This was my listen the day after Brian Wilson passed. As far as I can tell, he was 99% of The Beach Boys, and their lasting influence would be little to nothing without him at the helm. I listened to the mono cut of this record for him. I don't know much Beach Boys beyond Pet Sounds, Smile Sessions, and their early singles. This album seems to sit somewhere in a transition from the surfy hits to the lush arrangements of Pet Sounds. Almost like an appetizer to Brian Wilson's masterpiece. For that, it was more of a historical intrigue rather than an inspiring listen for me. It was good, but not something I'd probably seek out again. The stand out track is definitely "She Knows Me Too Well" which feels like it could've been on Pet Sounds. The final track "Bull Session With 'Big Daddy' #1" seems to serve no purpose except maybe to hit a time quota. Even then, the album is under 30 minutes. It is also one of the ugliest album covers I've seen. Nothing like a solid brown block taking up a third of the art to really draw the eye in.

This was a new listen for me, an album and artist I had not heard before. I was really torn on it. Vega is a gifted singer, but I mostly found myself either annoyed by her inflections (like a knock-off Patti Smith) or just bored as her voice did not feel unique to my ear. Her lyrics did not stick with me, and her melodies felt too similar from song to song. The second track, "Freeze Tag" is especially emblematic of her trying to be Hejira-era Joni Mitchell with Pat Metheny but without the interesting jazz motifs and impeccable melodic singing. I think much could have been saved with different production. Much of the overly-compressed guitar, chorus pedal, and synth felt very dated and cheesy. Mixed with the serious and often-pretentious lyrics, there were times the album felt like parody. I don't think this album aged well, and may have been more enjoyable 40 years ago. I would compare some of the feel to a modern band like Men I Trust, which have very different lo-fi production underneath, and I could see much of the same ideas working in that way (though I concede that Men I Trust may also sound cheesy in 40 years). I am trying to appreciate this album in the context of its contemporaries, but I just feel very apathetic to it-- didn't love or hate it, and I will probably forget it. After the album finished, "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac auto-played and I was reminded of how interesting the instrumental side can be to back Stevie Nicks' unique and provocative voice. Of course, it may be unfair to compare an album to a masterpiece like Rumours, but that's what this generator is all about, right?

This isn't in my comfort zone of genres, so it's hard to evaluate. It was hard to listen all the way through as much of it felt like a very similar tempo with drum and guitar banging on in my skull. Maybe that's how most thrash metal heads want it. In the transition between "Subtraction" (track 5) and "Altered State" it was quiet for a moment and I literally had a sigh of relief. However some parts were interesting and I found my foot tapping along to some songs so it's not as if I hated it. Just not my taste.

Biggie is undisputedly one of the greatest rappers ever-- his voice, his flow, his presence. This album supposedly reflects "life to death", very ambitious. Where it suffers are the dated interludes like "Fuck Me" and the blowjob that ends "Respect". The 3+ minute "Intro" could be cut. It feels very 90's, of-it's-time. I don't think it's aged well. I also found the production lacking. Many of the beats were so similar, they blended together. Not so many hooks. These really put the spotlight on Biggie since they don't overshadow him, but they are also a bit boring. Ultimately, I can only take so much of the narcissism prominent in gangsta/mafioso rap. I cringe when Biggie talks about the size of his penis or is repeatedly misogynistic. Some of it is performance. But most of the lyrics and message are just not something I can relate to and find enjoyment in.

This comes about as close as you can to a perfect album. The guitar parts are as delicious as a full meal, but never overstuffed. Just perfectly placed notes. No skippable tracks, each one unique and solid. I read that "Marquee Moon" was done in one take, which the engineer thought was a rehearsal. Amazing. It goes to show what years of playing live and honing craft can produce.

Elton John's magnum opus. If I'm not mistaken, the 3rd of 6 straight #1 albums in the US. I would call it a flawed masterpiece. It's very bloated, with over-the-top production in some places. As many people would agree, "Jamaica Jerk-Off" should have been cut as it doesn't fit and is the most annoying track. I also think "Dirty Little Girl" and "All The Girls Love Alice" are a bit weak. I've also never been a fan of the ordering of the tracks. "Candle In The Wind" (one of my least-favorite songs ever, but probably because I heard it too much as a kid) right after "Love Lies Bleeding" takes out a lot of momentum from what is a much more upbeat album overall. It should be reserved for maybe the end of side 2 or 3. I would put "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" as track 1 as it quickly establishes the mood, then "Bennie and the Jets"-- the audience noise reminiscent to the transition to "With A Little Help From My Friends" on Sgt. Pepper. "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" could be earlier, maybe the opener to side 2. I think "Love Lies Bleeding" actually serves better as an album closer than opener.

My favorite Zappa record. Perfectly off-kilter, heavy, melodic, and weird. Five of six tracks are instrumental. Although his comical lyrics and non-sequiturs are integral to the Zappa sound, he was first and foremost a composer of unique melodies and wild soundscapes. Zappa's early-career talents are on full display on this record. "Peaches En Regalia" is one of his fullest, catchiest compositions. "Willie the Pimp" is the only track with lyrics (Captain Beefheart) and features some of my favorite guitar playing. "Son Of Mr. Green Genes" is a mash-up of the first two to close out the first side. "Little Umbrellas" is a breather which eases you into the second side of the record. "The Gumbo Variations" is controlled chaos with dueling sax and fiddle (or is it some effect on the guitar? idk) "It Must Be A Camel" brings it all home with wonderfully jazzy motifs from a different planet. It's not a perfect album, but it is immensely enjoyable and I haven't tired of listening to it over the years.

What more can be said about this album? It's iconic, it holds up, it's still relevant. "The Guns of Brixton" still feel ominous. "Train In Vain" is perpetually danceable. "Hateful" will be stuck in my head for days. The album's long, but none of the tracks feel like filler. They are each unique, catchy, edgy without feeling pretentious or overdone. Strummer and Jones are at the pinnacle of song-writing talents. It's arguably the best album of its era and genre.

I was not looking forward to listening to this album. I've kind of been a Nirvana hater since I was younger, I think because I found them overplayed, and I usually find Kurt Cobain's voice grating. But this is an instance I'm grateful for doing this 1001 Album Generator because without it, I never would have come to realize why this album is so deeply loved. I used to just see this as an MTV cash-grab to exploit the popularity of the band, and a lame gimmick for a hard rock band to play their hits acoustic like this. Furthermore, this obviously was recorded only a few months before Cobain's passing, and I always wondered if people just thought it was good for sentimentality's sake. There is indeed something ominous about the stage being decorated as a funeral. Perhaps now that I'm older, nearly 10 years older than Cobain was when this was recorded, I can understand the sincerity and vulnerability in the performance. You can hear Cobain nervous and stiff at first and become more comfortable as the recording goes on. I do not know how much was being played up for performance's sake, but it felt very real to me. I enjoyed the latter half of the album more than the first. Some singing still felt grating to me, and I'm not a fan of acoustic-electric guitar sounds in general. Although Nirvana's songs translate surprisingly well to acoustic renditions (credit to good songwriting), I felt the most enjoyable songs were the covers (perhaps because I could just hear the Nirvana songs in their original and constantly comparing them). The Meat Puppets' performances and songs "Plateau" and "Lake of Fire" stood out, and I'm going to listen to Meat Puppets II shortly. I'll admit it, I cried a little at the end of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night". This album really gives a glimpse to what Nirvana could have evolved into, that they were not limited to just being a grunge band, and that is what makes this record so bittersweet.

I've been a bit soured on Elvis ever since I understood that most of his music was appropriating that of black artists. It is evident here in "Tutti Frutti" and "I Got A Woman" amongst others. Elvis' singing is undoubtedly great, like a stuttered tremolo. It does get a bit tiring after a while, with many of the songs a similar tempo. It probably would have been better as dance/background music rather than sitting and listening intently as I did. As immensely important as this first Elvis record is, it didn't leave a lasting impression on me. An exception is "Blue Moon" which remains one of my favorite songs ever.

This remains one of my least-favorite Beatles albums. It feels disjointed, unfinished, almost rushed to release. A lot of good ideas not fleshed out. Throughout listening I am constantly reminded of the rift between Lennon and McCartney during this time, and all the signals towards pointing to the band's breakup, and it bums me out. It's still The Beatles, so the song-writing is phenomenal, but overall the double album is bloated and unrefined. It is iconic and important in the history of music, so I cannot dock it too much. The low rating is due to my enjoyment of the album, not necessarily the general quality. I can understand folks loving this album, but I've never been a big fan in comparison to so many other Beatles masterpieces.

It was probably about 10 years ago that I last listened to this album. When it came out in spring 2007, I was a senior in high school and in a production of "Into the Woods". The day the album was released, I booked it from school to Best Buy to purchase the CD, tear it open, pop it into my Walkman which was connected to a wired cassette adaptor in my car, and narrowly make it on time to rehearsal. It was a formative album for me. Arcade Fire was one of my favorite bands in the time period from Funeral to Reflektor. It was tough to go back to Neon Bible in particular because the time that I associate this with was very tough-- leaving high school, saying goodbye to friends, the uncertainty of where I was going next, the angst I had about everything. Even listening now this album is very dark and has a lot of emotional weight, probably dragged down even deeper by my emotional baggage. It still holds up. I thought it might end up feeling cheesy (for being overly serious or overproduced, which it is in some places) or even hypocritical (re: Win Butler sexual abuse allegations). Obviously it is hard to appreciate Arcade Fire in the same way as before 2022. "Keep the Car Running" is one of their catchiest songs. "Intervention" still stirs some inner demons in me about being raising Catholic and hating it. "(Antichrist Television Blues)" actually stuck out to me the most on this re-listen-- I don't think I'd ever really listened closely to the lyrics or meaning of this song (written about the manager-father of Jessica and Ashlee Simpson) and it's better than I remembered. I'll always remember that video of them playing "Neon Bible" in an elevator, and part of the percussion is tearing pages from a phone book. And another personal memory of my friend being way too drunk and needing to hear "No Cars Go" and insisting that the "best part is at the end".

This was my listen the day after Brian Wilson passed. As far as I can tell, he was 99% of The Beach Boys, and their lasting influence would be little to nothing without him at the helm. I listened to the mono cut of this record for him. I don't know much Beach Boys beyond Pet Sounds, Smile Sessions, and their early singles. This album seems to sit somewhere in a transition from the surfy hits to the lush arrangements of Pet Sounds. Almost like an appetizer to Brian Wilson's masterpiece. For that, it was more of a historical intrigue rather than an inspiring listen for me. It was good, but not something I'd probably seek out again. The stand out track is definitely "She Knows Me Too Well" which feels like it could've been on Pet Sounds. The final track "Bull Session With 'Big Daddy' #1" seems to serve no purpose except maybe to hit a time quota. Even then, the album is under 30 minutes. It is also one of the ugliest album covers I've seen. Nothing like a solid brown block taking up a third of the art to really draw the eye in.

This album is an old favorite of mine, an entry-point into jazz. It is obviously interesting for its non-standard time signatures (the title Time Out even indicating that time is a major motif throughout), most notably its two major songs, "Blue Rondo a la Turk" and "Take Five", in 9/8 and 5/4 respectively. In comparison to other jazz this is not that wild, but from a general audience perspective this is novel. After listening to a lot of jazz over the years, these songs feel "safe" to my ear, but mass appeal is not necessarily a bad thing. And I may be overestimating a general audience's interest and attention span for an album like this. But I shouldn't worry about what others think. This is a gem in jazz and in music in general. It has that especially "cool" feel between the drums and Paul Desmond's sax. Desmond's distinct sax tone remains my favorite across all artists-- I once heard it described as being like black oil spilling through the reed. The time signatures and Brubeck's piano add just enough spice to give a little edge. Ultimately it feels a little like a distillation of complex ideas and theory into something digestible for wide audiences. Three of four men in the Dave Brubeck Quartet were white (notable to have an integrated band in 1959), including Brubeck himself. So some may interpret this album as appropriating jazz (and even Balkan music with "Blue Rondo a la Turk"), but it seems to be done with reverence and still adding something novel to the discourse, i.e. not just copying it for profit. I don't doubt that "Take Five" and the album welcomed quite a few people into a world that is often gate-kept. Ultimately, this is a triumph in taking complex ideas and making them presentable and understandable. This translation is often the most difficult task in the academic/scientific world and is just as difficult in music. The album is, ahem, *timeless*.

This was a new listen for me, an album and artist I had not heard before. I was really torn on it. Vega is a gifted singer, but I mostly found myself either annoyed by her inflections (like a knock-off Patti Smith) or just bored as her voice did not feel unique to my ear. Her lyrics did not stick with me, and her melodies felt too similar from song to song. The second track, "Freeze Tag" is especially emblematic of her trying to be Hejira-era Joni Mitchell with Pat Metheny but without the interesting jazz motifs and impeccable melodic singing. I think much could have been saved with different production. Much of the overly-compressed guitar, chorus pedal, and synth felt very dated and cheesy. Mixed with the serious and often-pretentious lyrics, there were times the album felt like parody. I don't think this album aged well, and may have been more enjoyable 40 years ago. I would compare some of the feel to a modern band like Men I Trust, which have very different lo-fi production underneath, and I could see much of the same ideas working in that way (though I concede that Men I Trust may also sound cheesy in 40 years). I am trying to appreciate this album in the context of its contemporaries, but I just feel very apathetic to it-- didn't love or hate it, and I will probably forget it. After the album finished, "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac auto-played and I was reminded of how interesting the instrumental side can be to back Stevie Nicks' unique and provocative voice. Of course, it may be unfair to compare an album to a masterpiece like Rumours, but that's what this generator is all about, right?

This was my first time listening to a full Kate Bush album. I had only ever heard a few of her singles and never thought it was my jam, putting her as something akin to Peter Gabriel. I was surprised to find I really enjoyed this album, not even from just a technical standpoint. I better understand why so many people, even her peers, are so amazed by her. The range on her voice is absolutely breathtaking. Paired with her meaningful songwriting (I didn't realize she wrote all her own songs) and the eclectic instrumentation, this album is nearly a masterpiece. Sometimes the production is dated but mostly it just seems ahead of its time-- I hear a lot of Bjork and Alanis Morrissette in there. My favorite song was "Heads We're Dancing" which seems to be about a love affair with Hitler. The title track is based on Molly Bloom's soliloquy which ends Ulysses, absolutely wild that it doesn't feel pretentious but just very honest. Bush is really an amazing artist I've overlooked, and I'll be looking more into her music.

I hate how much I still love The Smiths, because I dislike Morrissey so much. But now is not the time to talk about him. There is a lot of personal baggage for me listening to this album. I think of my angsty younger self, and I haven't listened to The Smiths much since a long relationship with someone who loved them. So, I wanted to find issues with this album. But I can't. It really is a perfect album, never a dull moment. It plays like a greatest hits album. I am partial to Marr's guitar and the production, but Morrissey's singing and lyrics do shine throughout. All the macabre, tongue-in-cheek, pretentious, sulking, playful words that they are. There's nothing more I can add that hasn't already been said.

I found this pretty middle-of-the-road and unremarkable. Not bad but not my style. Just sounds like late-90s RnB.

I think I'm just not a fan of this genre. If I had heard this in high school, I think I would have eaten it up. But thrash metal of this era just all sounds kind of cheesy to me. It's trying to be edgy and fast but it just hasn't aged well from my perspective. I do think that there is a more honest, political (almost punk) message underneath the lyrics in contrast to the superficial hair metal of the time. And I do think the playing is very technically proficient. The songs that stuck out to me were the title track "Peace Sells" (very recognizable bass intro...) and the last track "My Last Words". The rest of the songs just seemed to kind of blend together to my ear. Maybe it would be different if I relistened, took some time to adapt to it and the genre. But as it stands, this just isn't my thing.

This is one of the greatest classic rock albums ever and perhaps the Stones' best. But this isn't a 5/5 for me because I think I just don't enjoy the Rolling Stones all that much. While I understand the appeal, Jagger's vocals, especially when he puts on the southern drawl in songs like "Dead Flowers", frequently annoy me or draw me out of the music, they are just too over-the-top in a studio setting. I admit I'm a "Wild Horses" hater, it seems to go on and on. Aside from the organ solo (I assume that's Billy Preston?) on "I Got the Blues", I find it just kind of standard blues. Much of it doesn't feel innovative so much as a re-interpretation of a lot of Americana. I think Exile on Main Street is better, and I enjoy the Kinks' Muswell Hillbillies more. There are many strengths. "Brown Sugar" has one of the Stones' catchiest and most iconic riffs (putting aside the problematic lyrics...). The timing of the guitar riff in intro of of "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" is so tasty, and its extended outro is vibey and awesome. The slide guitar on "Sister Morphine" is so cool. So it's not as if I dislike this album, but I can't seem to rate it perfectly due to my own tastes.

I was really impressed by the first few tracks on this album-- the intimate singing, the sincere message, the stripped-down production-- but towards the end I found myself getting a bit bored and realizing some of the lyrics weren't as deep as they seemed. "Fast Car" is obviously the pinnacle of this album and is one of the best songs ever written (I wonder if it raises the bar so high that the other songs seem worse than they really are). Without any instrumentation, "Behind the Wall" spotlights Chapman's moving voice. "Talkin' 'bout a Revolution" is just as relevant today as in 1988. "Mountains O' Things" is underrated, love the afrobeat under it. But some of the songs just didn't hit as hard. I think "She's Got Her Ticket" was my least favorite, with its distracting reggae beat and too much going on. Some songs kind of border on protest-song cliches and platitudes, e.g. "Why?" and "If Not Now...". Songs like "For My Lover" and "Baby Can I Hold You" felt a bit cheesy and didn't do it for me. I do think this album is an important classic and it feels very timeless, even if it's not entirely my thing. I'm hovering between 3-4 stars and will round up.

This was an album and artist I had never heard of, and I found this very interesting. It sits somewhere alongside Jefferson Airplane, earlier Joni Mitchell, traditional folk, psychedelia, and even Velvet Underground. It feels like this should have been a bigger hit or cited more as an influence, or maybe I have just been living under a rock. I can see this potentially turning into a 5/5 after a few listens.

I just cannot stand Morrissey post-Smiths. This is probably his best solo album, but it just annoys me throughout, with the exception of "Suedehead" which just feels like a subpar Smiths song. Morrissey is one-dimensional, and without Marr to add depth and counterpoint, it's just not good. There are some interesting/risky production choices throughout the album, and for the most part they don't work for me.

What more can be said about this album? It's possibly Dylan's magnum opus. This was written and recorded in such an unbelievably short amount of time for such a dense behemoth of an album. I think if this were my first time listening, I might find it exhausting, especially the harmonica and unrelenting word play. But it was a formative album for me, one that shaped my guitar playing and how songs can be written. It was good to return to it, and settle into the music, like a cozy Thanksgiving meal. It remains my favorite Dylan album.

I love Tortoise. I can see how they could be polarizing to new listeners, but give them your time and attention. This is an album you need to just sink into. The opening track "Djed" is one of their best songs, a behemoth that tows the line between krautrock, electronica, minimalism, etc. The album's beats and bass lines are phenomenal throughout, nothing is ever conventional or cliche.

Muddy Waters is an all time great but I just wasn't feeling this album. There wasn't much "edge" to it.

As to be expected, the guitar playing is phenomenal throughout the album. However I really disliked the production. It has those 1980s drums and chorusy guitar effects, so dated and not befitting John Lee Hooker's vibe which should be more organic or even spooky (thinking like Tom Waits' Mule Variations as a better example of a vibe that could fit). The best song is his duet with Bonnie Raitt, but even then it's a bit off-putting given their difference in age and I don't feel any tension between them, almost like movie actors doing a scene but they are actually not in the same room. Many of the later songs sound the same. I just didn't vibe with this at all, but respect JLH and his playing.

God this was phenomenal, first time hearing it. It's not only extraordinary from a technical standpoint, but also the music itself is great. I just don't understand how this level of sample-based music can be assembled so well. I don't know exactly where this fits in the history of the genre, but it seems to be a leap from 80s and early-90s sampling, and pre-dates people like Madlib, or at least perfects it prior to its peers. Listening all the way through got tiring in a few spots, as some ideas are jarring or short or disjointed, but other tracks are vibey and atmospheric. I think this could be a 5/5 after some repeated listens (thinking like Madvillain which I didn't completely connect with the first time but is now one of my faves).

What a trip. This is like early "outsider" or "bedroom" music. Weird, lo-fi, messy but ultimately very unique, intimate, and honest. It is interesting as a record of Skip Spence's mental health issues, but it transcends that, because it's actually very good. Whenever you think a song is going to unravel, it just kind of holds together and works. I was never bored, and I'll definitely be re-listening to this for both its instrumentation and to pay more attention to its lyrics.

This is an album to really slow down and settle into. It's such an interesting mix of Americana-- the polished string arrangements of the 50s, clean and twangy tremolo-ed guitars, clapping as percussion like something out of the Beach Boys, soul guitar and falsetto. There's a lot of vintage influence here, but the vocals lend an indie modernity, and are often "bad" in the sense that limits of his voice feel pushed and it gives unpolished honesty to counterbalance the instrumentation (I often found the crackling falsetto grating and distracting). It sits somewhere around Bill Callahan or Will Oldham or Wilco or Sufjan Stevens or Lana Del Rey. I don't know. I've heard such good things about Lambchop and I wish I'd listened to this about 10 years ago, I would've eaten it up. My tastes have changed a bit, and this isn't so much my style anymore. But I still expect to return to it when that mood strikes.

First time listening to Earth, Wind & Fire intently. This really slaps. Perhaps it caught me on the right day. I can see it being over the top and cheesy and annoying when not in the mood. It feels like every member is a master of their instrument. The funk falsetto is off the charts. It feels like a time capsule to the 70s soul scene. A lot of fun, though not something I'd always listen to.

Something I'd never heard of, and I loved it. Great vibes. Got a big smile from the Zappa cover. It veers a little into that Y2K-era dance thumping in some spots. But overall it was a great listen. It's at the same time modern dance electronica and vintage French new wave and smoky jazz club. I want it on vinyl. It could turn into a 5/5 after some time to sink in.

There was a time when I would've said the Talking Heads were my favorite band, undisputed. I still love them. 77 is not my favorite album by them. The songs are great, but I'm not a fan of the production. From what I recall, they had issues with the producer during recording. The guitar are flat and kind of shrill, the energy is off and restrained. Compare to the energy of their CBGB live shows of the time. The songs are arguably better than their follow-up More Songs About Buildings And Food, but the difference is Brian Eno. Talking Heads became full force under his production and the focus shifting to rhythm. 77 is driven by guitars and Byrne's singing, which is tight and idiosyncratic, but not to the level of peak Talking Heads. 77 hovers somewhere around a 3 or 4, depending on whether you listen to it remastered or not. For some, this will be their favorite Talking Heads album, but for me I connect more with Fear of Music and Remain In Light. While listening to 77 I'm constantly thinking how it can be improved with more eclectic rhythm additions or Adrian Belew guitar effects. It just doesn't feel fully fleshed out to me, but I still like it.

I'm not a bonafide RHCP hater. This album is good. Catchy songs, big hits. As with much of their catalog, it suffers from some songs being too similar, or Kiedis being downright annoying. Flea's basslines and Frusciante's feel are fantastic throughout.

This was my first listen to Siouxsie and the Banshees, and I can't believe what I was missing. This album is so ahead of its time and it rules. The guitar on every single track is powerful, unique, and innovative. You can feel it at the heart of what came after: The Smiths, R.E.M., Pixies, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. "Monitor" especially stands out with a riff that is a decade too early. Siouxsie's vocals sail over everything and can't be tamed. This just makes me want to be a teenager in 1981 and put on my headphones and my eyeliner and forget how much Reaganism sucks.

Oh, so edgy. This brings me back to like 7th grade, and maybe that association just makes me still think this is so childish. It hasn't aged well-- it belongs with the Y2K misogynistic gross-out humor of Jackass, American Pie, Tom Green, etc. Eminem's voice as Slim Shady annoys me, the beats aren't particularly interesting, the skits are a waste of time. All that said, Eminem still has amazing flow, and I can see how some people can enjoy this even for nostalgia's sake, but I just wish the energy wasn't put toward this dated joke concept. This is not my thing.

This is Jeff Tweedy pouring everything out that he has. It's solid alt-country, at times overly melodramatic, with tricks and licks similar to the Rolling Stones in the early 70s. There are some interesting instrumental choices, but mostly it's good old-fashioned Americana and straightforward songwriting. I look at this more as Wilco coming into their own and showing what they've got, rather than breaking any boundaries or doing anything innovative. It's also a bit long. It's not that some songs aren't good enough for release, but I wonder if it could've been split into two records.

I listened to Metallica too much when I was in 8th grade, so I think that's why I have a juvenile association with this album and most of their discography. I've tried several times to sit down with this album, but just can't make it through. It's like it's trying too hard, taking itself too seriously, and I just cringe. I don't feel like this sound has aged well, or maybe I've just heard many of these tracks too many times. It's tough to rate, because it's not as if I hate it or love it. I'm just a bit indifferent. It just seems to lack passion and sincerity, like it was manufactured just for airplay. I don't know enough about the Metallica story to weigh in on them "selling out" when this record was made, but I can see how many argue that this album is mostly pop songs under the guise of metal. I'll rate it in the middle since nostalgia is convincing me to be kind.

I read a thread once that asked what music Frank Zappa would listen to if he were still alive, and the top answer was Thundercat. I think that's spot on. This album is groovy and weird and funky. "Them Changes" has one of the best basslines ever written. Some songs are short and do not feel fully fleshed out, but I think that adds to how off-kilter much of the album feels. I dig it.

It's The Beatles, it's obviously good. I'm not big on this era of them, but it's better than 99% of the pop music of the time. "All My Loving" is the standout for me, as that always gets in my head for days after hearing it. "Don't Bother Me" is also interesting as a George song. I'm not as interested in the covers like "Please Mister Postman" or "Roll Over Beethoven" but they are certainly good. That's kind of how I feel about the album overall: it's good, but not very remarkable, especially in the context of the Beatles' catalog. I really disliked the stereo 2009 remaster of this. The hard-panning left and right is absurd and unlistenable with headphones. It wasn't until I found a mono mix on YouTube that I could really sit down and listen to the album in full.

Ah yes, the Bay Area boys born on the bayou. This is just good, old-fashioned American rock. They evoke the swamp, or at least the stereotypical mythology of it. The greasy clubs, mud, mosquitos, hanging trees branches. Fogerty channels Screaming Jay Hawkins or Howlin Wolf as his growl is completely over the top, and the spooky hoodoo blues works its magic. "Proud Mary" stands out here as one of the best American rock songs ever, perhaps the quintessential CCR song. The opener "Born On the Bayou" is a banger, sets the tone, and has a great guitar tone and effect. I think "Graveyard Train" lags a bit, and "Good Golly Miss Molly" isn't very interesting as a cover, so it's not as though the album is perfect. "Bootleg", "Penthouse Pauper", and "Keep On Chooglin" are solid blues songs, strong but not exceptional. Good CCR album, but I'd put other albums above it.

I never got deep into The Flaming Lips. This is my most listened-to and favorite album of theirs. My favorite tracks and parts are actually more the instrumentals-- "Approaching Pavonis Mons By Balloon" is one of my favorite songs of all time. This is nearly a perfect album. I would fault some of the production on the drums, and some bits are a bit abrasive to my ears. Some production is too busy. Some things get cheesy. Maybe I've heard "Do You Realize?" too many times. The opening tracks and flow are epic. I love this album, but it is imperfect.

I have a particular soft spot for Silver Jews. David Berman was as much a poet as lyricist. This is perhaps his darkest work, deep in drug addiction and not far removed from his 2003 suicide attempt. This is not an album for everyone, and only befitting to a certain mood or the right headspace. But it's beautiful, tragic, honest, and brilliant.

I couldn't get into this. The Dandy Warhols just sound so fake and inauthentic. Very generic. An American band regurgitating Britpop half a decade too late. BJM won the fight.

This is an absolute masterpiece, a work of art in its improvisation and spontaneity, capturing a genius at his best. Just sit back and fall into Jarrett's world.

How much more can I really add to the praises sung about Stevie Wonder? I'm in the camp of people who think he is one of the most talented musicians of all-time, and it would be true even if he could see. FFF is right at the center of his incredible run of albums in the 70's, at the full force of his creativity and power. It gets a little overshadowed by Innervisions before it and Songs in the Key of Life after it. It doesn't have the same chart hits as the other two, but it is more introspective, slow, and reflective, more of an album you settle into with headphones on rather than play for your friends and dance along to.

I'd say this is good not great, especially when compared to other Wu-Tang solo projects which followed it. It's dark and mostly murky, almost like an extension of 36 Chambers (see callbacks "Mr. Sandman" and "Method Man" (remix)). Overall it just doesn't stand out among the other Wu Tang projects. Many of the instrumentals are similar song to song, and they get a bit repetitive. A few tracks annoyed me, like "All I Need", "Sub Crazy", and "Release Yo Delf". My favorite tracks were "Bring the Pain" and "Meth vs. Chef".

This is Aretha Franklin in her prime, one of her best records. Some of my favorite "deep" cuts are on this album: "Niki Hoeky" and "Come Back Baby". Listening all the way through, not a single song is weak. It of course has very recognizable tracks like "Chain of Fools" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", but her cover of "People Get Ready" was especially moving. The guitar and studio band are tight throughout. It's a short and nearly perfect album.

Abattoir Blues = 4/5 Lyre of Orpheus = 2/5 The first half, Abattoir, works much better than Lyre. It is high-energy, and I dig Cave's preachy spoken vocals contrasted with the choir and grand piano behind him, like a dark twist on gospel. It has a big feel, like you can picture the live concert. Lyre is quieter, more mellow, and dare I say pretentious. Maybe I'm just not in the right mood for it or it needs another listen, but it just kind of feels tacked on to the coattails, like they knew it wouldn't sell well as its own release but they didn't want to throw out the songs. I'm just glad they didn't mix them in since I enjoyed the momentum of Abattoir alone, and Lyre songs would certainly derail it. Honestly this seems like an odd choice to include on the list. There are better albums in Nick Cave's catalog. Maybe there was recency bias when this was released. It's not bad, but it's not particularly memorable, and I don't think I'll reach for it again any time soon.

Found this really bland and forgettable. It's diet Lennon-McCartney pop songs. Unless I'm missing something, I'm not sure why this is innovative or deserves to be something I need to hear before I die. It's not offensively bad or anything, it's just too "safe". The production is dated, the lyrics are not clever, and the album cover is ugly.

(This was hard to find, but I think I got the correct track list. There was a lot of confusion and mislabeling with the similarly-titled This Is Fats!) I really enjoyed this, just great oldies RnB. It seems Fats Domino gets forgotten alongside players like Ray Charles or Little Richard. I'm not knowledgeable enough to say if it's because he wasn't as pioneering as those two, but he was very good. The best song on this album is "Blue Monday" (not New Order), and I also had "Honey Chile" stuck in my head.

Contains some of Neil Young's best-written and most lyrically rich songs, such as "Pocahontas" and "Powderfinger". I just wish this weren't a live album that was overdubbed. Tracks like "Thrasher" have that ugly acoustic-electric guitar sound that just takes me out of it. The first half which is basically all acoustic, could have been better with more polished studio work. The second half is more raw and electric, but the recording quality is still flawed, a little flat. The album progresses in chaos from the gentle acoustic version of "Hey Hey My My (Out of the Blue)" to the absurdly gritty version "(Into the Black)", which is interesting. I understand the raw and improvisational sound throughout is probably what was intended, but I just can't help but wonder how much better some songs could have been as studio recordings.

"Drive" makes me feel like I'm 12 years old again. I never got into Incubus outside their singles when I was younger, so this is effectively my first time hearing them. I was pleasantly surprised in the first few tracks, then the songs just became rather repetitive, formulaic. A better sound than a lot of nu-metal but a bit generic and mainstream after a while. Overall I'd say this is middle-of-the-road and dated to Y2K.

God, I can't imagine hearing this for the first time back in 1970. As has been said, metal may not have been invented by Black Sabbath, but it surely wasn't invented after them. In this debut, they still cling to a lot of blues roots, but the heavy riffs are still prominent, a foretelling of things to come. This album is more Zeppelin-like than, for example, what they'd evolve to by Master of Reality, which is more doom metal. Where I'd say the album is not that great is in the longer pieces. I really dislike the wide panning vocals in the "Behind the Wall of Sleep", and it drags a bit on, with the bass section before "N.I.B." (where "N.I.B." is maybe the best part of the album) just feeling like filler. The same "filler" happens in the last medley. Although Iommi's guitar licks there are amazing, and Page-like, they are not as musical or melodic as some of his other work, and it just comes across as noodling or showing off. Still, the album as a whole is ground-breaking and pioneering, still fresh over 50 years later.

I have utmost respect for artists that can do it all, like Shuggie and Stevie Wonder and Prince. This album is pure chill and funk, but it is not quite perfect. While I think of lot of it was intentional style, I think I would have preferred more "organic" feel on some tracks. In particular, I wasn't completely on board with the drum machine, and it seemed like because Shuggie was overdubbing, some rhythm feels a bit sterile, whereas it would have had more soul with a full band. Still, the songs and there composition are outstanding, and many production choices are interesting and innovative even if they don't completely land. I see myself relistening to this quite a bit.

This is coked-out Sabbath, much faster tempos and slicker guitar playing than the albums preceding this. It foretells more of the hair metal genre than the doom metal in Master of Reality, with exceptions. The strongest songs are "Supernaut" and "Snowblind" back to back. I'm just not a big fan of "Changes" or especially "Laguna Sunrise" which draw the album to a halt and just feel like time filler, though I know a lot of people especially like "Changes". Overall the riffs and songs just aren't as strong as the albums preceding it, and I wonder how much they were burned out by this point, considering this was the fourth album in two years.

I can't say this was really to my taste, but I found it more enjoyable than other 80s metal I've listened to. The guitar is a bit more raw and melodic, and it has opportunities to breathe. The vocals are cheesy, but in some places remind me of the rawness of Rory Gallagher, weirdly enough, and it kind of works. "Phantom of the Opera" is an especially interesting track, kind of a classical feel with a bit of Brian May in the solo. I thought "Running Free" was the standout track, and I also liked some of the Pink Floyd feel of "Strange World". I think ultimately I get really worn out after about 15 mins of metal, so this album just started to drag and feel repetitive for me after a while. Much of it feels like "standard" metal of the period, with some shining moments. This is something I probably wouldn't listen to again, but it's not bad.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It's a mix of new wave and punk, kind of The Clash meets Mod-era The Who: the singing is similar to Joe Strummer, and there are full downstrokes of guitar reminiscent of Pete Townsend. A really fun record with many strong songs, I'm surprised I'd never heard it.

It's so hard to separate the music from the artist, especially on an album where he's proclaiming he's bad. I tried, but I can't separate Jackson's pedophilia and mental illness from this, when, not to mention "Bad", songs like "Man in the Mirror" draws attention to him changing himself, "Smooth Criminal" describes a predatory criminal, and all the sentimental, innocent-sounding lyrics are just plain insincere and unbelievable. This is Jackson trying to adopt a heavier, more-dangerous attitude, perhaps a reflection of his own real inner demons. Yet it doesn't even feel sincere. Most of the album is over-polished with over-produced synth, which maybe was cutting edge then but now sounds a bit goofy. The worst culprit is "Just Good Friends" with Stevie Wonder, a shame. I found "Dirty Diana" misogynistic and "Liberian Girl" interesting but ultimately annoying. This album is undoubtedly important and influential. I admit I'm not a fan of most 80's pop music and this sound which carried into the 90's. I bet it also influenced other pop artists who came to reject their initial clean image and adopt a bad facade later in their career when they started to become irrelevant and needed attention again. Overall, I'd say the songwriting is really good here-- many of the hits are super catchy and timeless melodies-- but the production is too busy and dated. And of course, Jackson's child molestation and mental illness hangs over it all.

When Brian Eno calls one of your songs the sound of the future, then you know it's good. What more can be said of Loveless? It's the most important album of shoegaze and has influenced hundreds, maybe thousands, of bands. It's still fresh even after 30 years. One of the best albums ever.

This really blindsided me. It's a big change from conventional Beach Boys sound, which doesn't completely work. It feels a bit insincere, as if they're trying to get with the times and grow out of their niche, but there are growing pains. It's an inconsistent and flawed record, but it is interesting. My favorite part was the last 3 tracks ("A Day in the Life of a Tree", "Til I Die", "Surf's Up") which are actually all the Brian Wilson-written songs on the record. I guess that goes to show that when I say I like the Beach Boys, I'm really saying I like Brian Wilson. I think the rest of the album needs to sink in for me, and will get better with re-listening. It sits around a 3 or 4 for me after one listen, so I will round up with the expectation it will grow on me.

"This is just a tree of life. This record is the watering hole." -Tom Waits It really is the Stones' masterclass of Americana. A culmination and anthology of all the rock-n-roll, blues, gospel, and outlaw country that existed up to 1972. They didn't invent the genre, but it's ironic a bunch of white boys from England could perfect it. Yet it still has their own brand on it; it is still distinctly the Stones. Even as a double album, there aren't really any weak or skippable tracks. It doesn't feel bloated, just a massive pouring out of creativity and ideas. The recording history is interesting, and I think how it was recorded in pieces, in different places, under turmoil and disagreement and drug-addled tension, just adds to the outlaw and raw character that persists throughout. It really is a quintessential rock record and just about as good as it gets.

I was surprised to see this on the list, but I gave it an honest listen. It's truly the musical equivalent of white bread or a Hallmark movie. Bland, inoffensive, formulaic. It's like adult contemporary pretending to be indie. It certainly was popular and influential, but I cringe at all the bands like The Fray and Owl City which Coldplay spawned. I acknowledge I'm a hipster. Chris Martin pretends to be Jeff Buckley or sometimes Dave Matthews, but he truly is a great singer and I can understand why he's captured the hearts of so many middle-aged moms worldwide. The lyrics are all so cliche and boring and melodramatic and sugarcoated. The album doesn't flow song-to-song. I will admit there was nostalgia over "Yellow" and "Don't Panic", and I'll embrace them as guilty pleasures. But "Yellow" doesn't even seem to fit within the rest of the album. "Shiver" was also kind of an interesting song but I'm already forgetting it after a few songs. It's really all just so forgettable.

This is a hidden gem. I was surprised by the horns at first, worried this was going to be some kind of proto-ska, but they don't dominate throughout. The album is just filled with really solid punk fused with 50s rock-n-roll. Some songs feel like they could just be by The Stooges or MC5, more Detroit punk than British. I think this must get lost in the saturation of great punk records around 1978, but it should be more in the discussion. Rating 4/5 for now, but I could see this moving to a 5/5 after some relistens.

This is the type of music I would enjoy and write when I was 16. A lot of satire and intentionally edgy lyrics. I get big Beastie Boys energy from this. It's like you're at a house party and these guys are playing in the basement and there's only so much time before the cops show up. I would say some of "Back to Africa" is a bit insensitive, and I panicked when the next song was called "Master Race Rock", but it is all tongue-in-cheek. I guess the shock is the point. The album is interesting and important from a historic standpoint, but I didn't find it a particularly enjoyable listen. The guitar is especially interesting for 1975, but just not my thing. I liked the energy though, and I respect it.

It can be argued that Bossanova is just as good, and maybe better, than Surfer Rosa or Doolittle. It's kind of an inevitable synthesis of the two, but more focused, more calculated. A little prettier but still not mainstream. None of the songs really have the common melodic structure or hooks for widespread appeal, but they are all quality. It's got the usual balance between cacophony and harmony that the Pixies were masters at. It leans toward some old school surf or rock-n-roll motifs a la Chris Isaak or Echo and the Bunnymen. Like a darker extension of "Here Comes Your Man" with a little sci-fi mixed in. It's hard to describe, but it's still fresh 35 years later.

The MVP of this album is John Paul Jones. It incorporates more acoustic arrangements and folk instruments than I and II. To me it marks a pivot and expansion in Zeppelin's sound from just a great hard rock band into one of the best bands of all time. The songs are creative, more complex, and more daring. But there are still hard rockers, "Immigrant Song" being iconic and "Out on the Tiles" being underrated. "Since I've Been Loving You" is the epic peak of the album. That said, I'm not a fan of "Tangerine" and "Hats Off To (Roy) Harper". The latter especially just kind of annoys me, though I commend them for trying something different.