Wasn't really my cup of tea; I was into the first song or two but then it got a bit too 1999 and I fell out of it. Took the best 2-3 songs with me in favorites, won't relisten.
Favorite track: Bingo Bango
I've always put off listening to this one in its entirety. Very boppy, enjoyed it a lot, but maybe it's not catchy in the way that it would pop into my head randomly (not that that's the mark of a good song or album). My favorite moments were the wild full-on screams. Also, the infamous Darling Nikki wasn't as scandalous as I was hoping.
Favorite track: When Doves Cry
It always feels a bit embarrassing to out myself as a simpleton by saying jazz just isn't for me, but the more amazing jazz I listen to, the more I have to accept that that's just the way it is.
This was a great album, but it's not something I would actively listen to. It definitely keep me grooving as background music while I worked, though!
Lots of creativity, catchy beats and different upbeat moods on this one. Insanely long and not one of my favorites from them though
Like so many things that have been iterated on into oblivion, I definitely respected the album for maintaining a solid, signature characteristic 80s, classic rock chug-along feeling throughout, but I can't imagine many occasions for me to listen to this again unless I wind up driving through the desert for several hours. It just feels like music made for a different lifestyle.
Billy Gibbons pretty much sets the benchmark in my mind for bend-heavy, pentatonic-based blues/rock guitar solos. However, I always imagined ZZ Top to be one of those bands that would have a much more profound effect when they're playing in front of you than listening alone on headphones.
Solid 2.5-3 as a personal listening experience. Several hits, no particularly bad song and he even shares his experiences with getting sick from eating TV dinners. You rarely get that kind of honesty in music anymore. Favorite song: Legs
I actually listened to this one today, just before getting the prompt (after Brian Wilson’s passing). It was nice to hear what could have been.
The album is utterly ridiculous, all over the place and full of beautiful harmonies. I remember the first time I heard smile sessions (before this) and thinking “oh boy, this is nuts but I have to think it’s genius” and finding it hard to do so.
After a few listens, though, I started to appreciate Heroes & Villains, then became able to appreciate the rest of the songs. I think it’s one that will continue to grow on me and, while it’s not my favorite collection of individual songs, that’s not what it’s meant to be and there’s just too much Mythos around this one for me not to fall in love with it’s eclecticism.
Favorite song: Heroes & Villains (specifically the acapella / string outro).
RIP Brian!
So ‘Mother’ was a bit of a weird fit into the album, but otherwise there weren’t any songs I was dying to skip.
Felt like a very solid collection of Police songs, and you can hear how tight of a group they were. I imagine I’d have loved the album if I hadn’t heard every breath you take a hundred times already. Most of it was new to me and it was all pretty enjoyable. Will probably listen again.
Solid 3.75 for me. Favorite track: Tea in the Sahara
I've been a fan of many individual songs for some time ("Son of Sam" is probably my favorite Elliott Smith song).
I really enjoyed the consistent "jangly" feeling this album has for me while still maintaining that intense melancholy I've always loved. It's the most intense (but not necessarily heavy) collection of his music I've heard so far.
Favorite Track: Son of Sam
4.5/5, will re-listen.
I mean come on, it’s hybrid theory. What better combo is there than high school angst and nu metal?
Favorite track - One Step Closer
Generally not as upbeat or in your face as I prefer, but I enjoyed it very much for what it is. I'm not sure where I fall on the appreciation vs. appropriation debate (and whether/how intent plays into it), but generally speaking I think I'll read the Wiki on more albums going forward. Having defined the contexts of an album definitely makes for a more interesting listening experience.
I usually prefer musical complexity somewhere between folk and jazz. Given that, Paul Simon does a great job telling a story musically and I liked how several songs used rhythmically interesting sections to mix things up. A couple times I got genuinely surprised by guitar riffs that I would expect 1:1 in a lot of 2010s indie rock (Gumboots intro, Crazy Love, Vol. II).
Favorite track: You Can Call Me Al
Not for me, but it's fun music and I could see why someone would like this. Feels like it perfectly embodies a blissfully cringe-ignorant era of 1990s U.S. club culture.
Good guitar playing and a smooth voice. I found it interesting and can understand his appeal, but not sure whether I'll relisten. I'm not a big fan of open strumming folk, so didn't like the songs based around that as much.
Solid 3.5 for me. Favorite track: Things Behind The Sun, had a really nice feeling to it!
The music is simple and huge, loved the mix as well. The songs didn't overstay their welcome, but the album did.
I would guess Danger Mouse added a lot of the interesting ideas we hear, I thought it was well-produced. After looking at DM's catalogue, I do notice some intangible groovy element which carries across the music he's worked on.
That said, the songs are good but the "same"-iness of suburban white guy blues made for Chevy commercials got a bit much after a straight hour of it - so IMO the consistency, while a good thing, still doesn't justify not cutting the album down to, say, 12 tracks.
Solid 3.25/5. Favorite track: still Tighten Up
Even if every other song was a clunker I’d have to rate this album a 5/5 just for that title track. Thankfully, and unsurprisingly, this isn’t the case though. Enjoyed every song.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to unhear the Axl Rose / Marge Simpson influence. I think it does a good job encapsulating that era though (at least, the image of it that has been presented to those of us who weren't there).
My 21st-century attention span had a hard time with the full hour, but I enjoyed most songs. This album feels like a good representation of 60s SF rock.
Essentially the same song over and over, about no longer enjoying the springtime or sunrises, questioning whether life is even worth living after being dumped/friendzoned. Vocally and musically nice, but for 90% of the time he doesn’t leave one octave or topic, so it really dragged on for me.
Granted it’s a nice voice, but it was hard to empathize. It sounds harsh, but under the backdrop of a 1950's world and all its injustices, I found it hard to sympathize with all the tiny-violin-playing about an extramarital affair not working out.
1.5/5*
Belongs in the discussion with other top names of the 60s.
The longer jam on Sex Machine isn't something I'd usually go for, but it was actually quite fun and I enjoyed all the playing around with talk box & wah pedal.
Every song was great! Solid 8/10
I really couldn’t get on with the singing or lyrics, though musically there were a lot of really interesting ideas. I’ve read and can hear that it’s an acquired taste, and believe that’s possible, but there’s just too much good music at there already I don’t have to train myself to like.
My gut reaction was that it’s a 2. but I recognize it’s well put together and found the music interesting enough to bump it up to a 3.
Great album, sets a mood in the background for hanging out or doing anything, really. 9/10
Not my genre but it was enjoyable. I would like this if I liked country.
Strong 7/10
Was super excited to get this one. Haven't listened to it in probably 20 years. It definitely holds up! My non-teenager brain can better handle longer songs now so I could get into it much more.
I can also only imagine how novel and exciting this was back in 1970.
Solid 9/10
3 hours is a ridiculous inclusion on this list, so I listed to the Very Best of the Gershwin Songbook (shorter version).
For that: it’s really nice Sunday morning music. Not my favorite but it gives a great overview of Ella, who has an amazing voice!
7/10
I was never a huge a fan of Jim Morrison, but can’t deny they had a good groove.
As an album, it’s cohesive and flows nicely but a few songs drag, not just the longer ones. The suburban blues lyrics didn't speak to me but the singing was good, if a bit passionless. I prefer their more composed, poppy music ("Love Her Madly") and never really got on with Riders on the Storm.
Strong 6.5/10
Wasn’t a Springsteen fan before and this didn’t convert me, unfortunately. Not sure whether it’s his voice or my general, overpowering aversion to singalong stadium rock which colored my listen and kept me from being open to it.
I did enjoy the first two tracks and I appreciate that it’s well-written though, so it’s a 6/10 for me.
Couldn’t finish it. I was excited with the idea of a soundtrack for a made up movie, but it was really uninteresting to me and the first track laid out the concept and really turned me off to it.
Man was this guy horny. Catchy production and interesting musical ideas throughout. No standout tracks for me, they were all about a 6.5-7/10
Really nice, interesting blend of styles, language and instrumentation. Nostalgic 90s feeling and a cool inclusion on this list.
5/5 for what it represents, but I didn't connect with the music so much, 3/5 for me. Fully recognize this is probably because it's my first Cohen album and I would need to better know the artist to fully feel the context of this album.
Interesting rock and roll project, very different from the beach boys work and not really comparable. Didn't grab my interest the whole time, it felt quite long the first time, but not on the second listen. Some songs were very catchy. Not my thing usually but it was a solid 7.5/10
Maybe their best album, though these are their songs I’m most sick of. Road Trippin’ maybe isn’t the best song on it, but is such a solid closer that I think it left the strongest impression on me.
I have to echo another review about subpar recording quality. I actually had to go in and make sure I didn’t have low quality streaming enabled (I didn’t).
My opinions about this thing are all over the place, which fits the music - 9/10
I was excited to hear more than the title track. It’s a bit unfair when you have a song that big; anything else you ever do that isn’t a super-duper generation-defining megahit will always be compared under that lens and it prevents you from being an artist otherwise.
I don’t know whether they’re from SF but this is that sound for me, just heavier. The lyrics still have that holdover 50’s simplicity and the organ is always there as the most interesting element, getting you ready for it to eventually hit you with that famous line at the halfway point of the album.
Not my thing but it was nice, 5-5.5/10
Much better than I expected! They genuinely have a creative, fun sound with interesting elements sprinkled on the new wave pop formula. With New Delhi I didn’t get the lyrics fully, but from what I got it left a weird impression.
Favorite track: Sunday Morning
6.5-7/10
The album’s fine, but man, Britpop really is disproportionately represented on this list when you consider how much music there is in the whole wide world one should listen to before they die. I understand the authors have their perspectives, just frustrated to get another hour of it today.
Anyway, the Verve. Besides the opener track, the rest also has the markings of a band that can write catchy hooks, even if they didn't hook me so well. The instrumentation and their respective parts I found pretty boring, but together they are actually better than the sum of their parts and create a cohesive identity (dreamy 90s britpop), even if it's one I personally have a hard time enjoying.
Nice product of its time, but this brand of blues rock isn’t for me. I really like the movie poster-style album cover though, that’s creative.
Also, that “Carry On My Wayward Son” guitar line being one to one on “Jet Set” was wild.
It took me a minute to appreciate punk as a teen, and unfortunately I've outgrown it now. I tended to prefer the UK stuff a bit more but Black Flag is hard not to like. Surprisingly wholesome.
Strong Stevie Wonder inspiration infused with Disco. Nice idea, but dispute those two things being great, this one didn't do it for me. Great bass though.
Great collection of insanely catchy, simple music. A few skips but not many.
7/10
Really nice background music, the cover made me think of fallout and it hits a very similar tone to the music featured there. It’s somehow really calm and upbeat.
Not something I’d listen to regularly but appreciated the excuse to give it a listen.
Really interesting fusions. Songs are all under ten minutes and include lots of wild production, which my non-jazz brain requires. Great stuff!
Great album, it’s my favorite after MoR, self-titled, and paranoid. Normally that would sound like a diss, but they just have that good of a discography. RIP!
