As a fan of Red Dead Redemption, I knew I was going to love this. Sometimes, less is more. With only his voice and a few instruments, Willie Nelson is able to create a masterpiece. I'm convinced that if it wasn't made the way it was, maybe this work would not be as strong as it is, once its authenticity is one of the factors that make this a perfect-10 album. One of the most interesting aspects that I believe should not be ignored is the worldview the artist is willing to present. This is one the most genius parts of Red Headed Stranger - yes, it is about a murderer whom Nelson never explicitly condemns. But does he have to? In the Bible, sometimes a story is told without a clear condemnation of the characters for a specific reason: showing the results as enough evidence for characterizing an action or decision as bad and immoral. I have a strong impression that the same artistical choice is made by Willie Nelson in this album. The weight of guilt, emptiness and the melancholy that follows the main character is the judgment we long to see coming to him. In a technical analysis, the album is a delight. I know from now on when I think of country music, this is what I'll remember. Everything fits together very well, the voice, the instruments, the feeling Nelson expects the listener to feel, the overall rawness... it's hard to describe, some things are better felt than said - and that's what makes us different from an AI, after all. --- Como fã de Red Dead Redemption, eu já sabia que ia amar isso aqui. Às vezes, menos é mais. Com apenas sua voz e alguns poucos instrumentos, Willie Nelson consegue criar uma obra-prima. Estou convencido de que, se esse álbum não tivesse sido feito exatamente como foi, talvez ele não tivesse o mesmo impacto. A autenticidade é um dos elementos que fazem dele um 10 perfeito. Um dos aspectos mais interessantes e que creio que não deva ser ignorado é a cosmovisão que o artista escolhe apresentar. Essa é, inclusive, uma das partes mais geniais de Red Headed Stranger: sim, trata-se da história de um assassino — que Nelson nunca condena de forma explícita. Mas será que ele precisa? Na Bíblia, há momentos em que uma narrativa é apresentada sem condenação direta aos personagens, justamente para que o leitor perceba, nas consequências, o peso moral daquilo. Tenho uma forte impressão de que essa mesma escolha artística está presente aqui. O peso da culpa, o vazio, a melancolia que seguem o personagem principal são, por si só, o julgamento que esperamos que recaia sobre ele. Tecnicamente falando, o álbum é maravilhoso. Sei que, a partir de agora, quando eu pensar em música country, será este álbum que me virá à mente. Tudo se encaixa perfeitamente — a voz, os instrumentos, o sentimento que Nelson quer provocar no ouvinte, a crueza geral da obra... É difícil descrever: certas coisas são melhores sentidas do que explicadas — e é exatamente isso que nos distingue de uma inteligência artificial, no fim das contas. --- 10/10

Amazing, I just love it. This made me love jazz.

Janis Joplin is one of those artists that everyone will come across one time in their lives, willing or not. This time, I wasn't expecting at all, but it was a delightful surprise. I never knew Joplin had a band before her solo career, so "Big Brother and the Holding Company" was not a familiar name to me. But the moment I saw "Piece of My Heart", I knew this album was going to be special. And so it was. This is an experience full of mixed feelings. On one hand, Joplin's intense and sincere feelings expressed by her unique voice are touching to say the least. To this day, it's still hard to find artists who can replicate what she is able to express - it's not only about vocal power (and yes, it is definitely here. I can suppose a lot of influence on Prince and Axl Rose), but being able to really connect to Joplin in such a way that almost had me in tears. I have to admit, though, that a part of this reaction was because of her young passing, it's really painful to listen to this gem remembering her fate a few years later. On the other hand, I must give credit to the band, especially to the guitarist. Come on, you didn't need to go that hard and experimental - or maybe he did, it was the late 1960's, after all. While this is not a 5-star album for me - some tracks are just indifferent - the high points (no pun intended)... oh, they hit hard.

Michael Jackson is one of the hardest artists to judge solely based on his discography - not only because his albums are very distinct in sound and style, but because it's impossible to not compare them to one another. "Bad" has the unfortunate fate to be released after the best-selling album of all time, so it automatically raises the question: would Michael Jackson be able to surpass Michael Jackson? By my personal analysis, it's a tough call. Thriller is legendary, but I'm inclined to believe that Bad might be the better album as a whole. No, its hits are not stronger, nor are the numbers more expressive, but it all fits together super well and gives the feeling of wholeness better than Thriller did. On the other hand, though, I feel like the low points here are maybe worse than Thriller's? Man, how do I even compare "Speed Demon" to "The Girl is Mine"? Also, Jackson seems bolder here, more experimental both artistically and musically. To me, this is the album that defines Michael Jackson as a more-than-human artist - a mysterious being, with exotic clothing, dancing and behavior and with an increasing ambiguity regarding the concepts of race and gender. So, is "Bad" a five-star album? Not really. "Speed Demon" and "Just Good Friends" stand out as definitely weak that don't measure up to the rest of the record. I would give it 4,5 stars, but since I can't, it's fair to give it a 4. Good work, Mike. 9/10

When I rate an album, a five-star one must check some boxes. One of them is having no truly bad song. Another is an overall harmony between the tracks that creates a sense of cohesion that feels like a unified whole. No, I'm no expert, don't judge my humble criteria! All that was said above can be affirmed about this masterpiece. It's almost impossible not to feel teleported to the late 90's, charged with a youthful energy and frustration, mixed with passion and melancholy. All the tracks here fit one another - no exception. I'm not a big fan of those "Untitled" interludes, but I can live with them. Well, there's not much more to say, incredibly! What we have here is a gem of its time that has aged like fine wine. It's a classic, after all. 10/10

I can't stand this one, I'm sorry. "Mr. Eminem" (as Michael Jackson would call him) has great rap skills and is a very intelligent artist overall, but it's hard to appreciate a piece of art that in its core goes so much against my values. To be fair, if you ignore the lyrics and judge solely based on the musical aspect, it's enjoyable. But that's not how you rate an album, huh? 3/10

Well, what a surprise! It didn't appeal to me at first, I thought I was going to straight up hate it, but I really started enjoying it throughout the tracks. The guitar solos are absolutely interesting and unique, they sound horrible on first listening, but you really get to understand them better as you listen. I still think the lyrics are kind of silly, though. So it's four stars for you, Neil. 7/10

This great album is the proof that a five-star album doesn't need to be full of hits (and that an album full of hits is not necessarily a five-star album, right, Thriller?) Amazingly consistent, one of the most amazing guitar works I've ever listened to. Black Sabbath at its peak!

Certaintly a hard one to rate! Of course it's a dated album - what would you expect? But it's very good at what it does, I really felt telleported to the 1950's. Good songs, they all fit together well, but lacks versatility - and that's what keeps me from giving it a higher rating.

"That's The Way Of The World" is one of those albums that could be classified as a hidden gem - which, I'm starting to feel, it's a pattern between some 1970s works. Not a lot of albums have it all - consistency, innovation and the abillity to connect emotionally - but this one surely does. First of all, there are no trully bad songs! Everything here is well-built and has its uniqueness. Since it's not an overlong album, it's considerably easier to enjoy all of these tracks. They flow naturally to one another and create a masterpiece of cohesion and immersion. I also must give credit to their boldness and creativity (I think I've even spotted some John Coltrane in one of the tracks). It clearly follows a sonic pattern, but that's far from a flaw as long as you are able to create something rich and compelling within that chosen world. Here, that world is a powerful fusion of disco, soul and a bit of jazz. 9/10 - close to a masterpiece

It was very interesting in the first half, but I really started to not enjoy it as much in the second one. Notable, but nothing more than that.

How easy is it to judge the world's top artist of the last... 10 years, maybe? "The bigger the star, the bigger the target", said Michael Jackson. I'll try to be fair in my judgement as I do with all the other artists and not just drop hate on her work for no reason. In a technical aspect, the album is very simple. The songs structure is very repetitive and predictable, almost screaming "2014!". This is not exclusive to Swift, neither to the last decade, since I could say the same thing about, for example, Buddy Holly. The part that really makes me downgrade this album is the lyrical aspect, they can be unbelievably bad sometimes and sound very silly, even for early 2010s standards. What I can't deny, though, is Taylor's authenticity. I don't deny for even a minute that she really lives, believes and feels what she sings. On the other hand, that relates to another negative aspect of this album: its worldview is extremely broken and a general reflex of post-modern society's view on relationships. Everything and everyone is discardable and partners are often seen as just "players". With all of that, this album ends up not being an artistic disaster, but supports values I can't stand to. Its significance to the last decade certainly can't be denied and almost sounds like a soundtrack of that time. 5/10 (I analyse arts through a christian worldview, which, as a christian, I believe is the correct way to interpret the world.)

Absolute masterpice. A collection of amazing tracks that frame the brokeness of modernity in an unique way. Yes, it's pretty melancholic, but the melancholy just lifts the message. Love it or hate it, it's a classic. A five-star classic! 10/10

2014 was a funny year with a lot of weird music. This is a good album with an amazing imersive experience. This is all I can say.

Madonna is undeniably one of the most influent artists of the past decades - and that's not necessarily a good thing, considering the kind of worldview presented in her works. Like a Prayer has some consistency, although some tracks are rather forgettable. What can't be denied, though, is her abillity to communicate through her art, which may be her strongest and most impactful trait as an artist. As I said before, the world view is very problematic, especially for mocking religion and blending it with sensual provocation. This drags down the album's rating considerably from a worldview-based perspective. 5/10 (I analyse arts through a christian worldview, which, as a christian, I believe is the correct way to interpret the world.)

A cool album, but a little too experimental to me. I can't deny their authenticity, though. A hidden gem - not an amazing gem, but still a gem!

Amazing tracks that display why Zeppelin has so much recognition. On the other side, though, the songs are overly sexualized in such a gross way. 8/10

A modern classic. 9/10

Do you remember that guy Rodrick wanted to hire for his band in Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2? Same vibe. Finally some hard rock! Live and Dangerous has quality and consistency, even though mixing live performance and studio recording may be a little controversial. The worldview is completely hedonistic, as expected. Sometimes lyrics are very sexual. 6/10

Masterpiece! It's easily comparable to "What's Going On", but in a funkier way. A hidden gem that deserves to be praised.

Cool title track, but knowing this whole album exists because of it defines its rating. 5/10

It's like a modern, more dramatic Bob Dylan. It's good, but the songs are undeniably a bit boring. 7/10

Few albums are harder to judge than this modern classic, due to its relation to Bowie's death. But, amazingly, it's a great album, actually! The tracks all fit together well and are technically fabulous in a way only Bowie could do it. Amazing piece of art. 9,5/10

Uhh... what do I even say? Well, I guess this would be a good take to start: I don't think The White Album is the greatest Beatles work. It's a mess, but even a mess from The Beatles is a sample of genius, it's undeniable. I much prefer Abbey Road as a whole album, but here we have The Beatles as the confusion they were in their final years - raw and sincere, and yet, they are able to come up with While My Guitar Gently Weeps! Do you see what I'm saying? 9,2/10 --- pt-BR: Uhh... o que dizer? Bem, eu acho que dá para começar assim: eu não acho White Album o melhor trabalho dos Beatles. É uma bagunça, mas mesmo uma bagunça dos Beatles é uma amostra de genialidade, é inegável. Eu prefiro, sem sombra de dúvidas, Abbey Road como um álbum, mas aqui temos os Beatles como a confusão que eles eram nos últimos anos - crus e sinceros, mas, ainda assim, capazes de criar While My Guitar Gently Weeps! Sacou o que estou tentando dizer?

The perfect exemple of 1970’s rock. Very good songs and instrumentation, especially the guitar (yes, we all know THAT song is here). An authentical piece of art that sums up the whole hedonistic worldview of the rock scene at that time - which, as I review it through a Christian worldview, surely downgrades the rating. Classic! --- O exemplo perfeito do rock dos anos 70. Músicas e instrumentação muito boas, especialmente a guitarra (sim, AQUELA música está aqui). Uma obra de arte autêntica que resume bem toda a cosmovisão hedonista da cena do rock daquela época — o que, a partir da cosmovisão cristã que utilizo para avaliar, certamente faz a nota cair. Clássico! 8,2/10

A good album is not necessarilly an album you personally like - and this is the perfect exemple. At least it is undeniably bold enough in it's message. -- Um bom álbum não é ncessariamente um álbum que você pessoalmente gosta - e esse é o exemplo perfeito. Pelo menos é inegavelmente corajoso o bastante em sua mensagem. 8,5/10

This was today's album in the random 1001 album generator. The timing could not be better. RIP Brian Wilson 🖤 I've never been very familiar with The Beach Boys. For me, they've always been just a 1960's surf rock group that for some funny reason seemed to be a little bit more than that, judging by everybody's opinion on them. I knew someday I'd come across one of their works and would probably have a better perspective on them. I was surely right about it. This was anything but what I could expect. It's an album full of deeper and sometimes darker songs, with an amazing technical aspect to it. It's a great work of art that made me understand better the praise the group gets. Although some parts of it are forgettable, the album as a whole deserves attention and it's certainly a pleasant experience. -- Este foi o álbum do dia no gerador aleatório dos 1001 Albums. O timing não poderia ser melhor. Descanse em paz, Brian Wilson 🖤 Nunca fui muito familiar com Beach Boys. Pra mim, sempre foram só uma banda de surf rock dos anos 60 que, por algum motivo curioso, parecia ser um pouco mais do que isso — pelo menos, a julgar pela opinião das pessoas. Eu sabia que, em algum momento, passaria por algum trabalho deles e provavelmente entenderia melhor toda essa admiração. E eu estava certo. Este álbum foi tudo, menos o que eu esperava. É um disco cheio de músicas mais profundas e, às vezes, sombrias, com um aspecto técnico impressionante. É uma grande obra de arte que me ajudou a entender melhor os elogios que o grupo recebe. Apesar de algumas partes serem esquecíveis, o álbum como um todo merece atenção — e certamente é uma experiência agradável. 9,25/10

In the history of music, being one of the most important and influential albums of all time doesn't guarantee it is a good work of art. The Beatles, on the other hand, seem to contradict that, as their important albums are a sample of the best contemporary music humanity has produced. While Rubber Soul is not the best of The Beatles, since Abbey Road exists, it's here that we get a clearer glimpse of their genius in music making. There's still a lot of their early phase here, especially as seen in the opening track, and maybe that's what makes this album so interesting and special - it's not the full experimental Beatles, but it's starting to get boulder. As I analyse all art through a Christian perspective, of course Rubber Soul it's not going to score great in this parameter. Being a great album technically is not enough if it doesn't bring a good world-view with it. --- Na história da música, ser um dos álbuns mais importantes e influentes de todos os tempos não significa, necessariamente, que seja uma boa obra de arte. Mas os Beatles parecem contrariar essa lógica — seus discos mais impactantes também estão entre o que há de melhor na música contemporânea. Embora Rubber Soul não seja o melhor álbum dos Beatles (até porque Abbey Road existe), é aqui que começamos a enxergar com mais clareza a genialidade musical da banda. Ainda há bastante da fase inicial deles — algo bem perceptível já na faixa de abertura — e talvez seja justamente isso que torne o álbum tão interessante: ele não representa os Beatles totalmente experimentais ainda, mas já aponta pra um caminho mais ousado. Como avalio toda arte a partir de uma perspectiva cristã, é claro que Rubber Soul não vai atingir notas altíssimas nesse critério. Ser um álbum tecnicamente excelente não é o bastante se não vier acompanhado de uma boa cosmovisão. --- 8,5/10

As a fan of Red Dead Redemption, I knew I was going to love this. Sometimes, less is more. With only his voice and a few instruments, Willie Nelson is able to create a masterpiece. I'm convinced that if it wasn't made the way it was, maybe this work would not be as strong as it is, once its authenticity is one of the factors that make this a perfect-10 album. One of the most interesting aspects that I believe should not be ignored is the worldview the artist is willing to present. This is one the most genius parts of Red Headed Stranger - yes, it is about a murderer whom Nelson never explicitly condemns. But does he have to? In the Bible, sometimes a story is told without a clear condemnation of the characters for a specific reason: showing the results as enough evidence for characterizing an action or decision as bad and immoral. I have a strong impression that the same artistical choice is made by Willie Nelson in this album. The weight of guilt, emptiness and the melancholy that follows the main character is the judgment we long to see coming to him. In a technical analysis, the album is a delight. I know from now on when I think of country music, this is what I'll remember. Everything fits together very well, the voice, the instruments, the feeling Nelson expects the listener to feel, the overall rawness... it's hard to describe, some things are better felt than said - and that's what makes us different from an AI, after all. --- Como fã de Red Dead Redemption, eu já sabia que ia amar isso aqui. Às vezes, menos é mais. Com apenas sua voz e alguns poucos instrumentos, Willie Nelson consegue criar uma obra-prima. Estou convencido de que, se esse álbum não tivesse sido feito exatamente como foi, talvez ele não tivesse o mesmo impacto. A autenticidade é um dos elementos que fazem dele um 10 perfeito. Um dos aspectos mais interessantes e que creio que não deva ser ignorado é a cosmovisão que o artista escolhe apresentar. Essa é, inclusive, uma das partes mais geniais de Red Headed Stranger: sim, trata-se da história de um assassino — que Nelson nunca condena de forma explícita. Mas será que ele precisa? Na Bíblia, há momentos em que uma narrativa é apresentada sem condenação direta aos personagens, justamente para que o leitor perceba, nas consequências, o peso moral daquilo. Tenho uma forte impressão de que essa mesma escolha artística está presente aqui. O peso da culpa, o vazio, a melancolia que seguem o personagem principal são, por si só, o julgamento que esperamos que recaia sobre ele. Tecnicamente falando, o álbum é maravilhoso. Sei que, a partir de agora, quando eu pensar em música country, será este álbum que me virá à mente. Tudo se encaixa perfeitamente — a voz, os instrumentos, o sentimento que Nelson quer provocar no ouvinte, a crueza geral da obra... É difícil descrever: certas coisas são melhores sentidas do que explicadas — e é exatamente isso que nos distingue de uma inteligência artificial, no fim das contas. --- 10/10

Not really captivating, pretty forgettable, nothing interesting besides Rolling Stones in a sitar - which I'm not really sure is that interesting.

Very few albums can define the sound of an era better than Songs from the Big Chair. What this masterpiece presents is a sample of the best there is about 80's music: synths used in a non-annoying way, genius instrumental compositions, completely iconic tracks that almost anyone can recognize instantly with legendary chorus. While this is not a perfect album for me, and for that reason I don't give it a 10/10 rating, it's certainly one of my all-time favorites. Not only in its technical aspects it is insanely competent, but also regarding the whole worldview present - a critical shout (yeah) about the world. It's art being used as a genuine expression, which is one of my main criteria about rating. In my personal experience, I can't deny some songs grew on me on second or third try, especially "I Believe" and "Mother Talks". This is enough to show the complexity of this work, as you discover more and more layers as you revisit it. Overall, amazing album, one of the best of its time. -- Poucos álbuns conseguem definir o som de uma era melhor do que Songs from the Big Chair. O que esta obra-prima apresenta é uma amostra do melhor da música dos anos 80: sintetizadores usados de forma não irritante, composições instrumentais geniais, faixas completamente icônicas que quase qualquer um reconhece instantaneamente com refrãos lendários. Embora este não seja um álbum perfeito para mim, e por esse motivo não dou uma nota 10/10, é certamente um dos meus favoritos de todos os tempos. Não apenas em seus aspectos técnicos é incrivelmente competente, mas também em relação a toda a cosmovisão presente – um grito crítico sobre o mundo. É a arte sendo usada como uma expressão genuína, que é um dos meus principais critérios de avaliação. Na minha experiência pessoal, não posso negar que algumas músicas me cativaram melhor na segunda ou terceira tentativa, especialmente "I Believe" e "Mother Talks". Isso é o suficiente para mostrar a complexidade deste trabalho, mais e mais camadas são descobertas ao visitá-lo. No geral, um álbum incrível, um dos melhores de sua época. 9,7/10

Very cool folk album. I couldn't listen to it as well as I wanted to, but I feel like it could easily go up to five stars. 9/10

[i]Back to Black[/i] is a modern gem - a breath of fresh air in a world of generic and forgettable art. What Amy presents in this work is a perfect example of authenticity and the harmony betweem form and substance. It's the kind of creation, with a real soul (no pun intended) that an AI could never replicate. That being said, I don't think this is a perfect album. The hits are great and there's a lot of richness in between them (take [i]Wake Up Alone[/i], for instance), but there are some skips that prevent me from giving it a 10/10 rating in the technical aspect. Another important factor that holds me back from rating it higher is, of course, the worldview. As I always make clear, I judge every piece of art through a christian worldview, so an album that exalts and normalizes the brokeness of relationships won't score well in this cryteria. This is important, as a perfect work of art would never be able to score perfectly if it doesn't present true values. Finally, I'm really glad this album aged well and its recognition didn't remained trapped in the 2000's, as many people still recognize its brilliance. Let's hope the rememberance of such honest and heartfelt music impact us enough to make creative, interesting and deeply human art. --- Back to Black é uma joia moderna — um sopro de ar fresco em um mundo cheio de arte genérica e esquecível. O que a Amy entrega aqui é um exemplo perfeito de autenticidade e equilíbrio entre forma e conteúdo. É o tipo de criação com alma de verdade ([i]a true soul[/i], sem trocadilho) que uma inteligência artificial jamais conseguiria replicar. Dito isso, não considero esse um álbum perfeito. Os hits são poderosos, e há muita riqueza no espaço entre eles ([i]Wake Up Alone[/i], por exemplo), mas algumas faixas mais fracas me impedem de dar uma nota 10/10 no aspecto técnico. Outro ponto que pesa na nota é, claro, a cosmovisão apresentada. Como sempre deixo claro, julgo toda expressão artística a partir de uma cosmovisão cristã — e um álbum que exalta e normaliza relacionamentos quebrados e confusos não pode receber nota alta nesse critério. Isso importa, porque uma obra de arte verdadeiramente grandiosa não pode ser completa se não carrega em si valores verdadeiros. Ainda assim, fico muito feliz por esse álbum ter envelhecido tão bem — seu reconhecimento não ficou preso aos anos 2000, e ainda hoje muita gente enxerga sua genialidade. Que a memória de uma música tão sincera e cheia de alma nos inspire a criar arte criativa, significativa e profundamente humana. --- 8/10

It's definitely surprising that an album in which the vocalist sings with a Sponge Bob voice can be this well done. The album is full of good tracks, going from a more pop sound to a full metal with "Surprise! You're Dead!". Very interesting work from the late 1980's, one that truly captures the essence of its time.

Central Reservation is an "okay" album. Nothing here shines too much, but it has a certain charm with all its melodic attempts and there is some heart in the compositions. As someone said here, this is what would be the result if the color beige became an album. -- Central Reservation é um álbum "okay". Nada aqui brilha muito, mas ele tem um certo charme com todas as tentativas melódicas e há algum coração nas composições. Como alguém disse aqui, esse seria o resultado se a cor bege fosse um álbum. -- 6,5/10