Really fun album full of funky/jazzy/rock tracks that as a whole are unique, but retain trademark Steely Dan sound. First half is full of feel good(ish) tunes that make for easy listening, back half is cooler and darker with creative and cryptic lyricism and storytelling. Fav track: Rikki Don’t Lose That Number
While a lot of earlier rap definitely isn’t my favorite for the genre, it’d be hard to argue that Straight Outta Compton doesn’t deserve its flowers. Landmark album that shaped the genre moving forward, marked by masterful production, creative samples, and unique lyrical flows. That being said, its most definitely a product of its time - cultivates a vibe that kind of comes of as cheesy on the modern era. Also crazy misogyny, but not necessarily a surprise for its time. Important album, but gotta go low rating. Fav track: Express Yourself
Great collection of covers, plus a few originals, by probably the greatest soul singer to ever live. An exploration of then-contemporary ballads and blues tracks that are given new life by Redding’s unreal vocals, supported by an incredibly tight Booker T. & the M.G.’s. Many of the tracks were written by Sam Cooke, and this album serves as a sort of tribute to the legendary singer, songwriter, and activist. Fav track: A Change Is Gonna Come
Fantastic debut album, a raw yet refined sound that you can’t help but get fired up to. Pointed and poignant lyricism that demands attention from the listener and imbues its energy into them. Zack de la Rocha vocals are raw and powerful, and Tom Morello’s iconic tone on guitar is standout from the jump. Fav track: Killing In The Name
Really really enjoyed this listen. Beck has an uncanny ability to pull catchy melodic lines and infectious grooves out of thin air, then build an immersive track around them. Wide ranging musical influence is evident in all of his work, with Guero leaning into Spanish style instrumentation, lyrics, and musical motifs. The range of styles blend fantastically, and is still distinctly Beck. Fav track: Scarecrow
Been a freak about this album since I was in high school. Was my introduction to Hendrix and was a major factor in coloring the sound of summers at the river with my friends. Almost experimental in sound and filled with bright and beautiful tones. Hendrix, Redding, and Mitchell gotta be all timer trio for me. Fav track: Little Wing
Have been really enjoying the grunge/punk genres recently, but cannot say I enjoyed this album at all. Some fun heavy riffs and I do like some of the musicality + how raw their sound is, but overall it felt boring and repetitive. Like some of the higher energy tracks but just doesn’t do it for me. Would be great to put on of you wanted to break some stuff but like maybe not break it too bad. Fav track: Let It Slide
This one ended up totally surprising me as a really fun listen. Like if Devo and Talking Heads banged and had a techno pop baby. Love the feel good vibe, really taps into the classic 80s vocal lines and instrumentation (wicked bass lines too) with some interesting lyrical themes. Feel like the album certainly could have cut down a bit, as it felt like a bit of a trek by the end, but overall cool, would serve as awesome study or chore music. Fav track: Play To Win
Really pretty live jazz to do some work to. Really smoky, kind of lounge vibe that’s good to put on as the sun is going down. Love Bill Evans and he’s obviously a legend, but can’t say I’ve ever been able to fully enjoy really jazzy albums like this. It takes an unbelievable level of musicianship to play music that’s so hard that it comes back around to sounding confusing and bad. That being said, definitely love the feel and the live recording adds a ton to the ambiance. Fav track: Jade Visions
Love a bit of folk music! Quick but fun album that tells stories in a light and easy-to-listen-to kind of way. Liked the Woody Guthrie feature on New York Town, whole album definitely imbued with a little bit of lip. Also liked the addition of a couple traditional folk tunes for good measure. Makes me nostalgic for a time and place that I’ve never seen. Fav track: San Francisco Bay Blues
Songs to paint a picture of the same black hallway over and over again to. Fun listen, high energy and wicked guitar tone that makes you want to scream at things. Wouldn't call this album sonically diverse, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but I would've loved to hear something different from song to song. Almost campy in presentation, like a hair metal band that just finished watching sons of anarchy. Fav track: Ace of Spades
Not super crazy about this one but was still a fun listen, a couple tracks ended up as standouts. Great production and musicianship throughout, and was a big fan of guitar and bass tones. Liked the loud post-punk style and the fact that it had softer moments imbued with musicality. Can very easily see how it became regarded as a landmark album and it’s obvious the huge influence it had on music going forward. Fav track: Mannequin
SINGINONNAFEEBAHSTREEEEEEEEEEEEEE IWANTALOVABOWHOWONLOVMEEEEEEEE LIGHINHEAVENORLASVEGASSSSSSSSSSS ITISMOREBRIGTHERTHANTHESUNISTOME
Fav track: Heaven or Las Vegas
Fun sunny day driving album. Gave me an AC/DC but 90's vibe that I enjoyed, classic rock influence throughout and was great and I think I kind of got an idea of what it would have been like to be my dad in 1990. Good production and musicianship, though wanted more creativity and variation in the songwriting. Fav track: Hard to Handle
This was kind of some freak shit but in a fun way. Good-fun rock album that takes some inventive and unexpected liberties in its riifs, instrumentation, and writing in general. Like some hair metal heads who love early Pink Floyd made a palatable alternative to Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Fav track: Strange Boys Play Weird Openings
Hail Janis. One of the most unique vocalists of all time, her voice paired with fun, bluesey, and emotional songwriting makes for immersive and fulfilling listening. Not particularly obsessed with this album, but was my first time actually listening thru one of her albums and really enjoyed. Fav track: Me and Bobby McGee
Some fun, high-energy, classic rock and roll tracks on here that are really stand-out for their time. Whole album is defintely marked by a turn of the decade psych rock feel that makes for some good sunny-day smoking music. Musicianship is great, but production wasn't my favorite and the tracks didn't really pull me in like I wanted them to. Still real fun tho! Fav track: Speed King
Started kind of fun, a little dark and 80’s sounding. By the end was just wanting to be done with listening. Wasn’t bad but it definitely wasn’t good either, just noisy. Kind of crazy how dated the sound is (not a bad thing at all) and did like the vibe and themes. Ultimately could have listened to the first track 8 times and had the same exact listening experience. Fav track: 1959
Another listen that ended up being unexpectedly cool and fun! Big fan of Costello’s writing in both melody and lyrics. Fun and upbeat tones that remind of a 50’s pop vibe, and are also weirdly modern sounding. Really liked the production and thought that over all it’s a very cohesive piece of work. Feels inventive and crazy and that adds a lot to the almost post-war music vibe that’s going on. Fav Track: Green Shirt
Have loved this album for a very long time! My friend Izze showed it to me and I’ve loved it ever since. Fantastic and unique songwriting with beautiful lyrics. I love u Joni…
Fav Track: My Old Man
Was a fun listen with some really iconic tracks, but besides the hits nothing really kind of grabbed me while listening. The hits are straight bangers though, and it’d be hard to listen to an mj album and not be captured by the production, musicality, and the insane vocals. Fav Track: Smooth Criminal
Not a huge fan of this one. Definitely wasn’t terrible or anything, but I couldn’t shake the kind of Disney channel original music vibe that was pretty persistent throughout. Felt a little boring as well, nothing that I heard really grabbed me or had any sort of stand-out quality. Fun background music though! Fav Track: Slick
Hot damn!!! Probably my favorite album I’ve heard from this project so far. Insane range as far as genre and musical style goes (just within this album), and some really awesome features on some tracks as well. The mix of instrumental and vocal tracks are perfectly balanced and do well to show both musical chops and leave room to just listen. Really excellent and cohesive album that has something for everyone, very close to being a 5 star for me. Fav Track: My Ever Changing Moods
Essential listening for anyone who’s tryna drink some beer. Skynyrd are the kings of southern rock for a reason, and it shows on this album. Short and sweet but almost every track hits hard. They have an amazing songwriting quality where each composition feels more like an epic than just a song. Regardless of its actual content, each song invites a distinct feeling and experience. Also my dad loves this album. Fav Track: Free Bird
Really really loved listening to this. Starts a little abstract and noise-esqe, but in the same moment begins to show off unique and inventive instrumentation that melds with beautiful lyrics to create a soundscape full of meaning. Almost everything going on here is special; delicate balance of space and tension, a wonderful and well used strings section, passionate vocals that are both standout and perfect for the music, and overall vibe that is ethereal and potent. Fav Track: Tinseltown in the Rain
Fun album but nothing really crazy. Pretty classic 90’s-00’s rock band but has a little bit of a heavier sound than I was expecting. Really fun to lock in and listen to individual instruments. Everyone is totally on top of their playing, particularly the bass part for me. Also had some unexpected funky and out of the norm tracks that I enjoyed. Fav Track: Battlestar Scralatchtica
Really love Talking Heads but this one didn’t do it for me :( a fun listen for sure but a little outside of my personal range in terms of style and songwriting. Fav Track: Life During Wartime
Yeah so this one was just not for me boys. Liked how weird it was and appreciate the out there nature of some of the songs. Plus some of the songs were almost good and then very much not, a lot of sounded like it could have been Need for Speed menu music. Fav Track: Don’t Go Nowhere
Really liked this!!! Even if I don’t love the song I’m always gonna eat up some Bob Dylan lyrics. This album in particular showcased a side of his songwriting that I wasn’t familiar with and sonically didn’t expect from him. Super creative writing that still retains simplicity. Fav Track: Tangled up in Blue
Oh hell yeah. Fun quick listen! None of it really stuck with me but I enjoyed the rock vibe, and the instrumentation was varied and creative. Fav Track: Move with Me
Lots of fun!!! Ended up feeling a little bit one-note after the first couple of tracks though. Really loved the inclusion of some soundscape-esque radio broadcasts and the call back to Rock and Roll All Nite at the beginning. Fav Track: Detroit Rock City
Paul McCartney please call me we have urgent matters to discuss. Ringo please stop leaving messages on my machine peace and love. Fav Track: Getting Better
Lower rating because I’m not a huge fan of the early hip hop sound and flows, but was really drawn in by the beats in this. Really fun to hear funky and kind of out-there beats made with analog equipment. Though I don’t love early rap flows, almost always gonna love the lyrical content like I did with this album. Poignant, meaningful, and well-written.
Fav Track: Fishin’ 4 Religion
Easy folk listen. Really liked a lot of the lyricism and imagery throughout the album, but over all was pretty bored. Also ended up flipping from disliking Banhart’s particular vocal quality to wanted more by the end so that was cool. That being said I enjoyed the instrumental tracks a little more than the rest.
Fav Track: Tit Smoking In The Temple Of Artesan Mimicry
Interesting for sure, didn’t love it but I also didn’t expect the particular sound that this album has out of the Smiths! Will always be a freak for Robert Smith vocals but I think I like some of their other stuff more.
Fav Track: I Started Something I Couldn’t Finish
Liked this!!! Not a Dylan head, but I really love his lyrics and how he’ll sometimes let a line run over the pre established number of measures in a verse and kind of take it out of time. Both are very present here and when combined with subject matter and structure they’re used to great effect! Scared I’m becoming a big bob guy.
Fav Track: It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding)
Probably would give a zero star rating here if I could. Certainly has some interesting elements, and I can appreciate a lot of the raw emotion that seems to be the driving force behind the music. Beside that though this was not a fun or impactful listen for me personally.
Fav Track: Hold Hands And It Will Happen Anyway
I played so much dance central as a kid it’s fuckin crazy. Not much to say about this one but I still definitely enjoyed a lot of what I heard! Not a style that I’m used to listening to but made really good at driving fast in Raleigh NC!
Fav Track: Paper Planes
Liked it! Not a ton to say that I didn't already say on the review of Bad. Great musicality and production but never really grabbed a hold of me.
Fav Track: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
