Masterful riffery as Sabbath expand their soundscape. Absolute must listen.

(soft LOUD soft LOUD bridge LOUD LOUD)×albini

Having to listen to this again almost gave me a heart attack-ack-ack-ack. Joel's ivory tickling doesn't tickle my fancy, and I'm not sure this changed the trajectory of music for the better or worse. When he's not trying to put you to sleep, it's not that bad. He gets an extra star here ONLY because of Russia live punk meltdown years later.

As sweet as cherry pie. That sultry sax cuts through the smoke-filled air. Fantastic debut that sets the stage for a series of albums that just get better and better.

That stupid drum beat (snare on 1,2,3,4) gives me PTSD. I'm typically a sucker for a lead singer in the higher register range but Holland's voice drives me nuts. It's probably the stupid drum beat, but maybe it's his face.

One of my favorite discoveries from this list. Impeccable. Those nylon strings on Trigger help Willy deliver the sad stories of betrayal and longing. The silence between notes is as important as the notes themselves. Stunning.

Epic. Notes and Notes and Notes.

Not sure I get it. Musically, there's noting there that pulls me in. Lyrically interesting at times but otherwise drab.

So good. Only complaint is that I associate this with Cobains death.

I'll need more than 5 stars for this. Unbelievable work of art. Stevie is a genius and this album really demonstrates his talent. This is an absolute must listen.

thought I remembered liking this. not the case.

Fun one. I'd love to revisit this.

I could have this on repeat.

Now, the second time I've sat through that album. Rich in lyrical content, but musically not a lot to grab onto for me. Notes, melodies, music are always my first draw. Don't think I'll be putting this on a third time.

What a fun listen! Not a bad song on this album. A spark from beginning to end.

Time signature and note buffet with the occasional studio trickery is all ryan bait. Brufford and Squire are my all-time favourite backbeat duo. Howe's slithery fingers dazzle and punch out guitar accents alongside Wakeman's wizardry, likely the greatest rock keyboardist, are a treat throughout. Anderson's vocals are pristine... and then you throw Squire's harmonies on top of that. Glorious. This is one of those 'if I had one album on an island' type of records. Absolutely love.