Jun 11 2025
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Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Pure Psycheldelic blues-based drip. Pleasing to the ear, but very "of an era". White Rabbit is peak Jefferson Airplane. Embryonic Journey is a legendary Jorma jam. The rest is okay but a little too dated. They were "it" for a time and this album is their signature and it's debatable how fame and the 60s, hippie, San Fran scene affected them going forward.
3
Jun 12 2025
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Moving Pictures
Rush
Peak RUSH - a trio of Canadian legends as ingrained in Rock Culture as any band of the last 50 years. Ultimate Bro Band - probably 80-20 man/woman fan base ratio and this is arguably their apex album.
Just to open an album with Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ and Limelight leaves the listener gasping for breath. An in your face, unapologetic, 80s prog masterpiece. No notes and if you don't know this album already, you were born after 1990 or just out of touch with society.
5
Jun 13 2025
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Pet Sounds
The Beach Boys
A strange, but important album, what else can be said about it? In light of Brian Wilson's death this week, I will paraphrase things I heard him say about this album:
- It was to be his crazy experimental album in response to what the Beatles had been doing, and when he heard Sgt. Pepper's come out a few months later, he felt his attempt had been a massive failure that didn't compare. The Beatles later said that they basically felt the same sense of failure for Sgt. Peppers when they heard Pet Sounds.
- Insane recording experience with Brian that basically broke him mentally (along with the drugs and whatever else)
- God Only Knows - one of the greatest songs EVER written......change my mind
- Wouldn't it be nice - one of the few rock songs that talks about how great it would be to be older and married with a family instead of how great it is/would be to be young and crazy
Maybe the best album from one of the most American bands in history. 'nuff said
5
Jun 16 2025
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Live!
Fela Kuti
I mean join Afrobeat Icon Fela Kuti with insane rock drummer ICON Ginger Baker and it has to be good, right?
Answer: YES, but not for everyone. Lots of cool tunes and love the live recording, but kind of ended up as more background music than active listening due to the length and long improvisational nature of the experience.
This is one of those IYKYK albums.
3
Jun 17 2025
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After The Gold Rush
Neil Young
A mellow, perfect segway in his first few albums between the rock-heavy Everyone Knows This is Nowhere and the masterpiece that is Harvest. Couple of legendary songs, but more a glimpse into what was coming next with Harvest. Neil was such a prodigy at this age, having already made a name for himself with Buffalo Springfield, CSNY and not too many other artists can boast the string of about his first five or six records in a row out of the gate. What else is there to say about this ICON who is still writing chapters of his own book, today?
3
Jun 18 2025
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In A Silent Way
Miles Davis
A chill, ambient Miles album - kinda fusiony, I guess. I'm no jazz expert. Here is the personnel on this album and I'll just let them speak for themselves:
Miles Davis – trumpet
Wayne Shorter – soprano saxophone
John McLaughlin – electric guitar
Chick Corea – electric piano
Herbie Hancock – electric piano
Joe Zawinul – electric piano, organ
Dave Holland – double bass
Tony Williams – drums
A bunch of legends.
3
Jun 19 2025
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Miriam Makeba
Miriam Makeba
Lovely voice, lovely rhythms from South Africa
2
Jun 23 2025
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Channel Orange
Frank Ocean
I really didn't think this album was that strong. I liked the general vibe and some of the synth "riffs" were definitely catchy. Not unpleasant to listen to, but nothing groundbreaking here from Frank, at least to me.
1
Jun 24 2025
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Music for the Masses
Depeche Mode
This is definitely a Depeche Mode album from the mid-80s. Like/remember opening track Never Let Me Down Again.
Seems like a transitional album between their early electro-pop stuff and the next album Violator, which made them international sensations.
2