Apr 08 2025
Imagine
John Lennon
Imagine - Appreciated classic
Crippled Inside - The Americanisation of John Lennon
Jealous Guy - Good
It's So Hard - More Americanisation
I Don't Want to be a Soldier Mama - Very bad
Gimme Some Truth - Oooh I liked this one
Oh My Love - Bad again
How Do You Sleep? - Alright I guess
How? - Also fine
Oh Yoko! - These feel like songs for montages in family friendly films
2
Apr 09 2025
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
Dance or Die - Yooooooooo this is sick.
Opens with 3 bangers before a slower tempo song that's good but not great. Cold War - alright but a little too pop.
Tightrope was ft. Big Boi.
Come Alive - Cool classic US rock style.
A lot of the later songs are more chill, kinda movie musical-esque and classical themed. Pretty good.
4
Apr 10 2025
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
Money For Nothing carries this album but it's too strong.
4
Apr 11 2025
Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
Not much by the way of stand out songs but an overall really solid chill rock album.
3
Apr 14 2025
Harvest
Neil Young
The kind of artist where you're like I really should've been familiar with the before, then you hit a song and go "oh I know this one!". Really good but a bit too much of a country-twang to it.
4
Apr 15 2025
The Doors
The Doors
Bias as this is already a fave of bangers and vibes.
5
Apr 16 2025
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
Finally something not in English! The kind of music you'd hear at a restaurant and get too into.
4
Apr 17 2025
Car Wheels On A Gravel Road
Lucinda Williams
Sad story: British man forced to listen to country music. Not bad but did not like.
2
Apr 18 2025
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
I have a soft spot for Primal Scream as they did a show at my uni after Jason Derulo conned the uni out of a bunch of money. Saying that though, this album didn't really do anything for me. Not bad but no strong feelings on it, wouldn't listen again.
2
Apr 21 2025
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
Never been a big Smiths fan (I think Morrissey's pompousness comes through in his lyrics) but I do appreciate that they were talented, which really shines through in this album. Didn't personally jive with me overall but a lot of good songs.
3
Apr 22 2025
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
Growing up in the same area as the Gallaghers means having already heard Wonderwall way too many times. Never been big on Oasis, it's a fine album but I never feel the want to listen to it.
3
Apr 23 2025
Hypocrisy Is The Greatest Luxury
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
Was excited to be hit with 90's hip hop, this being politically charged with the group just producing this album. Starts strong and is consistently good, but there's not a lot of range, the songs blur together.
3
Apr 24 2025
Time Out Of Mind
Bob Dylan
Afraid I'm just not a big Bob Dylan fan and this didn't change it. Maybe I wasn't entirely fair because I was busy working but it largely blended together. Not bad but I'd probably skip most of the songs.
2
Apr 25 2025
69 Love Songs
The Magnetic Fields
Maybe they should've done 12 good songs rather than 69 middling/awful ones. Just because something hasn't been done before doesn't mean it should be.
1
Apr 28 2025
The Downward Spiral
Nine Inch Nails
Never dabbled with NIN before but I get it now, I'm sold. A strong start that it somewhat struggles to maintain, but excellent album overall.
4
Apr 29 2025
Purple Rain
Prince
I've tried to get into Prince before and always struggled despite really liking some songs, such as Raspberry Beret. I enjoyed this album a lot though, think as a whole it went down really well, weirdly I'm more mixed on his more popular songs.
4
Apr 30 2025
Reign In Blood
Slayer
I don't think I've ever listened to a Slayer song before. They're alright, I can appreciate it but thrash metal in an acquired taste and I don't think I'm in that niche. I liked it enough though.
3
May 01 2025
Lam Toro
Baaba Maal
First time I listened to the whole album twice in one day. Really nice, good to see more non-English music.
4
May 02 2025
Violator
Depeche Mode
So I'm already a Depeche Mode fan, I was listening to them a lot a month back. Not sure if this is my favourite album of theirs, some of my preferred songs are on others, but this is more than half bangers.
5
May 05 2025
Maggot Brain
Funkadelic
Another album I've listened to before, I like it but the only real stand outs are "Can you get to that" & "Hit it and Quit it". Over half the album is the opening and closing 10 minutes songs that are just kind of there. Great album art and name though.
3
May 06 2025
Kind Of Blue
Miles Davis
Jazz fan listens to jazz for the first time. I like jazz a lot, but am really not familiar with the genre, just don't really know anyone into it. This album blew me away though, sometimes you only need 5 songs if they're all good and well layered.
5
May 07 2025
After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
Wasn't as into this as Harvest, there are some good songs but there's also more here I didn't like. Lots of songs with a drone that doesn't do the album any favours. Still good but wouldn't really listen to the majority again.
3
May 08 2025
Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
Soft Cell
Now don't get me wrong Tainted Love is a great song, but not great enough to save the album as a whole. Just not great, Soft Cell were short lived and a bit of a one hit wonder. The second best song isn't even part of the main album.
2
May 09 2025
Play
Moby
The album so far that I know best, still hadn't listened to it for a while though. I'd forgotten how good this album was, just consistently great, with a similar tone that still differentiates songs. So good that no one really pays attention to Moby's work besides this.
5
May 12 2025
Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Not much to say on this one, didn't really like it but not straight up bad. It's an Aussie aiming for US rock and roll, but it just ends up being kind of bland.
2
May 13 2025
The World is a Ghetto
War
I am weak to the funk, but though this was a good album I ended up not being as huge on it as a whole than I initially hoped. That first song it really good, the rest is more mellow.
3
May 14 2025
Autobahn
Kraftwerk
I can appreciate this album for its importance as an early electronic release, but as their first album Kraftwerk really didn't have it figured out yet. Weird album, not much to it. Enjoy 22 minutes of "Wir fahr'n, fahr'n, fahr'n auf der Autobahn".
2
May 15 2025
Whatever
Aimee Mann
Better than I was expecting. Not particularly for me with hit and miss songs on the country rock to pop-rock scale, but a pleasant enough listen that I kinda enjoyed. Still don't feel thaaaaat strongly about it though.
3
May 16 2025
Blackstar
David Bowie
I'd say I'm a Bowie fan, he has so many great songs but with such a long career his quality varied. He may have done Space Oddity but he also did The Laughing Gnome. This album from 2 days before his death is decent but nothing amazing. Doesn't get much talk.
3
May 19 2025
The Stranger
Billy Joel
Oh Billy Joel I was not familiar with your game. Excellent album, really close to 5 stars but a lot of the songs you have to be in the right mood for, holding it back slightly. Listening to Movin' Out again while typing and almost broke but sticking with 4 stars.
4
May 20 2025
London Calling
The Clash
This is a meaty album. I was a little worried going in as I wasn't particularly familiar with any of the songs par the title track, but for the most part it delivered on the hype. No bad songs, a fair few great ones.
4
May 21 2025
Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney
Not a band I was at all familiar with. Feel like I should've been way more into this than I was. Lots I normally go for and it's all good but didn't quite click with me, no individual songs that hit hard, maybe I just wasn't in the right mood.
3
May 22 2025
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
So I know they're a widely clowned on group but I always liked them, maybe because I'm only familiar with their older stuff. Thought maybe my opinion would change having not listened for ages, but no this 2nd album is still excellent. 7 of the 11 songs are hits and the other 4 don't drag the album down.
5
May 23 2025
Lazer Guided Melodies
Spiritualized
Hadn't heard of this group from Rugby before despite being into alt-rock/shoegaze, but seemingly it's because they're not that great. This album was fine, low mood methodical, but lacked oomph. Seems to not be one of their bigger albums either.
2
May 26 2025
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
I like them quite a bit but never one of my favourite bands. A solid album, unique and ranged, but not their best release to be honest. No songs that particularly stood out.
3
May 27 2025
A Girl Called Dusty
Dusty Springfield
Didn't realise how unfamiliar I was with her, didn't even know she's British. Good album, great singer, but don't feel the want to listen to it again. Feel bad saying this but it feels dated, though still easy to appreciate.
3
May 28 2025
Rings Around The World
Super Furry Animals
Never been a huge fan of theirs, this album didn't change that. It's not bad but not memorable either, didn't have any of their hits I knew either. Feel like a fake Brit I've been rating the UK albums low but not been the best choices.
2
May 29 2025
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine
Cee Lo Green
Really good album, could've been 4 stars on another day but didn't completely vibe with me. Songs aren't too varied and the more varied songs are worse. I'd listen to it again but not a go-to album.
3
May 30 2025
Honky Tonk Masquerade
Joe Ely
I wanted to be harsher on this one because it still does nothing to change my negative opinion on country music. However, despite disliking the majority of songs I have to admit that the guitar work was pretty impressive, he can actually play.
2
Jun 02 2025
The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
I mean what can I say? This may be Bowie at his best, with much more consistency than some of his other albums (no laughing gnome here). I don't think the whole album shines but there's nothing bad. An amazing artist but the wealth of releases meant you're often comparing some of his more "okay" songs to 30 better ones.
4
Jun 03 2025
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
It was cool to see a live free form jazz album on this list but eh, a little too free form for my tastes. It just felt like the album lacked any punch, I was listening and it wasn't bad but it just went in one ear and out the next.
3
Jun 04 2025
Back to Basics
Christina Aguilera
Wasn't expecting this to pop up but guess it's about time there was something more pop on the list. This album isn't for me but it's alright, I can appreciate a bit of Christina even though I still wouldn't go for it myself.
3
Jun 05 2025
Songs Of Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Surprised by how much I liked this, even though I think the second half of the album is largely a let down. It has a melancholic nostalgia to it that's hard to dislike.
3
Jun 06 2025
Ys
Joanna Newsom
Sadly has nothing to do with the game series. I'm going to be meaner to this than it probably deserves, on paper I should like it, but contemplating it I disliked every song. An avant-garde indie-folk album by a valley girl trying to Bjork, with 5 11 minute songs.
1
Jun 09 2025
Blur
Blur
Considered myself more of a Blur guy than an Oasis guy, but there wasn't a lot for me on this album. Maybe this is more of an outlier, but the album is just generally okay.
2
Jun 10 2025
Joan Armatrading
Joan Armatrading
This was a really nice surprise from an artist I was not at all familiar with. There were a few songs I wasn't keen on but excellent overall, with a unique blues/folk rock mix, right up my alley. Unusual for a 3rd album to be self-titled though.
4
Jun 11 2025
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
Another live album and an interesting piece of music history. Cool reading up on Cash doing a series of live albums where he performed in prisons, this one being funded by the BBC as a documentary. The audience involvement makes this seem like an event.
4
Jun 12 2025
Ragged Glory
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
My 3rd Young album so far and the worst yet. It's not bad but it's the sort of bland country rock that all just blends into itself, no defining tracks. Had to go back and listen to parts just to get more of a feel but was grasping at straws.
2
Jun 13 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
I feel as I've done more of these I'm becoming harsher. A weird remake of a Beach Boy album by one of the members, but almost 30 years later. Now I like Beach Boys but didn't vibe with this experimental tone, it felt like a Christmas album, hard to listen to.
1
Jul 07 2025
In Rainbows
Radiohead
This album is in line with their others but feels more like a band inspired by Radiohead. Not my favourite stuff of theirs but consistently good, even with less standout tracks.
3
Jul 08 2025
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Ughhh another folk/country style album from Dylan. Once again not helping me get into his stuff, I can appreciate it but not something I'd ever choose to listen to.
2
Jul 09 2025
Chemtrails Over The Country Club
Lana Del Rey
I had never heard any songs by her before, is this what modern pop is now? It was fine, I just didn't really like it... It's like she's trying to be Dido or something without the range.
2
Jul 10 2025
1977
Ash
90's Northern Irish alt rock band I'd never heard of? Feel I should've liked this more than I did, it was good but nothing really stood out about it. I guess they didn't have much staying power if I wasn't familiar with any of their songs. Probably won't keep listening.
3
Jul 11 2025
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
The 1st song got me excited for what turned out to be a pretty hit or miss album. Somewhere between Sex Pistols and Depeche Mode, but sadly not as good as that sounds. Generally liked it but not huge on the vocalist, too Londoner for me.
3
Jul 14 2025
Head Hunters
Herbie Hancock
I was due another great album and this really delivered, sometimes all you need is 4 songs. Reading up on the album you can really appreciate it as a pioneer. Even if it's not going to be a go to (there's some misses) it's still excellent. Also that cover tho. Definitely checking out more Herbie Hancock stuff.
4
Jul 15 2025
Music in Exile
Songhoy Blues
When I read "band to keep the music of their people alive" I wasn't expecting the album to be such a banger. Good mix of blues and rock with traditional Mali music, plus an interesting backstory, make this an excellent album. Excited to check out more.
5
Jul 16 2025
OK
Talvin Singh
There's a genre of British electronic music that mixed it together with traditional Indian classical themes which I've always enjoyed. This is a great example, mixing in D&B, jazz, it keeps the songs varied. Some real standouts I was already familiar with.
5
Jul 17 2025
Immigrés
Youssou N'Dour
It was exciting to see another artist from Mali so soon. This leans more into easy listening traditional music, I liked it a lot but not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, more just appreciate. A bit shorter & didn't adore any of the 4 songs.
4
Jul 18 2025
Teen Dream
Beach House
This album is so lame, if it was a person I'd want to push them into a locker. They can't decide if they want to be alt rock, shoegaze or folk pop, so it ends up as an amalgamation of them all without satisfying any of them. For some reason I really liked Lover of Mine, that was it though.
2
Jul 21 2025
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
I was trepidatious with this one as classic rock I wasn't familiar with, but ended up really liking it. Wouldn't be a go to, there aren't many stand out songs, but overall very solid and enjoyable.
3
Jul 22 2025
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
I adored half of this album, the rest is only okay and holds it back slightly. Wasn't huge on the 2 "love ballads", the other 2 songs were okay but kind of forgettable. Always a band I liked though.
4
Jul 23 2025
Frampton Comes Alive
Peter Frampton
This is one that loses marks for being a live album, occasional sound issues and the (at parts constant) wooos/screams of the audience just made this way less enjoyable to listen to. Good songs though, there's a lot to like.
3
Jul 24 2025
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Timely suggestion on yesterday's album. I've listened to this before, I like it a lot but not my favourite of their albums. Still really impressive for the era it released, plus the band still remains pretty unique.
4
Oct 08 2025
Two Dancers
Wild Beasts
Back on this after 2 months. Initially bounced off this album due to burnout, but at second glance I enjoyed it more. Some songs I did think stood out but overall this is indicative of an era of 2000's UK music that I just never really gelled with.
3
Oct 09 2025
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
This is how it treats me after stopping for a while, Beatles forced upon me. They LOVE to sing about love, it's literally every song apart from the title track (which I do quite like). Tonally just 1 note, not a deep album. I'm pretty neutral on them, still am after this. You can tell Lennon and McCarthy had limited writing experience before this, it really feels like tie-in movie music.
2
Oct 10 2025
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
I really liked this, not sure if it's just because I've been R&B deprived doing this list. Very unfamiliar with her work so took me by surprise, probably not a bad song on the album. Having so many interludes was pulled off surprisingly well too.
4
Oct 13 2025
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
I'm not going to pretend that there aren't good songs on this release from Presley, it's better than a lot of the movie tie-in albums, but with 40+ albums released most songs on this as a whole are just fine or forgettable. Elvis is a little too country for me.
3
Oct 14 2025
Deep Purple In Rock
Deep Purple
This is more like it, what I expected when doing this list. Most entities I give 3 stars as "technically good but not for me", but this is a "I like it even though most of the songs are kinda mid" 3 star. There's just an energy to this album from the start with Speed King.
3
Oct 15 2025
Paul Simon
Paul Simon
"Hey I know this first song, maybe this'll be more of a blues/jazz album"
Paul: "lol. lmao. Get folked"
There's a few songs I really like here, but way more than I actively disliked. A dreary album on the whole with odd lyricism. Just sounds way too American for me.
2
Oct 16 2025
Space Ritual
Hawkwind
Awesome album. Was not at all familiar with the band, but definitely remember seeing this album cover as a kid and thinking it was the coolest thing. More people need to fill their albums with sci-fi RP. The riffs in this are insane, banger after banger.
5
Oct 17 2025
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
A good album overall but didn't like it as much as I thought I would. Maybe it's just the low tempo similarity of most songs, none of them really wowed me. This is the soul equivalent of rock ballads, not bad but goes for a soft feeling that lacks impact.
3
Oct 20 2025
Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
Really great album, Stevie has a ton of range on this. Though I enjoyed it a lot I'm not sure if it's something I'd often listen to however.
4
Oct 21 2025
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
A very surface level fun album, but I don't think being a live album did this one any favours compared to other Sam Cooke releases I've heard. Not a huge variety across these.
3
Oct 22 2025
Talking With the Taxman About Poetry
Billy Bragg
I often complain a bunch of these sound "too American", but finally have an example of an album sounding "too British". Now don't get me wrong we love punk-esque politics albums, but I dislike dreary folk music way more unfortunately.
2
Oct 23 2025
Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
French jumpscare in this. I mean, it's alright. I was pretty negative at first but it won me over towards the end when it became less folk and more alt rock. Kind of forgettable overall.
3
Oct 24 2025
Mask
Bauhaus
Imma be real with you, I was really busy and stressed at work yesterday so even though I listened to this album I don't remember it at all. Maybe that means there weren't many standouts? It was alright I guess? Not familiar with Bauhaus but was expecting to like this more.
3
Oct 27 2025
The Dark Side Of The Moon
Pink Floyd
Shocking no one here, this is a really good album. Not listened to it in a long time but is a big nostalgia hit, taking me back to when I first heard it and it made a big impact on me. Not a favourite but always good.
4
Oct 28 2025
Low
David Bowie
It's alright, pretty different but still Bowie. Not an album I was familiar with, knew a couple of the songs without realising they were him. Big fan of the moody tone overall, just not that many big hitters here.
3
Oct 29 2025
Modern Life Is Rubbish
Blur
Guys... I don't think I like Blur. This is the second album that has left me to realise I just really like the ~6 songs I'd heard before. Both them and Oasis gave birth to the big indie rock/Britpop style that dominated in the 90's/00's that I never connected with.
2
Oct 30 2025
In Our Heads
Hot Chip
Their releases are generally pleasant listens, but never much more than that. Their lean into indie pop more than dance leaves them like a poor man's shoegaze. The beats just don't have enough oomph, it's all good but in a background music sort of way.
3
Oct 31 2025
Bluesbreakers
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
I didn't really like this one. Now I generally do like blues, and the talent is here, with the instrumentals in the earlier songs really standing out. Despite this the songs just aren't very good, Little Girl is particularly creepy.
2
Nov 03 2025
One Nation Under A Groove
Funkadelic
Really solid album, more consistent than Maggot Brain but arguably not as many highs. I could see myself listening through this ever now and again even if none of the individual songs would be my go to.
4
Nov 04 2025
In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
Jazz Fusion really is the coolest. Doing this has introduced me to how much I love Miles Davis' music. You can feel the influence of this album, interesting to read up on the mixed opinions when it releases too. Adored the 1st song, wish I liked the 2nd more.
4
Nov 05 2025
I See You
The xx
Didn't like this one! Not necessarily bad but very generic, I've already forgotten everything about it. Baby's first indie album. Some of the newer albums from this seem like they just needed to throw something in to justify a new best album book revision.
2
Nov 06 2025
Rock 'N Soul
Solomon Burke
It's a bit of a mixed bag between songs that are impressive, where you can tell they were influential, and songs that feel like they're from the forgettable soundtrack of an old romance film. Pretty decent but maybe not fully for me.
3
Nov 07 2025
Modern Kosmology
Jane Weaver
I went into this with trepidation expecting modern folk, but I ended up liking it quite a bit. Nice easy listening music, all flowed well with good arrangement/singing. Wouldn't be my go to but pleasantly surprised.
3
Nov 10 2025
Hard Again
Muddy Waters
Now this is some hard blues. It's good, with an impressive flow, but the further you get into the album the less each song stands out.
3
Nov 11 2025
Doggystyle
Snoop Dogg
Never listened to one of his albums fully and there is a reason he became such a big name. It's good but I found the 2nd half of the album to be more hit and miss (they're just constantly referencing Dre). Backing singers are great too. Is he a furry though like the cover implies?
3
Nov 12 2025
Fragile
Yes
A weird album that's mostly just 3 songs? It's good but the real standout here is Roundabout, the rest of the album isn't really standing on its own. Yes don't quite have the star power of other classic rock groups.
3
Nov 13 2025
The Last Of The True Believers
Nanci Griffith
Despite the initial apprehension of "oh no, country folk" I quite liked it. A good time of melancholy and nostalgia throughout the whole tracklist, not something I would seek out but a pleasant listen with nothing outright bad on it.
3
Nov 14 2025
Nighthawks At The Diner
Tom Waits
"Oh nice a jazz album" I thought, closely followed by "oh no" as soon as he began singing. It's beat poetry in the style of stand up comedy with an annoying audience cheer, but it's not funny. He sounds terrible, like a drunk rambling over the music. Hate his laugh. Awful. Why are the bad ones always so long too?
1
Nov 17 2025
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
A classic. An impressive 60's release that still holds up as a whole, even if "White Rabbit" and "Somebody to Love" are obvious stand outs (they're just that great). Consistently good throughout.
4
Nov 18 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
I quite liked this one. The mellow slower tone worked well for them. Still feels like them but comes across as more mature. Though the overall quality is good not a ton of hard hitters on it though.
3
Nov 19 2025
Midnight Ride
Paul Revere & The Raiders
This is completely fine, I really have no strong opinions on it either way. Guess I didn't dislike any of it really, but pretty forgettable.
2