Jul 03 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
I know half the songs from this because in junior high school, I had the Beatles red double disc.
It's hilarious that on Drive my Car they actually say, beep beep 😅
The song Norwegian Wood reminds me of my ma.
Nowhere man reminds me of Dad
Overall, pretty good, 4.0/5.0 stars
4
Jul 04 2025
Dusty In Memphis
Dusty Springfield
This album feels like a relic of the past. It's got the sound of 60s sweeping arrangements. she has a sort of honeyed voice. her vocals are super forward in the mix. It's not my usual jam, I'm not really into vocal drive singer highlighted music, but I get why this is considered a classic.
I get why this is an important album and the woman can sing but it sounds like it's 55 years old, which of course it is. The recording is just too dated to me. It's great, it's just not for me
4
Jul 06 2025
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
I know this one and I know it well. It was the first Boss album I got into in 2006 when I first met Andrew. It broadened my musical tastes and got me to branch out a bit more. Badlands might be one of my favourite songs of all time. I know that many people say this album is dark, gritty, raw and intense. And while I agree, I also think it's hopeful. The songs are about having hope for the future even when things are dark. Perseverance, belief in oneself, hope for a better future... this is the stuff that can keep a person moving forward. 5/5
5
Jul 06 2025
Neon Bible
Arcade Fire
Neon bible?! How about Neon Babble. I get it, the music is sonically pretty decent and I can see how it was influential in creating the stomp/clap music like Mumford and Sons... or more like Blandford and Sons! God I'm right some funny. But the lyrics are just unbelievably cringe. Like, embarrassingly bad. I only made it to Black Wave/Vibrations before I just couldn't do it anymore. It really started with track 4, Intervention. The lyrics sound like an untalented 15 year old asshole was trying to be clever but should have just continued to jerk off in his jerk sock instead of trying to lyrically come all over the listener with this absolute drivel. I would give this 0 because of how bad the lyrics are but that's not an option and truthfully, the music itself isn't half bad. Would not recommend, would not listen again. Regret having spent this much time listening to and thinking about this. Two thumbs down
1
Jul 07 2025
Birth Of The Cool
Miles Davis
Yassss, kween. Excited for some jazz.
This jazz is busier than I'm used to listening to. I also have no basis to know or understand if/how this album is good or important. All I really know about jazz is if I like it or not.
I actually know track 1, Move. I have no idea how but I somehow do. Track 3, Moon Dreams, feels like it's from a noir film, I kinda love it. Track 5, Budo, is great. It's busy but still familiar to other jazz I listen to. Track 7, Godchild is great, feels very classically jazz, so good to listen to whilst working. Oh man, track 8, Boplicity is soooo good.
5
Jul 08 2025
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
I first heard this album in 2002, pushing 25 years ago now. It felt huge to me at the time. I really enjoyed it, even if it wasn't my favourite Zeppelin album. I don't often return to it so this is definitely a fun relisten.
I mean, what else to say, it's seminal, and completely foundational for modern rock and eventually metal. 5 stars
5
Jul 09 2025
Rhythm Nation 1814
Janet Jackson
I get it. It's really good, especially for 1989. I don't love how many interludes there are, but those are easily skipped. Apparently, it was a massive commercial success that produced seven top-five singles on the Billboard Hot 100, and is the only album in history to have number-one hits in three different calendar years (1989–1991). I always associated Janet Jackson with cousin Mary, which lets me sit in comfortable, warm memories.
4
Jul 10 2025
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
Love late 70s British punk and this one is great. The album artwork is fantastic. It's aggressive and raw in the best way possible. The incorporation of horns is unexpected in this era but it works incredibly well. Poly Styrene is an incredible front woman.
4
Jul 11 2025
Unhalfbricking
Fairport Convention
I get why people would like this. The singer is good and it's well recorded. There were moments I enjoyed but this is just not for me.
3
Jul 12 2025
London Calling
The Clash
Classic. I've been familiar with this album for more than 25 years now. On a careful relisten, I'm just realizing how standout the bass lines actually are.
5
Jul 13 2025
Bongo Rock
Incredible Bongo Band
On first blush, I absolutely thought I knew nothing of this artist. But... that first song, Apache, I know from the Fresh Prince. Also, it's great that they covered In A Gadda da Vida. I think this is really well recorded and unexpectedly fun. I'm not likely to return to this very often but I'm glad to have added it to my knowledge base!
3
Jul 14 2025
Green Onions
Booker T. & The MG's
This is fun background music. The fourth track, green onions, I unknowingly know quite well from popular culture so it's fun to now know and have this reference. The cover of Twist and Shout is also a lot of fun. Really overall quite enjoyed this, fun background music, nothing too abrasive or offensive.
3
Jul 15 2025
Abraxas
Santana
I know only a few Santana songs and as far as I'm aware, I'm not at all familiar with this. I don't normally go for guitar rock, which I believe this album to be the case.
So as a surprise to myself, I actually do know tracks 2 and 3, Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va. I like the song Hope You're Feeling Better, it's got kind of funky rock beat.
This album is really well recorded. It's pretty clean sounding, which isn't usually what I look for but it's good. Santana is obviously a very good guitar player.
So overall, I get why people like this but in the end, it's just not something I'm likely to return to based on personal musical preferences alone.
3
Jul 16 2025
Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots
The Flaming Lips
I listened to the whole thing and nothing stood out for me. Not one thing. I'll definitely relisten to it more closely but.... I'm not so sure there's much to it.
I didn't bother relistening to it. I just can't be bothered. This isn't bad but I didn't find there to be anything interesting.
2
Jul 17 2025
At Newport 1960
Muddy Waters
This is just not for me. Not bad, I'm sure it's good and important. Actually recorded pretty well. High energy for a live show.
3
Jul 18 2025
Destroyer
KISS
So much of this I know through cultural osmosis. Loved it, only minor complaint is that looking back on it 50 years later, the sound is kinda thin. Like it's missing the bass end of things. That being said, Destroyer Resurrected gets it super right.
5
Jul 19 2025
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
Some catchy jams. Musically In the Ghetto is good but god damned those lyrics are bad.
4
Jul 20 2025
Every Good Boy Deserves Fudge
Mudhoney
This evokes 80s college radio rock, Husker Du, glimmers of the Meat Puppets, and a touch of Swans. I can see how much it influenced Nirvana, not likely the other way around. I loved the sonic sound of this although there weren't a lot of hooks. All around though, I enjoyed this one.
4
Jul 22 2025
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
British folk rock is usually really not my thing. But god damn did the beauty of his voice and the quality of the recording unexpectedly pulled me in on the first track, Time Has Told Me. There's a quality to the vocal recording that is at once new and old, familiar and unfamiliar. The third track, Three Hours, sounds like something that would have influenced Bruce Springsteen on Nebraska. I also really enjoyed track 6, 'Cello Song. That drum beat was dope. That piano on track 8, Man in a Shed, is so fun. It's so strange to hear both ease and urgency in a song. It works really well. That last track, Sunday Sun, is good. Really evokes the feeling of what Sundays used to feel like, lazy, laid back.
4
Jul 24 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
Banger, no notes
5
Jul 25 2025
Our Aim Is To Satisfy
Red Snapper
This wasn't bad but I think it was suffering from recency bias. I can tell it's before the advent of truly modern electronic unless it's doing something innovative that my untrained electronic ears just don't detect. I really am not enjoying the song, I Stole Your Car. It definitely invokes the early 90s on the song The Rough and the Quick, like something from dance mix 92 or 93. I feel comfortable giving this 2 stars.
2
Jul 26 2025
Songs For Swingin' Lovers!
Frank Sinatra
I love it sonically and he can sing but this grows very tiring very quickly
3
Jul 29 2025
Live At The Harlem Square Club
Sam Cooke
Great live album, full of life and character. He sings like he feels it. The audience is loving it. You almost feel like you're in the room. Would relisten.
4
Jul 30 2025
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
I do not like the song It's a Shame about Ray. It's lazy sounding in the worst way possible. And those little harmonizing vocals in the last chorus are not great to my ears. The song Rudderless, there's a discordant thing happening in the verses and I don't think it's working. I literally can't listen to this song. I kinda hate it. Ok, I'm maxed on this. I can't force myself through this. It's really not for me. I knew the cover Mrs. Robinson and that's pretty great but that's about the only thing working for me. Maybe the first two songs weren't bad either. 2 stars and that's a generous 2 stars.
1
Jul 31 2025
All Directions
The Temptations
3
Aug 01 2025
The ArchAndroid
Janelle Monáe
I listened to this years ago and it really didn't click for me then. But, I listened to it in full today and I was really impressed. There are so many styles that she has done so very well. This album is dense, there's a lot to unpack here. Will definitely listen again.
3
Aug 02 2025
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
5
Aug 03 2025
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
I'm just not gonna listen to this, I know it's bad
1
Aug 04 2025
This Is Hardcore
Pulp
3
Aug 05 2025
The College Dropout
Kanye West
Not listening out of principal
1
Aug 07 2025
Talk Talk Talk
The Psychedelic Furs
Was unfamiliar with this. Can see a direct line from this to a lot of "alternative" music (whatever that means) that came later. It's actually 3.5 stars for me but decided to round down.
3
Aug 08 2025
Damaged
Black Flag
4
Aug 10 2025
Casanova
The Divine Comedy
I had to look this up on Rate Your Music. It says, that for genres it's Chamber Pop, Baroque Pop
Art Pop, and Cabaret. If that's what it is, I'm pretty sure I don't like these styles. For descriptors, it says that it's humorous, sexual, sarcastic, male vocalist, quirky, romantic, love, bittersweet, passionate, orchestral, lush, poetic, epic, satirical, playful, energetic, melodic, breakup, theatrical, lonely, self-hatred, hedonistic. Again, I don't think I like this style. Maybe I'm not cultured? That's fine.
1
Aug 11 2025
Rust In Peace
Megadeth
One of the best metal albums of all time
5
Aug 12 2025
Hail To the Thief
Radiohead
This was more enjoyable than I thought it would be. But it's sometimes noisy but not in the best kind of way. Would probably relisten
3
Aug 13 2025
The Undertones
The Undertones
Good old fashioned classic 1970s British punk rock. Good enough for me
3
Aug 14 2025
If You Can Believe Your Eyes & Ears
The Mamas & The Papas
I really hate the song Monday, Monday. I like Straight Shooter. Didn't realize that the Ramones cover of Do You Wanna Dance was of these moms and dads. California Banananing. It's just so old sounding. I can appreciate that what it's doing at the time is really good. But like, I'm never gonna spin this on my own without a prompting. Listened to the whole thing, only 35 mins, but it felt longer.
3
Aug 15 2025
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
Never heard of these guys but this shit is great. It's dated but still fresh. A pleasant surprise.
4
Aug 16 2025
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
5
Aug 17 2025
Microshift
Hookworms
I was unfamiliar with this artist and this album. On the whole, I really enjoyed it. Will relisten.
4
Aug 18 2025
White Light
Gene Clark
1
Aug 19 2025
The World is a Ghetto
War
3
Aug 20 2025
Wonderful Rainbow
Lightning Bolt
2
Aug 21 2025
Transformer
Lou Reed
3
Aug 22 2025
Superunknown
Soundgarden
5
Aug 26 2025
Blur
Blur
This is fine but the album feels really inconsistent. There's no overarching theme, it feels like a bunch of random ideas that got turned into songs. It's not bad but I don't think it's particularly very good. It feels like they were musical tourists and just pulled from everywhere they were visiting. Song 2 is so high school coded for me. It's the only song that feels 'polished.' Anyway, I'm not likely to revisit this.
2
Aug 27 2025
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
I liked this. I really liked Monitor and Sin in My Heart. Great overall, it's actually a 3.5 for me but decided to round up instead of rounding down.
4
Aug 28 2025
Devotional Songs
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
I have no idea if this is good or not. I listened to less than 30 seconds. Extremely not my jam. Is it important? Probably, maybe. But I'm not gonna find out. I wish I could be more open minded about this but it's not where my head is right now.
1
Aug 29 2025
m b v
My Bloody Valentine
I enjoyed this. I get why they're considered at the peak of shoe gaze. I just don't know how much I love shoe gaze in general
3
Aug 30 2025
Pretenders
Pretenders
This album is fine. But there's a flat feeling to it. And Chrissie Hynde's vocal range is a bit limited. It's fun to know and it makes sense that Nick Lowe produced this. While I know the hits, I'm not likely to return to this.
3
Aug 31 2025
Astral Weeks
Van Morrison
Van Morrison is fine, it's just not for me.
2
Sep 01 2025
Dire Straits
Dire Straits
I've listened to this in the past. It's a good one but I'm curious how it'll feel on a relisten years later.
It's good but I'm not likely to return to this but would never complain if it were on
3
Sep 03 2025
Let's Get Killed
David Holmes
This is kinda bland and boring. I feel like it's not doing anything, like it's directionless. I'm not sure why this is an album one would have to hear before the die. While I tried to listen to this, I couldn't help but keep skipping songs. Maybe this is good but my untrained electronic ears just couldn't parse it out. But that's fine. Not gonna spin this one again.
1
Sep 04 2025
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Oh, I'm kinda excited to give this one a go. I mean, I was excited because it's nice to close a musical knowledge gap. and this was fine and I get why people like it but it's just not for me.
3
Sep 05 2025
Trio
Dolly Parton
About time for some female artists. I mean, I love all of these women on their own and together, I'm sure it's a straight banger. I was looking at other reviews for this album and someone said the following and you know what, I agree:
"This turned me into an atheist. Or alchemist. Or whatever the term is that means I'd really like to fuck Linda Ronstadt. Or Emmylou Harris, which I believe some comic referred to as Gram Parsons disease. "
4
Sep 06 2025
At Mister Kelly's
Sarah Vaughan
I love fallout music and this is basically that. But I would prefer actual music from fallout like Uranium Fever, I don’t want to set the world on fire, crawl out through the fallout...
I don't hate this but I don't love it.
3
Sep 07 2025
A Date With The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
I won't be able to listen to this. My father loved The Everly Brothers and it's just too painful even though it isn't very good.
2
Sep 08 2025
NEU! 75
Neu!
Will forever and always make me think of Andrew. Makes me feel all the good feels.
4
Sep 10 2025
Songs From A Room
Leonard Cohen
I mean, I get it, he's a poet and not necessarily a musician. I sometimes struggle with music from the 60s. It just sounds so dated. Some of this is good, like The Partisan, but I'm just overall not fucking with this album. I like his later stuff but this album is just not something I'm likely to return to.
3
Sep 11 2025
Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
Funny, I already had the second track, Building Steam With a Grain of Salt, on my liked songs. I know this song from somewhere but I'm not sure where. This album suffer from the same thing so many other 90s albums suffer from which is their length. It's like every artist in the 90s felt they had to fill the length of a CD, which routinely made for albums that are an hour plus. Given this length, it can make it hard to parse out what's good and what's just filler. So on the whole, this album is fine but would be better if it were more streamlined. It's truly a 2.5 stars for me but I'm feeling generous this morning and rounding up to 3 instead of rounding down to 2.
3
Sep 12 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
Uummm... I'm not super into the animal noises on Barnyard. It's weird but like, I'm not fucking with it kind of weird. Also, this rendition of You Are a my Sunshine night be the most depressing version I have ever heard.
Ok, this is super well recorded, and he can definitely write a hook but this is overall not great. I'm not gonna listen to this again.
2
Sep 13 2025
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
Love this, only minor complain is that there's a bit of a lull mid album. But on the whole, great stuff.
5
Sep 14 2025
Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Arctic Monkeys
Totally missed this when it first came out. It feels very of the time, that early to mid aughts garage rock sound. My brain somehow conflates them with Imagine Dragons and 21 Pilots and I really don't know why. That's pretty unfair to them. And honestly, pretty unfair to me, I don't wanna even think of that other bands.
4
Sep 16 2025
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
I've listened to this so much that I feel like it's embedded in my brain at this point. It's hard to listen to with fresh ears. But it's also so familiar that it's really comforting. Your can see the clear through line to Exile here. Overall great stuff
4
Sep 18 2025
The Bends
Radiohead
It's good but spotty at times
3
Sep 19 2025
Country Life
Roxy Music
I really liked this album, would likely spin this again. However, that album cover is so edge lord
4
Sep 20 2025
The Doors
The Doors
It's mega fans of The Doors and Jim Morrison that have ruined much of this for me. I'm trying really hard to listen to this and not think of the fans. But good grief the "Alabama Song" is terrible, it sounds like shitty circus music.
3
Sep 21 2025
Go Girl Crazy
The Dictators
I don't know this band at all. I feel like it's a mix of (wanna be) Kiss and... New York Dolls? Also, this cover of I Got You Babe is not really working. I mean, this just feels like it's not quite making the cut for me. There's so much other great punk from this era, I don't know why one would ever spin this when there's so much better stuff to pick from. It's a no for me dawg
2
Sep 22 2025
Off The Wall
Michael Jackson
The hours are great but the rest of it is kinda meh
3
Sep 23 2025
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
I have such a complicated relationship with this album. Like, I actually think it's really well done, the lyrics are kinda cringe from time to time. But it's really good. But it's Kanye.
3
Sep 24 2025
Broken English
Marianne Faithfull
I don't know this album and wasn't really sure for the first few songs, they really weren't working for me. That cover of Working Class Hero is fantastic. And that last song, Why'd Ya Do It is so good, it's so dirty. Singing of cocksucking and anger of having your snatch spat on. This song is more like she's singing a poem. Great stuff.
3
Sep 25 2025
Architecture And Morality
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
Only loosely knew of this band and certainly not this album. It had me from the first few notes. This sounds like what I've been looking for lately. Will definitely be checking out the rest of their catalogue. Solid listen
4
Sep 26 2025
Here's Little Richard
Little Richard
I get why it's important and I get why it matters but there feels to be little variance amongst the songs. They all have a samey sound. And I can only listen to 12-bar blues inspired rock for so long. As a plus, you can tell that he really enjoys his art. And I'm sure seeing him live at the time was a real banger but this is of the past and I'm going to leave it there.
3
Sep 27 2025
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
No notes, good shit
5
Sep 28 2025
Justified
Justin Timberlake
IDGAF about him or this album, he's just a wanna be Michael Jackson
1
Sep 29 2025
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
I don't know, some of this is ok but some of it is really fucking annoying.
3
Sep 30 2025
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
5
Oct 06 2025
The Libertines
The Libertines
Oh man, I really did not enjoy this.
1
Oct 07 2025
Funeral
Arcade Fire
This is the second Arcade Fire album that I've encountered so far on this list. I truly hated Neon Bible. I don't know why but even the artwork on this irritates me. It's less bad than Neon Bible but will never come back to this. It's of a time and I'll be leaving it there.
1
Oct 08 2025
Kala
M.I.A.
It was fine, I get why this was a big deal. Paper Planes is great, I'm not so sure the rest holds up. A bit inconsistent at times, and surprisingly slow at times.
4
Oct 09 2025
Eliminator
ZZ Top
This album is a fucking banger. Stone cold classic. Bops from start to end.
5
Oct 10 2025
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
That first song, The World Girl, doing the faux reggae just killed me. Honestly, I thought there was nothing redeeming about this. I'm not even sure this was good for the time.
1
Oct 11 2025
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
3
Oct 18 2025
Nilsson Schmilsson
Harry Nilsson
Definitely fun at times, not so much at other times. Would relisten to at least some of the more fun stuff.
3
Oct 20 2025
Moving Pictures
Rush
5
Oct 22 2025
The Scream
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3
Oct 23 2025
Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1
George Michael
I mean, besides Faith, I'm never going to listen to any of this again. It wasn't terrible, but it really didn't work for me. It sat in the uncomfortable space between "pop star" and "serious artist" without do either particularly well.
2
Oct 24 2025
O.G. Original Gangster
Ice T
Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Really enjoyed the song where he called out love for his homes, not a diss track, sort of like a song of little loves notes, so sweet.
3