Before: This looks fun. Love the album title and art. I think I've heard of Slade but couldn't name a single song. The track names look ANNOYING lol Standout tracks: Gudby T'Jane Wonderin' Y Least favorite tracks: The Whole World's Goin' Crazee Let The Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine During/after: Oh this is so early 70's. After listening to the first couple of songs, I'm not digging it. The vocals are so fried and the melodies are kind of annoying. The Whole World's Goin' Crazee makes me want to rip my eyelashes out. Gudby T'Jane has some fun little guitar riffs and stood out to me a bit. Wonderin' Y was definitely one of the better ones as well. Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonight was my favorite track, probably because it was SO different from the others. A lot of these tracks sounded more or less the same. It's like Led Zeppelin but much worse. I did appreciate that the band doesn't seem to take themselves too seriously. I was glad when it was over. It was a little painful. Not quite egregious enough for a 1/5, so 2/5 it is.

Before: I DO NOTTT PLAY ABOUT CHRISTOPHER BREAUX. For years and years I've said that Frank Ocean was my favorite artist of all time and he's still very high up there; he has a very secure spot in the top two or three. I have a Frank Ocean tattoo. I know every single word to this album. Don't piss me off I'm so serious. Standout tracks: Literally almost all of them Weakest tracks: Dude idek Standout lyrics: "We end our day up on the roof. I say I'll jump, I never do, but when I'm drunk I act the fool, talking 'bout, 'do they sew wings on tailored suits?'" - Super Rich Kids "If models are made for modelin', thick girls are made for cuddlin'" - Pink Matter "What if the sky and the stars are for show, and the aliens are watching live from the purple matter?" - Pink Matter "Who needs another friend? I need to hold your hand" - Pink Matter During/after: I know every song on this thing inside and out already so this isn't my usual first listen impressions. The little cough and laugh at the beginning of Start makes me feel like I'm raising from the dead. Thinkin Bout You makes me feel like I'm 16 again and is just so GOOD. Frank's voice is like velvet. Super Rich Kids has always been a favorite with amazing lyrics. The Earl Sweatshirt feature on it absolutely bangs. Crack Rock is another favorite. Not all that much to add except for the fact at it's just really really good. Pyramids is such a masterpiece. Love the juxtaposition of the Egyptian pyramids with the LUXOR PYRAMID HELLOOOO???? I'm calling the police. Also, people sleep on the John Mayer feature on White. Those strings are just so John Mayer and it sounds great with Frank and the vibe of this album. Monks is another underrated banger. Every time I hear the "I'VE NEVER ASKED FOR MUCH" I just wanna do a lil danceee. Bad Religion always puts a very specific and tragic image into my mind immediately with the opening lyrics ("taxi driver, you're my shrink for the hour"), and the whole song just sounds like a drunken, heartbroken, tirade. The pain in this song is palpable. Pink Matter is another classic. I'm so in love with the play on "colors" of matter (gray matter, pink matter, purple matter, blue matter), and there is a lot to unpack there. This track has probably the best lyricism on this album and Andre 3000 has an amazing feature. A favorite for sure. Forrest Gump is probably historically one of my most listened to tracks off of Channel Orange. It's just chill and catchy. Reminds me so much of teenage midwestern summers and is almost painfully nostalgic. End makes the record feel very full circle when you consider how Start sounds and how it begins this tracklist. Really though, the entire second half of the album after White is beautiful (as is the first half but in a different way). Frank does a great job at splitting his albums up into two distinct halves (don't even get me started on how Blonde is split up, omfg) and it works well here. Bad Religion into Pink Matter into Forrest Gump into End is a perfect way to wrap this record up. A smooth, sexy, velvety ode to love and drugs. What more could we ask for? I maintain that he is one of the best artists of this generation. Where's the album, Frank? Easiest 5/5 ever.

Before: This album reminds me of my grandma because she loves Cat Stevens. Wild World is one of my favorite songs of all time. Excited to get more into his discography. Standouts: Wild World Miles From Nowhere Into White (I LOVE the strings) Father And Son (TEARS) Least favorites: Sad Lisa Standout lines: "If you wanna leave, take good care." - Wild World "Lord, my body has been a good friend, but I won't need it when I reach the end." - Miles From Nowhere "I love everything so don't it make you feel sad, cause I'll drink to, my baby" - Miles From Nowhere During/After: Wild World is always a treat! I LOVED Miles From Nowhere - it almost felt like a wall of sound and the lyrics were great. Longer Boats has a really fun reggae (at least I thought it was reggae) inspiration that I was surprised by and interested to hear. I'm very happy I listened to this all the way through! Lots of the songs sounded pretty similar to one another for my taste and I wish the album were more varied, but it was a really fun album overall. I don't love the religious overtones, but I know that comes with the territory. His lyricism isn't amazing but I do appreciate the simplicity. Father and Son made me sad and it stood out but it's painful to listen to and I don't think I can listen to it again anytime soon because it's SO sad lol. He has such an iconic voice and I love the soothing guitar and strings on tracks like Into White. This album feels like a warm hug. 4/5

Before: I am totally unfamiliar with this album (which may be a bit embarrassing considering just how many streams it has). The cover art is neat and I'm excited to listen to it. I don't even know what genre it is. Standouts: Which Will Horn Least favorites: Road Harvest Breed During/after: My initial thought is how interesting Drake's voice is. The production is interesting as well, especially the mixing. I see the vision and I usually like the home-produced sound, but didn't dig it here a whole lot. I wasn't able to listen to it front to back without interruption because I was working, which may have impacted my experience. The album has a very calm sound and I can see listening to it while working or reading. Most of the songs on this record sound VERY similar to my ear (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I prefer some variety). Horn has some really raw and beautiful guitar sounds though and was a great instrumental. Overall, this record was not the genre I was expecting based on the cover. I was expecting a bit of a more avant garde sound. Overall, it's not bad at all but not something I think I will revisit. It's just not really for me. 2/5

Before: Oh HELL yeah. I can't wait to listen to this. Love Nirvana but haven't dove *super* deep into the discography. I've heard great things about the MTV Unplugged album, and I think I've listened to a few tracks but never the whole thing front to back. Standouts: The Man Who Sold the World (the little riff has always scratched an itch in my brain) Dumb All Apologies Least favorites (still bangers, just weaker tracks imo): Jesus Doesn't Want Me For a Sunbeam Pennyroyal Tea Standout lyrics: "My heart is broke, but I have some glue. Help me inhale and mend it with you. We'll float around and hang out on clouds, and then we'll come down." - Dumb "I think I'm dumb, or maybe just happy. Think I'm just happy." - Dumb "I can't see the end of me, my whole expanse, I cannot see. I formulate infinity stored deep inside of me." - Oh Me During/After: In the words of the late great Brand New, I'm a sucker for acoustic. Always have been and always will be. Nirvana is amazing there were some deeper cuts that I hadn't listened to a whole lot previously, so that was a treat and I found some new favorites. Grunge is one of my all time favorite genres, so it's super cool to hear one of the OG grunge bands unplugged. I'm also a huge live music fan, so hearing the crowd cheering and Kurt's commentary between sets is super charming to me, and if there is a God, then Kurt is still playing shows in the afterlife. Adding points just for that. Although I really enjoy Nirvana regardless, there's just something about this specific unplugged version that I'm absolutely in love with. Not quite a 5, but damn close. 4/5.

Before: I have absolutely no idea what to expect from this. I only know Beck from the song Loser and this album cover does not look like it would contain music like Loser lol Standouts: The Golden Age Paper Tigers Least favorites: Guess I'm Doing Fine It's All In Your Mind During/after: Ok SO I was right that this does not sound like Loser. The harmonies in Golden Age are absolutely beautiful and a great opening to this record and an introduction to the interesting instrumentals throughout - the strings and bass in Paper Tiger go CRAZY. The strings in Round The Bend are amazing as well and create tons of depth - very "wall of sound." I'll have to relisten with higher quality headphones or speakers. Sea Change is an amazing heartbreak record that demonstrates the process of healing from a breakup. It feels like it really took a turn with Lost Cause and became more of a story than a sad mopey album. My one critique is that the first half of the album seemed stronger to me, but the whole thing was still wonderful. Beautiful, love it, chef's kiss, this will definitely be on the rotation. 5/5

Before: Herbie Hancock, jazz legend Herbie Hancock? Excited to listen to this all the way through. Not sure if I know any of his work by name, but jazz has grown on me a bit in recent years despite not loving it much when I was younger. During/after: OOOH, funky! Love a good meaty bass riff and Chameleon is the perfect intro. This is so jazz fusion-y and I LOVE it. Watermelon Man has the most streams out of the whole album and I can see why. It's my favorite track in this collection and it's short and digestible compared to the rest of the album and is just FUNKY. The winds are a really unexpected but delightful touch. Sly is just so technical and a testament to the levels of talent these guys possess, but not something that I could listen to often, as it just made me feel very jittery and isn't super palatable to my ear. I thought Vein Melter was a great cool-down track to end the album with. Lots of cool psychedelic elements while staying kind of chill. This was very much not I was expecting for a jazz album. It was really fast and had a lot of fusion with other genres that I noticed. There was a very psychedelic feel, so it didn't feel like the more (for lack of a better word) boring, standard, traditional jazz. With a few shrooms in my system, this would go especially hard. Overall, I likely won't come back to this much because it's just not what I gravitate to musically and some parts weren't very palatable for my tastes, but the talent is very evident and I really appreciate these tracks for what they are. I thought that it would be good background music for while I was working, but a lot of it was just so fast and crazy that I found myself getting jittery and scattered. That's not necessarily a bad thing, not all music is meant to be background music for working, but it was something I noticed. Even though it's not something I'll revisit much, I'm adding points for the sheer talent and coolness. 4/5.

Before: TRAMPS LIKE US, BABY WE WERE BORN TO RUNNNN. Love Springsteen but only know the big hits from this record. Was so excited to see this come up today <3 Standout tracks: Born To Run Backstreets Least favorite tracks: She's the One Standout lyrics: "You work nine to five and somehow you survive 'til the night." - Night "Terry, you swore we'd live forever taking on them backstreets together." - Backstreets "Remember all the movies, Terry, we'd go see? Trying to learn how to walk like the heroes we thought we had to be" - Backstreets "Together, Wendy, we can live with the sadness, I'll love you with all the madness in my soul" - Born to Run During/after: Loved the horns in Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out; they were very Springsteen to a magnitude that I hadn't really heard previously. Backstreets stood out to me because it really brings that feeling for me and I'm just a sucker for nostalgia. She's the One was my least favorite on this album. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about this track that just didn't jive with me. Jungleland was a cool ending, very American Pie-esque. Overall, I really really enjoyed this record. The first half of this album is a bit stronger than the second half, but Jungeland was a great ending. I love the horn incorporation throughout and I think it adds a beautiful nostalgic jazziness that lends to the feel of this album. My favorite thing about this record isn't necessarily the instruments, the vocals, or the lyrics, but just how it feels. Reminds me so much of being a teenager and a time that I can never go back to. It's fun and brings back fond memories while also being melancholic and makes you long for something that you can't get back. Based on how it makes me feel alone, I have to give this record a 5/5.

Before: No clue what to expect here. Maybe a bossa nova/choro type album based on the title? Mr. Jorge Ben Jor looks so babygirl on the album art hehe Standout tracks: Ponta De Lanca Africano Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro Least favorite tracks: O Filosofo Xica Da Silva A Historia De Jorge During/after: Ohh this is fun! This record has a very strong opening track. It sounds like summer and is just a lot of fun and easy to listen to. Meus Filhos, Meu Tesouro is really neat too because of the switch from the soulful vocals and guitars back to the faster beats. Taj Mahal was fun, but I was surprised to see that it was by far the most streamed song from this record. I think my favorite was the opening track. I LOVE Africa Brasil (Zumbi), the last track of the record, for its driving melody and vocals. I listened to the first half(ish) of this album on my commute to work and there was something very vibey about listening to this while I drive through mountains and palm trees and the weather warming up and the sun is coming up earlier. The call and response throughout this record was fitting and added to the summery feeling. I'm a big sucker for lighthearted music that sounds like summer, and I don't think that this album would have hit the way that it did if I listened to it for the first time in the winter or fall when the weather is chillier. I have a summertime playlist and lots of these songs were added to it. I never would have listened to this record on my own, but I'm so glad I heard this. It's so feel-good. After doing some digging, I learned that most of the music on this record has very meaningful lyrics and focuses on deep topics. I don't speak any Portuguese but could tell that the title track was full of rage and was about revolution based on the sound and the names of countries throughout. 4/5

Before: This looks fun. Love the album title and art. I think I've heard of Slade but couldn't name a single song. The track names look ANNOYING lol Standout tracks: Gudby T'Jane Wonderin' Y Least favorite tracks: The Whole World's Goin' Crazee Let The Good Times Roll/Feel So Fine During/after: Oh this is so early 70's. After listening to the first couple of songs, I'm not digging it. The vocals are so fried and the melodies are kind of annoying. The Whole World's Goin' Crazee makes me want to rip my eyelashes out. Gudby T'Jane has some fun little guitar riffs and stood out to me a bit. Wonderin' Y was definitely one of the better ones as well. Kill 'Em At The Hot Club Tonight was my favorite track, probably because it was SO different from the others. A lot of these tracks sounded more or less the same. It's like Led Zeppelin but much worse. I did appreciate that the band doesn't seem to take themselves too seriously. I was glad when it was over. It was a little painful. Not quite egregious enough for a 1/5, so 2/5 it is.

Before: Snoop Doggy Dogggg. Before he accidentally left his camera live streaming for 8 hours and collabed with Martha Stewart, he was recording the 1993 smash hit "Doggystyle." I need to smoke a blunt with him more than I need air or water. Standout tracks: Gin and Juice For All My Ninjaz & Bitches Least favorite tracks: Lodi Dodi (those lyrics, yikes) Doggy Dog World Standout lyrics: "You can smoke a pound of bud everyday. You got a big screen TV, man, you wanna give this all up? You got the dopest shit out on these streets. Ninja, is you crazy? That's the American Dream, ninja" - Bathtub "I don't love you hoes, I'm out the door and I'll be rollin' down the street, smokin' indo" - Gin and Juice During/after: LOL the album starting out with the water splashing sounds on Bathtub is great. I fucking love Gin and Juice. What a classic. I'm a sucked for a mock radio inclusion in records, so the transition from Gin and Juice to Tha Shiznit had me on another planet. The flute in Tha Shiznit is a cool addition. Wish I were smoking with my friends while I listen to this instead of working at my 9-5. Snoop's flow is so unique to him and I just love how laid-back and chill it is - it adds to the whole "I'm so high all the time especially right now" thing that he has going on. So good. I could live without the peepee poopoo jokes and some of the goofier lyrics, but I can't be too mad at it because it's Snoop. I love a g-funk whistle SO bad and it makes the record feel so much like (what I imagine) LA in the 90's felt like. Snoop is just an OG and puts me in a good mood. There were a lot of dumb lyrics and general silliness that might not have been able to slide with anyone else but, again..... it's Snoop. I can't believe Snoop Dogg invented weed. 4/5.

Before: I've heard of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds! Beautiful album art. I almost want it on vinyl just to display the art. I have high hopes. I'm interested to see that this is split into disc 1 and disc 2 (presumably because it's a double album) on Spotify; I don't think it's something I've seen before. However, an hour and 22 minutes is crazy runtime, lol—this is probably gonna be a long review. Okay, here we go. Standout tracks: Hiding All Away Messiah Ward Spell O Children Least favorite tracks: The Lyre of Orpheus Fable of the Brown Ape (great lyrics, not as palatable to listen to for me) Standout lyrics: "You are a force of nature, dear. Your breath curls from your lips as the trees bend down their branches and touch you with their fingertips." - Messiah Ward "We could navigate our position by the stars, but they've taken out the stars, the stars have all gone. I'm glad you came along. We could comprehend our condition by the moon, but they've ordered the moon not to shine. Still, I'm glad you came along." - Messiah Ward "Everything's dissolving, baby, just according to plan. The sky is on fire, the dead are heaped across the land. I went to bed last night and my moral code got jammed; I woke up this morning with a Frappuccino in my hand. I kissed you once. I kissed you again. My heart, it tumbled like the stock exchange." - Abattoir Blues "The red-breasted robin beats his wings. His throat, it trembles when he sings, for he is helpless before you." - Breathless During/after: DISC ONE: The first track is JARRING, both lyrically and sonically because it really subverted my expectations. It's almost a light punk Christian vibe? I was expecting something quieter and more singer-songwriter coffeehouse indie (but maybe we'll get there at some point within these *checks notes* 82 minutes). God, I hope this whole record isn't this aggressively Christian. Loving the gospel choir in the background of certain songs, as it adds a lot of depth and complexity. For example, Hiding All Away is a big standout for me for this reason; the combination of Nick Cave's gravelly voice with the buttery choir backing is interesting and kind of just a treat. This record feels timely due to (what I interpreted as) political undertones. It reminds me of the whole "the world is kind of falling apart and things are uncertain, but at least I have you" trope that has been so pervasive throughout early 2025. A beautiful and necessary reminder that, even when the world is on fire, we need to keep loving. I think that a lot of the lines are probably (canonically) referring to God or Jesus, but I appreciate Cave making it open to interpretation. I'm noticing some ongoing religious imagery throughout, but generally much less overt, in your face Christianity. My BA in English ass does love some lyrical Christian imagery. Overall, this record is consistently filled with really really impressive and beautiful lyrics that made me a bit misty-eyed at times, even amongst the often gritty sound. DISC 2: Immediately, this one has much less overt religious tones. I actually don't love the title track. The vocals are just kind of annoying, honestly. I really liked Breathless, though. If there's one thing these dudes, can do, it's write a good, pining love song. I'm picking up on some sweeter, gentler nature themes on this half of the record, which is an interesting juxtaposition with the first half. The comparisons of his love for his partner with nature are really beautiful and just sexy and intimate at times - Babe, You Turn Me On is a great example. For all its beauty, though, it's just a lot more boring to me. Supernaturally wasn't a favorite in general, but it provided a needed break and tone shift from the melancholy. Do I hear Latin influence in Spell with string inclusions??? Neat. Love seeing the return of the gospel choir at the end of this album, but I wish it were more prevalent throughout. I'm not into the percussion on O Children at all, to the point where it's distracting for me, and it really weakened the ending of the record. The mixing was too loud and it felt out of place. Without those damn drums, this might have been my favorite track on here, but it's still a big standout. It's kind of a tragic ending to an album with some, at times, sickly sweet lyrics. This record has a time and place and is a good intimate dinner party album, but not one that I'll be returning to often. Initially, I thought this record as a whole overstayed its welcome a bit with that runtime, but honestly, it gets a pass since it's a double album. Although I think they went well together, I almost think that they would have been more effective individually. Some of the really powerful and driving messages of Abattoir Blues seemed to have been subdued by Orpheus, and it would have been more impactful and punchy as a standalone record. Overall, I prefer Abattoir Blues a bit for the complexity of sounds, angry, punk feel and instruments as well as the timely political lyrics. Both were pretty good, if not repetitive in places, and Cave is a super talented songwriter. Abattoir Blues gets a 4.5 and The Lyre of Orpheus gets a solid 3.5, so let's call it a 4 average. 4/5.

Before: Ok Phil Collins and Peter Gabriel! I've never sat and intentionally listened to Genesis tbh. I think we watched a Genesis music video in one of my college classes but I could not tell you which one lol Standout tracks: Dancing with the Moonlight Knit More Fool Me Weakest tracks: The Battle of Epping Forest After the Ordeal Standout lyrics: "And you know, I'd always hold you and keep you warm - oh, more fool me." - More Fool Me "Once a man, like the sea, I raged; once a woman, like the earth, I gave" <3 - The Cinema Show During/after: Okay so I have mixed feelings on the first track alone. I recognize the lyrical depth here and instrumental performances are just impressive as hell. Love a good synth too. As much as I appreciate so many aspects of this opening track, I just didn't love listening to it. Firth of Fifth has a really neat intro; I love the long and complex piano and the sudden switch. I know I'm a loser and a sucker because I fucking loved More Fool Me. It's probably the most palatable for normies and it's a TRAGIC LOVE STORY<3. I'm just a sucker for a good love song and some sweet and/or lyrics (and we've got both here). The Battle of Epping forest, while complex and nuanced and just interesting, was genuinely just annoying to my ear, unfortunately. The exception to this, however, is the trumpet (or brassy synth?? idk) licks about 9 minutes in. The Cinema show is driving and fun in parts with a cool switch up as well, and it's probably my favorite track from the album's latter half. This is so British sounding in like, a medieval way. I can tell that it's an important precursor and inspiration to the math rock of the 80's and 90's. The mixing and production quality is great. I'm conflicted, because listen.... it's really epic and tells stories and I understand the significance and the vision, but I just didn't like listening to it all that much lol. I'm confident that it would hit hard with some *ahem* psychedelic substances, so maybe it'll be worth a relisten and reevaluation at some point. Even though I didn't love the listen-through personally, the talent really shines here, so my uncultured ass is hitting it with a very strong 3 to a very light 4. Since we only get a whole number, 5-point scale (grrr), I feel like I need to round down to a 3 because my ear just didn't enjoy it all the much, and I want to keep the ratings true to my listening experience. 3/5.

Before: I've been waiting for a Led Zeppelin album. Probably most familiar with this one! Standouts: Stairway to Heaven Going to California Black Dog Weakest tracks: The Battle of Evermore Rock and Roll Standout lyrics: "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold, and she's buying a stairway to heaven. But when she gets there, she knows, if all the stores are closed, with a word, she can get what she came for." - Stairway to Heaven "Made up my mind to make a new start. Going to California with an aching in my heart." - Going to California "Took my chances on a big jet plane, never let 'em tell ya that they're all the same" - Going to California "Standin' on a hill in the mountain of dreams, tellin' myself it's not as hard as it seems" - Going to California During/after: This is such a classic. Black Dog is a strong, punchy opener with that iconic guitar riff that sets up the tone for the rest of the record well. Rock and Roll is has an interesting quality for me. Still very very good, it's just Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives core and I will not elaborate. I've never heard The Battle of Evermore and I fear it's for good reason. That drawn out "oh" leading into the second half of the track and the ending "bring it" lines are just not executed super well, and the high-pitched strings were annoying to my ear. HOWEVER it leads us right into THE Led Zeppelin classic (you know the one). Stairway to Heaven is so beautiful and such an important rock song. The switch to a more mellow vocal style really shows off the versatility of Robert Plant's voice when juxtaposed with his iconic guttural belting that we see in the earlier tracks. Going to California may be my favorite track because the theme of moving out west and aching to leave always resonates with me. When the Levee Breaks is such a perfect ending (and so sexy, Jesus Christ). Great guitar solos and drums. The harmonica at the beginning made me very happy as well. Also, fun fact but I listen to Greta Van Fleet a decent amount (I know), and people clown on them because of how much they sound like Led Zeppelin. The minute the vocals in Black Dog started up, I immediately thought it was Greta and it took me a minute to be like "oh wait." Obviously this is significantly more original and generally better, but Greta is NOT beating the plagiarism allegations. My boyfriend referred to them as "Great Value Led Zeppelin" and I'm still laughing. Overall, I loved this record! So iconic, important, and prolific for music as a whole. There are a couple of tracks that I don't foresee coming back to often, but man, there's always something great about hearing music that influences so much of the modern music that I have on rotation today. This is totally one that I'll come back to, but there were a few songs that were misses for me (though not egregious by any means - just didn't do it for me). I wonder what my opinion would be if I grew up on Led Zeppelin from my parents too, but I have no nostalgia connected like most people do. Good shit. Easy 4/5.

Before: Never heard of Todd Rundgren! Interested to see what's in store. Another long one at an hour and 28 minutes. There are some interesting song titles (see more: "Piss Aaron" and "Slut"). Let's get into it. Standout tracks: It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference Intro I Went to the Mirror Weakest tracks: It Takes Two to Tango (This is for the Girls) Dust in the Wind Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me Standout lyrics: During: OH, I know I Saw the Light, the opening track. It's... fine. Soft early-70's radio rock for sure. It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference has a bit of an interesting melody and I love the twinkly percussion. Do I hear a backing gospel choir in some later tracks??? I hope so. Sweeter Memories has a SEXY little guitar intro that gave me chills. I'm noticing that, other than the neat background instrumentals that stick out occasionally though, a lot of this record sounds more or less the same to me. BUT WAIT A DAMN MINUTE. "Intro" was really fucking cool. I was not expecting that. I hope we get more of this. It gives it so much personality and is a little eerie in a weird way. The way that it transitions into the Breathless instrumental is super cool too and there is a lot of neat synth action. The Night the Carousel Burned Down had a unique, almost psychedelic ending as well and I'm wondering if the record is going to take a turn after that "Intro" track. The beginning of Saving Grace also scared the shit out of me lmao. However, it wouldn't be 70's music without a creepy "you're only 17" line. As I continue to listen, there is absolutely a noticeable shift, both lyrically and sonically. The generic lyrics and sound at the beginning of the record slowly shifts into something more and more chaotic and unhinged. I Went to the Mirror almost sounds like a mental break that Rundgren is going through, a stark contrast from the former part of the album. One More Day (No Word) changed the perspective for me a bit, because it framed the record as almost a protest record as Rundgren describes his time in the military. It especially made I Went to the Mirror feel more powerful. Over - My Roots was another sudden switch up with the (intentionally) very poor production quality and tone switch throughout. It reminds me of scanning stations through an old radio. Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me is CRAZY work (not in a great way). It mellowed back out a bit despite the still slightly weird styles and transitions, to my disappointment. After: With unique and diverse instrumentation throughout, from brass to saxophone to flute, it was neat to hear how they were incorporated. I have very different thoughts on each half of the album. The first half is doctor's office rock and it's... fine. However, the lyrics are just... not good. Corny and generic. Then came the switch up after "Intro." I was in for a crazy ride and a treat. It felt like an absolute trip. I was bummed that it mellowed out in the end instead of continuing to get more and more chaotic. I am wondering if it was supposed to represent a drug trip, including the come up and the come down, and the mellowed out, but still a bit trippy ending demonstrated the come down well. Ultimately, I don't think that it was the protest album that I thought it was (but who knows - I could be totally wrong). The runtime is freaking crazy though. Rungar could have easily made this just as impactful and complex but shaved off a hot 20 minutes at least. I'm not sure how often I'll come back to this, but it may be a good listen with some *ahem* fungi. Really interesting album, but it way overstayed its welcome. I'm torn between a 3 and a 4 because some songs were major hits for me while others were misses, but I have to give it a 4 for my first listen because I was just so excited and intrigued. Despite its often lackluster lyricism, the music itself left me thinking and felt very impactful which is powerful in a record. 4/5.

Before: I think I know like three Dire Straits songs and I don't enjoy any of them lmao Standout tracks: Money for Nothing Brothers in Arms Your Latest Trick Weakest tracks: Walk of Life During/after: Okay so the first track was fine. It wasn't horrible but sounded very much like background music. Money for Nothing is pretty good (despite the f-slurs circa 1985). It has some neat guitar effects and the "I want my MTV" thing. But holy shit WALK OF LIFE. There are few songs that make me want to rip my hair out to that degree (and Centerfold is one of them). It's not even *bad*, it's just annoying. That synth melody drives me crazy and the vocals make my eye twitch. Pain pain pain. Your Latest Trick has some beautiful horns, sax, and a really sexy jazz guitar. I sense some Latin influence in the background too. The vocals lend themselves surprisingly well to this style as well. They're quiet and mellow and jazzy in a way that seem to fit well with this track, but not as well with some of the other faster tracks. I really enjoyed this one (or did it just seem great when juxtaposed with Walk of Life? Hmmmm). Why Worry continues that slower vibe, but I wasn't as impressed with this one as I was with Your Latest Trick. It wasn't bad but just felt boring and uninteresting, while Latest Trick had cool and unexpected features. Same can be said for Ride Across the River (though it had a little bit more oomph than Why Worry, it was still boring). The final track, Brothers in Arms, was pretty good! It was a nice ending and had that same slow, quiet jazziness that the previous ones did. Some nice subtle synths in tandem with the jazz guitar is so *chefs kiss*. This record was a mixed bag. Walk of Life genuinely brought the score down for me, but some of the slower songs in the latter half of the album were pretty good. Not something I'd go back to again. Big "it's fine." 3/5.

Before: I knew Spiritualized rang a bell! I have Always Together With You saved on Spotify. Rediscovered it and love it. It came out in 2022, literally 30 years (!!!) after this album, so it'll be interesting to hear how their sound has evolved. I hope it's like their more modern stuff because I enjoy it a lot. Standout tracks: Smiles Run Shine a Light 200 Bars Weakest tracks: Angel Sigh Standout lyrics: "Boy-yoy-yoy-yoy-yoinggg" – If I Were With Her Now (lol) "And when you smile, you know you blind me to all the horrors I see." – Smiles During/after: The first track was exactly what I was hoping for. What a great intro to the album. I Want You reminds me very much of LSD and the Search for God, another group I love with a similar sound. Run has a distinctly rock-sounding, cowboy Western vibe to it while sticking to the shoegaze elements that this record does so well throughout. Smiles is a lame love song (y'all know how I feel about a lame love song), so it made me smile. Step Into the Breeze has the BEST choppy synth throughout that is occasionally coupled with strings, making for a beautiful yet driving track. Symphony Space was a really cool listen. It sounds like what I imagine being in outer space feels like—a bit eerie and isolating. It is a simple yet layered track. I listened to it at work with one earbud in, but I need to do a relisten straight through with both earbuds so I can pick up on some of the nuances (for the whole album, but this song specifically would benefit from a high-quality listen). Shine a Light has the coolest guitar effects that add even more to the record's pervasive psychedelic feel. The increasingly chaotic ending scratches an itch in my brain and enhances the song so much, serving as a great transition into Angel Sigh's robust guitar solo at the beginning. Although it's great, Angel Sigh is one of the weaker tracks on this record. I don't hate it by any means, but it didn’t do as much for me as most of the record. Sway had crazy vocal distortions in the best way and an ending that felt like a satisfying resolution after a noisy few minutes. 200 Bars was a great ending to this record. It felt almost like a cinematic ending and has a certain melancholy to it that left me misty eyed despite it not being a "sad" song. Fucking beautiful. I don't even have all that much to say from an intelligent, technical, critical lens. This is timeless and could have come out in 2025 and not felt dated at all. The most enjoyable listen I've had in this project so far. Whole album added to the daily playlist. And I just really love shoegaze, honestly, and with its release being in 1992, this record laid out the groundwork. You say "boring," I say "funky experimental psychedelic shoegaze." We are not the same. 5/5.

Before: I DO NOTTT PLAY ABOUT CHRISTOPHER BREAUX. For years and years I've said that Frank Ocean was my favorite artist of all time and he's still very high up there; he has a very secure spot in the top two or three. I have a Frank Ocean tattoo. I know every single word to this album. Don't piss me off I'm so serious. Standout tracks: Literally almost all of them Weakest tracks: Dude idek Standout lyrics: "We end our day up on the roof. I say I'll jump, I never do, but when I'm drunk I act the fool, talking 'bout, 'do they sew wings on tailored suits?'" - Super Rich Kids "If models are made for modelin', thick girls are made for cuddlin'" - Pink Matter "What if the sky and the stars are for show, and the aliens are watching live from the purple matter?" - Pink Matter "Who needs another friend? I need to hold your hand" - Pink Matter During/after: I know every song on this thing inside and out already so this isn't my usual first listen impressions. The little cough and laugh at the beginning of Start makes me feel like I'm raising from the dead. Thinkin Bout You makes me feel like I'm 16 again and is just so GOOD. Frank's voice is like velvet. Super Rich Kids has always been a favorite with amazing lyrics. The Earl Sweatshirt feature on it absolutely bangs. Crack Rock is another favorite. Not all that much to add except for the fact at it's just really really good. Pyramids is such a masterpiece. Love the juxtaposition of the Egyptian pyramids with the LUXOR PYRAMID HELLOOOO???? I'm calling the police. Also, people sleep on the John Mayer feature on White. Those strings are just so John Mayer and it sounds great with Frank and the vibe of this album. Monks is another underrated banger. Every time I hear the "I'VE NEVER ASKED FOR MUCH" I just wanna do a lil danceee. Bad Religion always puts a very specific and tragic image into my mind immediately with the opening lyrics ("taxi driver, you're my shrink for the hour"), and the whole song just sounds like a drunken, heartbroken, tirade. The pain in this song is palpable. Pink Matter is another classic. I'm so in love with the play on "colors" of matter (gray matter, pink matter, purple matter, blue matter), and there is a lot to unpack there. This track has probably the best lyricism on this album and Andre 3000 has an amazing feature. A favorite for sure. Forrest Gump is probably historically one of my most listened to tracks off of Channel Orange. It's just chill and catchy. Reminds me so much of teenage midwestern summers and is almost painfully nostalgic. End makes the record feel very full circle when you consider how Start sounds and how it begins this tracklist. Really though, the entire second half of the album after White is beautiful (as is the first half but in a different way). Frank does a great job at splitting his albums up into two distinct halves (don't even get me started on how Blonde is split up, omfg) and it works well here. Bad Religion into Pink Matter into Forrest Gump into End is a perfect way to wrap this record up. A smooth, sexy, velvety ode to love and drugs. What more could we ask for? I maintain that he is one of the best artists of this generation. Where's the album, Frank? Easiest 5/5 ever.

Before: Ik Steely Dan is polarizing but I don't think I know anything from this album. My mom loves Steely Dan. Excited to see how I vibe with it! Standout tracks: Peg Weakest tracks: Aja I Got The News During/after: Immediately starting out with some nasty bass on Black Cow and a woman who was "very high" is a positive sign. However it goes downhill with Aja; I am so incredibly bored. I usually say "the instrumentals are boring but they're complex and talented" but these aren't even all that complex. Deacon Blues is also kind of ass. The lyrics and vocals aren't good and the instrumentals are boring. We get it, you can play saxophone. I recognized the saxophone lick from Peg, and I think this is one of the better tracks on the record (partially because it's only 4 minutes and doesn't overstay its welcome). It's kind of fun and catchy without being as drawn out or boring. Home At Last isn't too bad either. It felt like a lot of the same stuff but there were some neat trumpet screams and interesting brass that was missing from the rest of the record. I Got The News is more boring 80's doctor's office music though but with extra annoying vocals. The final track, Josie... oh my god. I didn't even realize it was Steely Dan but my mom loves this song and is always quoting it. She says that it's interesting and fun to her because "you don't know if Josie is getting back from Ryker's or from Harvard." I mean... I don't really like it but it gives me fond Kim memories lmao Not a fan. Steely Dan has tons of albums so maybe I'll like some of their other stuff as I work through this project. Disappointing doctors office music with a slightly higher bpm. It gets a solid 2 because it's not offensive, just not enjoyable, and it's not too long. And it reminds me of my mom I guess. 2/5.

Before: I don't know as much Neil Young as I should but this album art has me excited lol it's so cool. Harvest Moon is a classic banger but I don't know anything from this record. Standout tracks: See The Sky About To Rain Motion Pictures (For Carrie) Weakest tracks: For The Turnstiles Standout lyrics: "Some get stoned, some get strange, but sooner or later it all gets real" - Walk On "Well I hear that Laurel Canyon is full of famous stars, but I hate them worse than lepers and I'll kill them in their cars" - Revolution Blues "Though my problems are meaningless, that doesn't make them go away" - On The Beach "You're all just pissin' in the wind. You don't know it, but you are, and there ain't nothing like a friend who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind." - Ambulance Blues During/after: The opening track is good! It has a very beachy, but almost melancholic feel in a way that reminded me of Van Morrison. Pretty much exactly was I was expecting from what I know about Neil Young and from the album art. See The Sky About To Rain was another great track, and it really hones in on that almost melancholic feel that Walk On teased. Brownie points for the harmonica too, obviously. Revolution Blues is a lyrically abrasive protest song that really hit me. No more "give peace a chance" because my buddy Neil and I are going to kill the famous stars in their cars in Laurel Canyon. Loveee. Unfortunately, I'm not super into For The Turnstiles. The vocals on it just didn't do it for me and it felt weaker than the previous tracks. Vampire Blues was definitely better but was not nearly as strong as the first few tracks, but I enjoy the lyrics and continued social commentary that this song provides. I feel similarly about On The Beach. Beautiful lyrics with themes about getting out of town and feeling like dreams are just out of reach, but sonically it was kind of just fine for me. I was surprised that this was the title track. It made me wonder if there was something about it that I was missing. Motion Pictures (For Carrie) was a beautiful love song and an improvement from the last few songs. Loved the slow, beachy guitar and the harmonica here, but the production and mixing left a bit to be desired. Ambulance Blues was an amazing ending to this record. It hones in on those existential feelings that the rest of the record explores but maintains the rich vocals and instrumentals (more harmonica <3) that I liked so much from the first few songs. The second half of this record left me just a bit disappointed. I was loving the beginning and had super high hopes, but most of the the second half just didn't quite hit the same to my ear, though it wasn't bad by any means. There was strong lyricism throughout and I really enjoyed the themes and the melancholic beachiness. There's something I love so much about the juxtaposition of paradise and the romanticized beach life It was very Mamas and the Papas or Van Morrison sounding to me. If I could give this a 3.5 I would, but this felt worth rounding up. 4/5.

Before: Not even a little bit familiar. The cover art is crazy lmao Standout tracks: Broken Skin Homeland Weakest tracks: Nadia Anthem Without Nation During/after: Starting with Broken Skin, my mind is blown. This is fucking great. The vocals are very reminiscent of Sade and the strings and lo-fi sounding synths are the perfect backdrop. There's a hint of Indian influence that goes so hard in conjunction with the vocal sample at the beginning. Great social commentary as well. Letting Go was amazing as well. There's even more Indian influence here with the vocals and sitar(?) throughout. Homelands is SUPER interesting. There's the Indian portion at the beginning with a switch to Portuguese halfway through and English backing throughout. I'm identifying a really diverse range of world music in this track that I don't think I've ever really heard anything similar to. Pilgrim is a great rap track. I'm a fan of the mellow, spoken-word sounding rap like this. I don't love the lyrics though. I'm not sure if I was missing a message within them but they were just kind of lame. Happy to see the vocal samples about the nukes making a return in Tides. This one is a chaotic instrumental with interesting percussion and the sounds of waves in the background that makes for a great interlude. Nadia is not my favorite. I don't think that the driving percussion backing fits well with the vocal tone or melody - it just doesn't sound right. Maybe the eeriness is the goal, but it doesn't vibe super well with my ear. Immigrant continues with the vocal sample and is a beautiful ode to the plight of the disenfranchised, though it had an almost musical theater sound that I didn't vibe with. The snake charmer sounding flute (I'm an uneducated American don't cancel me if I'm wrong) in Serpents is really cool and lends to the world music vibe of this album. Anthem Without Nation didn't do a whole lot for me relative to the rest of the album. Still wonderful, but didn't click as much. I felt the same about Nostalgia, but I think my gripe here was the high pitched female vocals. The backing instrumentals were just as good as the rest of the record. The Conference is another really interesting Indian-inspired track. I'm a sucker for call and response and anthemic vocal melodies like is in the beginning of this one. I don't know how often I'll return to this track because it's not great morning commute or reading a book music, but God are these folks talented. Beyond Skin was the perfect ending. "Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds" being the very last thing we here gave me absolute chills. The perfect way to wrap up such a melancholic, chaotic criticism of war and its impacts. I had no idea what to expect with this record but I was so pleasantly surprised. I'm interested to know more about who did the vocals on each song and I was surprised Really really cool and innovative record. Each track feels like an ode to Sawhney's Indian heritage and upbringing. He's undeniably very talented and versatile (as demonstrated by the range of artists who he composed and produced for) and deserves the awards he's received. My only real complaint is that I would have loved a more solid and cohesive flow between tracks. The transitions between songs felt very choppy and some points and very smooth at other points. The production is great and, although this was released in 1999, it holds up very well. Need a blunt rotation with Nitin Sawhney and Serj Tankian so we can talk about war and western imperialism. 5/5.

Before: NOT SLIPKNOT. Noooo way this thing is an hour and 12 minutes. I'll go into it with an open mind. Before I Forget and Vermillion are bangers, Slipknot has it in them I swear. Standout tracks: Psychosocial When All Hope Is Gone Vermilion, Pt. 2 Weakest tracks: Sulfur This Cold Black During/after: OMG the first track was jarring. Just loud and noisy but not in a fun way. The lyrics on Gematria are ridiculous lol. I love some good anti-government rock but it just doesn't land here. It's like they want to be System of a Down but without the lyrical talent. "I will go down in history and not down in flames, meningitis, I will survive this, dry sockets and a schizophrenic crisis" PLEASEEE be for real. Psychosocial isn't bad! I'm not anti screaming but I think that the singer of this band has a good, almost pop-punky voice that I like so I appreciated the singing on this track amidst the screaming. I have similar feelings about Dead Memories. It seemed like we were back of the bullshit once we got to Vendetta (and we were for the most part) but I liked the bridge a lot here! The ending of Butcher's Hook was a pleasant surprise too. I'm finding that there are bits and pieces I like from a lot of these tracks but not usually the whole thing. This Cold Black was a rough listen, easily one of my least favorites on this track. The vocals are extremely guttural here in a way that really just turns me off. I usually love a good guitar solo too, and although the guitarist in this song is obviously very talented, it just wasn't doing much for me. Wherein Lies Continue is also complete ass for similar reasons. Snuff was a nice, slower break from the heaviness of the other tracks. I don't mind heavy, loud music at all; punk is my favorite genre, but it felt like a breather. It was especially needed considering the length of this record. I was into the guitar on this track a lot. However, I would have liked it significantly more if it weren't so, dare I say.... cringe??? I was just kind of grimacing listening. All Hope Is Gone is one that I liked more as well. Maybe Snuff was a palate cleanser, but it was definitely one of the better tracks. It sounded less nu metal and more prog, emo metal which I like. It's a solid choice for a title track. Vermillion Pt. 2 is probably my favorite from this record, which isn't a surprise because I really like Vermillion. 'Til We Die wasn't my favorite song but definitely not the worst on this record. It almost sounded like when you would ad lib song lyrics and melodies as a kid but it was recorded in a studio. Historically, I'm not a huge metal fan. The last 6ish months I've really been dipping my toes into metal and finding more that I like, but I still cannot stand nu metal. I would go so far as to say nu metal is one of my top three most hated genres. With that being said, the bar was in the pits of hell going into this record, so there were parts that felt like a pleasant surprise (the key word here is "parts"). The sound of the music and sound itself was mid with some pretty good sections as well as awful sections, I just couldn't get past the lyrics. They're so BAD. Like, 14 year old boy with those narrow rectangular glasses with the thin wire frames trying to be edgy. You know the ones. Overall, I thought the second half of the album was significantly better than the first half, and there was even a song or two I might come back to every now and then, but man that first half and those lyrics are pain. Also, this thing had no business being over an hour a long. 2/5.

Before: I said in a previous review that Snoop Dogg invented weed. That was false, Bob Marley actually invented weed. He walked so Snoop could run. Very excited to listen to this. Standout tracks: No Woman No Cry Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) Weakest tracks: Bend Down Low Am-A-Do Standout lyrics: "In this great future, you can't forget your past" - No Woman No Cry "Cost of livin' get so high, rich and poor, they start to cry. Now the weak must get strong" - Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) "A hungry mob is a angry mob" - Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) "Natty 21,000 miles away from home, and that's a long way for Natty to be from home. Don't care what the world seh, and I could never go astray" - Natty Dread "I feel like bombing a church, now that you know that the preacher is lying. So who's gonna stay at home when the freedom fighters are fighting?" - Talkin' Blues During/after: Lively Up Yourself has such a classic Bob Marley feel. Upbeat instrumental syncopation that leaves you feeling good and nodding your head. No Woman No Cry is always a banger. It's the anthem for dudes who hate their wives but miss the point of the song (which somehow makes it a more satisfying listen). It has a beautiful sentiment and lyrics, and that familiar, happy island beat serves as a perfect backdrop. Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) is an insanely timely track and the lyrics hit hard in the era of American exceptionalism, late stage capitalism, oligarchies and tariffs. Marley was the OG "eat the rich" proponent and "a hungry mob is an angry mob" is a super powerful line. When people think of Bob Marley (myself included, per my pre-listening comments), they often immediately think of all of the weed he smoked and forget what truly made him such a prolific musician and individual. He was a massive advocate for social justice and was a genuine voice for the disenfranchised. Rebel Music continues with this anti-establishment, solidarity-focused lyricism rich with harmonica and warm, lush guitar. The backing vocals throughout that underscore the emphasis on collective unity that was prevalent in the previous track. Overall, this track really highlights Marley's vocal range and versatility as well. So Jah S'eh had a more jazzy, almost bossa nova feel to it that stood out a bit from the previous tracks and. For some reason, it didn't do quite as much for me as the last few songs, but it's a lot of fun. Natty Dread is a love letter to the Rasta/island diaspora and culture, encouraging the resistance to assimilation and the beauty of staying true to your roots. In lots of cultures, "natty dreads" are associated with blackness and thus seen and dirty, unprofessional, or "ghetto" due to deeply rooted white supremacy, but this track says "fuck 'em." Am I picking up on some bari sax in Bend Down Low? I definitely hear some kind of bassy wind instrument and honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about it on this particular track. It gives it almost a cartoony feel that was a bit over the top. Talkin' Blues is another call to action highlighting the importance of resistance with more nasty, syncopated island beats. Sonically, it's a very chill summer song with impactful lyrics. Revolution has a different sound than most of the other songs on this record. It was written in a major key (I think, don't come for me) with lots of minor chords sprinkled in that made for a dynamic and unique sound. There was some really strong trumpet that added a lot as well. This track serves as a continuation to the record's strong lyrical themes, calling out social injustice and inequity with a scorched Earth approach to revolution. Am-A-Do was a pretty disappointing ending to this record, unfortunately. I was hoping for a final track that drove home the strong justice-focused messaging that was present throughout the album. The call and response is so catchy and the song is not bad by any means, but it would have been more fitting earlier on in the record with Revolution being left as the last track. I would enjoy in isolation more than I did listening to it as part of the longer, cohesive track list. Bob Marley was a driving force in introducing reggae to the mainstream. He is not only a massive musical influence and icon, but a social one as well. Even if you've never heard a Bob Marley song in your life, you know his face. This record was a celebration of Rasta culture, a rallying call for justice and unity, and an honest and blunt callout of oppressors. It presented an attitude of needing to take things into our own hands when we are stuck under the shoe of the rich and powerful through whatever means necessary. People think of Bob Marley as a symbol of peace and love, which he is, but we often fail to realize the lengths that he would go to in order to achieve that eventual peace and love. It's admirable and important to see that level of commitment to justice and dedication to being a voice for those who historically are not heard. He's a legend that we lost way too soon. I'd pay so much money to hear what he would have to stay about the current state of the world. Overall, this was a fantastic record that is outside of my go-to genre but makes a great addition to my summer playlist. My only complaint is that the first half of the album was better to me by a decently wide margin, and I wish that the quality was more consistent and that it ended on a better track; Am-A-Do fell a bit flat in my opinion. A stronger ending tying together the main themes of the album would have tied it together. 4/5.

Before: Hasn't this been memed? Am I making that up? Standout tracks: Green Onions Comin' Home Baby Mo' Onions Weakest tracks: Rinky Dink I Got A Woman You Can't Sit Down During/after: Yeah dude the title track has almost 314 million streams it has been memed to death. Booker T. discovered the organ and never looked back. The title track was kind of fun for what it was, though a little to goofy for me, but man, Rinky Dink is annoying. And this is only track TWO. I have to sit through over another 30 minutes of this. I am screaming. Mo' Onions (lmfao) has a cool little guitar and bass line that gets old by the end but it's a reprieve from some of the nonsense. More annoying goofiness until the last 15 seconds of Stranger on the Shore. Really cool guitar riff. But then we get into Lonely Avenue and suddenly I'm fearing for my sanity again. It's just annoying and sounds like cartoon music. You Can't Sit Down has kind of a cool surf rock sound, like Endless Summer vibes. It would be fun in isolation but as I near the end of this record and I already want to die a little bit I'm like "HURRY UPPPP PLEASEEEE." Comin' Home Baby has an eerie vibe that is a bit unique and was a welcome ending to the record. I mean, I think any track would be a welcome ending simply due to it being the ending, but the creepiness was interesting compared to everything else. I wouldn't call it enjoyable by any means, but relatively, yeah. Most of the time I can appreciate some sillier music when I can tell the artist doesn't take themselves too seriously, but even if this is the case here, I at least want to be entertained and not annoyed the whole time. I would be so content if I never heard another organ again. Next time I hear one I will get Vietnam War flashbacks. This is very Tom & Jerry core. Grandma and Pappy did the jitterbug to this in 1962. This was their 100 gecs except it wasn't good. Ass. 1/5.

Before: I've never heard of this, but it looks hard af; very Frank Ocean. I'm thinking it'll be a hip hop record. Standout tracks: Changeling Building Steam With A Grain of Salt Stem/Long Stem Why Hip-Hop Sucks In '96 What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt. 1 - Blue Sky Revisit Weakest tracks: The Number Song What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt. 4 During/after: Really neat and funky first track that sets the vibe for the rest of the record. It's interesting that my first thought upon looking at the album cover was that it reminded me of Frank Ocean because the distant TV and radio chatter that begins Frank Ocean's album "Channel Orange" feels very similar to that in Best Foot Forward. I wonder how much influence Frank took from this record or DJ. Building Steam With A Grain Of Salt has very cool instrumental mixes with jazzy drums, guitar, and piano that lens itself to a dynamic, funky late-90's sounding track. I'm not in love with the pervasive low synth prevalent through a lot of The Number Song. It's a very chaotic track with some weaker and stronger portions, but the chaos isn't doing it many favors in this case. This one felt very much like "let's throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks" to me, and some of the spaghetti was stickier than others, I fear. Not in love. The record keeps going with Changeling which I liked a lot better. It's a repetitive, droning, almost dreamy drum and bass track. It speeds up a bit and becomes more dynamic about halfway through, serving as a perfect transition to Transmission 1. It's a great interlude with more Frank Ocean-esque muffled radio vocals with an eerie, spacey, sci-fi theme. "This is not a dream, we are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver, you are receiving this broadcast through a dream" adds to the ethereal sound that's been underscoring the entire record thus far. What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt. 4 goes back to the chill, less spacey sounding themes with a low "bwaaaa" sounding synth that was driving me crazy because it sounded like someone burping honestly. It was disappointing because it would have been so much better without it. It added (to me) almost a touch of humor because it just sounded goofy, but that lead into Untitled well, another interlude that is objectively goofy ("they've all got ass, one of them's got eyes as big as Jolly Ranchers"). At least there's track-to-track cohesion there, but now I'm just confused about the overall vibes of this record. The serious, almost eeriness is being replaced by the funny lyrics and plucky guitar. Was this just a break from the intensity of the rest of the record? Like Fertilizer off of Channel Orange? I don't love how it's done on that record either, but that could be personal preference. It leads us right into Stem/Long Stem, opening with a really intense, almost creepy rhythmic piano riff and low synth beats before we are introduced to some unique, jazzy clarinet and soulful vocals before a sudden switch back into the droning, melancholic, spacey, ethereal sounds and radio vocals from before. Really great track. We see another change in style in the experimental Mutual Slump, with various types of funky drums and cymbals and some sexy female vocal samples with some record scratches that are very hip-hop. Loved the short track entitled Why Hip-Hop Sucks In '96, with the only lyrics being the echoing "it's the money." It's self-explanatory but powerful and lends to the experimental nature of the album, sending a message to traditional hip hop. Midnight In A Perfect World has the most Spotify streams of any track on the album and it isn't hard to see why. Another sexy, easy to listen to track with some good female vocals. Napalm Brain/Scatter Brain is a long one at 9 minutes. Not sure if we need to be doing all THAT, but I'm not totally mad at it. More cool, funky synths with some cool (dare I say, Santana feeling?) guitar around the first half is followed by some snare beats and twinkly percussion. What Does Your Soul Look Like - Pt. 1 - Blue Sky Revisit has more beautiful and jazzy saxophones, flutes (love a jazz flute), and bass and drums that keep the album moving but provide a fitting lead up to wrapping up the album. It highlights everything this record does best - jazziness, vibes, cool vocal samples, and an ethereal feel that showcases the timelessness and influence of the album. Transmission 3 is a perfect final track, finishing off with another eerie, melancholic, but peaceful radio transmission about the broadcast as a dream. This seems like an influential record for lots of newer, alternative hip hop and r&b. Although DJ Shadow is not a wrapper, but instead a producer a producer and DJ, this record is absolutely considered instrumental hip hop and the experimental and ethereal (but still very cool) sound reminds me a lot of modern alternative hip hop and r&b. It has a relatively long runtime at just over an hour, but I didn't find myself getting bored or staring at how many tracks were left. I was very torn between a 4 or a 5. It was REALLY good and it was cool to see the ways that this record (or at least ones like it) influenced modern hip hop. I'm CAUTIOUSLY giving it a 4/5, but it teetered very closely on a 5. If I could give a 4.5 I totally would, but the major things that bring it down are some of the harder to listen to synth features and the whiplash that comes from the consistent vibe switches. I understand it was probably to keep the record interesting, especially at its long runtime, but it left me a bit confused and felt disjointed at times. Overall VERY good, though. Loved this. 4/5. **Check me out on https://rateyourmusic.com/~annainaz for more music reviews and discussion!

Before: Detroit's very own! A motown legend and sweetheart. I've never listened to one of her albums front to back, but my Michigander soul needs it. <3 Standout tracks: Respect I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) A Change Is Gonna Come Weakest tracks: Good Times Standout lyrics: "Yes, I'm blue, but I won't be blue always. Sun is gonna shine in my back door someday." - I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) "Everyone but you adores me, but do you know pretty soon they bore me" - Soul Serenade During/after: R-E-S-P-E-C-T, FIND OUT WHAT IT MEANS TO ME. And she said what she said here. Such an iconic start to this album. Everyone knows this track and I would argue that it's one of the most recognizable songs of its time and of the genre. Drown in My Own Tears is so emo and soulful. I'm usually not a fan of the super melodramatic lyrics, but Aretha has pipes and great backing vocalists. The rhythm and tempo are also helpful in not making this song feel like a total drag. It's no Respect, but still great. I feel similarly to the next track, I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You). Interesting to see that this was the pick for the title track, but I suppose that it demonstrates that she wasn't dubbed "the queen of soul" for no reason. More powerful, belting vocals and a refreshing tone shift from the emotion and negativity of the last track to one that is empowering and optimistic. Soul serenade continues the epic horns and heartfelt lyrics. This song is a beautiful representation of yearning and unrequited love. There is a sleepiness to the percussion and trumpet that seems fitting with the theme and just sounds *good.* I don't love the transition into the more fast-paced, almost Latin sounding Don't Let Me Lose This Dream. It took some of the effect away for me, but the overall Latin sound of Don't Let Me Lose This Dream is really cool and the soulful Motown fusion is unique and ahead of its time. Dr. Feelgood makes me laugh because the way that lyrics portrayed and discussed sex like pre-1975(ish) is funny. I mean, she's real for that and I absolutely love that she got laid so well that she felt compelled to write a whole song about it. Period, Aretha. Good Times, however, is probably my least favorite track on this record so far. It sounds very 60's but in general just kind of schlocky and goofy. I can't put my finger on why, but I just didn't really like listening to it - maybe it was a combination of the plucky guitars and the lyrics, but it was not for me. This leads us to Do Right Woman, Do Right Woman, another disjointed transition. Transition aside, I really enjoyed this track. This one incorporated some very pervasive piano that added to the slow, soulful, passionate nature of the rest of the song. Save Me starts out with a really cool Elvis-y, western guitar that meshes really well with the soulful Motown sound in a neat way. This record came out peak Elvis, so I find myself wondering how much of an influence there was there. A Change Is Gonna Come is a perfect ending to this record. It's powerful, beautiful, and wraps up the mixed feelings and themes toward love and confidence that exist throughout. The instrumentals and vocals are damn near perfect. This album is influential, great, and iconic. Again, Aretha is Detroit's sweetheart so I have a very special place for her. A lot of the music I love today probably wouldn't exist (at least in the way it does currently) without her. However, it's just not generally something that I would have on rotation due to my personal taste. Jazz and soul don't tend to be my favorite genres - not that they're bad, just not the most pleasing to my ear. Since I try to rate albums based purely on my own enjoyment, I'm going to give this one a 3/5 (though I would give it a 3.5 if I could). If I were scoring this based instead on influence and technique, it would probably be higher. Unfortunately, I just don't see myself coming back to it, at no fault of the music itself. 3/5.

Before: I really like the CCR songs that I know! One of my favorite groups from that late 60’s-early 70’s era, even though I’m not as familiar as I would like to be. I think that Up Around the Bend is the only one I know from this album. Standout tracks: Ramble Tamble Up Around The Bend Weakest tracks: Ooby Dooby Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself) Standout lyrics: “There’s garbage on the sidewalk, highways in the backyard, police on the corner” - Ramble Tamble “They’re sellin’ independence, actors in the White House, acid indigestion, mortgage on my life” - Ramble Tamble “I went down Virginia, seekin’ shelter from the storm. Caught up in the fable, I watched the tower grow. Five Year Plans and New Deals, wrapped in Golden Chains, and I wonder, still I wonder, who’ll stop the rain?” - Who’ll Stop The Rain During/after: WOOOO CCR knows how to write a protest song. Ramble Tamble is a great intro full of amazing, borderline psychedelic guitars and powerful, withstanding lyrics and messaging about capitalism and corporate greed in politics. The track demonstrates a further descent into a capitalist hellscape with each verse, separated by the “down the road I go” line and illustrated quite well by the steadily increasing tempo, up until the very ending and the final chord, which felt like a neatly tied bow. GREAT stuff. Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself) was a disappointing song to transition into. We went from an impactful protest song to a schlocky, swingy song about a toxic relationship. I wasn’t a fan. Travelin’ Band was similar, but I liked it better. It felt very honky tonk and had some robust, gravelly vocals and fun sax. It felt a bit generic but was just a good time and was very Americana in a way that I love. Moving on to Ooby Dooby though… yikes. So goofy and SO annoying. It sounded like one of the cheesy early-mid 20th century dance songs (think Jitterbug), but like one that didn’t catch on because it just wasn’t enjoyable. Not good, I fear. I think I’ve heard Lookin’ Out My Back Door! The “doo doo doo” portions made my ears perk up a bit, because I definitely recognized it. I liked this one! It was (unless I’m just dumb lol) a fun representation of an experience with psychedelics (“look at all the happy creatures dancin’ on the lawn”). We’re back into the more classic, Americana rock with some neat guitar effects on Run Through The Jungle. It embodies the classic rock sounds of the time and was a solid, driving track overall. But thennn we got hit with UP AROUND THE BEND <3. I love this song so much lol. That guitar riff at the beginning makes my soul leave my body and enter a plane where it is instead fishing with my family in northern Michigan in July. It’s just a good, iconic song, full stop. My Baby Left Me is… fine. It wasn’t bad but felt like a filler song. One thing about CCR, they’re GONNA have questions about the rain. First it was if you’ve ever seen it, and now it’s who’ll stop it! Who’ll Stop The Rain is another politically-charged song (which I love), touching on similar themes to Ramble Tamble. It asks the same question that we are constantly pondering in 2022 - who WILL stop the bullshit that’s going on? The rain is still falling and no one has stopped it. Sonically this track is great too. There are some great chords and vocal harmonies. There’s something about the percussion I’m not digging, but there are some good mini guitar riffs, and this is an awesome song overall. I Heard It Through The Grapevine is LONG, clocking in at over 11 minutes. It kind of glazed over my ear a bit, but I liked it. It fit in well with the rest of the album and had impressive instrumentals. I loved Long As I Can See The Light as an ending. It was a mellower track that just felt like a good wrap-up and continued the lyrical themes that had been present throughout the rest of the record. The saxophone fit in perfectly and it was a beautiful song. This was a good record overall! I was a bit disappointed with the lack of political messaging that I thought I would get throughout the album based on the first track’s lyrics, but it was still fun overall. There were a few tracks that really brought the rating down, unfortunately - namely, Ooby Dooby (grrr) and Before You Accuse Me (Take A Look At Yourself). These bring a solid 4 star record down to a 3. I appreciated the themes of constant movement, travel, and getting away, as those are ones that I always like to hear in lyrics. Lookin’ Out My Back Door and Up Around The Bend were major standouts and made the record. I was really enjoying the air of Americana and the strong representation of that era of rock music. I love CCR but was hoping for some greater consistency in quality here. 3/5.

Before: I don’t know as much Janis Joplin as I should! Me and Bobby MeGee is the only one on this record that I’m familiar with. Excited to get going; Janis is iconic and very influential. Standout tracks: Cry Baby Me and Bobby McGee Weakest tracks: Half Moon Standout lyrics: “And when you try to walk around the world, babe, you said you’d try to find the end of the road. You might find out later that the road’ll end in Detroit. Honey, the road will even end in Kathmandu.” - Cry Baby During/after: God, the sentiment of Move Over is such a universal female experience, lol. As much as I love songs about yearning, it’s nice to hear one about a woman who is actually laying down the law. These men ain’t shit really and truly, girl. She has a very unique and gravelly voice, especially for a woman. The mixing on this track sucks and there wasn’t a whole lot that really stuck out aside from the theme, so overall it’s fine. The belting at the beginning of Cry Baby was powerful and was a solid transition from the previous track. I’m appreciating the continuing “girl power” theme. Joplin’s vocal versatility is highlighted there as well through the seamless and impressive switches from loud, chaotic belting to quieter vibrato-filled singing. During the bridge there is a candid spoken-word quality to the vocals as well. The dynamic backing instrumentation with complex piano, guitar, and organ riffs added to the epic wall of sound that is this track. I liked this one a LOT. Also, DETROIT MENTIONED <3. A Woman Left Lonely was a nice reprieve from the in-your-face-ness of Cry Baby while maintaining the consistent theme and highlighting Joplin’s soulful and powerful vocals. There are more twinkly organs and some jazzy percussion that adds a lot to this song as well. The mixing sounds a lot better than it did on the first track as well. OKAY Half Moon is FUNKY. And maybe my mind is in the gutter here but lyrically….. Nvm. This track is fun with very exaggerated instrumentals. It’s not one that I think I’ll return to a ton because it was just *a lot* for my sensitive lil ears, but it stood out because it was so different. The next track, Buried Alive In the Blues, is a driving instrumental track full of loud, interesting organ and powerful rock guitar. The mixing wasn’t great; the percussion seemed very overpowering. My Baby wasn’t my favorite song on this album at all, but I love the guitar solo halfway through. I’m almost picking up on some gospel or Motown in this song too - I’m not sure if it’s the way that the backing vocals sound or if it’s something else, but there was absolutely some gospel influence that made this track stand out a bit in a way that some of the others didn’t. It’s interesting that Me and Bobby McGee is the most streamed song on this album because it’s so different from the rest. Maybe because (so far) it’s the tamest and easiest to listen to, so it appeals to a wider audience? The beginning was gentle without as much belting. This song had themes of longing and nostalgia without being whiny at all too, which is impressive when it’s done well. Unfortunately, this song would be a favorite of mine IF it didn’t have that “la-da-da” part throughout the middle and end, and instead stuck to more storytelling. The first half was great, the second half was just kind of grating and disappointing. Mercedes Benz is super short and starts out with Joplin announcing in spoken word that she’s going to be singing a song of “great social and political import” - I’m always a fan of a candid intro or outro like this one. But Janis girl… I don’t think this song is as deep or as much of a statement as you think it is. We all want a Mercedes, but there’s not a whole lot of analysis or relevant cultural components. On an album filled with loud and pervasive instrumentals, I liked the inclusion of an a capella track. It really highlighted the uniqueness of Joplin’s voice. This one felt a little more country and twangy - I liked it! Trust Me was similar to most of the other songs on this album with strong vocals and instrumentals. This was one that didn’t stick out a ton but still pretty good. The next track, Get It While You Can blends with the last song and much of the rest of this record, but again, it’s still good. I appreciated the guitar solo here - I’m finding that the guitar solos throughout this record have catchy and anthemic sounding melodies which I like. It represented the record pretty well and was a fitting ending to the record, though I wasn’t terribly impressed or wowed by it. I liked this album a lot overall! It was short but sweet, and I am a fan of the messaging and theme throughout as it felt very “girl power.” Joplin has a very unique and adaptable voice and her vocals were the star of the show here in my opinion. However, I would almost argue that the second star was actually the organ. I feel like I don’t often hear organ like this on loud rock songs and it’s done VERY well here. This is quintessential “women in rock” and lots of times I picked up on lots of similarities in sound to Led Zeppelin which is fine because I really like Led Zeppelin. Led Zeppelin and Janis Joplin are contemporaries and I wonder how much they inspired each other. My main complaints are that a lot of the songs sounded very similar - good, but similar. The lyricism left quite a bit to be desired as well. Just… not very good lol. Overall though, I was a fan! 4/5.

Before: Johnny Cash is soooo me when I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die. I’ve never listened to At Folsom Prison! I am super interested in the prison system and people’s experiences in prisons, so hearing a live recording from prison is fascinating to me and I have been finding myself wondering about how they figured that out logistically. But ANYWAY, I didn’t know as much Johnny Cash as I should have. Some helpful context that informed my review was that my dad was in prison as I was growing up. He was in and out until he tragically passed. We were close and visited, called, and wrote lots of letters back and forth, so the idea of freedom and imprisonment is one that is important to me and hits home. This record was an absolute delight. Every track had a prominent and meaningful theme or message, the candid sounds of live music (speaking to the crowd, hearing their cheers, Johnny’s laughter), and showcased his raw talent. For an unedited acoustic set played from a prison with presumably no sound engineering, this sounded beautiful. You could have told me this was an acoustic studio recording and, save the audience sounds, I fully would have believed it. Johnny’s voice is insanely impressive, velvety, and buttery. His singing sounds like a warm hug. Of course “Folsom Prison Blues” is a classic that speaks for itself and makes for an amazing start to this record. “The Long Black Veil” is a melancholy song that showcases themes about justice. Cash’s banter and the cheers of the audience added so much to the authenticity and personality here. This one really stood out to me. If you thought “The Long Black Veil” was melancholy and a little sad though… just wait for “Send a Picture of Mother.” As a certified mama’s girl, this song (amongst many others on this album) hit SO close to home. I listened to this record at work and, after this song, I had to quickly wipe the tears from my cheeks when my coworkers walked in. “Give My Love to Rose” left me with a very similar feeling and with similar tears, serving as a very vulnerable and tragic song to his wife (or girlfriend) and son from his prison. The lyrics demonstrate a selfless, pure love. There were a couple of more comedic, tongue-in-cheek tracks. “Dirty Old Egg-Suckin Dog” was the first one and it was by far my least favorite. Not because I’m against a schlocky, goofy song, but because he was so mean to the dog in his lyrics :( leave that baby alone!! I felt differently about the other song in this category though, “Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart.” It had some depth but was a nice light hearted break. Hearing the laughter from the audience made me smile and made it feel a lot more genuine. The final track, “Greystone Chapel,” is a great song that illustrates hope in a dark situation, describing the church as a “flower of light in a field of darkness.” I don’t have as much to say about this record from a technical standpoint as I normally would because it’s so acoustic and stripped down, but goddamn it was good and will probably stand the test of time as one of my favorite albums moving forward. It’s beautiful, genuine, personal, and Cash’s vocal talent and acoustic guitar playing shone through in the perfect way. Lots of us really take our freedom for granted and I found myself thinking about some of these lyrics and themes long after I finished listening. At the end, the crowd is cheering and Johnny is giving his “thank you”s, and I’m so happy this was included. It made the whole thing feel more intimate and personal, almost making you feel like you were there. Can you imagine how iconic it would be to have been live at that performance? What a flex. Easy 5/5. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty damn close. Standout tracks: Folsom Prison Blues Long Black Veil Send a Picture of Mother Standout lyrics: “The judge said, ‘what is your alibi? If you were somewhere else, then you won’t have to die’” - The Long Black Veil “Say hello to dad and shake his hardworkin’ hand, and send a picture of mother if you can. I’m happy for you that you got your freedom, but stay with me just another minute or so” - Send a Picture of Mother “Tell my boy his daddy’s so proud of him, and don’t forget to give my love to Rose.” - Give My Love to Rose “Take her all my money, tell her to buy some pretty clothes.” - Give My Love to Rose “Won’t you tell them I said thanks for waiting for me? Tell my boy to help his mom at home, tell my Rose to try to find another.” - Give My Love to Rose “It takes a ring of keys to move here at Folsom, but the door to the House of God is never locked. Inside the walls of prison my body may be, but my Lord has set my soul free.” - Greystone Chapel “Well they’re hanging Joe Bean this morning for killing a man in Arkansas. Funny thing about it, Joe Bean never heard of the man. In fact, Joe Bean has never been to Arkansas. On top of that, today is Joe Bean’s twentieth birthday.” - Flushed from the Bathroom of your Heart *Find me on RYM @annainaz!

New album for me! Dynamic and interesting rock but just not my usual cup of tea, probably because I don't traditionally love prog rock all that much. However, I know that there is tons of talent needed to go into a prog album, and this is no exception. Not a whole lot that stuck out to me other than the neat titles and long, complex songs. This may resonate with me more on a subsequent listen. 3/5 (3.5 on RYM). For more detailed music reviews and journalism, check me out at annasmithwriting.com!!

This was sad and beautiful but I fear I won't be listening again. Boring and TOO sad for me lol. 2/5 (personally). Read my music journalism at annasmithwriting.com!