237
Albums Rated
3.35
Average Rating
22%
Complete
852 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1970s
Favorite Decade
Soul
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
22
5-Star Albums
7
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
Figure 8
Elliott Smith
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
|
Imagine
John Lennon
|
5 | 3.45 | +1.55 |
|
Paul's Boutique
Beastie Boys
|
5 | 3.47 | +1.53 |
|
Queen II
Queen
|
5 | 3.49 | +1.51 |
|
Arrival
ABBA
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
|
5 | 3.59 | +1.41 |
|
Born To Be With You
Dion
|
4 | 2.62 | +1.38 |
|
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
|
5 | 3.65 | +1.35 |
|
Band On The Run
Paul McCartney and Wings
|
5 | 3.66 | +1.34 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Dummy
Portishead
|
1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Master Of Puppets
Metallica
|
2 | 3.73 | -1.73 |
|
Atomizer
Big Black
|
1 | 2.72 | -1.72 |
|
Jagged Little Pill
Alanis Morissette
|
2 | 3.72 | -1.72 |
|
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
|
2 | 3.55 | -1.55 |
|
Dirt
Alice In Chains
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
|
2112
Rush
|
2 | 3.39 | -1.39 |
|
It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
Public Enemy
|
2 | 3.37 | -1.37 |
|
You Want It Darker
Leonard Cohen
|
2 | 3.33 | -1.33 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 4 | 4.5 |
| Queen | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Eminem | 2 | 1.5 |
5-Star Albums (22)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Brian Eno
4/5
I’ve been wanting to listen to a Brian Eno album during this project, and this was a solid start. It’s pretty out there in terms of lyrics and the production, but still an enjoyable listen. Extremely experimental and creative.
1 likes
Public Enemy
2/5
NAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEE
1 likes
1-Star Albums (7)
All Ratings
Blondie
4/5
Bunch of hits on here. Really rocking. Great record to start off with.
Rush
2/5
Wasn’t a huge fan. Talented musicians and fine production, but none of it really resonated.
The Kinks
4/5
Strong sense of cohesion throughout the album, similar to contemporary early concept albums like Pet Sounds and Sgt Pepper. Feelings of nostalgia, preservation of the past, and tradition are evoked throughout listening along with portraits of people of the village green.
Coldplay
3/5
Album was fine. Feels like the kind of album I should develop a connection with but didn’t. Nothing really caught my ear outside of Yellow and Don’t Panic which I’ve heard of before and enjoy. However, solid production and it clearly cohesive. An album I’ll have to revisit.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Never heard of this album or this group so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Really dreamy sound to it. I’ll definitely be listening to this album again.
Funkadelic
4/5
Great listen. The percussion really drives this album. Very groovy, I really enjoyed it.
Van Morrison
4/5
Definitely a classic. Great mix of genres throughout the album.
Carole King
4/5
I’ve never listened to a Carole King album all the way through, let alone had any of her songs on my playlists, yet I still found a lot of these songs to be very familiar. Ton of classics on here.
The Kinks
3/5
Definitely found the second side of this album more interesting than the first. The rock songs on the first side, though all solid, got a bit repetitive but the second side really changed it up. Fine precursor to Village Green.
Queen
5/5
I’ve never listened to a Queen album in full. I’ve heard the classic songs numerous times and never heard any of these songs here, but this album really caught me off guard. This is the kind of album that I wouldn’t listen to its songs individually or in a playlist but only in full, kind of like some of my favorite Pink Floyd albums. It works extremely well as a complete unit.
The Beta Band
4/5
Two of the three songs I know from The Beta Band open this album, but I never thought to check out the rest. Really solid album. The tone is very mellow and intriguing, and the feel is almost psychedelic. Some parts of the album are a bit too repetitive and monotonous, but that just adds to the droning nature of it.
Eagles
4/5
Exceptional album, a collection of solid rock songs. I will say, I feel like there weren’t too many standouts aside from the title track, but I still feel that the songs are all great.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Fine album, only a few standouts and 1-2 songs I didn’t really like. Overall, I liked the big sound. Springsteen’s vocals sometimes really works for me and sometimes it doesn’t. Still enjoyed listening all the way through.
John Martyn
2/5
Some songs I just couldn’t bear the singer’s voice, and the other songs I just didn’t care for. Some of it was pretty groovy, but there was probably only one song that I thought was okay in full which was ‘Dancing’. Maybe with the right vocals, this could be a better album as the production itself was solid. Otherwise, I wasn’t a huge fan.
Napalm Death
1/5
If you asked someone who didn’t like heavy metal or punk rock what they thought the genre was like, this album is probably what they’d come up with. Nothing pleasant to say about the listening experience aside from it being shorter than most albums.
TLC
2/5
Just an alright listen. Felt it got a bit boring and monotonous at times. I liked the rhythm, but the vocals and production weren’t really for me. Wasn’t a fan of the interludes. ‘Waterfalls’ was definitely the standout, though it was the only track I knew before listening.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I listened to the first Led Zeppelin album only a couple minutes before listening to this album in preparation for it. I really loved the first album so this album in comparison was only slightly weaker to me; however, I still really liked this one for all the same reasons as the first. The music doesn’t stop. It just keeps going. There’s no fat, no filler. The band is so tight and they’re masters at the instruments they play. Insane listening experience.
Blur
4/5
Solid album. I’d give it a 7/10 but I’ll round up to 4 stars. Sounds like lots of inspiration from the British Invasion. Thought I heard some bits from the Kinks, but it all comes pretty close sounding to Oasis too. Enjoyable rock album. The first two songs were definitely the strongest for me.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
Okay listen. Didn’t really care for most of it, but some of it was intriguing to hear. “The Conference” was an interesting one because I found it unpleasant to listen to but I liked the idea of it with this back and forth nonsense between the vocalists. I think there was a lot that’s special in the tracks, but overall I didn’t enjoy it that much.
Kanye West
4/5
Never heard a Kanye album in full so when people say they miss the old Kanye, I get it now. Like REALLY get it now. Great beats, great samples, great album. Enjoyed it all the way through and I thought the skits were hilarious.
The Incredible String Band
2/5
I did find merit in the mixture of genres including Indian, folk, psychedlic, Baroque, and medieval(?) music, but overall, I didn’t really enjoy the listening experience. I kind of just tumbled through it. It felt like a combination between early Pink Floyd music with the electric guitars removed and the lofi production of Smiley Smile. Very odd album, and definitely made that way. Just felt like a novel oddity of the times.
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Very suave and smooth album. So funky. I listen to these albums during my morning commutes so this album made me feel like I was in a chase. Made my drive a lot more entertaining. Extremely fitting soundtrack for a movie called Super Fly.
Radiohead
5/5
A perfect album. Beautifully tragic and deeply emotional. An ingenious blend of rock and electronic elements and a display of Radiohead’s progression in their musical evolution. The purposeful excess of the electronic noise and the heaviness of the guitars never fails for the emotion and the feelings of the music to come through. Fantastic album.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Solid album but nothing really popped out to me. I always appreciate the musicianship of jazz albums but I’d say only one song resonated with me on this one, which was “Manenberg Revisted”. The title track was fine too. The rest felt pretty run of the mill. All in all, a pleasant listen but nothing surprising.
George Michael
3/5
I thought the production was good, and I liked the title track. Aside from that, not much really got me. I wasn’t a huge fan of the songs themselves though I feel like for a lot of them, if I give them a listen a couple more times, I could really grow to like them. Otherwise, this album on first listen was just okay for me.
ABBA
5/5
Lots of classics on here that I really love, though some of the songs I didn’t know made the album slightly less impressive to me. They definitely share the same feel as the songs I already knew but just fell short. This album’s still a 9/10 to me because the hits really do hit. Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You, and Fernando all on the same album is a gift.
Bill Evans Trio
3/5
Fine listen but nothing stood out to me. Not much to say about this one, just solid jazz.
John Coltrane
3/5
Extremely engaging and grand at times. I appreciate the technicality of this album, but I think I just don’t like jazz. The lack of melodic structure is too bewildering for me, though I can definitely understand how others can fall in love with pieces like this. If I heard and saw this performed live, I probably would. Could also be I’m not accustomed to this kinda music. For the time being, it’s a 7/10 for me. Also found out this album was recorded very close to my office, which is pretty neat.
Muddy Waters
3/5
Solid blues album. Extremely influential for its time. I had a fine time listening though nothing very surprising to me. Still, I definitely see its merit in its legacy.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
Funky, groovy album. Though there were some lulls throughout only because I think it’s missing the visual element of the movie itself, but when it hits, it hits. I think I enjoyed listening to the Super Fly soundtrack more, but I found this entertaining.
Todd Rundgren
4/5
Great album, though I think I need more time to really like it. The two songs I knew from it already, Hello It’s Me and I Saw the Light, stood as the best songs on the album by a large extent. Overall great production and soulful backing vocals throughout. I was hoping for more even from a double album, but with a couple listens, I think I could rank it higher.
Jethro Tull
4/5
I’ve listened to this album once before and I think I liked it better on this listen. Very interesting sound mostly because of the flute that’s played throughout. Parts of it sound like tales recited by a bard. Very strong rock album.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
I was expecting just another rock album from a band I’ve never heard of but I got way more than that. The first four tracks were extremely strong for me. I was already hooked by the first song. The next three songs were a bit of a lull but still a fine listen nonetheless. And then it ends off with Free Bird, nuff said. Great album.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Fine album. Repetitive at times, but always very catchy and groovy. I think I’d really enjoy it if I heard it played live. I think my favorite song was the last one, which is a live recording. I really liked the atmosphere on that one.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
This album had a decent number of moments that I liked, but overall there weren’t any songs that I enjoyed. I did appreciate the keyboards and the tight drums, but for the most part, I either found it unpleasant or of little substance and I wanted more.
Fugazi
2/5
It’s just not for me. Objectively, it’s a solid album, but I personally didn’t enjoy it much. Out of all the songs, I only liked Brendan 1 so I was disappointed to find there was no Brendan 2. The band was tight, and there’s no question they’re talented. It just didn’t get me.
The Cure
3/5
I liked the atmosphere and feel of the album, but I felt the songs fell short. They didn’t sound complete and I wanted more from all of them.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
This is my second hearing the album and I think I enjoyed it more than the first time. It’s a fine album throughout and it’s definitely got a consistent sound, but I feel that it doesn’t offer much more than that. Maybe it’ll grow on me but for now there’s nothing too striking to me, so it’s hard to rate it anything more than a 7/10. Simply a collection of rock songs.
Deep Purple
4/5
Thought this album would be too heavy for me, and it definitely was at some points. Overall, I enjoyed the listen. Very groovy at times, but it really shreds. Solid listen.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Thought I would like this one better. My mom’s a big fan of them and I enjoy listening to West End Girls, but the production got too repetitive and corny for me. With a different arrangement, I think a lot of these songs could be really great. So the songs themselves were solid, but the execution of the album as a whole was off.
Elton John
5/5
Beautiful album. Really big and grand production that accompanies Elton’s iconic voice. All of the songs were great, but the title track was probably my favorite aside from Tiny Dancer, which needless to say is an absolute classic. This is the first Elton John album I’ve heard in full length and I found it very captivating.
The Beach Boys
5/5
While Pet Sounds is my favorite album of all time and truly Brian Wilson’s masterpiece, Sunflower, Surf’s Up, and all of the music in between represents the pinnacle of the collaboration between the members of the Beach Boys. It marks a time where they reached their potential as a group. In addition to their grand creative efforts, the themes of this album really show off what I love most about this band. If The Beatles and their music are the representation of the best of life and the world, then the Beach Boys and their music are the representation of something more human. Flawed, but redeemable. The Beatles stand so high up, they’re unreachable and it’s difficult sometimes to relate to them, but the Beach Boys are an open book. They put their struggles on display like in A Day In The Life of a Tree and ‘Til I Die, and they’ll also let you know that you can turn things around for the better, in songs like Long Promised Road and Feel Flows. There’s so much heart in their music that anyone can relate to because they went through so much themselves. There’s never been any genius like Brian Wilson. His songs will be played on forever and he will be dearly missed. Love and mercy.
Eminem
2/5
Overall, found this album annoying to listen to. It just sounds like he’s truing so hard to be edgy. “My Name Is” is a classic and there’s a lot of great lyrics throughout, but I just couldn’t get with the rest of it. Wasn’t a fan of the skits either. I can see why other people would like this album, but it wasn’t for me.
The Stooges
3/5
Nothing really stood out to me, just another hard rock album. Nothing really bad to say either, but it just wasn’t anything special for me.
Foo Fighters
4/5
This album was a bit too heavy for me but I still dug it. I really liked Dave Grohl’s vocals throughout. Strong album.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Nice relaxing ambient music. Nothing crazy but just solid jazz.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Tight band and great musicianship, but pretty run of the mill stuff. Nothing very interesting, but still fine rock.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Great energy throughout, but a bit too repetitive and uniform. Kinda felt like I was listening to the same song the whole time. Still a solid listen.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
Beautiful album. Listening to this all the way through was quite the experience. This is the first 5 stars I’m giving to an artist I don’t know much about. I think I’ve only heard one song of his. Massive range in sound and genres and a lot of great themes in this. Each song kept me on my feet.
Billy Bragg
4/5
Really great instrumentation on this. Bragg’s voice is very distinct, but I enjoyed listening to him. Very folky. Solid listen.
Pulp
4/5
Interesting sounding album. The singer sounds a bit like Bowie at times and even like Roger Waters for some songs. Enjoyed listening to this album.
Machito
4/5
The blasting horns make this album sound extremely grand. The percussion also adds so much energy. Very energetic and groovy record. It kept me on my feet.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Solid album. Very vibrant sounding and each song sounded very enticing and compelling. I don’t usually listen to a lot of non-English albums so I’m glad I got exposed to this one.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
5/5
This album cover looks so familiar and recognizable to me but I’ve never listened to the album. The vocal stack throughtout the whole album is so tight and lush. Precisely well crafted. The entire album is a work of art filled with great folk songs.
Stereo MC's
4/5
I really liked the first half of the album a lot more than the second. Starting out, the songs had a really full sound with great samples, but maybe the novelty diminished as I listened for longer. Still a solid album. Almost a 5 star for me had it stuck the landing.
Black Sabbath
3/5
I really wanted to like this album more, but I think it wasn’t for me. There were a ton of great moments and riffs that I likee, but as a whole it just didn’t get me. Iron Man and Fairies Wear Boot were great though. Maybe on a few relistens I’ll warm up to it more.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
Thought the psychedelic blend of eastern and western music was cool for a bit until I got bored with it halfway through. The last song was pretty memorable but that’s about it. Still solid playing.
Radiohead
4/5
Middle tier Radiohead for me. Lots of beautiful parts in this album, but other parts linger on for a bit too long. It’s not as good as Kid A and I can’t help but see it as its rejects being placed onto this album, but still a solid album in its own right.
R.E.M.
4/5
Solid album. Nothing very out of the ordinary about it for me, but just a bunch of good songs. R.E.M.’s one of the bands this project’s got me more interested in so I was glad to listen to this one. 7/10 for me. However, I will note that this album is a bit unremarkablefor me, so much that I just realized a while after this listenthrough that I already listened to this album a few months back and I completely forget about it.
Moby Grape
4/5
Lots of variety in this album. I was thinking it’d just be another rock album but there was a good mix of genres. Shame it’s not fully on Spotify.
T. Rex
3/5
I wish I liked this album more because I’ve heard a lot of good things about it. Outside of the two songs I already heard from it, there weren’t any others that I liked. It’s definitely a competently made and produced record, but just not my cup of tea.
Megadeth
2/5
Metal’s just not for me. I really did try to loosen up and listen, but I think it’s just too heavy. I can definitely appreciate the musicianship and the guitarist shreds, but with all the noise, it gets too caught up in itself. The title track was probably the one I liked out of all of them, and each song had its moments, but I overall couldn’t enjoy listening to this album.
Television
3/5
Pretty crazy this was released in 1977 since I definitely could’ve confused it for something released in the early 2000s. That being said, while it sounds ahead of its time, it sounded too on the nose with a lot of other stuff I’ve already heard before. It was solid stuff but nothing too great to me.
Portishead
1/5
Couldn’t get into this one. Aside from the beats on some of the tracks, there was nothing I liked from this album. For some songs, it felt like the backing was unfit for the vocals.
Hot Chip
4/5
Solid album. Very unique sounds and production. The only relation I had to this album initially was to the first track, that was sampled in an Avalanches song that I really like. Otherwise, it was a great first listen to the rest of the album.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
Definitely an entertaining listen. Very 80s. Nothing too amazing about it to me, but I enjoyed it. Very funky.
Garbage
3/5
Strong album and great production, though I personally couldn’t get into it but I wish I could. Definitely had its moments and there’s a lot of creativity in this one.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Rocking album. Enjoyed listening to this one. Great energy.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
Very energetic and angry. Lots of variety. I really liked the vocals and the production on this one. Might be a band I come back to.
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Very pleasant listen. The album ranges from some delightful easy listening to heavier more experimental songs. Even though I didn’t understand a thing and it was on the longer side, I still enjoyed the listen.
Green Day
4/5
Great album. I’m not really into punk, but I still enjoyed listening to this one. Very tight band, and there were some basslines I really liked.
Common
4/5
Solid rap album. Great samples on a couple of the tracks. I liked listening to this one. Also the more of the old Kanye I hear, the more I miss him.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I really liked this album more than Paranoid. Felt like there was a lot more variation, but the rock songs were great. The opener and Changes were some of my favorites. Rest in peace Ozzy Osbourne. We’ve been losing a lot of musical icons, and he was an absolute legend.
Billy Bragg
3/5
Gotta say I expected more from this one. I’ve listened to Wilco here and there for a while now, and I listened to my first of Billy Bragg during this project a couple months ago. For both artists, I really liked what I already heard, so I figured it’d be a great combination. To me, it kinda fell flat. Bit too much country for my taste. The songs themselves were well produced, but I just wasn’t a fan of most of them.
Steely Dan
5/5
I was really excited to listen to this one and it didn’t disappoint. I already knew 4 of the 10 songs, and I was glad to hear the songs that were new to me to carry on the same style and quality. Very funky and groovy. The lyrics of each song tell a story, and each is so enticing. 9/10 album for me.
Doves
4/5
I feel like this is the kind of album I shouldn’t like, but I still found it to be a very complete and cohesive listening experience. Bit psychedelic here and there. Found it overall to be a soothing listen.
Stan Getz
4/5
A charming and delightful album. Nothing groundbreaking about it, just a pleasant listen.
The Black Keys
4/5
Definitely a very consistent album in tone, which is fine because I like their sound. There were a couple standouts and overall I enjoyed the listen.
Joy Division
3/5
I wish I liked this album more. Very consistent feel but it’s not for me. The first track is excellent though, and sweet cover art.
Gorillaz
3/5
There’s a few songs that I reeeally like on here. The rest just fall flat and make listening through the full hour a bit of a hassle. Just an alright debut album.
Madness
4/5
Very experimental sounding album. Lots of 60s influence from The Who and The Kinks. Parts of it reminded me of Village Green. Catchy stuff.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Led Zeppelin’s probably the band I’ve enjoyed the most so far since starting this project. While this is still a solid album in general, I don’t enjoy it as much as their earlier albums. I found a lot of these songs to be nothing special. I also found that I’m in the minority in that I enjoy the second disc more than the first. In any case, to me it’s a fine album but an okay Led Zeppelin album.
The Jam
4/5
Lots of variety on this one. The songs felt very distinct from each other. Great production. Felt like there was some surf rock influence on this.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
I found this album to be pretty bland and uninspired. At first, I found the Baroque influence to be intriguing, but it went away pretty quickly as I realized I did not like the vocals on these tracks. I couldn’t take the lyrics seriously and the backing track was just okay.
Nick Drake
4/5
Very peaceful and mystical album. The instrumentation is very enticing and enchanting, coupled with Nick’s beautiful voice. I did find some points in the album to be a bit of a lull, but overall I enjoyed it.
Brian Eno
4/5
I’ve been wanting to listen to a Brian Eno album during this project, and this was a solid start. It’s pretty out there in terms of lyrics and the production, but still an enjoyable listen. Extremely experimental and creative.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
So many great songs on here that I’ve listened to for a while now. Very jazzy album with some great sample usage. Started listening to A Tribe Called Quest back in high school but never thought to listen to a full album. Glad I got started with this one.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Solid instrumentation, but this album got so monotonous and repetitive quickly. If this album was half the time it currently is, it would’ve been a lot more enjoyable. As ambient music, this album would be great, but as something to be listened to, it was a struggle to find any sort of variation in the music. Tough listen.
Nick Drake
4/5
Nick Drake has such a pure and stripped-back sound. I listened to Five Leaves Left, and I think I liked Pink Moon just slightly more. Bryter Layter takes it for me right now, because I like the production and instrumentation of that one more. For now, I would’ve like more from this album, but I can see it being one I warm up to, more than I already enjoyed it.
3/5
Very grand album. I think I enjoyed the second side over the first. The first side definitely had its moments, but the parts in between felt too much like filler. Great vocals and instrumentation, but overall, the album drags at points. After listening, I stepped back and questioned if I really got an album’s worth of music from the runtime it had.
Frank Sinatra
4/5
This album evokes such a clear and vivad image of wandering around the streets alone at night, just introspecting pondering endlessly about heartbreak. I understand the complaint of all the songs all being about the same thing and that there’s little variation. I think my main problem with the album is that it definitely could'ver been shorter. Cut it down by a few songs. Still, the consistency across the songs is less of a problem to me as it enhances its quality as a concept album. Heartbreak is such a engulfing and encapsulating feeling that when you’re experiencing it, it’s all you can think about. I think it works very well for this album in how it reflects that there’s so much longing in his thoughts that he can’t break out of focusing on anything else. A very picturesque album that paints feelings and fixations on sorrow, regret, and melancholy coupled with a walk through the lonely night.
Tracy Chapman
3/5
Tracy has such an effortlessly precise voice. Very compelling listen, though the music at times lost my interest. But I think the themes and lyrics really hooked me. My favorite songs were probably the first two.
Air
4/5
Very enjoyable and delightful listen. Felt like listening to a dream. Couple different genres mixed in throughout the albums that act as a precursor to a lot of modern music. The influence it has is very apparent. I think this is an album I’ll come back to.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Definitely an 80s album. Usually, I’m a sucker for heavy 80s stuff, but this was just alright. I feel like there were a couple of standout moments, though I was hoping for me. The parts in between couldn’t hold my attention.
Throwing Muses
3/5
This album’s not really my cup of tea, but I thoufht more people would’ve liked it. Not sure if most of the negative reviews are because the wrong Spotify link was used. Anyway, while I’m not into the heavier stuff, there were still a few songs I appreciated. Fine album, but just personally not my thing.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I remember seeing the photos from the photoshoot of this album, and I thought it was the coolest thing. I was excited to listen to this album. Overall, it’s solid, but some of the songs are just too similar to me, not only across the album but also across his other albums at the time. Dylan’s work is known for his lyrics, and they definitely shine throughout all his songs. I think my focus is more on the music, so when it’s the same acoustic guitar and harmonica solo routine, the novelty only goes on for so long before it loses my intrigue. Still a lot of standouts on this album.
Destiny's Child
3/5
This album is by no means bad. Aside from the inconsistent themes, there’s nothing I can objectively say against this album. lt’s simply just not what I like listening to. That being said, there’s still a lot of good I can say about it, like the harmonies and the iconic hits on the front end. Though I recognized the singles, I did find the slower songs in the second half more enjoyable. I’d probably give it a 2.5/5.
Janis Joplin
4/5
What a voice. Really rocking album. Joplin’s vocals really soar above all the songs. Enjoyed listening to this on very much.
The Police
3/5
I found the first 5 songs of the album to be either uninteresting or too out there for me. Mother was a difficult listen. However, I really liked the last 5 songs. Every Breath You Take is such a classic. Some of the others sounds right up there with it. Mixed bag of an album.
Dion
4/5
I actually listened to this album paired with Streetheart, thinking it was a double album. I think I enjoyed Streetheart slightly more, but this album had more standouts. Anyway, my main problem with the songs on this album is the lagging tempo of a couple of them. It brings this laziness to the songs, which I’m not sure was intended, but it really feels like it stretches them out. I still enjoyed the listen and found a lot of songs I liked from the two albums. Had this been the double album I thought it was, it might’ve raised the score for me. I don’t tire of Dion’s voice, and a lot of this music is the kind you can just sit back and relax to.
The Blue Nile
3/5
I thought the first song was interesting, but the rest of it was mostly pretty boring. Some songs just felt very monotonous. The vocals really dragged the songs on. Overall, dreamy but sometimes enough to put me to sleep.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
Listening to this was torture. You could not pay to hear this again. I can’t even classify this as music. At least Scum by Napalm Death had the decency to sound remotely like music. This was just noise. For almost an hour. I’d give this 0 stars if I could.
Queen
5/5
I feel like I’ve really liked everything I’ve heard from Queen so far. Really grand album. Freddie Mercury’s vocals are iconic. The harmonies are so lush. The band’s tight. Really rocking album. I was pretty baffled by how good it was while listening to it.
Moby
3/5
This album isn’t bad by any means, but to me it just didn’t sound like anything remarkable. It has its moments, but they’re far and few. I felt like I listened through it without having any strong feelings about any of it. It kind of just passed through.
Madonna
2/5
Fine album, but just not my thing. I don’t really have a problem with Madonna’s normal stuff, but I did appreciate the change up in her sound in this album. That’s really all I can say though. Not a huge fan of electronic music, and I thought some of the lyrics were off. Personally didn’t like it much.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This album’s such a wild ride. Very different from a lot of I’ve heard. The samples are amazing. I’m a huge fan of The Avalanches, so those are the only works I can compare it to. The Beastie Boys have a very distinct and identifiable vocal style, which might be offputting to some but I really enjoy it. Overall, the songs shine in the use of its samples, and the Beastie Boys on top really bring them all together.
Nanci Griffith
3/5
It was a pleasant listen, but not much more. Very country and folky. I liked the pedal steel. Nice album cover. Can’t really say much else about it.
Aerosmith
4/5
Enjoyed this one more than Hotel California. Sweet Emotion is possibly my favorite Aerosmith song. Walk This Way is a classic. Most of the rest of the songs were solid rockers.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Most of the songs on here are plagued by this generic fake-sounding production of the 2010s, but it’s still better than a lot of what was being played on the radio at the time. Most of the lyrics weren’t anything special and awkwardly executed. Though, I liked the backing vocal harmonies on some of the songs. I think I found the second half more enjoyable than the first, though the first half was more recognizable with a bunch of hits of its time. Alright album.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Really beautiful album, but it’s too short. For an album that’s less than 30 minutes, I’m amazed they devoted time to literal old people talking. That being said, it’s a nice segue into the song that comes after. Great vocal harmonies throughout. All of the songs felt very distinct with their own stories. I enjoyed this one, but I just have a few minor gripes here and there.
GZA
2/5
Didn’t really hear anything too special from this one. Kinda just came and went. Nothing bad but nothing notable.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Fine listen. Didn’t really get me, but there were so beautiful parts of this album I liked. Other than that, I found it alright.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
Fun listen overall, but very repetitive. There’s points that are really good but then just keep going on and on. The worse parts do the same. Some of the samples were really good. I just don’t think this is the type of album you sit down and listen to. Maybe one you play in the background because it’s got some great energy.
The Temptations
3/5
Funky and groovy. Can’t say much else about this album, but it was a fine listen.
The Cure
3/5
Definitely a very consistent album across its runtime. The first time I heard Plainsong it blew my mind. The explosive energy and the yearning in the singer’s voice really got me. The first four songs were really strong for me, but once I realized that the rest of the songs had the same mood with the same synths and the same lumbering and longing feel to it, it started to lose me halfway through. I think anybody who likes a couple of these songs will end up enjoying the rest of the album, but I just don’t think this listen was for me. I think if I listened to them separately like I did with Plainsong and Lovesong, then I’d have more of an appreciation for it. I do also think I could warm up to this album, but this is just my initial thoughts. The production was beautiful though.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
It’s usually hard to keep my attention for a double album, so it was quite something that my interest was mostly maintained throughout the album’s runtime. Some of the album was a bit too far out there for me, and some of it did lag. Still a very intriguing sounding production. I didn’t really connect with it on a personal level, though it sounded good overall. The backing vocals really make this album feel grand. Solid listen.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Most of the songs themselves and their production are very simple, but it’s Cash himself that really makes the album. So much comes through in his old and weathered voice. Hurt is such a chilling song. A haunting listen.
Fred Neil
3/5
Actually kind of enjoyed this one. Compared to many of the albums on this list, it’s nothing special. Just some easy going music. His voice reminds me a bit of Glen Campbell but deeper and less range. Fine listen.
David Gray
3/5
I was enjoying the first couple songs of the album, so I had high hopes, but once I hit the middle, it just got so generic sounding. I’m surprised this album’s on the list. The last song would’ve been good if it weren’t 9 minutes long. Maybe a third of a time and I would’ve really liked it, but it just stretched out for too long. Some enjoyable stuff on here but overall not very special.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I just couldn’t get past his voice. Really struggled through listening this one. Steer Your Way was probably the only one I might’ve enjoyed. Maybe I just got used to his voice by that point. Otherwise, the album made me feel uncomfortable.
Meat Puppets
2/5
Wasn’t for me. Didn’t like the vocals, and a lot of the songs lacked substance. I will say that there were a lot of interesting sounds throughout the album. It definitely wasn’t a boring listen. I think it has its place on the list, but I just didn’t groove with this one.
Dire Straits
3/5
Close 4 for me. Probably around a 7/10. Very groovy album. I enjoyed the listen just fine overall, but there wasn’t any singular song I really latched onto that I felt was distinct from the rest. I really like the feel of the album, and it might just be one I revisit.
The Prodigy
2/5
I wouldn’t call the album itself bad as much as the listening experience. Tough to just sit down and listen to looping electronic music over and over for almost an hour and a half. So the album itself was okay, though it’s such a generic sound now.
David Bowie
4/5
The first Bowie album I listened to (and only one so far), which is now the first Bowie album I listen to for this project. The album really just blows my mind. The four songs between Sound and Vision and A New Career in a New Town is such a great run. The rest of the album, which are mostly some nice-sounding instrumentals, don't really hold up for me. Not as much as that middle. Still a very strong album for me, and a close 5.
The Young Gods
1/5
This sounded like a French clown’s nightmare.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Too much noise for my liking. It had its moments though, and I liked “Sowing Seeds” and one or two other songs. Overall, not for me.
The Doors
3/5
Pretty average stuff to me, though the album still had its moments. That one part in “Cars Hiss By My Window” where Jim Morrison does a vocal guitar solo was really cool to me. “Riders of the Storm” is a psychedelic nightmare. It was the only song I knew off this album beforehand, and it was definitely my favorite.
Donald Fagen
3/5
For me, it was Steely Dan but not as enjoyable. Groovy and funky at times, but parts of the first half didn’t really get me as much. I liked second half a bit better. Overall a bit too on the nose.
4/5
I’m a sucker for Beatlesque music so I enjoyed it. Its place on the list is a bit more questionable, but I’m glad I got exposed to it.
Big Black
1/5
Just a whole lot of noise. I did find the last two tracks to be listenable but maybe I just got used to their sound by then. Cool album art though.
Arcade Fire
4/5
I really enjoyed listening through this album. I think I liked every song. I’ll say that it sounded like things I’ve heard before, but maybe it’s just ahead of its time? Also, the female vocalist reminded me a bit of Yoko Ono, which I swear is not an insult. Solid arrangements and great songs.
Femi Kuti
3/5
It’s no doubt a solid album with some really great energy. This is my third Femi Kuti album now, but I still just don’t enjoy it as much as the other albums on this list. Definitely great arrangements, but it’s not the kind of album I’d want to listen to for over an hour. I’d give it a 7/10.
Def Leppard
3/5
Fine album. Nothing too special or mind-blowing. Just a solid rock album.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
One of the best solo Beatles albums and one of Paul’s greatest works during his solo career, along with RAM. He really likes sprinkling in some bits of cohesion to make it almost seem like the album’s a concept album, with the last two songs having reprises of other songs. It really isn’t but it was fun to hear that for the first time when I did my first listenthrough. I love this album and I’ve spent a lot of time with it.
Jacques Brel
3/5
Glad I got to listen to it, but I can’t say much about it. I enjoyed Brel’s voice and the backing was pretty sweet. It just didn’t stand out too much since most of it sounded all the same. I’ve only got high school French so I couldn’t make out most of it so just an alright listen.
The Cramps
3/5
I appreciate the dirty and grimey feel this album has overall, but it just wasn’t for me. At time, I felt a bit annoyed by the noise of the album. I can see other people liking this, but not me.
Supertramp
4/5
This is a solid 7/10 for me, but I’ll give it a 4 on here just for that Wurlitzer. Definitely a lot of great moments throughout the album, but like Rush’s albums, they lose me at times. Still a solid listen and lots to enjoy from it. Rick Davies passed away just under 3 weeks ago, so it’s only appropriate that I got to listen to my first Supertramp album now. I’m excited to listen to Breakfast in America. Also, I love the album cover of this one.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
Insane album. I’m usually not one for the heavier stuff, but even this I can appreciate. So many classics on here and others that rock just as much. Great album.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
I’ve only listened to maybe 3-4 Rolling Stones albums in full so far, but this was the first I really enjoyed all the way through. Solid songs throughout, and a really great listen. I’ll have to continue listening to their other albums and revisit the ones I already listened to.
Joni Mitchell
2/5
On first listen, this is a difficult album to appreciate, and I’m scoring accordingly to how I feel. No doubt, I enjoy Joni Mitchell’s voice. I think my problems with the album arise more from how unconvential it is. It’s hard to predict where a song is going to, and it just progresses in very odd directions, almost awkwardly. It was uncomfortable at times listening to this album because it’s just too out there for me.
Sister Sledge
3/5
Definitely a catchy album. I enjoyed listening to it and recognized a few hits, but it’s just too repetitive and the lyrics could’ve used some work. They’re just too straightforward. 7/10 for me.
David Holmes
3/5
I was expecting to be more disappointed with this one but it wasn’t bad. Monotonous at times, kinda like the Fatboy Slim album I had, but there’s great samples throughout and I like that there’s these snippets of conversations with the people of New York spliced in there too. I think the penultimate track really shines and the James Bond track sounded cool. Not usually my cup of tea and I wasn’t too big on it, but it still surprised me.
Grizzly Bear
4/5
I used to listen to Two Weeks on repeat in my freshman year of college, yet I never thought to check out the album. i don’t enjoy any of the songs as much as that one but there’s a lot of gems on here. The vocals are just magic at times. Some snoozefests of songs, but a lot of standouts as well.
Beck
4/5
Sweet album. Had me going all the way through and ends on a completely different and lighter note, which was pleasant. This is the first Beck album I’ve listened to, and I definitely want to listen to more from him. Great music all throughout.
Songhoy Blues
3/5
Not a bad listen and it’s got a groove, just nothing I really clung onto. It’s different from what I usually listen to so I’m glad I got exposed to it, but I don’t have much else to say about it.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
To this day, anytime I picture Mr. Garfunkel in my head, he always has a mustache because of this album cover. This album is currently my favorite album I’ve listened to for this project. A lot of albums that have several hits and classics that I’ve heard before have the consequence of creating such a large gap between those songs and the rest of the songs that end up sounding like filler. To me, this album had no bad song and all of them stood high on the same level, which is saying a lot because The Boxer and The Only Living Boy in New York are some of my favorite all time songs. For other albums, it takes time for me to really appreciate them, but this was so enjoyable and accessible right from the first listen. Such a great album and one that will hold onto for a while.
Pentangle
4/5
Interesting mix of folk, psychedelic, hymnal, and medieval music. Probably not an album I’d listen to again, but very intriguing to listen to. Pretty vocals and great backing tracks.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Currently my favorite Bob Dylan album. Just very slick all throughout. The lyrics are definitely and always the standout on Dylan’s albums, but the instrumentation really makes the album feel cohesive. While it’s not a big production, it is very versatile as it’s still able to feel grand at times like on the first track or more laidback and relaxed like on the last track. Fantastic album, and one of the best of the sixties.
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
Solid listen and great energy. This is basically what I think Prince sounds like. I’d give it a 3.5.
Q-Tip
4/5
Solid rap album. I’m big on a Tribe Called Quest so Q-Tip’s right up my alley. I think Gettin Up and and Life is Better were my favorites. The rest had some solid samples and some of the songs were right up there with the rest of Quest’s music. Good stuff.
Steve Earle
2/5
So country. So very country.
Supergrass
3/5
This album was a mixed bag for me. Some good stuff, some bad stuff. I can appreciate that it definitely wasn’t a one note album. There’s a lot of variation between the songs that make them distinct, which is something that a lot of these rock albums lack. Though, I personally didn’t enjoy all of it. Alright is still a fantastic song and I’ll enjoy that on any listen.
Judas Priest
3/5
There wasn’t anything outwardly bad about the album. The vocals were solid and the band was tight. I think the songs just dragged on and lacked variation. Didn’t sound like anything unique to me.
Björk
4/5
From the first song, I knew this album was special. I didn’t love every single song on it, though the listening experience was undoubtedly unique. Her vocals are so distinct and even disorienting at times that this is really an album to remember. This is the kind of music I’m doing this project for.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
I was expecting just another loud alternative rock album, but I was surprised by this album. There’s still a lot of guitar heavy songs, however there’s also a lot of different songs throughout. Some songs like Hummer and Soma start in one mood and transform and shift to another. Really solid listen.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
I just couldn’t get behind Morissette’s voice, which was clearly a big part of the album. Most of the songs themselves were fine and there’s a few hits on here that I recognizes, but the production was also so dated. Mary Jane was one of the songs I did like. Other than that, I personally did not enjoy listening to it, though I could easily understand why others would like this album.
The Zutons
3/5
I think this would’ve been a 4 had the album given more since it's my kind of music, but there was nothing that really stood out or made this album special. Solid songs but it lacked anything surprising about it to boost it above middle of the road stuff.
The Young Rascals
4/5
Nice feel good album that’s right up my alley. Sounds a bit like The Turtles and The Zombies. I only knew the title track off it, and I recognized the beginning of Sueno from a Tribe Called Quest song. The rest were all pleasant discoveries for me. Enjoyable music.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Incredibly great album. Packs a lot of energy, and there’s just no filler at all. I only knew Scar Tissue off this album, and I might’ve heard bits of the title track here and there. So it was a real surprise to me that I was loving the entire thing for the whole hour. Fantastic music.
Kanye West
2/5
I actually liked the first two songs and it was downhill from there. There’s just such a massive influx of arrogance that comes through Kayne’s music at this point even before he goes completely berserk, which makes it difficult to listen to it. I try to separate the music from the musician so I thought I’d like it more, but there’s just no irony or self-awareness in these lyrics. Also, I’m In It was just disturbing and offensive to the ears.
3/5
The album really rips, no doubt about it. If it just had more substance than that then I’d rate it higher, but it’s still a rocking album.
Public Enemy
2/5
NAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH BOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Saint Etienne
3/5
The best of this album was some really dreamy electronica. The worst of it were stretched out sequences that lingered on for way too long and overstayed their welcome. I enjoyed the vocals because they really add to the atmosphere, but some of the instrumentals got to be too much.
Cornershop
4/5
I enjoyed listening to this one. Not all of it was for me, and some of it was pretty out there. However, this album’s got range, and there were times when I had to check and see if I accidentally started listening to another album. A huge fusion of genres.
Baaba Maal
2/5
Not bad music by any means, but just not much on here that I can appreciate. Even with some understanding in the French language, I just didn’t really like much about it.
Lou Reed
4/5
Extremely enjoyable album. I don’t think there was a song I didn’t like. Lou Reed’s got such a dry and deadpan voice that’s almost offputting at times, it really makes his solo music and his work with the Velvet Underground so distinct. The production’s also very good and varied on this.
Incredible Bongo Band
4/5
Imagine the visible utter shock from when I to thinking I’d be dreading listening to some instrumental bongo album to me hearing the first song that plays, which is freaking Apache. This entire album was so familiar because of all the samples I’d heard from it. Great listen. This is exactly what I’m here for.
Slade
3/5
Bit run of the mill, but a fine listen nonetheless.
Black Sabbath
4/5
The more Black Sabbath I listen to, the more I like them. This is their fourth album I’ve listened to, and I find it easier to listen to them now than during the first time I listened to Paranoid. I’ll have to revisit that album and maybe even change my rating. Anyway, this album rocks.
Radiohead
4/5
I like almost every song on this album, but I wouldn’t rate it a 5 or hold it to the same regard as other Radiohead albums. Like Amnesiac, there’s a lot of great things about this one, but my appreciation for it only goes so far. In terms of style, it’s like a midpoint between OK Computer and Kid A and an indication of what’s to come with In Rainbows, and yet it somehow falls short. The best songs on this album, including There, There, Sail to the Moon, and 2+2=5, are really fantastic though.
Brian Eno
2/5
Not as enjoyable to listen to as it was interesting. A lot of bleep bloop really.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
In most cases, Elvis Costello’s voice just does not work for me. This is one of those cases, which made listening a bit of a chore. The album has some alright songs for the most part, but whenever Costello tries to add an edge to his voice, which he does a lot, it just ruins it for me.
Metallica
2/5
I completely understand why this is such a loved and highly-praised album and the musicianship is clearly amazing, but this one’s just not for me personally.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I was dreading listening to this album since I just got another Costello album 2 days before but this one was okay? Not as good as Armed Forces but still tolerable. Though I enjoyed it more than Blood and Chocolate, I had similar issues with this album.
Leftfield
2/5
Like many other electronic albums on this list, this album was not made for careful listening. This album is made for ambience, for parties, for background, but not to be heard in the forefront. The monotony just makes this album so hard to listen to. I can’t rate it a 1 because there’s some albums on here that are really offensive to the ears, and this sounded mostly good. It was just too repetitive, which is my personal critique most albums in this genre.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Solid listen. Enjoyable all the way through. The first two songs are pretty iconic and Twist and Shout is a great cover. The rest of the songs weren’t too memorable but still pleasant to hear.
Scott Walker
3/5
The longer I listened to his album, the less I liked it. The production’s pretty but I just don’t like this guy’s voice. The lyrics felt like they had no substance despite there being a lot of them. 5/10.
Ray Charles
3/5
Ray Charles’s voice and skills are great; no doubt about it. This album just felt like such a chore to get through. It really dragged on for a lot. The mood is very pleasant, but the experience just gets boring after a few songs in most of the listen was one long lull. Nothing very surprising about it, but I can appreciate the sweetness.
The White Stripes
3/5
I wouldn’t call it a boring listen and I feel like I should like this album more, but I didn’t. Maybe I need more time with it, but for now its a 6-7/10. There’s some interesting stuff on here, and there were a few songs I enjoyed.
OutKast
3/5
This album’s a near 4 for me, but it’s just too darn long. I’m not sure if I’d want an album from any artist that’s over 2 hours long. That being said, it still wasn’t a complete lull. It’s packed with a lot and it’s entertaining throughout. Some of the interludes and even the songs are hilarious. Hey Ya! is such a classic and always a welcome listen. Not bad by any means, but just too long.
David Bowie
4/5
It was really easy to enjoy this album. It’s a near 5, but I still wanted more from it because it really flew by. The first and last songs are so good, but the rest don’t match as much. Though, the album as a whole is solid. I like the more soulful energy, and it makes for some nice soundscapes.
Alice In Chains
2/5
I liked the vocals for the most part, but that’s about it. Everything else was on par with other grunge, angry albums. No surprises here.
Dire Straits
4/5
I really enjoyed the first half of this album. I thought this would be a complete snoozefest, since I wasn’t a huge fan of the other album I listened to by the Dire Straits, so I was pleasantly surprised. The second half was fine but just not as strong as the first half. I really feel like this is the kind of album I’d get bored to listening to, with the longer runtimes and song lengths, but it kept me going all the way through. So Far Away and a lot of the other songs are just too good that I want to keep hearing more.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Insanely good album. Listened to some of Elliott’s stuff here and there for years, but only until recently I listened to XO and now this album. Very glad I did. Figure 8’s really beautiful, and his self harmonies and the instrumentation work so well together. I think I prefer his louder and bigger songs over his quieter and slower songs, though they both contribute a lot to the album, and I can appreciate both.
Iggy Pop
3/5
Alright album. I think I liked 3 or 4 of the 9 songs on here, but overall it was just okay. The Passenger is a classic, but as a song it’s fine. I think the vocals were the standout on this album and what I remember the most. Some of the backing was pretty good.
Ella Fitzgerald
4/5
Older music from the 50s reminds me of Christmas music, which is part of why I think I have a higher tolerance towards. The way I listen to any music onwards is much different from the way I listen to music from this era. I listen much more passively, which in turn can make the listens much more enjoyable because I’m less interested in song structure or length or context even. Any of those finer things just get tossed out the window. For music from this era, if it sounds good, it’s getting a good rating from me, which isn’t always the case for music going forward. That being said, this was an extremely pleasant listen, and it’s probably for these previously-mentioned reasons that I can tolerate 3 hours of this music, but I really did enjoy it.
Beatles
5/5
When I was younger, I had a green second generation iPod shuffle filled entirely with Beatles music from all the CDs I had at the time. Abbey Road was always played first since it was sorted in alphabetical order. I spent a lot of time with this iPod so I have a lot of personal attachment to this album, along with the rest of The Beatles' discography. That being said, even without the time I've had with album, there's no doubt in my mind that I would still love this album if I had only listened to it for the first time today. The entire album follows The Beatles' last ditch effort to make their mark on the world as a complete band. While they couldn't have known at the time that their run as The Beatles was coming to an end, the album is characterized by such finality in the inevitability that they would split as agroup. Their end however doesn't close with a whisper but with a bang and such a grand finale that overshadows what would become their actual final album, Let It Be. To many, Abbey Road serves as a masterpiece that ends a flawless 7 year career that still remains uncontested in popularity, innovation, and impact upon the music world. A perfect conclusion to a perfect band.
The Doors
4/5
I’ve listened to Peace Frog and Blue Sunday separately for years and never realized that there was this abrupt transition between the two when listening to them sequentially. Definitely caught me by surprise. Solid groovy album. Gotta love Morrison’s vocals and the guitars throughout.
Haircut 100
4/5
My mom would listen to Lemon Firebrigade a ton and I started listening to Love Plus One in addition to that. I love both songs so I was surprised to see this album on the list. It’s a very light and happy album. Just a good time throughout, and the fast guitars and the sax really does it for me. Solid listen.
Radiohead
5/5
The first time I heard this album, I just didn’t get it. Some parts sounded cacaphonic and extremely disorienting. Other parts went on for too long and overstayed its welcome. It is now currently my favorite Radiohead album. To me, it’s more cohesive than OK Computer and has higher highs than In Rainbows. Radiohead’s decision to just completely change their sound and how they work entirely is still unmatched. I haven’t heard anything with such a drastic difference going from the OK Computer era to Kid A/Amnesiac. So much beauty and drama throughout the album itself. The horns in The National Anthem and the strings in How to Disappear Completely still haunt me everytime. The run from Optimistic to Morning Bell is great. The ending with Motion Picture Soundtrack feels elevating and majestic. A true display of the innovation and technicality of the band.
The Waterboys
3/5
Solid little listen. I enjoyed the first half more than the second. The second half got a bit too into the folk sound, and it felt a bit less unique. I thought I didn’t know this band until I remembered they’re the band that did The Whole of the Moon, which is a fantastic song.
Eels
3/5
Bit of a mixed bag of an album for me. Hard to say anything bad about it but nothing that I really liked. Wouldn’t call it a boring album either. I guess it’s just got me a bit perplexed?
Hüsker Dü
3/5
Just didn’t find anything too special with this one. Alright listen, but went on for too long.
David Bowie
4/5
This is the third Bowie album I’ve listened to so far, and I’m really loving his stuff. This album’s a near 5, but I just wish it wasn’t so front heavy and it kept the momentum going all the way through. Otherwise, it’s still a very solid album, and I’m excited to listen to more from him.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
Definitely an indie/grunge album. There wasn’t much on here that I’d really like to listen to again. Just was definitely the worst offender to the ears, but the rest of average stuff. Keep The Glove I actually did like. It has this mess of noise at the end that actually worked for me. Other than that, just another album.
Morrissey
4/5
I liked this album unfortunately. If I was considering who sang it, I wouldn’t listen to it.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Right off the bat, this album took me for a turn because I know Sam Cooke from his hits like You Send Me and Bring It On Home to Me. He’s got such a sweet and delicate voice in those. But in this live album, he’s gotta a much rougher voice, yet is still hitting those notes, and that voice really goes well with the energy of the crowd for the performance. It’s hard to rate this album anything lower when it’s such a great representation of the times it came from. You get such an authentic piece of what concerts were like in the early 1960s. Great listen.
Aphex Twin
3/5
It’s definitely good for what it is, but what it is isn’t very compelling to me.
Taylor Swift
3/5
The lyrics are pretty cheesy, but there’s a few solemn and sincere moments throughout. The production’s pretty good for the most part, and I really enjoyed the instrumentation. It sets a tone that’s fairly consistent throughout. I think my favorite track was actually one of the bonus songs. The rest didn’t really get me. I was excited to hear Bon Iver on evermore, but somehow his appearance was what ruined the song for me. Okay album.
Alright album. Nothing much I can really say about it, since it’s pretty average. Debris is probably my favorite off it, and I appreciated the steel drums at the end of the album. That’s really it though.
Elvis Presley
3/5
My biggest gripe is that this album gets boring fast. Elvis’s voice is fantastic, but it’s all so one-note that it’s difficult to keep my attention. There’s some standouts though, and Suspicious Minds stands as my favorite Elvis song.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Not for me. Definitely could be for others though, but not my cup of tea. I enjoyed the guests on the album, but that’s about it.
John Lennon
5/5
As a huge Beatles fan, I really should’ve listened to this album before this year. I like the idea that both Lennon and McCartney had to get one album out of the way before creating masterpieces with their second albums. Imagine is a deeply personal album and, like many of his other works during his solo career, at times very uncomfortable and disorienting. Some of his songs may also focus a bit too much on his relationship with Yoko, which may distance himself from his audience. Though I still think there’s a lot of universality and accessibility in the very direct words of many of these songs that everyone can relate to. These songs may be less technically complex than what he was doing with The Beatles; however, he achieves very palpable feelings in them that I feel he hasn’t done before. The extreme honesty and anxiety in songs like Jealous Guy and How?, the strong affection in songs like Oh My Love and Oh Yoko!, and the anger and frustration in Gimme Some Truth and How Do You Sleep? are just some examples of his constantly developing songwriting ability. All of this to say without even mentioning the title track that continues to be his most identifiable and iconic song, more so than any of the ones he wrote while in the greatest band of all time. I believe this will remain as my favorite Lennon album.
The Who
4/5
Really strong album. Starts off with one of my favorite songs ever, which is very hard to follow up. There’s many solid songs on here though, and the final song’s got some rocking energy. That scream towards the end is just so iconic. In time, I might have to change my score to a 5.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Really great psychedelic album. Some filler here and there throughout, but the stronger compositions really stand out. The whole album’s a bit disjointed, going between tracks from live acts to studio recordings, but what’s consistent throughout is Hendrix’s skills on full display. Also such an iconic album cover.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
Knockoff Radiohead but in a good way. The stretched out vocals are definitely reminiscent of Thom Yorke, but I enjoyed the listen as a whole. There’s some lulls here and there but I wouldn’t call this album boring. Lots of variety in it. Nice little hidden gem.
Dusty Springfield
4/5
Just under 9 months ago, I started a quest with the objective of listening to more albums. Just under 400 albums later, I'm glad to say I've made a move on that objective. At the very start though, this was the album that started it all since it was the first album written about for the 33 1/3 book series that I've been following in tandem with the 1001 albums project. Months later, I listen to this album with different ears, and I can now appreciate it more. Lots of beauty in both Dusty's voice and the instrumentation that accompanies her. It also blows my mind that I listened to her cover of The Windmills of Your Mind not too long before watching the end of Severance season 2. Special album to me.
Talking Heads
4/5
Very strong debut album through and through. Psycho Killer and the first song are definitely standouts, but overall there’s nothing very big about this album. If anything, it sets the foundation of what’s to come with some odd songs and a driving energy throughout. Fun listen.
Kate Bush
3/5
I’ve got mixed feelings on this one. It’s very unsettling at times, which is definitely its purpose and it does it well, but it makes it a very uncomfortable listen. On the other hand, there’s a lot of beauty in this album all throughout. I’m not sure if I’ll listen to it again, but it was certainly an experience.
Soft Machine
2/5
This was the most baffling album I’ve had to rate so far. At times, I was so ready to give it a 1, but then I got hit by some really beautiful stuff. Then it turns to what sounds like half of the ensemble of a King Crimson song spliced and mashed around. Overall, it was still way too long to listen to some experimental nonsense, but there’s great stuff in here as well.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Just couldn’t get behind this one. Wasn’t much to it, and a lot of the songs just strung out for too long. Thought I would like it more, but I wasn’t a fan.
Justice
4/5
For any other electronic album, I would’ve given the same critiques that the album went on for too long or was too uninteresting to keep my attention, but this is first I’ve listened to so far that I really enjoyed. I was actually invested all the way through. Solid listen.
Jamiroquai
3/5
I thought I’d like this one more with how funky it is, but I got pretty bored with it by the middle. It was kind of like listening to the Superfly soundtrack but not as a good. Still some decent stuff here and there.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Alright listen and I liked some songs here and there, but the album was just too mellow. I’d usually go for albums with moods like this, but there’s something about this one that I didn’t enjoy overall.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Fine album. Dusty’s got such a great voice, but the songs themselves were just okay. Already feels a bit outdated for the mid 60s.
Tim Buckley
2/5
Just didn’t find anything very special about this one. I wouldn’t call it a boring listen, but nothing of note here except for maybe parts of Sweet Surrender or the last song.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
2/5
I think context is very important in understanding Ghosteen. The album is clearly not meant to be enjoyed or to be listened more than once. It’s a heavy album and extremely solemn. That being said, I still give it this score because at the present moment I can’t find much to resonate to, and I guess I’m pretty fortunate to. Though I’m sure any similar experience would really make me open up to this album. There’s some beauty throughout, but as a whole, it was a difficult listen.
Van Halen
3/5
Fine rock album It may be something I’ll come back to, but I didn’t find anything too special with it. Jump is a classic, but that’s the only one that really stood out to me. Everything else was just alright.
Aerosmith
3/5
Definitely a very Aerosmith album. I liked it more than Hotel California but less than Toys in the Attic. I had some fun with it, but it gets very generic sounding at times, like I’ve heard this before.
Dagmar Krause
1/5
So this was a miserable listening experience. It took a lot of effort not to turn it off, and I was pretty abysmal through the whole thing. There was barely anything I could appreciate. Won’t be looking back at this album.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
The only song I really enjoyed on here was the first. I liked the instrumentation overall and Sinatra’s voice is great, but the songs throughout were just alright. Nothing very special here.
Eminem
1/5
If there’s one good thing I can say, Eminem really knows how to put on a show. This guy just complains and whines all over this album. A lot of artists do this, but at least they put the effort in to make it sound good. This was just a miserable listening experience overall. Ken Kaniff was absolute rock bottom of getting through this noise. Won’t be listening to this again.
Pretenders
3/5
Not a bad album. The main singer’s vocals was probably the most distinct part. I think the rest of it was kind of middle of the road, usual kind of stuff to expect.
Morrissey
2/5
Despite my feelings about the guy, I usually do enjoy the music that Morrissey puts out. That being said I was pretty surprised (and a bit happy) to find I didn’t like this one. Not a fan of the production or the songs. There’s some decent stuff here and there, but compared to his other works, it doesn’t hold up as well.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
Very delightful and pretty sounding album. There’s some lulls here and there, but at its worst, the instrumentals sound like filler but at its best, they provide this soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re ascending. Solid listen.
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Great voice and a lot of classics on here. It’s just over 20 minutes though and I feel like there’s not much else I can say about it. Fine listen.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
It’s catchy swinging jazz, no more no less. 7/10.
Various Artists
4/5
I probably would’ve appreciated it this more had I listened to it on Christmas, when the album was generated for me. But even then, I still think this is a great album, albeit from the terrible human being. Most if not all of these songs are so fundamental to and synonymous with the Christmas season now.
Tina Turner
3/5
Fantastic voice, but not a huge fan of the songs other than the hits.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
I honestly didn’t expect to like this album as much as I did. Thought I would find it boring since I was put off a bit by the first song, but the rest really surprised me. It reminded me a bit of evermore by Taylor Swift so it made a lot of sense once I found out this was also produced by Jack Antonoff. Very nice folk feel throughout. Tough to say if it should be on this list given how recent it is, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
The Magnetic Fields
4/5
I listened to this album over one day during this past summer. Just a really fun listen overall. Not every song’s a masterpiece and there’s definitely some filler here and there but it’s a fun listen overall. It’s also just baffling that this guy just wrote 69 unique and distinct songs about love. Some are cute and some are pretty darn funny. Takes a while to get through, but a genuinely great experience to have at least once to hear it all.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I'm from the town that Bruce sings about in the last track of this album. Everyday going to school, I'd pass by the textile mill that he mentions closed down. Since then, it's been converted into some low-end apartments. The Boss has always been a big deal in our town, so it's apparent that I've had an early connection to him for a while, but it was only this past year that I got to sit down and listen to some of his albums for the first time. There's so many hits on here. It really blew me away the first time I heard it, and the love for it has only grown ever since. I'm On Fire is one of my favorite songs of all time, and five of the other songs are certified classics. What a grand album.
Tito Puente
2/5
Catchy but it just keeps going and going.
Yes
3/5
I just can’t get into Yes. I like their production and instrumentation, but their songs are just too out there for me. The vocal harmonies are so tight yet they sound so out of place with the backing. Random sections of songs just come in and out. I can appreciate some parts of the album but as a whole, it doesn’t work for me.
Circle Jerks
2/5
This was my first generated album for the new year, but I’m pretty glad I didn’t start off the year with it. Not completely offensive to the ears, but the lyrics are crude and plain immature. The best thing it has going for it is that it’s only 15 minutes long. Any more than that and I’d drop it down a score.
Talking Heads
5/5
The rhythm in this album is really something else. The Fela Kuti and African influence is so present throughout this album, though it is not an imitation but a new and completely distinct feeling in the music. There's so much energy throughout this album. Once In A Lifetime is a classic, but The Great Curve is too darn good as well. It was completely new to me on my first listen and it just blew my mind. This whole album's a real mind bender and definitely an essential for all to listen.
Ramones
4/5
This is one of those albums where if you like one song, you'll probably like the rest of them, and it's really easy to like at least one of them. And if you don't like it, it's less than half an hour anyway. The energy is consistent all throughout, though there are some songs that stand out more than others. Great debut album.