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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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"...

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.

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... 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.