Do I even need to write anything down? It’s Kid A. Like. Dude. EIIRP is one of the best openers of all time. One of the best needle drops man. And the whole album is so weird and great. Yowza. This is awesome.
There is something about the sound of this record.... it sounds much older than it should, in a good way. Like taking pictures on an old camera with an ancient film stock they don't make any more. The graininess adds to the charm. If you've listened to any Stones albums that preceded this you know how inconsistent they are. They'll have a solid-gold classic one song, a complete nothing the next, going back and forth until the 9 songs are up and hey, wow, that wasn't very satisfying! With Exile there are no "nothing" songs. And it's a double! All four sides kill. One of the greats from one of the greats. FIVE STARS
I had already written up some notes about this thing, but I went back and listened to the album again because something was sticking in my craw. I was struggling with the questions - Who can make music like this? How does a person make this kind of art? Because it is sooooo bleak. The B side here is unbelievably heavy emotionally. And on the one hand it seems manipulative and on the other hand, I think Reed is able to do that with these songs (especially the final four) because the point of view he's adopted is so incredibly apathetic. I try to think that albums are an artist's way of taking us on a journey. Lou Reed isn't taking us anywhere with Berlin so much as chucking us into the mind of a completely awful human trash bag and showing us what he sees. Which is both unbearably depressing and totally engaging. FOUR STARS
Crunchy guitar tone is sick. First Rollins album. Some of the songs are fun, some of them are intentionally horrible to listen to. Not my bag but I kinda get it.
Do I even need to write anything down? It’s Kid A. Like. Dude. EIIRP is one of the best openers of all time. One of the best needle drops man. And the whole album is so weird and great. Yowza. This is awesome.
Stage Two heavy metal- in that transition from bands like Sabbath and Zeppelin and Deep Purple to bands like Metallica et al. More thrashy/punky. Judas Priest. Kinda sounds like a more metal Thin Lizzy? Not the primary vocalist. Also the only album with this particular guitarist.
Very proggy, British-folk rock. The flute is amazing, I just can’t hear it without thinking of Ron Burgundy. A couple of real bangers and some nice acoustic pieces that bridge the gaps. I can see why people would get into this. Seems like it would reward repeated listenings.
OG rock and roll. Cleaner than a bar of soap. Super influential at the time, apparently, but today it just seems dated. The amazing thing is this is Buddy Holly’s only album and it has four seminal rock and roll songs. That’s an incredible output. What he could’ve done if he had lived past 21!
The pixies! Way ahead of their time. Rock misfits. It’s funny this album was on the docket for me, since I’ve listened to the other main Pixies albums many times and still enjoy them- but I’ve never heard this one. And I have to say- I don’t love it. The songs sound very samey. They are mostly in a minor key, which feels darker and more menacing- which is fine- it just wore on me after 7 or 8 songs with the same rhythmic ideas all in a minor key. Velouria, Digging for Fire, Havalina, were standouts. Ringo wasn’t even the best drummer in the Beatles, Bossanova isn’t even the best Pixies album. Of the 90s!
I was excited to listen to this one. Jeff Buckley’s dad! This album turned out to be pretty frustrating. It has some great music and occasionally a great line. But mostly this is overshadowed by some truly ridiculous lyrics. Lots of lines about jesters and kings and queens and maybe the war is in your mind and it’s all very 60s and pretentious. Knight Errant is particularly embarrassing, as is the 8 minute title track. On the other hand, “I never asked to be your mountain,” “once I was,” and “pleasant street,” are incredible songs.
For whatever reason, the melodies in “Solsbury Hill” have always driven me nuts. I can’t stand them. However…..it’s a really good song! It’s well crafted- Gabriel spent a lot of time making this song work and making sure the instruments sound great and the arrangement highlights what he’s trying to say. Every song on the album is crafted the same way. It’s a great album, with a diverse set of songs.
I’ve listened to Yes before but never a full album, and this one really surprised me. An excellent album. Yes is different from many of the other prog bands of the time because they’re so…..chipper?! Upbeat, maybe? While listening to some prog albums feels like doing your maths at the kitchen table on Sunday night, listening to Yes feels like taking a stroll with very close and slightly goofy friends. So much fun. Some prog bands make 9 minutes feel like 30; Yes is not that band. A good hang.
There is something about Paul McCartney that I just don’t buy into. It always feels like he’s just playing around, that he doesn’t actually believe what he’s saying. He’s just playing and singing what he knows will work for his audience, not necessarily what he’s feeling. On the last track of this album, the band moves from a funky disco section into a church organ hymn with three part harmonies, and back again. Cool. Then at the climax of the song an orchestra builds and builds to a big final note, with a slight reference to Also Sprach Zarathustra- and then- we get a three second reprise of Band on the Run. As if to say “just kidding!” Even Paul doesn’t buy what he’s selling, and neither do I.
I knew this would happen. JAZZ. I realize this album is a Big Deal. And I guess if you’re a jazz musician you probably eat this up, because it was a different approach to tonality, but I don’t know man. Out of context it just sounds like a bunch of dudes playing notes that have nothing to do with each other, while the drummer vamps in the background. There are melodies, I suppose, but they’re boring. And then they solo. And that’s even worse. One of the saxes (I’m guessing it isn’t Coltrane) does have a sense of melody and his solos are actually pleasant to listen to. But most of the soloing here is just Licks, not coherent melody. “Blue in Green” is excellent. But otherwise I really don’t want to listen to this again.
An inventive, funny, socially conscious album made up of tiny songs that pack a punch. Ok that was the Minutemen-style review. Now to expand on that- this is punk rock but heavily influenced by funk and jazz. They really try everything here. And for the most part it works. Even the fact that there are FORTY-FIVE songs on the record works. The sound of this record is also remarkable. There are only vocals, bass, drums, and guitar. Almost no overdubs, and every instrument is clear and out there in the open. No hiding. Great stuff.
Operatic teenage angst songs sung with absolute passion. This shouldn’t work at all. But Bat Out of Hell is so full of life and urgency it’s impossible to not get swept up in its craziness. “Paradise” is one of the most ridiculous songs I’ve ever heard. It’s campy, and funny, and exciting, and has the best lyrical left turn in all of rock music. It’s amazing. Good times, great oldies, it’s got a beat and you can dance to it. FOUR STARS.
PJ seems to be channeling both Chrissie Hynde and Liz Phair here quite a bit. But I found her most engaging when she was just being herself. Those are the most enjoyable tracks for me, anyways- “Big Exit,” “This Mess We’re In,” “This is Love,” “Kamikaze.” A few of the other tunes feel like they could’ve used a bit more time in the incubator. It rocks, it soothes, it tries to scare you a little. Good times. THREE STARS.
How is this possible? A punk band from 1977 that I've never heard of? And they made albums for decades? This is right in my wheelhouse! This is their debut album, and in most cases for a punk band, that would mean a rough and tumble affair, but the Stranglers seem ready to go right out of the box. I found they pulled from other punk acts to a certain degree, but their main progenitors seem to be The Doors and David Bowie. The vocal delivery and lyrics are hilarious; quintessential first-wave British punk. Some of the lyrics are so good it makes you wonder if the truly dumb ones are intentional or not; certainly the attitude is sardonic. The only real complaint I have here is that some of the riffs get repeated a few too many times, but overall, this is a fun stroll down the sewer. Highlights include "Goodbye Toulouse," one of the weirdest songs I've ever heard from a punk band; "Ugly" which is the funniest song on a very funny album, and "(Get a) Grip (On Yourself)," a Bowie-referencing rocker. It rocks, it drools, it sneers, it makes you laugh. FOUR STARS.
LA Punk! I've heard of X for years but never sat down with any of their stuff. The male-female lead vocals work really well. The guitar player REALLY wants to be in a rockabilly band. Which works- the great punk riffs are there, but he throws in rockabilly licks quite often and gives the songs a different flavor. I can't pretend to know what they lyrics mean, since I can't focus in on the vocals well enough to hear what they're saying. John Doe has a great scream and a really good voice. An excellent rock voice! And Exene has a perfect, disaffected, insouciant punk delivery. "Universal Corner" is the standout for me. What a riff. It rocks, it rips, it has crazy harmonies, it'll take you to prom in the 1950s. FOUR STARS.
I'll be honest - I've never heard of this record before! I know Stevie's big hits, but nothing off this record. The first thing I notice is Stevie's incredible voice. One of my favorite voices. And then, whenever you think you know where a song is going, it goes somewhere you don't expect. This is a subtle record. The songs all feel like they could explode at one point but then they pull it back. Which is why maybe this record doesn't have any of Stevie's signature songs on it. Sophisticated, smooth, chill, virtuosic. A soul classic. FOUR STARS.
Cream colored silk sheets. Shag carpet in harvest gold. Dark wood paneled walls. So you have a hot date with this girl from work and you get all prepped - hot shower, fresh shave, splash of cologne, your slickest outfit - brown suit with boots, a gold chain, a pale blue tie - and you meet her at one of those fern bars downtown. It goes well. She is delightful, and gorgeous, and funny, and most importantly thinks you're funny. You already knew each other but you hit it off. All that workplace flirting wasn't a fluke. She gives you that look after your second cocktail and third cigarette and you ask if she wants to come back to yours for a nightcap and of course she says yes. She has to pretend that she has to think about it but she doesn't really. And you walk in the door, and pour two glasses of Lillet Blanc and she's already comfortably lounging on the oversized couch like she owns the place and you have a choice now, an important one. You walk over to the record player and start thumbing through your collection - it's gotta be in here somewhere. It hasn't been -That- long since you last brought a date home who was this promising. And there it is. Scott 4. You slip this on the turntable, run the motor, lower the needle, and Scott's music lusciously slinks out of the speakers and now, finally, you can go to her with her glass of apertif and get down to the business. FOUR STARS.
I'll admit - I didn't love this album at first. But that's because the first half of this is the "Pavement" side, which consists of cocaine-fueled, overly-busy, panic-inducing electro-funk. It took some getting used. It's clear the band was growing into this sound, and wasn't entirely sure how this kind of music should sound. The mix is CRAZY, especially on "Fascist Groove Thang." The second side, "Penthouse" is more fun (and interesting) than the experimental funk of "Pavement." The band is clearly more comfortable with straight-forward electronic pop. "Geisha Boys" makes absolutely no sense, but the rest of the songs on the B side are excellent. I guess I'm more of a Penthouse guy. THREE STARS
The best Beatles album, probably. Before they got too weird, but after they were done singing about holding hands and stuff. Revolver is all killer no filler, man. Which is incredible when you think about it, because a big reason this album is one you need to hear before you die is because of the technical innovations and breakthroughs it accomplished. But even out of context, not experiencing any of that first hand, the songs here are amazing. And with a career full of closing out albums with certified bangers, "Tomorrow Never Knows" might be the best album closer of all time. FIVE STARS
...........And now I'm shopping for a copy of this thing on vinyl. FOUR STARS
Not nearly as trippy as the cover or title would have you believe. This is pretty straight-forward late-60s American rock with some nice Prog touches. The songs are good, and quick, and the lyrics are occasionally socially conscious. You never have to look at the track listing because the song names are always the part they sing over and over. If you have a friend who loves classic rock and you want to get them into Prog for some reason, this is a great place to start. THREE STARS
Aerosmith is so sleazy its easy to forget they have some great musicians. And they can write a damn good rock song. But listen, man. I'm not 14 anymore. These lyrics just don't cut the mustard. Does Steven Tyler just walk around with notebooks full of double entendres? How many ways can you refer to your dick without saying the word "dick?" He sings about how horny he is for 15 minutes then pivots to a song about a girl taking revenge on her dad for molesting her? WHAT!?!?! I shouldn't knock it so hard. It achieves what it sets out to do, so on its own term it's a very good record. I'm just too old for this shit. TWO STARS
There is something about the sound of this record.... it sounds much older than it should, in a good way. Like taking pictures on an old camera with an ancient film stock they don't make any more. The graininess adds to the charm. If you've listened to any Stones albums that preceded this you know how inconsistent they are. They'll have a solid-gold classic one song, a complete nothing the next, going back and forth until the 9 songs are up and hey, wow, that wasn't very satisfying! With Exile there are no "nothing" songs. And it's a double! All four sides kill. One of the greats from one of the greats. FIVE STARS
Any 30 seconds of this album will fit perfectly over that scene in the movie when the British/American rock band takes drugs for the first time and their minds start to expand. I can only take away a star here because I probably won't listen to most of this again. But "Snow Flower," "Mamata," "Metamorphosis"....... these are just excellent. The covers are fun and novel and kitschy, but there is legitimately great music here - if you're willing to brave the wild world of sitars. But the honest truth is I'm probably not most of the time. THREE STARS
I had already written up some notes about this thing, but I went back and listened to the album again because something was sticking in my craw. I was struggling with the questions - Who can make music like this? How does a person make this kind of art? Because it is sooooo bleak. The B side here is unbelievably heavy emotionally. And on the one hand it seems manipulative and on the other hand, I think Reed is able to do that with these songs (especially the final four) because the point of view he's adopted is so incredibly apathetic. I try to think that albums are an artist's way of taking us on a journey. Lou Reed isn't taking us anywhere with Berlin so much as chucking us into the mind of a completely awful human trash bag and showing us what he sees. Which is both unbearably depressing and totally engaging. FOUR STARS
There are some nice tunes on this- and there are moments where everyone is playing together and it’s lovely and melodic. And then there are moments where dudes are soloing and I get bored. The songs are all right around three minutes so the portions are perfect. It’s fine THREE STARS
If you put a gun to my head and told me I had to listen to one jazz album on a regular basis for the rest of my life- I’d pick this one. THREE STARS
Some other reviewer on here gave this album two stars and complained that Sabbath doesn’t rock “around anything” ie a clock, a robin, etc etc and I can’t stop thinking about what a brain dead take that is. FIVE STARS
Another album in my wheelhouse that I’d never listened to before. Some really strong songs on here. I can see coming back to this one as a fun listen. ……. Welp. Now that I’ve listened to every single second of “Pete International Airport” and “The Creepout” I can say that this album is FAT. The individual songs have a lot of fat on them, and the album itself has about six songs that could’ve been mysteriously erased and no one would’ve missed them. Were they afraid they’d never make another album, so they decided wanted to publish as much material as possible? Did they get some kind of bonus from the record company for filling up all the space on a CD? Was it something to do with royalties? Who knows. All I know is you’ve got about 6 strong songs here, 2 or 3 them are bangers- so the verdict has to be- even though we used to be friends a long time ago- THREE STARS
I thought this would be one of those slam-dunk 5 star albums. I’ve heard all the hits from this (who hasn’t?!?!?) but the deep cuts were mostly new to me. And while some of them are pretty great (“Grey Seal,” “Twist”) most of them are either retreads of earlier songs or totally forgettable. In particular, “Dirty Little Girl,” is a problem. The lyrics are aggressively misogynistic, even for the 70s, but what I find interesting is that the most intensity Elton musters up for the entire album is when he threatens to tell the world the subject is a dirty little girl. Dude, chill. Two songs ago you were singing wistfully about a sea-side resort prostitute. What the hell. And musically it’s just “Bennie” in a minor key. Anyways. By the time I got to side four I was exhausted. Sides 1 and 2 - FOUR STARS: Sides 3 and 4 - TWO STARS THREE STARS
if you can’t sing, maybe write a good song? Repeating the title of the song at the end of every verse, and then immediately singing it again in the chorus…… I wanna pull my hair out. We get it. Car wheels. On a gravel road. Cool. Great. Concrete and barbed wire. We know. And hey- I like plenty of vocalists who can’t sing. But Lucinda can’t sing in a way that I can’t deal with. I might not finish this one. ONE STAR
I can absolutely see how this isn't everyone's cup of tea. Both at the time and now. The problem with a modern audience hearing this today is that so many of the things that made the Doors so astounding have been copied wholesale by other bands, which have then been copied by other bands, ad nauseum. But even taken out of context, these are wonderfully crafted songs. The weakest track is "I Looked at You," which is still pretty good. Everything else is excellent, especially the hits and "The End." He's old, and his skin is cold. RIDE THE SNAKE FIVE STARS
Underrated Radiohead album. I think it gets lost being smack dab in the middle of one of the greatest runs of alt-rock records ever. It's a wide-ranging album, with some of their strangest and most complicated songs. "Sail to the Moon" is so beautiful and strange! Anyways. The raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops the raindrops FIVE STARS
- You can tell the songs are programmed because of the way they just sort of peter out or stop abruptly. - I don't love the dime store drum machine sound, but it is a vibe. I'm sure this was a conscious choice (both the sound and the use of a drum machine) but couldn't they have found a drummer to play with them???? - Vocals are incredible. The lyrics and affectation of a totally alien language are kind of silly but it works, because the melodic choices are so strange and the vocalist is SO strong. Adds to the dreaminess. - I had been listening on headphones for about 20 minutes when my wife came in the room and I had to turn off the album. It took me a few seconds to adjust. This music sucks you into it's own mad dream-logic. Everything is familiar but isn't working like you expect - words are being spoken but they don't make sense. You recognize people around you but they don't look anything like themselves. You're swimming in the air for some reason. Nothing else sounds like this. FOUR STARS
I appreciate what they’re doing here. If you’re a musician who has ever tried to create a song out of samples you realize how hard this is. It’s so much easier to just MAKE the part you want. The songs they make are complex, and fun! There is a joy here that’s intoxicating to listen to. My main issue with this is the repetitive vocal phrases. I listen to people repeating themselves constantly all day so I don’t enjoy it when listening to an album.
Pure baby making music. It’s so good it’s practically a parody of itself. THREE STARS
One star for Nike Rodgers, one star for Tony Thompson, one star for Le Freak. THREE STARS
I get what they're doing here, in that it's artistic, and unhinged, and unique, and challenging. But is it fun to listen to? Not really. I can appreciate elements of it - the wildness of Nick Cave's vocal performances, the grunginess of the riffs, the unexpected turns of the lyrics. But good lord- would it kill someone in this band to be playing WITH anyone else, not AGAINST them? Anyways. POW POW POW THREE STARS
I can't believe how good this record sounds. The recording is so live and clear. It's like being in the room. Dude's voice is perfect. Unbelievable tone. I mean - what are these performances? "If I Should Die Tonight" is unreal. He's using everything in the toolbox here. Get outta here, Marvin..... The only downside is it’s only 8 tracks and 2 of those are kinda throwaway. Otherwise this is impeccable. FIVE STARS
Oh hell yeah. This cover is amazing- vibrant and inviting and very much of a time. Those earrings! One of the best, most recognizable pieces of cover art. Stand outs ----> "Rio" is on the '80s Mt. Rushmore; the groove on "New Religion" is exceptional; "Wolf" is so corny it's amazing; "Prayer" is wonderfully exotic..... Simon Le Bon's lyrics are dog shit but who cares. Cherry ice cream smile? Lol the words sound nice together, I don't know what else y'all want. MTV was wall-to-wall Duran Duran for a few years back in the early/mid 80s, so I can understand people who were sick of them due to their omnipresence. But that was 40 years ago, and these are some intriguing tunes, thrusting you into a totally alien world (to most of us, I believe!) of jet-setting around the late-20th century, banging super models, playing synth guitar in a Cambodian temple. I'm not sure what more you could want in an 80s synth-pop album. FOUR STARS
Breaking new ground in hip-hop - I've heard things on this album that i've never heard before. For that alone I can appreciate what he's doing. The textures are really interesting - and the arrangements are definitely not following your traditional song structure. A surprising album musically and lyrically. I can understand why this is in the book but maybe I need to be in a different mood to really get grabbed by this one. THREE STARS
Ok the first song got me. I thought this would be just a bleeps and bloops album but no- it actually went somewhere. I dug it. Kind of LCD Soundsystem-y. Except not as snide. Very positive. The rest of the album is in that same vein- reminds me of Death Cab and Grandaddy. Maybe some Flaming Lips as well? I keep trying to pin these guys down and I shouldn’t. They’re just a really good indie rock outfit with some excellent songs. Count me in. FOUR STARS
This is very adult music. Lots of Divorce Ballads on this one. It’s kind of tired, and a bit dark. Deffo for people with bedtimes in the single digits. The music is complex at times- like adulthood! “One of Us” is amazing. This one needs a few listens. Good stuff. THREE STARS
Those snare cracks to open up the album. Iconic. “Two Hearts Beat as One” is the hidden gem here. "Surrender" is also a strong track. Not having heard some of these deep cuts in a while, they're pretty fun. This is the first truly big U2 album, in terms of viewpoint and commercial reception. Also the album where Edge relies the least on his delay pedals. It’s worth hearing. FOUR STARS
I’m sure some theory nerd is going to tell me “oh the key changes are totally normal they’re just substituting the 2nd for the major lydian” or some shit but- hey- for real- would it kill these guys to stay in the same key while in the same section of a song? Like if the verse is in C can you just I don’t know STAY IN C until the verse is over? It mostly sounds like they don’t know what they’re doing. I found it so distracting I couldn’t really focus on the lyrics or frankly anything else. “Our House” is a fantastic song that switches keys between the verse and chorus. And earns this an extra star. Otherwise- I think I’ll stay sane thank you very much! TWO STARS
I don’t know a lot about salsa music, but this is really good stuff. I found myself bobbing my head on every track. Some sick grooves on here- especially on “Buscando guayaba” and “Maria lionza.” The title track is - perfect. An extra star for that one. Good lord, guys. Saved the best for last! Another reminder I need to learn Spanish. FOUR STARS
I had written up a whole thing about this but I think a quote from Trainspotting is the best review I can give this thing. At one point you've got it. Then you lose it. Then it's gone forever. Not really sure why this album is on the list, to be honest. There is way more interesting art rock from the early 2010s, and there are MANY better David Bowie albums. What are we doing here, guys? THREE STARS
Amateur Dentistry, the Musical.
It’s colorless, tuneless, and highly polished. Gets a star for every decent melody. TWO STARS
If “I’m not like the other girls” was an album. Bjork and Fiona Apple and Imogen Heap are weird but it’s an honest weird. They write about weird things. This girl only writes about wanting to bone. TWO STARS
Starts out promisingly enough. But devolves into total bass wankery. The piano is great. SHRUG.