. Just seems like good pop music.
For the rest of the album, I was feeling a mixture of "this is definitely good music" but also "this is boring and outdated and I am not a fan". One eyebrow raiser was "Indian Sunset", a track I actually quite enjoyed despite fully recognising its clumsy "noble savage" theme. Not one for the hardcore wokeist maybe but fair play to him for going there. I guess when this came out it was probably seen as deeply progressive which is interesting in of itself.
Overall a decent album that hasn't changed my middling opinion of Elton John.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I think I had only ever really listened to the title track before listening to this and it still stands up as an excellent bit of music. I'm not sure the rest of the album quite lives up to this very high standard, but I enjoyed the majority of it nonetheless.
The production is excellent and there is a lot of detail in the mix that stands up to a critical listen, even if at times they do seem to have found the more obscure instruments at the bottom of the music classroom percussion bin (#NeedsMoreCowbell). The best feature of the album is the variation of structure, sometimes switching vibes mid track to keep the listener on their toes.
Overall a very cool album with a lot to get stuck into. I realised halfway through that there is depth beyond the title track and this is definitely one I will be returning to for repeat listens.
Cheap Trick
3/5
This is exactly the sort of thing I envisioned listening to when I started this project. A live recording of a Japanese concert from a niche US rock band. There is something faintly Spinal Tap about the whole thing and I like it.
And it was pretty good. Not the polished production of a studio album but it had good energy and I can see why this was picked up as a great performance. They have that classic American rock band flavour but there are also lots of moments that seem to foreshadow later bands, at some points the vocals almost sound like nineties brit-pop.
I considered pushing this album into the upper marks. It's a cool recording of a fun, high energy performance and I was taken in by the story of the underappreciated band on an epic Japan tour. I think it just falls short for me just on the basis of the music being fairly formulaic and inside the box. Good solid stuff though nonetheless.
Aerosmith
3/5
Good classic rock noise. I enjoyed it all the way through but was never particularly captivated. It's a bit of a one trick pony that didn't ever seem to give me something I haven't heard before.
Of course, there is always the argument of lasting influence (which I don't doubt) but, beyond being an interesting academic listen, I can't see me rushing back to this album again.
Elvis Costello
2/5
The lines about "Flogging a dead horse" in 'Pony St.' seem surprisingly apt for what I see is the 14th studio album from Elvis Costello.
This is a perfectly legitimate musical endeavour but my overriding feeling listening to this is that its just less-good music from a slightly over-the-hill artist. Another phenomenon that I have noticed, which happens when music is overly lyrically lead, is that it sounds as though the lyrics were written in isolation and the music was added in as an afterthought. This album was like trying to munch through a word salad.
It's overly long, didn't do much for me overall, and I expect that ECs reputation is doing some heavy lifting regarding its inclusion on this list.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
This album represents a significant development in hip-hop, giving a fresh new sound that seems to push the genre forward from the west coast hip-hop of the 90's. I quite enjoyed the dark, murky style and the nasal rapping over the well produced beats. I also liked that it had a variety of style and cadence, rather than feeling like you are listening to a single continuous tempo, Kendrick uses creative structures to vary tracks throughout the album.
My main criticism is that a whole album of this genre is too much for me and what begins as fresh and interesting wanes by halfway through. That, on top of the fact that this is a long album which I think is about three tracks too long. If this was condensed down into a more efficient package it might have nudged into higher marks for me because I liked the general vibe.
Johnny Cash
1/5
I started this album full of my usual scepticism about old men's swan song albums. My concerns rose further when I saw the words "sixty seventh studio album" in the description. Surely we can't expect that Cash suddenly pulled it out of the bag and released the best of his career on attempt sixty seven?
I was surprised to find that the first two tracks were pretty good. The music production is excellent and Cash's vocals hold up admirably. 'Hurt' is a definite high point and had me wondering whether my preconceptions were about to be proven incorrect.
Unfortunately, as the covers continued to role in, there were some absolute clangers. 'Bridge over troubled water' was a particularly embarrassing moment and by the time I got to 'Danny Boy' it was getting beyond a joke. Despite the odd decent cover, this is an album we could do without.
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
This is a pleasant sounding indie album that stands out amongst it's contemporaries for being more intimate and considered than I'd expect from the mid nineties.
I don't think the album would turn many heads if it was released ten to fifteen years after it was but in context it is admirably original. It's a little sickly sweet and some lyrics are a tad too pretentious for my tastes but its a nice, if not ground-breaking, album nonetheless.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Another album I thought I never heard of but turns out I have. It's a testament to the influence of this album and how much it has seeped into our cultural landscape.
I didn't enjoy it though. I generally dislike electric organ music and this album full of annoying noodling highlights exactly why. It sounds like inoffensive lift music. I felt like I spent thirty five minutes waiting on hold for British Gas customer services.
Not my thing but clearly a very influential cultural piece so I'm glad of the listen.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
This is the peak of tepid pop music and a real chore to sit through.
To critique in some meaningful way, it has musical elements of some of the synth pop of the 80's. Somehow though, this seems lower energy, the synths feel less meaty, and the rhythms more basic and plodding. I can also hear some influences in bands like The lightning Seeds (although they have a far more convincing sound).
I was never going to like this album, given the genre. Over-simplistic music, low energy vocals, boring and repetitive electronic percussion. On top of all of this, they throw in a track about "Lady Di" and it transcends from a shit album into a full on sick-in-my-mouth experience.
Janis Joplin
4/5
I found this album quite compelling. I sometimes find this style of all-or-nothing singing can be too abrasive, but I think in this case she pushes to the limit of soulful expression without becoming too fatiguing. The band provides solid, big-band bluesy sound which is recorded in a natural, organic way.
I love the rawness and vulnerability of Joplin's performance which is at its best during the slower tempo tracks. A lot to like and more to discover on repeat listens.
Paul Simon
3/5
Overall this is a lovely sounding album. The well composed songs are perfectly recorded and the mix is artfully done. There is some really good stuff in there, particularly the guitar, but sometimes it just tries to do a bit too much. For example, I was really enjoying the stripped back guitar performance of 'Armistice Day', despite the bongos, then the maracas started and it lost me.
The songs are all just a bit too saccharine for me and it lacks any bite or edge. From the moment it opened with a reggae track, the album had a tinge of self indulgence about it and the gratuitous use of flutes and tambourines made me think of over-exuberant secondary school music teachers.
Living Colour
3/5
It's classic rock but enthused with Americana and a dash of funk. There is also an eighties flavour running through, sometimes reminding me of Phil Collins.
You can tell this is a band who had some stuff they wanted to say, as well as make some music. JFK, Stalin, and Mussolini make an appearance in the first track which immediately sets it outside the pop norm. The lyrics slip into being a bit preachy here and there but there are some good guitar riffs, solos and a funky baseline underneath a lot of it.
A lot of the right ingredients are there, so I was left wondering why this album didn't really click with me. Its mostly ok, with some minor lyrical cringe, but none of it ever moved me. It seemed a bit caricatured, perhaps a bit shallow. Like a rock margarita pizza.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
I enjoyed the dark, laconic vibes of this album. It piqued my interest and inspired a second listen. Its a stripped back sound but it seems to carry it off well, despite the vocals sometimes nudging into a Neil Young soundalike (not a good thing).
Its, perhaps, slightly too laid back and I went through the album waiting for a resolution that never quite came. I was longing for it to crescendo into an eargasmic cacophony but instead I just got thirty seven minutes of audial edging.
Leftfield
2/5
At first I was intrigued and thought I was on for a surprise banger. A few tracks in and I was blowing hot and cold with the album. I like the murkier electro and the dub and jungle elements, but I don't get on with the repetitive nature of house beats. It was a nice peak into the world of the 90's rave scene and I could see myself getting on with it a lot more in that context.
This is more considered than the average dance album. It had elements of more recent music that I like, so it was a good academic listen if not a new favourite.
Beck
3/5
It's quite a good listen and better than previous offerings from Beck. It sounds like the love child of modern indie and country and western. A well recorded album with good tone throughout and quite morose in a folk/singer/songwriter style.
Other than being generally quite pleasant, I didn't feel a deeper connection and there was always a slight suspicion that Beck thinks he is a lot greater than he actually is. I might be being unfair but I'm going to judge him for it anyway.
AC/DC
4/5
Classic album that still rocks hard. I was loving it from start to finish.
The riffs are simple, the sound is urgent and loud, and the vocals are an assault on the ears. The album isn't doing anything too deep or complex, but it does what it does extremely well. Its an American-inspired classic rock sound but they nail it so perfectly it has to be one of the best examples of the genre. It struck me on a second listen that if you lowered the tempo slightly and removed the distortion you could call this a blues album. I thought that just nicely highlighted the continuum of rock on which AC/DC are placed.
An album that unashamedly is what it is and I very much enjoyed it.
3/5
I really enjoyed the listen, it's dated but it still sounds great, production wise, and I'm a sucker for a concept album. It's clearly an album produced in the sixties and has that whimsical sound juxtaposed with some political lyrics. In this way it becomes an interesting piece of social history as well as a fun listen.
I couldn't help but compare this to the Beatles and I have to say there is more going on here than many Beatles albums. They have a bit more edge and less of a mainstream pop leaning. I've heard The Kinks described as proto-punk but I don't hear that in this album. This would probably get four stars if it wasn't for a few duff tracks towards the end. Cool album by a cool band I look forward to exploring more.
Caetano Veloso
3/5
A nice background noise album but a bit too easy listening to make into my top tier. He has a speak/sing style that is nice enough to listen to but doesn't excite me. It also had some instances of fairly ropey recording quality which is a shame.
Great to have some music from outside the Anglosphere, although this was very lyric heavy so I did suffer from a lack of understanding. Reading up, I gather that this is a quintessential album for the culture so I'm pleased for the opportunity to appreciate it.
Weather Report
2/5
Started off with some game show music, moved into B movie soundtrack with a dash of seventies porno. There was a brief spell of some samba style before some music most suited to a lift in a department store. This must be someone's jam but it isn't mine.
Iggy Pop
4/5
More enjoyable than I was expecting based on previous Iggy Pop experiences. Some cool tracks in there, particularly "The Passenger" which is an ear worm. I like the general style of the album, it has a rawness and a certain type of open expression about it.
I have previously criticised Iggy Pop for sounding too much like a Budget Bowie. I think that was less the case here and this Iggy felt like an artist in his own right, albeit heavily influenced. Certain tracks, like "Neighbourhood Threat" still had the stamp of Bowie all over them, however.
An album with some good high points and I wrestled with my rating for a couple of days and listen throughs. I think there might be a 4 star album hiding in there, so I will be generous for now and continue to relisten.
King Crimson
4/5
This a little gem of an album is a slightly less mainstream but still well regarded English prog rock album that, although I was aware of, I'd never given a critical listen.
It's really good and right up my street. Yeah it's got some pretty experimental bits that are a bit left field ('Moonchild' could be half as long without losing anything at all), but overall it's a great example of the genre that lots of people probably pass over to their detriment.
3/5
A raw and simplistic punk-rock album that is only notable because of its early release date. I enjoyed it all the way through, but I never felt like it was particularly ground-breaking. Then again, it is very early and from the USA, which I guess makes it stand out amongst it's contemporaries.
To be honest, it sounds like a lot of Punk-rock bands from the UK, so perhaps my British ears are not hearing anything outside the norm. They sound like a touring band you'd hear at gig in a local venue. You'd leave thinking they were great fun, you'd see them again but probably wouldn't buy the CD.
Michael Jackson
3/5
I'm not a natural fan of MJ and this album was never going to be my jam, but it can't be disputed as one of the best pop albums ever made. It's got a few absolutely iconic pop tracks that are perfectly produced and sharp as a tack in the usual MJ style.
Jackson is at his best with the high energy, upbeat tracks and I find his rendition of the more intimate songs to be unconvincing. Even with drafting in Paul McCartney, "The Girl Is Mine" comes across as sickly sweet, juvenile and the album would be better off without it.
Great album but not to my taste.
Teenage Fanclub
2/5
This yo-yoed between a decent rock album and pretty middle of the road 90's brit-pop. I quite enjoyed the general vibe but a lot of it felt pretty plodding and the vocals were lackluster.
Apart from a few interesting moments, like the instrumental part of 'Satan', a point where I briefly thought the album might pick up into something more exciting, this was a decent enough but forgettable album.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
I expected the great voice and a single killer song (you know the one). What I didn't expect was quite how much I would like the rest of the album.
The music is excellent. It's like a time capsule that had me wafting along in imagined nostalgia. It's so smooth and stylish with a certain timeless cool and her voice is both technically incredible and easy to listen to.
This is outside my usual taste but something in this really clicked with me and I expect repeat listens.
John Coltrane
5/5
Perhaps aided by it's short runtime, I didn't traverse my usual jazz pathway from initial interest to boredom. Maybe I'm being slowly groomed into a jazz fan through exposure...
For whatever reason, the album really clicked with me. I was enthralled by the rolling rhythms which feel like they pull you into a trance. The noodling sax that floated above felt like watching a plastic bag caught in the wind.
There was something compelling about the album and I ended up listening four times through. Musical horizons broadened!
The Waterboys
5/5
The album opens with such an infectious energy it instantly caught my attention and held it. Its like someone buttered traditional folk music over a slice of contemporary rock.
I loved blend of influences from across the British Isles and as the album went on I kept discovering more to get into. I was thinking throughout how much I would love to see them perform this live.
I did think the energy, along with the quality, dipped slightly towards the end of the album, some tracks seeming maybe a little too caricatured. But I have to caveat that this was on the first listen of what I expect to be many, so I may grow to discover some hidden depths in these tracks also.
Arcade Fire
4/5
Every now and then a band comes along that seems to do something a bit differently and gives you something you've not quite heard before. Arcade fire ticks that box for me. Such an expansive sound and so much meaning squeezed out of every track. In fact, my only criticism is that sometimes they maybe try too hard and come across as a bit "holier than thou".
Arcade fire came along at prime music discovery age for me. They were played a lot in my uni digs and I saw them live at that time, so there are some added nostalgia marks. This isn't their best album but still a goodun with a couple of my favourite tracks.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
The positive side is that if he was trying capture the sound of a pretentious artist who has been experimenting with psychedelics, he has absolutely nailed it.
Generally I didn't find this album convincing at all. A mixture of sickly sweet and uninspiring fluff and a load of formless noise. I am fully aware that others would accuse some of my favourite bands of the same faults. It could be called "Progressive" but its not prog-rock, instead its more prog-beige pop.
What it ultimately comes down to, is a matter of personal connection plus an assessment of the artistic depth or sophistication. One man's weird nonsense is another's artistic expression, unfortunately this one sits in the latter camp.
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
The album sounds excellent musically and production-wise. I really like the cool, slow, soul. It's super easy to listen to and I was really enjoying it, despite the sometimes over-the-top falsetto. I say "was" because the track "Jesus" was such a shitter that it nearly put me off the whole album.
As it is, I think its nice illustrative album of a point in time but not one for my general listening. One track was very cool but a whole album became a bit grating.
Willie Nelson
3/5
Although I have never been an overt fan of Willie, I am into a few things that could be described as Willie-adjacent so was happy to give it a go.
I can see the quality, I get that if you are a serious Willie fan you would enjoy the simplicity and rawness. Its a stripped back, exposed performance which probably connects with enthusiasts.
Unfortunately, I found the overall performance pretty limp. There were a couple of spurts of interest, but they came and went throughout the album and didn't last very long. By the end of the session, my disinterest in Willie was confirmed. Totally acceptable but not an experience I will be returning to.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
My first impression was that this sounds fantastic for something that is nearly sixty years old. It's very pretty music that is complex and impressively constructed. It is a perfect example of a soundtrack to an era and S&G have seeped into cultural memory in a way that few artists will ever achieve.
The thing is, other than enjoying the odd song as an academic exercise, I can't see myself ever listening to a whole album. It's just too sickly sweet and not my bag. On the plus side it has made me think I need to pick up my guitar and learn a song or two.
Arrested Development
3/5
It's nice to listen to such a positive hip-hop record that isn't so heavy on the drugs, sex and violence. I also thought the music felt refreshingly vibrant and fun and themes were quite wholesome.
A major negative is that it's too long. I was in a really positive space with it at thirty minutes in but when an album is nearing an hour long, it has to be exceptional to continue to hold my attention. In this case, it mostly failed to do so and ended up descending into blur of rhythm and horns. There were a few standout tracks in the album and generally it was a fun reminder of hip-hop's diversity before it was dominated by the gangster rap sound.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
1/5
The only positive thing I can find to say about this album is that the production value is excellent. Otherwise, this is an overly long, camp, pretentious, 80s hodgepodge an I found it a tough mission to get through.
Surely nobody who didn't live through this era listens to this by choice? Its the sort of music that will quickly be relegated to soundtracks in documentaries about the 80's and kitsch 80's nights in dreary British bars.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
I wasn't taken with the first third of this album. To my ears, it was just another generic pop album. Something changed around 'Come Alive (War of the Roses)' and it started to become something a bit more interesting.
I like a concept album. They risk a bit of self indulgence and can sometimes be bit too much concept and not enough actually good music. This album treads the line on both of these things but I applaud the effort put towards making something genuinely different and artistically risky. The overview mentions David Bowie, which elicited a sceptical snort when I first read it, but actually I can hear some Bowiesque elements in this. It is the sort of thing he might have made if he was born with different race, gender, generation, and nationality.
Overall, I have to say I quite liked this. There were some cringy moments but you can't make an omelette without cracking a few eggs. And you can't make a double disk concept album about coming to Earth as an Alien Android without having a few weird moments.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Great album and, of course, a classic. Its that great rock sound that still remains true to its blues roots. Then the iconic vocals that cut through the meaty guitars: *Chefs kiss*
An initially overlooked element of Led Zeppelin is the sophistication of the rhythms. I'm sure its been known by better students of music than me, but the drums are often slightly out of phase from the rhythm guitar and vocals and it gives a sense of urgency, like the music is tumbling out of the record.
There are a couple of experimental moments that dip the vibes slightly here and there, which is my only criticism. But given it's context, age, and the fact they were breaking new ground, all is forgiven in this excellent album.
Motörhead
3/5
Its frenetic, loud and sounds like a chain smoker riding a Harley Davidson. It doesn't let up in intensity throughout the whole album.
I quite like it, because I am well aligned with the genre, but I can't help thinking there is an obvious lack of refinement with this album. It's fun, and I would certainly enjoy any given track in isolation. A whole album of it gets a bit samey though.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
I have been on a bit of a journey with this one. I didn't immediately enjoy it, it sounded dated and I thought the tone of her voice was surprisingly poor. I thought the songs were well structured, though, and the production value and use of synths sound very prescient for 1979.
Listening on, I was intrigued by the context and did some reading on the life of MF, someone I hadn't heard of previously. With her backstory in mind, and with a more careful appreciation of the lyrics, the album was transformed from a fairly mid, proto-eighties pop album into something a bit more interesting. A woman who has been chewed up and spat out by the toxicity of 1960's pop-culture and she's come back swinging.
The album ends with the excellent 'Why'd Ya Do It', a slow, angry punk/ska track that was middle finger to her past experiences and much more my style.
This isn't an album I can see myself returning to with any frequency, but it was a very interesting listen and another win for the project.
Q-Tip
3/5
Another hip-hop album that is pleasant to listen to and has themes beyond the usual gangster rap genre. As usual though, my enthusiasm was waning by the end of the album. Although it was upbeat and enjoyable, it still felt quite repetitive by the end.
There is probably more depth to the lyrics than I was able to pick up on a first pass, but lacking any visceral reaction to it I'm unlikely to revisit.
ZZ Top
4/5
I have had a soft spot for ZZ Top since I was a long-haired kid looking for classic electric guitar riffs. This album is kind of slow and plodding in places, but it has a decent groove, some hard hitting riffs and it breaks out into some killer solos.
What was most interesting was how spacious and clean the recording sounds. It's so much more accessible for the ear than many rock albums. This exposes all the individual performances and really stands up to a critical listen.
'The Grange' was the only track I already knew and it was nice to revisit it because it's a cracker. A really unique, lazy, blues-rock banger.
I listened through a few times to decide on my rating, but overall I really enjoyed the album. Still stands up over 50 years after it was made.
Radiohead
5/5
The Bends was an album I came to appreciate quite late in my exploration of Radiohead and it took me a while to appreciate it's brilliance. I now think this was the first truly great album that the band produced. When you put it into it's context of 1995, it really stands a head and shoulders above every other guitar band at that time. It still has hint of grunginess and Brit-pop, but it marks the point that Radiohead start to reach further into the abstract and experimental to create something unique.
The album still has the early, track by track, listening experience and songs like "High and Dry" and "Fake Plastic Trees" offer enjoyers of singles some absolute gems. I am more of a concept album man, which is why I rank this slightly below their later albums. The Bends is a cohesive listening experience, though, and I love that you can hear hints of the band's later excellence.
For transparency: I will be giving 5 stars to every Radiohead album on this list. Not only do I think they are technically brilliant and culturally significant, they are like a perfect distillation of my musical taste. I will jump at any chance I have to dive back into their music which continues to move me with every relisten.
The Cardigans
2/5
Off to a bad start when the first track sounded exactly like the music from The Sims setup menu. The album then settled into some more traditional pop-rock sounds, albeit with some pretty sickly sweet vocals.
That pretty much sums up the whole album, pretty middling pop rock with some eventually quite grating Disney princess vocals. It has one single, 'Lovefool', which I remember being in the charts and I suspect this is another example of an album making the list on the basis of one hit song. The best track on the album is actually a low-fi Black Sabbath cover that was surprisingly enjoyable.
Not terrible, just a mediocre album that wouldn't be notable if it was made in any other decade but the nineties, a decade where we seem to have collectively abandoned musical taste.
Little Simz
3/5
Its got tight bars and decent beats. I generally quite enjoyed it but wasn't ever completely taken with it.
I have realised that what I look for in hip-hop is a sense of humour. I want ridiculous, hyperbolic lyrics that aren't for being taken too seriously. This album seems to take itself very seriously and, although I can still appreciate it's technical quality, it loses marks in entertainment value.
Honorary mention for 'Venom' which has a line about "licking batty", something I think we can all agree we need more of in popular music.
Various Artists
2/5
First off, I have a low ceiling for Christmas albums. Christmas music as a genre is something that generally I will grin and bear as a necessary part of the festive season, but wouldn't listen to by choice.
This album mainly served as a reminder of just how old and tired some of the classics are starting to sound. This probably sounded fresh and exciting in the sixties, but half a century later and we haven't really come up with anything better.
I guess I can say that this is probably the best Christmas album that I have ever listened to.
Nick Drake
5/5
If you ever find yourself alone with half an hour to spare, this album is one of the very best ways you can spend it.
It's a perfectly distilled, contemplative, and emotionally raw album that remains understated whilst being deeply expressive. It sings of the beauty that can be found in the darker aspects of existence. I think this is Drake's best work and whenever I listen to it I somehow feel renewed.
This is one of my favourite albums of all time and I think it takes the crown for the best in it's genre. Its a perfect album that I will continue to return to.
Metallica
3/5
Brilliant when they are in their melodic mode, but unsophisticated to boring when they are in full thrash. This album contains the elements that I like and dislike most about Metallica.
The album was off to a great start with the intro, then swiftly descended into the high tempo, one dimensional thrash metal that I soon find disinteresting.
That said, some moments of brilliance with 'One' and 'To live is to die', both of which contain more melodic elements and virtuosic guitar solos. If there was an album made up entirely of this flavour of Metallica it would have me gushing.
Generally a solid metal album with some good elements, but also some blander areas that left me feeling a bit bored after sixty five minutes.
Raekwon
3/5
A really good sounding hip-hop record that feels like a link between the early hip-hop and the genre's peak in the late nineties/early noughties. Its got technically impressive, gritty production value with great flows and effortless bars.
My issue, as with many hip-hop albums, is that this is just far too long to keep attention for one listening session. The relentless beats and violent themes become repetitive and fatiguing after over seventy minutes. Also, I'm so bored of the trope of long spoken interludes which are just strings of expletives and the word "Nigga" being used instead of punctuation. These really kill the flow of the album for me and the content certainly doesn't stand up to modern sensibilities.
If you took a twenty minute snippet of almost any part of this album I would probably be left wanting more. As it is, I was left waiting for it to finish.
50 Cent
4/5
I have a real soft spot for this album but potentially not in the way it was intended. It's got that early naughties hip-hop vibe that is completely un-PC, absolutely hilarious, and slaps hard. Perhaps not one for the easily offended, but if you put that to one side it delivers everything I want from a hip-hop album (and unfortunately quite a bit more...).
Some highlights include trying to fit "G-Unit" into gaps that are just slightly too small. Lines like "I'm shimilar to a squirrel" and "I'm you friend, your father, and confidant. BITCH" are just too hilarious to not enjoy. I also like how he often raps his own echoes and at one point is barking like a dog. The only issue I have is that the album is too long and could definitely be improved by removing a few weaker tracks in the second half.
Completely ridiculous album that has me boppin my head and laughing every time I hear it.
Baaba Maal
4/5
The album starts with such a great tone and recording quality that I was instantly captivated. I sometimes find with "world music" you get something that is culturally interesting but limited by the production quality. Not the case here. This album sounds great, intimate guitars with great tone, mixed well with traditional percussion instruments and bags of detail and intimacy.
It's a long album, but my attention was held throughout. At first it seemed like a purely Senegalese folk vibe, but I noticed some western influences from blues and Jazz creeping in, particularly in the title track which was excellent. I also found my lack of Pulaar to be less of a detracting factor than I thought I might, although it is a shame that I struggled to find lyric translations from my usual sources.
I really enjoyed this and I can see that it has potential for many replays. I look forward to relistening and floating back to the Senegal river.
2/5
I actually enjoyed this far more than I was expecting to, although that comes from a position of knowing that I don't like U2. The album gets off to a really strong start, the first three songs had me reconsidering my opinion and perhaps finally understanding why U2 might be so popular.
Unfortunately, the album peaks early and then swiftly descends into uninspiring, self indulgent fluff. I found myself cringing regularly through the last three quarters of the album. Its like American style stadium rock with the corresponding complete lack of self awareness.
Listening to this gave me a greater appreciation of U2's place in cultural history whilst simultaneously confirming that I don't like U2.
Duke Ellington
3/5
This is one of those occasions where you know you are listening to great music, regardless of whether or not you personally like it. The technical musicianship, the tone achieved through the instruments, the effortless interplay with the band... On top of that, this record is a time capsule from a bygone age.
Lots to like here and, for the first hour, I did. I listened to the 1999 "complete" edition and two hours is a long schlep for someone who isn't a jazz fan, regardless of how interested I might be in the history. I definitely see this as more of an interesting recording than an "album" in the usual sense.
Really tough one to rate because this is undoubtedly a great record but personal taste knocks it down a couple of pegs and I can't imagine numerous relistens.
Turbonegro
3/5
Given the name and the Wikipedia article, I went into this with high hopes of hearing some off-the-wall, outrageous punk, perhaps with some Norwegian heavy metal elements thrown in. I ended up being slightly underwhelmed. It does have some cool metallic guitar solos but otherwise it's a fairly standard Americanised punk style.
This is a solid punk record and it's a fun listen, but I think they promise something they don't quite deliver.
Soft Cell
2/5
This is definitely a vibe... Just not a vibe I particularly want to indulge in.
I can see why it's on the list because it seems like a perfect example of a specific type of music from a specific time and place. Probably someone's jam but it's definitely not mine, despite 'Sex Dwarf' which is crying out for a metal cover.
Sheryl Crow
3/5
My internal prejudice led me to expect this album to be awful. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised. The songs are generally well written and convincingly performed. Production quality is solid.
There seems to be something very nineties about this type of singer/songwriter, soft-rock album. It's very radio-friendly and something you can imagine your mum jamming out to in the family car.
Ultimately, there is something timelessly appealing about a nice singer singing some nice songs. Not ground-breaking but solid.
4/5
Listening to this has made me realise that I have always quite liked Muse but have never really given them the time to become a regular part of my collection.
This album has some great variation, from some electronica influences to some heavier rock tracks. Muse always seem to do a good job of staying undeniably Muse-like despite this variation. I think that the constant overly dramatic vocals can sometimes be a little bit OTT and I prefer the tracks where the vocals aren't fully operatic.
This album definitely has enough to it to inspire a deeper dive, as well as some absolutely killer singles that have that quintessential Muse sound.
Supertramp
2/5
Great name, great album cover and I can see how this album would have sold well when it was released because it would have piqued my interest in a record shop.
Unfortunately, I would have got it home and spun it up to ultimately be underwhelmed. It's prog-rock, but with a heavy emphasis on the prog. The opening track was pretty good, if a little soft. There was evidence of a little more bite here and there, for example the heavier bridge of 'Bloody Well Right', which got me momentarily excited before it dropped back into a Elton-Johnesque prog-pop blend.
Generally far too soft for me. I'd like more rock with my prog, please.
The Pharcyde
2/5
Another bit of classic hip-hop from the early nineties which is guilty of all the common issues I have with the genre at this time:
- The beats are unvaried and rhythmically repetitive.
- The rapping is tight but the flows are unvaried and tend to plod along at a single tempo.
- The skits/interludes are overused and annoying.
- The album is twenty minutes too long.
This is fine for a few tracks but it gets repetitive and boring after a while. I wonder whether these are really albums designed to sit through in a single session...
Lyrically, this also has some questionable moments. '4 Better Or 4 Worse' being a stand out track that got bizarre in a bad way.
Generally I enjoy listening to these albums once as a historical study into the culture, but its not my favoured type of hip-hop and I won't be relistening.
Alice Cooper
3/5
This album swings from great to average, with a little more emphasis on average. There are some great moments of classic rock with meaty riffs and great drumming.
'Billion Dollar Babies' is a great track, if the whole album was in this style it would be a big winner. Unfortunately, a lot of the rest of the album somehow manages to fall a bit flat. It sounds like the potential for something great is there, but it hasn't quite managed to execute outside of one killer track.
AC/DC
4/5
Another album where AC/DC sort of nail it. OK, so each Song is a one-riff-wonder, the tracks are formulaic, and the lyrics aren't exactly deep... But its tight, its fun, the vocals are absolutely killer, and it rocks.
AC/DC are one of those bands that I will rarely choose to listen to but every time I hear them, I can't help but enjoy it.
James Brown
3/5
Great music that is made to be performed live. Although this is a cool recording, it is still a poor replacement for being there.
I think these live recordings of older artists are a really great insight into the cultural record. This is not my preferred genre of music, but the live element (gratuitous screaming and all) make listening to this far more interesting than a polished studio performance.
Another recording I enjoy listening to out of interest but not one that would feature in my personal collection.
Soundgarden
3/5
On the face of it this is a good album. It has a lot of the basic elements that I enjoy, but somehow it never quite elevates beyond "quite good". The music is all structurally fine but it seems to lack a spark.
There is a particular type of Americanised operatic rock singing that I find really grating and this album has it all the way through. Also, this album is too long considering it's lack of artistic depth.
A totally acceptable, but instantly forgettable rock album.
The Byrds
3/5
My first reaction was that this is like a less polished Simon and Garfunkel with more experimental elements. After a repeat listen, there is a bit more going on here and it's quite an intriguing album.
There is some experimentation and some of those experiments have aged fairly badly ('Moog Raga' I'm looking at you...), but there is also mix of surprising themes and lyrics that add a depth to this album that I originally missed. It is less polished that S&G, but it also has a bit more bite.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
3/5
This one was a test of my limited Spanish skills!
Great Latin vibes. I felt a bit out of context listening to this in a drizzly UK suburb in January, but it was full of life and a fun listen. I find it interesting how relentlessly upbeat the music is, juxtaposing lines like "Dime cómo me arranco pa siempre el inmenso dolor" with wiggle and a smile.
For some reason I always feel like samba works best as music to cook to... I might have fajitas tonight.
Eminem
4/5
When you are eleven years old in the early noughties listening to music on the school bus through a shared pair of headphones on a Sony Walkman (CD player), this album is absolute gold.
This is probably Eminem's best album. Offensive, dark, silly. Its filled with bangers infused with Eminem's unique and unrivalled rapping style.
The first half of this album has me bopping along with a huge smile on my face. Beyond the great beats and the punk attitude, its the sense of humour running through the music that keeps me coming back to Eminem.
I will say on a full relisten that the album is 20mins too long and could probably have been distilled by culling some of the tracks in the second half. That said, the extremely dark songs, e.g. 'Kim', showcase the emergence of a style of horror-rap that is culturally significant. This is a cultural commentary on an unsavoury side to America that rings true to many. If you don't get it, consider why people enjoy horror movies, not all art is supposed to make you feel good.
Finally, for those who are easily offended, you know that's the point, right? Just be aware that when you are grasping your pearls, you are exactly the person that this music is supposed to offend and your reaction continues to be a key element driving Eminem's enduring popularity.
The Specials
3/5
What I love about this album is that it is a very specific fusion of culture, place, and time. There is a long and complex social history that has led to its creation and I think that's pretty cool. It is something that could only have existed when and where it did, so provides a particular insight into English society at that time.
As for the music specifically, its got that fun ska groove and overtly politicised, soft-punk lyrics which you will either love or hate. It is a bit too soft in places and would benefit from some deeper musical complexity. I enjoyed all tracks individually but it became a bit one-dimensional when consumed as a whole album.
The Specials have many tracks destined to be included forever more in compilation albums or documentary soundtracks. Every time I hear a track I will probably enjoy it, but rating it specifically as a whole album I can't imagine many more full listen-throughs.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Technically very accomplished, pleasant sounding with some absolute classics like "The Boxer" which have etched themselves into our cultural memory. It's impossible to say that S&G are bad, but I just found this album so intensely dull and I can't get past that. It's just too tight and too pretty and leaves me feeling limp.
This isn't a genre issue, because I love folk music. I just like my to be a bit more raw and expressive. It's clearly a very good album but there is no visceral connection with me at all.
Eagles
4/5
I listened to the 2013 remaster and its a really good sounding album. Mixed really well with good separation and you can really dig into all the constituent parts. I'm not sure I have ever appreciated the backing banjo in 'Take it Easy' before today.
The album opens with two great tracks, country rock steeped in Americana, it makes me feel like I'm travelling through the dusty west, stopping in sleepy bars and rundown motels. It's a musically accomplished, relaxing sound with enough depth to hold my attention. It's pretty soft rock but it isn't devoid of bite.
This album is also the perfect length, something that I am starting to appreciate more and more. I honestly think that had this been 50mins long it would be walking away with a 3*. As it is, its just long enough to pull me in and then leave me wanting more, just edging it into the higher marks.
George Harrison
4/5
There is almost too much to this album for me to feel like I am doing it justice with my review based on a single listen. The album opens with such a mesmerising slide guitar riff that feels like a leaf drifting on the breeze.
I expect George Harrison had essentially full creative freedom by this point and this can sometimes manifest in an overworked and self indulgent offering. Not so with this album, although its long it feels much more like a coherent, accessible album whilst still remaining refreshingly expressive. It feels like Harrison is finally unfettered by compromise and can finally just make exactly what he wants to, making the album sound quite free and joyful.
I think this might be excellent but I also don't feel like I've delved deep enough to fully form and opinion. I will give it the benefit of the doubt and mark it up for a re-listen.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
3/5
I will always enjoy this album because, at release, I was at the age where I had started looking for my own music tastes. At that time, RHCP were some of the only music played on mainstream channels that I would enjoy. There are a couple of tracks like "Scar Tissue" and "Californication" which are indelibly etched into some childhood memories.
Unfortunately this album was one of the casualties of the loudness wars. Listening on my old tinny headphones at 10 years old, I wouldn't have noticed. Now with better gear its immediately obvious that the production of this album is utter dogshit. RHCP are not exactly a subtle band, but the complete lack dynamic range in this master makes it sound so flat and tinny. At normal volumes, it sounds like they are playing from the bottom of a well.
An enjoyable album that I would probably listen to a lot more out of pure nostalgia if it hadn't been so butchered by the production process.
Muddy Waters
5/5
This is like listening to the platonic ideal of a blues album. It's morose, soulful and expressive. Each verse sets you up then knocks you down, giving such a satisfying resolution at the end of every phrase. The lyrics, voice, and music seem to work together in perfect synergy.
Arguably, this is a pretty unvaried album in that it's a twelve bar blues on repeat in every track all the way through. To a modern ear, these musical patterns are such a well trodden path that you could fall into the trap of assuming this is derivative, when in fact you are listening to one of the OGs.
Having bounced from a modern album to this, I am also in awe of the recording and production quality. Everything is so well articulated its like you are in the room. The few audio quirks from the live recording just add a depth and colour to the listening experience.
If you like the blues, it's hard to imagine a better album.
Yes
2/5
There are three good tracks on this album. 'Roundabout', 'Mood for a Day', and 'Heart of Sunrise'. The rest of the album feels like unnecessary padding.
Have I mentioned my hatred of the electric organ? Overlayed with the squeaky vocals, it got quite grating. Also, despite its varied nature, most tracks seemed to be quite shallow arrangements. Certainly not as expansive sounding as other prog rock offerings.
The album has a peculiar, very British vibe that somehow remind me of films like 'Willow' or 'Time Bandits'. It's interesting that I just can't imagine anything like this being recorded now.
I've always thought that Yes have a pretty middling ranking in British prog rock and this album just cements that view.
The Smashing Pumpkins
1/5
I think this wins the award for the most cringey album title on the list so far. In fact, the whole vibe of the cover just stinks of insufferable wankery.
The first two tracks are also a terrible opening to an album. If I had been a fan of Siamese Dream and then rushed out to buy this, I'd be severely disappointed. I can't help but think that this whole album is an example of a band being destroyed by their previous success. It seems self indulgent and pretentious, where 'Siamese Dream' felt carefree and expressive.
There were a couple of moments of solid grunge/rock music to remind you of their former excellence. I thought 'Love' was good track and there are a couple of decent singles hiding amongst the chaff. The rest of it was bland music with an awful squeaker massaging his ego over the top. For two hours... Give me a break.
3/5
I definitely vibe more with this flavour of Yes. Its a snapshot of pure prog-rock in a concept album which takes you on an interesting, psychedelic, sonic journey. I listened through twice and somehow transports me to a world of old school fantasy movie soundtracks.
I still find the vocals a bit grating but they seem to fit nicely with the chaotic variety of music as it progresses through the album. I definitely respect what they were trying to do here and I wish more modern bands would take more risks and just be more weird and original.
There was a lot more going on for me in this album than other Yes offerings but I found it more interesting than I did enjoyable.
Don McLean
2/5
The title track is the obvious classic here that I enjoyed, although there are a lot more verses than I remember.
The rest of the album was, unfortunately, a soppy yawn-fest. The sort of thing your Nan would enjoy with a glass of sherry. It's strange because nicely recorded, stripped back guitar based folk-rock from the early 70's sounds like a formula that sits well within my preferences. In this case, though, it didn't click with me and found it boring. There was one moment, during 'The Grave' where I finally thought there was some depth, but unfortunately that was an exception, not the rule.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
What else is there to add to the narrative of one the best albums produced by one of the biggest rock bands ever? It's a great record that contains all of the quintessential elements of Led Zep; complex rhythms, catchy riffs, the classic vocals. To top it all off, this album contains one of the best songs ever recorded in popular music.
Recent listening ranks this just a shade below Led Zeppelin II (even though this one has Sandy Denny) but it still stands a head and shoulders above most albums in this list.
Hole
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise. A very well executed, albeit fairly middle-of-the-road grunge album. Surprising only because they are a nineties band and I had never heard of them. I enjoyed the female vocals, making a refreshing change in a male dominated genre. There were no stand out songs, but it still managed to keep me engaged for the full 50 minutes.
It's a simple formula, but it's well recorded and is very listenable. I'm surprised that this didn't make it onto the Tony Hawks Pro Skater soundtrack. On the fence with the rating but given some benefit of the doubt, this is a low four.
The Temptations
3/5
A very pleasant funk and soul album by the Temptations. I can't really claim to have been moved at all by this. Just an overriding feeling of "this is quite cool" but nothing more. I highly rated earlier albums but this one felt like it wasn't doing anything that they hadn't already done.
The Jam
3/5
A decent album that feels ahead of it's time. Very listenable and I was quite happy listening to this twice through, although it did blend into slightly amorphous background music. You can tell the 70's were a tough economic time in Britain by the amount of music it produced with rebellious social commentary. This probably felt far more relevant to audiences at this time.
Cool album indicative of it's time but not a ground-breaking discovery for me personally.