Finally, after days of slogging through records I haven’t much cared for, there’s Dookie. I don’t think Green Day has ever reinvented any wheels (though this record probably had a big part to play in popularizing the genre at the time), but they really never needed to. Dookie is full of super catchy songs played by pretty talented musicians. Billie Joe Armstrong is a great songwriter, Mike Dirnt is a bit of a gem in a genre that doesn’t typically showcase great bassists, and Tre Cool is a probably pretty underrated drummer. Everything on this record works. More important to me is that Dookie fires off all sorts of high school nostalgia. I liked Kerplunk, Nimrod might be their best album front-to-back, and American Idiot is great, but Dookie came out at the right time and has all sorts of memories attached to it. I don’t miss high school too much, but listening to this record tricks me into thinking I do. 4.6/5.0

Fuck yes, it’s about time this record popped up. I don’t need to listen to it to know Im going to give it a hard 5, but I’m going to. 5/5

There’s not really much to critique on this record. It’s my favorite of Metallica’s body of work, and it’s been in pretty regular rotation since I first listened to it in like 9th grade. I’m creeping up on 50, and this record still gets me so jazzed. 5/5

Solid work. Very familiar with their better known songs, but hadn't listened to a lot of their deeper cuts. This album sounds like classic CCR. One might wish they mixed up tempo a little bit from time to time, but it's pretty enjoyable.

Jack White might be a guitar virtuoso, but holy shit, I can't finish this album. It's so boring. Jack White has always been pretty hit and miss with me, but apart from the familiar song or two from this album, it sounds like a bunch of album filler. It's not that this record is out and out bad, per se, it's that I can't keep myself engaged enough to finish it. Every song feels like background noise. Admittedly, I've always been annoyed by Meg White's drumming, but I don't think this explains why I find just about every song so grating. I like some of Jack White's solo stuff, and he really is a fantastic player, but after listening to most of this record, I still don't understand how this band has garnered the popularity and success they've achieved. This, one of their most critically acclaimed records, is a hard listen for me.

I've heard some of Sufjan's work over the years and always found him to be interesting and lyrically insightful, yet his music has never really "clicked" with me. At about the 1/3 point of this record, I still feel the same way. He does some really cool stuff with instrumentation and arrangement, and his lyrics have some great depth, and yet, I'm looking forward to listening to something else. I kind of wonder if this isn't one of those records that needs a couple spins before it grabs your attention? I likely won't find out, though I will put forth a concerted effort to finish this one.

This one was a bit of a surprise; I thought I’d kind of hate it. Although I don’t think I’ll revisit it, I quite enjoyed the Gershwin’s music. Ella Fitzgerald is very talented, even if she didn’t feature for the first third of the record. The production is first rate. The problem is that I don’t feel like the record gives me a compelling reason to listen to it again; I guess that’s to say that, as enjoyable as its constituent parts are, I don’t care to dive back in repeatedly. They can’t all resonate with me, I guess.

Ugh. I like old U2 alright, but this is the album I checked out on this band with. It might not be their fault, other than that they wrote this album full of hits that I’ve heard soooo many times that I just can’t handle them anymore. I’m probably leaving this record an unfair 2, but a 2 nonetheless; it’s just that everything on this record is just. So. Boring. And off-putting.

The track that the Spotify linked to sounds fun, but it wasn't the full record. So, who knows if the whole record is any good, cause it seems extremely difficult to find, at least on Spotify.

I've never sat down and listened to this record, but much of it is familiar. I don't generally love an over emphasis on synthesizers and drum machines and what not, but this record does all of that really right, and there's at least 3 tracks on here that I already revisit somewhat often. For me, this record is creeping up on a 4-star rating because I genuinely really enjoy parts of it and will listen to those tracks again. I think I give it a 3 because there aren't quite enough of those to qualify it as a hard 4, but this is probably my favorite record presented in 1001 so far, with the exception of Wish You Were Here, which is a hard 5 star record.

Really just not an interesting genre for me. Didn’t finish the record.

First thoughts as this album gets rolling: this might require the kind of patience that I don’t have. By Relax, I’m still not into it. Not gonna finish. Life is too short, and there’s 1000 records here.

Love The Beach Boys harmonies, but if you’ve heard one record, you’ve kind of heard all of them (Pet Sounds probably being the exception). Their hits are fun, the rest feel a little filler-y.

Love this record. As far as I’m concerned, Offspring could have started and finished their career with Smash (Ignition was good too, but no Smash); after that, I lost a lot of interest as Offspring really started to pander to their audience and seemed very concerned with writing hits to get them on TRL, but Smash is awesome.

Big Aerosmith fan, mostly of this era (though Permanent Vacation is fun and Pump is my favorite as a whole record). This record has some of my favorite Aerosmith songs, but there are a couple tracks that bog down the record a little bit. Even still, Joe Perry is an incredible guitarist and there’s some cool instrumentation on this record; Aerosmith is the quintessential “rock star” band, and Steven Tyler is a classic front man. Toys in the Attick is a classic.

Really? This is one of the 1001 records I NEED to listen to before I die? Didn’t finish.

This one was a bit of a surprise. I’ve liked what little Count Basie I’ve heard in the past, but never really sat down and really invested. I really like it in the background, and will probably give it another spin at some point. I wish the mix was just a bit more bottom heavy, but the music is fun and lively and interesting.

Note before I start this: I don’t think I’m gonna be able to make it through this. I kind of hated Elephant, and I don’t expect this to be anything different. But, we’ll see. Alright, this is better than expected. It’s far more varied and interesting than Elephant. Alright, the more I listen to this one, the more I like it. Funny thing is that I don’t remember this album getting nearly as much attention as Elephant, but it feels like a more fleshed out, mature White Stripes. I recognize some of the songs, but the other songs that I don’t recognize because of the radio are so much more interesting than the filler on Elephant. I’d listen to this record again, though I don’t love it so much that I’d put it on repeat. This is probably a solid 3-star approaching 4-star record for me, which is probably high praise considering how bored I was with Elephant.

"Move Any Mountain" I'm familiar with, but I never much cared for the song. 90's dance music was never a genre that resonated with me at all, and this record, I can already tell, is not going to be the one to make me rethink that position. I won't be finishing this one.

I always liked the Who alright. Never been a super fan, but loved the hits. This record feels like it’s somehow avoided most of those hits. It’s not bad, but it’s easy to lose focus. I am gaining more awareness and appreciation for John Entwistle’s bass lines, which come through the mix pretty clearly. Keith Moon is a beast. Townsend is great. Still kinda bored though. Don’t hate it, probably a hard 3, but will likely never revisit just cause if I need to listen to the Who, I’ll find a different studio record or something.

Honestly I’m sort of annoyed that a compilation record counts as an “album that must be listened to before I die”. That said, I don’t hate the songs on here at all, but I’ll never search them out. This record feels like the equivalent of not changing the station when something comes on that you don’t care about, but you just quit paying attention instead of putting in the hard work of changing the channel. I dunno. I feel like this is just on the cusp of being enjoyable, but just falls short for me. The only thing that would probably save this for me would be a nostalgic connection, but I don’t have that, so, maybe this is a sort of disingenuous 2 for me. I feel like it’s not actually bad enough to warrant a 2, but it’s not a 3 for me either. 2.8, maybe? I just don’t want to round up.

Love the music, hate Morrissey’s voice. And his persona. And his lack of interest in song structure. He’s sort of just singing his shitty poetry over jangly music; the Smiths has always felt like a band doing something totally different than Morrissey is doing at any given point. I’ve heard plenty of the Smiths over the years, but never sat down to try and tolerate my way through a whole record at once. Well, here we are. It sucks every bit as much as I remember, but now it sucks for 39 minutes straight. I don’t understand how Johnny Marr can be so badass, but Morrissey sucks so hard that he actually ruins what Johnny Marr is doing. Fuck, this is terrible. 1, and only because Morrissey’s self-absorbed caterwauling ruins all the good things that the rest of the Smiths do. Morrissey is so much worse than the Smiths are good.

Fine in a jazz bar in the background, don’t want to listen to it for fun. Pretty bored.

Fucking hate Neil Young’s music. Don’t need to listen to this record to know that it’s going to get a 1 from me, and I’ll save myself the frustration of wondering why the world regards his work so highly.

I was genuinely excited to start this project, but I’m about 25 records in and I’ve been less than impressed with a lot of what’s been presented. Case in point: Destiny’s Child. Really? Does the world REALLY need to hear Destiny’s Child before we all expire? Is it really imperative that I spend an hour of my life listening to this—I’m sure—groundbreaking work? What did this group contribute to the American musical lexicon that 400 other shitty girl groups in the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s didn’t already? Sincerely, if these girls weren’t easy on the eyes, would we have ever heard of them? I’d wager no. Are any of these songs works of lyrical brilliance or musical ingenuity? Fuck, no. Do any of the songs on this record express an artist's deep longing for meaning? Do any of the songs on this record communicate a sincere and authentic desire for belonging, or perhaps a question about the writer's existential position in the universe? No. Instead, we get lifeless, digital rhythms overlaid with these types of heartbreaking works of staggering lyrical genius: "I don't think you're ready for this jelly, my body too bootylicious for you, babe." I'm not suffering under some delusion that art necessarily has to be profound to be art; I think that art can exist to simply entertain (although that does bring up a question of whether GOOD art simply entertains). But, Survivor is prefab, corporate dipshittery that some team of talentless hacks got hired to write and produce, then peddle to the masses via these easy-on-the-eyes industry plants. I hated this banal shit when it was popular on the radio and MTV the first time, and the 25 years since this record was released has not softened my outlook on this completely generic dreck. Perhaps the most confounding aspect of Survivor being showcased on this platform is that I'm forced to acknowledge that this record managed to sell eleventy billion copies. I don't understand how; Survivor is just so, so bad. Truly, I don't understand the lowest common denominator of the American consumer market. Does nobody listen with discernment? Is everyone so easily entertained? Evidently, I'm the one who is out of touch. Be that as it may, I am quickly losing faith in the critics who took part in selection process for this project. I can’t believe this record was allowed to take up a spot, even just one of 1001, over some real musician’s work. Shame on you, album generator. Shame. Also, now I wish I could go back and readjust all the 1s I’ve given out. I don't think I'm able to give a record 0 stars, unfortunately, and so this record is flattered by the 1-star review I'm forced to give it. It's really unfair to all the other 1-star reviews I've given out, which were at least concerted artistic efforts by actual musicians, even if I found them to be largely unlistenable. Destiny's Child's "Survivor" is not just unlistenable, it's insulting that it is presented here alongside some truly remarkable records. What an unadulterated piece of shit this record is.

Finally, after days of slogging through records I haven’t much cared for, there’s Dookie. I don’t think Green Day has ever reinvented any wheels (though this record probably had a big part to play in popularizing the genre at the time), but they really never needed to. Dookie is full of super catchy songs played by pretty talented musicians. Billie Joe Armstrong is a great songwriter, Mike Dirnt is a bit of a gem in a genre that doesn’t typically showcase great bassists, and Tre Cool is a probably pretty underrated drummer. Everything on this record works. More important to me is that Dookie fires off all sorts of high school nostalgia. I liked Kerplunk, Nimrod might be their best album front-to-back, and American Idiot is great, but Dookie came out at the right time and has all sorts of memories attached to it. I don’t miss high school too much, but listening to this record tricks me into thinking I do. 4.6/5.0

From Wikipedia: “Darkdancer is the second studio album by Les Rythmes Digitales, released in 1999. It peaked at number 53 on the UK Albums Chart. In 2005, it was re-released with an additional disc that included remixes, unreleased tracks, and music videos.” Lol. “Peaked at no 53 on the UK albums chart.” Seems like another winner… Fuck, I don’t care about this at all. Maybe someone who’s a fan of the genre would appreciate it. I’m two tracks in and so, so bored. Why is there so much edm in 1001? There have to be better options from 1999. Anyway, for what’s it’s worth, it sounds a little different than what I expected. But I just don’t care. It’s boring and I don’t want to listen to any more of it. Skimmed through first 3 tracks. Still better than Destiny’s Child “Survivor”. 1.3/5

It’s been years since I heard this record, and when it popped up here, I really couldn’t remember it apart from the two hits. I always liked Belinda Carlisle’s voice, and there are plenty of Go Go’s and Belinda Carlisle songs I like. But there are only two of those on this record. It’s not that the record is bad, but it doesn’t offer a ton outside of those two songs; there are a lot of mediocre and filler tracks. I guess I can understand why this record was highly touted for its time (though I am scratching my head at Wikipedia’s assertion that this was an early new wave record), but it maybe it’s a little forgettable by now. 2.7/5 - have to round up

lol, I have no idea what’s being said, but I’m kind of digging this. Sounds industrial, sort of. And it’s sort of weird. I can’t tell if it’s a big joke. Even if it is, it’s well executed. By track 2, I’m almost certain it’s a big joke. But I love it so far. I don’t know how many replays it’ll get from me, but I will tell my friends who are into weird shit. Someone commented that it’s like Rammstein sung by Cookie Monster, which is pretty accurate. But it also incorporates weird synth horns and strings. It’s actually sorta catchy, despite this dude grumble-singing about someone getting him a light beer. Honestly, this sounds a little like a Mike Patton project. I have no idea how to rate this record. On the one hand, I doubt I’ll come back for too many re-listens. On the other hand, I can’t turn it off. I feel like I’m on a journey here. This might be the weirdest 4 I rate, because 4s and 5s are usually things that I’ll listen to repeatedly, and this isn’t that kind of record, but it’s also pretty interesting in a psychotic sort of way and I respect the weirdness. 4/5

Pre-listen notes: I fucking hate the disco genre, so I reckon this will be a big ol’ goose egg for me. But I guess I signed up for this, and disco was bound to show up eventually. I’ll be a sport and give it a shot, but I don’t expect to finish this one. Just getting into the record: I don’t hate the bass lines and the jazzy guitar bits. The drums (riding the hell out that hi-hat) are kinda killing me; I think this is generally what makes disco a challenge for me. The unchanging repetitive nature of the drums just drone on and drive me crazy. Actually, I’m 2 tracks in and finding these songs to be overlong because of the repetition; why say in 2 minutes what can be extended to 10? Maybe that’s an exaggeration, but it doesn’t feel like it. That said, I’m not dreading continuing this just yet. There are some redeeming qualities in the musicianship and production; this record, so far, is clean and tight. I actually like some of the instrumental sections for the jazz licks. “Savoir Faire” is a highlight. But, this record is really not my style, I guess. Tight musicianship, and the bassist is really killer, but the music itself is pretty tough for me to get through, and I’ll not be revisiting it. Disco just sucks. 2.5/5

I love Nick Cave so much, but this not actually a record I’ve spent an overabundance of time on. I really love his early work, with Henry’s Dream, Let Love In, and Murder Ballads being the real sweet spot in his body of work for me. I kind of checked out with him post-Boatman’s Call, so I’m looking forward to this one since I really haven't listened to it more than once in the past, and that was probably 20 years ago. Just finished. What a baller record. I can’t believe it’s taken me 20 years to come back and sit with this record. I checked out after No More Shall We Part. After the weepiness of Boatman’s Call (which was good, but not my favorite side of Nick Cave) and leaning more into that with NMSWP, I gave up the proverbial ghost with Nick Cave. I’d even listened to bits of late records where he just seemingly quit giving a shit about rhyme schemes and writing songs that were pleasant to listen to. But this record fits, probably most sweetly, into that sweet spot. It has balls and heart. It might be one of his most “front to back” listenable records. He has written a good many songs that surpass many on this record (though there a few that hang with the best of his songs), but this is one of his best records as a whole. I will be putting this in my regular rotation. 5/5

Latin African jazz. Dammit. Without listening yet, I know I’ll enjoy the musicianship but have my serious doubts that anything here will resonate with me. And, within seconds, I know that I’m right. The drums might give me an actual panic attack. The horns sound like a high school marching band (to be fair, an extremely talented one). The talent here is obvious, and I don’t hate this at all, but I can’t find a reason why I would ever listen to this by choice. Undoubtedly, this will appeal to a lot of music lovers because it really is well done. Very talented, tight musicians, and top notch recording. I am listening to something that I would never find on my own, and I appreciate that. But, this is just not my preference, and I’ll rate it as such. Solid work, just don’t care that much. These drums might give me a stroke. It’s all so frenetic. 2.8/5-too well done to not round up, but I’m doing it begrudgingly because I will never think about this record again.

Pre-listen notes: I never really spent any time with Jonathan Richman. I know that he’s something of a cult hero, but my only real experience with him was through There’s Something About Mary and a Nerf Herder song about him (“please, God, don’t let me end up like Jonathan Richman…”. I never really understood the reference, though I do love Nerf Herder). So, I’m kind of happy to take the time here. Listening notes: This record reminds me of a Doors-y Velvet Underground. I’ve never been a big fan of either of those bands (though I like a few songs here and there of both). So, this record is probably falling a little flat for me. But it’s not without its merits. I appreciate the groove some of these songs settle into. More importantly, this record gives me a greater appreciation for that aforementioned Nerf Herder song, "Jonathan Richman." I always liked the song pretty good, but I did not understand the lyrics at all, and I guess I could never be bothered to look up the references. Well, they're all here in this record, and that song makes a ton more sense now. And it's actually pretty funny. Parry Gripp is a treasure, and I wish one of his records would crop up in 1001, but I kind of doubt the world sees it that way. Destiny's Child? Sure, the discriminating listener definitely needs to hear that played-out, busted piece of shit. Nerf Herder? Too silly to be taken seriously, I'm sure... Anyway, I probably don’t have loads to say about Modern Lovers. It’s listenable, but I’ll probably never come back and revisit it. It’s probably the definition of a 3/5. There’s nothing really offensive about it, and it’s sort of enjoyable, but not enjoyable enough to invest real time with. I’m not sure why it’s in this list, honestly. But it’s definitely not the worst thing that’s been selected. 3.0/5

I was not super looking forward to this one. The only Randy Newman songs I’ve ever heard were the sorta cheesy ones from the Major League soundtrack and Toy Story soundtrack (actually, in searching his catalogue, it looks like he’s put in a ton of work on a ton of different soundtracks, which I was not aware of). If I would have been pressed to describe his sound, I might have said something to the effect of, “the drunk sounding guy that plays ragtime piano.” I still kind of feel that way. Randy Newman has a really unique voice that can be a little much (don’t know if I’d qualify it as “drunk sounding” at this point thought…yet it’s still not totally inaccurate…I dunno), and some of the music does have a sort of ragtime vibe. But I’m actually digging this record. The arrangements with the strings and horns is really great, and I like his songs when he’s not singing about how “you’ve got a friend in me”. I guess that’s to say, this record is way less cheesy than I predicted. Some of the songs would fit right in with some of Tom Waits’ early drunk jazz bar records, but with more orchestration. I still prefer Tom Waits - though, to be fair, I prefer Tom Waits to just about anyone - but I will listen to this again. I could actually see sinking into this record. The lyrics are sometimes darker than I would have expected, the music is interesting and sometimes sad, and I think there’s enough to chew on for repeat listens. This record is a happy surprise. 4.0/5

I don’t know how much I have to say about Simon and Garfunkel. I love the way they harmonize, and they’re great musicians, but the songs themselves, at least on this record, don’t do a whole lot for me. I know, I know, that’s damn near sacrilege to say. I’d probably spend some time with their greatest hits, but this record is legit pretty boring up until the last three tracks. 2.5/5 - and I’m probably only rating it this high for the last three tracks…though I’m rounding down to 2 stars. I’m really disappointed with this record, to be honest.

So, I’ve never really sat down with a whole Black Crowes record, and for the life of me, I don’t understand why not. This record released right as I was getting into hair metal, followed quickly by grunge. I always liked the radio hits in this record, but something about the southern gospel blues grooves didn’t resonate with me enough at the time for me to invest in the Black Crowes. I see now that I was a fool. The only real complaint I have with Shake Your Money Maker is that a couple of the songs (Sister Luck and maybe Seeing Things and Stare It Cold, but I need to listen to those two again) drag a little bit for me…but they’re not even bad songs, they’re just not quite as good as everything else. This record is so solid, and I’m kicking myself for waiting til 2025 to spend some time with it. Cripes, it’s a genre I actually really like too. I guess I had to grow into it. Better late than never, I suppose. 4.8/5 - Happy to round this up, and I would say the only reason it’s not clean 5 for me is cause of Sister Luck, which might be the only track I’d skip just to get to the next one more quickly.

This is a tough listen for me. Someone described this record as “menopause core” and I don’t know that I can come up with a better description. Thing is, ok, these songs aren’t designed to be sung along to; they don’t follow the whole verse-chorus-verse-bridge-chorus template of pop music. They’re more like paintings set to music. I can appreciate what Joni is doing here, but I’m not enjoying it at all. It’s tough to relate to, and when I can’t relate, being able fall back on pop song structures helps. Plus, her voice kind of drives me nuts. This one’s just not for me. 2.0/5

Nirvana has always been a weird band for me. Nevermind was huge, and it released as I was turning into an angsty teen…also a teen that was turning into kind of an elitist jerk about music. So, I loved Nevermind up until Nirvana turned into “the voice of a generation” and got played non-stop on radio and MTV. Then I hated Nirvana; for one thing, you couldn’t escape hearing it and it got real old, but also because when the jock and rich kids in your Christian high school start really getting into a band, that band loses one of the big things that made it special to you in the first place. Of course, that’s really pretty dumb, but that’s where I was in high school. All that’s to say, I didn’t listen to much of this record when it came out. I heard the hits, but had moved onto “cooler” pastures by 1993. Eventually, I grew out of this elitist jerk nonsense, realizing that it wasn’t really fair to me to deprive myself of great music on the basis of other people enjoying it also. After all, there’s usually a reason why good music is popular, and why should anyone else’s enjoyment of something affect my enjoyment of the same thing? If anything, joy becomes increased when it can be shared. So, after Kurt’s death and after growing up just a little, I followed back up with Nirvana and found that I loved them again. They’re not one of my all time faves or anything, but I do have a big soft spot for Nirvana and a nostalgic connection to them, and I’m sad that I deprived myself of enjoying them for a few years just cause I was kind of a dick. Anyway, In Utero rules. And I think I prefer it to Nevermind (just barely) because of the rawness of the recording. This album feels angsty like Nevermind, but with more abrasive urgency or something. Probably doesn’t need to be said at this point, but I’ll say it anyway: I still blame Courtney for Kurt’s death. 5/5

I’ve listened to bits of Iggy Pop here and there over the years, but never really spent a lot of time with the Stooges. I always appreciated his persona as something of a wild man and he’s a consummate performer, but the Stooges were far enough before my time that it was easy to miss the proverbial boat with them. And this is why I like the idea of 1001 albums generator, because now I have the opportunity to circle back and catch some of the stuff I’ve just missed out on. There’s a lot to like about Funhouse for me. This record feels raw and energetic, and I bet their live shows were killer. It sounds simultaneously a product of its time, but also probably ahead of it too; much of this reminds me of the Doors at their most drugged-out and aggressive, but without the Ray Manzarek keyboardiness. I did appreciate the application of the saxophone in some of these songs, which is something I almost never say. That said, I probably won’t rush to circle back to it any time soon. I like this record, but I wouldn’t say I love it. I like the energy, but I wish there were some changes in tempo or song structure for me to really connect with it; melody is in short supply on this record. 3.4/5

Well, I don’t hate this record, but it’s not for me. I don’t love the singers voice (at least the singer on the second track…it seems like they change), and the music might be really interesting if I was tripping balls, but that doesn’t really ever happen anymore, so I can’t see me finding out. As it stands, I’m just not super interested. 2.4/5

Super fun record. When American Idiot came out, I remember being not too fussed about Green Day. Dookie was a classic, and I loved Nimrod, but Insomniac was largely terrible and they hadn’t really impressed me with Warning or Shenanigans. At that point, I’d figured their best years were long behind them. And when this record was released, they had become MTV darlings (which has never been an indicator of quality for me), and besides that, I never get too jazzed about overtly political commentary from entertainers whose opinion on political and world issues doesn’t need to concern me; for instance, just because Taylor Swift can write a record that sells a billion copies does not mean that she’s qualified to weigh in on things of social or political importance, or that anyone should take her opinions seriously, even when they’re said from a stage or put to music. Of course it’s her prerogative to wax intelligent about things outside of her area of expertise—or in this case, Green Day’s—but I don’t need to support that artist by buying the record or paying any attention. So American Idiot, released sometime around the Bush election, seemed like it was going to lean in that direction, which I find obnoxious. Im glad I circled back to American Idiot a few years later, because this record turned out to be fucking awesome. From a pop punk perspective, it’s pretty much a landmark achievement to write a punkrock “opera” concept record that works on a storytelling perspective and remains listenable…and really, not just listenable, but super enjoyable. I don’t even care much about their “message” here, and I’m not even super sure there are more than a couple songs that are overtly political. American Idiot bleeds feelings of disenfranchisement and cynicism and confusion, but it doesn’t seem like it harps on one particular political pet peeve, thankfully. More importantly, the songwriting is a big step forward for the band; the arrangements are interesting and the songs all flow together, but they’ve obviously borrowed some conventions from showtunes as well, which really work. It feels like everyone in the band was likely stretched here, but they still sound like Green Day. As a whole, this record is a front-to-back, no-skips record. 5/5 It’s funny, this is not my favorite Green Day record, but probably the one I’d rate the highest. I didn’t actually intend to give this one a 5-star rating when it got assigned. I loved it years ago, but thought of it as a 4-star, or even a 4.5-star listen at a push. But, after this listen, I do think it’s their best work, even if I would still probably revisit Dookie and Nimrod first. This record is a damn treasure, and probably their best effort front-to-back.

I don’t know if I’ve got it in me to get through this whole record. I don’t understand how a band can showcase so much obvious musical competency and still be so boring. It’s like they’ve made a concerted effort to avoid catchy melodies. They’ve found a way to sing around any actual melody, yet still harmonize with each other really well. But it’s not just vocally; the guitars sound like they’re being operated by talented guitar players whose talent is primarily expressed through one player mindlessly noodling over a go-nowhere chord structure. It’s really impressive except that it’s so hard to listen to. My dad would be so disappointed with my take on Crosby, Stills, and Nash—Cripes, even their band name is painfully tiresome to say—but I’m just so tired of listening to this record, and I don’t think I’m even halfway through at the time of this writing. I’ll try to get through more, but I doubt I’ll finish. Life’s too short to waste a bunch of time on a record that I know won’t connect with me. 2.5—and I’m probably only rating it this highly because the talent behind this album is obvious. I can’t bring myself to round up though.

I like Fiona Apple a good deal and listened to this record a few times when it released. I remember liking it, but haven’t revisited it for whatever reason. So, I’m glad to revisit it now. I still like the record—quite a bit, actually—but I now remember why I haven’t come back to it since 2020: when I think about throwing some Fiona on the headset, my go to is always When the Pawn…I’m enjoying registering to Fetch the Boltcutters, but it makes me want to throw on When the Pawn. The thing is, I enjoy things about this record that aren’t really on her others. The percussion on this record is interesting and I wish there was some of this on her earlier work (it reminds me of some of the percussion on some of the later Tom Waits work). The arrangements on this record feel more experimental and I think it works. The songs are largely great…but not as strong as When the Pawn (which I think is a 5-star record). This record doesn’t disappoint me at all, I just want more When the Pawn…of course, I don’t expect that she’s going to write the same stuff in 2020 as she did in 1999, and I think there are obviously ways that she’s grown as an artist since then. 3.9/5—this is a super solid and enjoyable effort that has its own niche in Fiona’s catalogue. There are a couple meh tracks, but she does some stuff on it that she hasn’t really done before, and which I’m not sure too many folks could pull off so well. That said, I’ve worked through Fetch the Boltcutters a few times now; there’s a number of songs that are good, and a couple stinkers, but it lacks the overall replay value of When the Pawn and Tidal. I like it, I’ll listen to it again, but I’ll be hitting up those aforementioned records first.

I don’t really know how to rate this one. It was on in the background earlier, but I wasn’t actively listening. What I did hear: obnoxious and repetitive 80’s synth drums, a vocalist who sounded familiar but not in a good way, and a bunch of weird xylophone-type sounds that I think I’d probably enjoy in a different setting, but because the rest of what I heard was just not compelling me to finish the record, I guess I’ll never know for sure. This is, admittedly, a disingenuous rating. But I don’t care. 2/5

Lol, I was just wondering the other day when Eminem would show up in my list, and here we are. I listen to Eminem a good amount already; he's one of my favorite hip hop artists. So, this is a pretty easy one to rate cause I already listen to it from time to time, though I admit that the bias will be strong with this one. Eminem is something of a lyrical genius for me, and one of the GOATs, and he keeps getting better at it as the years go on. The Marshall Mathers LP was earlier in his career, and as much as I like this era of Eminem, I think he's gotten much better since this record—with a few proverbial bumps in the road along the way (Revival was pretty rough for me to get through). So, while I think he's pretty much perfected the art at this point, this record happened way before that. That said, for its day, this was about one of the best hip hop records you could find. I know plenty of hip hop heads would disagree with me on this point; some people would argue that this record hasn't aged well because of its "blatant misogyny and homophobia" (I've read plenty of reviews here that echo that sentiment). Whether that's a major sticking point or not for some people, I think it would be hard to argue that—even at this point in this point in his career—Eminem is not already one of the best in the business at lyricism, wordplay, flow, delivery, punchlines, etc. The dude is—and was, even at this point—just brilliant, whether you care for his subject matter or not. So, really, I'm rating this by holding it up against other Eminem records. He has 5-star records to hold up as something of a measuring stick for the lesser records; for me, I feel like I can really only compare him to himself, because I don't think there are many who really compare. 4.7/5—rounding up

Eric Clapton is a superb player, and for the most part, this is a decent-enough-but-leaning-heavily-towards-boring record. It's pretty standard 12-bar blues type stuff, though it's largely executed well technically. I don't know that I'll ever revisit 461 Ocean Blvd again; while the musicianship is technically done well enough, nothing really grabs my attention in a meaningful way. Even Clapton's playing, as technically gifted a player as he is, just lacks any sort of excitement or passion or dynamic shift on this record. It has also not gone unnoticed that about half of this record is cover songs, and those covers largely feel lifeless and dull (I'm probably deducting a full point here; who records half an album of originals and fills up the space with uninspired covers successfully? I can tell you who doesn't: Eric Clapton). I'll be honest, I know Clapton is a guitar hero, but I have always struggled to find his work interesting. This record is not the exception. 2.4/5 Non-offensive but kinda boring blues rock from one of the masters.

Ooof. I don’t think I can do it. I’ve pretty much loathed the Eagles for as long as I can remember. Can’t say exactly why either. I’ve heard a ton of their songs over the years, and I can’t get to a place where I can enjoy them. I think Joe Walsh is a great player, some of their riffs are crazy memorable, the band is obviously talented, but I don’t like them at all. I even know the lyrics to a lot of their songs. I don’t really mind when other bands cover their stuff. But, they do nothing for me. But I’m a sport, and I’ll see how far I can get. First, the positives: I kinda like the lead guitars. The rest of it is a slog. The lyrics are mostly inane. I hate the breezy country hippie vibes. I’m normally a sucker for harmonies, but theirs are grating on me. I feel anger, and I don’t know why. Don Henley bugs me. 1.4—rounding down, obviously. Nothing has changed for me in my opinions about the Eagles by having listened to more of this than I thought I’d be able to. Still, I’ll listen to this before I touch Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” again. I hate the Eagles, but I can at least respect them.

This is...something. I've never sat down to listen to Frank Zappa. I was always curious as he's got a reputation for weirdness. I even consider myself someone who has a decent tolerance for weirdness, and would even say I appreciate some outside-of-the-box approaches to music. But Mothers of Invention have a threshold for weirdness far beyond mine. As a whole record, it borders on unlistenable, but partially redeemed by a few songs. It kind of reminds me of what David Lynch is for tv and film. He's incredible when he's got a producer that's willing to rein him in a bit; I love his weirdness when it's a little bit constrained. I think Frank Zappa might be the David Lynch of music, because it's clear that he—and maybe only he—knows what he's doing, but I think this album would've been greatly improved by someone keeping him hedged in just a little. As it stands, this was pretty rough to get through, but not without at least a few merits. It has some kind of funny bits, and there are some songs that sort of stay organized like you'd expect an orthodox song to do. It's not like the Shaggs, where you wonder who forced these women to pick up instruments they clearly don't know how to play, but more like a hyper talented musician who just couldn't give a shit about writing something that anyone else should want to listen to. I'd liken it to what I imagine it might feel like to be stuck in someone else's bad acid trip. 1.8/5 I'd listen to this again before Destiny's Child though.

I've loved the Violent Femmes since high school. I got to see them around 1998, and it's still one of the best shows I've experienced. Im still kind of amazed that 3 dudes could fill up three hours and manage to be entertaining the whole time. Anyway, the self-titled Violent Femmes record is probably their best effort. I love this record. They managed to maintain their charm over the years, to some extent or another, but this record is the most concentrated distillation of their talent. The nerdy guy angst of the lyrics (and the non-stop bass lines; Brian Ritchie is a legend in my eyes) always resonated with me in a way that most bands can't pull off, or at least not nearly as convincingly. 4.5/5 There are a couple of songs on here that drag just a little, but the record as a whole still scores really high for me; it's a classic for me that I revisit fairly regularly.

Sigh. I probably should’ve expected this record, but I didn’t and here it is and I’m not looking forward to it. The upside is that I’ve heard so many of the songs on this record that I don’t have to punish myself by really trying to pay attention to them again. The downside is that I already know that this record is not for me, but I’m going to try to go through the motions here and listen to it for the sake of this project. Ok, so Adele has a powerful voice, and this record has some slick production. Technically, it sounds great. There’s some great big pop hooks all through this thing. But, fuck, it’s boring to me. Maybe it’s because I’ve already heard 3/4 of the record, and each song represents a dead horse that was beaten in 2011 mainstream culture. You couldn’t escape hearing most of these songs for a season of life. And, talent, slick production, and sweeping pop hooks aside, there’s really nothing of the songs themselves that’s actually interesting, at least to me. I would even say that Adele can hit a frequency that actually hurts my ears, and that note/frequency comes up often. But there are no risks taken here, it’s paint-by-numbers pop with some soul undertones. I imagine this record crops up fairly often across a Starbucks loudspeaker. Truthfully, I hate this record. I hate it so very, very much. I know that ratings are completely subjective and that I shouldn’t feel bad for trashing this completely milquetoast effort by an admittedly talented singer (and writing and production team); she doesn’t express anything that’s lyrically compelling at all. But also, realistically, it probably doesn’t actually deserve the 1-star rating that I want to give it. The production is tight, the musicians are competent, Adele has a strong voice that’s clearly being showcased here, even if it’s not for me. But, I also ask myself: if Adele never performed any of these songs, and if they never existed, would it matter to the landscape of American music? I don’t think it would matter at all. The closest she got to “interesting” on this record was a completely tepid cover of the Cure’s masterpiece, Lovesong. I’m honestly not sure why Adele’s 21 was on the list, but I’m really not the target audience and I’m sure there’s some folks that enjoy it. 1.4/5 Fuck it, maybe this is not a fair rating but I don’t care. Adele might be a talented singer, but after slogging through this record, I’m just angry. The music she sings is next-level dog shit that I never want to hear again, and I feel some sort of way that I had to listen to it today.

I got off on the wrong foot with Incubus a long time ago, and I don’t really think it’s Incubus’ fault. Back before this record came out, I had a buddy tell me that I’d love this band because “they sound just like Faith No More,” but no, they don’t. And I’ve struggled to get over that comparison for years. Make Yourself doesn’t sound at all like Faith No More, but it’s ok. Not every track is a winner, but there are a few really solid songs on this record. Brandon Boyd’s voice/lyrics can be a little much sometimes, and I don’t know how the late 90’s fad of throwing a scratch dj into a rock band ever really took off, but there is some stuff to appreciate here. A few of the songs are legit catchy, and I always liked Incubus’ guitars and bass alright (the guitar tones are usually interesting and big, and the guitar player knows his way around some weird chord voicings). 3.2/5 Incubus still doesn’t set the world alight for me, but this record does have some redeeming qualities. I’m not altogether sure why Make Yourself is on the list, but there are way more egregious inclusions.

I have heard a ton of David Bowie's hits—and enjoyed many of them— but can't say that I've ever sat down and tried to listen to one of his albums. And after listening to Heroes, I'm not sure that this record was the best place to start trying to be intentional with David Bowie. Heroes meanders around a lot and never really seems to settle into a definite groove...or at least a particularly enjoyable one. Heroes, the title track, is enjoyable (though I would say that I've heard covers of this song that I enjoy more...I know, I know, that's sacrilege), and many of the songs where David Bowie sings are not what I would describe as "bad", but none of them really give me a compelling reason to start the record over either. There is also the back end of this album, which is just kind of a boring, extended soundscape. I didn't love this record, to be honest, and I've got to believe that he's put out much better ones. I hope I get to hear one of those at some point. 2.2/5

Oh, lol. I’m expecting 2 decent songs on this record. Tina Turner had a super unique voice, but come on, she wasn’t writing a ton of landmark songs. I have a vague recollection of her singing CCR covers not quite as well as the originals. Welp, here we go… I appreciate that Tina is 45 at the time of this recording, yet sounds every bit of 70...and a hard 70 at that. It probably sounds like I’m being a smartass, but her voice is the best part of what’s going on with this record. At points, she sounds like the female Tom Waits without the cool, carnival barker vibes. The rest of Private Dancer is really pretty terrible. One might wonder how she got so popular in the 80s? Truly, I think it’s a mystery. I was alive for the 80s, and musically, this is like a compilation of the worst parts of it. I guess I don’t hate “I Can’t Stand the Rain”, but probably more for the connection to Missy Elliot, who sampled it. Honestly, this record sucks pretty hard, and it’s very much a product of the time. The confounding thing is that there were SO MANY great artists making music at this time, but Tina Turner's Private Dancer feels like it's on a mission to dodge anything that actually made those great 80's artists great, and intentionally do the opposite. It feels like genuine, open rebellion against good taste. Oh gosh, there’s even an uninspired cover of Al Green on here. And it has a synthesizer solo. That poor son of bitch is undoubtedly turning in his grave. Fuck. This might be one of the worst records I’ve heard on this list. It’s better than Destiny’s Child, but maybe only because I take it marginally more seriously. It’s just so all-around fucking awful. Oh dear. The song, 1984…if it was a movie, it would be featured on Mystery Science Theatre 3000. 0.4/5 The 1-star review I’m shoehorned into giving this record is incredibly flattering. I’m only rating this record as highly as I am because I do like that she sounds like a 75 year old smoker at 45. And because of “I Can’t Stand the Rain”. Really, nothing else on this record goes right. The lyrics are so dumb, the music is laughably bad, and I have some legitimate questions about why she was a cultural phenomenon in the early 80s. Was she? Or was she popular because her husband was a bona fide piece of shit, and she just drew media coverage because of their relationship? Was that why we all knew who she was? It couldn’t be because of merit. It wasn’t because of this record. It can’t be because of this record. As I’m listening to this, I’m actually wondering which record producer owed someone a favor or lost a bet or something. No one will be able to ever convince me that anyone actually wanted to hear this record. Private Dancer really, truly blows.

Surprise , surprise, Black Sabbath pops up the day after Ozzy’s death. Can’t say I’m too upset about this selection though, I haven’t seen a ton of classic metal through the generator yet… Anyway, I’ve never sat and listened to a Black Sabbath record despite listening to a ton of metal in highschool; it really should’ve happened before now, particularly as this band helped start the genre. That said, this record was a little slow to start for me. Or maybe it took a few tracks for me to click with it. I dunno, probably ought to listen to it again. The record did open up as it went on though, and by the end I was enjoying it. Tony Iommi is a player, and Ozzy is…Ozzy. 3.6/5

lol, no. 1/5

New Wave kinda sucks. The whole aesthetic was always lame, and the heavy reliance on synthesizers and fake drums became an obnoxious fad in 80's music. And though they helped start the genre, I always felt like the Cars transcended it. Their debut record is almost a total masterpiece. So many of the songs on here are classics. This record is full of big pop hooks that are catchy without being cloying, the guitar work is top notch, and the synths are actually fun without being the audio equivalent of an eyesore, which is where the New Wave genre eventually headed. 4.0/5 There are a couple of duds on the record that keep it from being 5 stars for me, but it's a great album and totally worth being listed as one of the 1001 both for its ingenuity and for its listenability.

I've never heard of this band. Granted, I'm sure there are tons of mid-80's Brit punk bands that have flown under my radar, but it still surprises me that this generator manages to churn out something that I've not heard of in a genre I actually generally like. Anyway, I don't know that I'll have a ton of comments for this record beyond just that it's decent enough. I don't know that I feel the need to dive into a second spin through it, but I like it alright. Maybe this record has a cult following for fans of the genre? I don't know, but I could see it. For me, it's probably the definition of a 3-star record. Listenable and even enjoyable, but not compelling enough for repeat listens. 3/5

Great record. I spent the better part of my 10th and 11th grade years playing this and “Come On Feel the Lemonheads” on repeat. I have no idea how this band wasn’t bigger than they were. Everything on this record is jangly gold. 5/5

I don't know that Arcade Fire is ever going to reach the heights of Funeral for me, but the Suburbs does come pretty close. Bits of this record drag just a little, but that's just being nitpicky. For the most part, The Suburbs stays pretty interesting. 4.3/5

Lenny Kravitz is an interesting one. At least on this record, he’s sort of a 70s funk regen with a healthy dose of flower child sensibilities. I don’t hate the record at all, but it’s not really my speed. I really like the rhythm and horn sections. Some of the guitar work is interesting. He has some pop sensibilities. But, sometimes he sounds like he’s whining into the mic to me. And the lyrics are mostly pretty bad; like, imagine that kid you knew back in high school that discovered pot and became a hippie for a season of life...now imagine that kid putting pen to paper and writing down his most profound high school thoughts about what the world needs (hint: it's love). That's what Lenny seems to be doing here, and this record can be difficult to listen to if you're paying any attention to the lyrics. 3.2/5 This record was a little better than I expected, but not really my style and I don’t have any reason to revisit it.

So, I work as a counselor, and about a week ago, I had a younger hispanic guy come into my office to talk about the guilt and shame he feels over cheating on his wife. We got to talking, and he's a musician that really loves Latin rhythms and musicianship. I asked if he'd ever listened to Sepultura's Roots. He said he'd never heard of them, so I sent him home with part of his assignment being to listen to Roots. It won't fix the guilt or shame that he feels, but this record might give him an hour of respite from those feelings because it's so badass. I'm sort of kidding about that story. Obviously, we talked about the real issues and we're working on strategies to become more trustworthy and honest. But, for real, Seputura's Roots rules so hard, and everyone ought to hear it at least once. 4.5/5

Never heard of Jeru till just now. That’s not altogether surprising though; I like hip hop pretty good now, but I’ve never been a connoisseur, and back in 94 I was balls deep in strictly alternative and metal bands anyway. Save for the occasional foray into the Beastie Boys or Tribe Called Quest, I didn't really start to get into rap and hip hop until about a decade after this...and I still wouldn't say that my finger is or has ever been on the pulse of what's great in the world of hip hop, though I like a whole lot more of it now, and I've gone back to listen to the classics. So, Jeru the Damaja evidently slipped under my radar at the time, because it was pretty easy to do. That said, I’m enjoying this record more than I expected. Nothing on this record is a reinvention of any wheels, but it's pretty listenable. It sounds like a product of that era, which I think is a good thing. It doesn't have the same gravitas as, say, Nas' Illmatic, or the repeatability of Wu Tang's 36 Chambers, or the rawness of Ice Cube's The Predator; I don't think it really hangs with some of the classics from this time, but it is pretty decent. 3.4/5

Man, do I hate disco, even when Michael Jackson’s doing it. Admittedly, Off the Wall is better than most disco records, but I’m still not really into it. Thriller is pretty solid, but I’m not really into Off the Wall. 2.5/5

Such a killer record. Every track on Nevermind is gold. I loved this record when it released. It was one of the records that made me want to learn how to play guitar. It felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the slick, super produced and corporate sounding rock and metal that was big right before this era of music. This felt a good deal more authentic and artistic. Eventually it got played out, and you couldn’t turn around without bumping into someone wearing a Nirvana t-shirt. You couldn’t turn on the radio without hearing half this record at any time of the day or night. I fell out of love with the band for a long season just from over exposure. Years later, I picked it up again and enjoyed it, but haven’t sat down and really invested much time with it. That is, until it popped up here. And I’m glad it did, cause I’d forgotten how much I loved this record. 5/5

Not sure how long I’ll make it with this one. People rave about her voice, but I find it kind of contrived, style-wise, and it grates on me. The lyrics are not doing anything for me. I guess she’s a strong, independent woman that likes a bad boy…maybe? Sounds like she’s slagging off slutty chicks while also kind of presenting herself as one? Eh, I’m finding that I don’t even care what she’s singing about. This feels like Starbucks radio with some slightly racey material. Frank sucks. 1.5/5

I spent two weeks of the summer of 1995 in Jamaica on a missions trip with my church youth group. We spent most of that time in the Jamaican backcountry building a school for deaf children. The last two or three days of the trip we spent in Montego Bay. It was a ton of fun, but there was one thing that bummed me out about the trip. The only music you heard was Bob Marley, and it was unavoidable. On a bus or a taxi? Bob Marley on the radio. Walking around in the street? Bob fucking Marley blasting over someone’s boombox. Inside a restaurant or in the hotel lobby? Bob Marley. In the hospital, Bob Marley wafting in through the open window (I know this because a buddy of mine got appendicitis on this trip). Even in the mountains, in the middle of nowhere, in a town with a population of 15 and no electricity or running water, Bob Marley seemed to be carried on the wind to grind any enjoyment you might have had for his music into the dirt. Bob Marley is a cultural icon in Jamaica, and seemingly no one else. There is nothing else. In Jamaica, all is Bob Marley and Bob Marley is all there is. And now, 30 years later, I still hate reggae. It’s not fair to other reggae artists. It’s not even fair to Bob Marley, who really has no control over his legacy postmortem. But I fucking hate reggae now thanks to Bob Marley and my time in Jamaica. 1/5

I was under the impression that these 1001 records were curated by a panel of respected music critics, but sometimes I come across a record that just makes me scratch my head as to why it was included. Icarus Line’s Penance Soirée is one of those for me. What impact did this record make on anyone? Like, noisy garage rock is not an unknown genre to me, and in the 20+ years since this album’s release, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of this band or album. Not only have I never heard it, but I’ve never heard anyone mention it, and my friends are music nerds that listen to weird shit sometimes. I’ve never heard of another band or publication mention them. If this was some landmark achievement for the genre, I feel like I should’ve heard of it long before now. I’m not the end all, be all of music listeners, and it’s certainly plausible that some bit of arthouse greatness slipped under my radar, but I still think it’s weird that this obscure record—that I can’t imagine has made much of an impact on too many people—has made it on this list…and especially more so now as I’m actively listening to it. It’s not that it’s altogether bad. There are bits here and there that are interesting. But the songs kind of drone on without going anywhere. Nothing about this record really moves me at all. It’s not bad, but it’s not what I would call good either. For as much audio space as this band takes up, I don’t really find it rich or compelling in any way. I’m mostly just curious: what about this record stood out so much to whoever curated this project that they would include it? There are many worse albums on this project, but some of those I actually understand why they would have been showcased here; this one is a head scratcher and a hard 2 stars for me. 2.0/5

Genesis’ Selling England by the Pound is not really what I expected at all. I’m familiar with the 80s iteration of the band, which was ok, though I never really paid loads of attention. But I’ve never listened to Peter Gabriel era Genesis. It’s waaaaay nerdier than I expected, even for prog rock. But it’s legitimately pretty fun. I think there might have even been a bit where they were singing in Olde English. I have no doubts that I won't be revisiting this any time soon, but it is fun and not a bad listen at all. Some of it is really impressive, even. 3.7/5

For me, this Buzzcocks record feels like if the Sex Pistols actually knew how to play their instruments but forgot how to write catchy songs. It's not a bad record, by which I mean, it's listenable enough. But, it didn't make much of an impression on me either; it kind of just sounds like generic Brit punk from that era (maybe they were ahead of their time? I dunno). I think I just wish there was something here that made me actively want to hear it again. 3/5

Fuck yes, it’s about time this record popped up. I don’t need to listen to it to know Im going to give it a hard 5, but I’m going to. 5/5

I have a pretty big soft spot for AC/DC. Does every song they’ve ever written sound pretty much the same? Yep. But thankfully, that song is pretty fun. And I could listen to Angus Young solo pretty much all day. Highway to Hell is a classic. 4/5

I like early Kings of Leon a whole hell of a lot. I stress “early” because for some reason, they went from raw, lo-fi energy to overproduced radio hits that seemed geared toward sorority girls (admittedly, this era was still solid, just too slick and radio-friendly. And I guess there’s also the fact that they just seemed overly concerned with turning themselves into sex symbols, and they kinda wrote music like it), and finally landed on writing the most tepid, easy-listening nonsense ever. I know most bands mellow as they get older, but fuck, their evolution has been pretty disappointing, especially considering how fun they started out. But this record was where it started, and this one is a keeper. 4/5

If I had to pick a favorite Beatle, it would be George Harrison. I was never a super fan of the Beatles; their music is ok, here and there, but I've come to learn that I'm one of the weirdos that finds them a little overrated. I think Paul is a fine songwriter, John Lennon seemed like an ass, and Ringo is probably a better drummer than the world ever really gave him credit for being. But George is alright. He doesn't knock them all out of the park (track 1 on this record being the case in point), but when he gets it right, he gets it really right...at least in my pretty limited experience. This record kind of showcases that. The first track sucks, but the rest of this record is really solid musically. His lyrics I could often take or leave, and I don't subscribe to his worldview, but the songs are really listenable and catchy. 3.8/5

I’m not listening to anymore Neil Young. I heard there are like 13 of his albums on here. I tried with one record, hated it. I’ve hated his music all my life, and I’ve actually heard a fair amount of it cause I have a buddy that owns like all 113 records he’s put out. There literally is not single piece I’ve ever heard of his that I’ve enjoyed. Don’t need to hear this record to know it’s a big fat goose egg from me. Fuck you, Neil Young. 0.5/5 He gets a half a point for not writing Destiny’s Child’s Survivor.

Kanye's Yeezus sounds every bit like it should have been titled, "Portrait of a Manic Episode" or something. To me, this record sounds like he's gone full-blownsies off his meds. That's not altogether a bad thing though; there were parts of this album that I quite enjoyed. The beats on this record are interesting and not something I feel like I've ever really heard someone lean into. Regardless of how crazy he might have been in 2013, the man can still write some catchy stuff. This record is not really what I think of as his best effort, but I don't think it's his worst either, and there are some songs that I like alright, even if big parts of the album are a bit of an eye-roll from me. I appreciate Kanye's willingness to take risks and jump unreservedly into new artistic terrain. Whether or not it always works is another question. There are some parts of this that really don't. The samples that he inserts into the middle of some songs here is one thing that comes to mind. Perhaps I'm missing the point, but I reckon the songs where he tries this out are much stronger without the interruption to the flow. But the thing that kinda bums me out about large parts of this record is that it feels like he lyrically phoned it in for this one. "Some are leaders and some are followers, I'd rather be a dick than a swallower." Ooof. The aggressive repetition of that line makes me believe that Kanye REALLY buys into his own hype as a lyrical genius. And that's really just one instance of many that left me kind of cringing. There were large parts of this record where his lyrics feel, I dunno, disconnected from an actual point; like, when that one drunk guy at the party starts trying to freestyle, and he manages to find some words that rhyme, but they don't make a ton of sense when put together...and everyone just kinda wishes that he'd call it a night and pass out somewhere else. This record felt a little like that at points. Like, ok, Kanye, maybe we all understand that you like sex a lot, but maybe it's best to go ahead and take your meds...I think it's this lack of real self awareness or the ability to self edit which make believe that he felt like he could record just about whatever and the world would buy it. That's what I think I mean when I say this record sounds like he put a manic episode to tape. I do think it got better toward the end, and there are some super redeeming qualities to Yeezus. But this probably isn't the record I would hand to someone from the younger generation that was curious about why the world was in love with Kanye for a bunch of years. 3.0/5

This record is not really what I expected. I've never listened to Yarbirds, but I know Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page all came from this group, so I'm not really sure what I expected. But, it wound up being somewhere in between psychedelic rock and blues and brit pop. Really strange, but parts of it work. This record kinda has a rough start, but as it gets going, it gets better. And honestly, I always thought Jeff Beck was kinda boring as far as legendary guitarists go, but Roger the Engineer set me straight. Not only can he shred, but the tones he employs are pretty forward-thinking for 1966. I really enjoyed this record when they let him go nuts. All in all, this was a lot better than I expected, and I might actually revisit it at some point. 3.6/5

There’s not really much to critique on this record. It’s my favorite of Metallica’s body of work, and it’s been in pretty regular rotation since I first listened to it in like 9th grade. I’m creeping up on 50, and this record still gets me so jazzed. 5/5

This seems to be something of a beloved record for many, but I feel kind meh about it. Maybe it popped up and I just wasn't really looking forward to it, and I'm trying to shake that feeling now as I listen to it. Maybe it's got enough of a disco vibe that it's putting me off. It's also got a lot of 70's soul vibes to it that have historically never really done anything for me. The band is really talented: nice voice, solid guitar work (though he works the wah peddle too much; again, probably more of a problem with the style and time), some fun bass lines...I think I don't even dislike the songs as much as the styling. Plus, "That Lady" used to play during an ad for soap or deodorant or feminine products or something during the 80's, and it ran so often that now I can't hear that song without feeling like I'm being advertised to. I also think 3 cover songs on an original record is a bit much. It's a fine record, just not something I would ever choose to listen to. 2.5/5

This is a weird one cause I really like Moondance, but Astral Weeks feels a little like Van Morrison’s b-sides to that record despite its earlier release. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t feel nearly as strong a record. And most of the songs go on about 3 minutes longer than is necessary. 3/5

So, yesterday, I got Van Morrison’s Astral Weeks. For a while, at least for British markets, Van Morrison was considered at least very R&B-leaning. Then, this record pops up the day after. So, I guess R&B is on my mind a little bit right now. I don’t really dislike the genre, at least in principle. I loved old Van Morrison stuff (admittedly, a bit of a different flavor for the genre), love Sam Cooke, Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, Al Green, Otis Redding…but I don’t love where the genre headed in the 90’s and onward. Music is always evolving, I’m sure. And with it, genres can shift. That’s what this kind of feels like to me. I know Frank Ocean’s channel Orange is probably a modern R&B classic, but it’s not a genre that resonates much with me these days. It isn’t a terrible record from a more objective perspective, I’m sure. But this record isn’t really something that holds much interest for me. I like that Frank can sing, but the subject matter is a little meh, the instrumentation is mostly digitally rendered as opposed to being played by musicians (although there are a few highlights here), it sounds slick, but it also feels like it takes place entirely in a studio. That’s may be a dumb comment…I guess what I mean is that with a band full of musicians, I can suspend my disbelief that they’re being recorded in a studio, because there’s still an energy to the recording. When everything is recorded using synths, 808s, samples, and a mic, that recording can feel pretty lifeless. Most of this record feels that way to me. I guess I’m glad I listened once, cause it really wasn’t terrible. A couple songs I actually like alright, and it got better toward the end. But I don’t think I’ll come back. 3/5

Haha, my mom used to roll her eyes every time Janis Joplin came up on tv or in conversation. She just never understood the appeal, I guess. My mom’s a lovely woman, but her taste in music has always been questionable (to be fair, while she'd roll her eyes, she also wouldn't change the station on me, which was nice. She suffered through a fair amount of music I know she wasn't necessarily into because she recognized that I was). Anyway, Janis Joplin is a legend. So much passion, so much grit. Cheap Thrills is largely a really fun record. I love the guitars, and when the band opens up, it's easy to imagine that Big Brother and the Holding Company would be an entertaining and energetic show. But Janis easily takes center stage. 4/5

I’ve heard bits of Sonic Youth before, but never sat down and listened to one, so this is a first for me. It’s funny, the reviews on this record are pretty polarized. I guess you either love Sonic Youth or you hate them. I would say that I like this record; it’s shoe gazey and darker than I expected, but there are some subtle pop sensibilities floating in and out of it. But I do completely understand why some folks loathe this one. It’s pretty challenging at a lot of points, particularly when we’re pretty conditioned by hooks and catchy choruses (of which I haven’t really found any). I think what’s appealing to me on this record are some of the more exploratory guitar bits. The drums can get pretty dynamic. And I think the bass does a good job of tying it together in such a way that it’s not quite an incoherent mess. Some of the lyrics are a bit too “Virginia Woolf, stream of consciousness” for my liking, but overall, I’m not sad I heard this one. 3.7/5 For such a seemingly polarizing record, I find this one in the “pretty decent” camp. I probably won’t revisit it often, but I’m looking forward to another Sonic Youth entry.

There’s a lot going on on this record. The production is great, musicianship is tight. I don’t even really mind that every track is ten minutes long. But it sorta feels like I’m listening to bits of the Lion King score at points, and other times it feels like Latin jazz. Not my speed at all, but it was done well. 2.8/5

Ive always wondered what the draw to Oasis was back in the 90s. They wrote some decent songs, and a couple of them I like quite a bit. But a whole album’s worth of Oasis? It’s like the audio equivalent of a Full English Breakfast. I like all the ingredients, and yet I find the whole breakfast so bland. I don’t think the Brits know how to use salt or something. Anyway, that’s how I feel about this record. I ought to like everything here, but it’s just mostly bland. And I still don’t understand how they got to be as big as they were. 3/5 I’m not even sure I should rate it this highly. I feel like it’s the perfect middle of the road, the definition of mediocrity. But I also feel like it’s better than other things I’ve rated 2.5. I guess I’m giving this record a half a point extra just for “Don’t Look Back in Anger”.

It’s like one long extended Strokes song. If there weren’t pauses between tracks, it might be tough to pinpoint where one song ended and the next began. And I like Julian Casablanca’s voice alright, but he affects the weird cabaret singer vibe entirely too much. “Last Night” and “Hard to Explain” are solid though. I just don’t really care that much about the rest of it. It’s ok. 2.7/5 Rounding up cause it’s not a terrible record, just not really worth fussing about, I guess. But it’s not a hard 2.

Motörhead’s Ace of Spades is a classic. They don’t mix it up a whole lot though; the record stays at pretty much one tempo and it’s pretty much one-dimensional lyrically. Motörhead has always seemed pretty unapologetic about the whole “sex, drugs, and rock n roll” vibe. But I actually appreciate that about them. The guitars are fun and raw, Lemmy sounds like he’s straining while taking a dump throughout, and the whole thing sounds like the soundtrack to a barroom brawl. Surprisingly tight musicianship too. Though it’s not something that I want to throw on repeat over and over, it’s a pretty fun record that I’ll revisit from time to time. 3.6/5