226
Albums Rated
3.46
Average Rating
21%
Complete
863 albums remaining
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Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
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Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
37
5-Star Albums
4
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Paris 1919
John Cale
|
5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
|
Will The Circle Be Unbroken
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Heartattack And Vine
Tom Waits
|
5 | 3.07 | +1.93 |
|
Golden Hour
Kacey Musgraves
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
|
5 | 3.18 | +1.82 |
|
The Predator
Ice Cube
|
5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
|
1989
Taylor Swift
|
5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
|
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector
Various Artists
|
5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
|
Nebraska
Bruce Springsteen
|
5 | 3.32 | +1.68 |
|
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables
Dead Kennedys
|
1 | 3.26 | -2.26 |
|
Drunk
Thundercat
|
1 | 3.12 | -2.12 |
|
Real Life
Magazine
|
1 | 3.06 | -2.06 |
|
Hunky Dory
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.99 | -1.99 |
|
The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
|
1 | 2.72 | -1.72 |
|
Young Americans
David Bowie
|
2 | 3.62 | -1.62 |
|
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
|
2 | 3.48 | -1.48 |
|
Aja
Steely Dan
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
|
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
|
2 | 3.47 | -1.47 |
|
War
U2
|
2 | 3.46 | -1.46 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beatles | 4 | 5 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 4 | 5 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| The Beach Boys | 2, 5 |
5-Star Albums (37)
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Popular Reviews
Sam Cooke · 2 likes
5/5
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.
Coldplay · 1 likes
5/5
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).
R.E.M. · 1 likes
5/5
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.
The Fall · 1 likes
1/5
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.
Bee Gees · 1 likes
3/5
Odd album to see on here. There were a few good tracks, and a number of songs that I'd like to hear covered by other artists because I don't care for the Bee Gees singing style on all songs (it just doesn't fit a lot of the slower tracks).
1-Star Albums (4)
All Ratings
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
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.
Eagles
3/5
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.
The Temptations
4/5
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.
The Who
2/5
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.
Coldplay
5/5
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).
U2
2/5
I liked Sunday, Bloody Sunday, but every other song slid right off me. It sounded too samey across the album.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
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.
Steely Dan
2/5
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.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Fun little bit of synth-pop. Had a few catchy tunes but it lost me pretty quickly.
David Bowie
4/5
Very cool album and one of the greatest final albums by an artist ever. I don’t love everything but it’s solid for sure and I should go back and listen to Lazarus more.
Gillian Welch
3/5
Very cool bluegrass album. Pretty languid though; I wanted more variance in the tone and pace.
Elvis Presley
4/5
Classic Elvis. I don’t love everything here but most of it’s very good.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
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.
The Fall
1/5
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.
Ryan Adams
4/5
Beautifully aching Americana in this album. Oh My Sweet Carolina hits a sweet spot of longing country and folk/blues.
The Jam
2/5
Sounds like a British 80s band. I didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do a lot for me.
The Pogues
5/5
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 “this is so cool.” 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.
Brian Wilson
4/5
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.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
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.
Oasis
4/5
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.
Van Halen
4/5
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).
Jamiroquai
2/5
Cool funk/jazz sound, but isn't really my speed.
OutKast
5/5
An album full of fun bangers. It's playful throughout while dishing out solid, head-bobbing rap.
John Coltrane
3/5
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.
Parliament
4/5
What a fun album. That is all. Just pure funk and dance vibes.
Taylor Swift
5/5
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.
Sisters Of Mercy
2/5
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.
Sam Cooke
5/5
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.
Kanye West
4/5
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.
Nick Drake
3/5
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.
Pulp
2/5
I dunno about this one. “Common People” is a classic, but I don’t 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.
Japan
2/5
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.
Primal Scream
4/5
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.
Eminem
5/5
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.
Beatles
5/5
Hard not to rate this stone-cold classic a five. It's early Beatles, but honestly? I'm a big fan of early Beatles.
Mike Ladd
2/5
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.
The Black Crowes
4/5
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.
Foo Fighters
2/5
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.
Queen
3/5
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.
The Band
2/5
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.
Pixies
3/5
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.
John Martyn
3/5
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.
Erykah Badu
2/5
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.
Elton John
3/5
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.
Radiohead
3/5
Yep, this is definitely Radiohead. There’s 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.
UB40
2/5
Whole album sort of ran together for me. Not bad, but felt pretty forgettable.
Black Sabbath
4/5
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.
Sarah Vaughan
4/5
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.
R.E.M.
5/5
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.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
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.
Miles Davis
3/5
Cool jazz. Iconic. But not my personal style of music.
Hugh Masekela
2/5
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.
3/5
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.
The Beach Boys
2/5
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.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
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.
Nick Drake
3/5
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.
Holger Czukay
2/5
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.
Magazine
1/5
Another album where I find the singing incredibly grating. It distracts me from both the lyrics and the instrumentation. I gave the album an honest go and listened to the whole thing, it's just not for me, I think.
Joni Mitchell
4/5
I'm liking the folk singer-songwriter sound of this. And importantly, the sound feels modern; there are a few tracks where the instrumentation places it firmly in the 70s, but many of these songs feel like they could've been produced today.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Classic outlaw country; this is a great live album due to the reaction and energy of the crowd. "Flushed from the Bathroom of Your Heart" is a genuinely amusing track.
Brian Eno
2/5
The experimental nature of this album is neat, but a lot of the sounds just aren't to my taste. I might re-listen to this later, but for now it's just too much noise.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Yessss more Springsteen. Great album, great songs. The high-energy songs like Badlands are stadium-rocking classics, but I've really found an appreciation for the slower tracks on this one, things like Racing in the Streets.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I've never listened to much Costello outside of his singles. This is a fun and careening pop album. I can see where fans dig into his sounds and lyrics. Not sure that I'm fully a fan yet, but I appreciate what this album has going on.
The Beach Boys
5/5
What a great album; the compositions are what make me want to listen to tracks again and again. My sentimental favorite will probably always be Sloop John B, but God Only Knows, You Still Believe in Me, and Wouldn't It Be Nice are all fantastic tracks.
David Bowie
3/5
This album feels more accessible than Black Star, but it also isn't doing much for me. It's distinctly Bowie, but also feels aggressively "fine."
Bee Gees
3/5
Odd album to see on here. There were a few good tracks, and a number of songs that I'd like to hear covered by other artists because I don't care for the Bee Gees singing style on all songs (it just doesn't fit a lot of the slower tracks).
3/5
What a wild album. It's like it initially breaks in your ears with pure chaotic noise before moving through some more seemingly "composed" sounding pieces that move between jazz and chaos.
I also switched to headphone halfway through, right about the time the album shifts slightly, and that helped immensely to enjoy the base and drums rhythms under the saxophones riffing. I don't know if I'll go back to this album, but I'm glad it exists and I'm glad I gave it a listen.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
Neat little blues album. Layla still feels like the standout, but there's some good blues jams on here. Key to the Highway and Thorn Tree in the Garden were my key discoveries here.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Heavy album, very intense. In ways it feels very of its time, but I do still enjoy a lot of this album. The industrial "wall of sound" vibe informs so much stuff that came after this album.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
I’ve been in a rap/hip-hop mood lately, so this hits at exactly the right time. Intense, thudding production behind raps that still hold up. You can practically measure the timeline of rap by if an album came before or after this one.
Stan Getz
4/5
Enjoyed the vibes of this album. Just cool, relaxing bossa nova jazz. You can actively listen and enjoy, but it's also a great album to just have on in the background.
Burning Spear
3/5
Reggae! Never heard this before, but it's got a good groove to it. This is reggae that feels definitively reggae, not too commercial, just sounding like itself. Themes of social injustice and spirituality weave throughout.
CHVRCHES
4/5
Very good album. I already enjoy CHVRCHES and was a fan of The Mother We Share, but hadn't heard the rest of this album. Strong tracks throughout, though I will always prefer the ones with Lauren Mayberry doing lead vocals (thankfully that's most of them).
Radiohead
4/5
This was a nice, easy one to listen to. Another album where I've enjoyed singles from it for years, but never listened to the full album. I was pleased by how well all the songs fit together and transitioned one to the next. The music feels melancholy, almost aching, with lyrics that are shockingly relevant right now. As AI alienates more people I can see this album's relevance only increasing.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Solid pop album that lets you see the bridge from 70s pop sounds to Jackson’s later albums. Some good hits on here, but also a few tracks that lost me.
John Prine
4/5
Good country/folk album. The lyrics have a Dylan-esque quality to them; I could see going back to a few tracks on here.
Laura Nyro
3/5
Though the sound is squarely 60's, I can hear so much modern signer-songwriter in this. It's remarkable to listen to. I get very strong Tori Amos vibes from several of the tracks.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Album is much more straightforward than The Velvet Underground and Nico. I think I like that album more overall; the production on this album being more subdued is fine, but I don't love it. There's some solid tracks here, like What Goes On and Pale Blue Eyes. Lyrically the album is as good as anything else by TVU. There's even a decent prog track here in the form of The Murder Mystery. After Hours is a very sweet album closer. I thing this is an album that's easy to like but hard for me to love.
The Black Keys
4/5
Cool album. I knew the singles but not the rest. The slightly grungy rock-blues vibe is very good across the whole album. Just a good album to throw on and groove to.
Nick Drake
3/5
The generator really wanted to give me all three Nick Drake albums before I hit 80 albums in total in the project. Wild. Well, this IS more Nick Drake. It's good; my favorite song on the album is probably Day Is Done. Of the three albums, my favorite is probably either Pink Moon or Bryter Layter, leaning towards Pink Moon. None of it bowls me over, but I do think it's reasonably good, forward-looking folk.
Suede
3/5
First time listening to any Suede. I like the first track! Overall I like the sound and the riffs throughout, though the album does lose me somewhat in the back half.
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
This one was okay. Couple of tracks got me into it, but I also feel like ti generally went on too long. Nothing really switched up the tone for me, so it all ended up blending together.
Nirvana
5/5
Heck yeah, GREAT album. Back-to-front great. The first half of the album is the most recognizable and still feels the strongest, but the back half still has some great tracks that I've grown to appreciate more over the years.
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
Another album I've loved for a long time. Every track is a banger. Bombtrack is a great opener, and Freedom is a solid closer. I also think Township Rebellion is a sleeper great track.
George Harrison
4/5
This is a good one. Probably my favorite of the ex-Beatle solo projects. It feels expansive, forward-looking, and fun. In contract I find some other Beatle solo-work to be a bit too navel-gazing. This is definitely one to revisit. The spirituality of the album isn't smothering, but rather feels genuinely positive and welcoming.
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
Interesting bossa nova album. Some good tracks, mostly chill vibes throughout. Bebel Gilberto's voice is excellent for this and really lends a cool flare to the entire album.
The Dictators
4/5
Sort of a junk food album, but you know what? Junk food is good sometimes. That's how this album feels. You can see punk coming out of it. It's not the most amazing music in the world, but the attitude, humor, and fun totally sell it.
Belle & Sebastian
4/5
Good sound, the vocals are very 60's folk. You can hear where later indie bands would be inspired by this sound. It definitely scratches an itch of indie-folk-pop that I enjoy.
David Bowie
4/5
Is it weird that the synth-instrumentals on the back half of this album might be my favorite part of it? Of course the title track, Heroes, is iconic and a great song. But the things that made me sit up and take notice were Sense of Doubt going into Moss Garden. Ah, and Neukoln continues it. I'm sure these are not the most popular tracks, but I'm really enjoying the the soundscapes they're creating. I also enjoyed The Secret Life of Arabia.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
This album is a jauntier and more fun pop album than I was expecting. It's catchy and an enjoyable listen. Didn't realize "Without You" and "Coconut" were from this album. Those are certainly iconic tracks!
Baaba Maal
4/5
So far this album is very cool. The riffs and instrumentation are great, and I really like Baaba's singing.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
Classic album. Maybe it's because I've heard plenty of CSN, but as good as the album is it doesn't do a lot for me anymore; it's pleasant to listen to, but doesn't evoke a deep desire to tune in and enjoy.
ZZ Top
4/5
Fun album! Lots of hits here, and even the other tracks are fun bops. There's some stuff that I think lyrically isn't great, like "TV Dinners," but the whole vibe of the album is enjoyable.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSS. God this album rules. Every track is fantastic, and some, like The Chain, are on my personal list of greatest songs ever recorded. This is an all-time great album and likely to be one of my absolute favorites of the entire project.
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
Fun album, but feels a bit samey as it progresses. The singles are good, but most of the rest of the album is aggressively "fine."
The Libertines
3/5
This album was a pretty good punk album, especially for something more modern. It didn't bowl me over, but it was fun and easy to listen to.
Randy Newman
3/5
Randy Newman sounds like he's writing songs for a musical that doesn't exist.
Billie Holiday
4/5
Crooner jazz as only Billie Holiday could deliver it. Her gift as a singer is on display here, though her voice has lost some of its earlier beauty. However, that translates in practice to a melancholy delivery of these ballads that suits them incredibly well.
Santana
3/5
Fun, largely instrumental, seventies rock with Mexican guitar flair.
Yes
4/5
I'm not always a prog rock guy, but this album is pretty cool. Biggest discovery for me was Yes's cover of America, which I thought was really well done; they took that song in a completely new direction musically and it sounded awesome.
Talking Heads
2/5
I enjoy Talking Heads later stuff, but I got tired of this album quickly. Felt samey across the whole album. The standout was Take Me to the River.
Django Django
4/5
I’m enjoying this more than I thought I might. Some legitimately fun bops here.
Orange Juice
2/5
It’s not terrible, but this really isn’t for me.
Sade
4/5
Cool album; Smooth Operator is an all-time R&B jam. This has a smooth blues feeling to it.
Fela Kuti
3/5
Interesting afrobeat/jazz album. However, I'm not sure I'm into the added 16 minutes drum duet. Whatever you need to have inside you to appreciate that, I don't have it.
Nightmares On Wax
3/5
Pretty cool atmospheric album. I think it’s about 5 tracks too long, though.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Another banger Springsteen album. Definitely his biggest, most well-known album. It's primarily arena rock, but every track is great. My personal favorite is "I'm Going Down," but there really isn't a weak spot in the whole album.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
Fun listen, and a couple really good tracks on here. My favorite is probably Earth People. It does start to wear thin after a while, but overall decent.
Nina Simone
5/5
I was in the middle of Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair when I knew this was a five star album. I realized I knew of Nina Simone but hadn’t really listened to her, and her voice absolutely blew me away. Just some of the held notes absolutely sold me on her artistry and this album’s merit. I got the same feeling listening to this as I have listening to Bing Crosby: I’d listen just for the voice.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Pure punk. Anarchic lyrics and fun grooves throughout. Cool album, even if it's not completely my jam.
Sebadoh
3/5
Sounds like 90s indy/grunge/garage rock. While I generally like that sound, some of it was too discordant to me, or just uninteresting. There were a few really good tracks though, in particular: Soul and Fire, and Think (Let Tomorrow Bee).
Soundgarden
5/5
Strong album. I had forgotten how much I enjoy the tracks (particularly the singles) off of this one. It's a pure hit of grunge nostalgia for me all the way through.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
This one has surprised me with how much I've enjoyed it. Really liked (Drawing) Rings Around the World, It's Not the End of the World?, and No Sympathy. But all of it is pretty solid.
Pixies
3/5
I don't always love the Pixies, but there's some good tracks here. Some of the known singles are enjoyable, and generally I think their rock riffs are strong. OK, wait, Silver is great. Making a Western/country song for this album is out of left field but really, really cool. Overall, feels like a decent-to-good middle of the road album for me.
3/5
Interesting album. I was familiar with The Cisco Kid, but nothing else. Progressive funk/jazz which is cool to groove to. I didn't love it, but I did find it an impressive work.
Venom
2/5
The lyrics are a bit cringey, but maybe that's because they're the genesis of so much black metal aesthetic. Music overall was fine but I couldn't help but largely find the songs almost parody-like in their content.
Dwight Yoakam
4/5
Reminds me of the country music I would listen to with my dad as a kid, during the heyday of Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson. I don't remember the name Dwight Yoakam, but I'm sure I heard some of his songs on country radio then, too. Even though I don't recognize any songs on this album, it induces a sort of nostalgia in me.
I enjoyed the album. The first track, "I Got You," feels the most like a standard country radio hit, a love song layered with wry humor. The album gets darker until it hits Buenas Noches from a Lonely Room, a murder ballad. It's a good song. I liked the sound of I Sang Dixie even if I don't think it holds up quite as well as a social commentary anymore. Generally positive on this album.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Love how chill this album is, which feels embodied in the well-loved single Can I Kick It?, which is still a great track. I also really dug the fun weirdness of Ham 'N' Eggs.
Hole
4/5
I liked this album more than I thought I would. I was familiar with Celebrity Skin and Malibu, both of which I think are decent tracks, but I was pleasantly surprised by the first four tracks of the album as a set. Favorite songs that were new to me are Awful and Northern Star. I might put Awful in my general rotation of favorite singles.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
An iconic album. It's not my absolute favorite, but it's hard to give this album anything less than 4 stars.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Cool album, feels very jazz-inspired. You can also feel what a deeply personal album this is for Kendrick; it's both self-reflective and a meditation on the world he came up in. The tracks are full of bits and pieces of black American music, and on top of that you can really hear how talented Kendrick is as a rapper. Favorite tracks here are King Kunta, Hood Politics, The Blacker the Berry, and i.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Good album. Some notable singles on here. The Rolling Stones are classic, but not everything about their sound does it for me. Lady Jane and Out of Time were my positive discoveries from this one.
Beck
4/5
This was enjoyable. Understandably mellow throughout, considering its subject matter of heartache and loss. Lost Cause is still probably my favorite track, but the whole album is easy to listen to.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Another classic Springsteen album. The arena-rockers are all here, but there's really something to be said for songs like Meeting Across the River. Hard for me to add anything else; this is a rock classic in my household.
John Cale
5/5
What a pleasant surprise! Might be my favorite new finding of the over 100 albums I’ve listened to for this project so far. The music is tightly composed, yet often almost whimsical, and fun to listen to throughout. The lyrics are those of a storyteller, and each song seems to transport you to a specific time and place. There’s also a wry humor to the whole thing. I really enjoyed this one and will absolutely be coming back to it. I think the title track (and one or two others) may even make my regular favorites rotation.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
I enjoyed this one much more than I expected. Just some good vibing R&B. The way Joan's voice works with the instrumentation is sublime.
Beatles
5/5
Classic album. Almost every track is gold. Gotta be a 5.
Goldfrapp
2/5
This album seems...fine? Like the music is alright, but nothing to write home about. Sort of catchy but also feels pretty forgettable.
David Bowie
2/5
The album is good, but it may be time for me to admit to myself that I'm just not a huge Bowie fan. Most of his music doesn't do a lot for me.
William Orbit
2/5
This was what electronica sounded like in the early 90s. That’s all I’ve got. It was fine.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Incredible voice from an iconic performer. This has some of her most well-known hits on it. Very good album.
David Bowie
2/5
More Bowie. I could never deny the craftsmanship of Bowie's music, but I'm just not that into him (I think mostly due to his singing style).
2/5
It's Yes. It's prog rock. If you like prog rock, you'll like this, and if you don't you won't.
In all seriousness, I think I liked side 2's "And You and I" more than side 1's "Close to the Edge." But prog rock is really hit-and-miss for me.
Fiona Apple
3/5
Cool album. Fiona Apple has a real talent for channeling angst, uncertainty, and anger into music. I was only really familiar with Criminal; my favorite discoveries off this album were Sleep to Dream and Never Is a Promise.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
I enjoyed this one. British hip-hop certainly has its own sound, and it was fascinating to hear one of the early progenitors of that sound. Not all of the tracks hit for me, but I enjoyed the ones that did. The samples are for the most part very sparse and focused on the rhythms, which feel aggressive and choppy.
Miriam Makeba
5/5
What a voice! This is the reason I’m doing this project; discovering artists I was previously unaware of who charm me with their talent and music. Makeba’s soulful take on African folk music is captivating. I don’t own or collect vinyl, but this album made me think “I want to own this on vinyl.”
Simple Minds
2/5
This was alright. Favorite here was probably Glittering Prize. In my (simple) mind this is sort of what all early-to-mid-80s music sounds like. I think that speaks more to it being highly influential than to it being derivative.
Björk
4/5
I don't know if this album is as strong as her later albums, but it's definitely cool. Human Behavior, Big Time Sensuality, Violently Happy...there are some real hits in here, and Björk is very good at being playful with the album's production and the club-inspired sounds of the songs. I really like the production choices on songs like There Is More to Life Than This; you get the sense of Björk singing right at you, and the end feels like you're walking out of a club whose party is still raging. I think Björk, albums, generally, are just easy to listen to AS ALBUMS. You can just play them and let them wash over you.
5/5
Another classic Beatles album. You can really get a sense of the art pop/prog rock sound being formed. But the best thing about the album is how eclectic it is; the sounds really move between a crazy variety of sounds, influences, and themes. This album also fully plays in the space of "themes that just were not explored in pop music at the time" (She's Leaving Home is a great example of this).
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
Album was better than I was expecting it to be. I'm not generally big on the post-Beatles solo projects of any Beatles members, but I found swaths of this album to be fun, jazzy, and strangely catchy. The lyrics weren't always on par with the sound, but I couldn't resist the grungy production of Let Me Roll It or the energy of Jet. I do think the album drops off a bit after Mamunia though.
Destiny's Child
3/5
Plenty of bops on this album. Unfortunately I'm not a huge fan of 90s R&B. That said, the first several tracks are a heck of a run of songs; the album just sort of blends together for me after that. The gospel song near the end is a nice refresher. Plenty of talent on display here, and even with me not loving the general style it earns a reasonable rating based purely on those early tracks.
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
5/5
It may be a long album, but it's chock-full of great bluegrass. I tend to prefer the instrumentals here to the songs with lyrics, but even so you get some good lyrical songs like the titular Will the Circle Be Unbroken. I don't think this is an album you listen to straight through in the normal sense of an album; I think this is one to take in bits and pieces, enjoying as you go.
Cream
4/5
Some classics on here, and you can feel the blues-to-psychadelia happening throughout the album. Generally a good listen straight through.
The Strokes
3/5
Good sound, a classic album of the early-to-mid 2000s. I admit the whole thing runs together a bit for me, though. Not one I see myself going back to frequently, but good enough.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Perfectly fine album. Doesn't feature any of the KoL songs I know, but I liked the general tone of the songs.
2Pac
4/5
Great album to jog along to. 2Pac’s flow feels so good against these beats, even if the whole project feels perhaps a touch self-absorbed.
Talking Heads
2/5
Talking Heads are very hit-or-miss for me; the opening two tracks were musically interesting and were things I was happy to listen to. But then we got into what I consider the “usual” sound of the Talking Heads: David Byrne drone-talk-singing over music that does just enough to drown out any attempt to understand what he’s actually saying. And that just doesn’t work for me. This almost inches to 3 stars just for the first two tracks and the final track…but the middle is just too Talking Heads for my tastes.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
What a great album. Tracy brings a beautiful soulfulness to her folk music and creates something that feels profound. Of course Fast Car is an all-time great song, but you also get Across the Lines and Mountains o' Things, among others. When one of your two weakest songs is Talkin' 'bout a Revolution, a song I genuinely like (the other being Why?, maybe the only miss on the album), then you've done really well.
The Killers
4/5
Really good album. Lots of strong singles that I remember from high school and college came off of this one. I don’t absolutely love it because it gets a bit samey in the middle for me, but it’s strong. Biggest revelation on listening was Andy, You’re a Star; I wasn’t aware of this song before and it caught me off-guard with how much I enjoyed it.
CHIC
2/5
Ok but actually why is this album included on this project? It’s not awful, but it’s basically just disco. I guess maybe they needed an emblematic disco album? Also, At Last I Am Free was genuinely annoying.
The Bees
3/5
This is a weird one. It’s certainly interesting, and initially I really didn’t care for it. But as I listened it grew on me a little.
Various Artists
5/5
Heck yeah, what a great Christmas album. One of the very few “essential” Christmas albums in my opinion.
The Cure
3/5
This was fine; didn't love it, didn't hate it. There were a few good surprises on the album for me; The Hanging Garden specifically was very enjoyable.
Queen Latifah
4/5
Fun album! Very distinct late-80s hip-hop. Latifah has a good flow. My only issue is a I think some of the tracks just go on a little too long. Highlights are Latifah's Law and Ladies First.
Metallica
2/5
I thought I’d like this album more than I did. You can tell Metallica are talented, and they make sure to mix it up in their songs so that the riffs don’t get stale. It’s this close to being prog metal. But unfortunately for the most part that doesn’t do a lot for me.
Doves
2/5
Most of this sounded samey and droning. A few tracks at the end caught my attention, but overall I felt like I had nothing to latch onto when listening to this album.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Good album, but so strange to see an album with multiple covers of songs that are better known by other artists. The Isley Brothers did a commendable job with them, it just struck me as odd. You do get to hear That Lady, which is a classic.
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Cool world music. Great rhythms, just an enjoyable background listen for me.
Television
4/5
This is an interesting one; to my ear this album sounds like a midway point between The Velvet Underground and The Strokes. I'll have to give it a few more listens to really find my footing with it, but my initial impression is that I do like it. The interplay of the riffs between various instruments combined with the slightly esoteric lyrics give it a vibe that makes it feel more modern than it actually is. It's a cool album.
The Stone Roses
4/5
I really enjoyed most of this album. Felt like proto-Oasis in its sound. This is one that may deserve multiple listens, and that I could see wanting to bump up to a 5 later. The guitars and the riffs did it for me on most tracks, but honestly the track that may have sold me was the 0:53 track Elizabeth My Dear, which used the Scarborough Fair melody.
Can
2/5
Its prog rock. It's mostly instrumental. The tracks get progressively longer. It's fine. Did I mention it's prog rock?
3/5
It was fine. I think I prefer early Bowie and very end Bowie to most of his middle stuff.
Rush
3/5
Pretty good. Tom Sawyer is still a stand-out track. The rest is very prog rock, which I’m not always high on, but there are a few tracks (especially the last one) which I could see myself coming back to.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
A fine album, but it is shocking that Nevermind lost to it in Spin's albums of the year in 1991. There's some parts that are good, and I like the sound of 90s rock/alt, but it also didn't stand out in any amazing way.
The Smiths
4/5
Good album! I've never really listened to The Smiths, but there were multiple tracks where I really enjoyed the dark humor and 80s pop-rock vibes. I'll be revisiting Girlfriend in a Coma and at least a few other songs.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Album was decent. I like the 90s rock sound, but it didn't blow me away by any means. Lots of the songs ran together. I did like the lead singers vocals, though.
Van Halen
4/5
Fun album, but the best part of it are the rock riffs. I've always found the lyrics of VH to be fun if you're in the right mood, but pretty juvenile if you're not. That stayed true here. Still, this album has a lot of their hits, and there's something to that.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Classic rock album. I hadn't really given the whole thing a listen before, and it really is solid all the way through. Plus you get classic like Ramble On and Whole Lotta Love. Listening to Robert Plan use his voice more like an instrument than for lyric delivery is fascinating. Good stuff.
Ice Cube
5/5
Great album. This is a combination of really hard beats with equally hard lyrics. Cube combines chest-thumping with socially conscious lyrics in a series of bangers. Oddly, It Was a Good Day may be one of my less-favorite tracks on the album, despite being easily the most popular broadly. My personal favorite track is probably When Will They Shoot?, which I may put in regular rotation.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
OK. We all know this album has a reputation. It's weird. It feels like listening to Tom Waits in the middle of a bad trip. It's out there and lyrically bizarre and the music is all discordant and arhythmic etc. etc.
But you know what? This album IS cool. I can listen and I can hear the Tom Waits in it. I can hear some Nick Cave, and some DEVO, and so many other bits and pieces of groups that were influenced by this album. There are even a few tracks I actually liked, whether because the music clicked for me or I just thought what Beefheart and Co. were doing was genuinely funny. I'm not saying that right now I want to rush back to listen again, or to proselytize to the world about how awesome it is. But I think, at least a little bit, that I got it.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
I understand why this album is on here, but ultimately it’s not for me. Everything about it was aggressively “fine” and it all ran together.
Prince
4/5
I don't love everything on this album, but the songs that are great are truly iconic. "Purple Rain" has to be one of the greatest album closing tracks of all time.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
I love this album. This has some of their most iconic songs and it feels like a culmination of the S&G sound. It's great all the way through.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Good album, with some fun funk jams. Most of it isn't entirely my speed, and I feel cheated by being so burnt out on the chorus of Everyday People because of its commercial use.
Big Brother & The Holding Company
3/5
Fun album, although the best track in my opinion is still the single everyone knows, Piece of My Heart. I also couldn't help but notice on some of the softer tracks/quieter parts that Janis Joplin starts to sound like Marge Simpson. And then I couldn't get that out of head.
Anyway, this album was perfectly good, but I didn't love it.
Laibach
2/5
Interesting album. There were a few tracks I was really sold on...but then there were a few too many tracks that were just German speech over some noise. I wanted a little more thumping in this industrial album.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
This album surprised me, in part because I'm just not a big Mr. Blue Sky fan. But I found several of the other sections intriguing; the sound gave me a mix of David Bowie and Pink Floyd. It was a little prog rock and a healthy mix of pop. Individual track highlights for me include Jungle, and then the run of songs from Standin' in the Rain up to Mr. Blue Sky. Again, Mr. Blue Sky might be one of least favorite tracks on the album...but the rest of the album made me appreciate it a little bit more.
Dire Straits
4/5
Som really solid tracks on here, plus a few I wasn’t familiar with that I enjoyed, like The Man’s Too Strong. Brothers in Arms is also a terrific closer. Album lost me a little bit in the middle though.
Saint Etienne
2/5
This album was fine. It's early 90s club music. That's about it. I enjoy club music well enough but this didn't exactly blow me away.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Fascinating album. It's not for me, but I'm extremely glad it's on this list. Experiencing these kinds of albums is important and educational.
The Byrds
4/5
Fascinating country album. Very much in the style of classic country, although you can hear some 70s country-rock coming out of it. There were several good tracks; You Ain't Goin Nowhere and pretty Boy Floyd were probably my tops (if you don't count Pretty Polly, which was from the extended re-release of the album).
Garbage
4/5
This was good! There were more tracks that I recognized off of this album than I was expecting. Solid grunge/alt rock, but not all-time good.
Coldplay
4/5
Good album from Coldplay, but not my f as favorite. I think Yellow, Trouble, and Spies carry it. The other tracks are decent but Rush of Blood to the Head feels like a more complete album that was the evolution of the sound they were aiming for here.
Aimee Mann
3/5
Cool album. First couple of tracks in particular stood out to me. I like Aimee’s voice on the more folksy/country tracks generally.
Daft Punk
4/5
I really enjoy Daft Punk, and I went back-and-forth on whether this album was four or five stars. Ultimately I settled on 4; this still sounds like Daft Punk finding their footing with their sound. Some tracks are classic dance mixes, and others sound like generic club songs without much personality.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Very good album; Lupe puts out educated lyrics that are both fantastical and socially conscious. I wish his hooks were a little better, but the lyrics almost make up for that. However, nice as it is to see Lupe express his gratitude to those who helped him, I didn't really need a 12 minute shout-out track to end the album.
Beatles
5/5
Classic album, lots of beloved tracks. Not my personal favorite of the Beatles catalogue, but it's hard to deny how good it is from a song-writing and production standpoint, and "not my favorite" when it comes to the Beatles usually still means a 5 star album.
Queen
4/5
Very good album. Some classics on here, with the most obvious being Bohemian Rhapsody. I'm not the biggest fan of "Your My Best Friend," but I did discover "'39," which I liked. Seaside Rendezvous was also a fun one.
Rocket From The Crypt
2/5
Retro-sounding punk in the 90's. Wasn't horrible, but didn't do much for me.
Klaxons
3/5
This was alright. Numerous catchy songs, but they did all sort of run together after a little bit. I'm realizing I don't have much more to say about this. So yeah, it was alright.
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Another album that makes me wonder why it’s here. It isn’t BAD by any stretch; I actually enjoyed a good bit of it. But it was ultimately unremarkable. Fun mid-late 00’s indie rock, and that’s about it.
Dire Straits
4/5
Cool album. Sultans of Swing is a classic, and the rest of the album has a vibe that evokes a mix of blues and some of the 70s country-rock of the Eagles. Not my favorite Dire Straits album, but still enjoyable.
OutKast
4/5
Really solid. Lots of variance, and as a double-album there's just so much to dig into if you want to do so. I probably slightly prefer Speakerboxxx overall, but both "albums" have plenty of bangers. Best surprises for me were probably Tomb of the Boom and Last Call.
The Zombies
4/5
Solid. Really enjoyed Changes, and of course the singles/tracks people know are already classics. I liked the range of sounds The Zombies brought into this album.
The Smiths
3/5
I expected to like this more than I actually did. I enjoy The Smiths sardonic lyrics, but musically this just didn't hit me the way I was hoping for.
Snoop Dogg
5/5
Fun album with lots of bangers. The run of Murder Was the Case, Serial Killa, and Who Am I (What's My Name)? is an all-time great series of hip-hop tracks.
The Young Rascals
3/5
This album was fine. Nothing jumped out at me in either a positive or negative way. I don't love Groovin' as a single, but it's also just kinda fine.
Paul Simon
4/5
In my head this sits at a 4.5. It's really good; Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard almost puts it at 5 by itself, and the whole first half of the album is great. The album loses me just a little in the back half, although I still think that section is decent. Ironically, in hearing some of the added demo versions of songs like Duncan, I actually like the demos more, which makes me think slightly less of the official album version. So we're settling on a 4.
Prince
2/5
My feelings on Prince tracks are as varied as the tracks themselves. I really appreciate the variety that he throws in here, and in general I liked many of the slower tracks, but there are definitely several songs on this album that completely lost me. And it’s a pretty long album. The highlight for me was probably the title track.
Cocteau Twins
3/5
Reasonably enjoyable album. It felt more like an album you'd have on in the background than one to actively listen to, even though I did actively listen to the entire thing. Perhaps it was because I couldn't understand most of the lyrics, as from a production standpoint the singing blends into the instrumentation. Still, the actual riffs and rhythms going on were good enough.
Johnny Cash
5/5
Five stars, five stars, five stars. Only a few artists can deliver such a powerful and meaningful work at the end of their lives (Bowie being the only other example that springs to mind). I've listened to this album off-and-on for years and its power never diminishes. It is a man reflecting on his life in song. It is introspective and aware in every painful and beautiful way of what is coming. The cover of "Hurt" is five star worthy alone; everything else just adds to it.
The Police
4/5
Pretty good! The Police are kings of "white reggae" and this album has plenty of fun tracks on it. Starting off with Message in a Bottle is very strong, and weirdly I really liked On Any Other Day.
Soft Machine
3/5
Rock-jazz/prog rock. It's a genre that doesn't usually do much for me. This was in that same vein, and it was fine. Not a bad thing to have on in the background.
The Youngbloods
4/5
Cool album. A few standout tracks, including Darkness, Darkness and Sunlight. There were a few throw-aways as well, but overall this album surprised me in a positive way.
Yes
4/5
Pretty classic album. I'm still not a huge Yes guy, but this album is musically impressive.
Wilco
4/5
A good album that I'd like to give more time. There are definitely some great tracks here, but it feels like it will require repeat listenings to land on a definitive rating for me. It would be a four, maybe a five; until I can listen more I'll settle on four.
The The
3/5
Perfectly fine post-punk/early 80's synth. Didn't hate it, didn't love it. I appreciated that it was lyrically playful, but I don't necessarily see myself coming back to this album.
Throwing Muses
2/5
Seemed like an okay punk album, but ultimately it wasn't for me.
Tom Waits
5/5
Great album. I'm predisposed to enjoying Tom Waits, but there were a few discoveries for me on here, including the title track as well as On the Nickel, which might go into my Tom Waits shortlist of favorites. I'll be revisiting this again for sure, it was great start to end.
Beck
5/5
Lots of great tracks on this one, and a number of discoveries for me. I already liked E-Pro and Girl, but Black Tambourine, Hell Yes, Go It Alone, and Farewell Ride were all new finds that I loved.
Radiohead
4/5
Really good album. Waffling between 4 and 5 for me, but there were plenty of enjoyable tracks. I think I'll need to return to this one a few times, which might affect the rating in the future.
Dead Kennedys
1/5
Not for me. There's a few songs where I kinda saw the vision, but the general singing style and most of the vibe just didn't work for me. I think because of that this is going to be one of my rare 1 stars. Sorry, Dead Kennedys.
Grant Lee Buffalo
2/5
Fine, but nothing about it really struck me. Stylistically it sounded like early 90s alt-rock, but I couldn't find anything to really get myself hooked.
SZA
2/5
I’ve never been a fan of this style of R&B; it’s just never clicked for me. Unfortunately this album didn’t change that. I can hear the talent, but the music doesn’t do anything for me. That said I don’t find it actively annoying, so 2 stars.
Janis Joplin
3/5
This was a weird one. I really enjoyed the second half of the album (what would've been the B side tracks) but did not care much for the A side. I think I tend to like Janis on slower songs that feel like a blues/folk combination. When it gets too fast and too loud it just doesn't do anything for me, and it's also where I reach a breaking point with her voice.
Depeche Mode
4/5
Enjoyable album. It's not their best in my opinion, but I like the sound they developed here.
The Band
2/5
Fine album. I'm not hugely into The Band, but I also never mind having them on. Their blues-rock sound mostly hits me as inoffensive, but not amazing.
Thundercat
1/5
Man, this just wasn't my cup of tea at all. I wanted to like it more, but I think this style of R&B just doesn't click for me.
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
3/5
Knew exactly who was singing the moment the first lyrics hit my ears. This sounds like a Gorillaz side project, mainly because it basically is one. Several tracks feels like Gorillaz by way of indy folk. Didn't love it, but it was alright.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Fun album! Starts off incredibly strong with Sympathy for the Devil and continues well from there. Stray Cat Blues, Factory Girl, and Salt of the Earth are good closing trio of songs as well. I don't absolutely love it, but this is an easy four stars.
Keith Jarrett
5/5
I'm not a huge fan of improvisational jazz, but this was a beautiful album. Keith finds beautiful riffs and runs over simple chords, and you can feel the emotion pouring out. This was a great discovery, and I'm giving it 5 stars just for how much this album surprised me.
Kacey Musgraves
5/5
Really enjoyable album. Pop-country that leans a little more toward pop. Standouts are Slow Burn, Butterflies, Space Cowboy, and Rainbow. In fact, Rainbow is one of a very few songs that can get me emotional just listening to it, and I suspect it will get more recognition over time as an all-time great ballad.
Dexys Midnight Runners
2/5
My dirty secret is that I've never been a huge fan of Come On, Eileen. This album didn't do much to change my opinion. It's fine, there's clear talent at work, but for the most part it didn't do anything for me. The one thing I do appreciate is the clear folk/Celtic music influence that pops up throughout the album...it's just that what they're doing with that isn't really my style.
Screaming Trees
3/5
A perfectly fine album. Not really sure why it's on the list. I enjoy grunge and 90s rock, so this was good enough, but it didn't stand out in any way.
Metallica
4/5
Really enjoyable album. Some classics on here, from Enter Sandman to The Unforgiven. I think there's a couple of misses, but overall I liked this move of Metallica away from thrash/prog into this sound, which is a bit more mainstream.
Beastie Boys
4/5
This was a really good one that I will definitely come back to. It's a high four stars for me, and one I could see hitting five with more repeat listens. The beats and production are incredible, and the Beasties' rhymes are as fun as they always are.