An album I’ve never listened to before. Hit after hit and it would have been interesting to hear them do more songs like this (as in easily reproduced) instead of becoming a studio band.
A great album with a lot of diverse tracks. Very different listen than just listening to the singles. Only thing that detracts from it is the mixing, making you adjust the volume from track to track sometimes.
I grew up loving this band and Pete’s guitar work is super unique with the big open chords. That said, I thought the singles and greatest hits were the highlight of this album.
So many interesting sounds and songs on this album but perhaps a better producer would have made that shorter. Could have used some trims. But very much a precursor of things to come.
Obviously influential to many shoegaze artists that I would later love and even Frou Frou. I’m not sure that I would listen again but I enjoyed a few songs and the shuffle after.
This album has always suffered from a stellar A side and a meh B side. The B side would be a classic record for any other band but it is less timeless than the A side.
I don’t listen to James Brown for the ballads. So what this album does best is capture the energy of James in that moment. But the last legacy of James isn’t necessarily best captured here.
I mean, exactly what you want, done well. First 5 star album!
So many great and diverse songs on here that I didn’t know. Should have been more famous. A modern day ABBA.
It’s really just not my favorite style of music. The vocal arrangements were good but the panning and production really did not let these songs shrine. Album tracks do equal the singles though
Excellent album, surprised me. I almost skipped, instead I found something to pair with pink moon.
An album I’ve never listened to before. Hit after hit and it would have been interesting to hear them do more songs like this (as in easily reproduced) instead of becoming a studio band.
Didn’t love this album. Stripped entirely of the harmonies of Simon and Garfunkel, you’re left with just the songs of Paul Simon. An excellent songwriter but the album felt poorly produced
Excellent album, all bangers, no skips.
A cool album, I liked it. Not sure I will return to it though.
I’m a fan of punk but this album just sounded really bad. The drums sounded programmed and badly mixed. The guitars were off etc.
I thought this album was okay but it didn’t do a lot for me. The intro sound I knew and the entire record reminded me of a silversun pickups album (granted, probably influenced them). Nothing wrong with it, but 3 stars
I thought this album was good and influential but I didn’t make it through it all the way. I think that’s a me thing more than the band.
A surprising and fun album. Something I wasn’t expecting at all and want to read more about it.
It was okay. Clearly this band at their best in their pre synthesizer days. But I’m rating it 3 because I think that a live album can be 2 things: 1) a display of a band in their prime 2) a new sound from a band or artist that is worth capturing in that moment. While there is merit to idea 1 (they sound so good and young here!), it doesn’t really move the needle for me and I prefer their later work.
A more complex grunge album, excellent writing and riffs. One star dropped for preference.
The epitome of Reggae. There is no better album even if you aren’t a reggae fan (which I am not). The influence is undeniable.
Such an interesting pick for 1001 albums before I did but great music. But very niche. Cool to read about how huge he was in Belgium and France though. I’m rating it high because of the fact that I would have never heard it otherwise.
One of my biggest issues with some albums is how they could have used some editing. This album is a great example of that. 24 songs, some of them with no rhymes. I think the actual songs in here are strong and the beats are sick but I don’t need a 2 minute song just saying the og gangster over and over.
Cool album with tons of influences and probably directly influenced bands like the mgmt and other contemporary psych bands. Also similar to contemporaries flaming lips. I probably won’t revisit but a fun exploration.
It’s impossible to listen to this album and not hear the influence of bands that came after. But the one missing spot on this album for me is the miss with most Radiohead albums; what is thom yorke saying? It’s almost as if his voice is an instrument as to needing to write something with urgency and purpose. While this is common in rock, I think it’s why I fail to fully connect with this album.
Quintessential listening and a blueprint for everything after it. Also an excellent soundtrack and movie later.
Very normal classic rock
This album made me listen to tuning and a stereo typical pentatonic riff to represent Bangkok. It was a different time but I was expecting something less…gratuitous from literal pioneers of progressive rock (perhaps ironically so)
Unexpectedly really liked this. Great early pop folk music. Will most likely return to it on chill nights!
I wish that there were lyrics on much of this album but a great collection of beats I had never heard.
On principle, I did not spin this. I think it’s time that we stop listening to Kanye West. His early work being good does not justify being a literal nazi later in his career.
I wanted this to be 5 star album but it starts to drag in the middle. Lots of fun ideas and interesting songs here. Can understand why they were competing with oasis!
As 90s hip hop albums go, this one felt middle of the road. Good album for the hip hop heads but I could only stand a few songs entirely about calling cops pigs or shooting someone with a sawed off shotgun. I feel like such a puritan typing this but alas. The middle and later half of the album is stronger than the top imo
More of this please! Excellent Afro Cuban jazz
Classic album from a great band. Great variety and nothing that felt like filler
Jack White is at his best when he is being loud and rocking. Many of the White Stripes and The Raconteurs best songs sound best when they are almost coming off the rails. This album has a few songs like that but falls into this dreary bluesy slop that many of his albums do.
A good album and an album that I would expect to be on the list. The first few songs are especially memorable. Unfortunately falls into the same kinda sound that was common for the era. Nice to hear some genuine lyrics though
Start to finish, lovely album. Would listen again. Soul standards with a standard for soul.
A great, heavily blues influenced, album. But I can’t help but feel like every single Beatles album doesn’t belong on this list. Like did they truly grow enough in these early days to have .01% of all the albums here. I wish there was a rule for 2-3 albums per artist.
SPEAKING OF, 2 Beatles albums in a row. A super diverse album but perhaps loses some of its coherence in that. Flashes of old and new Beatles but to me fees largely transitional. 4 stars for the quality of the songs. One lost star for coherence.