May 02 2025
Rust Never Sleeps
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Didn't realize this was where where My My, Hey Hey was from. Iconic track.
A few solid tracks on here, but about the same number of duds. I did generally enjoy the instrumentation and Neil Young's singing and folk+rock sound.
3
May 05 2025
Hotel California
Eagles
Beginning and end of this album were solid. Maybe I lost interest part of the way through and picked back up towards the end, but the first three tracks (Hotel California, New Kid in Town, and Life in the Fast Lane) felt solid, and the final two (Try and Love Again, The Last Resort) felt similarly. Of songs I have not heard before, my favorite was probably The Last Resort.
3
May 06 2025
All Directions
The Temptations
Really strong album top-to-bottom. I didn't love every song, but the album as a whole gives some iconic 70s sound wrapped around some solid ballads, funk, and social protest songs.
4
May 07 2025
Live At Leeds
The Who
Not my favorite kind of classic rock. There are a few bops in here but it's not to my taste so far. "I Can't Explain" is decent. The song Tattoo sucks. Also not into Young Man's Blues (lyrics are alright). Happy Jack is fine. I don't hate this outright but it feels very much like a 2 star album.
2
May 08 2025
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
I had this album in college. I've liked it since then, so this one should be easy. Even the songs I don't love as much, like Daylight, are still strong. It's also hard to beat the run of Politik to Clocks for five-track groups.
It's been a long time since I've listened to the album all the way through, and this listen caused me to pick up on the time and longing themes that seem to cycle through the album. Lots of ideas about missed opportunities, rewinding time, and a clock motif in multiple songs (also reflected in the rhythmic instrumentation in songs like A Whisper).
5
May 09 2025
War
U2
I liked Sunday, Bloody Sunday, but every other song slid right off me. It sounded too samey across the album.
2
May 12 2025
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
This was a trip. I realized as I started this album that even though I knew of the Velvet Underground and I knew of this album from the artwork, I'd never actually LISTENED to it. I enjoyed basically the whole thing! There were a few sections that went into noise rock more than I like, but there are definitely songs on this album I can see myself coming back to. My favorite was probably Venus in Furs.
4
May 13 2025
Aja
Steely Dan
Production values are excellent, and the musicians are clearly talented. However, Steely Dan just isn't my vibe. I don't mind the jazz elements, but it's very soft rock for me.
2
May 14 2025
Actually
Pet Shop Boys
Fun little bit of synth-pop. Had a few catchy tunes but it lost me pretty quickly.
3
May 15 2025
Blackstar
David Bowie
Very cool album and one of the greatest final albums by an artist ever. I donβt love everything but itβs solid for sure and I should go back and listen to Lazarus more.
4
May 16 2025
Time (The Revelator)
Gillian Welch
Very cool bluegrass album. Pretty languid though; I wanted more variance in the tone and pace.
3
May 19 2025
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Classic Elvis. I donβt love everything here but most of itβs very good.
4
May 20 2025
Talking Book
Stevie Wonder
Oh hell yeah this album rules. What a bunch of bangers.
The groove funk on Maybe Your Baby is impeccable. But nothing tops the groove of Superstition.
Revelations for me are Maybe Your Baby, Big Brother (the transition from Superstition to Big Brother whips), and Blame It on the Sun.
I Believe is such a good album closer, man.
5
May 21 2025
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
The riffs are good but I cannot deal with the singing/talking on every track. It just does nothing for me at all and makes the tracks a chore to get through. I could see myself enjoying it more in a different mood maybe, but generally? No thanks.
1
May 22 2025
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
Beautifully aching Americana in this album. Oh My Sweet Carolina hits a sweet spot of longing country and folk/blues.
4
May 23 2025
Sound Affects
The Jam
Sounds like a British 80s band. I didnβt hate it, but it didnβt do a lot for me.
2
Jun 12 2025
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
Crossing punk rock and folk/Irish music is always going to hit a sweet spot with me. And what an album! Great songs from start to finish.
The greatest revelation for me was the track Metropolis. As soon as I heard what was happening, I smiled and said βthis is so cool.β Crossing Irish reels with echoes of orchestral pieces like Powerhouse and similar city/industrial evocations of the big band era, with half-tone movements happening on horns. Very cool piece.
5
Jun 13 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
Very cool album. I don't see myself going back to it too much, but the joyful soundscape created made for a really pleasant listening experience all the way through. Heroes and Villains is probably my top track.
4
Jun 16 2025
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Fascinating bit of soul music. Meanders a bit, but that's rewarding if you just let yourself follow the movement. The singles still stand out to me more than the rest of the tracks, but it's solid.
4
Jun 17 2025
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
This is my era of rock/alternative music. Never heard Oasis's first album before; it's really solid. Good tracks on here that sound quintessentially like Oasis. I really liked Supersonic, Columbia, and Slide Away.
4
Jun 18 2025
Van Halen
Van Halen
Fun stuff from Van Halen. Their debut album is one of those places where, culturally, you can hear a transition to an 80s rock sound starting to happen. It got a little samey for my tastes toward the end (although Ice Cream Man was a nice break-up of the usual sound).
4
Jun 19 2025
Emergency On Planet Earth
Jamiroquai
Cool funk/jazz sound, but isn't really my speed.
2
Jun 20 2025
Stankonia
OutKast
An album full of fun bangers. It's playful throughout while dishing out solid, head-bobbing rap.
5
Jun 23 2025
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
I'm not a big jazz person, but this was a cool album. It feels like a very complete work. The last track felt the best to me.
3
Jun 24 2025
Mothership Connection
Parliament
What a fun album. That is all. Just pure funk and dance vibes.
4
Jun 25 2025
1989
Taylor Swift
This album is incredibly catchy all the way through. I'm really enjoying the non-singles much more than the tracks that were singles, but there's a number of songs I can see myself going back to again and again. Best of the singles for me are probably Style and Bad Blood. Having never listened to the album itself it's much better than I had been anticipating. I think this gets a 5 from me.
Haha, the Jack Antonoff-produced tracks practically struck me in the face with their Jack Antonoff-ness. But I did like them. Standout non-singles. Out of the Woods and I Wish You Would.
5
Jun 26 2025
Floodland
Sisters Of Mercy
First song was enjoyable, but then everything else sounded like it. The only song that switched it up was 1959, which I didn't care for.
2
Jun 27 2025
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
One of the best live albums I've ever heard. Cooke crushes it here, working the crowd and delivering a sizzling performance. Absolutely worth a listen.
5
Jun 30 2025
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
Putting aside the person Kanye has become, this is a great rap album. Not exactly sure how much I'll go back to it, but there's a couple of tracks (Power, for example) that I can't help but put on sometimes.
4
Jul 01 2025
Bryter Layter
Nick Drake
Very much late 60s/early 70s folk. Nick's voice is very pleasant to listen to, and if you don't mind a very "of its time" instrumentation then you'll enjoy this. I thought it was decent.
3
Jul 02 2025
Different Class
Pulp
I dunno about this one. βCommon Peopleβ is a classic, but I donβt vibe with the overall sound of the album. Much of the sound reminds me of New Wave, with a slightly updated poppier feel. Though the sound doesn't work for me, I do appreciate the themes and lyrics of the songs; there's a strong current of pushing up from below, straining against a world built for the wealthy.
2
Jul 03 2025
Quiet Life
Japan
Not doing much for me. There's some cool atmospheric moments on this album, but I don't vibe with the way the lead singer sings and the general sound isn't working for me.
2
Jul 04 2025
Screamadelica
Primal Scream
Music to groove to or zone out to. This is just some solid house music to enjoy; it can be actively listened to or thrown on in the background and each experience will be rewarding in its own way. "Come Together" into "Loaded" is a great two-song combo square in the middle of the album. Solid all the way through.
4
Jul 07 2025
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
25 years on, this album is just as aggressive, transgressive, and fun as it's ever been. I don't think the skits have aged particularly well, but I could listen to almost every other track on here on repeat.
5
Jul 08 2025
A Hard Day's Night
Beatles
Hard not to rate this stone-cold classic a five. It's early Beatles, but honestly? I'm a big fan of early Beatles.
5
Jul 09 2025
Welcome to the Afterfuture
Mike Ladd
Interesting melange of sounds. Fundamentally, the flow is good, and some of the tracks really hit. But I'm not all-in on the avant-garde hip-hop sound. And as it went on it dragged for me. Feels like 2 stars.
2
Jul 10 2025
Shake Your Money Maker
The Black Crowes
Fun album with a few good hits on it. Not an all-time favorite, but an enjoyable listen nonetheless. Has strong blues/southern-rock vibes to it.
4
Jul 11 2025
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Ah man. I don't hate them by any stretch, but I've never been a big Foo Fighters person. I'm trying to give this album an honest go.
But ultimately, most of this just isn't doing anything for me. At least it has Big Me on it, a song I do legitimately like.
2
Jul 14 2025
Sheer Heart Attack
Queen
Queen's theatricality and rock sensibilities on full display. For me, Queen is something to take in small doses, so listening to the entire album is a bit tiring and overwhelming. But there are some good individual tracks - the best discovery for me was probably Dear Friends.
3
Jul 15 2025
Music From Big Pink
The Band
I can't stress how much most of this isn't doing a darn thing for me. I think a lot of it is the singing. I do appreciate The Weight as a classic rock song with a good blues groove. But the rest of the album has given me a headache.
Oh hey a cover of Long Black Veil! That's a good song.
2
Jul 16 2025
Bossanova
Pixies
Fun rock/punk. It feels like a good rock album to have on in the background as you do other things. Nothing stands out hugely, but the vibes of the album are very good.
3
Jul 17 2025
One World
John Martyn
I'm enjoying this more than I thought I might based on the opening track. That track, "Dealer," didn't do much for me, in part because I didn't like Martyn's singing style on it. However, there's some chill jazz grooves on the remainder of the album, and Smiling Stranger is really good proto-trip hop.
The final track, "Small Hours," feels like something straight off of a Sigur Ros album.
3
Jul 18 2025
Mama's Gun
Erykah Badu
I'm not a huge soul person, but so far I appreciate the big sounds of this album. The first track really hits you with the dynamics. You definitely get the funk/jazz sounds from this album. I don't love it, but it's certainly a strong representative of its genre. I enjoy "In Love With You." Good duet.
2
Jul 21 2025
Madman Across The Water
Elton John
Strong opening to this album with Tiny Dancer and Levon. I enjoy Elton John's style, and this album is full of it. I saw the album described as done in a prog rock style, and I can hear it, especially in Madman Across the Water. Second half of the album didn't do as much for me, although "All the Nasties" was decent.
3
Jul 22 2025
In Rainbows
Radiohead
Yep, this is definitely Radiohead. Thereβs always a few tracks off of their albums that click for me. I think this will need to be a repeat-listen album, because right now this is 3 stars, but I could see it going up as I get more familiar.
3
Jul 23 2025
Signing Off
UB40
Whole album sort of ran together for me. Not bad, but felt pretty forgettable.
2
Jul 24 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
I've never listened to this album all the way through, and it really is full of bangers. War Pigs, Paranoid, and Iron Man being three of the first four tracks is just an absurd packaging of great tracks, and the fourth of those tracks, Planet Caravan, is a terrific tonal switch to keep things interesting and stop the sounds from running together.
Really solid album.
4
Jul 25 2025
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
Cool jazz album. Very much of the big band singer era. Sarah Vaughan's voice is warm and just slightly smokey. Her sound is exceptional. This isn't an every day album, but if you're in the mood for some singing in the lines of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan certainly delivers.
4
Jul 28 2025
Automatic For The People
R.E.M.
YES! I love R.E.M. These songs are, for the most part, melancholy and bittersweet, and I've loved this album for 20+ years. It was a treat to revisit it.
5
Jul 29 2025
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
Really excited to have gone from R.E.M. to this album. Two incredible albums back-to-back. I love the minimalized sound of this album, and the lyrics are aching. This is the album of working people trying to make their way in a world that is often against them.
5
Jul 30 2025
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Cool jazz. Iconic. But not my personal style of music.
3
Jul 31 2025
Home Is Where The Music Is
Hugh Masekela
You get a real jazz/funk fusion vibe from this album. It's neat, but I still am not a big jazz person, and many of the tracks ran together for me. It's a fine vibe, but not usually the mood I'm going for when I put on music.
2
Aug 01 2025
Live 1966 (The Royal Albert Hall Concert)
Bob Dylan
The background about this album is fascinating, so it was good to listen through knowing the controversies and the way the audience reacted. It's a sort of window into mid-60s culture and the changes happening at that time.
As to the sound itself, it's all solid early Dylan. The acoustic set is pleading and folky, while the electric set is raucous. I do think I would've been better served listening to the album in pieces rather than straight through, as at some point I got a bit tired of it.
3
Aug 04 2025
Surf's Up
The Beach Boys
I feel like this album misses the arrangements of Brian Wilson. And though the themes are darker and more serious than early Beach Boys, that does not by itself make this album great. Honestly, for me, this album is fine at best. Lyrically, a lot of the songs feel weak to me, and the harmonies just aren't as robust as they are with Wilson.
2
Aug 05 2025
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Cool album. The singles stand out, of course, but I had never heard "Today," and I quite enjoyed it (though apparently it was a college radio staple back in the day! I wasn't aware of that).
Embryonic Journey was also a cool folksy instrumental. I'd listen to that track again for sure.
4
Aug 06 2025
Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Having now listened to one of Nick Drake's other albums, this is obviously very reminiscent of that. Nick Drake sounds like Nick Drake. However, I do appreciate the more stripped-back sound of this album. It's more intimate, and it makes the songs feel more like themselves, if that makes any sense.
3
Aug 07 2025
Movies
Holger Czukay
Well, that was an experience. Wasn't sure what I was listening to until I checked the Wiki on this. It's cool that Holger was one of the first people to mess around with sampling, but the album doesn't do a lot for me. Coolest track was probably Persian Love, as the use of the sampled singing was enjoyable, and the soundscapes built around it were interesting.
2