thoughts: good production other than man, that harmonica flies in loud as a MFer. i like the back half of this album a lot more; basically starting at “meet me in the morning” through the end, this is a phenomenal album. i’ll probably like this more on repeated listens songs: “simple twist of fate”, “meet me in the morning”, “if you see her, say hello” rating: 7.5/10

thoughts: guy sounds like dylan w/ a buzzer in his throat, very 60s, liked the first two songs but the rest is background noise from the era other than "and I've seen her" which is a fun beatles-esque short track, honestly VERY ren faire songs: “are you happy?”, “only dreaming now”, “and I’ve seen her” rating: 5.2/10

thoughts: good production other than man, that harmonica flies in loud as a MFer. i like the back half of this album a lot more; basically starting at “meet me in the morning” through the end, this is a phenomenal album. i’ll probably like this more on repeated listens songs: “simple twist of fate”, “meet me in the morning”, “if you see her, say hello” rating: 7.5/10

thoughts: look. “smooth operator” will always slap but i was not aware of the rest of sade’s game. first four songs are an amazing run; later tracks are good but definitely album cuts. sade’s voice and the band’s sound melt together so well, though, that the vibes are impeccable. “i will be your friend” was a fun little ballad there at the back end. this is just fuckin cool, and effortlessly so songs: “smooth operator”, “your love is king”, “frankie’s first affair” rating: 8.2/10

thoughts: somehow both a lot different to what i’m used to from the smiths but still very much their sound. it’s probably the guitar and morrissey’s voice (which i love). this was released several months after the band broke up which honestly tracks with the tone of the album songs: “i started something i couldn’t finish”, “girlfriend in a coma”, “last night i dreamt that somebody loved me” rating: 7.9/10

thoughts: speaking of singers whose voice i love, here’s nick drake. this is just so soothing and so confident for a debut album. confident melancholy? is that a thing? sure, let’s go with it songs: “time has told me”, “day is done”, “saturday sun” rating: 7.4/10

thoughts: i’m not particularly a “live album” guy, but this kind of music lends itself to the format. great vibes here throughout, very easy to find yourself tapping your toes along with the music. i can see how this has become so influential songs: “baby, please don’t go”, “tiger in your tank”, “i’ve got my mojo working” rating: 8.0/10

thoughts: “smack my bitch up” and “breathe” is still an insane (but appropriate) 1-2 punch to open the album. a total time capsule of 1990s UK rave culture but outside of the three singles (and the transition from “narayan” into “firestarter”)…eh, hasn’t aged tremendously songs: “smack my bitch up”, “breathe”, “firestarter” rating: 5.4/10

thoughts: you could’ve played this without telling me the musical act and i would’ve known it was the who, easily. this is a fantastic storytelling concept album. also i’m just a fan of those sub-1-minute interludes they love to throw into their albums to bridge between songs. overall, this is an absolute production and it flows extremely well songs: “overture”, “christmas”, “go to the mirror!” rating: 9.0/10

thoughts: this is ‘mood whiplash: the album.’ it’s absolutely insane. it’s a trip across america. and it works. i didn’t know what to expect after the first track went so hard, but some of these instrumental tracks show a great level of talent and the ability to transform the band within its own album. songs: “split myself in two”, “aurora borealis”, “i’m a mindless idiot” rating: 7.5/10

thoughts: i love the efficiency. get in, kill it for 33 mins, get out. classic record. “sunshine of your love” still absolutely slaps. songs: “strange brew”, “sunshine of your love”, “outside woman blues” rating: 7.4/10

thoughts: this feels like what i’d call “sailor music.” defiant storytelling; 5/9 songs have specific names in the title, not even mentioning “brother” as a subject (or the album title!). i feel like david lynch would’ve loved this. really cool production, a couple of very solid tracks, but this album overall probably isn’t for me. songs: “straight to you”, “when i first came to town”, “loom of the land” rating: 5.9/10

thoughts: this is such an easy listen but it’s just so much fun. the production is so slick, the samples are perfect, the storytelling is on point. “heart street directions” is the dumbest and funniest minute-long skit on an album i can remember. breaking it up halfway through with a ne-yo feature is so smart. MF DOOM and j dilla can’t miss songs: “shakey dog”, “9 milli bros”, “R.A.G.U.” rating: 8.1/10

thoughts: hey, another album with some harmonica! this is a lot blues-y than i would’ve expected, but still very much the black sabbath sound i’ve heard in their most famous songs. a lot of doom and gloom here, very methodical pacing songs: “black sabbath”, “the wizard”, “wicked world” rating: 6.5/10

houghts: oh yes, time for some nostalgia, wistfulness, and melancholy. i miss old, heartfelt coldplay. songs: “sparks”, “trouble”, “we never change” rating: 7.5/10

thoughts: from the start, i could tell the beats were gonna be fantastic. i’m a huge fan of good use of samples, and this was really impressive. i recognized a two-second clip from “you can’t stop the prophet” because dj shadow sampled it on endtroducing, which felt like discovering hidden treasure songs: “d.original”, “mental stamina”, “come clean” rating: 7.0/10

thoughts: this opener is beautiful. this album is oasis if they became astronauts. a couple tracks are just “hey do you like noise? because here’s a LOT of it!” but otherwise i think this is a very solid album songs: “ladies and gentlemen we are floating in space”, “stay with me”, “broken heart” rating: 7.5/10

thoughts: “my sweet lord” is one of my favorite songs of all time but having heard this all the way through for the first time, this is an amazing record. i’m a sucker for a slide guitar, but i swear it’s not just that! songs: “my sweet lord”, “let it down”, “art of dying” rating: 8.6/10

thoughts: a very lonely-sounding album. a few songs really grabbed my attention but overall, more misses than hits for my music brain songs: “the shining hour”, “the hook”, “soft wolf tread” rating: 5.7/10

thoughts: the lows are lower than my least favorite tracks on daydream nation, but this is a really solid mix of that album’s vibe and what they were doing in their more primitive work. i can only imagine hearing this in 1990 and wanting more songs: “tunic (song for karen)”, “disappearer”, “mildred pierce” rating: 8/10

thoughts: todd rundgren produced this?! fun album, particularly thinking about it for the time it came out. very formative early punk rock, with a very late-60s british rock detour with “lonely planet boy” songs: “personality crisis”, “looking for a kiss”, “trash” rating: 6.8/10

thoughts: this opening title track is not what i expected at all, but it’s insanely good. the guitar work in general up and down this record is impeccable. fantastic album, super groovy, no skips. songs: “maggot brain”, “can you get to that”, “super stupid” rating: 9.4/10

thoughts: this album flows *really* well. perfect album for lounging by the pool (which i’m coincidentally doing while i listen to this). i enjoyed this a lot songs: “bongo bong”, “mentira”, “lágrimas de oro” rating: 8.5/10

thoughts: i mean, come on. one of my favorite albums of all time, my second sonic youth album in five days on this project, and it never gets old. (and yes, we stan “providence” in this house!) songs: “teen age riot”, “’cross the breeze”, “providence” rating: 9.6/10

thoughts: it’s glitz! it’s glamour! it’s cocktails by the pool! it’s so painfully 80s and it comes out of the block with the title track and doesn’t really let up until the last two tracks. the production is very well done and there are some deeper cuts here i surprisingly enjoyed, but i think my 80s/new wave sensibilities are elsewhere. songs: “lonely in your nightmare”, “hold back the rain”, “save a prayer” rating: 6.8/10

thoughts: i love interludes in albums when done well, and they’re done impeccably here. this is THE janet jackson sound refined over about an hour, she sings the entire way like she’s smiling and/or hopeful, and i get why this was so huge when it came out songs: “rhythm nation”, “miss you much”, all the interludes rating: 9.0/10

thoughts: coincidence that i get this the day after ozzy dies? this isn’t my style of music at all but this album kinda hits with me. ozzy’s voice fits so well even in more ballad-y stuff like “changes”, the instrumentation is fantastic. yeah this is really cool. songs: “wheels of confusion”, “changes”, “supernaut” rating: 8.0/10

thoughts: it’s wild to see how many massive songs are on this album. it’s pure distilled elton john through and through. i love the opener, although i wouldn’t have expected something like that to open an album like this. the title track is an all-time fave of mine. “saturday night’s alright for fighting” showing up late is a nice little shot in the arm songs: “funeral for a friend/love lies bleeding”, “goodbye yellow brick road”, “all the girls love alice” rating: 8.3/10

thoughts: i kinda forget how pleasing willie nelson’s voice is. very easy listen, especially for a genre that i’m not super familiar with. "bandera" as an instrumental capper at the end of the album is a really smart move to tie everything together songs: “time of the preacher”, “blue eyes crying in the rain”, “red headed stranger” rating: 8.5/10

thoughts: very fun and groovy start to the album with the first couple of songs. glitchy dance-y brit indie rock is a weakness for me and this is hitting that spot. i had no idea what to expect with this but man, this is gonna get some replay songs: “negative space”, “static resistance”, “opener” rating: 8.7/10