Amazing songs/moments that still hold up even after being played a ton on the radio; best experienced as full album.
Strong singles, drags a bit in last half.
Well made 90's rock, good guitar work and vocals. I just don't enjoy this genre of rock that much, even some of its more solid examples are unlikely to rise above a 3/5.
Lame, histrionic, arena-rock vocals make this one hard to enjoy. Reminds me of Radiohead if they never made OK Computer and developed into a great band. That said, Knights of Cydonia is a goofy enjoyable single, some of the harder songs like Assassins have some decent musicianship.. that saves it from a 2 rating.
Classic album, one amazing song after another in a variety of different styles. Influenced music as a whole towards more studio experimentation and openness to including international sounds.
First few songs/singles start fairly strong, decent 2000's alt-rock, back 2/3rds of album blend together. Solid '3', nothing bad or inspiring.
Fantastic vocalist plus some great production, doesn't overstay welcome at 34 minutes.. this was a good one I hadn't listened to in awhile.
Artful, melodic folk rock/pop music.
Beautiful and tragic album released only a few days before Bowie's death, I rarely listen to this one as it takes me back to the grief I felt when I learned of his passing in 2016. So it was good this project made me listen again for the first time in years; songs are mournful but a creative and fascinating blend of jazz and industrial art rock.
Fun 90's electronic music.
A full album of pirate/irish bar-punk is just a bit too much to take. The musicianship and energy isn't entirely lacking, but this kind of music and vocals are not for me.
It's no Back to Black. While her voice is still great, none of the songs on this album do anything interesting with it and I wouldn't listen to this one again.
Classic album with some of his best songs, find myself singing along to a lot of these.
Beautiful, mournful songs, Cohen has a great voice. It's a petty quibble, but the songs are so consistently bleak... other singer-song writers can be more fun to sing along with.
Liked this one more than I thought I would, solid vocals and 90's rock. Not my preferred genre, but an ok listen. Best song: Sleep to Dream
Love Joni Mitchell's voice, but thought I would like this album more. Guess I'm comparing it to 'Blue', but not as many songs stood out. Not bad or great. Standouts: 'Help Me' 'Raised on Robbery'
Not the best Roots album, its okay. Brings in elements of other genres (Soul, techno, rock) into hip-hop, with mixed results. Standouts: The Seed 2.0, Sacrifice
Amazing classic rock album with top notch guitar playing throughout. A little long and unfocused perhaps, but even the lesser songs are charming to me. Standouts: All Along the Watchtower, Voodoo Chile (both versions)
Good production, but overall low energy, dull vocals. Good background music, less enjoyable for active listening.
60's British Rock; the boundaries of Blues-Rock are being stretched with more intensity and psychedelia, but it ain't the Beatles or the Kinks. Enjoyable but don't see myself coming back to it. Standouts: 'Over, Under, Sideways, Down' 'Jeff's Boogie'
Fantastic 70's Prog-rock; this is a classic example of the genre that has great melodies alongside superb musicianship that doesn't feel self indulgent to me. Standouts: Roundabout, Long Distance Runaround
I enjoy this twangy, old-timey country music style. Album is good but blends together after a bit. Standouts: 'Let her go, God bless her' 'Kentucky'
Have no opinions on Bono or U2 as people, but they do make truly interminable, terrible music. Bono's vocals are moaning, over-dramatic and grating to listen to for one song let alone an album's worth. The music supporting him is an endless series of boring, similar sounding drones that build to an endless crescendo that never really comes. Dreading more U2 popping up on this list, isn't this supposed to be one of their best?
Sludgy, boring rock with terrible vocals, feels like something you put up with in the background while boarding a plane. 1988 album that feels like it anticipated some elements of 90's grunge and indie music.. but the parts I can't stand.
Boring 90's alt-rock, not even interesting enough to hate.
Not a 90's Brit-pop fan... while these songs aren't terrible none of them stand out or make an impact other than 'Common People', which just barely elevates this one to a 3.
This weird 60's psychedelia album is the kind of odd stuff I keep hoping I'll discover by participating in this site. At times all over the place, messy and experimental, I still enjoyed it as a whole.
The hits are very good, but the lows of this album detract from the overall experience. Maybe the sugar sweet singing and disco-pop is too much extended over a full release for me to fully love.
Well sung Ray Charles versions of country songs, though I prefer his other hits. The big band and strings arrangements don't suite some of these country songs which could use a little more grit. Standouts: 'Don't Tell Me Your Troubles', 'Teardrops in my Heart'
Really prefer Damon Albarn in Gorillaz over this 90's Brit-rock. Didn't hate or love this one. Standout: Beetlebum
Classic Black Sabbath album; amazing guitars, mix of slower, lyrical moments and great metal riffs. Standouts: great moments found throughout, particularly Snowblind, Supernaut, Laguna Sunrise
Enjoyable electronica tinged rock; first three songs are very strong, though weaker back half prevent this album from reaching a 4. Good album from band I hadn't heard of. Standouts: 'Negative Space', 'Static Resistance', 'Ullswater'
Just an amazing album; indie/art rock vocals combine with lush multi-instrumentals (I love an organ) and propulsive drumming and guitar work that keeps songs feeling urgent and in no way navel-gazing. Has a lot of songs I enjoy singing along with. I thought about giving 4 stars since there are a couple Arcade Fire albums I like more, but this is good stuff, 5 stars.
Classic jazz album; consistently good songs with interesting time signatures.
Never listened to much Little Richard aside from Tutti Frutti and seeing him in sitcom cameos, but I found myself really enjoying this old school rock and roll record. Standouts: 'Ready Teddy', 'Long Tall Sally'
This mix of country, indie, and alt-rock is just not appealing to me. Too laid back and meandering, its better moments are too spread out over the over-long double length album. If I liked the singer's voice more it would be more palatable.
Great 80's metal album. Theatrical, cheesy yet enjoyable vocals and riffs. Some other metal albums may hit harder or have more intricacy, but this one is just plain fun. Standouts: Invaders, Number of the Beast, Run to the Hills, Hallowed Be Thy Name
Amazing voice, good soul/jazz arrangements, but didn't really connect with the songs outside the standouts. Should probably be a 4, might just be in a bad mood today. Standouts: Too High, Living For the City, Higher Ground
Never hear of this folk-rock duo, but enjoyed this album quite a bit. Good folk vocalists with well arranged electric guitar compositions. Standouts: Calvary Cross, When I Get to the Border, I Want To See the Bright Lights
Soulful final Cash album, you really feel the weight of a life lived in his voice. Despite some good songs, at the end of the day its an album of mournful covers and not all of them work. Standouts: The Man Comes Around, Hurt, I Hung My Head
Kinda cheesy 70's hard rock album, but when a better track off it hits a good groove I can't help but nod along. Standouts: Highway Star, Space Truckin', Lazy
Enjoyable prog-rock, but double album length works against it, 1st album much more interesting and consistent. Standouts: In the Cage
Some fun new wave pop songs, but I'm gonna listen to Sparks if I'm in the mood for this stuff. Not every song works or effectively uses Lauper's quirky voice. Standouts: Girls Just Want to Have Fun, Time After Time, I'll Kiss You
Tiny Dancer is fine, but really not a fan of this piano forward, kinda show-tunes vibe 70's rock. Indian Sunset makes me cringe enough to knock this album down to 2.
Good singer-songwriter folk, Cohen's voice is great but I liked 'Songs of Leonard Cohen' off this list much more. Standouts: 'Avalanche' stood out the most, pretty consistent album though, no really good or bad ones
I like the song 'West End Girls' and some other 80's Pet Shop Boys songs, but was unprepared for how terrible this cheesy early 90's album is. Lame, uninspired production combined with limpid boring vocals... this was a tough one to get through.
Straightforward exemplar of 'dad-rock'. Musty blues-rock that doesn't do either genre justice. It would be fine in the background of a bar, kind of boring to listen to closely. Standout: La Grange
I feel like this list could have chosen some more dynamic or interesting electronic albums than this, but I grew to enjoy it as I listened. Reminds me of some of J.G. Thirwell's work or a much gentler Black Lung. A lot of it sort of blends together into background music, but there are interesting moments here and there. Standouts: Duke of Earlsfield, Return to Planet D, Chapel Street Market 9AM
Late 60's Blue's inspired rock and roll music; ok but other than standouts mentioned nothing great and not my favorite Stones songs. Standouts: Sympathy for the Devil (though an overplayed song), Street Fighting Man
Serviceable 60's garage rock, not quite wild or ambitious enough to elevate itself beyond its peers. Standouts: I'm Not Your Stepping Stone, Kicks
Great moody fusion of jazz with electric/rock instruments. Standouts: Only 2 tracks, both long and enjoyable
These songs work great stripped down, this album's version of these hits and covers are how I best know some of these songs. Standouts: Come As You Are, Man Who Sold the World, Where Did You Sleep Last Night
Chill, interesting songs. Back half less good than front, but was happy to listen to this album, hadn't heard of The Bees. Standouts: A Minha Menina (WPRB concert calendar song!), Punchbag, Angryman
Not my favorite White Stripes album, but a damn good one with great tracks.
Terrible; Bono's caterwauling is particularly grating. The production in this album is slightly improved from Joshua Tree, inching out of a 1 rating.
Not always gonna be in the mood to let this music wash over me, but very enjoyable when on it's weird fusion groove/experimental sound wavelength.
Tori Amos has a fine voice and the production on this album is decent, but there is something enervating to listening to a full hour of these songs. They really all start to blend together and the piano forward music starts to grate and become boring. I think maybe you need to connect to the lyrics to really appreciate this stuff, but it didn't do anything for me. Standout: Happy Phantom
Kendrick's raspy voice has taken awhile to grow on me, but he does have a great flow, evocative lyrics, and top notch production. I'm generally partial to 90's hip hop, so it was good to listen to a more modern classic all the way through. I wish I could hear a version minus the voice mail audio in between tracks, feels like it'd be annoying on repeat listens, but an enjoyable album overall.
Some cringe lyrics ('I sure wouldn't rape you'?) but there's still some enjoyable moments here and there. Suffered by comparison from listening to Kendrick the prior day. Standouts: Mama Said Knock You Out, Milky Cereal
Talented live big band jazz performances, might've enjoyed more with better audio/without all the stage introductions. Standouts: Take the A Train, Diminuendo In Blue
Beautiful vocals and arrangements, classic harmonies mixed with interesting range of instruments. Can remember 20 years ago hearing this for the first time with headphones on at the mall, most songs and the style totally new to me, utterly transfixed. Not something I'm always in the mood for but always captivating once I start to listen. Standouts: God Only Knows, Wouldn't It Be Nice, I Know There's an Answer
Although they have a high energy, kind of punk rock spirit, I just can't get into the Beastie Boys nasally, often annoying rapping. I wish I liked this one more, but outside of hits it starts to be grating at album length. Standouts: No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Fight For Your Right, Brass Monkey
Good electro-pop, but don't know that I'll return to it. Feels like it walked so Tame Impala could run.
Didn't know anything about k.d. lang other than her name, was pleased to discover she has a great voice. For me, though, this classic crooning-style country record starts to wear out its welcome after awhile. Standouts: Western Star
I love any 70's Bowie. 'Heroes' is the clear standout song that slightly overshadows the rest, but I enjoy everything here. While I like the Eno soundscapes in the back half of the Berlin trilogy albums, on this one I do wish it blended together with the rock songs.. Often I'll only want to listen to one half or the other.
Fun 60's psychedelic pop. Standouts: Sunshine Superman, Season of the Witch
I like some old time rock and roll, though the tempo of a lot of these ones starts to feel kind of similar.
Hadn't ever listened to Buffalo Springfield before; not blown away but solid 60's rock. Standouts: Broken Arrow, Hung Upside Down, Rock & Roll Woman
Have been listening to more Depeche Mode lately, so was happy to see this album come up. While no Violator, a great collection of synth-New Wave songs. Standouts: Behind the Wheel, Strangelove, Never Let Me Down Again
This album has a place in hip hop history and some fun rhymes... but do I ever want to listen to it again? Kinda basic production and flows.
Love a dreamy Beach House track, though they all do blend together on this one, no particular standouts. Have to be in the right mood for a full album of this.
Amazing voice and grooves, though didn't connect with a lot of the songs.. kind of like it more as background. Standouts: What's Going On, Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
Awful, so boring and tough to sit through.
Talk Talk is only good in their earlier synthpop songs where the singer's drippy voice can be contrasted with crisp, uptempo beats. This album is just a drag.
Another someone dated feeling electronica choice that feels like a result of when the book was first published. This trip-hop adjacent music has its moments, but feels more like background music in a heist movie than something you listen closely to.
Great grimy rock and roll vibes, the standouts really prop up the rest of the album, the rest of which isn't bad but lesser in comparison. Standouts: Lust For Life, The Passenger, Tonight
Album rates a 3 on the strength of 'The Killing Moon', such a great song. The rest, especially in the album's first half, are much more forgettable.
Hadn't heard of the Jungle Brothers before, enjoyed this slice of late 80's hip hop, good beats and rappers that played off each other well. Worth tracking down on Youtube, not on Spotify at time of review.
Beautiful album that I hadn't heard before. I knew Elliot Smith had a wonderful voice but wondered if a full album of his breathy vocals and mellow guitar arrangements would be too much, but this was a great find with a consistent, interesting sound.
Unremarkable UK 80's pop. Grows on you during a 2nd listen but doubt I'll add any songs off it to my 80's playlists. Standouts: Club Country, Party Fears Two
Interesting 2000's prog/metal... would be a 4 star album but really not into the singer's vocals.
Didn't know that this was considered ska; was bracing myself for something more annoying but just sounds like pleasant rock and roll. Nothing particularly hard hitting or memorable though.
Good mix of funk and soul, generally preferred the more uptempo songs over the slower, more ballad ones. Standouts: Happy Feelin', Yearnin' Learnin', Africano
I hadn't heard of any these Queen songs before; a good collection of less famous tracks. Though the operatic flourishes were still there, there was less of them and I appreciated the slightly more straight-forward hard rock vibe of the album. Standouts: The March of the Black Queen, Ogre Battle
Erykah Badu has a great voice and the backing music is good, chill jazzy stuff... but the overall effect is kind of boring. Good background for a coffee shop but not that interesting for a close listen.
Enjoyable mix of rock, jazz, and Latin rhythms.
Interesting one, had heard of Guided By Voices but hadn't listened to their music before. Really lo-fi, post punk energy with very short tracks that make an impression then end before they overstay their welcome. Music with a cool vibe, but not sure I connected enough with it to return to this album.
Only knew The Cult from their early 80's goth-leaning singles, so I was utterly unprepared for this incredibly generic, lame hard rock album. Really disappointing bland stuff.
Good early rock and roll. I'd probably enjoy a better sounding recording, but this live album does convey some of the energy of a live performance in front of a crowd.
I was curious to hear this album for probably the first time since high school; as a young metal fan back then I didn't have a lot of respect for nu-metal but hung out with plenty of its fans. There is a certain heavy appeal in 'It's On!' and 'Got the Life' that elevate Korn above some of its contemporaries like Limp Bizkit (Fred Durst's appearance on this album marks its worst low point song 'All in the Family'). Ultimately, this is pretty terrible, juvenile stuff, it's hard to imagine anyone but an angry teenager liking it.
Blues-influenced rock from 1970 that has its moments of beauty but can feel at times like listless, self indulgent noodling. Standouts: Layla, Little Wing
Ultimately these ratings reflect on my personal response to these albums, I'm not grading on an objective/historic basis. So while Tracy Chapman has a beautiful emotive voice and I empathize with these stories and politics... I just can't get into this album. Just don't connect with it and was glad for the relatively short run time. Standouts: Fast Car
These trip-hop beats and British rapping/singing are so 90's; while they feel dated at times once I was on the album's wavelength I overall enjoyed it.
Decent 2000's era rock album, reminiscent of the Strokes and similar bands. Nothing really stood out, though better than their 2008 release also in this project.
The simple title of this one made me think it might be a straight-forward early Beach Boys album. But this early 70's release has some interesting minor key arrangements and psychedelic touches alongside the always beautiful vocal harmonies. Some fairly lame lesser tracks drag this rating down compared to the strengths of its better songs. Standouts: Surf's Up, 'Til I Die, Feel Flows
Great album start to finish, no bad songs. Instrumentals, vocals, energy level, variety of sounds/rhythms... All time classic.
Bland 90's singer-songwriter stuff, just incredibly dull.
Unique emotive voice, this makes me think of Bjork as a folk singer songwriter. Songs are good but do run together. One of those albums I might not often be in the mood for, but leaves a powerful impact when listened to.
Cool trip hop tracks, but I think this debut is not as good as their other two albums and suffers by comparison even if it was the one that helped pioneer this sound. Standouts: Sour Times, Glory Box
I'll always remember driving alone in the middle of the night in my 20's hearing 'Heroin' on the radio for the first time. I was blown away by it then, and this album still delivers chills. I've grown to love Nico's strange, kind of flat vocals over time, alongside the grimy rock and roll genius of Lou Reed and the band. No bad tracks for me.
Blend of alternative and roots rock singer songwriter stuff... really disliked and found abrasively dull early on, especially vocals, but did start to grow on me in its back half. Competent musicians, but no exciting or innovating sounds here.
Some goofy interludes and musical moments on this album; OutKast mixes singing and pop elements with hip hop and it doesn't always work. Overall, still some good rap songs on here and the singing works on Ms. Jackson. Standouts: Ms. Jackson, Humble Mumble, Red Velvet, B.O.B.
My favorite Flaming Lips record- beautiful layered arrangements that still sometimes have a noisy lo-fi feel around the edges from their earlier work. A great mix of indie, psychedelic rock and strings. Coyne's vocals are going to be the most divisive element of the album for most people, but I really enjoy his voice alongside the earnest, joyful yet melancholy lyrics. Love the whole album, but 'The Gash' fading into 'Feeling Yourself Disintegrate' and ending in the coda track 'Sleeping On The Roof' (the true last track, end the album here before remix songs) is one of the most affecting and emotional three track sequences off of any album.
Great punk energy to this album; you're either going to connect with the spirit of the Ramones and the propulsive driving beat and guitars of these short songs or you'll find it repetitive and overly simple. This album's main issue is that the first 3 tracks are classics that the rest of the album doesn't live up to. Standouts: the above mentioned 'Blitzkrieg Bop', 'Beat on the Brat', and 'Judy is a Punk'
Brazilian jazz and proto-funk from the mid 70's. The music is fun stuff, sometimes a little too breezy and it can just fade into the background, but over all a good album and nice to have more new world music on the list to try out.
