Never been a Zappa fan so admittedly came into this release with some negative bias. Turned out to be more listenable than expected. I'm sure it sounded weird as fuck to people in 1966. Despite it being ahead of it's time and one of Zappa's earlier tamer releases, it's still just not for me. A couple decent tracks out of the 15, but none I'd likely return to. It hit a nice stride in the middle but dropped off completely for me at the last 2 tracks.
2/5
Not super familiar with the Small Faces. This seems to be some kind of quaint English concept album, not unlike Village Green by the Kinks. There are a few heater tracks on here, scattered throughout. But it's not quite for me. I hate the storytelling voiceovers. It all comes across as dandy fopp-ish, almost like a parody of itself, despite this being released in 1968. It was an okay listen, I only skipped 2-3 tracks part way through. I'd be interested in checking out more of their catalog, albums that are more straight-up rock vs. this one's folk tinged storyline.
2.5/5
Nearly 15 yrs ago I was in an indie band. My bandmates were obsessed with this album. Apart from Sound and Vision being a total banger, I didn't really get it. But taking an uninterrupted, considered listen, I do now. The way the record changes shape from beginning to end...the synth soundscapes...the bursts of typical Bowie melodic/pop genius amidst "futuristic" instrumentals. You can hear how certain touches like gated drums, etc, paved the way for popular production approaches in the 80s. I'll return to this one when the mood strikes, no doubt.
4/5
I've been obsessed with Steely Dan for over a decade. This album slaps super hard. Not a weak track on it. Only album featuring SD as a "band" beyond Fagan and Becker. More rock tinged than jazz at this point. "Do It Again" is one of the better album openers out there. CBAT is the first SD album I heard and fell in love with, sending me down a massive rabbit hole not only when it comes to the band's own catalog, but other yacht rock/jazz rock/jazz fusion groups in general.
5/5
The only Beatles solo album that matters (sorry Ram fans). Introduced to it 15+ yrs ago. Have it in my collection. It is PERFECT, even with Phil Spector's echo-laden production. Beautiful songs, great musicianship.
5/5
Honestly...I enjoyed this album more than expected. At the end of the day it's Southern redneck blues rock. But at least it's Southern redneck blues rock done well. "Freebird" is a hell of an album closer. Could see myself putting this on again someday in the future.
3.5/5
I like punk. I like The Clash. This record is fine.
3/5
Fun record. Great energy. Catchy songs. Long live power pop!
Seminal indie sleaze. Loved this shit when I was 20. Preferred some other bands of the genre, but respect this release. Maps is an all-timer.
3.5/5
Q Tip is chill. Always been a Tribe fan but never considered his solo material. This album is pleasant enough for a social gathering or going for a nice sunshine walk. Not sure I'd clamour back to it in a hurry, but enjoyed the listen!
3/5
Dancey, fun. Very much a product of its time. Touches of Daft Punk and Girl Talk and everything that made partying out at dance clubs in the mid 00's the best. That all said, it got a wee bit grating towards the end. Fun listen but may not come back to it over and over again.
3.5/5
Funktastic. Unpopular opinion: kinda wish title track didn't kick this one off.
4/5
More enjoyable than expected. Amazing African polyrhythms throughout.
Perfect soundtrack for committing cyber crimes during the early internet era. Also great for driving fast, staying awake, working out, doing ketamine, etc.
3/5
Strong start, including what may be one of the best opening tracks of the 70s. Then bottoms out by the 5th or 6th track.
2.5/5
Love this. It's vibey. Always been a JAMC fan, but never expanded into PS. I dig it, I'll scope out the rest of their catalog, esp Screamadelica. Kind of like a less serious version of Spiritualized with more electronic elements incorporated.
4/5
This is fun as hell. They don't make records like this anymore. Rock is basically dead, but this baby brings back some pleasant memories of a bygone era. Horn shots, four-on-the-floor blast outs, and some literal edge. Nice.
This all being said, it comes across as one sonic glob to me. Not a ton of dynamics. Lots of sameness. Rockin' sameness. But still sameness. Due to the ultimate unremarkability of the record as a whole, despite being perfect to crush miller lites and shoot guns to, this album gets a 3.
2 cheesy 4 me. I can't deal with the splonky bass, gated drums and phazed guitar solos. Every song sounds the same. For some reason I thought Living Colour was a new jack swing-style group. Somehow I dislike this even more.
I love jazz. This one was a bit dull.
Total blast of an album. It's from 1965 so the song structures (12-bar blues) and sonic asethetic is well worn, but the energy comes across big time. Proto punk, fast and loud and fun. Would revisit.
4/5
Nostalgia blast. Takes me right back to sitting in my dorm room, where I absolutely pirated this record off my uni's P2P network in the fall of 2002. Despite me mostly falling out of love with this brand of rock over the years, Heavy Metal Drummer is still an all-timer. Cozy production. But still a few lowlights, like the last 2 tracks which kind of drag it down.
3/5
Synthy goodness. Doesn't age terribly well but was foundational.
3/5
Why is this album considered so seminal? I love indie sleaze, it was the soundtrack to my young adulthood and many excellent adventures. But this record, despite being at the forefront of that musical aesthetic, comes off as thoroughly boring. Won't be revisiting.
1/5
This sucks. It's like some theatrical weirdo telling ghost stories around a campfire. Lame, fake spooky, pretentious, unmusical. Next!
Not my favourite Stones release. A bit too country for my taste. Still has 2 of their biggest bangers on it, though.
2/5
This album has absolutely no business being on this list or being 90 minutes long. That's 90 minutes of mostly mid tempo blues rock with lazy vocals and very little deviation from what has long been considered extremely standard and basic rock 'n' roll.
It gets a 1 because even though it's "listenable", it's duller than all get out and has absolutely nothing new, fresh or interesting to offer. And it's 90 fucking minutes long!
TL;DR this record is loooooong and booooooring.
It's fine. Epic is an obvious jam. A bit silly. More range than I was expecting. Solid cover of War Pigs. Some cool riffage. I respect it but won't likely be coming back to it any time soon.
Meh. This can call itself groundbreaking and seminal all it wants. It's still plodding, absent of groove, poorly performed, and structurally awkward proto post punk. Not sure I needed to listen to this before I die. Not the worst thing I've heard on this list, but far from the best or even most mediocre.
That said, I dig their cover of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". It's kinda fun.
2/5
I bet being at this show was fucking amazing. Unfortunately, listening to it just ain't.
2/5
Pleasant -- if not at times boring -- dreamy, optimistic, psych-tinged wallpaper music from OKC's best known non-country group.
3.5/5
I get it. I respect it. But I don't really wanna listen to it all the time.
2/5
Meh. I generally enjoy David Berman and love the Purple Mountains. This was fine enough to listen to but I won't be clamouring back any time soon.
2/5
I've known and enjoyed this record for years. Is it perfect, with every track being a smash? Absolutely not. It has its fair share of lowlights. But the "Bonny", "Appetite", "When Loves Breaks Down", "Goodby Lucille #1" 4-song run is virtually unbeatable.
3/5
This is okay. Pretty smooth. Easy enough to listen to. But I just can't stand all the little skits scattered throughout the album. 14 tracks, 6 of them are filler, so there are really only 8 songs on the record. I didn't mind this listen, but I won't likely be returning in a hurry.
2/5
This is some of the whitest music I've ever heard, and I'm a white guy who loves Steely Dan.
Started off alright. Then got real boring, real fast. I can't stand all the hokey medieval shire bullshit. Despite Collins killing it on the drums, there's very little chance I'll ever listen to this again.
2/5
Pleasant enough vibey background music. Not dissimilar to Primal Scream. But also not as good.
2/5
A bit played out by 2025 standards but I could imagine this album being pretty fun when it came out.
AF was inescapable in 2007. This album is fine. I remember it slightly more fondly now than I experienced it at the time. The Suburbs will still be their magnum opus, IMO. Too bad they're essentially irrelevant nowadays, thanks to Win Butler's personality defects and bullshit behaviour.
A solid 3/5.
One of the greatest albums ever recorded by humans. I'm positive I got served this today because it's the day after Brian Wilson died. RIP king. There will never be another one like him.
5/5. Obviously.
This rips. One of my favourite discoveries from this list.
Being labelled world/funk/hip hop, this album should be much more interesting than it actually is. It's got no bite. It's not memorable. If anything, it's pretty cheesy. I always dug J5 (to a degree) and Cut Chemist (a whole lot!) but them together in this outfit does absolutely nothing to me. This is boring global coffee shop-assed music for people without passports.
Super divisive artist. I was obsessed with The Smiths in my 20s. Something about the jangly moroseness worked for me. That said...most of this does not.
Viva Hate gets 2/5 because it contains exactly two bangers: Everyday Is Like Sunday and Suedehead. The rest was, to use his words from a subsequent album, a crashing bore.
Why did I think The The was a punk band? I do like punk, but this was a pleasant and unexpected surprise. Boot scootin toe tappin synth pop grooves. Nothing on here is standing out to me in a huge way, but as a whole it's a great listen. Sets a cool vibe, good to work/stroll to. Would revisit!
4/5
I like salsa! I like the tropical vibes, the amazing percussion, the toe tapping rhythms. But I do not like this much salsa all at once. It's good, it's fine. But unless I'm down south on a beach or by the pool or exploring a lil Spanish town...I doubt I'd be throwing this on in its entirety again anytime soon.
2/5
This blew me away. Super fun, super high energy. Vocalist comes off like a female Johnny Rotten. Enjoyed this way more than expected, will be on the lookout for a vinyl copy.
First 3 tracks are total bangers, then it drops off big time. Obviously groundbreaking for the time, the advent of gangsta rap. Dre's production is sick. But it all becomes a bit same-soundy for me once those first few tracks are done. Also Eazy-E can't rap worth shit, but we all knew this already.
Why so many live albums on this list? I'm just not a fan, regardless of the artist.
Anyways, MC5. They're fine, I guess. High energy proto punk garage rock. There's nothing terribly special about this record. They were "extremely influential" and outspoken for their time, presenting some radical leftist views. I believe they were even spied on by the FBI for "corrupting the youth of America"...whatever that means. Despite all that, they can't really play worth a damn.
Like many other albums I've encountered on this list: I'm sure this was a great show to be at in 1969. But listening in 2025...it's just not doing much for me.
2/5
Very early 90s electronica aesthetic. Decent pace, interesting enough for me to have on in the background while I crushed some work. Wouldn't likely spin this otherwise.
This record is cheesy, lame, derivative, repetitive. And I love it.
Give me that twee 00s indie jangle all day long. I loved this record when I was listening to it in my dorm room in 2003. Now, 22 years later, despite changing times and changing tastes, I still love the hell out of it.
Don't overthink it. This dumb record pairs great with summer, sunny road trips or rainy days spent dreaming of brighter times.
Even though Tusk is kind of a mess, it's the perfect bridge album between Rumors and Tango in the Night (my personal favourite FM album by a mile). Buckingham goes wild in the studio because he could, high off the success of Rumors (and a lot of cocaine).
There are some massive highlights here, mostly Stevie's songs (Sara, Angel...they've got that signature FM bounce to them) and obviously Think About Me slaps. But the bad/unfocused definitely outweighs the good, here.
3/5
I absolutely did not "need" to listen to this album before I die. It's fine. But like....come on.
2/5
I really do try to listen to every album I get served. "Try" being the operative word. For this album, I tried and I failed. Industrial just isn't for me and that's a-ok.
2/5
One of the greatest and best albums ever recorded by humans.
This record is full of CVS bangers. Soft rock, supermarket-core, adult contemporary. Whatever you want to call it, it is smooth, silky, and ultimately, quite forgettable. I read this record scored Baker 2 Grammys and sold upwards of 8 million copies. The 80s were a crazy time! I don't hate this record at all, it's a very pleasant listen. I also LOVE smooth rock, so that might be why. Anyways...it's a fine record. Not great. You DEFINITELY don't need to hear this before you die.
3/5
First time Aphex Twin listener, here. Somehow.
I enjoyed this album wayyyy more than expected. Exceptional to work to. Great for city walks, when your brain is a bit too active to concentrate on vocals or musical nuances. Not entirely ambient, either, as there's a pretty strong beat and plenty of interesting textures throughout.
I almost want to give this a 5 because of how pleasantly it caught me off guard. But 4 is more realistic. Will definitely check out more of AT's catalog, though!
3 stars if it was any old album. 4 stars for being the first metal album, ever.
4/5
Why on earth did it take 41 years plus this generator to finally dig into krautrock? This album slaps! I LOVE motorik rhythms. It's all so fun and groovy and hypnotizing. Big big fan of what's going on here, will definitely be exploring more from Neu! and the genre at large.
When I was a 20 year old try hard I used to pretend to like The Fall for clout or to seem esoteric or something. 20+ years later...boy, was I ever kidding myself.
Another review put it perfectly: this is close to what I like, but not quite it. Just a little too sloppy and atonal.
This all said, I happened to catch The Fall at a festival in 2010 and they were pretty decent. Mark E. Smith's cantankerous swagger translated well live.
2/5
I loved this when I was in my 20s.
This is sick. I listened to it while walking around downtown Toronto and I swear I was struttin'. I'm a big fan of jazz funk fusion & disco, so this works really well for me. Not terribly memorable, but groovy AF enough for me to find a vinyl copy to throw on every now and then when the vibes are correct.
4/5
This isn't even a good album, period, let alone a good Big Star album. #1 Record and Radio City are much more put together than this. I find it very ramshackle, rife with lowlights, and instantly forgettable.
2/5 because even though it isn't good, it's not exactly offensive.
My god, this is irritating.
As far as straight-up blues rock goes, it's fine.
The vocalist sounds like an insufferable cartoon character.
Until today I had never heard a Dexy's song that wasn't Come On Eileen. Now I fully understand why. This shit sucks.
I know it's an important disc, but that doesn't make listening to it for more than 15 mins any less irritating.
3/5 for the history
Another shining example of why drummers should never strike out on their own...and I am saying this as a drummer of 25 years, myself. (j/k....kinda)
This album is essentially unlistenable and has absolutely no place on this list. Like, what the fuck, man?
1/5
A bit shocked to see all the low reviews for this record. I fuckin' love it. It's sassy and fun and a bit goofy and sardonic. The songs are catchy enough. Good stuff from Richman et al.
4/5
Couldn't find a complete version of this album on the 2 streaming services I have access to. From what I heard, it's perfectly decent upbeat sunshine rock. I enjoyed it and wouldn't turn it off if I heard it again despite having a slight personal preference for the more psychedelic sounds from the era (Millennium, Free Design, etc).
3/5
The first 9 tracks are great. Absolutely enjoyed them more than expected. However, the final 8 tracks (on the version I listened to) are a mess.
3/5
I was in an indie rock band 15 yrs ago. This album was extremely influential for us. Side A rips super hard. Side B noticeably wanes. Super fun, upbeat, interesting pop music that is, as many others have said, ahead of its time. I love Eno's synth touches.
4/5
Hell yeah, finally. This is one of my favourite albums of all time. It's ethereal, wonderfully recorded, sonically interesting, skillfully performed. Love throwing this on the hifi.
An easy 5/5.
This album defined my early adulthood. I will never forget seeing them at Hyde Park in 2007 during the heyday of indie sleaze. Not a goddamn smartphone in sight.
7/5
Just because every band I love loves this album doesn't mean I have to.
1/5
Better than I remember it. Groovy, discordant cool guy music. Disaffected, chain smoking hot girl music.
3/5
Gets a bit grating in places but overall a decently energetic electro album. Great to work or workout to.
3/5
This album absolutely does not need to appear on this list. It's not exactly garbage, but there is nothing remarkable about it at all. I had a fine time listening to it in the bkgd while I crushed out some computer work. I would never put it on again for this purpose or any other.
2/5
God damn what a record. One of the first albums I ever owned. Every song rips. AVH is a very underrated drummer. An easy 5/5.
A stone cold brit pop jangle rock classic. It's not perfect, but neither am I, so who am I to judge.
4/5
Despite being a teen through the grunge years, Nirvana never really landed with me. Yes, they're important. Yes, this is fine alternative rock music. Thank you, Kurt and co, for saving us from glam rock. For that reason alone, I'm giving this 3/5.
It's no Heaven or Las Vegas.
If you give this less than a 5 your ears just might be broken. This album is so seminal, it has basically become a cliche at this point.
I'll never forget the first time I heard Marquee Moon in my buddy's Dodge Caravan in like 2003. I thought they were an acolyte of The Strokes, that's how timeless/current this album sounds.
It is 100% your favourite band's favourite album.
An unmissable 5/5
Solid record. Eminently listenable. Good energy. Awesome production, love me some dusty drums. While not exactly life changing, I'd come back to this one for sure.
3/5
I can't stand AC/DC. It's music for musically challenged alcoholics.
I love the Dan. This isn't quite their best, but it's still better than 80% of the random, forgettable Britain-centric garbage on this list.
