I gave this five stars originally, but I think I was a bit generous there. Yes you can tell this is clearly something special, but I haven't really come back to listen to it: I don't know if I like it enough for it to be a personal five stars. Lullaby, though, is phenomenal and has become one of my favourite songs.
Editing this from a 4 to a 5, because this album is, obviously, a 5. I'm not massive on Led Zeppelin, mainly because I don't really like Robert Plant's voice, but this album undeniably has a higher density of quality than 99.9% of other albums.
Early on in the challenge I was fairly conservative with ratings and wouldn't really use the full scale. I felt I'd done this album an injustice, and I was very pleased to find out that it's possible to edit ratings. Finally, I can give this album the review it deserves.
Godawful boring shite. It shouldn't be a mile within this list. It's easily the worst album I've heard for this challenge, and quite possibly the worst I've heard ever. There's not a hint of passion in this. God I hate this.
An absolute snore. It just isn't very interesting in this day and age, I'm afraid, and classic rock and roll never interested me much to begin with.
Great album but ruined by Moonchild.
If you're wondering why it's not a 5.
Originally gave this a 3 but it's not good enough for that. Springsteen has never really been my thing and he continues this trend here. I just don't find anything here particularly interesting. It's wild to me that some of these songs were considered experimental, when all they do is deviate slightly from Springsteen's usual fare.
It's not terrible but not great either.
I know this is a post-9/11 album, and maybe it was felt that it was indicative enough of that point in time that it is historically relevant and should be included on this list for that reason, but I think it's also possible it mainly was added as it was a recent, good-ish album by a classic artist, as unfortunately some of the newer additions on this list fit the bill for this. For 9/11 albums I'd rather listen to American Idiot. Sorry.
I actually don't personally like this album as well as I've rated it, it's not one I listen to. Yes, it's Britpop, probably the best Britpop album ever, but Britpop doesn't do that much for me these days. Musically, this album doesn't interest me all that much (as a whole, anyway).
But holy shit the songs on this one are incredibly strong. It's just stacked with hits, even if they're not to my personal taste anymore. So it's a 5.
Quite enjoyable. A bit poppy and not particularly musically complex, though, at least for my tastes. It reminds me of Depeche Mode, but this album certainly isn't as good as something like Violator, so it's a 3 for me, although a strong one.
Somehow I haven't listened to much New Order, so I'm not sure how this stacks up to their other stuff. For some reason I thought they were more of a rock band.
My favourite songs were Run and Mr Disco.
I just don't see in this band whatever everybody else seems to. They really just don't do anything musically interesting for me, and certainly nothing lyrically interesting. I cannot conceive how SPIN thought this record was better than Nevermind. It's not terrible but nothing special, and nothing I'd have put on this list.
This project keeps bringing me excellent hip hop albums. If you told me a few months ago that my highest rated genre on average (well, tied with a couple others) was going to be hip hop, I'd have laughed in your face. But albums like this and Power By Numbers show that can do a lot for people like me who are more into melodies. I don't think this one appeals to me quite as much as that album, but it's still one I can see myself coming back to.
I probably should say something about the lyrics, but it's something I have difficulty keeping track of. They seemed good I guess. Testify was the standout for me there. I don't like the gangsta stuff in a lot of rap, so this album fared well in that way. Wasn't big on the sex stuff in "Go!" but that was all there was on the album that didn't agree with me. It wasn't too bad either, and not really sexist, so I can forgive it.
Favourite songs were probably Testify and Real People. It's Your World was pretty great as well. They're all good though.
I gotta mention PhD mathematician dude - man, that explanation is complete bollocks. I dislike talking about intelligence and whatnot, think it's ignorant, but I want to offer my perspective here. I'm also a STEM guy, and have a preference for prog / melodic stuff over lyricism. However, my verbal intelligence is the strongest. I would feel comfortable saying that verbal intelligence = preference for lyricism is complete bogus.
I think there's a stronger argument for saying that prog probably appeals more to STEM oriented people like myself. Many of us have awful social skills, are obnoxious and say pompous shite like phd dude. This is probably the real reason that prog is seen as uncool, because its fans are.
Okay, this may very well be the best punk album I've ever heard. There's a bit more going on here musically than with Never Mind the Bollocks, for example, as great as an album that is. I love the droning guitar on some of the songs, like Safety in Numbers. Like most of the best punk acts, the Adverts are secretly capable players. The album keeps a breakneck pace, stuffing 11 tracks into just over a half an hour: you're left wanting more, but not feeling short changed by the time it's over.
But, I have to fault this album for personal reasons. The band frequently reminds the listener of their youth ("Bored Teenagers", "No Time to be 21"), and that makes this aging 22-year old feel inadequate and unaccomplished. So, I'm docking a star.
Just kidding. The album doesn't quite reach the heights of 5 stars, but not many do. What holds this back are just the failings (in my opinion) that are generally inherent to punk (not amazingly strong lyrically, not particularly complex musically). The recording quality is a bit uneven, but to be honest I don't really care about that. This album is a delight.
My favourite song was Bombsite Boy. One Chord Wonders, New Church and Safety in Numbers were some other highlights. And Gary Gilmore's Eyes is too catchy. It's all going in the playlist though.
For some reason I wasn't expecting much from this one. But it's great. Three excllent instrumentalists are what make this album stand out. I want to give special praise to drummer George Hurley, who's particularly talented. Perhaps to highlight this fact, he gets two songs all to to himself to dick around on. And they're good!
Some of the songs here have a jam band vibe, others a jazzy one. Not every song is a winner, but the good ones are great. My favourites were In My Mind and Whisperin' While Hollerin'.
Initial thoughts: Very nice. Exactly the kind of thing I'm into: psychedelic jam band action. Reminds me a lot of the Grateful Dead and has the same strengths. I especially love how the first side seems like a single recording. But Jesus Christ do the more meandery bits, Where Do You Love and parts of Cavalry bring it down.
I did a bit of reading on it, and I understand now that side one is actually a rendition of a Bo Diddley composition. So, side one is best judged as a whole, and as a whole it's good.
Going to give this 4 stars for the time being.
First, the burning question - is this the greatest album of all time??
No, it isn't. Rolling Stone's ranking of it as such was a blatant reaction to BLM. For all black musicians' innumerable contributions to music, the album format was traditionally utilised to greater effect by white musicians, who refined the album. This is why Revolver and Pet Sounds usually sit atop these lists, and I don't think I'd put this album above either of those (although, I think this was better on first listen than Pet Sounds)
However, it is a very, very good album. Like the best albums (in my view), it's a journey. There's this magical, natural transition between songs, and the first side has this wonderful ongoing crescendo that can't but sweep you up in the almost religious power of the music. This is in no small part due to the orchestra which complements Gaye's lyrics perfectly. Truly, this is soul at its finest. Unfortunately the LP format necessitates a break in the middle of the album, but the songs on side 2 are strong too (even if I feel that Inner City Blues doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the album).
Gaye's lyrics are famously deeply political, touching subjects as diverse as the Vietnam War, environmental issues, racism and drug abuse. However, the album remains positive and hopeful throughout, and he emphasises his beliefs that God forgives, rather than condemning those responsible for these issues.
Unfortunately, some of my ratings have been a bit biased by foreknowledge, and this may be one of them. I've never heard this album before, but I got it today knowing that it was a big one. I am not sure I can honestly say I'd be giving 5 stars without this bias, but fuck it, objectively it is a 5-star album.
I think the title track is my favourite song here; however, Save the Children is where I realised this is a five star album, and is certainly a contender for the spot.
All the songs here are technically good, great playing, good melodies, memorable riffs... but as a whole thrash metal doesn't do a whole lot for me. I get a bit tired of it, and unfortunately the greatest sin of this album is that it extends each song. Each one is about 6 minutes, which I would say is a couple of minutes too long. Better to leave enough time to develop the song, and then end it with the listener wanting more.
It is probably the best thrash metal album I've heard, and I'm left wondering whether I actually like this more than the Black Album (not thrash), and if perhaps I'm rating this a little low. But I was already familiar with this album, and I knew before today I considered it about 3 stars. I've found since I started writing proper reviews, I've been paying more attention and finding more to like about the albums, and been giving more 4 & 5 star reviews as a result, and I don't want to get too generous. So, we'll say it's a strong 3.
The best song is probably the title track, with Disposable Heroes and Orion being other highlights. Disposable Heroes had the strongest lyrics of the album.
I'm torn. At the moment I'm giving this a 3. And I feel terrible about it. Knowing that this is THE Black Sabbath album, and that I'd certainly give a 4 to the first one, makes this feel like heresy.
Every song here is strong. Paranoid is the only one I was familiar with, and it's clear why it's so iconic. I find the other songs interest me more, though. Take Electric Funeral. This one reminds me more of the first album, and what I've come to think of as the 'Black Sabbath sound' (even though clearly, not having listened to this album before, I'm not qualified to decide on one). Planet Caravan is another interesting one, and Hand of Doom is possibly my favourite.
I appreciate that the lyrics are pretty audible on this album. I have difficulty processing words from background noise, so it makes a difference to me when it's possible to tell what the vocalist is saying. I think the most striking difference between Sabbath and more modern 'metal' bands (if Sabbath may still truly be considered metal at this point) is Osbourne's more conventional vocals, in my opinion much more listenable than the screeching or death chanting of his later counterparts.
The reason why I'm not rating this as highly is, I suspect, because this sound is overly familiar to me. I've listened to too much music that was inspired by this album, and so this one feels basic... when it was probably very fresh at the time. It just doesn't really stand out to me.
Shit. I may have to change this later but I've just had too many good albums recently. I believe this is a 3 for now. RIP Ozzy, you were a man of huge talent.
I think this is half a 3 star album, and half a 5 star album, with songs like Superstition and Blame it on the Sun that are very strong. I may have to come back to this later but for now it's 4 stars.
Quite good. More inventive than other thrash / emo stuff I've heard. I think it's also better than the Rocket from the Crypt album on here (the two bands share a guitarist), mainly for being less repetitive.
For a 1969 debut, it's quite fully formed. It has strong songs with quite a bit of layering to them, no filler, and very strong instrumentals. It's a confident record.
That being said, I find blues extremely boring as a rule. The Willie Dixon songs (You Shook Me and I Can't Quit You Baby) grind the record to a halt. From an objective standpoint, they're strong showings; from my subjective one, they threaten to bring this record down to 3 stars. I'm feeling generous though.
Your Time is Gonna Come is the other song I'm not quite sold on. The remaining tracks would be great songs at any point of any band's career. There's quite a progressive feeling to some of these, like in Dazed and Confused. This is best seen in the magnificent How Many More Times, easily the album's best song. I appreciate that Page wasn't afraid to write longer songs that showed off the band's playing, where every other band tried to make a bunch of singles. I never realised before what a standout drummer Bonham is. I think the production also really lets his (and the others') playing sing.
Great record. I enjoyed this more today than I did the first time listening to it. I may even be warming to Plant's voice. 4 stars.
This is by no means a great album. Obviously it's extremely angsty, and is about as shallow as you'd expect. This sort of stuff is aimed solely at teenagers and doesn't really offer a whole lot to those looking to broaden their tastes with interesting music, which I imagine describes most people doing this challenge.
But to be honest I kind of enjoy this, sort of ironically. I grew up during a time where this sort of music was dead but could still be occasionally heard in ads and films and the like. So I'm familiar to the sound but don't really have any antipathy for it. I started listening to this album with low expectations, so I could see what it actually does do well. It is pop, if heavy pop, so it has decent hooks and is quite accessible. It's pretty polished. I roll my eyes a bit at the angst of it all, but frankly I can't take the edgelord nature of most 'real' American metal seriously either. Anyway I mostly ignored the lyrics which is probably the way to go with this one. That being said, online there's been a sort of 'reevaluation' of LP where they're being regarded as if they were actually really good all along - the kids who grew up obsessing over them are now old enough to pass off their personal feelings as fact. This 'reappraisal' is just silly. This album is extremely commercial. This is not art. It is okay, from a certain point of view. My enjoyment of it lasted about 4 songs before I got tired of it. It's alright but I won't listen to it again.
My favourite bit was 20 seconds into Forgotten, where the instrumentals are kind of interesting.
This is probably pretty unfair of me, because I actually did quite like a few tracks on this album, but so much of it just bored me to tears. Several of the songs seem to go nowhere. Maybe this is better listened to as background music. I will say, it's always nice to hear the electric piano, it's a nostalgic sound for me.
To be honest I was probably too tired to appreciate this properly, I may have to listen to it again. Can't see it getting a much better rating, though.
Wonderfully unique. It's not the most accessible album but clearly a masterpiece. Newsom has an unusual singing voice that would be grating were the compositions weaker, but they are perfect for the dreamlike fantasy atmosphere that the whole album gives off. Also, why don't we hear more harp in popular music? It's superb here.
One of the best things about this album is the production. Steve Albini is one of the best producers out there, but this might be his best work. Honestly might be the best produced album I've ever heard. It really allows Newsom's vocals to shine.
As a huge fan of prog rock, I was curious what progressive folk would be like. Turns out I love it. I hope it's not that unique, so I can find more like this.
